Discipleship in The Power of Words – Being Legacy Minded
Sunday, August 13, 2023 – RECAP/Study Points
I discovered that DeeDee and I have entered our third generation. Legacy doesn’t begin when you pass away; legacy begins the day you are born. You have stepped into one and you are developing another.
Legacy is what you leave to the next generation, and it does not always have to be monetary or things.
Ladies and gentlemen, you are leaving something as a legacy, whether you know it or not. Whether you are intentional or unintentional something is being left. It’s not specifically or particularly important to me or God about what you leave to them more than what you leave in them. There is wealth that exists that far exceeds what you can put into a bank account. There are things that’s going into your Childrens, children’s account based upon how you are conducting yourselves while you are alive.
I am very intentional about my legacy! As a matter of fact, one of the reasons why I deliberately call every man my main man is so at my Celebration of Life Service they are going to say he called everybody his main man. That’s intentional because I want you to feel that you are important to me. I am leaving something in the earth that is deliberately designed to get every person’s attention that I come in contact with.
I want to help establish a posterity for your children’s children on today. I love prosperity but then prosperity without posterity is fruitless. Posterity is all future generations of people.
What am I currently leaving my next generation?
Proverbs 22: 1, 2 – A good name is to be chosen rather than riches; loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common; the Lord is the maker of them all.
- A good name is to be chosen rather than all your possessions.
- When we are talking about name carrying, we are not just talking about the Colbert family, or the Smith family, or Freeman family, or Johnson family; what’s your last name. We are not talking about that name because so much emphasis is placed on a sir name. My father used to tell me that boy you are a Freeman. What was he implying, he trying to connote or denote to me that I was a Freeman.
- He wanted me to understand that there are certain characteristics that are associated with the name Freeman, that he wanted me to project as it relates to what Freeman’s produce.
A name is simply an identifier. It gives you an identification to a certain group. Every person comes from something and someone that brings about a level of representation to the whole. So, whenever you step outside of your family’s name; you identify your family with that.
We cater to, we patronize, and we support all these names. McDonalds is a name, Armonie is a last name, Baskin and Robins is a last name, Chrysler is a last name, Fisher Price, Gucci, Hennesy, Harley Davidson, Hilton, Lowes, Honda, Merriott, Nordstrom, Pillsbury, Porch, Proctor and Gamble, Rose Royce, Wells Fargo, Walgreens, all these last names we are supporting and giving resource to, but whose giving resources to your name.
We are living lives exalting and supporting other identifying names. Ladies and gentlemen, you are identifying with one of these names through your support.
What support are you lending as it relates to the identifier?
Because listen to these names, liars, thieves, arrogant, know it all, tyrant, integral, good guy, committed, humble, quiet, sweet, quick tempered, entrepreneur. What identifier are you adding to the name of the tribe that you come out of?
Through the Word of God, we see it is our responsibility to leave a name for generations to come. What name are you leaving as a legacy to your family as an inheritance.
The Bible says a good man leaves – and it does not necessarily have to be from your insurance policies, but it can specifically be about your assurance policy. Will your children know you as someone who exalted God?
Eighty-seven to ninety percent of African American children specifically can’t even tell you their great grand-mothers name. Some of you sitting here as adults can’t tell me your great grand-mothers name.
Therefore, the legacy of what they ever stood for is absent to be added to the generation of that family to come.
Whose passing down the rich heritage? Your great grandmother was a God-fearing woman who would not tolerate absence from the presence of God or the fellowship of saints at church. Now your grandchildren don’t even know what’s done here.
The scripture says, will Jesus find faith in the earth and faith was your family’s backbone. Now your children and your grandchildren they know nothing about your faith and God.
As a matter of fact, some of them would not even be here today if God didn’t inspire me for you to go after your grandbabies to bring them back to this landmark.
Where they would know how your family has been through all of the struggles, all temptations, and all trials; – through many – what’s that old hymn – dangers, toils and snares; I have already come – for it was grace that brought me safe this far and it will be grace – (Amazing Grace lyrics) – But what do your children’s children know about the grace of their great grandparents.
Predecessors and progenitors have left here and thought they left this rich heritage of you connecting your life and your children’s life with God, but somehow, it’s been drastically diminished.
That’s why we have twelve-year-olds that are being arrested for first degree murder, because something is not passed down.
I’ve got to quit, but I’ve got so much to tell you that God gave me to give to you to preserve your seeds’ seed. Thank God for Pastor Pete, he went to the book of Hebrews and talked about how Levi who was not even born gave tithe in Abraham.
Because we are leaving something and some of your children’s current struggles are from what you have been doing.
They are not fighting their own devil they are fighting their daddy’s devil, they are fighting their grandfather’s devil, and somebody has to cry loud and spare not. If you think it’s a ploy for me to get you back to this place you are correct.
Oh, you are so right! It is designed to get your attention, to say God I don’t want my children to become victims of this culture, because I didn’t put what I was supposed to put in my children with my lifestyle.
LEGACY QUOTES
(Night Cap)
- “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren, is not money but rather a legacy of character and faith.” ~ Billy Graham
- “All good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine.” ~ Jim Rohn
- “Please think about your legacy because you are writing it every day.” ~ Gary Vaynerchuk
- “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” ~ Gary Vaynerchuk
- “If you are going to live leave a legacy, make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.” ~ Maya Angelo
- “If a man will manage is mouth that man will manage his life.” ~ Michael A. Freeman
- “No one goes on, but what we leave behind keeps us alive.” ~ Adam Silver
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE KNOW FOR?