Heralds Digest

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1:9 NKJV) Hunger and thirst for the preeminence of Christ is more desirable than sustainable in every Christian life and conducts. Being reported of experiencing the spiritual appetite for righteousness, Apostle Paul and his associates took the sustainability challenge of the believers in Colosse to the throne of grace. A sustained spiritual appetite is blessed with grace to maintain balance about the understanding of God's will in all affairs of life. However, hell's greatest weapon against the saints of God is the constant resurgence of carnal appetite for position and pleasure.

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NKJV) The law of economics constraints every budget to be drawn according to the limit of human resources, and not necessarily on the basis of needs assessment. But unlike human consideration, God's ultimate plan is to ensure that supply meets essentially all needs. Until God's supply channel overruns man's supply channel, the supply line cannot be consistent and sufficient. Unfortunately, many unwittingly ignore the preceding actions that are coded in the Philippians 419; but they intend to unlocks God's supply channel by empty faith. Man's supply cannot be restricted to self, and yet he expects an unrestricted supply from God.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8 NKJV) Joy thrives in environment where truth, honesty, purity, love, goodness, and praise reign. Unfortunately, a perpetual voyage into the Island of angels will be required in order to enjoy this perfect environment. Except a personal effort is deployed to create this desired environment, life is generally lived with consistent baggage of frustration. Although it is cheaper and admirable to shift responsibility of environmental sanitation to someone else, no one else can clean up our hearts from every filthiness that kill joy within. Creative joy is the sole responsibility of every created jones.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4 NKJV) The reality of life is the predominance of adversity and anxiety in human affairs, which queries the existence of God. Invariably, no one should be admonished to rejoice in adversity or anxiety. And neither would Apostle Paul do. Rather, he said to the Philippians "Rejoice in the Lord always". It implies that during adversity, we are admonished to exhibit the character of God that abides within us; while the comfort of the Lord is expected to always rule over our anxieties. Therefore, all times can be the season of joy, if the presence of God overrides our reason for rejoicing.

"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you." (Philippians 3:15 NKJV) Maturity appears to be associated with loss of old memories, gain of new mind-sets, and supply of fresh melodies. Apostle Paul would heartily recommend these spiritual axioms to the Philippian believers as the secret of exceptional revelation from the throne of grace. Old memories are naturally loaded with pains, disappointments, and despairs that the matured must willfully delete, while the mind becomes free to access new opportunities. Heaven's door is ever open for consistent supply of fresh melodies, old memories and mind-sets often distort the rhythm of a joyful heart. A matured mind produces music from an heavenly joy that never stops, even when a joyful heart stop beating.

"For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3 NKJV) Joyful feelings are dictated by friendly happenings, including the actions of associates. Whether real or fake, the reflexes of all actions appear to suggest the personality of the receiver. The Philippians were here warned against the temptation to draw the state of the heart from status of happenings. The suggestions of happenings are haply unreliable. Unlike happenings, God's promises are the basis of a joyful Spirit. Even when all appears down, God is always up on the throne. Confidence in God gives a joyful Spirit, uncensored.

"For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:21 NKJV) The search for satisfaction in life is endless, except if the runner changes focus. The possession of material things would initially appear to give satisfaction until the seeker realizes the impossibility of beating the ever-increasing stake of seeking. Obviously, man's sense of inner joy or fulfillment is not resident in the fruitless passion to satisfy self, but in the offer of service to others. With the exception of Timothy and Epaphroditus, other believers around Apostle Paul appeared to bow to the priority of seeking their personal needs before feeding others. While provision of personal needs underscore the maturity of the state of human heart and stability in the face of challenges of life, hidden joy is often discovered with commitment to the needs of others.