DCLM Daily Manna 5 October 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Beyond Religion
TOPIC: Beyond Religion
TEXT: Isaiah 19:20-25
20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21 And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.
22 And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.
23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25 Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
KEY VERSE: “And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.” – (Isaiah 19:21)
MESSAGE:
In August 1947, three hundred years after the British finally left India, the subcontinent was partitioned into two independent nation states. Immediately, there began one of the greatest migrations in human history, as millions of Muslims trekked to West and East Pakistan while millions of Hindus and Sikhs headed in the opposite direction after a terrifying outbreak of sectarian violence among communities that had coexisted for almost a millennium. Many hundreds of thousands never made it.
Isaiah the prophet, by the Spirit of God, could see a future unity among people of different faiths who are right now opposed and against each other. Although the reconciliation of faiths and beliefs is presently impossible and unthinkable, God revealed to Isaiah that there would be a severe judgment of the nations during the great tribulation. This will usher in the establishment of Christ’s millennial kingdom leading to the reign of peace and reconciliation of the nations.
Religious fanaticism and bigotry is worse than racism. The bloodiest wars in our history were those fought between nations of different religious beliefs. Religion blinds the eyes of the fanatics and turns their minds against their own brothers and sisters. But Christ’s love will eventually conquer all the religions of the world and bring all nations together, so that there will be one fold and one Shepherd, under one God, the Creator of the universe.
While we preach the gospel and propagate the kingdom of God, we need wisdom in approaching people of other religions. We must understand that our aim is not to win an argument but to win the soul to Christ.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Religion does not save, only Christ can.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 1-5
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
