LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH -What Kind Of A Legacy Are You Leaving?
Personally, I think these words are fruitless, if they are not backed by Scripture. Really, what is one saying when they say live – Live and let live maybe? or Love – Hollywood Love? (lust), or Laugh? (eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die) Oh my, what kind of legacy would that be? Leaving a godly legacy is important and a big deal! Here is what I shared with the ladies at the shower:
LIVE -no, not eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die, but rather as Matthew 5:16 says Let your light so shine before men, . . .Evangelize Your Children – We have been entrusted with a gift from God, and
He has equipped us with His gospel. There is no greater charge to a parent than to deliver this great and momentous news. There is no greater equipping than the good and perfect revelation of God’s Holy Word.~Ken Ham
Teach them that you must know the Savior for themselves. They are not Christians because you are. Just as the Israelites had to look at the serpent on the pole, your children must look to Jesus as their own personal Savior. You have heard of the song LOOK and LIVE – we must all look to the Savior before we can truly live.
John 3:14-16 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Live Christ before them:
Your personal relationship with Christ must take precedence over other highly important things — even over your relationships with your earthly family. ~Ken Ham
How you live before your children will have a great influence on them – Realize that you are being watched.
Provide a consistent and Godly example for them to follow-In order to live properly before our children we should be filled with the Spirit, be right with God, and be in fellowship with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Titus 2:12-13 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; …
Ken Ham says:
We need to realize that we are being watched. We are the most important role models and examples our children will have on this earth. Every word and every action is being processed by those who are looking to us for guidance. We have the distinct privilege of actually showing our children how the truth of God’s Word is relationally affecting our lives. In short, we get to show our children a passion for Jesus in real and relational ways.
Let your children see Jesus in You
Let your children see you read your Bible, Pray and Study.
Let them see your intimate relationship with the Savior
“Read the Word, believe the Word, defend the Word; live the Word, teach the Word — and expose these things to your children relentlessly.” ~Ken Ham
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 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.
I am thankful that as a child I learned Scripture from wall plaques that mom hung up such as I Peter 5:7 and Isaiah 30:15.
She also would put little sayings around the house in obvious places such as
Seven days without prayer makes one WEAK
What you do speaks so loudly that the world cannot hear you. They are looking at your walk, not
listening to your talk, they are judging by your actions every day.
Love
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
If we are living the gospel before our children, then we will show them genuine love.
We should:
Speak the truth in love. As you teach the Bible to your children, do it in love. This includes correcting them when there is disobedience. There are different ways to correct your child. Here’s a great book that can help you with your parenting skills. And here is a quote from the author: “We parents do well when we persistently teach theology to the little ones God has entrusted to us. Tether every command, demand, order, instruction, encouragement, and lesson to God’s Word, not you. Work with God, not against Him.”
We also need to:
Give our children lots of physical affection, –easy to do with babies, but don’t let this fade away as they get older
Be involved in their lives, their activities
Listen with undivided attention
Jesus certainly showed the children love – he showed physical affection by taking them on his lap, he never turned them away, and as the children were on his lap, I think he listened with undivided attention.
Luke 18:15-16 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
If love prevails in a home between members, you will find a happy home. The words “I love you” ought to abound in the Christian home. The gentle touch ought to be felt in the Christian home. The affectionate glance ought to be felt in the Christian home by all members of the household. ~N. Stevens
Acts of kindness and thoughtfulness ought to run rampant throughout the Christian home.
The giving of oneself and doing for one another ought to be the normal course of action in the Christian home.
You show love to your children by controlling who their friends are:
I Corinthians 15:33, the Bible says, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners…
He who frequents the company of bad or corrupt men will soon be as they are.
Love ought to characterize the Christian home if it is going to be a happy home.
In Romans 12:10, the Bible says, Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love…
And, surely, brotherly love that exists in the house of God ought to begin in the Christian home.
~N Stevens
Laugh
Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh;…
Enjoy Life Together. Laugh with your children, laugh at yourself, Enjoy every moment with them. Have fun as a family – do things together and go places together.
Remember:
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
So…
- LIVE today as though it were your last – Live life to the fullest by living every moment for the Lord
- LOVE – Love one another – Love with all your heart
- LAUGH – Laugh Often – Let your heart always be joyful
Things don’t last forever, but your children do. They are the only “things” you can take to heaven with you so evangelize them so they will be ready.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE AREN’T THINGS
More Biblical Encouragement for You
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