Heralds Digest

"But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18 NKJV) When related to friendship, the element of faith is manifest in everyone. No one can sincerely respond to the affection of others or the attraction to earthly things without faith in them. In relative terms, faith in God is merely the conscious elevation of the friendship with God above worldly affections and attractions. Although this glorious friendship is easy to profess, many readily practice the transient friendship. Therefore, transient friendship is evident in people's priority towards worldly materials, especially through human daily lifestyles.

"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality." (James 2:1 NKJV) Personality-driven attraction is common in our glory-seeking world. Irrespective of the state's social system, respect is mostly earned by any personality's status or class. However in faith-driven circle, brethren are warned about the danger of personality-driven attractions. Unlike personality-driven attractions, faith-driven attraction sees the glory of God in everyone, irrespective of the subject's race, status, and class. Faith in God does not settle for the transient glory of man.

"All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel." (Joshua 10:42 NKJV) If anything more, the minimum requirement for an intimate relationship with God is the possession of His character. No experience (either appearing good or evil) ever happens by accident. All experiences can turn a helpful tool to the attainment of God's nature, if embraced. Prior of Joshua's one-time victory experiences with the battles to overthrow the inhabitants of the land of promise, he has a defeat experience at Ai. This experience had instilled more of heaven's standard of holiness in Joshua. All-time success is good; but in reality, good success embraces near-miss experiences.

"So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day." (Joshua 10:27 NKJV) From moments of relevance to moments of obscurity, the general operational principle of pride embraces the use of the deceit mechanism. Having wasted their moments of grace, Adoni-zedek and his other four king colleagues decided to shift their respective magnificent palace into a single cave palace. Although pride appears to claim self-sufficiency in moments of relevance, the life of deceit cannot cover the shame of pride in the days of reckoning.

“Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” (Joshua 10:4 NKJV) Although the SOS call that sounded from Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, appears a distress call from someone in trouble, it was a persecution-support call against the peaceful Gibeon. While the gathering of the kings of the Amorites is commendable, a self-imposed problem of pride cannot not provide relief for an externally-generated treatment. Instead of negotiating possible coverage through a peace push through Gibeon, King Adoni-zedek preferred the hostility option because of his proudful disposition. The only relief for pride problem is an early call for peace before escalation into destruction.

"So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing." (Joshua 9:24 NKJV) Life is consistently good only to those who are willing to surrender to the will of the Maker of life. Unlike many other nations who played strong, the Gibeonites preferred to play smart. Every man is entitled to his desires, but the acknowledgment of the supremacy of God's will is the antidote against frustration in life. How blissful would our world, nations, organizations, and families be, if the will of God can supersede personal interests? Smart bargain is actually not a show of weakness, but the exchange of personal strength with divine strength.

"Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land." (Joshua 8:1 NKJV) Moment is often defined by both the state and statements around life. After the defeat in Ai, Joshua and Israel are in a state of fear and discouragement. Statements of people under this condition of despair can hardly improve their state of minds. Fortunately, the statement that makes a difference in moment of despair does not necessarily depend on the declared veracity of the state. Out of all the voices that come to mind in moments of apparent failure and rejection in life, the only voice of truth comes from God. Therefore, a defining moment is meant to be captured by the Lord's declaration; and not by any man's definition.