Heralds Digest

“So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them...And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:39, 42-43‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.4.39,42-43.nkjv As demonstrated by the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, the whole essence of life at every moment in time is a unique service to humanity. While it may at times be as little as hospitality service to visitors at home as exemplified by the mother-in-Law of Peter, the prince of this world (the devil) has designed a stylish crippling system to discourage, dissuade, and divert man away from fulfilling his primary purpose in life. It is instructive to note that though sickness could not attempt to stop Jesus himself from pursuing the divine agenda, the selfish crowd made a frantic effort agains...

“Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:33-35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.4.33-35.nkjv Arguments on jurisdiction are nontrivial tools for delay or denial of justice in any court of justice. Likewise in most home affairs, workplace relationships, and social engagements, progress and prosperity are screened by futile deliberations with this demon-inspired segregation strategy. When the unclean demon was confronted with the truth personified, he appealed to the demonic sense of jurisdiction by the query “Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”. Unfortunatel...

“He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.4.23-24.nkjv There is no doubt that the movement and the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry were inspired by the Spirit. After the opening of miracles in Capernaum based on the simple response of the people to “Whatsoever He says unto you, do it”, the prospects of being one of the beneficiaries of the move of Spirit was rejected in Nazareth on their familiarity with Jesus “Is not this Joseph’s son?”. Instead of being a recipient of the freedom through the Spirit, the people of Nazareth became the recipients of the freeze in the move of the Spirit. Whereas, even when man restricts the physical move of the body and their emotions, miracles and the move of the Spirit...

“Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.4.13.nkjv The experience of Jesus Christ with the devil, especially when He was under the influence of the Holy Spirit, instructs everyone that temptation works more by interference rather than by inspiration. Had there been contentment where the devil wait for anyone to willingly sellout for satanic inspiration, the kingdom of darkness would have been fully decimated by divine interference and the inspiration by the Spirit of the Lord. Whereas, Jesus’ fellowship in the Spirit was interrupted by an urgent need to respond to the body’s need of food, frenzy, and fame. It implies that, believers need not wait for temptation with food at the restaurant; frenzy at the casino; and fame on a dedicated day for worldly contest. Every opportunity to trample on the need of the soul at the expense of the need of the body is a temptation time. Unfortuna...

“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli...the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:23, 38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.3.23,38.nkjv The revelation of the sonship of Jesus through the book of genealogy or as descendant from God has often undermined the desirable faith in His divinity. While the ‘as was supposed’ understanding provides the historical perspective of the sonship, the wholesome revelation of the scriptures for all humanity is the understanding of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Unlike the understanding of the carnal sonship, the sonship of Jesus Christ speaks of the power of God to save humanity from the bondage of sin and death; the power to adopt all lost souls into the family of God both here and through all eternity; and the power to keep all His righteous children away from the encroachment of the devil and the power of darkness. Those w...

“So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.3.10-11.nkjv One of the ills of a free state that communism had attempted to heal is the concept of greed in man. Naturally, man wants to take advantage of opportunities, privileges, and resources at the expense of other’s welfare. And since the society appears to celebrate smartness in the art of exploitation, the heart of man prefer the ‘to get’ rush rather than the ‘to give’ reward. Therefore, the central message in the call to repentance from John the Baptist for those who sincerely want to respond to the demand of social relevance is “let him give to him who has none”. The love of God is built on the gift of life to everyone whose life has been caught short by sin and death. Anyone who can give his better toys of the material things to ot...

“And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.3.6.nkjv Anyone who has ever experienced the taste of frustration in an effort to encourage a positive change in the life of people within his sphere of influence would always wonder how John the Baptist mean by “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God”. The beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist had witnessed significant self-preparation in the wilderness: every valley filled; every mountain levelled; and crooked paths straightened, in order to prepare the way of the Lord. It implies that it was the way to the heart of John that was first straightened ahead the people’s ability to see the salvation of God. If people cannot see the salvation of God in what we do freely, they can hardly see the salvation of God in what we say carefully.