TOPIC: THE FUTURE YOU
MEMORISE:
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.
Deuteronomy 4:9
READ: Deuteronomy 6:6-7
6. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7. 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.
MESSAGE:
No matter how hard you try, you cannot live forever. The only way you can continue to live in the next generation is through your children. This is why you must raise your children well.
You have learnt some lessons in life so far, some of which were from mistakes you made in the past. You must ensure that the people you leave behind after God has called you home are taught these lessons so that they don’t have to make the same mistakes you made. If your children make the same mistakes you made, you have not done a good job of teaching them. It is where you stop that they should start from; they should not repeat your mistakes. If you are a father and you don’t want your children to be greater than you, it only means that your greatness will die with you. Abraham was great, Isaac was very great, and Jacob was exceedingly great; that is the correct order of things. Years ago, before God gave me a private jet, one of my sons bought a jet, and some people criticised me for publicly dedicating it, saying that I, the father, did not even have a Mercedes Benz. I responded, “The jet belongs to my son, show me what your son has.”
I often ask my children to pray that I am not taken away soon because it is where I stop that they will start from. Some of my children are already pastoring churches that are bigger than the one I pastored when I first became General Overseer.
When many people read Proverbs 13:22, they think that the inheritance that the Bible refers to is only money. If you are a good man, the inheritance you will leave for your children will exceed money; the major inheritance you will leave for them will be wisdom, and you will also leave influence, a good name, properties, and so on. Therefore, you must train the ones who will carry on from where you stop. Sometimes you will need to leave some of the things you are doing now to train them because you must invest in the ‘future you’. Occasionally, I take my children and grandchildren to our hometown, where we can be alone. In those times, I tell them stories, answer their questions, and we just have a nice time together. I am leaving an inheritance for the ‘future me,’ I hope you are doing the same.
REFLECTION:
How much are you investing in the 'future you'?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MARK 10-11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
HYMN 28: GUIDE ME O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
1. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven!
Feed me now and evermore,
Feed me now and evermore.
2. Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar,
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer! Strong deliverer!
Be Thou still my strength and shield,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3. If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Bear me through the swelling torrent,
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises! Song of praises!
I will ever give to Thee,
I will ever give to Thee.
4. Saviour, come! we long to see Thee,
Long to dwell with Thee above;
And to know in full communion,
All the sweetness of Thy love,
Come, Lord Jesus! Come Lord Jesus!
Take Thy waiting people home,
Take Thy waiting people home.
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