Opening Question:
Can you remember a speech or quote by someone famous? What stood out about that speech or quote?
There are speeches that define a person. Remember Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing”. JFK once said, Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. Powerful words that help make these people leave behind lasting, powerful, winning legacies.
However, speeches can also leave behind a not so good legacy. Remember Bill Clinton – I did not have sexual relations with that woman.
These are all words from people that leave behind part of their legacy. It defines what we think of those people and shapes who they are in our minds.
There is a clip in the movie "Braveheart" that, though fictional, defined this person – it defined this movie.
Watch Braveheart clip: Chapter 10. Begin viewing when William Wallace (Mel Gibson) arrives at the battle.
Inspiring isn’t it? Makes you want to just go out there and fight for your rights. William Wallace took a bunch of poor, regular people and inspired them to fight an English army that was well trained and prepared. Who do you think won? William Wallace and his men in large part to the inspiring message he gave them.
What kind of legacy are you going to leave behind? A legacy that inspires others to do good or a legacy that just makes people just shake their heads in disbelief of what you did or said.
Today, as we continue or series on the life of David, we are going to look at his last days. We are going to look at what he wanted to pass on to his son.
Scripture
Read 1 King 2:1-3
What did David challenge Solomon to do?
1. Be strong
2. Show yourself to be a man
3. Observe what God requires:
a. Walk in His ways
b. Keep His decrees and commands, laws and requirements
What will become of Solomon if he does these things?
· He will prosper in all he does and wherever he goes.
Be strong, be a man and Obey God’s commands. Walk in His ways. If you do this, you will prosper and succeed in wherever you may go.
David’s final words to Solomon were these. Be sure to obey God and he will take care of you. Why do you think he chose to say these things instead of something like – secure the back wall and take care of your mom?
Because, through life experiences, he knew the right path to take. He knew that it is by staying close to God and relying on Him that he was able to succeed. The times that he followed his own path, he failed miserably. Look at the incident with Bethseba. Look at Saul’s life. Saul didn’t start off being this monster. He was a man who followed God. It wasn’t until he chose to take life and matters into his own hands that he started to fail.
So, David wanted to pass on this to his son. He wanted to make sure that Solomon knew to follow God because he knew that only by following God could he succeed.
Pretty simple. This leads us back to your legacy.
Application
What kind of legacy are you going to leave behind? Are you going to leave behind a yearbook type legacy, “Hey, you were a fun, good kid – have a great summer?”. Or, are you going to leave behind a legacy in which someone can remember you and honestly say, “that kid made a difference”.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have the latter legacy. How do you get that?
Be strong, be a man - step up to the plate and perform – don’t cower behind others or things
But more importantly, Walk in God’s ways
o Seek Him (Matthew 6:33)
o Obey his commands (John 14:21)
By pursing God and his path for your life, he will take care of you. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be the right path.
So, again, I ask, what kind of legacy are you going to leave behind?
What is 1 thing you can do this week to start walking in God's ways for your life?
PRAY for God to help you start walking in his ways.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
David: Families
****This Devotional Blog ties in with my Podcast, "David: Families" at http://tompounder.podomatic.com/ or go to iTunes and type in Tom Pounder under the Podcast menu.****
Opening Question:
If you were to relate your family to a TV family, which family would it be?
I tried and tried to think of a TV family my life could be compared to, but nothing came up. Actually, the only “family” I could think of was the show Cheers. It actually wasn’t a family, but a bunch of friends who had much of the same characteristics of a family. I could identify most of my family as members of that show. There was no Norm, but my family consisted of Cliff Cleaven – the one who knows something about everything, Frasier – the psychiatrist, and Sam Malone – sports star – not me, but my older brother.
This week, we are continuing our series on the life and David by talking about family relationships. What makes for a good family and what are some signs of dysfunction. More importantly, where does God fit in?
Now, before we get into talking about David’s dysfunctional family, I need to give you some background on the main character in this story, Absalom. Absalom was:
- The 3rd son of David
- Very handsome
- He killed Amnon, David’s oldest son as revenge for raping his sister (Amnon’s half sister)
He fled after the killing
- David finally brought him back to Jerusalem after 3 years. However, he didn’t even see him for another 2 years after that
- Now, Absalom is starting to get a desire to be king and will do anything to get it.
Can you say dysfunction? How many more signs of dysfunction do you want? - murder, rape and alienation of family members – that’s quite a start.
Let’s pick up the story here.
Scripture
Read 2 Samuel 15:1-13
1. What happened in this story?
2. Why was he trying to dethrone his dad?
3. Where is the dysfunction here?
For reasons unknown, David's own son, was trying to detrone him! Let's see, murder, rape, alienation - now add hostile take-over to this family. Absalom ended up taking over the kingdom for a bit as David fled. However, his Kingship was short lived as he was killed in a battle against David’s men.
As I have pointed out time and again from the background and this story, David’s family is full of dysfunction. Which leads me to a point – not the main point, but a point. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU DO, FAMILIES ARE FULL OF DYSFUCTION! No family is perfect – all of us have strange quirks. If you don’t know that now, you will when you are married.
So, if all families are full of dysfunction, is there any way your family can not be full of dysfunction, but healthy?
Yes, you and your family can have healthy relationships. It is found in Ephesians 6
Application
What are characteristics of healthy families (Read Ephesians 6:1-4)?
1. Children listening and obeying their parents
2. Children honoring their parents – comes with a promise to live long
3. Fathers not provoking their children to anger, but
4. Fathers bring up his children in the Lord
I want you to know, these are not the only 4 characteristics of healthy families, but it is a start. To look up more, try your Bible dictionary.
Are these characteristics of your family? If not, what ways can you listen, obey and honor your parents this week?
Remember, you can only control your part. You cannot control what your parents do, you can only control your attitude. Will you listen, obey and honor them this week?
That is the challenge. Healthy families are not the norm, but they are possible - do your part and pray for your family.
Opening Question:
If you were to relate your family to a TV family, which family would it be?
I tried and tried to think of a TV family my life could be compared to, but nothing came up. Actually, the only “family” I could think of was the show Cheers. It actually wasn’t a family, but a bunch of friends who had much of the same characteristics of a family. I could identify most of my family as members of that show. There was no Norm, but my family consisted of Cliff Cleaven – the one who knows something about everything, Frasier – the psychiatrist, and Sam Malone – sports star – not me, but my older brother.
This week, we are continuing our series on the life and David by talking about family relationships. What makes for a good family and what are some signs of dysfunction. More importantly, where does God fit in?
Now, before we get into talking about David’s dysfunctional family, I need to give you some background on the main character in this story, Absalom. Absalom was:
- The 3rd son of David
- Very handsome
- He killed Amnon, David’s oldest son as revenge for raping his sister (Amnon’s half sister)
He fled after the killing
- David finally brought him back to Jerusalem after 3 years. However, he didn’t even see him for another 2 years after that
- Now, Absalom is starting to get a desire to be king and will do anything to get it.
Can you say dysfunction? How many more signs of dysfunction do you want? - murder, rape and alienation of family members – that’s quite a start.
Let’s pick up the story here.
Scripture
Read 2 Samuel 15:1-13
1. What happened in this story?
2. Why was he trying to dethrone his dad?
3. Where is the dysfunction here?
For reasons unknown, David's own son, was trying to detrone him! Let's see, murder, rape, alienation - now add hostile take-over to this family. Absalom ended up taking over the kingdom for a bit as David fled. However, his Kingship was short lived as he was killed in a battle against David’s men.
As I have pointed out time and again from the background and this story, David’s family is full of dysfunction. Which leads me to a point – not the main point, but a point. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU DO, FAMILIES ARE FULL OF DYSFUCTION! No family is perfect – all of us have strange quirks. If you don’t know that now, you will when you are married.
So, if all families are full of dysfunction, is there any way your family can not be full of dysfunction, but healthy?
Yes, you and your family can have healthy relationships. It is found in Ephesians 6
Application
What are characteristics of healthy families (Read Ephesians 6:1-4)?
1. Children listening and obeying their parents
2. Children honoring their parents – comes with a promise to live long
3. Fathers not provoking their children to anger, but
4. Fathers bring up his children in the Lord
I want you to know, these are not the only 4 characteristics of healthy families, but it is a start. To look up more, try your Bible dictionary.
Are these characteristics of your family? If not, what ways can you listen, obey and honor your parents this week?
Remember, you can only control your part. You cannot control what your parents do, you can only control your attitude. Will you listen, obey and honor them this week?
That is the challenge. Healthy families are not the norm, but they are possible - do your part and pray for your family.
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