The New Testament starts in Matthew with the book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. We can venture to say that if the lineage were to continue on in print, our names as believer would be added to this very list.
What a legacy we are part of as the sons and daughters of Jesus, our Lord! However, we cannot be satisfied that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life only. Whether we have natural children or spiritual children, we must put forth an effort that the generation of the righteous will continue on.
In Jewish culture there is something called the Shema. It is part of a prayer taken from Duet. 6:4-9 that is prayed by Jewish families several times a day.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”
That prayer starts out with the words, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” What a reminder! When the cares of life try to overtake you, remember that the Lord is our God.
To leave a Godly legacy for our children, we need to remind ourselves of this very fact. Our God is Holy and we are to love Him with our whole hearts. Our children need to see this devotion in our lives as we follow the Lord daily. Leading by example supersedes anything we may tell them.
When we impress our faith upon our children we are actually transferring what we believe and what we do onto them. It is a parent’s responsibility to nurture and to train up their child in the way that they should go. Parents must daily walk in the things they want for their children. It will be built into them, it will become who they are. Our daily devotion of serving the Lord will be transferred over to them. Then in turn, they will be able to impress their faith upon their children, thus continuing on in flow of blessings from generation to generation.
Praying at meal times, and in the evening are key. When the situations of life come up we must be diligent to include our children in prayers where we may ask God to show us His Will and to give us direction. As we look to the Lord, we are passing this on to our family. Our children will know and seek God’s direction because they have first learned this at the feet of their parents. In addition, they will hear these prayers within the House of God.
Spending time in the Word of God teaches our children that God’s Word is of the utmost importance to us. It is the Book of Life, and the Book of Wisdom. It is our life’s manual. As we refer to the Word, these are things our children will not forget. Whenever we train our children, it is important to present them with material that is age appropriate so that they can get an understanding of God’s Word for themselves. Take the time to sit with your child and read their bible with them.
As natural and or spiritual parents it is equally important to declare and decree that our children will serve the Lord all the days of their lives. We must declare that they will also teach their children in the ways of God. We must be those who speak to the generations that are to come, even until the return of our Lord and savior.
Just as we serve the Lord, this Godly lifestyle will be transferred to them. They will in turn impress their faith upon their children. In that way, the cycle of faith will not be broken. God’s Word doesn’t return void. His Grace will flow down to and through your children.
Even though these scriptures specifically mentions brothers, consider them in relationship to a family that flows under God’s Grace together:
“A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” – Psa 133:1-3 KJV
This is how God’s Grace continues to flow down from generation to generation.
-Selah
May God’s Grace Abundantly Reign In Your Life!
-Apostle Ric & Prophetess Kathy Steele
The Prophetic Voice 