The Finishing Generation. 1Thes 5:23-24

NEMA Month of Missions Devotional

Thursday, February 2, 2023

It pleases God Almighty that we be part of a very strategic generation in the history of God’s Eternal Purpose. As we move closer and closer to the very end of all things, God is looking for what I love to call ‘the Finishing Generation’, that is, the generation that will run the very last lap of God’s Purpose and will thus have the privilege of physically welcoming our Lord Jesus Christ when He returns to the earth the second time.

The Scriptural reference above, describes one very important aspect of what must happen before Jesus returns. The Holy Scriptures reveal two major things the Church of Jesus must do before He can return the second time. Foremost, the gospel must be preached in the entire world and amongst all tribes, tongues and nations such that God receives a harvest of souls from amongst ALL these tribes and nations (Matth. 24:14; Rev. 7:9).

However, there is a second aspect of God’s expectation before Jesus returns. Those who trust in the redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross must go on to become true disciples who experience total sanctification of their spirits, souls and bodies so that they are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. (I Thess. 5:23)

I like to describe these first and second aspects of God’s expectation as the quantitative and the qualitative aspects respectively. We must faithfully finish both aspects of the Great Commission.

We must remain focused on the task of world evangelization. We must deploy missionaries to the remaining 43 Unreached people groups of Nigeria and trust God that we will send gospel labourers into each of the nations of the Sahel and North Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula according to the Vision 5015 plus plan so that a large quantity of souls enter His Kingdom.

Many times, however, those of us in missions labours focus so much on the quantitative aspect of the task that we overlook or sometimes totally neglect the qualitative aspect which our text is emphasizing. The Lord is not only looking for ‘converts’ out of every tribe, language and nation but much more, He seeks for disciples. (Matth. 28:18-20 NIV).

Disciples are different from converts who merely profess Jesus as Saviour and nothing much more. Disciples are believers who are genuinely born again, exposed to the foundational principles of the Christian Faith and who have embraced the pathway of the Cross. They have experienced Jesus as both their personal Saviour and Lord and their passion and daily pursuit is to increasingly become like Him. Furthermore, they are eager to serve their Lord, and help many other people become true disciples and Kingdom labourers like themselves.

Prayer Focus:

1. Pray that this year you and I, will by our consistent convictions and actions, be considered to be part of this ‘Finishing Generation’.
2. Ask God to make all missionaries and local pastors conscious of making disciples out of the harvest of souls God is daily giving to the church.
3. Pray that the purity of live of the church will serve as an attraction to the nations in following Jesus

Pastor Tokunbo Salami,

National Director, Pleroma Missions Inc. Ayingba, Kogi State

Prayer Alert: Thursday, February 2

ASU

Language: Asu

Location: Kebbi State and Niger (Mariga LGA)

Approximate Population: 11,000

Dominant Religion: Islam

Bible in their language: Adopted

Pray that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus will become a delight unto Asu people henceforth. (1 Cor. 1:17)

BAANGI

Language: Baangi

Location: Niger State (Mariga LGA)

Approximate Population: 30,000

Dominant Religion: Islam

Bible in their language: Adopted

Pray that the seeds of the word of God will germinate to produce good fruits among them. (Matt 13:4-7)