On the 22nd of January 2017, Apostle Dr. Joseph Serwadda, a great man of God loved and hated by many, visited and ministered at Last Adam Tabernacle. He pronounced a blessing upon us his children – a blessing the magnitude and significance of which several have not yet comprehended. 

For the subsequent two Sundays after his celebrated visit, God led us to study the benefits of honoring our spiritual ancestors. These include church leaders that have long departed to be with Christ, those still alive but no longer at the forefront of what God is doing, and the Jews.

In the context of Ephesians 6:1-2, God expects the church to honor its spiritual roots. If we show regard to our parents in the Lord, then it will be well with us and our ministries will last long.

This generation of believers is learning to honor the current church leaders, but sadly there seems to be an undercurrent of contempt, despising ministers of God who passed on and those still living but no longer in the limelight. The same arrogant spirit is also expressed by many in the church worldwide towards Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ.

In his book The Path, (pages 111 and 114), Rick Joyner writes: "We tend to think we are smarter, wiser, and definitely not like our parents, and this keeps us in the trap. As we grow older, we become just like our parents, or out of a reaction to our parents and trying to be different from them, we become shallow shells of who we could be . . . We can be sure that the one that breaks out of this trap will be a generation that learns to honor their parents." 

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). When we behave with pride towards our parents in the Lord, we forfeit the only thing by which we stand: the grace of God. And so predictably we fall, because "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).

In humility, we should study why some leaders failed and why others succeeded. We are the generation God told Roberts Liardon about – the generation that needs those lessons in spiritual history. Instead of being arrogant toward previous church leaders and the unbelieving Jews, let us humbly learn from their lives. We should discover why it was that Israel (the Jews) stumbled, lest we too make the same mistake. Just as there is no perfect natural parent, there is also no perfect spiritual father or mother. Yet God expects us to honor them, and that is for our own good.

Concerning the Jews, "if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things," (Romans 15:27). Regarding church leaders long gone to be with the Lord, we can still receive of the good that they had, just as Elisha’s bones still had an anointing that resurrected the dead (2 Kings 13:21). When it comes to the older leaders still with us, by honoring them, you can be a recipient of their mantles before they depart. Elisha did not allow Elijah to go away with the anointing he carried. We too, while they still live, should get all we can from our fathers and mothers in the faith - God’s Generals like Apostle Dr. Joseph Serwadda.

God will surely honor those who honor their roots, including Jewish roots. And, "let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall," (1 Corinthians 10:12).

God bless you.