You can have an impact upon others that outlasts your lifespan on this earth. Following certain biblical principles, you can leave a legacy, a spiritual inheritance that will affect the lives of others for all eternity.

There are two specific types of legacy that I want us to look at and the first of those is a spiritual legacy, a spiritual inheritance impacting future generations an investment of eternal value. That is not to say that we neglect the natural things which is the second part of leaving an inheritance that I want us to look at. Proverbs 13:22 says: a good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children...

SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE

Your family, children and grandchildren should be the number one target for your legacy.

Men, your two highest priorities should be serving the Lord and serving your family, taking the time to teach your sons and daughters the ways of the Lord so that when they are older they will not depart from
Him.

This doesn’t happen accidentally! It requires you to love them enough to train them, to discipline them when needed, to instruct them in God’s Word, to teach them to love the church, and to live for God.
Fathers if you will take the time to invest in your children, the seemingly never-ending effort will pay off and will affect generations to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 says, “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”.

As we said earlier, a good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children... You can leave an enduring legacy in many ways:

• By influencing your children and grandchildren to know and serve the Lord
• By living a godly life every waking hour
• By building your life upon the eternal Word of God

The second part of leaving an inheritance is;

FINANCIAL INHERITANCE

If you were to die today, how would your wife and children cope? You may say well I don’t believe in life insurance, I don’t believe it’s right. Let us stop for a moment and think, if you were to have an accident or found out that you had been diagnosed with a terminal illness how would your family cope? You may say well that’s negative I don’t want to think about that. Well the bible says “it is appointed unto men once to die and then the judgement”. Death comes to us all eventually. The bible says “a good man leaves an inheritance for his children”. Taking steps now while you are healthy and everything is going well is the best form of preparation that you can make for your family.

How would your wife cope if she were to be left to raise the children on her own, take care of the house, pay the bills and juggle everything by herself? You by planning ahead can make sure that your family is taken care of spiritually and financially so that your children won’t lack any good thing because as the scripture says “a good man” that’s you, right? He makes preparation to ensure that his wife and children are well provided for.

Kind David wanted to build God a house and we read in 1 Chronicles 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

God told David that he could not build Him a house but if you will look at 1 Chronicles 29:1-5 “Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. [2] Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver.…”

David had prepared and left the things that were necessary for his son to build God a house in other words even though David wasn’t able to build he being forward thinking made preparations for his son.

I look around today and so many men make little or no preparations for their children or their families. Let me give you an example; a man with three children, a house with a mortgage of around £300,000, he has insurance for the house so that if he dies the house is paid off, right? How is your wife going to manage because she will still have to take care of the bills, clothe the children, maintain the house, car etc.

These are some of the things we don’t think about but we really need to stop and take serious thought and make necessary preparations for our families’ future. I have seen men who have had no insurance whatsoever and they expect the church to take care of their family, this is not right.

Every person whether single or married, male or female should have some sort of life insurance, you should also have “critical illness cover” there should be some sort of savings put aside for your children. I know
children get family allowance each month that money should not be spent by the parents but that money should be put aside in a saving account as an investment for the child. You don’t need to spend every penny you get buying them the latest fashion or the latest toys which have no lasting value.

Providing for your children in case you die prematurely takes more than picking someone to raise them. You should consider what will happen to any money or property your children inherit from you. Who will
manage it for them until they became adults? You can leave these instructions in your will or living trust.

One person I spoke to said he didn’t want to leave money for his wife to spend, my friend this is not about wanting to take it with you or leaving your wife with nothing, a godly man that takes care of his own.

For further advice on life insurance, critical illness cover and preparing a will please speak to a lawyer or one of our financial advisors Wale Olunuga.

I pray that you will hear my heart in this message and I pray that you will at least go and find out what you can do to leave something behind so that our wives are not running around looking to other people for a hand out hoping someone will do what we should have done.

May God richly bless you.

Pastor Douglas Goodman