Heralds Digest

  “ 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...

   “ Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice .”  2 Chronicles 9 : 8 KJV Normally, a throne is measured by its treasure (not its trust); and the throne occupied by king Solomon was an accurate reflection of a treasured throne, especially in the assessment of Queen Sheba. Notwithstanding, Queen Sheba saw more than treasure in Solomon’s palace, especially in the order of his wisdom,  the meat on his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, and the apparel of his cupbearers and service guards. She saw the trust and triumphing of the King of kings and the Lord of lords in king Solomon’s administration of judgment and justice. Actually, it is always a shift from the responsibility behind every opportunity and privilege in life and ministry that negates...

   “ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. ” 1 Corinthians 10 : 31 - 33 ; 11:1 KJV By ‘even as I please all men in all things ’ expression of Apostle Paul, followed by “ Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ ”, it is easy for anyone to understand that profitable pleasing implies pleasing God at all times, by all means and entails the pursuit of the glory of God. Those who must please men in isolation from God are merely motivated by their own personal gains and self-centred promotion; and they are always quick to bend backwards into compromises and all forms of unrighteousness. Whereas, doing all things with God’s glory in view attracts perseverance in persecution,...

  “ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10 : 12 - 13 KJV The Christian race is far from being a talk show. Most talkers are not doers, especially when confronted with the reality of life at home, workplaces, and the society. Unfortunately, even when we think to stand tall on the pedestal of integrity, honesty and righteousness, we often fall flat on some reality checks; and then fake the consistency stance. Whereas, when Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian church on “ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”, he was calling the church out, just as the Holy Spirit is awakening believers to the faithfulness of God on the reality race. Without God in the race, talk shows ca...

  “ The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. ” Ecclesiastes 10 : 12 , 15 KJV If scripture says wise words are gracious and foolish words are grav-ious, it implies that the opposite of grace is grave. Unfortunately, the seemingly smart people in our world know just how to use their lips for human manipulation with lies, position seeking with wickedness, and wealth accumulation with greed, while seriously aiming at pulling down their fellows in pursuit of these ambitions. With these outright expressions of bluntness, bitterness and betrayal, promising homes and families are destroyed, prosperous project and business partnerships are truncated, and great social ties and relationships are sacrificed. Ultimately, all efforts and exchanges in all of life’s engagements without absolute submission to the grace of God are mere simple exca...