Heralds Digest

"Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath." (Ephesians 4:25-26 NKJV) A dishonest disposition represents an ungodly strategy of anger management. In times of honest displeasure, the scripture commands a sincere display of anger. A friend who cannot accommodate a sincere expression of anger does not worth the laying of the altar, where friendliness with God is sacrificed. Obviously, a bottled anger will burst, albeit in an uncontrollable environment. Otherwise, it finds a suitable but dishonest channel of penalty for personal justice. After all, members of the same family are naturally wedged together, especially more with honest display of anger.

"Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” Now this, “He ascended” —what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?". (Ephesians 4:8-9 NKJV) The fact of the matter is that Christ's ascension started with a descent into the deep in order to engage captivity in a classical fight. Unlike in all selfish struggles, the focus of the fight was the destruction of the power that held the whole world down into sin and captivity. Therefore, the victory of Jesus Christ resulted in special packages of deliverance gifts for different categories of all who call on His name. Invariably, true victory appears not based on the quantity of laurels loaded on the way up, but on the quality of lives lifted on the way down.

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace". (Ephesians 4:1-3 NKJV) The Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that "Action and Reaction are Equal and Opposition" is generally valid for objects without definite focus of their own. Unlike objects, human reaction to every action is subject to the focus of the individual involved. Wrong focus always breed wrong reaction, irrespective of the good intention behind the initiating action. With the focus of Apostle Paul consistently on the Lord who called him into the ministry, it was difficult for him to treat all misgivings and mistreatment as personal attacks from the enemy. In-fact, he was proud to be called "the prisoner of the Lord", knowing that all things work together for goo...

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love". (Ephesians 3:17 NKJV) Being perfectly demonstrated by the Father's perfect gift of His only begotten Son, love is clearly evident in the giving, and not in the receiving. And unless we all, like Apostle Paul, are fully-drawn to be able to count our blessings on the basis of the privileges of service, rather than on the prospects of servings, genuine love will be unattainable. Even when facts of probable evidences are deficient, faith in the promises of God represents a sufficient offering from every heart with genuine love.

"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ". (Ephesians 3:8 NKJV) The saving grace is all that sinners need to get started with God. However, the saving grace seem not to scratch the surface of the riches of Christ. Being privileged to become a saint, Apostle Paul was able to step up the search for Christ's riches through a deeper measure of grace. Unfortunately, the revelation of the mystery of God is possible only through un-alloyed fellowship with suffering and pain for righteousness' sake. God's glorious grace will never gloom while groaning to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ.

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints". (Ephesians 1:17-18 NKJV) The parade of the riches of this world is obviously a compelling and consistent strategy of the enemy to distract the righteous from the incomparable glory of heavenly riches. If the Lord Jesus Christ was not exempted from this temptation, no one can win the battle without the recommended spiritual weapon of prayer. Apostle Paul's foresight of the danger of spiritual complacency among saints in Ephesus imposes the burden of intercession, for the revelation of the inexplicable riches. The secrets about the riches of saints' inheritance are hidden from those who cannot find solace in sacred romance with the Lord.

"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world". (Galatians 6:14 NKJV) The hustle for appreciation in the standard of living, accumulation of wealth and promotion from any position in life is always a personal bustle whenever self-glory is at stake. Rather than getting involved in personal struggle for recognition, Apostle Paul would glory in the readiness of self to gladly bear the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Could anything be more appropriate for any mortal to be counted to suffer for the course of righteousness? God is glorified when His likeness is appreciated within us.