Legacy - a journey of generations

Welcome to the online version of the Legacy 28 Days of Prayer and Devotion Journal. Simply click on one of today’s date below to get started!

Leaving a Legacy

For David, after he had served his own generation
by the will of God, fell asleep…
Acts 13:36

Our culture is filled with icons and heroes, men and women who in some way have left legacies: from baseball legend Babe Ruth, to the more recent, nearly immortalized basketball great Michael Jordan, corporate giants like Henry Ford and Jack Welch, and even heroes of faith like Billy Graham and Mother Theresa. These are people who have left their mark in this world.
Often, we are so mesmerized by these larger-than-life figures, the thought of our lives having that type of lasting impact is more than we can imagine. But, did you know that is exactly what God wants to do with your life? Just like David, who we read about in the passage above, God has an unimaginable, supernatural purpose for our lives!

From the example of David’s life, we discover that God specializes in taking ordinary people from not-so-impressive surroundings and doing extraordinary things through their lives. All it requires is a heart that is willing to yield our own dreams and agendas to God’s perfect plan for us. When we submit our plans and aspirations to our heavenly Father, we will always be delightfully surprised to discover that His dreams for us are always greater and more significant than ours.

Leaving a legacy begins when we realize that God has created within each of us the potential for greatness. As we walk with Him, our lives surrendered to His purposes, that potential becomes molded into the kind of character and ability that God uses to leave a lasting legacy!

Prayer: Father, I believe that You have created me with greatness and significance in mind. Help me today to recognize areas of my life that I have been limited by my own unbelief. I submit my life to You, every part. Make it what You want it to be. I pray for my church family and the leadership at Church of the King, that You would lead us in Your plan for us. Help us to be a people that leaves a legacy in our community. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

A Living Legacy

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
Ephesians 1:11

Since his famous “Heimlich maneuver” was introduced, Dr. Henry Heimlich has been credited with saving the lives of over 50,000 choking victims. To this day, Heimlich gets a kick out of having become a household word.

“When my name went into the dictionary, that was a big deal,” he remembers. “I immediately looked over at the entry for Abraham Lincoln. He had just an inch. I had two inches, because there was a drawing showing how to do the maneuver. Just imagine: I was bigger than Abraham Lincoln!” Dr. Heimlich has a “living legacy” through his monumental contribution to the world of medical first aid. This is a practical example of what it means to leave a legacy.

What do you think of when you think about leaving a legacy? Some of us may think of leaving a great business empire or other organization, others may think of material wealth, some position or sphere of influence, and still others a lifestyle that characterizes a family or group of people.

Beyond all of these thoughts, the concept of legacy is much more. It comes from the idea of something of substance being intentionally and purposefully bequeathed or “willed” for the benefit of the heir. Spiritually speaking, a legacy is more than simply inheriting property, position, or character traits.

A legacy bears within it the weightiness of design, purpose, and intention. Today’s passage from Ephesians ties the idea of our inheritance to God’s purpose and will. The Legacy campaign is a very practical expression of this concept because it paves the way for spiritual change in people’s lives for generations to come. Only as we begin to understand and live in God’s purpose for our lives can we leave a legacy of righteousness and the purposes of God for our children and others who come after us!
Prayer: Father, I know that Your purpose for my life doesn’t end with me. Help me to live with an understanding of purpose that transcends my own life. Lead us as a church family to prepare for the generations to come, that they will thrive and flourish in this region as a result of the legacy that we leave them. Amen.

A Journey of Generations

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:7

Jonathan Edwards, born in 1703, achieved greatness as an American preacher-evangelist, principal of a college, and revivalist. It has been said that he was the greatest of all American theologians and philosophers. He was married to a godly young woman, Sarah Pierpont. In an investigation of their 1,394 known descendants, it was discovered that 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, 1 vice-president of the United States, 80 public officials in other capacities, and 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries.

The example of Jonathan Edwards makes it evident that God intends to establish His kingdom and His righteousness throughout the generations of those who are committed to Him and His purposes. The life that God has called us to is one of spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical abundance (John 10:10), but that doesn’t just apply to our immediate situation. God’s plan throughout history has always played out through families and generations built on His principles and promises.

The principle of God’s plan being passed from generation to generation applies not only to our natural children, but also to spiritual “children.” God’s desire is for each one of us to invest in others in such a way that they become like spiritual children to us. In the same way that we would leave a tangible inheritance to our children, investing in God’s vision for our church ensures that we will leave a spiritual inheritance for those to come.

Prayer: Lord, I want nothing more than to be used by You, not only in my lifetime, but by leaving a legacy of righteousness. Let my life impact the generations that will come after me. As a church family, give us the wisdom to build in such a way that the next generation will be set up for success. Show us how to lay a foundation of righteousness that can be built upon for generations to come!

Seeing God’s Vision

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…
Proverbs 29:18

Nearly anywhere you go in the world, people have heard the name “Disney.” The theme parks, movies, and signature characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are recognized and loved. This entertainment dynasty is the result of a lifelong dream from the creative genius of visionary Walt Disney. A few years after building the revolutionary theme park Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Disney envisioned another and even larger Disney theme park. He laid the groundwork, but died in 1966, almost five years before the opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. On the day the new park opened, a visitor commented to Mike Vance, Creative Director of Walt Disney Studios, “Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?”

“Oh, but he did see it,” Vance replied. “That’s why it’s here.”

The vision of Walt Disney to create what he called “the happiest place on earth” became the driving force for thousands of people who, even to this day, continue to work diligently to build upon the foundation that he laid.

Vision is a powerful motivator, as we see in both today’s passage from Proverbs and the life of Walt Disney. When we receive and embrace God’s vision for our lives, we become supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit to work toward that vision. If a natural, “man-made” vision like Disney’s can result in such an enormous legacy, just imagine what can happen if we can tap into God’s vision for our lives, our families, and this region!

God’s vision is fueled by His omnipotent power, provided through His limitless resources, and crafted by His incomprehensible wisdom and knowledge. God’s vision leaves a legacy, the impact of which is felt throughout generations.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to commit my life afresh to discovering and living in Your vision for my life. I want to live for Your purposes, so that the impact of my life will be felt for generations. As I pray for my family at Church of the King today, my prayer is that Your vision will ring clearly in the hearts and minds of Your children. I pray that we would live for that vision with unity and courage. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Embracing God’s Vision

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.
Jeremiah 29:11

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a stirring, passionate speech that would become the “manifesto” of the civil rights movement. Words of reconciliation, equality, and liberty rang out from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.:

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

In describing his dream of a world that was free from the bonds of prejudice and discrimination, Dr. King described a powerful, positive image of a preferable future. The vision he cast that day was more than inspirational; it contained principles that could be embraced and lived out in an effort to advance the cause of ethnic equality and justice around the world.

In the same way, for Christians it is not enough to just see the vision that God has for our future. We must embrace it and begin to allow our lives to be molded around it. God’s vision is powerful and transcendent. It gives purpose, direction, and passion to those with the courage to run with it. It cannot be altered and tailored to fit our desires, but when embraced, it meets every need, and fills every heart with joy and expectancy! Embracing God’s vision for our church through the Legacy campaign, we will create a “future and a hope” for the generations to come.

Prayer: Lord, I trust in the vision that You have for me for I know that it comes from Your heart of love for me. Give me the courage to embrace it and run with it. As I lift up my brothers and sisters at Church of the King today, I pray for boldness and determination to see Your kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives and in our community. Amen.

Living God’s Way

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2

Dwight L. Moody was one of the most notable and effective Christian evangelists in American history. His preaching, books, and Bible College have shaped Christians for effective ministry for nearly a century. Early in Moody’s Christian life he encountered Henry Varley, a British evangelist who challenged him with words that have often been attributed to Moody. In a conversation following an evening of evangelistic meetings, Varley said to Moody, “Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.”

Moody recalled these words later: “those were the words sent to my soul…from the Living God. As I crossed the wide Atlantic, the boards of the deck of the vessel were engraved with them, and when I reached Chicago, the very paving stones seemed marked with ‘Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.’” These words became his life’s aim.

The Apostle Paul calls each of us to the same commitment in today’s passage from the twelfth chapter of Romans. He exhorts all believers “…present your bodies a living sacrifice…” in an act of worship to God. When we recognize that all that we are and every part of our life belongs to Him, we begin living God’s way. Our part is to understand that we are stewards of all He has entrusted to us. Every dream, every spiritual, emotional, and material resource, must be presented to Him as a daily act of surrender and worship. As you consider your part in the Legacy journey, allow God to show you how He would have you commit these resources.

Prayer: Father, I come into Your presence today acknowledging that it’s all Yours. Everything I have, everything I am or ever hope to be, belongs to You. I joyfully surrender my life to You today and ask that You would use me for Your glory. I pray today for the Church of the King family, that as a church our only desire would be to leave a legacy of faithfulness in this region. In Your name, Amen.

It’s All His

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein
Psalm 24:1

Depression-era businessman R.G. LeTourneau (1888-1969) understood the importance of stewarding one’s work and influence for the advancement of God’s kingdom. He recognized that God owns everything; we are just stewards. His commitment to being a good steward led him to become a millionaire while giving to God 90% of his income. No, you didn’t read that wrong. He gave 90% and lived on 10% and still had more than he could spend.

The father of modern earth-moving equipment, LeTourneau was among the few men who amassed a fortune during the Great Depression. He did this in spite of his unconventional-some would say ridiculous-business practices, including giving away company profits and giving workers Sundays off, while production lagged behind schedule. His entire professional life was molded by a deeply committed and rewarding partnership with the Lord Jesus Christ, the true owner of his company.

This kind of life and testimony is only possible when we live with the revelation that God owns it all. Because He is good and merciful and generous, He has entrusted each of us with a temporary stewardship of certain possessions and resources. Because God designs each of us with a unique purpose in mind, we are each given a corresponding stewardship consisting of everything that we need to accomplish His divine plan for our lives.

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. (2 Peter 1:3)

At Church of the King, we recognize our stewardship of God’s dream for this community and this region. The Legacy campaign represents this stewardship as we lay the foundation for God’s work to be continued in this area for generations to come.

Prayer: Father, I’m beginning to realize that my life is much more intricately designed than I had first anticipated. I am so thankful for Your providence, and that You have trusted me as a steward. Help me to be a faithful and righteous steward of the relationships, truths, and resources with which I have been entrusted. Lead us as a family into the legacy that You have predestined us for. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Extravagant Giving

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
Mark 14:3

A story was circulated some time ago about Arnold Palmer’s visit with a certain king. This king was impressed with Arnold Palmer’s golf record and as they talked, the king wanted to give Mr. Palmer a gift. He tried to refuse at first, but the king insisted and asked what gift Mr. Palmer might enjoy. Finally, Mr. Palmer suggested that he might give him a golf club. The king seemed happy with that answer. Two days later Arnold Palmer received in the mail from the king the deed to a 200-acre golf club.

Most of us can’t even imagine having the ability to give away an entire golf course. In order to demonstrate his heart-felt appreciation to Mr. Palmer, this king was willing to give an extravagant gift.

The story from today’s passage gives us a breathtaking perspective of not only extravagant appreciation, but extravagant giving. In much the same way, the woman from Scripture was so grateful about what Jesus had done for her, she willingly poured precious ointment on Jesus’s head. This ointment, no doubt, was a priceless possession that most believe was worth at least one year’s wages and some believe was probably a family heirloom. When the need arose, she gave, unselfishly, her most precious gift. In doing so, she demonstrated her gratitude for Jesus’s love toward her through this elaborate display.

Extravagant love warrants an extravagant response. When we realize how God’s great love was poured out for us and how richly we have been blessed by His merciful and benevolent hand, the only proper response is to give as the woman gave – extravagantly.

Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8b)

Prayer: God, give me a heart of extravagant gratitude for all that You’ve done in my life. Teach me to trust You with everything that I have. Help me to understand that I will never be able to out-give You. I pray that each of us at Church of the King will have a greater understanding of what it means to give extravagantly. Amen.

Tuned In

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:27

In this world, there sometimes seems to be innumerable voices clamoring for our attention. A recent study showed that the average American is exposed to a new piece of information every thirteen seconds. Even right now as you are reading this devotional, the air around you is filled with electronic signals that, with the right equipment, you can tune in to hear and understand whatever is being transmitted.

With so many voices competing for our attention, it is important as Christians to have our spiritual ears tuned to God’s “channel.” Every Christian has the right equipment to be able to tune in to what the Lord is saying to us. Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, when we are born again, He acts as the “receiver” for God on the inside of us.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26)

We can rest assured that God desires to speak to us. He is a good Father with a strong desire to live in open, constant communication with His children. One very important key to hearing God is to be sure that we are tuning in godly sources and tuning out ungodly sources in our lives. Habits such as regular Bible reading, prayer, and meditation on the Word of God are sure ways of staying tuned in to what God is saying to us.

Spend time today considering the sources that are informing your conscience. What things do you need to spend more time tuning in to, and what things do you need to turn off?

Prayer: Father, I want my life to be like a receiver that is tuned in to Your frequencies. Please help me to see areas of my life that produce static or make Your signal unclear. Lead us as a church family to all listen to the same station, WGOD, the one that You are on. Amen.

Listening to the Holy Spirit

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:11, 14-16

The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured such long receiving lines at the White House, that he complained that no one really paid any attention to what he said. One day during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.” It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Without so much as a hesitation, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

Even as Christians, we can become so preoccupied with the cares of this life, like President Roosevelt’s guests, that we get distracted and lose our ability to focus on what God is saying to us. When a person enters into a relationship with God through faith in Christ, the Bible describes that God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, comes to live inside of them (Ephesians 1:13-14). It is as if God installs a direct connection between Himself and the believer.

Over time, if we aren’t careful, things like un-confessed sin, distractions, and other priorities can cause the signal to become distorted and unclear. In order to maintain an open line of communication, be sure to spend time daily in God’s presence through prayer, meditation, and worship. Keep a “short list” of un-confessed sin, and make a regular habit of submitting every area of your life to God’s will.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I confess my need to be led by You every step of my life. Show me where I tend to pull away from You and do my own thing. I pray for my family at Church of the King, that we would be Spirit-led in every endeavor. Make us into a people that follow Your lead to Reach People and Build Lives in our community, our region, and around the world! In Jesus’s name, Amen.

The Living Word

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Many years ago in a Moscow theater, matinee idol Alexander Rostovzev was converted while playing the role of Jesus in a sacrilegious play entitled, Christ in a Tuxedo. He was supposed to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, remove his gown, and cry out, “Give me my tuxedo and top hat!” But as he read the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” he began to tremble. Instead of following the script, he kept reading from Matthew 5, ignoring the coughs, calls, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had learned in his childhood in a Russian Orthodox church, he cried, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom!” (Luke 23:42). Before the curtain could be lowered, Rostovzev had trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

God’s Word, the Bible, is a powerful gift through which He speaks to His children today. Filled with the principles upon which the entire universe is founded, the Bible contains truths that touch every aspect of our daily lives. The same God-breathed truths that have governed nations, the church, and individuals for centuries are at our fingertips to be read, meditated upon, and applied to our lives as we endeavor to follow Christ.

Just as Rostovzev’s life was changed through an encounter with God’s Word, through our daily reading, meditation, and obedience to his Word, our lives are formed, and our steps are directed. Make a commitment today to become “a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(2 Timothy 2:15)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You today for Your Word. It is life to me, and I commit myself to it and its precepts. Help me to live not simply by natural sustenance, but by the words that come from You. Help us as the family at Church of the King to be wholly committed to being a people of the Word, teaching, preaching, and living by Your truth. In Your name I pray, Amen.

Conversations with God

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

During the First World War, a British soldier was caught one night while creeping back to his tent from a nearby wooded area. He was immediately hauled before his commanding officer and charged with holding communications with the enemy. The man pleaded that he had gone into the woods to pray. That was his only defense. “Have you been in the habit of spending hours in private prayer?” his officer asked roughly.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then get down on your knees and pray now like you’ve never prayed before!” the commander ordered. Facing the possibility of execution for treason, the young soldier knelt and poured out his soul in a powerful prayer that could have only been inspired by the Holy Spirit. “You may go,” the officer said in hushed tones after the soldier finished praying. “I believe your story. If you hadn’t drilled often, you couldn’t have done so well at review.”

The young man faced a crisis in his life. It was a life or death situation. But, because he had a habit of prayer, he had a breakthrough. He had learned to commune with God regularly and intimately. A healthy, consistent prayer life is vital to every believer who wants to know and walk with God.

Prayer, simply put, is conversation with God. Just as with any other normal conversation, the communication must be allowed to go both ways. Often we place our energy and focus in prayer on the speaking part, where we “make our requests known to God” (Philippians 4:6), with little, if any, time and energy allotted to listening to Him. God wants to speak to you today in prayer, so be sure to make time to shut out all the other voices and focus on what He is saying.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the privilege of coming to You in Prayer. Help me to be consistent in my prayer life. Help me to silence the other voices in my life, including my own, in order to hear from You today. As I pray for my family at Church of the King, make us a people of prayer. Throughout the Legacy campaign, let us be a people who also listen and respond to Your voice.

Discerning God’s Voice

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
Psalm 37:23

One day a lone hiker was navigating one of the more difficult segments of the famed Appalachian Trail. He strayed from the path, lost his footing, and found himself hanging precariously from a cliff, hundreds of feet above the ground below. As he clung to a root that was growing from the massive sheer face, he began to cry out, “Help! Is anyone up there?” After a few minutes of calling into the air with no results, a voice rang out from the sky above, saying, “It’s the Lord. If you trust me, let go of the root.” A few more minutes went by and the hiker called out a little more timidly, “Is anyone else up there?”

Like the hiker, we often find ourselves desperately in need of God’s guidance and direction, but unsure that what we are hearing is really the voice of God. So, how can we discern what God is really saying amidst all of the other voices?

There are many tests that we can apply to the voices we may be hearing. One test is the test of His Word. God will never lead us in a direction that is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Another test is to seek out wise, godly counsel. Find someone who you trust AND who has a proven record of a spiritually fruitful life, evidence that they live in obedience to God and His Word. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15)

One other test for discerning God’s voice is the test of peace. This is the test of the internal guiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The distinguishing thing about the peace that God produces by His Spirit is that you may not be able to describe it, but you always know when you don’t have it!

Prayer: God, I thank You that You are faithful to lead me. Help me to grow in the knowledge of Your Word and provide people from whom I can receive wise counsel. Give me a teachable heart. I pray also that You will direct our church family and that each member will find the vital relationships that will lead us into our destiny as individuals and as a body.

The Shield of Faith

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…
2 Corinthians 10:4-5

We live in the Internet Age. The World Wide Web has given us access to volumes of information. But as this incredible resource has grown, within it has grown a host of unspeakable things that are neither appropriate nor desirable. This has produced the need for “filters” or “parental controls” that weed out the garbage that is streaming along with all of the other bits of good information.

In the same way that computers have open access to the Internet, our eyes, ears, hearts, and thoughts are exposed to a host of incoming information that must be “filtered” for appropriate content. So how do we filter out the bad stuff?

The Apostle Paul teaches us that one of the main sources of this unwanted information is the demonic suggestions that come in the form of our thoughts. Ephesians 6:16 says, “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Paul shows us in this passage that when this “faith shield” protects our thoughts, we will be protected from the constant barrage of ungodly thoughts that the enemy of our souls wants to defeat us with. The “shield of faith” is a grid that is formed as we strategically and consistently expose ourselves to the Word of God and its teachings. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

A constant diet of the Word of God, biblical teaching, and accountability in our thoughts are absolutely essential to establish and maintain a healthy, dependable filtering system. When we think not just good thoughts, but God thoughts, and learn to filter out the unwanted ones, we can rest assured that we are on the pathway to leaving the legacy that God has designed for us to leave!

Prayer: God, thank You for the shield of faith that You have provided to protect me from the demonic suggestions of the enemy. I commit myself to develop and strengthen that shield through consistent time in Your Word. Guard us, as a church body, against the strategies of the enemy. May we be strong in faith, giving glory to You!

Understanding God’s Call

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Psalm 139:13, 15-16

One of golf’s immortal moments came when a nervous Scotsman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President’s beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. Again the Scotsman swung, and again he missed. The President waited patiently through six tries and then quietly stated, “There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball.”

Great effort and discipline can seem pointless when disconnected from clear purpose. Even the most ardent of spiritual regimens can leave us feeling frustrated and unfulfilled apart from being linked to what God intends for our lives.

In the passage above, David passionately describes that God fashioned us in the womb, weaving in the ingredients for greatness and purpose-filled living. Every moment of each day of our lives was seen and recorded before time began. God wants to guide our every step in the direction of His divine blueprint for our lives: “For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death” (Psalm 48:14). In order for us to effectively obey God’s call in our lives and as a church, we must clearly recognize what that call is. God’s call on the people of Church of the King is to Reach People and Build Lives. Practically speaking, God has a role for each one of us to play in the fulfillment of this vision. Through the Legacy campaign, we will continue our quest in this vision as we financially commit to seeing our campus plans become a reality.

Prayer: God, I thank You that You’ve made me for a specific purpose – my life is not an accident. Open my eyes to see that purpose and to recognize Your hand leading me each step of the way. Help me to see how my purpose is designed to serve Your vision for our church. Lead us as a church body into fulfilling Your divine purpose for us.

Obeying God’s Call

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8

Roger Staubach, who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship in 1971, admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Tom Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run, and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Staubach considered Coach Landry to have a “genius mind” when it came to football strategy, his pride said that he should be able to run his own team.

Roger later said, “I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”

One of the greatest joys of the Christian life is the fact that Christianity isn’t simply a list of rules that we try to live up to. As God’s children, we have the incredible privilege of participating in His “family business.” The mission statement of His business can be summarized in a couple of passages. Jesus’s words in the following passages reveal God’s heart as it relates to this world and those who live in it: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) and, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b).

Each one of us has a specific part to play in accomplishing this mission. When we come to Christ by surrendering our lives to His will, we are, in effect, signing up to obey His call to reach out to those around us as expressions of the love of God in human form. Commit yourself afresh today to discover and obey God’s direction for your role in the Legacy campaign!

Prayer: God, You are my Lord and my life belongs to You. I choose to obey You in every area of my life. I pray that each member of our church family will trust and obey You. I pray that each of us will experience the blessings of obedience, and through our obedience, many will come to know Your love for them.

Safe and Secure

Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
Luke 6:47-48

We have all heard the phrase, “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” Sometimes it truly is harmless, but often a truer interpretation would be, “I’ve already decided what I want to do, and I’m not really open to suggestions or to find out why it’s not a good idea.” We are hesitant to readily obey God because we lack confidence in Him. We often hold on to negative images of past authority figures who, at least from our perspective, were just out to spoil our fun.

As prevalent as this attitude is, even among Christians, nothing could be further from the truth. God’s desire for humanity is that we would walk in the blessing and security of His abundant protection and provision. God created the world and the laws that govern it as a means of ensuring our security and sustenance. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.” In other words, it’s all here available to us as we are willing to live within the guidelines that God has designed for this life.

The Apostle Peter spoke of the blessings of the Christ-centered life when he wrote:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4)

God has provided everything that we will need to fulfill our role in the Legacy journey as we walk with Him in faithfulness and obedience!

Prayer: God, I choose to build my life on the rock of obedience to Your Word. Thank You that You have given me everything that pertains to life and godliness as I trust and follow Your commands. Have Your way in and though my life. Have Your way in our church. We are willing!

Priceless

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

In his classic, Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis discusses the importance of our daily surrendering our will to His. He writes:

That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoveling them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day.

The benefit of living in the blessing and significance that God has designed for our lives has a price tag attached to it. That price is the daily surrender of our own dreams, hopes, and agendas to the Lord with the confidence that His design for us is so much better in every way than whatever plan we may have created for ourselves. By comparison, it would be like finding a priceless antique or piece of art at a yard sale with a price sticker of $1.00 on it.

However great or small we may find the price to be, the fact remains that we must be willing to pay it. Every day as we approach His throne of grace, we must come with our hands opened before Him, willing for Him to take out of, or place into, our hands anything He wishes. Success in God’s economy is measured by our willingness to live with open hands and teachable hearts, to grip or release whatever He asks, and to be characterized by the kind of love, compassion, humility, and determination that only He can produce.

When we fully surrender to Him, He can work through our lives to leave a legacy with generational proportions!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I’m willing…and wherever I’m not able, change me. I only want what You desire for me. Shape us as a people, with hearts of willingness and humility to be used of You. Our world desperately needs us to be only what You’ve designed us to be. In Your precious name, Amen.

Faith and Obedience

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
2 Timothy 1:12

A man who had been walking with friends along the edge of the Mohave Desert became separated from his companions. He found himself lost, without water, in the scorching desert heat. He was just about to give up hope when he stumbled upon a rusty old water spigot with a hand pump sticking out of the sand. Overjoyed, he grabbed the handle and began to frantically pump it, hoping to see water come from the dry spout. He pumped wildly for what seemed an eternity, but with no results. Discouraged and fatigued, he slumped down beside the pump, once again on the verge of giving up hope, when he noticed a small metal box welded to the pipe that had been mostly buried by the drifting sand.

Inside he found a small canteen, about half full of water, with a note attached to it. The note explained that the pump must be primed in order to work, and if poured into the open spout of the spigot, the water would form a seal that would enable the pump to draw as much water as anyone could want. He could drink what little bit of water that was inside the canteen and hopefully live until he was found, or trust that the instructions and the pump would work. As he thought about his options, something inside of him assured him that he should follow the instructions. He did and, sure enough, soon cool water from deep below the desert floor was pouring from the spout, refreshing and restoring his strength.

God’s plan is to reach the world through our lives. To participate in His plan, however, requires faith in His plan and an active belief that helps us carry it out. Because he obeyed the instructions on the note, the man in our story experienced the provision he needed. The water in the canteen is like our faith in God’s plan — it adds a supernatural dimension to our efforts. As we step out in faith during the Legacy campaign and financially “prime the pump” together, we can create a place for people to spiritually drink for generations to come.

Prayer: Father, help me to trust You and obey Your instructions for my life. Give me faith to act on Your Word, even when I can’t see the outcome. Help us as a church family to trust Your divine direction, as You make us into a people who can truly impact a region!

Patience and Persistence

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”
Luke 18:1-5

George Mueller, known for his life of faith in operating orphanages, began praying for five friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Mueller persevered in prayer for 52 years, and even up until his death, never gave up praying that the fifth friend would accept Christ. His faith was rewarded, for soon after Mueller’s funeral the last one was saved.

We live in an “instant” world. We don’t want to wait one minute for the pop-tart to toast, so we pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Even as Christians we often view our relationship with God as something like a cosmic vending machine. We forget God’s timing and divine providence are always perfect. A major part of obeying God is not giving up, even when faith is not rewarded instantly.

Jesus teaches us the value of persistence and patience through the story of a widow who went to a wicked judge. The judge, either too busy or disinterested in the case, told her to “Go away!” She firmly declared, “No, I am not leaving until you do what I am asking of you.” Finally, because of her tenacity, the judge agreed to hear her case. After telling this story, Jesus said, “Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” (Luke 18:6-7)

As we endeavor as a church to accomplish the vision that God is placing before us, persistence and patience are vital. Don’t give up! Keep seeking. Keep asking. Keep knocking. As we stand together in prayer and faith, we will see God’s purpose fulfilled through our church.

Prayer: Holy Father, give me the kind of tenacity and boldness that this woman had. Forgive me for growing weary and giving up. As the Church of the King family, give us a tireless determination to impact this world for Your kingdom’s sake.

Standing Strong

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
2 Corinthians 4:17

At the time that God called brothers John and Charles Wesley, founders of the Methodist movement, to preach the Gospel in England, it was a debased, degenerate country. Every sixth house in London was a saloon. Drunkenness, child abandonment, bands of hooligans, and crime was everywhere. Facing incredible opposition, the Wesley brothers seemed destined for failure. Their fiery preaching style was greeted with boos. They were pelted with stones, mud, and rotten eggs. Fueled by a clear call from God, however, the tenacious brothers refused to give up.

John literally leapt into the saddle, traveling throughout England, preaching up to five sermons a day for over fifty years. His message to the rich and poor was the same – “Repent and be saved!” He made faith in Christ a living reality. The nation began to be stirred. One of their converts, Robert Raikes, formed the first Sunday School, a movement which spread throughout the country and abroad. Society began to see the need to help abandoned children, the needy, the illiterate, and prisoners. Not only did the Gospel burn like wildfire throughout England, but the message of faith sparked a flame that encircled the globe. Much of what is being done today in modern missions is a result of the fact that John and Charles Wesley faced adversity and stood fast on the calling and promises of God.

The Bible promises us great reward if we endure and overcome when facing the trials of this life, continually striving towards obedience and faith in Christ. Paul exhorts us to cling to this hope in these words: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge! To do the will of God is the greatest achievement! – George W. Truett

Prayer: God my Father, I pray for the courage to persevere in the midst of difficulty. Strengthen me to walk with You, to hold on to Your promises, and to do what You have called me to do. I pray that my church family will continue to “press toward the goal for the prize” that You have set before us. Empower us to leave a legacy for future generations!

Did you say a “Miracle?”

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.”
Acts 2:22

An American scientist once visited the offices of the great Nobel-prize-winning physicist, Niels Bohr, in Copenhagen. He was amazed to find that over Bohr’s desk was a horseshoe, securely nailed to the wall, with the open end up in the approved manner (so it would catch the good luck and not let it spill out). The American said with a nervous laugh, “Surely you don’t believe the horseshoe will bring you good luck, do you, Professor Bohr? After all, as a scientist –” Bohr chuckled, “I believe no such thing, my good friend. Not at all. I am scarcely likely to believe in such foolish nonsense. However, I am told that a horseshoe will bring you good luck whether you believe in it or not.”

An amazing phenomenon is taking place in our culture. There is a growing hunger for something beyond ourselves to cling to. We are witnessing an openness to spirituality, but that spirituality is accompanied by a deep skepticism towards the miraculous. As a society, we like the internal feelings of spirituality, but are doubtful (or fearful) that those feelings could ever manifest in the physical. In other words, as long as our experience is internal, we can control the outcome.

We can rest assured that, regardless of what the skeptics may think, the God of the Bible is alive and well and is working miracles today, just as He always has. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He desires that His children become the conduits of His miracle-working power, as a testimony of His love to a lost and broken world.

Ask yourself today, “Do I see God as a benevolent source of help and possible good fortune?” or “Do I serve Him with joyful expectancy that He will perform the miraculous today, and it might be through me?”

Prayer: God, I thank You that You still work miracles today! I want to be a conduit through which You can work miracles in the lives around me. As a church, make us instruments of Your power in our community and all over the world!

Preparing for a Miracle

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:17-18

Two neighboring farmers sat reading The Farmer’s Almanac on a cold winter morning, planning for the coming spring. As they read the rainfall prediction for growing season, much to their alarm, they discovered that the almanac was calling for the driest year in recorded history. After a few minutes of discussing different possibilities, both being church-going men, they agreed that the best thing to do was to pray and ask God to send the rain needed for a successful yield of crops. After a few moments of prayer, they parted ways, each committing to continue praying for the much needed rain.

A few months went by, and just as the almanac had predicted, virtually no rain had fallen. One day, as one of the farmers was headed into town, he passed the fields of the other farmer and saw him cultivating the dry, dusty fields, preparing to plant seed. Surprised by this seemingly futile activity, he stopped to inquire of his friend why, with the hopeless state of the soil, he was plowing and planting. The faithful old farmer replied, “Well, we’ve been praying for rain, so I’m getting ready for it!”

Often, even though we know that God delights in working miracles for His children, we fall into the trap of unbelief. With our mouths we may say that we believe, but our actions betray us. One farmer’s passivity and lack of preparation revealed his unbelief, while the other acted consistently with what he had asked God to do. As we stand in prayer and faith for God to work the miraculous in our lives, there must be corresponding activity consistent with our belief. What step of faith is God asking you to take related to the Legacy campaign?

Do something today that demonstrates your faith in God’s promises. A kind word, an act of generosity, or a seed of hope is all it takes to begin preparing your fields for the coming rain!

Prayer: God, I commit myself to be a person of action and not just faith alone. Open my eyes to opportunities that surround me to act in accordance with my faith. Guide us as a church as we reach out in practical ways to the surrounding community and to the world!

Believing for a Miracle

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe
you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:40

A little boy came home from Sunday School and his mother asked him what he had learned that morning. “Well, Mother, we learned that Moses went behind the enemy lines and freed the Israelites. Then he took the army engineers and built a pontoon bridge across the Red Sea. Then when the Egyptian tank division started to cross over the bridge he called in the dive bombers and blew them to bits.” His mother was outraged and said, “IS THAT WHAT YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER IS TEACHING YOU?” The little boy looked down for a moment and finally said, “Well, no Mom, but if I told you what she taught us this morning there’s no way you would believe it!”

Sometimes it can be difficult to get around our own logical thoughts and make room for God to be God. Jesus faced the same type of skepticism in His ministry. We find His response to such doubt in Mark’s gospel: But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). In order to experience God’s supernatural power in our lives, we must remove any limitations that we have placed on God’s ability, even those based on logic and reason.

In all of our knowledge, we must make room for that which is beyond our comprehension. The fact is that the God who created everything that exists and holds it all together, desires nothing more than to show up in your world in miraculous, unexplainable ways! That’s what Legacy is all about — God’s ability to impact our community in supernatural ways; and to do it through our lives!

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us… (Ephesians 3:20)

Prayer: Lord, I admit that sometimes I make You too small and try to fit You into my mind. Forgive me for limiting You by my own thoughts. I need You to be big in my life. We need You to be big in our homes, in our church, in our community, in our world. As a church, give us world-changing faith to believe for a miracle!

Contribution or Sacrifice?

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites…
Mark 12:41-42

The story is told of a chicken and a pig that were walking together one day. After walking for some time, they came upon a beggar who was nearly starved to death. Upon inquiring of his predicament, they learned that he had not eaten in several days, so they decided to help him. The chicken said, “I have an idea. Why don’t we fix him a nice breakfast, bacon and eggs, perhaps?” The pig considered the chicken’s proposal for a moment, and said, “I don’t like that idea at all. It only requires you to make a contribution, but for me it’s a complete sacrifice!”

Throughout our lives, God will allow us to encounter various needs and, like our friends the chicken and the pig, our ability to give will vary according to our individual situation. What is clear from this illustration and from today’s passage, however, is that while everyone cannot contribute equally, every Christian should willingly live at an equal level of sacrifice. The Apostle Paul described that level when he said that we should, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1b)

This passage teaches us that complete surrender and complete sacrifice is the reasonable response to God’s goodness. We can only come into a relationship with Christ by willfully surrendering our lives to Him. In other words, we must acknowledge that all aspects of our lives, including our relationships, dreams, lifestyles, and even our money and material possessions, are submitted to His control.

In God’s divine providence you have been placed in Church of the King to be a part of the Legacy journey. Ask Him today to reveal His plan for stewarding your resources. Be confident that His blessing and miraculous provision will follow your obedience to His will.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for Your generous love for me. All that I have is Yours, and I want to faithfully steward and give in a way that honors You. As a church family, we want to live with that same heart towards others that You’ve shown toward us. Amen.

Obedience and Miracles

Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
Luke 17:12-14

A young son of a missionary couple in Zaire was playing in the yard. Suddenly the voice of the boy’s father rang out from the porch, “Philip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!” Immediately the youngster did as his father commanded. “Now crawl toward me as fast as you can!” The boy obeyed. “Stand up and run to me!” Philip responded unquestioningly and ran to his father’s arms. As the youngster turned to look at the tree by which he had been playing, he saw a large deadly snake hanging from one of the branches! At the first command of his father, Philip could have hesitated and asked, “Why do you want me to do that?” Or he could have casually replied, “In a minute.” But his instant obedience without questioning saved his life!

Like this boy, the lepers from our passage today were healed as a result of their obedience. Notice a key phrase at the end of verse 14, “as they went, they were cleansed.” Jesus had given them clear instructions to be followed in order to receive their request, and as they obeyed Him, the Bible says they were healed!

As we seek God for His miraculous intervention in our lives, whether it be in our circumstances, finances, relationships, or other need, there may be some act of obedience that God has required of us. We can be confident that as we are quick to respond in obedience, just as the little boy was, we will experience God’s protection, provision, and miraculous intervention in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, search my heart, and show me if there is some response of obedience that You require of me. I don’t want to allow anything to hinder Your work in and through my life. Help us as a church family to be a people determined to live in the miraculous blessing of obedience.

Generosity and Miracles

“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
John 6:9-11

At a church meeting a very wealthy man rose to tell the rest of those present about his Christian faith. “I’m a millionaire,” he said, “and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I remember the turning point in my faith. I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God’s work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today.” He finished and there was an awed silence at his testimony as he moved toward his seat. As he sat down a little old lady sitting in the same pew leaned over and said to him: “I dare you to do it again.”

As funny as it may seem, our friend’s dilemma is one that we all face. Whether our gift is a small amount, just enough to live on, or a large gift that represents a lifetime of planning and stewardship, sacrificial giving, above and beyond our tithes, is the mark of a heart that is completely surrendered to the purposes of God.

The few pieces of bread and fish from today’s passage seemed scarcely enough to make a difference. But as we read, the boy’s sacrificial gift, when given in faith, was met by supernatural multiplication. As we stand in faith for God’s miraculous intervention in our lives, the test of stewardship shows where our heart truly is.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34)

Prayer: Father, give me a heart that is undivided. Reveal anything in my life that is more important to me than You, whether it be people, status, or money. Lord, I want to serve only You. Let us, at Church of the King, strive diligently to put You first in every endeavor. Let us live an “above and beyond” life in our financial giving. Lead us into Your dream for us. Help us to leave a legacy of faithfulness and absolute surrender. In Your name, Amen.

The Miracle of a Legacy

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2

When he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, Harmon Killebrew said, “My father taught me and my brother to play ball in the front yard. One day my mother came out and told him we were ruining the lawn. My father told her, ‘We’re raising kids, not grass.’”

Over the past four weeks we have looked at many dimensions of the call of God for every Christian to leave a legacy. That is, to live a life of significance, the weight of which will be felt for many generations. We have talked about the price tag of sacrifice, obedience, and surrender. We have seen the rewards that are attached to obedience and the blessing of God that follows those whose hearts are His.

As we come to the close of this Legacy series, this quote from Harmon Killebrew seemed a fitting conclusion. At the end of the day, it’s all about “raising kids.” Even if we don’t have natural children, God’s desire is that we would play a part in raising healthy spiritual “children.” The impact of our lives is directly proportionate to the level of investment of our time, energy, and resources into the lives of others.

When Jesus commanded us to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), He was in effect telling us to make certain that what He has placed in each one of us doesn’t die with us. Ask yourself today, “What am I doing to ensure that I am leaving a legacy of righteousness in fulfilling the purposes of God? How can I more effectively leave a spiritual heritage for the generation after me?”

Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day. – Billy Graham

Prayer: Father, let the weight of my life be felt for generations. Teach me to number my days, that I may make the most of the time that You have given me. Let my family at Church of the King live devoted, single-minded lives, that You can use us to leave a legacy for eternity. All glory be to You. In Christ’s name, Amen.

All Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.