Generational Praise II

Monday 31 August
READ: 2 Sam 7: 1 - 16
MORE LESSON: Psa 89: 1

You can give God a praise that will last through all generations. In yesterday’s reading, we saw how David decided that he wanted to give God a praise that would last all generations and he did it by making his praise into songs that will be sung forever. But he didn't stop at that; he decided to build a temple for God. As many as praised God in that temple through all generations would be helping David to give God praise. Even though God didn't permit David to build the temple, he made all the resources needed available and commanded his son Solomon to build it. It was Solomon that eventually built the temple. Innumerable people in different generations praised God in the sanctuary built by one man: that is generational praise. One way you can give God praise that will last through generations is by sowing a seed that will last beyond you.

I heard a saying in the university that if you want to plan for a year, plant corn; if you want to plan for a decade, plant a tree but if you want to plan for a life time, train a child. In the same way, each time you want to give God thanks, plan for generations. Look around and ask, ‘What can I do for someone or in the house of God that will last even when I'm gone.' Do something that many people will benefit from and praise God long after you have gone. You can pick an orphan to sponsor in school, you can build a church for God like David did. If you can't afford that, there is something you can afford for God – a block, a bag of cement or a window. It is not how big it is that matters, it is the heart that loves to give a generational praise that God commends.

Someone wanted to give God praise at my consecration as a Bishop and bought a rug to decorate God's altar. Others after that day would dance and roll on the rug to praise God. They benefit from the praise the first person gave. However they too should not stop at dancing and rolling. They should do something that will stand as a generational praise before God. Dancing to God is good but when you dance and roll, people around you have not benefitted, not to talk of many generations to come. So dance all you can but go beyond it, do something that generations will benefit from. That is what is called generational praise.

Today give God generational praise by planting a memorial that will last beyond you and many generations after you will benefit from.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for a life of positive influence beyond your generation.
* Ask God to empower you to do memorable things in life.
* Promise God you will no longer live for yourself alone but that you will be a blessing as you have been blessed.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Helper of Israel, Your strength will not fail in my matter forever, in the name of Jesus.

Generational Praise I

Sunday 30 August
READ: Psa. 89:1
MORE LESSON: Psa. 149: 1

Every man lives in only one generation, but the Psalmist says in Ps 89: 1 that he would give God thanks that will last through all generations. How does a man give God generational praise? Generational praise is the praise you give God that lives beyond you. It is a 'thank you' that has a beginning but no end. David knew he wouldn't live forever but he said he would give God thanks that will last forever. It is important that we discover how he intended to achieve this so that we can follow his example. The first thing David did to ensure his praise to God lasted beyond his generation was to write the praise down. In fact, he captured them in songs to be sung forever. As long as those songs are sung, David still praises his God. If you want to show gratitude to God that will last beyond you, express your heart felt praise to Him in songs; write the songs and sing them to others. You don't have to worry about the melody, just express your worship to God by letting a song rise in your spirit, write the song down, teach somebody and also sing it in the congregation of the saints (Psa. 149: 1).

Many times God gives us songs in the place of prayer, these are spiritual songs that no man knew before. We sing these songs in prayer, enjoy them and then forget them. However, every song the Lord gives you is a gift that is meant to be passed on to others. The experience and revelation in the song might be what somebody needs for the situation he is going through. So let someone be blessed by that song and sing it too, by so doing you would give generational praise to God. When you are not there or when you are gone, people will praise God from the experience of your praise.

Every powerful song that we sing today came as an inspiration from somebody's experience. When God gave them the experience, they wrote them down, captured them in song and passed it to people. This is how the hymns we sing today came to be. There is power in worshipping God in your secret place with new songs. Many believers don't have songs for the Lord when they pray; they come to God and start talking and reciting their requests like a cassette player. You see them sweating after prayer but they never feel refreshed because they didn't enjoy Him in worship.

Prayer is not only about presenting needs to God like a news presenter. God wants to talk back to you, He wants to give you songs and hear you sing to Him. He wants to enjoy your prayer time as well. You give Him this opportunity when you sing to Him and you make His praise generational when you bless others with the song He gives you. This is one way of giving God generational praise. However, a life of impact, righteousness, sacrifice and service to God and humanity are also some other ways of generational praise.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make the life you live a generational praise.
* Ask God for an encounter with Him in the place of prayer.
* Tell God you want to be a tool of generational praise.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
In the name of Jesus, every enemy operating behind a mask in my destiny, be exposed.

The Need for Help II

Saturday 29 August
READ: Gen 2: 18 - 25
MORE LESSON: Heb 4: 16

We saw yesterday that though man was blessed and perfectly created in God's image, he still needed help. So a man's blessing is not complete until it leaves a window of help for him. The mandate for fruitfulness, dominion and productivity that God gave man at creation is impossible in the absence of help; by implication God created man to need help. This means that no matter how blessed, strong, comfortable or privileged a man is, there is a deficiency in his life that only the help of God can deal with.

It is true that a man can be so blessed and comfortable that he doesn't realise his need for help; it is possible that a person is so rich that he thinks that he doesn't need help from anybody. If you are so wealthy that you feel you don't need God or anyone else, you have made a very costly assumption. It is like some developed nations that have made so much economic and infrastructural progress that they feel they do not need God and so they try all they can to remove God from their national system; that is walking the path of destruction.

You cannot be wealthier than Adam in the Garden; He was the only man who had the entire world to himself and, probably because of that, he also didn't know that he needed help until God Himself had to help him identify his need for help. It was actually God that identified Adam's need for help and gave him help; it was only after Adam received the help of God that he realised what he had been doing without all the while. Adam never knew he needed the bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh until God gave Eve to him but when he got her he felt complete (Gen 2: 25). This concept should not be limited to marriage; it is a general principle that there is a gap in every man's destiny, whether he is aware of it or not; and only the help of God can fill that gap.

You might even have been doing things on your own and feel you have been doing a good job of succeeding on your own but today I want to let you know that you have been missing a whole lot of good if you have been living without God’s help. Even the wealthy and influential need God; blessing and prosperity without God are a waste. Today, I want to help you identify the need in your life; it is the need for the help of God. Your life takes a better dimension when the help of God locates you and your eternity becomes assured. I declare that you have help from the Lord from today, in the name of Jesus.

Prayer/Action
* Ask that God will add more help to your blessings.
* Prophesy an unprecedented help upon your life and destiny with evidence from today.
* Pray that helplessness will never be your portion in life.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I declare them troubled that trouble my destiny today, in the name of Jesus.

The Need for Help I

Friday 28 August
READ: Gen 2: 18 – 20
MORE LESSON: Gen 1: 26 - 31

God created man in His image and likeness and gave him dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowls of the air, beasts in the field and over all the earth. Being in God's image is already great enough, but God didn't stop at that, He went ahead to bless man with the power to be fruitful, to multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it and dominate over all creation (Gen 1:26–31). Man is obviously in a highly privileged position among all of God's creation. However from the Scripture, we discover that as blessed and favoured as man was at creation, something was still missing in his life: despite the blessing, power and dominion, there was a need in man's life,
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him: Gen 2:20.

From this scripture, we see that despite all the blessing bestowed on man at creation, there was a need in his life, and the need is help. When God finished the creation job in Gen. 1:30-31, He declared that everything was very good but later He took a look at man and said that it is not good for man to be alone (Gen 2: 18); he needs someone to be there to help him. So the only need in man as perfect and blessed as he was at creation was the need for help. So God decided to make him a help meet for him. The understanding of this scripture should not be narrowed down to only marriage; the point being made from this scripture is that as blessed as man was at creation, he needed help. This shows that even a blessed man has the need for help: every man needs help – and man, in our context, is not gender specific.

The source of help is God; it was God that created help for man in the garden. So no matter how comfortable or privileged a man appears to be, like Adam in the garden, he still needs the help of God. A man may be rich, educated and socially privileged so much that he doesn't know that he needs help but today I want to bring it to your notice that every man needs help; every man needs God. It is when you get God that He gives whatever form of help you need; for Adam God gave him help in form of Eve, for you it might be another form of help you need. Whatever help you need is in God and He will give it to you as you come to Him acknowledging your need of Him. You need the help of God for your life here on earth and for a secure eternity; come to Him today and receive help.

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for making help available for all creation.
* Ask God to connect your destiny with His help today.
* Pray that you will never run short of God’s help.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I celebrate the God of heaven, the one who rules and reigns in my life forever; ride on Jesus.