"To proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God..."
(Isaiah 61:2)
Yesterday at early morning prayer, God was speaking clearly to us about being God's laborers in the harvest. In answer to the call of Isaiah 6, we were responding in prayer, "Lord, send me." Pastor Dave encouraged us at the end of prayer about how meaningful it was that each of the attendees gathered had made commitments to be a witness for Jesus in the city of Boston. We were all reminded that if Pastor Dave had not heeded God's call to come to Boston in 1989 we would not be here right now. Praise God for a man who did not just say "send me" but actually went!
The anointing of God empowers us for the task (see previous days). Does God have a message that he expects us to proclaim as we go out into our world to be witnesses for Jesus? Yes, he does.
The message has two parts.
We get to tell the greatest news ever known to mankind - we are living in the age of the Lord's favor! Since Jesus' death and resurrection, we are living in a time in history where salvation is freely available. On the cross, Jesus paid the debt from sin you owed, purchased you out of slavery to sin and Satan, and earned you the right to share in his future inheritance - heaven's riches. Though each one of us was indebted due to our sins, in bondage to self, and unable to earn God's favor, God by his grace and mercy through Jesus Christ has shown unmerited favor to humanity and welcomes every person who puts their faith in his Son Jesus to enter into fellowship with Him. What hope we have to proclaim!
It is exceedingly good news when we also proclaim that not only does God save us out of our sinful condition but also saves us from a future judgment sentence. We live in the year (age) of his favor, but this age will have an end. There will be a day of the vengeance of our God when he will destroy all that is evil and corrupt, when he will banish Satan and his forces to eternal torment, and when he will send those who despised or refused his offer of grace to the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The proclamation (good news) that we get to speak of is that this day of vengeance need not be dreaded.
Friend, you need not be uneasy. God offers you today the gift of faith in his Son Jesus so that the last appointed day can be one of rejoicing for you as you are welcomed with a mighty throng into the new heaven and new earth, NOT one of weeping, judgment, and hell.
Prayer Points
Father, thank you for extending an age of grace to humanity.
Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross to save me from my sin and the judgment to come.
Father, make me a speaker of your truth.
Holy Spirit, empower us to proclaim the reality of this year of favor and the coming day of vengeance.
Jesus, may you get all the glory you deserve (the salvation of many) as the reward for your suffering.
The anointing of God empowers us for the task (see previous days). Does God have a message that he expects us to proclaim as we go out into our world to be witnesses for Jesus? Yes, he does.
The message has two parts.
We get to tell the greatest news ever known to mankind - we are living in the age of the Lord's favor! Since Jesus' death and resurrection, we are living in a time in history where salvation is freely available. On the cross, Jesus paid the debt from sin you owed, purchased you out of slavery to sin and Satan, and earned you the right to share in his future inheritance - heaven's riches. Though each one of us was indebted due to our sins, in bondage to self, and unable to earn God's favor, God by his grace and mercy through Jesus Christ has shown unmerited favor to humanity and welcomes every person who puts their faith in his Son Jesus to enter into fellowship with Him. What hope we have to proclaim!
It is exceedingly good news when we also proclaim that not only does God save us out of our sinful condition but also saves us from a future judgment sentence. We live in the year (age) of his favor, but this age will have an end. There will be a day of the vengeance of our God when he will destroy all that is evil and corrupt, when he will banish Satan and his forces to eternal torment, and when he will send those who despised or refused his offer of grace to the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The proclamation (good news) that we get to speak of is that this day of vengeance need not be dreaded.
Friend, you need not be uneasy. God offers you today the gift of faith in his Son Jesus so that the last appointed day can be one of rejoicing for you as you are welcomed with a mighty throng into the new heaven and new earth, NOT one of weeping, judgment, and hell.
Prayer Points
Father, thank you for extending an age of grace to humanity.
Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross to save me from my sin and the judgment to come.
Father, make me a speaker of your truth.
Holy Spirit, empower us to proclaim the reality of this year of favor and the coming day of vengeance.
Jesus, may you get all the glory you deserve (the salvation of many) as the reward for your suffering.
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