Heralds Digest

“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:46-47‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.13.46-47.nkjv The priority of preaching the gospel message first to the Jews represents an undeniable passion of Paul. He had openly preferred the adoption of the outreach to the gentile world as a secondary mission. Obviously, the submission to the heavenly calling does not take away his sentiments for the spiritual welfare of his people. This type of sentiment influences the passion in almost all of human relationships. Except in environment with automated system of operations, accommodation of certain level of legitimate sentiments or discretion in human operations is ...

““For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:36‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.13.36.nkjv The difference between king Saul and David is apparently the position of self in the service delivered. The scriptural reference to the time when Saul was "little in his own eyes" suggests that God has a serious problem with the consideration of self in the service rendered before Him. Obviously, self-will and the will of God cannot co-exist. David wasn't a perfect man of God, but was always prompt in dropping self considerations in the pursuits of the will of God. Attractiveness of self to pleasures, privileges and positions in our generation is nothing different from the temptations before David in his generation. Sensitivity to the will of God above all self considerations, in all family, workplace, and fellowship service deliveries, is the only safe haven. Therefore, th...

“Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.13.9-10.nkjv Natural intervention in the course of life debate and business transactions demands growing taller for appreciable recognition. Elymas the sorcerer had employed the strategy for a deliberate interruption and a strategic perversion of the mission of winning the soul of Sergius Paulus for Christ. Even when the strategy is easily noticed to be deficient in providing the needed soul satisfaction, it is always proven to be efficient in the business of soul distractions. Saul would have offered a counter defence with another natural intervention strategy, based on the elevation of his personal profile: Saul the defender of the Jewish religion. However, he chosed the path of ...

"I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright." Leviticus 26:13 KJV The promised comfort and indulgence in the social media and the entertainment system of this world have a subtle way of camouflaging the chain or bands on possible freedom of the soul of man. While the eyes is feed with hilarious and seductive contents, the soul of the unrestrained man is poisoned or weakened, making the regular voyage to the throne of grace an unattractive or impossible exploration. It is absolutely impossible for anyone to wine and dine in Egypt and expect freedom from fear, dominion over demons, and authority in the presence of all the agents of darkness, even if a seldom visit to Canaan is professed. Breaking away from the bands of the wicked is no trivial business. Some celebrated relationships have to be deliberately unfollowed, unjoined, and absolute...

“...And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭12:23-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.12.23-24.nkjv Privileges of possession, position and prosperity would be more manageable without a possible accommodation of the praise of men. The instrument of praise subjects the privileged into the vulnerable clinic for ego massage, where the praise of man deliberately contends with the glory of God. Unfortunately, even a pious man loose the wholesome essence of his existence with every privilege for human praise worship. For example, when the obsession of king Herod's political will received a deceptive appreciation from his enemy, it was difficult for him to differentiate between privileges and potentates. The gift of life remains the fundamental basis for man to worship God, irrespective of the height or depth of possession, position and prosperity. And king Herod was eaten by worms and died, while God's word grew and multiplied in ...

“And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭12:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.12.11.nkjv The havoc from the devil's deceptive dominance, when men slept off from their confidence in God, is more than the apparent loss of physical property, privileges and positions. Deceptive dominance subjects the soul into the captivity of hopelessness and subtle submission to the will of the devil. For the early church, deceptive dominance through king Herod's political will appeared a typical example of the consequences of spiritual slumbering. Even when religious services continue at home or in the church, spiritual slumbering brings faithlessness, fears, and fruitless efforts. But after the fellowship of James with the church was stolen, constant prayers to God were offered. Yes, absolute restoration and deliverance...

“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul....And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:25, 27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.11.25,27.nkjv Tourist attractions are greatly influenced by a determined investment into infrastructural development and a conducive environment for friendship, fellowship, and fruitfulness. Starting with a strategic investment into friendship between Barnabas and Saul, the atmosphere of fellowship and fruitfulness became a serious attraction to even renowned prophets from Jerusalem. Following the same principle of Antioch Attraction, sustainable economies have proven that investment into identification of potential resources and friendly sourcing for human capacity development cannot be compromised with narrow-mindedness. Whereas, the dumping of deteriorating antique attractions without a conducive environment for friendship and fellowship have always resulted into frustration and fruitlessness. People in our family, ...