Heralds Digest

“Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek...So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:3, 5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.16.3,5.nkjv Righteousness exalts a nation composed of people's sense of respect for acceptable relationships and dignity at home and the society. This sense of respect had earlier introduced accommodation of different standards for the Jews and the Greek (or the gentile world) on the issue of circumcision. But when Timothy must enjoyed one of the privileges or acceptance, apparently as Jew or First-Class minister of the gospel, Paul had to bend more a little in favour of the respect race. Except in certain instances when God's commandments are disrespected, insensitivity to people's sense of respect, cultural diversity, and people's opinion about acceptable social lifest...

“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:39-40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.15.39-40.nkjv Although only the ministerial work of Paul after the contention in Antioch is accepted into the canon of scriptures, there is no evidence to suggest the end of the season of relevance in the ministry of Barnabas. Going by the consistency in the disposition to care and comfort for young and vulnerable brethren in Barnabas (to which even Paul once enjoyed both in Jerusalem, Tarsus, and Antioch), it is apparent that the unstable John Mark needed the support of Barnabas more than the steadfastness of Paul at this time. Unlike confrontational and self-centred contention in most ministerial work today, a compassionate contention is healthy and devoid of putting down or discouraging brethren for self-gratification. Po...

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:28-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.15.28-29.nkjv While conservative minds pride themselves in their precious relationship with God based on strict moral commitments, the extreme generalization of these commitments often lead to undermining the working of God's grace and faith towards salvation for all men. Having resolved the bias attachment of the Jews to the law of Moses and the extension of the work of grace to the gentile world, the apostles and leaders in the early church still agreed on the efficacy of grace: "that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality". Clearly, the grace of God is not a freedom...

“Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.14.27.nkjv The first missionary journey of Paul introduced converts from Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derby into the kingdom of God. It was a taste of the consequence of God's call, commission, and consecration. Apart from the privilege to deliver other scriptural teaching and admonition, Paul gave priority to the need of commending the converts to the grace of God, while returning to each of the cities to confirm their new faith in Christ Jesus. Commendation can simply be conceived as the consecration of believers' time and material resources on the altar of service. Albeit, there is always a struggle within, whenever the flesh has to part away with these resources on the basis of commendation. However, Paul's conception of commendation appears to p...

“Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”....Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭14:11, 19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/act.14.11,19.nkjv The restiveness in the religion of the people of Lystra is indicative of the unstable state of the mind of man. Without a coordinated measure of control system in place, it is believed that the undeniable level of madness in every man will become exposed. At one point by seeing the miracles through Paul, he would be sacrificed to as god; but later by listening to the inciting motivation from Jews, he should be stoned and sacrificed to gods. Obviously, and in the intervening words of Paul, a religion that demands sacrifice to a god without any relationship with the god is useless and helpless. Li...

“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...