Building a Legacy of Faith and Service

 

Summary

Reflecting on my journey, I am reminded of the pivotal moments that have shaped my life and faith. My path began with a strong family influence, where discipline and commitment were instilled in me from a young age. This foundation led me to the Navy, where I discovered a passion for flying. The thrill of being in the air was exhilarating, yet it came with sacrifices, particularly time away from family. Despite the challenges, I always felt God's presence, guiding and caring for my family and me.

Returning to our home church was a comforting experience, and it was there that I encountered a pastor who introduced me to Promise Keepers. This movement, particularly the Stand in the Gap rally in Washington D.C., was transformative. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of men, the atmosphere was one of unity and spiritual awakening. Dr. Tony Evans' words resonated deeply, emphasizing the need for personal commitment to God to effect change in the world. This experience was a glimpse of heaven, a moment of profound stillness and divine connection.

God's invitation to serve in His church became clear to me. It was a call to be an active participant in His kingdom, a role I embraced wholeheartedly. My wife and I prioritized raising our children in the church, instilling in them the values of faith, worship, and service. We taught them the importance of living out their faith and making their mark in the world, equipped with the foundation we provided.

Ultimately, the legacy I wish to leave is not about my achievements as a pilot or runner but about the lives my children will lead. It is about the faith and values they will carry forward, teaching their own children and impacting the world for God's glory.

Key Takeaways

- Discipline and commitment, instilled from a young age, can guide us through life's challenges and opportunities. These values, when rooted in faith, provide a strong foundation for navigating the complexities of life and making decisions that honor God. [01:14]

- The sacrifices we make, such as time away from family, can be difficult, but God's presence and care are constant. Trusting in His guidance allows us to find comfort and strength, even in the most challenging circumstances. [02:05]

- Spiritual gatherings, like the Promise Keepers rally, offer profound moments of unity and awakening. These experiences remind us of the power of collective worship and the importance of personal commitment to effect change in our communities and beyond. [03:41]

- God's invitation to serve is a call to be active participants in His kingdom. Embracing this call involves prioritizing faith, worship, and service, and teaching these values to the next generation. [04:05]

- Our true legacy lies in the lives we influence and the faith we pass on to our children. It is about equipping them with the values and foundation to make their mark in the world, living out their faith with integrity and purpose. [04:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:14] - Navy and Discipline
[01:37] - Discovering a Passion for Flying
[02:05] - Sacrifices and God's Presence
[02:18] - Returning to the Home Church
[02:29] - Introduction to Promise Keepers
[02:41] - Stand in the Gap Rally
[03:16] - Dr. Tony Evans' Impactful Message
[03:52] - A Glimpse of Heaven
[04:05] - God's Invitation to Serve
[04:14] - Raising Children in Faith
[04:25] - Teaching Values and Legacy
[04:57] - The True Legacy
[05:08] - Conclusion and Reflections

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
2. Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
3. Joshua 24:15 - "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

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Observation Questions:

1. What role did discipline and commitment play in the speaker's journey, and how were these values instilled in him from a young age? [01:14]

2. How did the speaker describe his experience at the Promise Keepers rally, and what impact did Dr. Tony Evans' message have on him? [03:16]

3. What sacrifices did the speaker mention about his time in the Navy, and how did he perceive God's presence during those times? [02:05]

4. How did the speaker and his wife prioritize raising their children in faith, and what values did they emphasize? [04:14]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the speaker's journey reflect the biblical principle of training up a child in the way they should go, as mentioned in Proverbs 22:6?

2. In what ways does the speaker's experience at the Promise Keepers rally illustrate the importance of collective worship and personal commitment, as highlighted in Hebrews 10:24-25?

3. How does the speaker's decision to prioritize his family's spiritual upbringing align with Joshua 24:15's declaration of serving the Lord?

4. What does the speaker's story suggest about the role of personal sacrifice in one's faith journey, and how might this relate to the broader Christian experience?

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own upbringing. How have discipline and commitment shaped your life and faith journey? Are there areas where you feel these values could be strengthened?

2. The speaker found profound unity and spiritual awakening at the Promise Keepers rally. Have you experienced a similar moment of spiritual awakening? How did it impact your faith journey?

3. Consider the sacrifices you have made in your life. How have you seen God's presence and guidance during those challenging times? [02:05]

4. The speaker emphasized the importance of raising children in faith. If you have children, how are you instilling faith and values in them? If not, how can you support the spiritual growth of the next generation in your community?

5. The speaker's legacy is about the faith and values passed on to his children. What legacy do you hope to leave, and how are you actively working towards it?

6. How can you be an active participant in God's kingdom, as the speaker felt called to be? What steps can you take to embrace this call in your daily life?

7. Reflect on the speaker's story about the Promise Keepers rally. How can you create or participate in similar experiences of collective worship and spiritual growth in your community?

Devotional

Day 1: Discipline and Faith as Life's Compass
Discipline and commitment, when rooted in faith, serve as a guiding compass through life's challenges and opportunities. These values, instilled from a young age, provide a strong foundation for navigating the complexities of life and making decisions that honor God. The journey of life is filled with pivotal moments that shape our character and faith. By embracing discipline and commitment, individuals can remain steadfast in their spiritual journey, even when faced with adversity. These values not only guide personal growth but also influence the way one interacts with the world, ensuring that actions and decisions align with a higher purpose. [01:14]

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can practice more discipline to align your actions with your faith today?


Day 2: Trusting God's Presence in Sacrifice
The sacrifices we make, such as time away from family, can be difficult, but God's presence and care are constant. Trusting in His guidance allows us to find comfort and strength, even in the most challenging circumstances. Life often requires us to make sacrifices that can be painful and challenging. However, in these moments of sacrifice, there is an opportunity to deepen one's trust in God's unwavering presence. By leaning on His guidance, individuals can find solace and strength, knowing that they are never alone. This trust in God's presence transforms sacrifices into opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper connection with Him. [02:05]

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one sacrifice you are currently making, and how can you invite God into that situation to find comfort and strength?


Day 3: Unity and Awakening in Collective Worship
Spiritual gatherings, like the Promise Keepers rally, offer profound moments of unity and awakening. These experiences remind us of the power of collective worship and the importance of personal commitment to effect change in our communities and beyond. In moments of collective worship, individuals experience a sense of unity and spiritual awakening that transcends personal boundaries. These gatherings serve as powerful reminders of the strength found in community and the shared commitment to a higher purpose. By participating in collective worship, individuals are inspired to deepen their personal commitment to God and to effect positive change in their communities and the world. [03:41]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your community's spiritual gatherings to foster unity and inspire change?


Day 4: Embracing God's Call to Serve
God's invitation to serve is a call to be active participants in His kingdom. Embracing this call involves prioritizing faith, worship, and service, and teaching these values to the next generation. Serving in God's kingdom is not a passive role but an active commitment to living out one's faith through worship and service. By embracing this call, individuals become vessels of God's love and grace, impacting the world around them. This commitment extends beyond personal growth, as it involves teaching and instilling these values in the next generation, ensuring that the legacy of faith continues to flourish. [04:05]

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can actively serve in your community or church this week, and how can you involve your family in this act of service?


Day 5: Legacy of Faith and Values
Our true legacy lies in the lives we influence and the faith we pass on to our children. It is about equipping them with the values and foundation to make their mark in the world, living out their faith with integrity and purpose. The legacy one leaves is not measured by personal achievements but by the impact made on the lives of others, particularly the next generation. By instilling faith and values in children, individuals ensure that their legacy is one of lasting significance. This legacy empowers future generations to live with integrity and purpose, making a positive impact on the world for God's glory. [04:57]

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, ESV)

Reflection: What specific values and lessons of faith do you want to pass on to the next generation, and how can you begin to do so today?

Quotes


once i was in i kind of gravitated to that kind of lifestyle and you know there was a lot of discipline which i was very familiar with growing up and we didn't fly a lot of places uh we if we went somewhere we drove that's just how it was i've never flown in my life in my second year of an avr otc at rice university i got to go on an s3 viking which was a navy twin engine jet of those two weeks i was flying you know just the smell of the jet fuel the guys walking around in their flight suits uh strapping on an airplane and get and being able to fly and you go out and do really cool missions and come back and that's when i knew i wanted to fly it's a feeling of exhilaration [00:01:16]

my wife me had two children and it was a lot of separation as much fun as flying was as much fun as the navy was you know you you don't get to see family a whole lot that's when i realized that i'd be leaving the navy but god was always there you know god took care of my family we were we came back to our home church which was very comforting i i'm convinced god put a pastor in that in that uh in that church at the time he was a retired army colonel chaplain [00:02:00]

my pastors told me about promise keepers and said well i want you to come with us on a bus for a 37-hour trip to washington dc and we're going to go to a promise keeper rally called stand in the gap and there were several hundred thousand men we couldn't even get as close as the washington monument and they were on the capitol whenever they started it got quiet and washington dc is a very busy city and it was a saturday morning my recollection and it was just quiet and a speaker after speaker would speak and there would be uh great men who sang songs and you listen to these guys singing and you know it was it was a special time [00:02:31]

and then there was this one uh pastor got there named dr tony evans and when he started speaking it was just an amazing uh that's a result in a messed up state that will reside in a messed up country that will bring about a messed up world so if we want better worlds composed of better countries inhabited by better states made up of better counties that are composed of better cities inhabited by better neighborhoods illumined by better churches made up of better families we better go home better men it starts with our own commitment to be men of god [00:03:12]

this might be a glimpse of what it's like in heaven you just you stand around you're you're hearing god's word miss spoken and you get to hear you're singing and then there's times of prayer and it's just quiet and still and it was just amazing when the uh when they called us to pray how quiet it would get uh what i really realized was that god was giving me an opportunity to serve in his church and to uh to he was giving me an invitation and he always had been giving me an invitation to be a worker in his kingdom [00:03:47]

i think the thing my wife and we did right was we did raise our children in church and we did make going to church a priority my wife and me were very good about teaching them that it's for them now to write their own story it's for them now to to go make their mark in the world for them to go determine who they want to be but we gave them the foundation and we uh we taught them the bible we taught them the love of god and we've taught them the importance of corporate worship and private worship and prayer and and being there for people and if you say you're going to do something go do it [00:04:14]

but that's up to them now to go to go uh take what we've taught them and you know take that forward and teach it to their kids that promise keeper experience was something like that you know so yeah i as far as legacies don't really care that people know i'm a pilot i don't really care they know i run a lot it's really more important about my kids in the life they're going to live [00:04:53]

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Transcript
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