What legacy will you leave your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren? Do you ever think about it? Lots of boo coo bucks? Acres and acres of land, a fancy house, a nice boat, a neat car, a Harley Davison motorcycle, OR … a simple, little diary filled with your faith journey, your spiritual insights, your favorite scripture verses? From that list, which one would have the greatest monetary value? Definitely not the spiritual diary. But which one has the power to change the life of a loved one? Which one could leave a lasting impact for eternity? Hands down - the Spiritual diary – the journal filled with your personal faith journey. What a legacy – one that cannot be equaled by anything else. Well, I’m one of the lucky ones - my Grandma Jacobson left that very gift.
*Show MEMO BOOK. She left this little Memo Book of her faith –when grandma read scripture, she thought of other scripture that closely resembled the theme, then she filled it with her own thoughts, reflections, and impressions. What a treasure to my soul. When Grandma passed away I didn’t want anything else of hers – except her Bible – and this little booklet. I was more than blessed – I got them both.
On the very first page, Grandma Margaret started out with the Key to life:
She said it was, Keeping your eyes on Jesus! God never views sin lightly, she said, but He forgives and forgets. Then she quoted Isaiah 43:25 “I alone am he who blots away your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” That’s why we must be obedient to the Father and pray for divine guidance and blessing and a knowledge of God’s presence in our lives.
We must remember that Jesus wrestled with feelings that tore him to pieces; he hurt along with each of us. He understands our feelings and invites us to share them with Him.
So Lord, cover us with your blood. And when we are on the edge, let us feel your outstretched hand reaching for us. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
Sometimes one of the hardest things I find in life is to pray. Sometimes I can’t feel His presence. He’s there, I know he’s there, He’s always there, and He knows, He always knows, and He understands,
Grandma – you are so right – sometimes God does seem far away – but that’s preciously the time we need to go to Him in prayer so He can draw us in.
Some people also avoid prayer because they aren’t living the way they should, or their focus is on the prayer itself rather than on God. Prayer is an act of humility. It’s all about God. You see, we don’t believe in the power of prayer, we believe in the power of God, that’s why we pray. When we pray we are reminded that we are clay in His hands, He is in control, and prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind, it’s about changing our minds so they line up with His will.
Let’s face it – sometimes God, as a loving parent, says NO. Sometimes he says Wait – sometimes he says - Not yet. And sometimes He says Yes! So yes, Grandma, sometimes it’s hard to pray, but those are the times we need to pray.
After addressing prayer, Grandma moved on to James 1:8: “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, so if we don’t ask in faith, don’t expect the Lord to give us a solid answer.”
Temptation is the path of mankind’s own evil. Our sin and wounds are not the same thing. We need forgiveness of sin and healing of wounds in order to become a whole person.
God does not send us pain, she said. He is not the wounder, this is important to understand in our growth. And don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry.
Then she prayed: “Forgive me Lord when I try to tell you how to run the World.” That was all – a one sentence prayer. So true – Lord, for us all, when we try to tell you how to run the World.
She continued: “God wants us to bloom with our own individual beauty; to do our part in making his garden colorful and beautiful.
We are clay in the Potter’s hand, and his grace is sufficient, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
God has a definite goal for each of us. Knowing that, keeps us headed in the right direction. So keep your eyes set on God all the time.
For His compassion never ends; it is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness, His loving kindness; it begins afresh every day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance, and I will keep my hope in Him.
Then she moved on to Faith, she wrote “One of the most essential qualities of the faith is to attempt to do great things for God. And, to expect great things from God. So, it is good to both hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord!”
And what does the Lord require of us? But to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God. And when we do, we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free.
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what direction our lives should take. It is God’s way of preparing us to fulfill our Creator’s will.
Then my grandma wrote a personal reflection in her journal – she said: “It is by the Grace of Jesus Christ that to this day, I maintain a close relationship with this God of Love to whom I give thanks and praise.”
I am so grateful that my grandmother had a close relationship with the Lord. And that relationship had a huge impact on me from the time I was a little girl. I feel sorry for children who aren’t raised in the faith. They don’t have that hope and love to cling to. Don’t ever take your Christian upbringing for granted – it is precious gift.
Grandma continued: “Keep on asking and you will keep on receiving. Keep on looking and you will keep on finding; keep on knocking and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives, all who seek find, and the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
Let not your heart be troubled, or you are troubling God, just trust. It was so simple for my Grandma. Just trust – why can’t people just trust? They trust in all kinds of things in this world – why can’t some people simply trust in God?
She proceeded – “All of us need to learn to trust, and give, and receive. And by Faith, we are allowed to witness the great deeds of God.”
It was then, that she lapsed into this prayer: “God of mercy, grant us faith to know you; and to trust when we cannot see. Divine Spirit, inspire our hope, inform our minds, remove our fears, and direct our energies toward the kingdom that is not yet established.”
I paused there – yes – it is a kingdom not yet established – we are excited because there will be a new heaven and a new earth and we need to direct our energies toward that new kingdom. Why do we put all our energy into a world that will pass away – her words reminded me of Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Grandma continued: “It’s all in God’s time. We must trust and wait. Waiting patiently does not come easily, but I am resting and waiting and delighting myself in Him.”
I hear ya, Grandma – waiting patiently has never been one of my virtues. And Yes, we have all sinned, we have all fallen short of God’s glorious ideal. But God declares us “not guilty” of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners.
And if we tell others with our own mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
For it is by believing that we become right with God. And anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Once again, I paused in her spiritual diary to thank God for salvation. To thank God for Jesus. To thank God for His love, His mercy, and His grace. And to thank God for a grandmother, that taught me about His great love.
Then grandma slipped in another little prayer: “God, give me patience, steadfastness, and encouragement. Even when I fail, do not forsake me.
Grandma was praying the scriptures. Have you ever prayed the scriptures before? It is a beautiful way to connect with God. Read the prayers written by others in the bible or prayers recorded by others today. It’s ok to make their prayers our own.
She continued with scripture: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken; we are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep on going.
These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did, so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within us who keeps us safe and alive.
What a great insight! Yes, we are constantly facing death just as Jesus did. Most of our suffering, whether physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual, is because of our poor decisions or the fact that we are born into a fallen world. As Christians, however, we have hope in Christ.
Grandma’s reflections lapsed into this:
In the Beginning, Adam and Eve fell and brought sin upon all mankind.
But there was already a plan in place –
God knew He would have to save His people – His creation
Operation Jesus was ready because He was the only One who was sinless – because He was God Himself.
So the Father sent His only Son, His sinless Son, whom He loved so very much, to die for each one of us
Jesus willingly gave His life, the Father didn’t make Him
Jesus knew that was His purpose and pain
And now we can live forever with Him, because of Him
The troubles of this life will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. That’s why “preaching” the gospel is not as important as “living” the gospel.
So let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.
Just as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it’s not the kind that results in good deeds. So keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others.
I bet my grandmother never realized her spiritual diary would one day be the foundation of her granddaughter’s sermon. Because I’m pretty sure that first, she thought that little orange booklet would just be thrown away. And second, I don’t think she ever dreamed I would become a pastor. I know I didn’t – but we never know what path God will take us down when we love Him and want to serve Him.
Grandma’s little spiritual diary continued with these words: “Trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it. Your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold, so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials it will bring you much praise and glory on the day of His return.”
So, press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you.
I love that grandma realized the foundation of wisdom is the recognition of God, who alone can satisfy the longings of the human soul. Reverence for the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. It is the response of the human spirit in the presence of the Great Spirit who is not only power and knowledge, but also love. A personal relationship with God, who is the foundation and source of knowledge and love, makes life worthwhile and fruitful. Are we wise enough to see that only God can satisfy the deepest longings of our souls?
Grandma’s next words, taken from Galatians 2:20, reflect one of my favorite verses. I have been crucified with Christ, and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is the result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. And the sorrows of this life cause me to rise up - toward God.”
There is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord. What a comforting and reassuring thought, she said. That’s the kind of love we must be able to show others.
And then she wrote this unique prayer: “Crucified Love – welcome. Come into my life as a friend. Bring love and cheer. Build-up happiness. Be simple and sincere. Be patient and understanding. Be helpful and cooperative. Be positive in everything.”
What a great way to address God: Crucified Love – Welcome. I like that.
She continued: “We must obey God rather than men. And we can ask Him anything, He will do it.” Grace never comes cheaply, but it always comes.
Love is a state of mind that seeks only good for others, regardless of how that person has treated you.
May the Holy Spirit help us to move toward God with loving persistence and complete trust.
Her final thoughts moved toward the cross.
“The cross is the center of the Christian faith. God chose not to save Jesus from the Cross, but to save us through Jesus by the cross. That’s why God is stripping us of everything to give us everything.”
So boldly go where no man has ever gone before, and God will give you the what, where, when, and how. Spirit-filled Christians are deaf to self. They think of others. They follow Jesus. Their mission field is their own back yard.
Satan can never have the keys to the kingdom – he cannot put the armor of God on
Satan is the prince of the power of the air – but only until Jesus comes
When Jesus comes, we will be at perfect peace with God
Perfect peace with ourselves and perfect peace with others
When we look at faith – are we willing to die for it? How deep does our faith connection go? How true is our commitment to Jesus Christ?
Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the cross – the least we can do is be obedient to Him. The Lord wants our supreme affection. Salvation is Free, but it cost God the Father and Jesus His Son an enormous price.
We cannot do anything to make God stop loving us.
Draw near to God
Hold fast the confession of Faith
Encourage one another
Knowledge is to know something
Wisdom is what you do with it!
Believe in miracles; Jesus is always involved, and the miracle act is against the natural order.
Jesus is God’s miracle Son, because he was born of the virgin Mary.
The cross gives victory over self
What do you glory in? What should you glory in? The cross
The cross is a symbol of suffering, but it was God’s way to prove to us just how much he cares for us and loves us.
The cross is our miracle!
Thank you, Grandma for reminding me and all of our listeners – that the cross is, indeed, our miracle. So please grab a pen and piece of paper and write out the word CROSS for me please. Here is a great little acrostic poem to help you remember that the Cross is our miracle.
It can miraculously Convert a sinner to a saint. Those who once found joy in other people’s pain and sorrow and destruction, suddenly find the joy in Jesus and they want to help people overcome their pain and sorrow.
The cross can also miraculously Restore our broken relationship with the Father. Adam and Eve’s sin is our sin – we are all born sinners. Psalm 51:5 says “I was brought forth in sin – and in sin my mother conceived me.” That is a pretty clear message. So, there is no way back to God – no highway to heaven – except through Jesus by way of the cross.
The cross can miraculously Outwit the infernal plans of Satan. Satan is our ultimate enemy. Do not underestimate his power and evil intentions. It’s amazing how we characterize Satan here on earth. We give him a cute little face and pitchfork and print his picture on lighters. We put his face on T-shirts and say the Devil made me do it.
Satan is a hostile adversary to God Himself. Think about Jesus’s time here on earth – Satan was busy 24-7 trying to get God’s Son to fall. “Come on Jesus,” he said, “turn these stones into bread if you are the Son of God.” He was tempting Jesus’ flesh. He was hungry – he hadn’t eaten for 40 days. But he tried to get Jesus to use his Godly powers for personal purposes.
Then he attacked Jesus’ emotional side – a side he hoped would be filled with pride: “Come on Jesus,” throw yourself off this highest point if you are the Son of God he will send his angels to save you” – little did Satan understand that Jesus was not controlled by pride – a pride that said God loves me so much he will save me.
And third, Satan attacked the lust of the eyes: “Come on Jesus,” bow down and worship me and I will give it all to you” This would have given Jesus a shortcut around the cross. The miracle of the cross. There could be no shortcuts – Jesus had to face the cross or we would be cut from the salvation plan.
Next, the cross can miraculously Strip away our old desires and give us a new heart.” Through Christ, we too can be overcomers. But every day, we must guard our hearts.
And the last S, the cross can miraculously Save our souls from death and give us eternal life. This is straight-up the greatest miracle of the cross – the salvation of the soul. Through the miracle of the cross we will live forever with Jesus.
A quick review spelling out Cross. It can miraculously
Convert a sinner to a saint.
Restore our broken relationship with the Father.
Outwit the infernal plans of Satan.
Strip away our old desires and give us a new heart.
Save our souls from death and give us eternal life.
Thank you grandma for reminding me, for reminding all of us, that the Cross is our miracle.
