Heralds Digest

“So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:48-49‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.2.48-49.nkjv The custody of a child in broken homes is always a messy circumstance and mostly a nightmare experience for the upbringing of useful children in the society. However, healthy homes sometimes are not completely exempted from the challenges of custody in a parent-children relationship. While the 3-day frustrating experience of the Boy Jesus’ parents during the search for the missing child in Jerusalem does not encourage disobedience and a lack of submission from children to the authority of parents, it does open the hearts of parents to the need to allow a possible interference of the Heavenly Father while exercising the parents’ right to child custody. Instead o...

“and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:37-38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.2.37-38.nkjv While Simeon’s testimony provides the source of perfect peace, the revelation of Prophetess Anna enlightened the hearts of the people about the source of a reliable redemption. However, it is instructive to note that it is impossible for anyone to have peace from all forces within, without redemption from all elements without. The deceitfulness of struggle in our broken world is that life’s satisfaction can come from an increase in material possessions, advancement in political or professional positions, migration to region of high standard of living, etc. Unfortunately, many always get their useful life wasted on mundane things at the expense of a...

““Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:29-30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.2.29-30.nkjv The absence of true peace in any personal relationship or institutional system brings myriads of nightmare, disorganization, discouragement and unnecessary disappointment. And in a world battered with wickedness, the activities of peace makers are precious. While many will readily testify to the difficulty in searching for peace makers among religious people of our days, Simeon was not a disappointment in the days prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. The scriptures declared him just, righteous and even filled with the Holy Ghost. However, he was privileged to experience a taste of God’s kind of peace before his departure from the struggle of this world. While the scriptures described peace-makers as the blessed children of God, it is difficult for anyone to bring true peace into his world without a tr...

> “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.2.6-7.nkjv Unlike in the days of Joseph and Mary, travelling advisory based on the accurate knowledge of Mary’s delivery date could have prevented the strenuous trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. However, a recommendation of a safe flight date and transfer of medical record would still safe the due date and destination. The fact is that, irrespective of the change in time, standard of living, and the advances in technology, the due date and the appropriate destination for the birth of Mary’s firstborn Son is beyond human manipulation. Therefore, the responsibilities of every man in life are simply limited to making efforts to accommodate the divine counsel of God. Definitely, some tasks are du...

“To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:74-75‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/luk.1.74-75.nkjv Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Zachariah extended his deliverance from the hand of the salient motives behind most of man’s reasonable preoccupation and services to humanity. While occupied in the temple service with utmost dedication until his old age, it was difficult for anyone to uncover the venom of the deep-seated loneliness and fear. Apparently lost in mere sense of religious obligations, Zachariah could not experience the total freedom of serving God without fear of what the future holds for faithful workers. Likewise, many believers can be readily busy with religious, secular, and social obligations to God and people in their lives; and yet without the true freedom from fear of what the future holds. The truth is, it is easier fo...

“And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:47-49‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.1.47-49.nkjv The pursuit of a positive change in the lowly or humble state of any man often requires some sacrifices that latter troubles the soul. Besides the sacrifice of physical hard work, discipline and dedication, the road to some kind of blessedness in life is often laid with spiritual restlessness. Therefore, when Mary claimed “And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior”, it speaks of a special transformation from her ‘lowly state’ to a ‘celebrated state’ without any sacrifice of a blessed peace of mind. When a man’s breakthrough and promotion in life, career, and ministry are attached to the manipulation or maneuvering of another man, a vacuum of indebtedness is perpetually opened with a...

“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:45‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.1.45.nkjv One of the amazing takeaway of most high school science students is the introduction of the Newton’s law of sound. The classical interaction of simple sound with its travelling medium, i.e., gas (air), liquid or solid, somehow introduced a sense of distinction on the minds of most proud students in the science class. Meanwhile, the interactions of sound on the minds of people have a more lasting impact on their lifestyle. The mixture of sounds at home and society often foment troubles, depression, and sometimes suicide tendencies, especially when the perception of fellow human intentions are mismanaged. Even when facts are transmitted in sounds, faith in God is the only guaranteed shield from irrational decisions in life. For Mary, the scriptures has it that she believed God even when facts in sound do not hold...