Heralds Digest

  “ And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do .” Acts 22 : 10 KJV The persecution of Apostle Paul in the same Jerusalem, where he had previously brought chained believers for persecution, inspired the difference between decent and dutiful dealings in life. While persecution of believers represents decent dealing when Paul was the persecutor, it remains decent dealing with Paul as the subject of persecution. Decent dealings are the human acceptable behaviours, inter-personal relationships, cultural dispositions, and social or business etiquettes, especially when the purpose and will of God is not in focus or consideration. But by Paul’s unforgettable encounter with Jesus Christ, decent dealings receive an uncompromising transformation into dutiful dealings…when he said “ What shall I do, Lord? ”. Educated and highly influential people always know what t...

  “ Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard .” Acts 22 : 14 - 15 NKJV Before Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus, his ‘worship Will ’ was acknowledged the best. Life is a compendium of different shapes and sizes of Will, including the (1) wicked Will, for those who are fully possessed by the devil and assigned for the extension of the kingdom of darkness; (2) worldly Will, for those who claimed deliverance from wicked Will but clearly committed to carnality rather than absolute submission to Christ; and (3) worship Will, for those who are religiously committed to serving God on their own terms, understanding, etc. And by the benefit of hindsight, Paul was a staunch disciple of the worship Will, prior to his encounter on the road to Damascus. Thereafter, the wholesome Will appeared with the rev...

“...and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’...Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭22:18, 21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.22.18,21.nkjv The struggle for relevance in life introduces the unhealthy interplay between purpose and passion. A disciplined and devoted man must start the race of life with the passion. It is the secret behind excellence in career and the pursuit of professionalism. And there was no doubt Saul started his pursuit of religious relevance with an uncommon passion. But the pursuit of passion changes to a preservation for purpose, when he was encountered by Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus. Notwithstanding, passion for a righteous restoration of Jerusalem would prefer to keep him away from the mission to the gentile, safe the noted sharp criticism at home. And the strong relevance of Saul's ministry was based ...