STORING UP MERCY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you — The sure mercies of David. NKJV
Side of the family joke…Mom to kid…God created us. Dad to kid…we were monkeys then evolved to us. Daughter to mom: Dad said we came out of monkeys and you said God created us. Mom to daughter: Oh, that’s easy, he was talking about his side of the family and I was talking about my side of the family.
I propose to you that the life we live, the decisions we make, should make it easier for those who come after us.
Did you know that you people that love to worship the Lord are leaving a legacy of faith for your families; for generations to come.
You’re also an example of what people do in difficult times. They look to God in worship and win the battle.
Jesus died and rose again so that so we can live through
Him and so we can also help others live in victory through Him by our lifestyle.
The Bible shows us (Phil. 4:17) that everyone of us has an account in heaven.
BY THE LIFE WE LIVE, WE CAN STORE UP MERCY AND BLESSING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WE CAN STORE UP FAVOR BY LIVING A LIFE OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY THAT WILL AFFECT GENERATIONS TO COME.
Worship, giving, coming to church, living a holy consecrated life, doing the Word, walking by faith etc.
Just like a bank account, by the life you live, by your worship, by your service to the Lord, by your giving, you can store up a life of blessing, favor, mercy that will affect generations to come.
How do we make deposits in this account? By making choices that honor God.
When you come to church, you’re storing up mercy. You made a deposit into your heavenly account today. When you forgive, when you overlook an insult, when you discipline yourself to resist temptation…etc.
THE LEGACY OF OUR ANCESTORS
YOU AND I ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF OTHERS WHO WENT BEFORE US AND HONORED GOD.
2 Tim 1:4-5 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. NKJV
Somebody sacrificed, served, worshipped so you can be where you are.
Every time you’re kind and respectful, every time you walk in love, every time you serve and give, you’re storing up mercy: you’re changing things in the spiritual realm for yourself and your future generations.
DAVID:
Ps 122:1 was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” NKJV
Why did David love to go there? David was a worshipper alone but he also loved corporate worship.
David talked about this in Ps 89. He called it a covenant of mercy.
Ps 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. NKJV
GOD RESPONDED
Ps 89:3-4 “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4’Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.'” NKJV
DAVID PRAISED
Ps 89:5-9 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. 6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 8 O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; When it’s waves rise, You still them. NKJV
GOD RESPONDED
Ps 89:27-29 Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him. 29 His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven. NKJV
God responded by saying, “BECAUSE YOU’VE MADE THIS CHOICE TO HONOR ME, I WILL ALWAYS LOOK FAVORABLY TOWARD YOUR CHILDREN AND not just future generations. Even if they make mistakes and get off, I WILL NOT GIVE THEM THE LIFE THEY DESERVE, I WILL SHOW THEM MERCY BECAUSE OF THE LIFE THAT YOU LIVE.
HE MADE A COVENANT OF MERCY THAT WOULD LAST FOREVER. THIS COVENANT OF MERCY WAS FULFILLED IN CHRIST HIMSELF.
TODAY, YOU AND I ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID.
Gloria Copeland worried about her son John until God told her: “My mercy hovers over John.” She said that broke the whole circle of anxiety over her son.
Ps 89:34-37 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. 35 Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: 36 His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; 37 It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” NKJV
THIS IS WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO ALL OF US.
Because you’re making right choices, God will watch over your children, your grand children even your nieces you’re your nephews can be blessed because of the life that you’re living.
When we praise God, when we worship Him, when we worship with our giving no matter what, we alter situations in the spiritual realm.
Scripture shows us how an iniquity can be passed down for 3 or 4 generations.
And iniquity is something destructive such as an addiction, bad habits, sicknesses, low self esteem, depression, THESE ARE IN THE AREA OF THE MIND and they can be passed down for 3 or 4 generations.
But it says in Deut. 7:9 that God will keep His covenant of mercy with those that love Him for a thousand generations.
You are making a lasting difference today by worshipping God in church from your heart.
This is a greater heritage than money or property…a legacy of mercy.
FURTHERMORE, PRAISE IS A WEAPON
When we come to worship, we’re serving notice to the enemy!
Ex 17:8-13 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. NKJV
As long as Moses had his hands in the air, Joshua was winning the battle.
Without Moses doing his part, Joshua and the children of Israel would have been defeated.
THIS WAS A PICTURE OF LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS AND WORSHIPPING THE LORD.
Ex 17:14-16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” NKJV
By Moses lifting up his hands to the Lord, he made a legacy of mercy for Israel that their enemies Amalek would never be a problem to FUTURE GENERATIONS of Israel ever again…God said I WILL wipe out the memory of Amalek from the face of the earth and revealed Himself as JEHOVAH NISSI, THE LORD OUR VICTORY BANNER OVER EVERY BATTLE.
THE LORD IS MY BANNER is still God’s name fulfilled in the name of JESUS.
- Did you know as long as we are worshipping the Lord, the battle over Covid-19 is being won.
- The battle over other difficult challenges is being won.
- As you worship in giving, the battle over poverty is being won.
HAVE A LEGACY OF HONORING GOD WITH YOUR TITHE AND OFFERING
Heb. 7:9-10 A person might even say that Levi [the father of the priestly tribe] himself, who received tithes (the tenth), paid tithes through Abraham,10 For he was still in the loins of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him [Abraham]. AMP
HOW COULD LEVI PAY TITHES WHILE HE WAS IN THE LOINS OF HIS FOREFATHER ABRAHAM? HOW CAN SOMEONE PAY TITHES BEFORE THEY ARE BORN?
Abraham left them a legacy of honoring the Lord with His tithe. God credited tithes and offerings to him because Abraham his relative was a giver.
Somebody went before Levi and stored up favor.
Brethren, keep doing your best these days. You’re storing up blessing for future and also for your future generations.
Keep loving, keep giving, keep serving, keep honoring the Lord.
SAY:
- As I worship the Lord today, as I worship Him with my giving, I’m storing up favor, mercy and blessing for my future, for my future generations and for their descendants.
- I don’t just come to church. I know what I’m doing. I’m storing up mercy.
- I don’t just forgive others. I’m making a deposit of mercy.
- When I come to prayer meetings, I don’t just pray, I’m making a deposit of mercy for my kids and kids’ kids.
- When I volunteer at church, I’m making a deposit of mercy.
- And I know that God will not only show me favor, He will do it to my family as well.
- We don’t need to fear in these days. We have His everlasting mercy on us.
