Isaiah 40;1-2 ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned’
DAILY READING 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Kings 15:33-16:34; Joel 3.
In January of 1815, a massive British force was bearing down on the city of New Orleans. The Americans, under General Andrew Jackson, dug into their defenses and did their best to prepare for what would be the final battle of the War of 1812. The Americans won an overwhelming victory, which saw one third of the entire British force either killed, wounded, or captured.
However, the most unusual feature of the Battle of New Orleans was not the lopsided outcome, but that it was fought after the peace treaty to end the war had already been signed. On December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent had been signed in Paris, which laid out the terms for the end of the war. If news had been able to travel more swiftly in those days, the battle would never have been fought at all—and hundreds of lives would have been spared.
Isaiah 40;1-2 says ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned’
Many people are dying today in the world because they lack the knowledge that their warfare is over. Many are battling all sorts of negative conditions and dying unnecessarily because they are unaware that Jesus has already paid the price in full and declared that ‘it is finished.’
Today many are living in fear, panicking from the news of global pandemic, without the realization that the Blood Jesus was shed to save them from plagues.
We therefore have an urgent duty to take the good news to the world and let them know that the warfare is indeed over. Christ has won the victory at the cross . It can be easy for us to become satisfied merely with our own salvation and membership in the church, while neglecting the dying world outside the church walls. The many truths we take for granted is what many people are dying for lack of. How can we then be content to hoard the truth, while many die in ignorance.
The urgency to preach the gospel must fill us with holy zeal to be faithful and diligent to perform our calling. Over the centuries many faithful saints of God have suffered severe persecution for the cause of this work, many have given their life’s blood for it. We therefore cannot become cold and complacent towards the spread of the Gospel.
Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 9:16, “For though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory, for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” Indeed necessity is laid upon us to proclaim liberty to the captives. We must preach the word in season and out of season.
It is a burden we each should take personally. We can’t afford to continue to keep quiet. Let us indeed go into all the world and proclaim the Good News of liberty to every creature!
PRAYER: Lord, I am available, please use me in this generation to affect my world. Let my light so shine that men may be brought into Your Kingdom.
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There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222