Heralds Digest

“For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭7:22-23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.7.22-23.nkjv The concept of burnt offerings or sacrifices is synonymous to the provision of paid services, where protection, prosperity and peace are offered on the altar of physical project participation. Here, Judah is boosting of an assumed credit for his religious responsibilities and temple services. Whereas, there was no evidence of a cordial relationship with the Lord of the temple. Then came the verdict ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people’. Whenever the material things of this world dictate what we do and where we go, even if they are offered to ra...

“The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; The smelter refines in vain, For the wicked are not drawn off. People will call them rejected silver, Because the LORD has rejected them.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭6:29-30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.6.29-30.nkjv The catalytic reactors are designed to accommodate both exothermic and endothermic reactions, as long as the end products bring the desirable compound properties. Likewise, God’s pain press is often introduced for necessary refining of human character and capabilities in order to direct his intent towards the purpose for existence. Therefore, the machinery in God’s press are collection of divine investments that way-faring pilgrims always live to appreciate. Unfortunately, the rejected stocks are wasters of the Refiner’s bellows, producing more wickedness instead of righteousness. Whereas, with good attitude and an appreciation of great intention, all pain presses in the righteous’ life and circumstances always end ...

“Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it. ’ Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’...For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭6:16-17, 20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.6.16-17,20.nkjv Waiting on the Lord in the days of ‘Google’, ‘Ask Siri’, and social networking appears a complex dimension to ‘Standing in the ways and see, And asking for the old paths’ in the days of old. Active men prefer doing to waiting or standing, especially when intellectual capabilities are in competitive mood. Even in Christian services, a lot of activities are easily powered by the sacrifices of diplomacy, silver and gold from active men. Beaut...

“They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend...The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭5:28, 31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.5.28,31.nkjv Those who are raised from humble background are specially privileged for possessing a unique drive for prosperity and a dedication to breaking the chain of poverty. And the myriads of motivational materials on the principles of prosperity are often positioned to feed on this vulnerable market drive. While the world that is governed by greed can be excused, the assembly of people that are ruled by the gospel creeds is guilty of exploitation-driven prosperity preaching. Whereas, the primary motivation of a purpose-driven child of God in pursuit of prosperity is the emancipation...

“Do you not fear Me?’ says the LORD. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭5:22-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.5.22-24.nkjv Natural attractions around human habitat readily provide the wonders of the Almighty God, especially the wholesomeness of his intelligent design. When Elon Musk recently placed his Cherry Tesla in the space, he probably took for granted the wholesomeness of God’s perpetual decree that sustains the movement of the galaxies, despite the exciting dumping of human pa...

“How long will I see the standard, And hear the sound of the trumpet? “For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4:21-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.4.21-22.nkjv The reality in life is that national punishment does not absolutely discriminate between the righteous and the unrighteous. In spite of God’s mercy and preservation in moments of holy wrath, those who fear the Lord do get weary. For Prophet Jeremiah, the concern is ‘how long shall the righteous bear the weariness of the unrighteous’ wickedness?’. However, the response of the Almighty God brings a different dimension to what actually constitutes the difference between wise and foolish concerns in life. The fear of the people’s final sentence after life is wiser than the fear of the people’s temporal standard of living. The foolish fear of sacrificing eternity with God over a...

“Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”...“Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4:10, 18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.4.10,18.nkjv Unlike men, whose relationships are bound by contractual agreements, God’s promises of peace and preservation are enshrined by His covenant relationship with the people. While changes in the policies of nation or human conditions and circumstances can lead to the cancellation of contracts, God will never break His covenant relationship with the people. However, prophet Jeremiah was disturbed by God’s revelation of Judah’s captivity and future punishment, given that one of God’s promises on the covenant relationship says ‘You shall have peace’. And God was accused of deception until this clarification was provi...