Living and Leaving a Legacy by Gracious Grafx

Welcome to the Focus On Jesus Summit 2015 planning session. The fact that you have accepted our invitation on a day so well suited for you to do other things, is a clear indication of your desire to see the Kingdom of God flourish in this most challenging season. There has never been a greater urgency for a generation of Apostolic Believers to “Focus On The Harvest” than right now. The desire for finer buildings, greater programs, self-promotion, self-gratification, the maintenance culture, political and personal gain, has shifted our focus and taken us down a path where we are now coasting to the destruction of the Apostolic Legacy. Indeed, if the “Focus On The Harvest” is lost, the Legacy dies. I am certain that all of us are witnesses to troubling signs which indicate that the legacy is in jeopardy. I am excited and grateful that we are assembled here today as Kingdom Citizens of King Jesus, committed to act in invading, plundering, and conquering so that more souls will be liberated from gross darkness. Thank you so much for being here today. Let me express our appreciation to Bro. Caswell Walford for his leadership, and also to our special guests, Pastor Sammy Stewart and Pastor Alan Todd for taking the time to share and invest in us today to make us better in the service of King Jesus. Sincerely,

S. Robert Stewart

Your Legacy Matters

Living and legacy are not usually connected with each other. The idea of legacy often remind us of death, but in reality legacy is really about life and living. How we live our lives will determine the legacy we leave behind. There is also the misconception of what truly counts as legacy. We live in a world where more value is placed on an individual’s material possessions, social and economic status than character and integrity. People are idolized for all the wrong reasons and sadly some of these negative influences are subtly finding their way in Christendom, in a variety of forms, conduct and “fashion”. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines the word legacy as “something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past.” Often men fail to think about the legacy they will leave behind until it is too late to worry about the legacy they have left behind. Too often the world has turned a blind eye to men consumed by sin simply because of some talent or skill they possess. We idolize athletes, business icons, politicians, musicians, physicians and others for their accomplishments yet their lives are often filled with behavior and habits that are far from being acceptable to God. Christians must constantly consider the legacy we will leave behind. The measure of one’s legacy as a Christian must be about how we live our lives for Christ, the impact we have on those around us and those we influence. Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days” The Psalmist speaks of numbering our days as a reminder that life is very short and we must make our days count. I’m not talking about something morbid or morose. The kind of numbering that Psalm 90 speaks of isn’t done with a calendar. It speaks more so about the conduct of every day our lives according to God’s purpose and the wisdom, according to God’s word that must be applied in our daily walk. We have all attended at least one funeral service in our lifetime and probably have heard countless eulogies often punctuated with references to the lasting impact made on the lives of others by the deceased. The legacy left behind by these individuals came about as a result of deliberate choices and actions they made over the course of a lifetime to make a positive impact on the lives of those with whom they came into contact. Legacy is about the life we live and about what truly matters. Remember those who will come after, will have only what we leave them. What you wore won’t matter. The number of friends you had won’t matter. Ultimately, what will matter in eternity is how you lived for God’s glory. It will matter who you shared the love of Christ with. We are talking about legacies that make life better for those who come after us, not about our own fame or recognition, but about helping others. After all, we won’t be around to watch our legacy. To build that which will last beyond us is selfless, and living with that in mind breaks the power of selfishness that tries so desperately to engrain itself in our lives. It also keeps us focused on the big picture. Legacy building is “big picture.” It keeps us focused on the long term and gives us values by which we can judge our actions. When we act based on selfishness, personal expediency and the like, we are “small picture”—whatever is pragmatic right now. When we build a life that will give for many years, we are “big picture.” Ask yourself: How does this action affect my overall goals? How will this affect people in the years to come? To leave a legacy, we must be intentional. Being intentional means to purposefully act and live in a certain way in order to produce a desired outcome. We must deliberately choose to live in such a way that every day, every hour, every moment counts. The writer C.S. Lewis sums it up brilliantly, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become ineffective in this [one].”

Second Chronicles gives us a good example of how a man can go about creating the right legacy. “The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.” Principles we can learn from this example are: don’t consult the world for answers but seek after God and follow His directions; if we follow the first principle we are in a position to serve God; and as a result of our obedience God will pour out His blessings on us. Jehoshaphat’s life certainly fits the quote that biographer C. W. Hall shares from Samuel Logan Brengle (the Commissioner of the Salvation Army) which states “The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office he has held, but only the quality of his deeds and the character of his mind and heart.” Peter gives some excellent advice regarding our legacy when he said “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Pay careful attention to Peter’s advice regarding these qualities and their importance to our effectiveness and productivity for our Lord and Savior. We must recognize that these are not the qualities that worldly men promote and they will be rejected by those driven by the “me” focus of our society. Nonetheless, these are critical qualities to a Godly man’s legacy. Renowned pastor, teacher, and author C. H Spurgeon said “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” The Apostle Paul tells us “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” A man committed to living his life this way will build a powerful legacy that will impact generations to come. So, what will be your legacy? Today, consider your own legacy – your personal and professional impact. The message you wish to send out into the world. The small, invisible (but absolutely tangible) ripples of a legacy you’ll leave behind. What do you want it to be? Who do you want to impact or inspire? In what way? And most importantly – what can you do today to move yourself one small step closer toward attaining that legacy? For little by little, day by day, you’ll one day meet it in the roadway of life, hopefully, a long time from now. But whatever it is, whomever it impacts, whatever it is you’ll do with your limited, rare and precious time on this planet– you’ll build it a little at a time, moment by moment, day by day. The days will turn into weeks, the weeks into months, and the months into years. What you need to know is this: • Who you are (and will be) matters. • What you say matters. • What you do matters. Leave your own small mark upon the world. In a way that only you can. Start now. __________________________________________________________________ “The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave.” -Tavis Smiley: Author - The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates “The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” -Kalu Ndukwe

Agenda

9:00 a.m. Prayer Elder Ralston McKenzie 9:05 a.m. Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Welcome Bro. Caswell Walford 9:35 a.m. Scripture Reading – 2nd Timothy 4: 1-8 Sis. Jennifer Stewart 9:40 a.m. Opening Remarks Pastor Robert Stewart 9:50 a.m. Living and Leaving a Legacy Pastor Sammy Stewart 10:50 a.m. Coffee Break 11:00 a.m. From the Heart of our Pastor The Season of Harvest – A Call for Laborers Pastor Robert Stewart 11:40 a.m. FOJ Summit 2015 Theme Suggestions Facilitator: Sis. Annette Taylor-Spence 12:10 p.m. LUNCH 1:10 p.m. Group presentations Facilitator: Pastor Sammy Stewart

• • • •

Group 1 – 1:15 p.m. Group 2 – 1:20 p.m. Group 3 – 1:25 p.m. Group 4 – 1:30 p.m.

2:00 p.m. A Calling for Laborers for the Harvest 2:10 p.m. Coffee Break 2:15 p.m. Living and Leaving a Legacy The “I” Factor – Pastor Todd 3:15 p.m. Closing Remarks Pastor Robert Stewart 5

Quotes

“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 “A true legacy is established over a lifetime and relates to what a human being does for others, not for himself.” -Bill Courtney, Against the Grain: A Coach’s Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family, and Love “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” -Shannon L. Alder “Be careful how you live your life, millions are watching you. You may be inspiring or uninspiring many.” -Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha “To spend your time trying to make your body flawless is to waste your time. Even if it appears to match some externalized ideals of perfection for a moment, your physical self will wrinkle and age. Work on your mind. Work on your legacy.” -Vironika Tugaleva “Some strive to make themselves great. Others help others see and find their own greatness. It’s the latter who really enrich the world we live in” -Rasheed Ogunlaru “We all have an opportunity and responsibility to create a legacy. A legacy which is resilient, sustainable and authentic.” - Jim Cookson, Doctoral Student, Ashridge Business School, UK, August 2014” “Each of us play a unique role in the history of life. What legacy do you want to leave behind?” -Lailah Gity Akita “Every Moment of your life is a new Page in your Book. Some Sentences you can’t change, even whole Pages. But you decide how your Book ends.” -John M. Eaton “Some people die and you realize that the only mark they left on earth are the tomb stones under which they lie. The impacts you make on earth should be something worthy to improve lives.” -Israelmore Ayivor 6

artin Luther King, Jr., was a reformer and revolutionary of a different sort. King stood at the forefront of the civil rights movement and changed the course of American history. One of the most turbulent periods in our history, the Civil Rights era is most associated with King. KING’S LIFE AND WORK King was born into a middle-class family in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929. This son, grandson, and great-grandson of ministers grew up in the church but began doubting his faith once he realized the cold reality of racial discrimination. King writes of his resentment toward the injustice of racial segregation and the harsh treatment that sprang from it. One can feel his bitterness as he recounts scenes from his formative years in which he, his family, and his friends were subjected to condescending and disrespectful treatment. He tried to reconcile his faith with this treatment, particularly after a white friend’s father told him not to play with King anymore. “My parents would always tell me that I should not hate the white man, but that it was my duty as a Christian to love him. The question arose in my mind: How could I love a race of people who hated me and who had been responsible for breaking me up with one of my best childhood friends? This was a great question in my mind for a number of years.” At fifteen, King entered Morehouse College. He first learned about nonviolent resistance after reading Henry David Thoreau’s “On Civil Disobedience,” in which the author wrote about his refusal to pay taxes to protest “a war 7

that would spread slavery’s territory into Mexico.” King ruminated on the notion of rebelling against segregation rather than accepting it. After graduating from Morehouse with a bachelor of arts in sociology, King entered Crozer Theological Seminary. He went on to receive a B.A. in divinity from Crozer and a Ph.D. from Boston University. At age twenty-five and newly married, King and his wife, the former Coretta Scott, headed south, and he became a minister at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1955, the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) selected King to oversee the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the unofficial start of the civil rights movement. The city’s black citizens protested Montgomery’s racial segregation policy on buses by avoiding the buses, sharing rides, taking taxis, and walking. Vigilantes bombed King’s and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy’s houses almost two months into the boycott. The MIA filed suit in federal court. Pressure mounted, and on June 4, 1956, the court ruled the city’s segregated bus policy unconstitutional. On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the court’s ruling. The boycott, which lasted 381 days, thrust King into the national spotlight. Emboldened by this victory, King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 and served as its president until his death in 1968. Through the SCLC King and Abernathy began to harness the power of the black church as the political center for social action. On May 15, 1957, King gave the first of his famous Washington speeches titled, “Give Us the Ballot.” Later that year, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first legislation of its kind since Reconstruction. In 1958, King’s first book, Stride toward Freedom, was published. Ironically, King was stabbed by a black woman at a book signing. After almost dying, King viewed this experience as a sort of case study. “I became convinced that if the movement held to the spirit of nonviolence, our struggle and example would challenge and help redeem not only America but the world.” Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience campaign that ended British rule in India, King applied the techniques to his protest campaign. He encouraged participants to assemble peacefully and demand their constitutional rights through appeals to justice and brotherhood, even in the face of violence. King traveled to India in 1959 to study Gandhi’s philosophy. He recalled that he and his traveling companions were treated as brothers, and he felt bonded to the Indians “by the common cause of minority and colonial peoples… struggling to throw off racism and imperialism.” As his own words attest, King was influenced by his faith and Gandhi’s techniques, writing that “Christ furnished the spirit and motivation while Gandhi furnished the method. The civil rights movement continued in earnest as “sit-in” demonstrations began in 1960. In 1961, whites and blacks from the North traveled south in “freedom rides”; in 1962, King met with President John F. Kennedy; in 1963, King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech; and in 1964, King became the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize. Over the course of the campaign, King was arrested thirty times. In late March of 1968, King went to Memphis, Tennessee, to lead a march of sanitation workers protesting low wages and poor working conditions. He was fatally shot April 4 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Shortly after King’s death, supporters began a campaign to commemorate his birth with a federal holiday. Congress man John Conyers introduced a bill in 1968; opposing lawmakers stalled it. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law. Twenty-seven states and Washington, D.C., observed the holiday, and in 2000, all fifty states observed it.

In his final sermon in Memphis, the night before his assassination, Martin Luther King, Jr described the situation in terms of the parable of the Good Samaritan. He said the reason one passed by the man who had been beaten and robbed is because they asked the wrong question: ‘If I help this man, what will happen to me?’ The good man stopped to help because he asked the right question: ‘If I don’t help this man, what will happen to him?’ When we review his life and death it is appropriate to draw inspiration from the life and leadership of one whose vision and commitments remain unparalleled in modern America. It is important to review how he wished to be remembered: ‘If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, which isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. I’d like somebody to mention that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say, on that day, that I did try, in my life, to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won’t have any money to leave behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind’. The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr to us is an abiding faith in the possibilities of America and the promised of a just God. Despite the forces around and sometimes inside him conspiring to provoke alienation and despair, Martin Luther King, Jr loved America and gave his life to help the nation be true to its covenant of freedom and equality. God did not bring us this far to leave us behind.

Song “FIND US FAITHFUL”

written by Jon Mohr and sung by Steve Green

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful May the fire of our devotion light their way May the footprints that we leave Lead them to believe And the lives we live inspire them to obey Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone And our children sift through all we’ve left behind May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful 1

“Leave a Spiritual Legacy in your family, or you leave no Legacy at all” 10

What makes a person influential to those around them? Think of a person who you really want to be like. What about that person caused you to want to be like him or her? Now ask yourself ... do I portray a life that inspires others to be like me? Effective leaders are people who draw others to themselves through their character, integrity, proficiency and concern for those that follow them. They gain influence by earning trust and respect. The legacy of our Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obedience was the men He left behind through the life He led, and that was a legacy of glory for Him because that obedience qualified Him to have His glory restored after a lifetime of humiliation. He stepped into a world scarred by sin, darkened by the destructive power of evil, and became subordinate to His own creatures. He who made everything, who had the power to command legions of angels, chose to limit His power and subject Himself to the very ones He came to deliver. That is how He could claim His legacy of glory. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a legacy worth living for. Not a building or an institution, but living men and women who carry on His mission for His glory. Jesus shows us how to leave a true legacy, a legacy of glory, His glory, not ours. If, by His grace, we become humble, dependent, proven, focused, persevering, obedient, and faithful men and women who focus our lives on making Jesus known to those He gives to us, we will leave a legacy of glory. Not our glory, but His. 12

Consider this: A. Recognize people are observing - The watching world is looking for authentic followers of Christ and finding one will encourage them. And there are also the skeptics looking for a slip-up. B. There will be discouragements - The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t give in. “be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.” C. Learn to run for the long haul - You aren’t running the race alone. Look to Jesus. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics Derek Redmond of Great Britain was on the way to fulfilling a lifetime dream, to win an Olympic gold. He was in the semifinals of the 400 meter race. Derek was running the race of his life with the finish line in sight, when he felt a stab of pain in his right leg He fell face first to the track with a torn hamstring and his race was over. He struggled to his feet and though every runner had passed him, he began hopping forward, tears of pain and disappointment streaking his face, determined to finish the race. Suddenly a man pushed through security guards on the sidelines and ran onto the track. He raced up to Derek and hugged him. “You don’t have to do this,” Jim Redmond told his weeping son. “Yes I do,” Derek answered. “Well, then,” his dad said, “We’re going to finish the race together.” The watching crowd gasped at first, then one by one, they rose to their feet, cheering and crying at the son’s determination and the father’s support. D. Our legacy has a lot to do with how people remember us - We all will leave a legacy. How do you want to be remembered? It’s a simple question that defies a simple answer. After you are dead and gone, after you’ve lived your 40 or 60 or 80 or more years, when your time on earth has come to an end, when you are here no more, how will you be remembered? Paul wrote:…I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.. He looked forward to the crown of righteousness which is given by the Lord to …all those who love his appearing. (II Timothy 4:7,8)

What will be

My Legacy? 13

Notes Page

A Legacy Worth Leaving When we live in the will of God, centered upon where Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called us to be, we can all make a difference. We can all leave a Christ-centered legacy. And that is truly a legacy worth leaving.- Model the Master, Jesus Christ. 1.

What is the lasting legacy you want to leave behind?

Who do you hope to impact or inspire?

How?

Most importantly – What can you do today to move yourself one small step closer to it?

__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Ray Pritchard wrote about when his brother Andy, took him along a remote country road near Florence, Alabama to show Ray a graveyard. He finally stopped near the ruins of an antebellum plantation. They got out and walked about a quarter of a mile into a forest. There they found the family cemetery for the 19th-century plantation owners. They began inspecting the gravestones, most of them 150 years old. Most contained phrases like, “Loving father,” “Beloved mother,” “Darling son,” “Rest in Peace,” “Asleep in Jesus,” and so on. Eventually they came to the grave of the man who had owned the plantation for many years. Under his name there were the dates of his birth and his death. Then there was a five-word statement that summed up his whole life: “A man of unquestioned integrity.” Just five words. Nothing more, nothing less. Suppose it was your tombstone. What five words would your friends choose? How do you want to be remembered? Really think about it. Consider it deeply. Because it really does matter to everyone who will walk life’s path alongside you and to those you’ll leave behind. Today you are building a legacy, for better or worse, intentionally, enthusiastically or otherwise.

“It always seems

impossible until its done.” -Nelson Mandela

Notes

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