“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine…
“And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” (Joshua 4:20–22, KJV.) Joshua’s act of setting up twelve stones was more than a historical marker—it was a spiritual declaration. These stones told the story of God’s power and provision. They were a lasting reminder that Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground only because of God’s mighty hand. They were called to build a legacy: a legacy of faith, truth, and inheritance that outlived their lifetime. 1. The Legacy of Faith Faith is more than belief; it is the foundation of spiritual legacy. Scripture mentions faith 336 times, and one of the clearest examples is Abraham. In Genesis 15:5, God promised him countless descendants: “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them:… so shall thy seed be.” At that time, Abraham and Sarah were childless. Sarah was barren. Yet Abraham believed. Later, in Genesis 22, God…
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 Because of who you are, I give you glory. Because of who you are, I give you praise. Because of who you are, I will lift my voice and say, Lord, I worship you because of who you are. We began this week by asking ourselves if we loved the Lord because He is God, or only because of the blessings He provides us. It has been an interesting week as we looked at stories from the Bible of people who had to decide this for themselves. They were not superheroes, just ordinary people like you and me. Faced with a decision, they made choices that had consequences for their future. This past week, I listened to two different testimonies from ordinary people who came to a crossroads in their lives where they had to make decisions. A young lady in our church told us of pressure by an employer to…
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” Hebrews 11:17 Perhaps Abraham is one of the best examples in the Scriptures of someone who loved and worshipped the Lord for who He was rather than for the blessings he provided. God had made a promise to Abraham that he would have a son and that from his seed would come a great nation. Abraham had waited for years for Isaac. And then, God asked Abraham to do something that sounded contradictory to the promise, to…
“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Matthew 19:21 When Jesus was here on earth, His teaching drew crowds of followers. Some followed Him because of the miracles he performed. Others saw Him as the One who would deliver them from the Roman oppressors. It is possible that some just saw Him as a diversion. They listened to His teachings but did nothing about them. The young man in this story, apparently, was hungry for more of God. He approached Jesus in reverence, acknowledging Him as “Good Master,” and earnestly desiring direction in his life. Jesus knew what was in his heart. And so, replied that the way to eternal life was to keep the commandments of God. As Jesus listed the commandments, the young man replied that he had diligently kept them all from his youth. Jesus, knowing all things, asked him to go and sell all his goods, give the money to the poor, and come follow Him. He was not ready for this. His reaction must have grieved Jesus. Matthew 19:22 “But when…
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10 Daniel had been taken from his home in Jerusalem and carried captive to Babylon. Right from the start, he held fast to the teachings that he had received as a young man. He, along with his friends, refused to eat the rich food that was given but asked for a simple diet. As he rose to prominence in the king’s court, he still maintained his worship of Jehovah. No doubt the writings of David had been part of his education as a child, and he had taken to heart how David served God. It appears he had committed to memory Psalm 55:17: “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” The other leaders in the land were jealous of Daniel’s good reputation, and they sought a way to destroy him. They knew he was faithful in all his duties to the king, and…