Cultivating a Godly heritage

Topics: God's blueprint, God's blessings

I. Follow the Lord's blueprint

* Unless the Lord . . . "Nisi Dominus Frusta"

1. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep (Psalm 127:1, 2).
2. For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23).

3. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4, 5).
4. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

II. Cherish the Lord's blessings

* Children (Disciples) are a gift of the Lord!

1. Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3-5).
2. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth (3 Jn 4).
3. "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins, June 11^th, 2023

Life group flow and discussion questions

Cultivating a Godly heritage

An important Guideline of Life Groups: Brainstorm how you can help one another to cultivate a godly heritage with your children, grandchildren, and spiritual disciples.

Getting Started:

1. What was your upbringing like? What do you want to repeat and what do you want to avoid?
2. How did Solomon's wisdom honor the Lord as the Architect of the Family, yet fail to impact his own life?

Discussing Truths:

1. What will you do to add Value to your home and avoid Vanity?
2. Have you ever felt like children were more of a burden than a blessing; a headache and not a heritage; a grind and not a gift?
3. Parenting is not only hard work, it is heart work - what can we do to guard our hearts as parents/disciple-makers (Proverbs 4:23)?
4. How do you keep from losing hope when you see so many "children" walking away from the truth/the Lord (3 John 4)?
5. Does 1 Corinthians 15:58 inspire you to greater obedience to the Lord's plans?
6. What does it mean to "Cherish the Lord's Blessings"?
7. How does the "Shema" passage (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) instruct us to influence the next generation?

Now What? Application:

1. What steps will you take to make sure that the Lord is the One building your life, your family and your legacy?
2. Cultivating a godly heritage requires intentionality and empowerment from the Lord by being filled with His Holy Spirit: Ask God every day to FILL you with His Spirit!