“When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.” Ezekiel 3:18
This verse initially may seem like quite a strong warning to those who have heard the message of salvation that they are to not just keep this knowledge to themselves but freely share with the lost. The man in the attached photo is the witch doctor at this vodou temple in Croix d’ Bouquets which is a suburb in Port-au-Prince; he needs to hear the message of salvation.
It seems that while we learn that the lost are certainly doomed to hell and we are to speak the truth with them, there is also the fact that God loves each and every one of us and only wants the best for each of us. It is His desire that this man trapped in vodou, and you and I would all accept the fact that He sent His Son to die for us and salvation has been won and is awaiting all who call upon the name of Jesus.
There are thousands of young missionaries attending Lutheran schools in the Port-au-Prince district who are learning more and more about Jesus Christ and being fed daily by donors like you and my family. As you have shared the truth in your neighborhood, thank you for also sharing of your gifts to assist in the preparation of the youth in Haiti who will take the message of salvation to those caught up in the lies of vodou. Isaac Watts wrote the words for the Hymn ‘Am I a soldier of the Cross’ in 1721 and they will close this message today.
“Am I a solder of the Cross, a foll'wer of the Lamb and shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name? Must I be carried to the skies on flow'ry beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed thro' bloody seas? Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace to help me on to God? Sure I must fight if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord! I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word. Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer though they die; they see the triumph from afar with faith's discerning eye. When that illustrious Day shall rise and all Thine armies shine in robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be Thine.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay