MAINTAIN YOUR IDENTITY IN GOD.
MEMORISE:
How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land? Psalm 137:4
READ: Psalm 137:1-9.
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
MESSAGE:
You cannot win the battle of life, especially spiritual one, if you do not know who you are in the Lord. One great thing about the children of Israel is that to date, they are still identified as God’s own people. Many people who have fallen into sin have written themselves off, even when God is waiting to receive them with excitement, like the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24. Beloved, as long as you are born again, you must always be conscious of your position in the Lord. 1 John 3:1 says:
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
When the children of Israel were taken into captivity at Babylon, their captors wanted to mock them by asking them to sing of the goodness of their God, even as they were in distress. The children of Israel knew the motive of the Babylonians and thus, declined to sing. This humbled their captors in a way, because the children of Israel did not cheapen their songs of praise before the Babylonians, who could have corrupted the songs. Sadly, many gospel songs have now been corrupted by secular artistes, and many ‘believers’ are responsible for this prevalent culture. This is why some unbelievers can naively argue that there is indeed no gospel music. They cannot be farther from the truth. There is music that contains the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and this should be what God’s children listen to.
Rather than sing song of praise in Babylon, the Israelites sang of God’s vengeance (Psalm 137:8-9). If it appears that the enemy is gaining the upper hand in your life, you must know that it is not over until God says it is over. Perhaps you are being afflicted by the enemy because of sin in your life; turn to Jesus today, He is our advocate with the Father and has paid for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). Never lose faith in God’s mercy; do not take Him for granted by remaining in sin and thinking grace would abound. May you never suffer losses again, in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me not to lose my confidence in You. Help me Lord, not to take Your grace for granted, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 19-24.
HYMN 22: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,
Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.
4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
