Heralds Digest

“And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.3.5.nkjv Dissimilarity is clearly a perfect reflection of disappointment, disagreement and deterioration in every situation or circumstance at home or in the society. While the problem of dissimilarity of hands in the withered man at the synagogue was externally visible, the problem of dissimilarity of heart with the Pharisees requires spiritual perception. Nevertheless, the same step of faith is required in order to get rid of the problem of dissimilarity in the life of every man. Therefore, for the man with withered hand, Jesus said ‘step forward’; and to those with withered hearts, it was asked ‘Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’. Unfortunately, the hardness in the hear...

“And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:27-28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.2.27-28.nkjv The limit of following the rule of law in life is the junction of making decision on our allegiance either between the law or the Lord. The scribes and the Pharisees are the champions of the possible extreme, where man is created, called and commissioned for the singular purpose of following the due process or the rule of law. While they were silenced in their attempt to demonized Christ’s relationship with sinners and tax collectors, they had in the previous day expressed their frustration with the undeniable authority in the disciples’ ministerial engagement without the ritual of fasting. Now on the Sabbath day, they have a concern about the disciples’ unlawful engagements while following the Lord of the Sabbath. Therefore, Jesus had to clear their doubts and the demon of foll...

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.2.22.nkjv Following the path of progress is sometimes slow and uninviting, especially when a sustainable environment for the progress has not been created. Even in spiritual warfare and walk with the Lord, slow and steady strategy is mostly old-fashioned. For example, many disciples believe in fasting as a labour device for fast-tracking or circumventing due process in heaven transactions. While fast-tracking or fast fasting is resourceful for the production of the mundane things of this world, the making of a man after God’s own heart and for the fulfillment of His purposes requires patience with full fasting experiences. Throughout the three and half years of Christ’s ministry on earth, the scribes and the Pharisees were jealous at the power of...

“When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.2.17.nkjv Either between partners at home or among friends at workplaces, fellowship is nothing more than mutual sharing of time for food, fun, and fruitful engagements. Since the mutuality implies free and unrestricted response to calls, those who no longer respond to calls from Jesus are considered ‘righteous’ and unworthy of fellowship with Him. Matthew the tax collector did not only responded to the call from Jesus, he created the platform for the invitation of his fellow tax collectors to a fellowship with Jesus. And to Jesus, this kind of gathering of between the Saviour and sinners is known as fruitful fellowship. While ordinary fellowship at home, workplaces and at the enlarged socials can readily boast of food and fun; fruitful fellowship is no...

““I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:11-12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.2.11-12.nkjv It is one thing for anyone in life to boast of the possession of properties and privileges. The other and most important of all is the possession of the potential to perform and the right of procession. The paralytic who was carried by four men to Jesus had his own house, but he did not possess the potential to walk through and explore the privileges of a home. Likewise, life’s experiences and exigencies have the capabilities of rendering many with houses homeless, myriads with properties peaceless, and multitude with clothings comfortless. Unfortunately, a struggling man is rendered impotent, paralytic, and unreliable until he can indentify the ability to turn a house into a home, produ...

“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark‬ ‭1:40-41‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.1.40-41.nkjv When constantly confronted with long-standing challenges in life, sometimes it is difficult to affirm the standing will for personal, family and societal breakthrough. Like the leprous effects, certain problems in life restrict human access to the possible source of solution by the nature of the available opportunity for redemption. But instead of giving up, the leper in the days of Jesus explored Him, implored Him, kneeled down to Him, and conversed with Him for divine intervention. More importantly, the impressive attitude of the leper is the sacred respect for the absolute will of Jesus towards his deliverance from leprosy. Above the personal will for freedom from the lon...

“When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:37-38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.1.37-38.nkjv The passion for celebrity is driven by nothing more than the ability to attract the populace to one’s personal engagement, including blog, business, and banners. Therefore, when Jesus became unexcited by the comment “Everyone is looking for You”, it was clear that there is something wrong with popularity-driven passion. At a particular time, Jesus left the popular Capernaum for the purposeful Galilee apparently because he realized the need to align with God’s purpose after one of His regular sessions of quiet time and early morning devotion. Unfortunately, the romance with popularity, celebrity and the fashion of this world will rob anyone of the zeal to pursue the seeking of the kingdom of God and the enlargement of t...