Heralds Digest

“Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me.” ’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭35:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.35.16.nkjv The cycle of charity is complete only when the offering of love is received. No matter the height or depth of love from the Father, the children have the liberty to disregard the charitable gesture. But before our earthly fathers get weighed down by every form of uncharitable gestures, they are reminded of their calling as the charitable children of our heavenly Father. The love of the Father constraints all children of God to an unlimited and unrelenting offering of charity, even in the most undeserving relationships. The experience of the Father in His relationship with the children of ISRAEL teaches the reality of moments of discouragement in our earthly relationship with people; but children of God are encouraged by the untarnished charity of the heavenly Fath...

“But they said, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭35:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.35.6-7.nkjv The doctrine of Jonadab provides the similarity between brain-washed and blood-washed convictions: they are built and motivated by love (charity). While a brain-washed conviction is built on fake love, a blood-washed conviction is motivated by true love. However, if the doctrine was referenced by God in His relationship with the whole house of ISRAEL in the days of prophet Jeremiah, it is no doubt resourceful to the present-day homes and fellowship. Those who truly struggle with the challenge of extending a biblical conviction to others within their spheres of influence un...

“Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭34:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.34.10-11.nkjv Rhetorical declaration of the concept of right and wrong does not guarantee discipline and commitment to obedience. Until the price is named and the punishment is enumerated, no declaration of obedience should be taken seriously. Obedience to rules is easy when the governing regulations are favourable. But when regulatory implementation becomes harsh, rooms for exceptions are welcomed. The elites of Israel (or the nations of the world) have no problem with political declaration of liberty, especially when service calls are neglig...

““Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. And you shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be taken and delivered into his hand; your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, he shall speak with you face to face, and you shall go to Babylon.’ ” ’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭34:2-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.34.2-3.nkjv One of the painful misconceptions of a fruitful fellowship is the necessary provision of personal needs of materials, position, privileges, etc. People would readily put up a futile fight in order to guarantee a self-centred motivation for sustaining a fellowship. This is mostly the source of disappointment for seekers of fruitfulness in friendship and fellowship. Even when relationships with fellowmen go sour, the same concept of a quick divine intervention is expected by seekers of th...

“Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, “Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the LORD has chosen, He has also cast them off’? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:23-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.33.23-24.nkjv Even before the understanding of one of the laws in physics which defines that “Earth's orbit is the trajectory along which Earth travels around the Sun, maintaining an average distance of about 150 million km, and where one complete orbit takes about 365 days, during which time Earth has traveled 940 million km”, God’s words declare that the activities of the Earth around the Sun is governed by His irrevocable covenant. No matter the thick darkness of the night (or some concerned manipulation of the daylight time saving, due to the prolonged night hours), nothing can prevent the eventual appearance of the daystar. In reference to th...

““Thus says the LORD: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place— of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the LORD.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.33.10-11.nkjv The adage that says “Opportunity knocks but once” or “Opportunity once lost can never be regained” reminds the heart of man the essence of timely preparation for honest engagements in life. Unfortunately, it is difficult to avoid the reality of waste opportunities in precious relationships...

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”...For thus says the LORD: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.’” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭32:26-27, 42‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.32.26-27,42.nkjv The difference between the conviction of sin or every form of unrighteousness and the assurance of salvation is the admittance of the grace of God. Without the receipt of God’s grace, the convicted soul is perpetually crushed by the heavy load of sin and the consequences of his wrongdoing. Prophet Jeremiah sought the face of God with great burden, after a clear conception of the sin of Judah and Israel or the righteous review of the consequences of God’s judgement. Thereafter, the promise of future restoration from God became inconceivable for the righteous prophet of God. Whereas, just as one trust the power of God’s wo...