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God’s Plan to Unify Mankind
| Bro Stephen Siamabi (Lusaka, Zambia)
“F
or I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans for welfare
and not for evil, to give you a future and
hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11.)
Although God divided and scattered
mankind by confusing their language, it is
His ultimate purpose to unite every nation,
tongue and people through the Gospel.
(Revelation 5:9-10.) Jesus instructed his
disciples “Go ye into all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature. He
that believeth and is baptised shall be
saved.” (Mark 16:15-16.)
This extensive work of spreading the
Gospel to all languages and people
commenced on the day of Pentecost when
Peter and the apostles were given the
ability by the power of the Holy Spirit, to
speak in the various languages of the
crowds assembled in Jerusalem for the
feast. (Acts 2:1-11.) Those who responded
to the message of Peter and the other
apostles were baptised (Acts 2:41). Thus
commenced the spread of the gospel which
unite men and women of all nationalities
into the one family of God through Jesus
Christ. (Romans 1:16.)
Later the apostle Paul was specifically
chosen to take the Gospel that was first
preached to the Jews to the Gentiles (non
Jews) as well. (Acts 9:15, Romans 15:15-
16).
Finally, brothers and sisters, are we ready
to help the Gentiles or are we willing to
enable ourselves so that our sacrifices can
be acceptable to God? “For I know the
plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give
you a future and hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11.)
“T
hen shall the Kingdom of Heaven be
likened unto ten virgins who took their
lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. And
five of them were wise and five were foolish,
for the foolish when they took their lamps
took no oil with them: but the wise took oil
in their vessels with their lamps. While the
bridegroom was delayed they all became
drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was
a cry, Look the bridegroom! Come out to
meet him. Then all those virgins arose and
trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to
the wise, Give us some of your oil for our
lamps are going out. But the wise answered,
Perhaps there will not be enough for us and
you. Instead you should go to them that sell
oil and buy some for yourselves. And, while
they went away to buy, the bridegroom came
and they that were ready went in with him to
the marriage feast and the door was shut.
Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins
STAY AWAKE
| Bro Joseph Kaliyaya (Kidatu, Tanzania)
Afterwards came also the other virgins,
saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he
answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not
know you. Therefore, stay awake! For ye
know not the day nor the hour wherein the
Son of Man cometh.”
Matthew 25:1-13