Heralds Digest

http://bible.us/psa80.19.nkjv Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! Those who nurse discouragement from yesterday's failure open a brand new day on a note of defeat. However, the resolution to switch to the right side of life is always threatened by absolute reliance on self effort. Although commitment to a change of lifestyle and good discipline ‎have significant impact on the project of keeping a positive attitude, underlying commitment to God is the most helpful and reliable option. When the Psalmist cried for the restoration by the Lord God of hosts, he acknowledged the need for absolute submission to the Lord, belief in the supremacy of God, and the sufficiency of His invisible hosts against the visible intimidation. Any slight or noticeable competition with God is turned as the weapon to keep believers in perpetual defeat and discouragement. Therefore, the right resolution for every new beginning acknowledges the submission, supr...

http://bible.us/psa78.71-72.nkjv From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. One of the greatest heritage of those who have found or grew in grace in the fast outgoing year is the attainment of integrity in the pursuit of family, ministry, professional and social business. Being in possession of honest character, there is no fear of shame in the achievement of all those who have integrity of heart. They are convinced that God is the ultimate Rewarder of the Righteous. ‎Unfortunately, the reward of integrity is often appeared to skew toward the interest of God rather than man. For example, God rewarded the integrity in the heart of David while shepherding ewes with a call to shepherd Jacob; which are His (and not necessarily David's) people and inheritance. Had he not weighed the prospect of holy her...

http://bible.us/psa77.1.nkjv I cried out to God with my voice—To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me. ‎ A man with little honour and dignity care less of the implications of public outburst of emotions. But a man with appreciable dignity weighs the negative consequences of uncontrolled emotions on his esteemed personality. Whichever choice of either inward or outward mode, expression of discomfort or disagreement in family, social and business relationships is summarily a complain , rather than a cry . A cry expresses submission of a subject to a superior in exchange of a service. Instead of a cry unto God; and like many in moments of discomfort, the Psalmist had resorted to a complain . Unfortunately, complaint breeds nothing better than nagging and conflict in family relationships, lack of confidence in intimate relationship with God‎, and spiritual dryness. But as soon as he cried out to God with his voice, the privilege of fellowship with God through a honest cry was real...

http://bible.us/psa74.9.nkjv We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long. The expected sign of Christmas in North America is the abundance of snow;‎ but the predicted green Christmas is almost a reality, going by the current dry ground in almost all of Eastern Canada. Those who are used to celebrating the Spirit of Christmas in cinemas are probably surprised with the news of no room at the cinema for the baby Jesus in the United Kingdom, where a 45-second advertisement featuring a Nativity scene of Jesus as the reason for the season was banned. Meanwhile, Christian genocide is declared as the stepping stone for ISIS domination in the Middle East, as believers in the region where the baby Jesus was born, and whose birth is being celebrated, are simultaneously being decimated with brutality. And the latest news in part of Africa indicates the outright banning of the celebration of Christmas in order not to provoke the uprising...

http://bible.us/psa73.1.nkjv Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. The barely a week left in‎ the almost spent year may appear too long to wait before assessing the faithfulness of God to His promises. Basically, the assessment of many may be similar to the experience of the Psalmist before his final understanding. For example, performance rating system at workplaces, governmental administration of social assistance, job placement paradigm, public reward and recognition of service system, dignity and respect in the family, and even allocation of responsibilities in the Church, are easily adjudged to be smeared with unfairness and injustice. Therefore, popular question has always been ' where is God? '; whereas, the perfect question remains ' where am I? '. God the Creator is truly and always good. Meanwhile, life's experiences are merely resources intended for the assessment of the level of purity in the creature's heart. Experiencing God,...

http://bible.us/psa71.3.nkjv Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. Great men of old and in our contemporary times have often subdued kingdoms and possibly conquered principality with the support of silent partners. Many reports of unnecessary failure and ‎shameful disappointment are generally open, where some great men have been noticed to lack the support of soft encouragement. Latent strength is often revived with soft encouragement. Otherwise, an inconsequential matter can easily swallow any mighty captain. However real the support from human partner, it is subject to the mood of the partner in such hour of great need. God is the strong and reliable refuge of the Righteous. For example, David found a real refuge in Jonathan; but Jonathan's limitations prevented a reliable refuge service to David in times of his great trials. Even when it appears the Righteous is drowning, a reliab...

http://bible.us/psa70.4-5.nkjv Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!”. But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay. Change for the better is desirable anytime, depending on who designs the quality of the desired change. ‎Whenever man controls the change, many things are bound to go wrong; because only the Creator knows the purpose for every human existence. Therefore, the wise should seek God always in every desire for change. Unfortunately, the desire for change in personal life, family and career, based on the level of changes in the life, family and career of others is indecent. Only a desire for the glory of God in all aspirations in life can both be decent and not desperate.