GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS

“Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deu 7:9 ASV)

There are blessings that last only for a few years. You see a man and you say he is blessed, but a few years later you look at this same man and you wonder where the blessings went. There are so many ex-rich men all over the place. Once upon a time they were the ‘movers and shakers’ in the land, now they are forgotten though still alive.

Then there are blessings that last a whole lifetime. You see a man blessed and retains his blessings till he dies and leaves these blessings for the children. People envy such men. Some times their children squander the blessings in a few years, in other cases the blessings last for even two or three generations before fizzling out.

However, God desires to give us Generational Blessings, these last for even a thousand generations. In the Scriptures we see God bless not just a man but his lineage up to a thousand generations.

Abraham

“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; {shore: Heb. lip} And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:16-18 KJV)

Abraham was just a regular farmer from an ordinary family. God however called him and he obeyed in faith. After years of training and testing, God pronounced generational blessings upon his life. The Blessing moved from him to Isaac and then unto Jacob. To day we see it manifested in the state of Israel and on all believers in Christ all over the world. Abraham’s blessings have lasted for more than a thousand generations.

It was because of the Blessing that God destroyed Egypt, the Canaanites etc so that Israel might enjoy their inheritance!

Phinehas

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.” (Numbers 25:10-13 KJV)

The High Priesthood was reserved for the sons of Aaron. The sons of Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s surviving sons were all entitled to this. However, God reserved it for Phinehas the son of Eleazar for ever! The priesthood only moved to other families for very brief periods in Israel’s history. (A Particular generation could miss out on generational blessings if they don’t keep the covenant).

David (2 Sam. 7:8-16)

“Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.” (1 Kings 9:5 KJV)

The Kingship in Israel was not a monarchy, but by generational blessings David got it for his children after him for ever! Even Jesus is called the ‘son of David’.

“And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. (Luke 18:38 KJV)”

An ordinary shepherd boy who could not get the recommendation of his Father became a King by Divine Election. As if that was not enough, God now gave him generational blessings of kingship.

Generational Blessings ensure that for a thousand generations after you are gone from the earth, your name and you children will continue to enjoy God’s goodwill and favour. Some folks leave behind generational curses, you can leave behind generational blessings.

Obtaining Generational Blessings

Love God and Keep His Commandments. (Matt. 22:37; John 14: 15, 21-24) Generational blessings are conditioned upon this premise. Love for God will always lead to keeping his commands no matter the cost. Those who think keeping God’s commands is too costly do not love the one who did not think it too costly to die for them. Come to think of it, ultimately the cost of disobedience is unquantifiably higher than cost of obedience.

Abraham got Generational Blessings by a sacrifice of love and obedience. The command of God was a test of love. The question God was ‘who does Abraham love: God or his gifts’? And by sacrificing Isaac, Abraham showed that he loved God more and would do any thing God commands.

Whenever and wherever God finds such a man He releases Generational Blessings. Is there anything you can’t give to God? It will hinder you from getting generational blessings. Believers who hold on tightly to the gifts of God in their lives cannot enjoy generational blessings. You must be willing and able to sacrifice anything for God to qualify for this kind of blessing.

Phinehas got Generational Blessings by being zealous for the righteous name of God. He hated iniquity and loved righteousness; much more he fought sin to death. In a world of darkness when God sees a man who will risk shinning his light and fighting for righteousness, he is ready to pronounce generational blessings.

God expects us not only to be holy, but to stand against sin with all that we’ve got, especially when it’s among God’s people. We must be zealous to uproot sin from God’s Church. In our days most people will say we should show love as if showing love is synonymous with condoning sin.

Phinehas loved God and Israel enough to kill the one who will destroy the nation through sin. If we love God and His Church we must expose and uproot sin from the Church. We can do this by rigorously teaching the truth to the Church, standing by those going astray in prayers and loving correction, and if need be excommunicating the unrepentant. This will earn us blessings that last a thousand generations.

David got this Blessing by putting God first. He wanted to build God a house even when God did not ask for one. This King was asking the question ‘what can I do for this my God for all he has done for me’? That kind of heart that seeks for ways to appreciate God provokes generational blessings. Men who go beyond the call of duty to please God will surely be blessed to a thousand generations. Do not wait until a call is made in the Church before you support the work of God. Always look for ways of glorifying God with your resources.

Prayers:

Daddy, I will love and Obey you, bless me even to a thousand generations.

Servant hood: The Path to Leadership

SERVANT HOOD: THE PATHWAY TO LEADERSHIP

They had just finished eating lunch; the General Overseer of this fast growing church asked all the Pastors to leave the hall immediately and get back to the auditorium and begin to pray. As they left he told his Assistant General Overseers to pack all the plates from the dinning tables and empty them into the washing area. This they did dutifully. The General Overseer then asked them to also leave for the prayer session. One of them asked, “Who will wash the plates?” “I will” said the General Overseer. At this point all the Assistants refused to leave and joined the Overseer to wash all the plates the younger Pastors had eaten from.

There was an advertisement for this particular job with the following description.

Required: A Pastor

1. First to get to Church, last to leave.
2. Clean and wash the toilets every Monday morning.
3. Sweep the floor whenever it’s dirty.
4. Pray, preach, and visit the new comers and the sick.
5. Bury the dead etc.
6. Take the blame when things go wrong
7. Clean and polish the dirty shoes of all members.
8. Any other menial job as may be determined from time to time.

Did you apply? Would you apply?

Now take a look at this:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet--ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.” (Joh 13:3-15 MSG)

Bible Scholars are in agreement that what Jesus did here could only be done by the lowliest of servants. In an age when servants were more like slaves in the society, they were required to do the dirtiest of jobs like washing the feet of guests.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a servant as “A person, male or female, that attends another for the purpose of performing menial offices for him, or who is employed by another for such offices or for other labor, and is subject to his command.”

Servants were acquired in a variety of ways:

• People captured in war. 2Kings 5:2; Lam 5:13
• Could be bought. Gen. 17:27; 37:36
• Persons unable to pay their debts could be made servants. 2 Kings 4:1;Neh. 5:4-5; Matt. 18:25
• Thieves unable to make restitution were sold as servants. Exo.22:3
• Some poor folks sold themselves as servants. Lev. 25:47: Luke 15:15-16 (Prodigal son)

The above shows clearly that servants were not the kind of people who had any influence in the society. Their job was to work for other people. They would usually inconvenience themselves to ensure the convenience of others. They would suffer discomfort to provide comfort for others. They would forgo their rights to ensure the rights of others. Servants live for others!

“Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy.” (Psa 123:2 MSG)

The Chief Servant.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God came as a servant to the earth! How unusual, for our Lord to present Himself as a servant when he is LORD of Lords?

“Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.” (Phi 2:7 GNB)

Jesus was a great leader and he led others by serving them. In our key text, we saw Jesus washing the feet of his Disciples. This was an unthinkable thing in his day. How could the Master, Rabbi wash the feet of the learner, (servant or apprentice). He turned the tables upside down. He wanted to show us that to lead others is to be their servant and not their master!

“So Jesus called them all together and said, "You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority. This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others--- like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people." (Mat 20:25-28 GNB)

The world’s way of leadership is to be the Boss, Master, to exercise power and authority. The Jesus way is to serve and be the slave of the people you lead. And he did not just command this he practiced it. He did not come to be served; he came to serve you and me. Politicians mobilize people to die for their causes, he died for our cause.

In fact he is still serving us – we send requests to him even now and he answers us. We sleep; he does the watchman for us. He is our Personal Physician, helper, Private Guard, Lawyer etc. We still use him – to date he still runs errands for us!

The world’s motivation for leadership is about Position, Privileges and Power. The Jesus motivation is about Service, Sacrifice and Surrender.

“The apostles got into an argument about which one of them was the greatest. So Jesus told them: Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone's friends. But don't be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant. Who do people think is the greatest, a person who is served or one who serves? Isn't it the one who is served? But I have been with you as a servant.”(Luk 22:24-27 CEV)

The world’s leadership system is about hierarchies and titles. That’s what the Disciples were thinking about. (And that’s what many Christian Leaders think about even today).

Jesus however, debunked all that and stated that being considered important should not be so important to the Christian leader. The focus of the Christian Leader should be to serve men. The question should be ‘what can I do for this people?’ not ‘what can these people do for me?’

Jesus did not just talk this talk, he walked the talk. Jesus never concerned himself about reputation, Phil 2:7 says he gave it up. It never mattered what people said to him or about him. He just did what his Master required of him. He never cared about what men could do for him. His concern was what he could do for them. That’s why he fed, healed, taught, encouraged, rebuked and even flogged people. He was a servant, he is still a servant!

Jesus could do this because he was very secure as a leader. He knew who he was and was not afraid of anyone undermining his leadership. Some leaders are bossy just to protect themselves from the fear of being humiliated or overthrown.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron.” (Joh 13:3-4 MSG)

Secure leaders find it easy to serve others because they know that servitude does not undermine a leader it empowers a leader. This kind of security comes from a close walk with the Master whose servants we are. When a leader is sure of the backing of his Master, he does not fear revolt from any quarters.

Servants who became Leaders

The Bible has examples of servants who assumed leadership positions. We now examine the case of Joshua and Elisha.

1. Joshua. He was the servant to Moses, after the death of Moses God appointed him to lead Israel. Joshua learned to serve; hence when he was called upon to lead it was not too difficult. It was just a continuation of his servitude under a different office. Exo.24:13
2. Elisha. He left his lucrative farm to be servant to Elijah. Eventually he got a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. It appears that God has decreed that it is those who serve that will be called to lead. And this is because leadership is all about service to others. 1Kings 19:21; 2Kgs.3:11

Leaders are Servants.

Every Christian is a servant. Once you are born again you are a servant of Jesus Christ. He purchased us with His precious blood. More over since we were under the satanic kingdom, he captured us as prisoners of war when He defeated Satan. So, head or tail we are his servants.

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV)

“I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them.” (John 13:15-16 CEV)

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.” (John 12:26 ASV)

Christian Leaders are Leading Servants.

If all Christians are servants, then it follows that the Christian Leaders are actually ‘leading Servants’! If service is a lowly thing then the leaders are the lowliest of them all.

“For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like people condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of human beings. For Christ's sake we are fools; but you are wise in union with Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! We are despised, but you are honored! To this very moment we go hungry and thirsty; we are clothed in rags; we are beaten; we wander from place to place; we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are insulted, we answer back with kind words. We are no more than this world's garbage; we are the scum of the earth to this very moment!”(1Co 4:9-13 GNB)

Paul addressed himself several times as a ‘servant’. Rom 1:1; 1Cor. 9:19; Titus 1:1

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” (1 Corinthians 9:19 KJV)

“Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman---but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often.”

(2Co 11:23 GNB)

That’s how to know a true Leader, by his great service, suffering and tribulations for the sake of Christ.

Other Church leaders are also addressed as servants. Phoebe (Rom.16:1); Epaphras (Col. 4:12); Timothy (2Tim.2:24); James (Jas1:1); Peter (2Pet.1:1).

The Practice of servant-hood.

"Suppose one of you has a servant who is plowing or looking after the sheep. When he comes in from the field, do you tell him to hurry along and eat his meal? Of course not! Instead, you say to him, 'Get my supper ready, then put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may have your meal.' The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, 'We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.' “(Luk 17:7-10 GNB)

• Leading servants labour for others without expecting compensation. Not even a ‘thank you’.
• They don’t insist on their rights “If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 9:12 KJV)
• They serve and do not demand to be served. If you serve them it’s a plus, if you don’t, they are okay with it.
• They gladly serve even in pain and agony. “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”(2Co 6:4-10)

• They focus on Jesus not themselves “For it is not ourselves that we preach; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.” (2Co 4:5 GNB)

A Leader who refused to serve.

When leaders refused to serve the people, they lose their power to lead and diminish their influence. When leaders serve however, they make the people to willing surrender to be led. The leader’s influence is then increased.

"Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects." "Come back in three days and I will give you my answer," he replied. So they left. King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as his father Solomon's advisers. "What answer do you advise me to give these people?" he asked. They replied, "If you want to serve this people well, give a favorable answer to their request, and they will always serve you loyally." But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers. "What do you advise me to do?" he asked. "What shall I say to the people who are asking me to make their burdens lighter?" They replied, "This is what you should tell them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!' Tell them, 'My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!' " Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to King Rehoboam, as he had instructed them. The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the people, as the younger men had advised. He said, "My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!" It was the will of the LORD to bring about what he had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This is why the king did not pay any attention to the people. When the people saw that the king would not listen to them, they shouted, "Down with David and his family! What have they ever done for us? People of Israel, let's go home! Let Rehoboam look out for himself !" So the people of Israel rebelled, leaving Rehoboam as king only of the people who lived in the territory of Judah. (1Ki 12:4-17 GNB)

King Rehoboam refused to serve the people and lost 10 out of 12 tribes in Israel. He tried to use force to recover it but he failed. Bossy and autocratic leaders are those who have actually lost their leadership grip and are fighting to recover it. The way to lead successfully is to serve the Master Jesus and the people He purchased with his blood.