An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith ... I Peter 1:3-5

In today’s society, we are inundated with information on leaving a legacy for your children. We are asked questions, poked, prodded, and probed about our life goals. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years and where will you be financially by retirement. You'll need to buy life insurance, annuities, stocks, and bonds so that you will have a nest egg at 65, as well as leave an inheritance for your children and family, making sure they are provided for. Well, while I agree that your affairs should be in order so that you don’t burden your family when you leave this earth, I would not call that a legacy of love, it‘s just good planning. The same thought, concern, and planning should go into talking about the “life insurance” that’s eternal, now that‘s a legacy of love.

The word legacy has two similar meanings: inheritance or birthright handed down or left to or it can be described as bequest, which is a gift of sorts or something passed down or knowledge given to the next generation. Both of which I like for our content today. The scripture tell us in Ephesians 3:19, to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. This is what we should be passing on, the love of Christ so that others can also have the fullness of God. Inundating them with the information about this inheritance that is reserved for us in heaven. Knowldege is key and it is ours, just for the asking!

We should be creating a legacy that matters, one that lasts an eternity, not just a lifetime because our life is like a vapor, poof and it‘s gone. Naturally, after the funds of the inheritance runs out, you are left with nothing, where will your hope lie then? Oh, but there is good news today, there are some special perks, special benefits in Christ and we can enjoy them now and later. Once you have come into this marvelous light and you can see that the blessings are not only endless, but eternal. Paul also tells the Ephesians, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS inheritance in the saints. We have not only hope, but an inheritance that is reserved and kept for us in heaven (2 Tim 4:8).

It is our goal, I pray, to let the love of God abide in us, permeate through us, so that it flows out of us and into the lives of others. That we are like Him in every way and would continue to stay the course until the day of His return. That we will leave a legacy of exaltation of what we’ve accomplished through Christ. Because honestly, only what we do for Christ will last and go on into eternity. Not that we should get any praise but that we would live a life that is pleasing to Christ according to the scriptures, what He has commanded of us, and that He alone would get the glory. We definitely don’t want our works to be evil spoken of because we want to be found performing acts of love that demonstrates the love of God that is in us (John 15:9). A true legacy whould be the passing down, giving, and bequeathing of love, telling others of the lively and living hope that's in you and that they too can share in this truth. That you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy, a legacy, an inheritance given to us by God.

What are you leaving behind as a legacy? What will be said of the life you’ve lived? What accomplishments of love through Christ will be noted? Whose life did you speak life into? Did you plant any seeds of love? Did you encourage someone along the way? Did your life exemplify the life you talked about? Did your life demonstrate the lively hope given to you by Christ? Let's give the gift of love to a dying world, commit to passing on this love that is abounding; love that is loyal, caring, and compassionate. Being, as well as leaving an example of how to love each other, minister, serve and entreat one another as the people of God. This is a legacy that will be remembered. We talk of love but often our actions speak differently; so let's walk and be love, for God is love. Help others to know this love and not just speak of love but show this love because love is action. We should freely give expressions of love and not just love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth to all. God is our perfect example of love and certainly, He is no respecter of persons.

Our legacy can be the gift that can be handed down from one generation to the next, just as God purposed from the beginning. There is never an issue of not being provided for because my God is rich in all things and He can supply all of our needs accroding to His riches and glory! We have the opportunity to pass this love on so that our children will be blessed and their children will be blessed. Let's live and teach this life we talk about, this will be our legacy, our inheritance of love.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8-12

Over the years, I have come to admit that I am a person who thinks absolutely too much. I have thoughts on top of thoughts, on top of thoughts, on top of thoughts. My mind is ever racing, ever moving and seriously, on overload at all times. It has taken quite a bit of talking to myself and numerous amounts of “please shut up“ to get myself out of the mode of thinking. If anyone heard me, they’d ask, who are you talking to? And certainly, I would then be deemed crazy for sure.

The word says that “His thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Our thoughts and ways could never compare to the Lord’s thoughts or ways. Our minds are inadequate of His thought process and full of uncertainty to be effective, especially when He already knows the thoughts and plans for our lives. We might not understand it, but nonetheless, His way is the right way. He sees the bigger picture, He sees into our tomorrows while we are yet living in our today. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). He is thinking thoughts of peace and then says to "give" us our expected end. We cannot fathom, understand or see what is going on in the heavenlies on our behalf, we cannot even attain such high thoughts. I love how He says, an expected end, that means He has mapped out what will happen for our future. However, it is disturbing that believing it seems to be the problem for us. We are unsure and unable to give over to His leading or following His lead without question. It is difficult as a people because we need to seemingly need know the plan or have the need to be in control of our destiny.

God has made promises to us and regardless of what it looks like, regardless of what it feels like, hold on to them because God is not slack concerning those promises. That scripture has been a saving grace through my journey, in spite of myself. Remembering that God’s thoughts and plans toward me are sure and most definitely, in His hands. There is a familiar phrase that says, He may not come when you want Him, but He is always right on time! Whatever word has been spoken in our lives, we have to believe that it will come to fruition. Wait for it! God is working out something in us to get us to where He needs us to be for His purpose. Not be concerned with the why, the how or the what, but rest in Him that He has everything, every detail, small or large, under control. Verse 11 tells us that whatever He says, whatever word He has spoken, it goes out and accomplishes, it achieves, and is successful in what it sets out to do, it will not come back void, it will do just what He said it would do. We can rejoice in those words alone and our minds and hearts can be in perfect peace.

One thing is for certain, I know myself but God knows me best. I know that He shakes His head and says, my child, she is going to go through a process of thought until she finally says, “I apologize Lord, please forgive me again for trying to do things and figure out stuf myself.” Because honestly, while we're trying to figure it out, He’s already worked it out. We have to learn to stand on that and wait for it. We have to remember that God views everything differently from us; His perspectives, His ways, His thoughts, and His plans are not like ours. We have to align ourselves with Him, the Word, and believe by faith that His ways are perfect and for our good, even when we don’t understand what he’s doing. If we say we are going to stand in faith, trust and believe God for our life, then we do ourselves a disservice when we question God’s actions and motives or make decisions to do it “our way” because things are not happening like we want or as fast as we’d like them to. I can tell you how far that will get you from my own experiences. I have learned to trust God’s wisdom, His judgment, and His leading, but not to say that I don’t get off track from time to time. if I didn’t I wouldn’t be writing this word of encouragement today. It always comes to me as well. The more we grow in grace, the more we conform and get shaped into what God is trying to do in us and with us, the more we learn to lean to His understanding and not our own. Learning to trust and have confidence that He knows what’s best for us (Prov 3:5-6).

I know that my thoughts and my plans could not afford me the opportunities that only God can provide. No matter what we think we know, that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways of doing things are not our way. We just have to remember this at all times and also that He is God.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde