Heralds Digest

“But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/gal.2.6.nkjv If significance in life is truly limited to the accumulation of material wealth and an improvement in position or status, the pursuit of a life driven by corruption, conflicts and competition makes the ultimate sense in this world. But there seems to be something deeper and higher than the status-based achievements in life. To Paul the Apostle, this base achievement in life is frankly nothing, compared to the singular pursuit of the purpose in the heart of God for every human existence. Unfortunately, many homes, fellowships and associations that are built on godly heritage are easily hijacked by the status-based ‘nothing’. Those who care for godly change and the expansion of the kingdom of God through parenting, preaching, and prof...

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/gal.1.15-16.nkjv If the state of believers’ pious living before the call to salvation and service has anything to do with the motivation for the call, generals in the kingdom of God would be hard to find. Apostle Paul was a general among his contemporaries, not because of his antecedents. He was a general because he distinguished himself as someone who was fully committed to pleasing God with full acknowledgement of the baggage of consequences. When it pleased God to call His chosen out of the dungeon of self-will, there is therefore no barricade to the extent that the righteous can become useful as divine vessel without the influence of self. “..when it pleased God...that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I di...

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.us/114/gal.1.10.nkjv The gospel of Jesus Christ is simply the hearing and responding to the message of salvation from sin and dead works. Without the interference of the elements of this world, pleasing God after redemption remains freely simple. The singular assignment of the righteous on earth would be pleasing God and persuading men. A mixture of the pleasing and persuasion is unacceptable as service to either God or any man. Homes where this mixture is a standard has always been a battleground for contention, competition, and compromises. Little wonder why the Apostle simply enlightened the Galatian Christians to the accursed disposition of believers who embraces the mixture of pleasing men with the gospel of Christ. Whereas, comfort, cooperation and consolidation of the entire counsel of God are found in f...

“And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭10:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/ezr.10.18-19.nkjv One of the unwarranted consequences of infidelity in relationships is the trading the source of a lasting joy for a source of loathsome happiness. When the love of the priests in the service relationship in the temple of the Lord is traded for pagan wives, the peace of God in the heart is sacrificed amidst innumerable sheep on the altar. Every genuine relationship with the Lord is established on a commitment to keep a promise of love and affection as supreme. Where any other thing or person becomes the primary pursuits, the ability to receive direct inspiration from the Lord becomes forfeit...

“Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.”” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭10:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/ezr.10.10-11.nkjv Unless the guards are acceptably lowered, communication with sincerity, honesty and clarity with people requires the understanding of the science of diplomacy. Simple truth becomes heavy burden that gets ventilated without driving the necessary conviction in the hearts of the audience. But then, Ezra the priest stood up and said “You have transgressed...Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will”; and the people complied. The persuasion in Ezra’s presentation was not in the aliteracy of, but rather the authority in, the spoken words. Simple matters in almost all of life’s relationships are made c...

“Now therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons; and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭9:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.us/114/ezr.9.12.nkjv Engaging in a friendly match with an opponent who has nothing to gain attracts something to lose. Ezra solemnly reflected on God’s strategy of separation from the culture and custom of idolatry, which had resulted in incurable catastrophes to the children of ISRAEL. While the dimension of corruption to godly heritage in our world today is greater than the problem of unequal yoke in marriage, the biblical strategy of separation remains sacrosanct: never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land. Evil agents invade homes, workplaces, and social lives of believers with carrots of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, the proceeds fr...

“Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road. So we came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.us/114/ezr.8.31-32.nkjv The experience of Ezra and the returning captives enroute Jerusalem shows that empty faith in God’s deliverance will fall flat like packs of cards in the face of threat. At the river of Ahava, efforts were made to rededicate their conviction in divine deliverance while counting the cost rejecting human deliverance (Ezra had rejected the king’s offer of road escort and posited that God was able to provide protection to those who put their trust in Him). While many believers would count Ezra’s faith old-fashioned, it is the real faith of the Bible - Faith with works. Empty faith in God’s deliverance do not have provisions for holiness and righteousness be...