Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement

Last Sunday, Pastor Tommy discussed the concept of sowing into the future, which sparked this profound reflection. When God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, they moved into houses they didn’t build, reaped from vineyards they didn’t plant and drank from wells they didn’t dig. They didn’t have to build, plant, or work their way up; it was all transferred to them. Similarly, God has some of these transfers in your future that are going to astound you. “Houses that you didn’t build” means promotion when you weren’t next in line. “Vineyards that you didn’t plant” means unexpected opportunities and blessings that come your way. “Wells you didn’t dig” means you didn’t earn it or work for it; it’s simply the goodness of God.

The key is whether your heart is set on building the kingdom of God, helping others, and taking your family to a new level. If I am self-absorbed and it’s just for me to build my ego and show off what I have, that will limit what God will do. God is looking for kingdom builders, for people who will use their resources and influence to be a blessing and to accomplish God-given dreams.

Your life can either be a stepping-stone for your family to progress or a stumbling block that causes them to struggle. Negative things may have been passed down to you, but God has raised you to end it. You can be a difference-maker right now. Scripture talks about generational blessings and how you can store up mercy for your children and future generations. I know I am where I am today because of how my parents and grandparents lived. I am reaping a harvest from seeds that they sowed.

There are some seeds you are sowing and some people you’re helping, but you won’t reap the fullness of that harvest. God may have designed it for your children or your grandchildren. It’s a generational blessing. You didn’t get to where you are by yourself. Somebody prayed. Somebody made sacrifices. Somebody sowed a seed of kindness, and you are reaping that harvest. You may have thought you were lucky, or it was a coincidence. No, it happened because you had a praying mother. You had a grandfather who was always helping people, a great-grandfather you never met, but he sacrificed. He persevered. Now you’re reaping from some of those seeds.

Scripture talks about how having a godly heritage is better than having great wealth. You can leave your children money, cars, and houses. That’s great—I’m all for that. But when you leave them a godly heritage and model a life of excellence and integrity, that’s worth more than any material thing you could ever leave them. God’s blessing on their life will cause them to go further than if they had all the money in the world. You can have fewer resources, but with this generational blessing, opportunities increase, and the right people will be attracted to you. You’ll look up and think, “How did I get to where I am? I didn’t have the connections, the resources, or the talent.” What happened? You stepped into a generational blessing and the favor of God.

The book of Hebrews teaches how a man named Levi paid tithes and offerings even before he was born while he was still in his grandfather’s loins. This means that God credited Levi with tithes and offerings because of his grandfather’s generosity. God will bless you, your children, and your grandchildren when you give. Before we even arrived, there were people looking out for us – from the care we received in our mother’s womb to the prayers and beliefs of our parents. Our grandparents and relatives worked hard and made sacrifices, dreaming of the day when their descendants would come into the world. You are the realization of their hopes, living the life they wished for you to have. This realization should empower us to pass on these blessings to the next generation, to be the ones who dream and work for the future of our children and grandchildren.

Let’s not take the sacrifices made by those who came before us for granted. It’s because of them that we enjoy blessings across generations. That should inspire us to strive for our best, to break free from limitations, to dream bigger, and to cherish each day as a gift. They have passed the baton to us, so let’s not drop it. Instead of settling for mediocrity, let’s push forward, conquer new ground, and overcome barriers. Although we may not see them, our departed relatives cheer us on from heaven. In that great cloud of witnesses, our parents, grandparents, and generations past are urging us to climb higher and set new standards. This is our day. This is our time.

King David dreamed of building the temple, so he cut down the cedars of Lebanon, raised the funds, and made all the preparations. However, God told him that it was not his role to build the temple but rather his son Solomon’s. David’s role was to lay the foundation, and God wanted Solomon to be the one to build it. David was able to see beyond his own abilities. Solomon inherited a generational blessing and went on to build the temple. There is nothing that would make me happier than to see my children surpass my own achievements. Every time you give, pray, believe, help others, and make sacrifices, it benefits you and your children and grandchildren.

This is why the enemy fights our children so hard. He knows they’re next in line for the blessing. Young people, you have a responsibility. Your parents and your grandparents worked hard. There are blessings they did not receive because God has them stored up for you. They’ve been accruing in your account, waiting for you to enter them. Let’s not squander the blessings of the past generations, but let’s be motivated and responsible to make the most of what they have prepared for us.