Heralds Digest

  “ and he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God's. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you .” 2 Chronicles 20 : 15 , 17 KJV The search for a good insurance policy or protection against the risk of accident is always compounded with concerns and mixed feelings. Whether for the protection of properties or life, the challenges with the unreliability of policy providers and the games of adjusters can be unbearable. And for king Jehoshaphat confronting the threat from the great multitude against Judah, anyone can understand the basis of the perplexity, anxiety and fear he displayed. Luckily, he had previous experien...

   “ And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. ” 2 Chronicles 16 : 7 , 9 KJV Despite the fact that king Asa’s confidence in God brought him and Judah rest, his latter years alliance with Syria ushered in his engagement with wasteful wars. Believers’ absolute reliance on God can attract wishful wars and opposition from the enemies (or king of Syria); but those engagements are readily designed to eventually bring glory to the Lord and inescapable promotion. Whereas, wasteful wars are outrightly unnecessary and wasteful in the economy of godliness. While godliness requ...

  “ And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.” 2 Chronicles 14 : 6 - 7 KJV The 35 year reign of Asa as king in Judah provides a true testimony of clear confidence in God’s rest. A trust in His rest often provides a taste of our test. This is because other sources of confidence include a trust in our chariot of iron, charisma and the intelligence of man, and confidence in human abilities. Whereas, Asa’s confidence was rooted in the Lord’s rest; and followed by His obedience to divine counsels. Therefore, when Asa said “ Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land i...

   “ yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” 1 Corinthians 14 : 19 KJV Whether in the church, workplace, home, or street, the principle of clear communication is the same. Failure to share the mind of God clearly with the people (i.e., without interference of conflicting manners) is always tantamount to corrupt communication. In the Corinthian church, the conflicting manners include self-projection, self-promotion, etc, leading to speaking in tongues without minding the edifications of the audience. It is not enough to speak with spirit-inspired tongues; we must be mindful of being guided to convey the mind of God to the people. Unfortunately, the moment the mind of man is corrupted with human opinions, selfishness, and pride, evil manners get in the way of clear communication. Therefore, Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian church with the principle of ...

  “ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. ” 1 Corinthians 13 : 8 - 10 KJV “ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” appeals to the embodiment of human knowledge and service engagements, implying that the best offerings are always far from perfection. Whether by our wholesome investment into career, ministerial and professional development or the diligent service delivery, no one can claim perfect understanding of all situations and circumstances without divine revelation. And based on partial knowledge and service delivery, Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian church and all believers on adoption of love as the perfect portion. The pursuit of true love is the perfect submission to God and His purposes in believe...

 “ I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys. Take us the foxes, The little foxes, That spoil the vines: For our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his: He feedeth among the lilies .” Song of Solomon 2 : 1 , 15 - 16 KJV When love is fantasized as lust, it operates as a hit-and-go run or a small-chop restaurant. Whereas, true love comes from the place of sacrifice and endurance. The fruits of love are mined from the floodplain of loneliness, like the apple fruit from the trees of the wood, flagons from the field of fickleness, and tasteful wine from tender grapes, etc. Unfortunately, impatience and lack of consideration for intimacy often lead to wasteful and the loss of lovely lilies in relationships. Whereas, “ Take us the foxes, The little foxes ” encourages our waiting upon the Lord for the fresh wine of love and intimacy in all broken relationships, failed marriages, and disconnect in business partnerships. The little foxes specialize in dangerou...