What are you doing today that will make a difference 100 years from now?
A psalm of Asaph
“O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, 2 for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past– 3 stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. 4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders. 5 For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, 6 so the next generation might know them–even the children not yet born–and they in turn will teach their own children. 7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. 8 Then they will not be like their ancestors–stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.” – Psalm 78:1-8 NLT
Two Penetrating Questions
I Believe in dual citizenship. We are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and we are citizens of the country in which we live, Philippians 1:27. Paul instructed the Philippians “to conduct (this word is used for politics or in civic affairs) yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.”
If someone asked me what I thought the greatest problem confronting America has been, my answer would be that the last two generations of Americans have not communicated what it means to be an American to their children. This is why I have attempted to teach our grandchildren from the Founders’ Bible.
If someone were to ask me the same question regarding modern Christendom my answer would be that we have failed to teach the whole counsel of God with the literal, historical, grammatical, contextual, interpretation of Scripture. Vast numbers of protestant churches have been taught with an allegorical interpretation of scripture.
When we FORGET the past,
We FORFEIT the present and,
FAIL to prepare for the future.
Every generation must steward what’s been entrusted to them. It starts with honoring the generation that has gone before us by learning everything we can from them. But that’s only half the equation when it comes to passing along generational blessings (rewards He has given us) from Yahweh God. It continues by empowering the generation that comes after us. That’s how the baton is passed to the third and fourth generations. Isn’t this what the Psalmist is saying from the verses above?
Please re-read the Psalm and allow the Holy Spirit to convey His motives into your heart and mind that it might change your behaviors!
The Long Look in American History
Before the battle of Long Island, general George Washington reminded his troops what they were fighting for. It wasn’t just for their freedom as the first-generation Americans. “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and the conduct of this army.” (George Washington before the battle of Long Island, “Thirty Thousand”)
One Hundred years later Abraham Lincoln was trying to get the Thirteenth Amendment, which would abolish slavery, through Congress. Two votes short, Lincoln appealed to the Republican caucus:
“The abolition of slavery by constitutional provision settles the fate, for all time, not only of the millions now in bondage, but of unborn millions to come—a measure of such importance that those two votes must be procured.” (Look to Chase the Lion, by Mark Batterson, page 190)
Oh my. When I read Lincoln’s comments, I have chills of motivation running through my inner being.
My Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, may we live not just for ourselves but for the millions to come!
Our Spirit-inspired actions ought to include the driving expansion to see Yahweh God’s reputation extended so that many will become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!
“4 One generation shall praise Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.” – Psalm 145:4-5 NASB95
Consider The Long Haul And Act Quickly!
On December 31st, 1759, Arthur Guinness opened a brewery in Dublin, Ireland, leasing a forty-acre piece of property at the Saint James’s gate. At that time, the location was not very conducive for business. Guinness knew, however, that the city planners intended to build Ireland’s grand canal adjacent to the Saint James’s gate, which would give his brewery a built-in shipping lane right in its backyard.
Guinness had an eye for opportunity, and he must have had a knack for negotiation too, because he managed to secure a nine-thousand-year lease. Yes, that is correct…a nine-thousand-year lease! This must have been a Guinness World Record!
History does not tell us why Arthur proposed a nine-thousand-year timeline but to me he was obviously in it for the long haul. Guinness, which is older than America, had a traditional policy that has guided their decision making for the last 257 years— “considering long and acting quickly.” (Look to Stephen Mansfield, The Search for God and Guinness: a Biography of the Beer that Changed the World (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009, 258).
I’m not sure where you are in your cycle of life. You might be young, you might be aged, but you and I can adopt that simple philosophy of Guinness— “considering long and act quickly.”
Over my years of pastoring, I discovered that many followers of Christ simply do not act quickly enough. We should not only act quicker in doing good, we also ought to fail quicker. I know there’s a place for contemplation, loyalty, evaluation, and patience. But sometimes analysis leads to paralysis! There is a time in which you and I are not to hesitate! Sometimes we’re as slow as molasses in January!
The writer of Hebrews, when talking about the Sabbath Rest, fixes a certain day for us to enter that Rest. That day is not yesterday. That day is not tomorrow. That day is TODAY!
“He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” – Hebrews 4:7 NASB95
You might enjoy doing a simple word study by looking at the contexts of the two words, “quickly” and “immediately,” as they show up in Scripture. It is rather illuminating.
How Can We Be More Intentional in Reaching the Next Generation?
“Repeat them [God commands, instruction and stories] again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” – Deuteronomy 6:7 NLT
• as a parent, interact with your children about your mutual experiences of success, challenges, opportunities and struggles.
• allow them to talk and when it is a challenge to get them to talk, ask open-ended questions, which will allow you to listen to their words and their heart.
• as a grandparent with grandkids geographically spread out, I try to call them on the phone. Please text very little! We need to hear each other’s words, inflections, tones, moods and dispositions.
• one question I ask our daughter on a regular basis is, “How can I help you today?”
• tell spiritually redemptive stories about your encounters with others.
• tell stories of other godly people, past and present.
• be positive, hopeful, and kind, and complement them with specific words of praise.
• express what you are learning in your Christian walk, and what you are learning and applying from the Bible.
- pray spontaneously out loud with them as occasions arise. Keep your prayers short! Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity.
• initiate praying out loud by simply asking: “Can I pray for you?” They have NEVER turned me down.
• share with your kids and grandkids experiences in which you failed.
• buy a Founders” Bible and discuss (one on one) as many chapters as possible.
The second to the last verse in the Bible emphasizes the notion of Christ’s coming quickly.
“He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” – Revelation 22:20 NASB95
I think the Lord is probably asking us to Act Quickly Considering the Long!
Dale