Let’s look at the life of David for example. When God called David, God used him to win many battles and do great things in his time. However when David attempted to build a temple for God, God told him that he wouldn’t be the one doing it. 1 Chronicles 22:8 (NLT) “But the lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name.” David could’ve taken the attitude that many Christian leaders take now and days. He could’ve said No to God and complained, and given God a million reasons why He should be the one to build the temple and not his son. “This kid doesn’t know anything!” he could’ve said, But David understood that the temple had to be built and if God was choosing his son to do it than who was he to question God?.

Accepting that there is a new generation rising up can be hard, because as humans it’s hard to adapt to change. It’s difficult to let go of something you have worked so hard for and hand it down to the next generation. Trusting God and having faith is key in this process.

David’s attitude toward God’s command was to do everything and anything in his power to help his son get the Temple built. In 1Chronicals 22 and 23 we read how David spoke with His son and instructed him. David helped prepare the things needed to build the temple. Instead of fighting change David helped it.

David prayed for his son this prayer 1Chronicles 29:18-19 (NLT) “ O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19.Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”

Notice how David recognizes God as a generational God by mentioning past generations. The question now is do we recognize our God is a generational God? Do we pray for our children and youth in the manner that David did? Let’s pray for our future generations so that God may rise them up as wise leaders of this nation just as he did Solomon. Let’s not fight the change that comes from God, but help it like David did. I pray that God may utilize them in His divine plan and continue to be a Generational God.

“Abijam did not truly obey the Lord his God as his ancestor David had done. Instead, he was sinful just like his father Rehoboam.”

This verse speaks to me on the importance of a father’s spiritual influence on his children.  We have a great responsibility before God and before our children to live life according to God’s principles.  What we do will have a positive or a negative effect on our descendants.

Throughout the stories of the kings we read that the new kings would follow in the same footsteps as their fathers; most of the time it would get worse and worse as the lineage continued.  What affected the new kings into following the same cycle of sin?  The way their fathers lived.   Their lifestyle had so much power that it produced and engraved in their kid’s spirit the same thing.  We have a greater responsibility than just providing food and shelter for our family.  We are responsible for the spiritual environment in which we raise our children in.

The way we use our words and how we motivate them into becoming great people are our responsibility.  It’s interesting that our children will forget the times we spank them, but will not forget a negative word that we’ve spoken towards them.  I can still remember some things that my parents said to me when I was a child.  But as I grew and my parents changed their mentality, their words started to have more of a positive affect on my life.

What would have happened to the people of Israel if the royal families would have followed God’s Laws?  They would have still been a united nation, but because the decided to follow their sinful nature, God had to bring consequences.  Good fathers will make great children.  If this could continue we can have a positive affect on our society.  It’s no wonder Paul writes in 1 Corinthian 4:15, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” Paul was worried that the Church wasn’t producing fathers to the new believers.  He knew the importance a father can make in a life.  Our kids will follow what we do, not so much what we say.  Our actions speak louder than our words.

We need to consider our ways and see what we are showing our children.  We have to teach them about faith, by living by faith.  We have to show them the power of God by showing them that power.  If we want them to life a powerful Christian life, then we must first live it.

Exodus 3:15 (NIV) – “God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.”

God is a God of families; a God of generations. When he created the heavens and the earth, He had a family in mind. As He was creating Eden, He had a family in mind. Throughout the Bible, God touches one person so they can touch their family, their generation and the ones to come. So when God sees you, He sees your entire family, your generation and the generations to come after you. So it is vital that we make very wise decisions because they will affect everyone in our lineage.

When God was ready to reveal Himself to the Israelites, He revealed Himself as the God of Generations (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Then He gave Moses an order saying, “This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” This is how He wants us to remember Him by: The Generational God.

How do we remember His name? We are to keep it in mind; to keep our attention on Him. How will our generation and future ones know of Him? We have to pass this revelation down to them. God deals with us, so we can transmit His message to others. It is very important for us to have a close relationship with God. Otherwise, what will we teach our generations? Will we allow the world to teach them the way? I believe we have been passive for far too long. It is time for us to rise up and get ourselves right before God so we can change the direction of our family and our descendants.

Interestingly back in Abraham’s days, there was no written Bible. Abraham would tell his family about his experiences with God. He would tell them what God had told him. And they passed this revelation down to their kids. Isaac followed by doing the same thing. Jacob continued this tradition. As they encountered God, they would tell their family about it. What have we shared with our family? Are we encouraging them to seek God?

We have a great job ahead of us. We have to teach our generation and the future generations about God’s greatness. We have to experience Him in order for us to share with them what He has done in us. If we don’t seek Him, our generations will not seek Him. Let’s start sowing the seed so that our generations can reap a great spiritual harvest. Let’s begin today by sharing our testimony. And as we begin to share our experience to our kids, they will want to have their own experience. It happened to Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph. Imagine what the future would look like if we all started sharing God with our family and teaching them how to draw near to Him. Our world would change. We can start one family at a time. Let’s change the world!