MEMORISE:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9
READ: Psalm 24:3-6, Hebrews 3:7-12
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Hebrews 3:7-12
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
MESSAGE
Although God created man with glory and grandeur, this glory left him after sin entered his life. Thereafter, man became a shadow of his former self, because not only did God’s glory depart from his life, he was also sent packing from the garden of glory that used to be his home (Genesis 3:22-24). In the midst of this calamity, God devised a plan to redeem the destiny of mankind by raising a glorious generation to Himself from amongst men. However, this generation could only come to be through the righteousness of God, because a glorious generation is that generation that fears the Lord and walks in His righteousness. Describing the qualities of this generation, Psalm 24:4 says:
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
In other words, the glorious generation is that generation of people who walk in purity of heart, the works of whose hands are clean. The words of whose lips are pure and the souls of whom and sold-out-to God. We therefore deceive ourselves if we call ourselves the glorious generation but our character calls into question the holiness of God we claim to represent.
Children of God in this generation must endeavor not to be like the Israelites who were liberated from bondage in Egypt with the destiny of a glorious generation but ended up grieving the heart of God. It is sobering to read God’s description of that generation in Hebrews 3:10, saying;
“Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”
Unfortunately, this generation that was supposed to enter into God’s rest in a land flowing with milk and honey ended up perishing in the wilderness. This should serve as a great lesson to us today. Today’s memory verse declares that God has destined us to be a glorious generation. Nevertheless, we have to live a life that reflects we are indeed a glorious generation, through purity of heart, our manner of speech, the integrity of our works and a soul that is soul-out to God in love. Even through we live in a perverse world, we can still stand out as God’s shining standard. Beloved, remember that gold is brought out of dirt, so choose to be among the glorious generation that worships God in spirit and in truth, even in the midst of this crooked generation.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me grace to represent Your glorious generation in all spheres of life in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 5-8
Joel 2:1-17
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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