Heralds Digest

“And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:34-35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.5.34-35.nkjv There is no pretence in the fact that fast feasting is preferable to feast fasting. When the feasting experiences of the disciples of Jesus Christ were queried, especially when the disciples of John the Baptist and others undergo periodic fasting, Jesus did not pretend to hide the fact. Fasting is never a labour device to rob God of His treasures; it is a love passage that draws seekers into the presence of God. Invariably, whenever you are confident of no-risk to the abiding presence of God, fast feasting is all the needs of diligent disciples. Unfortunately, believers today are often ignorant of these most gracious complimentary services and the need to feast adequately, especially after the period of oc...

“After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:27-28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.5.27-28.nkjv The irony of a bandwagon following is the continuous swift in the drift without soul satisfaction. Whether in pursuit of friendship, fame, and fun, bandwagon following appears to provide transient happiness only when the wagon is flowing. But at the end of every raid, the soul of man is left to wallow in self-pity, disappointment, and endless search for relief. When Levi encountered the Saviour at one of such moments of desperate search for meaning to the raid of futile following, he didn’t hesitate to leave all (the fruitless friendship, fame, and fun) in order to follow Jesus. Although the call was simply “Follow Me”, grace enabled a reflection on his hopelessness with futile following and the hope of rest with fruitful following. It is always dif...

“And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.5.26.nkjv Strange things in the sight of men are always natural occurrences in the sight of God. For example, that Jesus can forgive sins was strange, compared to His ability to heal the paralytic man. Even today, the manifestation of the power of God in challenging circumstances at home, career, and the body of believers are mostly strange, compared to our unwavering conviction in the grace of God that brought salvation down. Whereas, God often wonder: the saving faith of believers qualify them as beneficiaries of all other heavenly gifts. And why we often wonder at pockets of the manifestation of the power of God in our life’s situations, we always approach the throne of grace without boldness and with absolute embarrassment, in spite of our rights as heirs in the kingdom. Unlike strange visitors, the redeemed ...

“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:12-13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.5.12-13.nkjv It is common for patients to be more concerned about the physician’s touch instead of his time. But when the leper in our text saw Jesus, he appeared to be more concerned about the Saviour’s plight than the problem that has separated him from the comity of friends and family. The problems of this life have a way deluding man of the possibilities of selfless consideration of the plights of people around, especially when it appears no one cares. “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” appears to suggest “just in case this is not the best time for the Lord’s greatest glory, the healing can wait”. In ...

“But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking...When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:5-6, 8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/luk.5.5-6,8.nkjv One of the burdens of responding to a call to full-time ministry is the risk of financial abandonment. When Jesus said to Peter and his friends “Follow Me; and I will make of you fishers of men”, their conception of the call does not foreclose seeking partial financial support from the business of fishing for fishes. After all, following Jesus is expected to be voluntary and free from caring for the basic necessities of life. Unfortunately, many of the volunteer workers in today’s vineyard of the Lord are retrenched from their casual workforce; and not necessarily recruited...

“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...