Unless the Lord Builds the House

 

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on June 22nd 2025 by Donald. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here. 

Unless the Lord Builds the House

Why Dedication to God Changes Everything

In a world that runs on ambition, deadlines, and self-made success, the ancient wisdom of Psalm 127 reminds us of a deeper truth: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.”

This verse, shared during a recent Sunday sermon, reveals a profound and often overlooked principle — true significance is found not in what we build, but in who builds with us. Whether it's our careers, families, dreams, or homes, when God isn’t at the foundation, all our striving is ultimately empty.

Dedication Is More Than a Ceremony

We often associate “dedication” with a one-time event — a child’s dedication, a wedding, or a church service. But real dedication is daily. It’s choosing to say, “God, take my time, my resources, my talents — all of it is Yours.”

That dedication ripples through generations. It’s not just about the present moment, but about planting seeds for a legacy built on God’s truth.

The Illusion of Control

Modern life tempts us to believe that we’re the masters of our fate. We are encouraged to optimize, hustle, and “build our brand.” But as the speaker pointed out, “The lives we create for ourselves may keep others out,” boxing us into small, self-centred worlds.

Yet storms will come. And when they do, no amount of wealth, skill, or strategic planning will sustain us unless we’ve built on the unshakable foundation of God.

When God Builds, There’s Rest

Psalm 127 also speaks of God giving His beloved sleep. Not just physical rest, but peace of heart — a gift in a world full of anxious toil.

Rather than chasing vanity or success for its own sake, we’re invited to hand our ambitions to God. Like the boy who gave his five loaves and two fish, what we offer may seem small, but in God’s hands, it multiplies beyond our imagination.

A Call to Rethink What Matters

Is our life centred around God, or have we subtly adopted the world’s “me-first” ideology? Are we pursuing success in things that, in the end, don’t matter?

William Carey once said, “I’m not afraid of failure. I’m afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.” That’s the invitation: to shift our focus from vanity to purpose, from self-building to God-building.

So today, pause. Reflect. Ask yourself — who’s building your house?

In a world rushing toward success, wealth, and recognition, there is a quiet yet powerful truth that echoes from the words of Psalm 127: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.”

This message was at the heart of a recent sermon — one that not only challenged the ideals of modern life but called us back to a life of eternal significance, centred on God, relationships, and legacy.

Don’t Just Build — Let God Build

We all build something: careers, homes, reputations, and dreams. But the speaker reminded us that unless God is at the centre of it, all our labour ends up in anxious striving. True rest comes not from what we accomplish, but from knowing that God is in control.

“Rest is a weapon,” he said. “The enemy hates it because he wants you stressed and occupied.”

When we trust God, we gain more than peace — we gain purpose. Even in chaos, we don’t have to act out of control, because our anchor is secure.

From Vanity to Value

In the age of likes, hustle, and superficial wins, the question we must ask is: What truly matters?

• Are we giving our best hours to work while our children receive our leftovers?
• Are we present with those we love, or simply performing life beside them?
• Are we building for ourselves, or leaving behind something worth inheriting?

True wealth isn’t in assets — it’s in relationships, in time invested, and in a life marked by faithfulness.

Children: Not Just Our Future, But God’s Gift

Psalm 127 describes children as “a heritage from the Lord… like arrows in the hands of a warrior.” They are not interruptions to our legacy — they are our legacy.

“Every child has the potential to inherit the kingdom of heaven… and it’s our responsibility to prepare them for it.”

Too often we treat children as background noise, burdens to manage, or projects to fix. Instead, the speaker challenged us to see every child as a carrier of God’s vision — one who must be shaped with love, not just correction.

• Do you notice the children in your life?
• Are you building a legacy they can build upon?
• Are you training them in the way of the Lord — not just with your words, but with your life?

Because in the end, children learn more from what we are than what we say.

Legacy Isn’t Luxury — It’s Discipleship

We spend our lives trying to leave behind fortunes and fame. But let us always remember this:

“The world leaves behind materialistic and atheistic ideologies. But God calls us to leave behind moral and spiritual foundations.”

What are we really passing on? Wealth that fades, or a faith that lasts. Are we raising kids who know how to calculate price — or value?

Let’s teach them what matters:

• How to walk with integrity.
• How to love deeply.
• How to seek God above all else.

Final Reflection: A Life Dedicated to God

It is not just about children or parenting — it is about living a dedicated life. A life where every relationship, every choice, and every dream are laid at God’s feet.

“Life is not all about children. But it is all about living for God.”

And in doing that, we will leave behind more than memories. We will leave behind a legacy of faith — one that shapes generations.

Are you building a house God can dwell in? Or one built in vain?

As we return to our daily routines, let us pause and pray:
“Lord, build my life. Help me invest in what matters. Let my legacy be shaped by Your hands, not mine.”

 Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Pictures of the Church - Part 5

 

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on  March 16th 2025 by Navaz. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

CHURCH AS A FAMILY – PART 3

Last week, we examined God's heart toward His creation made in His image. His heart always wanted to have an intimate relationship with us. But we saw how sin corrupted God’s perfect creation. Yet God made a covenant with Abraham's family and then with the nation of Israel, who was supposed to be a model to the rest of the world, but the rebellion was so deeply rooted in their hearts.

And then, in the fullness of time, as prophesied in Gen 3, God sent His only son to die for us while we were steeped in our sin. Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father and to make way for an orphaned planet to find sonship through the Cross. We have been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus and brought into His family. God has expectations for each of us. We need to live to please the Lord. The Bible asks us to “find out what pleases Him”. It is not just function but relationship. In God’s family, the master and worker are brothers. The Cross brings down every barrier and diving wall.

We then looked at God’s family. What are some of our features and characteristics? God is our father, Jesus is the head of the family, He is our brother, we are His household, and we are a caring community that seeks to live in harmony and unity.

We ended by asking where you are in the family circle of life: an infant, child, young adult, reproducing parent, or grandparent.

Jesus saved us to reconcile us to the Father. We have been transferred from being orphans into a family, from one kingdom to another. Our salvation has a plan and purpose: to bring those who are not yet saved into the family.

So, after salvation, it is not a time to sit around and sing lovely songs. We are called to co-labour, co-create, and collaborate with Jesus. We have a job to do within the family and then get involved in the family business or mission to seek the lost.

The last time, Colin took us through how we live together as a family: Family intimacy, fellowship, encouraging one another, carrying each other’s burdens, praying for one another, growing spiritually together and serving one another.

This is by no means an exhaustive list.

Each member of the family of God has a role to play. There are no spare tyres or parts

WE LIVE IN UNITY AND PEACE

• Ephesians 4:3 – “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
• Romans 12:18 – “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

While we celebrate our differences, it also gives us opportunities to rub each other the wrong way. The planners can get frustrated with spontaneity; the extroverts might find the introverts boring. We all must learn to accommodate our differences with grace, understanding, and respect.

However, we need to understand that the Cross has saved us, but sanctification is a lifelong process. We live in the now and not yet. So, we will face imperfections in our lives and those around us. This will give us opportunities to practice unity, forgiveness, and forbearance. etc

For this unity to work, we must work on a few things, such as our character and our relationships.

Two things that Jesus highlighted a few hours before His death are – our love for one another (by this shall all men know that you are my disciples). And our unity (that they may be one even as the Father and I are one).

WE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER

This love and unity are vital if we are to learn how to handle our differences well and forgive well. People will hurt you, and you must learn to fight off offence (real and imagined). At least 20 passages of scripture address our need to forgive each other.

Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Mark 11:25 - And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Colossians 3:13 - Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Matthew 6:12 - And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

WE CELEBRATE EACH OTHER AND ARE THERE FOR EACH OTHER’S SUCCESS.

Though we carry the same DNA as Christ, we are all uniquely shaped. Each one of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made. We have different gifts, talents, temperaments and personalities. We must honour and celebrate our differences and not try to clone each other.

How do we do this? We encourage one another,

James 4: 2—3   You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have it because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive it because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

1Cor 3:3 You are still worldly. Since you are jealous and quarrelling, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

WE SHARE AND GIVE GENEROUSLY

• Galatians 5:13 – “Through love serve one another.”
• 1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”
• Acts 2:44-45 – “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 – “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

At Word of Grace, we circulate everything we can – from furniture to appliances and clothes. There is no shame in this. This is what a family does. So, baby toys, beds, clothes, etc., all make church rounds. In this way, we help the young parents save money.

When someone gets married or is renting a home, we look for what we can bless them with to help with expenses. Whenever we buy new furniture, we give away what we no longer use. We could have sold it, but we chose to give it away.

When there has been a crisis of a major illness, we have often offered to help that family with hospital expenses.

People in the world do not understand this behaviour and so thing that we must have an agenda.

 WE LEAVE A LEGACY

Every good parent plans an inheritance for their children. We leave money and possessions behind for them. And that is required and good. But the best legacy you can give them is a spiritual one.

In the church, our job as brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, and grandparents is to multiply ourselves in someone else. Whose life are you investing in? That legacy will live one for generations to come. The Biblical word for that is discipling.

Titus 2: 3-5 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the word of God.

V6.Similarly, young men should be encouraged to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

2 Tim 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

FAMILY ON A MISSION

God always wanted a family that would work with Him. That is why He created Adam and Eve—to co-work. He made this magnificent creation and then put us in charge. And we know how that went. But then the power and authority that we lost were redeemed and restored to us on the Cross. The Gen command is echoed in Matt 28:18–20—Go make disciples of all nations. It’s a command to multiply and to steward (make disciples and teach them to obey).

Jesus is waiting for His gospel to reach the ends of the Earth, and then the end will come. We have a job to do. We are the only organisation that exists for the benefit of its non-members. Everything we do and learn here is to prepare us for our real vocation, which is outside these four walls—to be salt that flavours society, prevents corruption, and preserves what is good.

We are to be a light to the nations, showing the way and shedding light on injustices.

 Isiah 61 mandate is upon us.

One day, all imperfections will cease. That is the day when we will meet Jesus face to face, and there will be a final restoration of all things. There will be a celebration of the marriage feast of the Lamb where families from every nation, tribe and tongue will gather before the throne of God and will be invited to this great banquet. This is what we live for. So, let us be encouraged with these words. Let us hold on unswervingly to the faith we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Everything will be made new; no more sin, sickness, imperfections, or sorrow. They will all flee away.

We will continue to live in the now until then. We have a small taste here on earth. Now, we see dimly as in a mirror, but one day, we shall see clearly.

Let us continue to love and serve our Lord and His body, His family. Let us do the good works that He has prepared for us because one day, we will have to give an account of how we have lived. Let our lives give Him glory. Amen.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Father's Day

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on June 16th 2024 by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

Father's Day

Origin of Father’s Day – A lady who lost her mother was listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day. After her mother’s death, her dad took care of her very well. She wanted to honour her father and thus celebrating Father’s Day began.

We all know that God is our Father. He revealed himself to us as Father. God was revealed as a loving Father in the Old Testament and New Testament. All of us are familiar with the Lord’s prayer. It starts with “Our Father”. The God who created everything is powerful and a loving Father. We are His sons and daughters. Jesus came to this Earth to reveal His Father. In the parable of Prodigal Son, we see that even though his younger son took his share, spent away everything, and came back to his father, out of love and grace, he was accepted by his father.

In the Bible, it is written that we must honour our fathers. We must honour all the elders but especially fathers. We are called to honour and respect our parents. Train your children to respect their elders.

We must thank God for fathers. One of the greatest problems in the world is fatherlessness. Let us look at some of the main responsibilities of a father.

1.        Provide for children

If you have the ability, you must provide for your children. In slum areas, we see that the men get drunk, gamble, smoke and don’t work. It is the women who go to different houses to work had and provide for the family.

1 Timothy 5:8 - Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

2.        Protect the family

John 17:12 - While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by^[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus protected his disciples. WE must protect our children too.

Disciplining them is a part of protecting them. We must protect their character, values and future. Don’t dump everything on your wife. It is your responsibility too.

3.        Instruction and Example

Ephesians 6:4 - Fathers,^[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Start training your children at an early age. A part of the instruction is an example.

If we instruct them to read the Bible and pray, we should be doing that too. Schools and churches are only to support the children. The primary responsibility lies in the hands of the parents.

·        Teach them courtesy, honour, giving, serving, respect, handling conflict, help them to cast their burdens on Christ.

·        Love them. Children are looking for love, affection and affirmation. Mothers do it more. Fathers must do it too.

4.        Leave an inheritance

Proverbs 13:22 - A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Let us look what we can leave as an inheritance for our children.

a)        Convictions, beliefs, philosophies

Genesis 18:19 - For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

We must keep the way of the Lord. Generation after generation, we must follow God’s ways. So, spend time with your children by telling them bible stories, sharing the gospel and pray for them

b)       Name

Here “name” is reputation, credibility, track record.

Genesis 12:2 - “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

c)        Relationships

The world functions on relationships. We must pass on our relationships to our children,

d)       Physical assets

Cash, property, gold etc., are all physical assets. Do not be biased when it comes to son and daughter. Leave behind equal assets for all the children. Daughters are as valuable as sons. Make a will and keep it ready.

There are no perfect fathers in the Bible. To be a godly father, we need the grace of God and strength of God.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.   

Let's Make History Together

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on Oct 24th 2021 by Nigel P via zoom. For the audio & video please click here.  To listen to the worship please click here.

We are going to look into the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1 and focus on the words, "Word of the Lord came."

Jeremiah 1:1-3 ESV - The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, ² to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. ³ It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

In these verses, we see the following -

Word of the Lord came
It came also

Why does the Word of God come?
When does it come?

Jeremiah 1:2 ESV - ² to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 

In the days of Josiah, 13th year of his reign, days of Jehoiakim, until the end of the 11th year of Zedekiah, until the carrying away

We see that it came 4 times again and again. It came at the "Now Moment".

We live by written Word. At times, the Word comes to us at  "Now Moment".

We've been in the pandemic for so long that some started wondering where God is. Some have become comfortable. There's so much happening - trials in families, churches, we got a shock in the beginning.

God has plans. Spirit of God helps us move forward. We pick up something from the Word of Jeremiah.

Why does the Word come? And to whom?

Though the Word had come to Jeremiah, it was for God's people to warn them of the captivity. God's "Now Word" comes because they are God's people. He wants them to be restored. The "Now Word" has the potential to quicken them. When it comes, it has power.

In Bible, when Moses died, Joshua received the Word at the "Now Moment". As God's people, we can be prone to give up or sin and ignore God's call on us.
As a church, we need to think. Do we have a purpose? I believe God has a Word for us.

The "Now Word" is always a part of "Always Word"

Jeremiah 1:4-5 ESV –

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴ Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

 

We begin to see the "Now Word" comes to Jeremiah. It's always in context of God's people. What God says is "always".

 

1. Prophet to nations, ordained for the nations

God gave a promise in the garden of Eden. He promised a seed which is Jesus, that would effect the nations. It started right at the beginning. In Genesis 12, Abraham was called the Father of Nations. Now after 1500 years, Jeremiah got that same Word. It came as "Now Word". It's not new. It has always been there.
Who are you? You, I, the church. You are ordained. The church is for the nations. We are not to be survivors but influencers. Hey Church! Wake up! God has ordained you.

Though the pandemic is not over, God wants you to pick up something. Something about the church is going to change. What are we doing about our neighbours, colleagues, friends etc. God is reminding us that we are ordained.
So, God's first reminder to us is that we are ordained for the nations to bring life, hope to the people in the city.

 

2. Formed... Known by God

Jeremiah is about to be called prophet to the nations. To him, God says, "I formed you, chose you, picked you for a purpose.
Once I heard a prophetic song which I still remember. It goes  like this - I know you, you know me, let's make history together.
God is reminding us like Jeremiah - " I chose you to make history"

1 Peter 2:9 ESV - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The word "formed" is very important.

In the most powerful nation, Egypt, the Israelites were formed as a nation out of slavery. How can that be? It is only possible through God. Not just formed them, but God also delivered them and made them leave with gold, silver and many other riches.
We must understand that God's people just can't come into existence. God forms people. Word of Grace church didn't come into existence but God formed you.

When you read Psalm 139, you will know that each of you was formed for a unique role to play.

The word "knew" - long before you existed, I knew you Jeremiah.
What does that even mean?

It is an element of God knowing us intimately and choosing us to have a relationship with us. Your DNA is changed. It is of God's DNA.
He knows how to shape us. In some versions of the Bible, it is written as "Adam lay with Eve" This is about the intimate sexual relationship. In some other version, it is written as "Adam knew Eve".
So, knowing is a very deep and intimate thing. It is not just for purpose but to be known inside out.
There is something different about Christians. God knows us. And we must know Him. Know that He loves us and knows every flaw of ours.
Though Peter denies Jesus, He reinstates him.
God knows you. He wants to make history along with you.

3. Set you apart

Jeremiah 1:5c - before you were born I consecrated you;

I have set you apart before you were born. He sanctified you. Set apart for not anything else but for God's purpose.
Church, you are set apart. You may come and love this church but not just that. Every member of the church, every believer is set apart for God, for nations and for people around us.
We need to relate to people with reference to God. Saying sorry to people, being angry or taking revenge, everything must be in reference to God.
Many people don't like to consistently move ahead. The "Now Word" is for greater numbers and for greater fruitfulness. In Acts, the believers met everyday and broke bread together everyday. God wants us to get back on track because -

He has ordained you, ordained for nations - your neighbors, colleagues, friends

He formed you and knew you

He set you apart for His purpose - for nations, people around you

 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

The Future Will Write Your History | Navaz D Cruz

This message was preached by  Navaz D'Cruz at Word of Grace Church on  January 6th 2019. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.

THE FUTURE WILL WRITE YOUR HISTORY

INTRODUCTION

I have a message, the burden of which has been increasingly growing in my heart as each year goes by. This year I have felt that God has laid this as a prophetic message for Word of Grace and maybe even beyond.

I believe there is something in this message for everyone – a new believer, a not so young Christ follower and a seasoned Christian like myself.

This is also in line with the series that Colin is taking us through but coming from a different angle.

TEXT

Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no revelation/vision, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction.

 2 Tim 4: 7-8 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Phil3:12 -
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me

The title of my message today is this : The Future will write your history.

What will it say about you?

 Last Sunday we heard about Jim Elliot. The whole of Christendom knows about him. His famous quote is “ He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose!”

Such amazing passion, dedication and fixed focus. We may never become a Jim Elliot and that does not disqualify us or excuse us from living with purpose, passion and a perspective that ends in eternity.

What legacy will you leave behind? You will leave one behind either unintentionally or by design.

To answer that question we first need to recognize that:

1.    We were created on purpose for a purpose.

 A creator who has a design in mind created you.  You are not here by chance or by an accident. You are not a mistake.

Psalm 139:14-15 13For You formed my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.14I will praise You,for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Eph 1:11 -In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Eph 2:10 ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

This is critical to your purpose. Unless you are reconciled to your creator, you will never be free from a useless existence and be able to begin to live this purposeful life and fulfill your God given destiny here on the earth.

As Christians, we too can live like this – carelessly, without vision/purpose and a revelation of why we are here on the Earth.

Being saved is only just getting off the starting block of this eternal relay we are all running in. How then do we run this race? Many Christians sadly have lost their first love; their hearts have grown cold, distracted with the cares of this world. One day we will have to give an account for how we have lived.

 1 Cor 3:12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.

Proverbs 23:4 warns us not to wear ourselves out in trying to get rich.

2.    The second issue is sustainability.

Finishing strong is vital. Can we keep the fire burning after 2 years, 5 years, 10 years twenty 40?

If I do not stay connected and rooted in Jesus my spiritual fervour, can wither off and die.

3.    Building a legacy is in God’s DNA.

 Apart from the fact that God created you for a purpose, we need to understand the character and nature of God. He has put the same DNA in us as we are “His image bearers”.

We have been created to create, care for and contribute to the earth.

The command that God gave Adam to steward and multiply still holds good today.

We are still commanded to create and care and contribute. This has to do with every area of our life: personal, at work, in the home, our marriage, children, neighbourhood, our material possessions, our spiritual life, church community.

Jesus spoke a lot about stewardship and multiplication. Just look at the parable of the talents, the wise manager etc etc. God is always looking for ROI( return on investment)

It is there in Genesis and is there is Revelation 22:12"Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ, you are serving.

More than 40 verses talk about rewards. Look it up. This must be important.

Before we get it twisted. We know that we have been saved by grace.

We have not been saved by works bur for works

We function from acceptance not for acceptance

We lives from the identity of sons and not to get identity

We have been blessed so that we can bless

We live from victory and not for victory

When we know our identity, we will know our destiny.

SO NOW WHAT?

 What version of Christianity will your children or grandchildren enjoy because of what you invested into the kingdom?

Will it be a diluted version or even better than what you have known and experienced.

Our ceiling should be the floor that the next generation stands on. Legacy builders think about the quality of their life not so that they can enjoy a good life on earth but so that generations after them can reap the fruit of it too. Are you a legacy builder?

Mature sons and daughters in the house of God will learn to broaden their shoulders and be burden bearers rather than be a burden.

When we know that, we are children of God bought at a high price we will realize that our lives are about stewardship and not entitlement.

This is a difference between stewardship and Entitlement. Which column do you have more ticks?

STEWARDSHIP – A child of God with good identity	ENTITLEMENT- A child of God with poor identity.
Surrendered life	Self-centered life
Seeks to serve	Wants to be served
Contributors	Consumers
Gratitude	Feels entitled
Wants to please God	Wants God to please them
Blesses others	Seeks to be blessed
Generous	Stingy
Multiplies resources	Depletes resources
Giving	Demanding
Involved	Disconnected
Submitted	Independent
Handles resources in a kingdom way	Handles resources in a self-indulgent way
Others oriented	Self-focused
Satisfied	Always needy
Dependable	inconsistent

Word of Grace can be like a greenhouse- as long as you are in this church you thrive spiritually or may appear to thrive.

This is because the external environment is influencing you and acting upon you. But if you move away from WOG will you continue to burn hot for Jesus?

How much you internalize of the values you enjoy at WOG depends on your capacity to absorb and put into practice and make it your DNA.

You have to forge your own history with God.

Everyone’s character will be put to the test in the crucible of crises. Will you come out as pure gold?

This, will be tested when the storms of life hit us and they will. Will we be like the wise builder or the foolish one?

My prayer is that we like Paul will be able to say I have fought the good fight, I have run the race and now there waits a crown for me.

HERE ARE SOME KEYS THAT WILL HELP IN YOUR LEGACY BUILDING.

1.    PRESENCE – I cannot emphasize this more. That is why the first phrase in our tag line is Enjoying God. Apart From Him, we can do nothing. We need to stick close to Jesus every day. Practice his presence as a lifestyle.

"Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done."  –C. S. Lewis

2.    PROVIDENCE – Know that God’s favour rests upon you. He is your provider and will give you more than you can ask or imagine. “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” –Hudson Taylor

3.    PERSPECTIVE – Do not live just for today or for the next 5 years. Where do you see yourself when you are 70? Where do you see yourself in eternity? "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." –Jim Elliot

4.    PURPOSE – Do not be a drifter. Before you know it, 5 years have done by ad you will have little to show for it. Have goals. IF you fail to plan, you will plan to fail. Have goals personal, professional, family, spiritual. God is interested in all of our lives “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” –Francis Chan

5.    PASSION – Put your might behind everything you do. Do it as unto God. “If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

This passion can only be sustained and fueled, in the presence of God.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” Col3:23

1Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them— yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

So let us life this life worthy of our calling in Jesus. Let us fight the good fight of faith and not give up or get tired of doing good, because what we build will be a legacy that will last forever and one day the future will bear witness to it. LET’S PRAY

DISCUSSION POINTS FOR GYM MEETINGS

. Do you recognize that you have been created by design? What unique gifts and talents has God blessed you with?

. HAve the core values we talk about at Word of Grace become yours? Or is it an extranl influence?

What are some of the goals you have for life?
. Are you a legacy builder? 
What will you change to become more focused and live purposefully? Do you have a year plan and a 5-year plan?
. What will you do differently in your Christian calling to leave a legacy behind?

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.