Leaving a Legacy: Making Every Moment Count

Video Clip: Being Mom

Ephesians 5:

Ephesians 5:8–21 NIV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1. Allow Jesus to Access Every Part of Our Lives

One of the best things you can do for your children and those in your sphere of influence is to make knowing Jesus and His will your number one priority!

Romans 8:11 NIV

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

He has promised to help us!

1 John 2:3–6 NIV

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Psalm 139:23–24 NIV

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:

2. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Actions

Ephesians 5:15–16 NIV

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15 NIV

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,

Ephesians 5:15

Ephesians 5:18 NIV

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:

Ephesians 5:19 NIV

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

We must allow Jesus to influence our actions so that we can effectively influence others. How well we know Jesus will directly influence how we live and treat others.

Just because you were raised a certain way, in turn, have to raise your children that way. Just because you were treated in a certain manner doesn’t mean you’re destined to treat others that way. Cycles can be broken, things can be different, you can be set free, and continue to live in that freedom. You can become the parent Jesus wants you to be. He’s given you everything you need for life and godliness.

2 Peter 1:3 NIV

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

3. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Speech

Ephesians 5:19 NIV

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

It not only matters what we say but how we say it. We need to keep our motives and tones in check, not only with our spouses and children, but also with the children of God. We sometimes need to stop and ask ourselves if what we are about to say is in fact necessary.

Proverbs 16:2 NIV

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Ephesians 4:29 NIV

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Matthew 12:36 ESV

36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

4. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Attitudes

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be thankful, be positive. Chose thankfulness, chose gratefulness. It’s a choice! When we chose to focus on the negative, that is all we will see. Jesus wasn’t negative, therefore we should not be negative. Jesus wasn’t cynical, therefore we should not be cynical. Jesus was not defensive, therefore we should not be defensive.

If we are negative, cynical, or defensive, our children will learn to be negative, cynical, and defensive.

Psalm 34:1 NIV

1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

Ephesians 4:2 NIV

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Philippians 2:3–5 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 4:22–24 NIV

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 15:5 NIV

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,

Chrystal Evans Hurst writes in her book, “She’s Still There”,

“Practice gratitude. Gratitude is the practice of being thankful and showing appreciation. When you focus on what’s right in your world, you limit the power of what’s wrong to steal your joy. The more you see what’s beautiful in your life, the less what’s outside will matter. Take the energy and emotion you would spend thinking about what other people have or are doing, and instead spend that time and energy being grateful for what you have and what you can do today. Gratitude for your own circumstances and accomplishments also frees you to appreciate the accomplishments of others.”

Just like siblings can be ultra competitive, we run the risk as adults of comparing ourselves to other parents or other believers. God never intended for us to live that way. He intends for us to leave a legacy, making the most of every moment. It’s impossible to do that if we’re focused on others and not him. When we chose to be grateful for what we have and determine to invest in the lives of our children and those in our sphere of influence, we can leave a godly legacy.

Illustration: 884 Stones represent the number of weeks in an 18 year time span. 52 stones represent the number of weeks in one year.

Will we leave a legacy, will we make every moment count?

1. Allow Jesus to Access Every Part of Our Lives

2. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Actions

3. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Speech

4. Allow Jesus to Influence Our Attitudes