Heralds Digest

"Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel". (Micah 5:3 NKJV) Peace test is a fair description of change in life experiences; the sincere definition is nothing but pain therapy. Pain precedes peace. And like unto all the redeemed of the Lord, Israel's peace is promised at the instance of the pain of Christ's birth. With heaven and earth in a selective experience of pain, salvation from sin and slavery becomes possible. Likewise, the treatment of pain in family and business relationships may appear personal, but the true cost of the therapy is only open to heaven. Fortunately, heaven has designed peace to flow freely from springs dredged fairly by pains.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ". (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV) The right to refuse the knowledge or the express counsel of God is highly resourceful to the enemy; and it is synonymous to the concept that denies the existence of God. Unfortunately, the privilege of being created as a free moral agent is turned into the enemy's stronghold against the soul. The ability to deliberate on the feasibility of running with the counsel or vision of the Most High is never a symbol of smartness; it is the evidence of foothold that enhances satanic stronghold. Except man's thoughts are freely subjected into divine captivity, the possibility of walking in obedience according to God's counsel will be elusive. The enemy's resources are powered by human's...

"The Lord’s Reign in Zion Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it". (Micah 4:1 NKJV) Reign is naturally synonymous to an uncontested recognition of the superiority of certain actor among several activities or actions of others. Human's life struggles are mostly focussed on establishing a reign for personal recognition. Unlike human reign, God's reign in Zion witnesses a significant period of apparent imposition of contending mountains. The travail of Zion in Babylon wasn't an accident occasioned by the enemy's supremacy; but it was an instance of God's sovereignty. However, the prevailing loose gains by the imposition of contending mountains in life cannot prevent the manifestation of the Lord's latter glory. No matter the severity of the enemy's activities, the Lord's reign suffers no...

"But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin". (Micah 3:8 NKJV) Only an alien to our material world would downplay the pressure of financial security on human character. Actions and inaction in almost every sphere of life, including moral or religious institutions, are often driven by money power. Even in prophet Micah's days, anyone who choose to be filled with the Spirit of the Lord must be prepared to stand alone. Unlike Spirit security, smart security is comfortable with occasional visitation of the Spirit of the Lord, as long as money power is free to dictate the standard of human relationships. But truly, we are richer than our canal eyes can see with Spirit security.

"Then they will cry to the Lord, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds". (Micah 3:4 NKJV) Wickedness is nothing other than the evil coloration of the goodness of God. Being created in the image of God, man is designed good - a reflection of the goodness of God. However, the desire to create its own goodness is a deception sold to man by the enemy. Confidence in the Lord promotes satisfaction in the goodness within, and the reflection of the same goodness to others. Otherwise, wickedness is promoted in every attempt to convert the good fortunes of others for self gratification. Therefore, true goodness is gracious; being not the goodness received from others, but reflected to others.

"The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the Lord at their head.” (Micah 2:13 NKJV) Irrespective of the level of its facelift or beatification, the grave remains the abode of the dead. Living in the grave is synonymous to abiding in the cage of spiritual recklessness, financial impropriety, health failure, emotional imbalance, etc. And only a walking corpse will see no difference in the lifestyle within and outside the grave. However, the One who breaks open the grave is Jesus; and His power still command immediate attention within the camp of the enemy. He gives power to all His redeemed to speak to their graves and they get opened.

“Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction". (Micah 2:10 NKJV) Recognition granted by uncanny people to ill-gotten wealth, sexual immorality and unlawful possession of other people's properties is often mistaken as desirable pleasure. But the scripture says it is an unpleasant luxury - dangerous and defiled. As always, the invitation to evil practices starts with a glamorous presentation of the forbidden fruit in the heart of man, through a window-shopping adventure of the eyes. But as prophet Micah's warning to God's people goes, "Arise and depart". Walking out of an evil party with disrespect is better than waiting in a cold furnace for utter destruction. No one can find a free rest on a defiled bed.