HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?

Nehemiah 5:19 NKJV Remember me, my God, for good, according  to all that I have done for this people.

I’ve been think a lot about legacy and what lasting imprint any of us leaves behind after we’re gone. 

When I think about the legacy of different men - my thoughts go from amazing to absolutely corrupting.

How will you be remembered in life? It’s a big question.  It demands looking at how you are living now and the impact you leaving with people in the wake of your life.

Proverbs 13:22 NKJV - A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

A legacy is defined as (1) money or property bequeathed to another by will or (2) something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past. Legacies are rare and special gifts, from one person to another, from one generation to the next. 

As Christians we should seek to leave a lasting legacy of godliness for those who come behind us.

Proverbs 22:1 NKJV A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

“In our day we live in an age of moral vacuum. It seems like character doesn’t count. To put it candidly, you can sleep around and still be a good brain surgeon. You can cheat on your mate and have little trouble continuing to practice law. Apparently, it is no problem to stay in politics and plagiarize. You can be a successful salesperson and cheat on your income tax. Seeing this we have allowed this attitude to permeate throughout Christianity. The perception is that you can do these things and still be a good Christian. But the reality is you cannot do those things as a Christian and continue enjoying the Lord’s blessing.” – (adapted from C. Swindoll)

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (moral excellence), to virtue knowledge, 2 Peter 1:5 NKJV

We put a great amount of value on reputation but there is a vast difference between Character and Reputation...

• Reputation is what you are supposed to be; Character is what you are.

• Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; Character is what you have when you go away.

• Reputation is made in a moment; Character is built in a lifetime.

• Reputation grows like a mushroom; Character grows like an oak.

• Your reputation is learned in an hour; Your character is does not come to light for a year.

• A single newspaper report gives your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character.

• Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; Character makes you happy or makes you miserable.

• Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.

• Your reputation is what men think you are. Your character is what God knows you to be.

Your Character will impact generations to come.

One man, Max Jukes, did not believe in religion and married a girl of the same opinion. From this union came 1,026 descendants. Studies showed that 300 died prematurely; 100 were sent to the penitentiary; 190 sold themselves to vice; 100 were drunkards,; and the family cost the state of New York $1,100,00.00!

Another man, Jonathan Edwards, believed in God and in his Christian training and married a girl of like character. From that union 729 descendants were studied and they discovered that 300 were preachers, 65 were college professors, 13 were university presidents; 6 authors; 3 U.S. Congressmen and 1 was vice president of the United States

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:6‭-‬7 NKJV

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV -  When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Daddy had a little boy; His soul was white as snow. He never went to Sunday school cause Daddy wouldn’t go. He never heard the Word of God. That thrills the childish mind, while other children went to class, This child was left behind. As he grew from babe to youth, Dad saw to his dismay, a soul that once was snowy white, Became a dingy grey. Realizing that his son was lost, Dad tried to win him back. But now the soul that once was white had turned an ugly black. Dad even started back to church, and Bible study too; He begged the preacher, "Isn’t there a thing you can do?" The preacher tried, failed, and said "We’re just too far behind; I tried to tell you years ago, But you would pay me no mind." And so another soul was lost, that once was white as snow; Sunday School would have helped, But Daddy wouldn’t go. - Pulpit Helps

May God give you the grace to be remembered "well."

YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD

‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord , ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Hag 2:23 NKJV 

One of the things I struggled with over the years is my self-confidence and self-esteem. I’ve had two extremes when it comes to this issue - the issue of cockiness pride and the issue of not feeling worthy enough. 

When I was preparing to go out in ministry my dad took me aside and said, “Bill, it’s not going to be easy for you and God is going to make every corner sharp for you.” 

My attitude at the time was, “No way, I’m your first-born son. I’m gifted and called by God - this is going to be a breeze.” 

How wrong I was. 

I never realized that God had prepared a path for me that was filled with a lot of pain and suffering. He prepared a path that would knock the pride and cockiness out of me. It was a slow journey and one that at times was not very pleasant but effective. God knew exactly what it was that I needed to become His servant in ministry. 

On the other hand, at times I dealt with a lack of confidence and had low self esteem. The pendulum seems to go from one end to the other. I would compare myself to others and often feel like such a failure when came to ministry. I would beat myself up and put myself down and often ended up in depression. 

Needless to say, God has had His hands full in dealing with me. As I have often said, “I feel like an onion that has all these layers that needs to be peeled off. And, when you get to the end - it still stinks. 

I’m SO thankful for God’s grace and mercy to put up with my up’s and down’s, high’s and low’s. 

The verse at the beginning of the blog says that God will make us His “signet ring” because He has “chosen” us. 

Think about that - a signet ring! 

Ancient kings used signet rings to designate authority, honor, or ownership. A signet contained an emblem unique to the king. Official documents were sealed with a dollop of soft wax impressed with the king’s signet, usually kept on a ring on his finger. Such a seal certified the document as genuine, much like a notary public’s stamp today. 

 A signet ring was used to seal a stone covering the lions’ den: “A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.” (Daniel 6:17). 

It is important to understand who Zerubbabel is. He is the governor of the rebuilt Jerusalem and is himself of royal blood, being a descendant of David and the grandson of Judah’s King Jehoiachin. 

Years earlier, Jehoiachin had lost his throne when he was deported to Babylon; in fact, God pictured Jehoiachin as a signet ring being removed from God’s finger (Jeremiah 22:24). 

Now, God calls Zerubbabel the “signet ring,” but this time it won’t be removed. 

 In Haggai’s prophecy, God is giving Zerubbabel encouragement and hope. The governor is “chosen” for a unique and noble purpose. He is special to God. 

As God’s signet ring, Zerubbabel is given a place of honor and authority. Zerubbabel was an important leader involved in the reconstruction of the Jewish temple. God says that he was special to God and that God had great plans for him. He was His “signet” ring - special and important to God. 

Perhaps you have felt that way in your life - unimportant, a failure, a mess. You are always down on yourself and you don’t consider yourself very special to anybody, let alone God. 

But the truth is this - you are special and you are important and you are God’s “signet” ring today. He has a great plan and purpose for your life. He loves you just the way you are. 

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord , thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

DEALING WITH ANGER

Over my lifetime I’ve had to deal with some anger issues that pop up every once in awhile.  As a child it was more pronounced but as an adult it still comes and goes and I still have to deal with the results - that inner stewing that sometimes results in sleepless nights and thoughts that swirl in my mind over and over.

I end up moody and grumpy with everyone around me. I hate it!

We all get angry, but we do so in different ways. Some of us explode. Others simmer silently. But none of us is immune. It’s a very normal human reaction.

Jesus got angry. In the Old Testament it says 375 times that God got angry. The Bible says, “In your anger, don’t sin.”

There’s a right way and a wrong way to get angry. How do you deal with anger appropriately?  Here are some helpful thoughts that just might help you out today.

1. Understand Why You Get Angry.

The better you understand yourself, the better you’ll be able to control your anger. Anger is simply a warning light. It isn’t your real problem. It says that something much deeper is wrong.

- Sometimes it’s pain. If you hit your thumb with a hammer, you’re going to get angry. If you get hurt emotionally, you’ll get angry as well.

In a study of people who have been divorced, one out of three people, slightly more than one-third of men and women after 10 years, still feel ‘intense feelings of anger’ associated with the former marriage.” Why? Divorce hurts. The deeper your pain, the deeper your anger. When you deal with your hurt, you’ll deal with your anger.

- Sometimes it’s frustration. We often get angry when nothing seems to work, we don’t get our way, or we’re forced to wait. Instead of letting frustration turn to anger, we need ask ourselves, “Is this really worth getting angry over?”

- Other times it’s insecurity. We’re angry because we feel threatened. We feel like an animal being backed into a corner. This doesn’t have to be physical. It could come when our self-worth is attacked, when we’re embarrassed, or when we’re criticized.

2. What’s Causing Your Anger?

Before you can beat anger, you’ve got to know where it comes from.

- Look to God not others for your self-worth.

A sense of self-worth is essential to controlling anger. Insecure people are easily angered. Confident people are not. When you have a sense of self-worth, you can handle hurt, frustration, and insecurity much easier.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:21, “Don’t pay attention to everything people say.” The more insecure we are, the more we depend on the opinions of others to feel good about ourselves. If you’re insecure and someone says something bad about you, anger will follow because your self-worth is dependent upon the approval of others.

- If you want to overcome anger, you can’t get uptight when people criticize you.

How do you get that kind of self-confidence?

Proverbs 14:26 (GNB) says, “Reverence for the Lord gives confidence and security to a man.”

To overcome anger, believe what God says about you. Believe that he has a plan and purpose for your life. When you remember that, you won’t blow up when someone criticizes you.

3. Stop And Think Before Reacting.

Put your mind in gear before you engage your mouth. Often, when we’re angry, our mouth is moving way before we’ve thought about what we’re saying.

Proverbs 16:23 (GNB) says, “Intelligent people think before they speak.”

Because angry words come so easily, thinking is a key to anger management. You need to learn to delay your response.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “If you’re angry, count to 10. If you’re very angry, count to 100.”

You might think you can’t help blowing up, but you can! Anger is a choice. You get angry because you want to get angry. It feels good to get angry. You are responding how you choose to respond. Since you have a choice, choose to wait before reacting!

4. Learn To Relax.

Proverbs 14:30 (TLB) says, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.”

Temper and tension always go together. Deadlines tend to bring out the worst in us. They make us more irritable.

I’m usually a relaxed guy, but once a week I get PMS – Pre-Message Syndrome. Every weekend I get nervous. What do I have to say to those folks I’m preaching to? Gratefully my wife lets me drive to church in my own car. It has avoided so many irritating experiences!  

Some of you are wound so tightly that anything ticks you off. It’s week after week of tension, and you’re wondering why you’re yelling at your loved ones when you get home.   

5. Continually Ask God For Help.

Most importantly, you need God’s help to overcome anger. The first four fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 are love, joy, peace, and patience. You need those if you’re going to overcome anger.

When the world puts pressure on you and you feel squeezed, what’s inside of you is going to come out. When you’re filled with the Spirit of God, love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control will come out.

Anger is just a warning light for a deeper issue – whether it’s frustration, insecurity, or something else. God wants to help you with that deeper issue. Will you let him?