Living in a house someone else built

"When God, your God, ushers you into the land he promised through your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you, you're going to walk into large, bustling cities you didn't build, well-furnished houses you didn't buy, come upon wells you didn't dig, vineyards and olive orchards you didn't plant. When you take it all in and settle down, pleased and content, make sure you don't forget how you got there-God brought you out of slavery in Egypt. (Deuteronomy" 6:10-12 MSG)

About two years ago I read a book by Dutch Sheets titled "History Makers".  At one point in the book Dutch wrote about a time he was attending a prayer service at CFNI.  During the prayer meeting Dutch felt the Lord tell him to partner with the prayers of the founder of CFNI that had been prayed years and years ago.  I thought that was unique. I’ve never heard of someone partnering with prayers from generations before their time.  I began praying, even though I didn't completely understand the concept, "Lord I partner with the prayers of those that have seen your face."   I figured partnering with prayers of generation after generation that had gone before would be a good thing.

I've spent the last few days looking into the history of Syracuse.  I've been looking into some of the revivalists that had visited Syracuse in the past, and looking into our political and governmental history.  I haven't come across anything that has surprised me yet, although I have a feeling that I will.  I'm curious to see what struggles the Christians from the history of Syracuse, experienced. I have an odd feeling they are similar to the same issues we face today.  What I'm more curious to find is any documented prayers from the ministers that had visited Syracuse in the 1800 and 1900's.  I want to see what they prayed for and what they preached about.

What I am beginning to believe is that the ground we are walking on and the air we're breathing is filled with the prayers of the generals in the faith that walked this earth before our time.  Their unfulfilled promises from God are waiting to manifest upon this city.  I believe God has been waiting for the generation that will grab this understanding and begin walking in the fulfillment of those promises.

So why is it so important to find out what happened in the past? If we don't understand and know our history we will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes generations made before us.  That idea is the same most non-Christians have concerning history.  I'll take it a step further and say, as Christians, if we do not know and understand our Christian history, we'll never know or understand what we don't have to struggle with.
It's not simply knowing our Christian history that will change things, it's knowing the prayers of pastors, evangelists, revivalists, and missionaries that went before us.  It's knowing what they prayed for and what God promised them.  

Let's say Joshua never knew what God promised Moses.  Joshua would have spent just as many years in the wilderness as Moses did.  He would've never walked into the promised land, or he would've walked into the promised land just much later in life.

We wouldn't be where we are today if it were not for the generations before us and we won't get to where we need to be tomorrow if we don't learn what those generations went through and what they prayed for.  

I believe this generation of Christians is beginning to receive the keys to a brand new house we never built.  We are walking into a land promised to our ancestors.
We will have to work for this promised land. I'm not saying it's going to be handed over to us. The key is that we will be the generation that lives in the house, not the generation that builds it.
We should always be thinking of the generation that follows ours and working towards success for their lives.  Don't be self-centered. Don't forget to leave a lasting legacy for your children.  Take care of the task our generation has been given while setting future generations up for success.

John 8:14 commentary.

Tonight while reading my Bible I came upon part of a verse that meant a lot to me.

“Jesus answered, Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is true  and  reliable  and valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.” (John 8:14 AMP)
The part of the verse that touched me was “...for I know where I came from and where I am going;...”
My immediate thought was how important it is for people to know where they came from and where they are going.  Jesus, being the ultimate example for our lives shows us the importance of this concept.  He was the most confident Man to ever walk this earth and He understood where He came from and where He was going.

My name is Anthony Tringale. I was born in Kentucky, and moved to New York when I was 13.  I come from the Burkart and Tringale families.  That tells me where I come from physically and which families I belong to.  But knowing where I come from spiritually is paramount to my existence.  Knowing where I come from spiritually is also more important than knowing where I come from physically.

When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior I was adopted into the Family through the sacrifice Jesus made for my life and through His resurrection.   I died to my flesh and sinful nature and was born new into the righteousness of heaven.  Heaven is where I come from. I am a child of The Living God. I am a priest set apart for the working of Jesus.  I am an heir to the throne of The creator of the universe.  That is who I am.  That is where I come from.  

It's a lot like the story of Moses. Beginning in Exodus we read that Moses was born into slavery.  He was set to be murdered as a baby because of a decree pharaoh made saying all infant boys must be thrown into the Nile river. In an attempt to save her sons life, his mother placed Moses in a basket and sent him off down the Nile. The basket Moses was placed in was found by the daughter of Pharaoh.  She kept Moses and raised him as an Egyptian prince. Moses encountered much conflict in his life and wound up running away from home. One day while tending to his flock in the wilderness, Moses has an encounter with God. God reveals Himself to Moses.  Moses has an understanding of who he is and where he came from.
Moses did not focus on and accept where he came from physically being either a slave or a prince. Instead, He set his mind on who God told him he was. He was not judged or chosen by God because of where he came from physically.  Moses was chosen because He chose to believe what God said. Moses chose to believe he came From God as a son of The Most High.  Because of that confidence he could be used in a powerful way by The Lord.
In the same way we must not focus on where we come from physically but where we come from spiritually.  We come from heaven.  We are sons and daughters of God, Heirs to His throne.

Now, Where are we going?  Well, if we are sons and daughters of God than we are going to heaven.  Pretty simple right?
This seems like such a big deal to me because where people believe they come from will most likely determine the condition and quality of their life along with where they believe they are going.

According to statistics, nearly half of all children born into poverty in the United States will live in and die in poverty.  Look at earlier centuries caste systems.  People never moved out of their caste, they never moved up in life.  If they were born into poverty they died in poverty.  If they were born into royalty they died in royalty.  If Bill Gates had a child, when he or she grew up they would probably not be living in poverty.  Why?  Because they know where and who they come from.  They know that their father is one of the worlds richest men and they will never lack physical needs or wants for their entire life.  They can have anything money can buy.  In a similar way we need to adopt this mentality.  

We come from the Creator of the universe.  We are His sons and daughters.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (psalm 50:10). So long as we believe this truth, we will not lack anything.  We are heirs to the throne of God.  We are descendants of Abraham and receivers of his inheritance.  Knowing who we are, where we come from, and where we are going sets us free.  Free from worry, free from staying stagnant, free from fear, free from poverty, free from incorrectly judging ourselves, and free from not loving ourselves.  

You are Gods chosen.  He is your Father.  Jesus is your brother.  You come from heaven. You are royalty.  You are destined for heaven.  Nothing in this earth can harm you and nothing can separate you from the Love of the Father.
I pray that you will understand and live in the understanding of who you are through Christ Jesus. You are royalty. you Know who you are and you know where you are going.