Heralds Digest

“But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.6.4.nkjv Functional relationships thrive on the wheel of members’ capabilities rather than familiarity. But oftentimes, familiarity appears to take the better part in fellowship than functionality. When Jesus returned to His native country Nazareth after an outstanding show of God’s power to preach, teach, heal, and deliver the people, the familiarity of the people with His upbringing became a liability rather than asset to a fruitful fellowship. Likewise, relationship with people in our lives (e.g. parents, children, husband, wife, friends, etc) can be easily abused at the detriment of the prospect of an astounding functionality, when the mind is not relieved of the burden of familiarity. Whereas, everyone is called into a relationship for a definite purpose; therefore, the true honour of those who ...

“And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭5:34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.5.34.nkjv The prospect of a miraculous encounter for the daughter of Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood, considering the several negative turnouts of their previous and prevailing efforts, teaches the wholesome benefits of possessing an inner-probing, but forward-looking faith. Looking forward to a boost of faith from without, in the face of countless discouragement from promising-partners in life, can sometimes be counter-productivity. Even Jesus could not encourage or make do with the following of multitude when the task of raising the daughter of Jairus became complicated with news of her death. Only forward-looking faith can say “I shall be made well” when prevailing efforts are turning out worse results; or will keep following Jesus when the hope of healing suddenly turned out as the loss of life. There is ...

“However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭5:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.5.19.nkjv The first time the demon-possessed man saw Jesus and approached him with a proposed presentation of worship, the camouflaged legion of demon within him was immediately exposed and expelled. Whereas, being free from the legion, Jesus still did not permit the man to misinterpret the true heart of worship as simply staying with Jesus in idleness: “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you...”, He commanded. It implies that the shackle that the enemy laid on all his captives are designed to hinder them from the true worship of the living God. And when the heart is dominated by wickedness and satanic manipulation, the head is released to offer worthless and unacceptable worship to ‘the unknown God’. But true an...

“But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.4.38.nkjv The calm action of Jesus in the midst of windstorm and waves on the carriage sea is here mistreated as carelessness by the disciples “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”. Frankly, it is difficult to find alternative action to the concern of the disciples, given that Jesus did not appear to see anything strange in the blowing of wind and wave, especially when disciples are at the centre of God’s will. While wind and wave today are harvested as energy resources for great productivity, they can also be the engine behind great destruction and natural disasters. Whereas, when Jesus said “Peace, be still”, He reveals that the power to control the wind and wave in life is resident in the heart of faith. Faith asks the right question “Master, how do we handle this situation which app...

“But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.4.34.nkjv The best of inspirational preachers today can hardly do better than preaching in parables in order to appreciably attract the attention of the listening audience. Sermons delivered in familiar languages and illustrated with popular routines like sporting activities, weight loss, weather, etc are often the necessary recipes for attentiveness. But when true disciples find a glorious time to be alone with God, the windows of heaven are always opened for the much more detailed and gracious gist. Unfortunately, the pursuit of the gilded gifts from career progression, high standard of living, occupational security, and the exigencies of life always leave little or no time for the gracious gist with the Lord. Whereas, just a little quiet time with the Giver of life for the gracious gist do explains all things ne...

“Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:30-32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.4.30-32.nkjv The parable of the mustard seed teaches that little is much when God is relevant in the planning and implementation. When the scriptures say that though your beginning may be small, it is understood that choices of career, partnership, residency, and projects based on econometric gauges could be misleading. It was emphatic that the latter end of pursuing the perfect will of God is always gracious and glorious. Unfortunately, the pursuit of earthly gains brings riches without righteousness, prosperity without peace, and outward comfort without inner contentmen...

“For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:28-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.4.28-29.nkjv Just as no farmer or sower can explain how scattered seeds on the ground are turned into full ripened grains in the head of crops, transformation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light by faith is beyond the understanding of man. Notwithstanding, the change and the appearance of the glory of God in a life once dead into sin, destroyed by sickness, and detained by Satan are always unexplainable and indescribable. Yet, faith is the simple requirement from anyone who desires transformation from corruption into righteousness. Without faith, the seed (or the word of God) simply falls on unfruitful grounds (the hearts of men) and produced nothing good and glorious. Therefore, gracious grains are produce...