Heralds Digest

“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:39-40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.15.39-40.nkjv   Finding the generalized and acceptable will of God for parties at the verge of division is either here or there. When love in family and fellowship excludes affection for what the parties cherish and accommodate, it will always be painful to find a point of reconciliation. Although it was painful for Barnabas to compromise Paul for John Mark, the company of Paul in the presence of John Mark wouldn’t have been productive. For Paul, the choice of Silas instead of John was a comfortable compromise until time could enabled the resolution of the concern of fruitless exploration, if John is engaged in his missionary journey. It implies that, sometimes, temporary division and separation in fellowship are p...

“However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:34-35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.15.34-35.nkjv   Profitable deliveries in life, career, relationships and ministry start with productive engagements. Howbeit, it is difficult sometimes for a man to depend on his casual intelligence to make the right decision on retainer-ship. Before engaging on the first missionary trip, Paul and Barnabas were separated and discharged from Antioch in order to embark on the mission. Now, they joined Silas to remain in Antioch to continue the mission of teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, because it seemed good to them to accept the Spirit retainer. The moral lesson here is that the right retainer-ship is not driven by economic, social, demographic or security considerations. A life that is driven by the right metrics of worldly standards and not retain...

“it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:25-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.15.25-26.nkjv   It is almost difficult to paint the picture of pain in the heart of any firefighter, who has just lost the soul after being brilliantly pulled out of the fire, without tears. There is always a bond or an automatic connection of souls at every sacrificial expression of love. Little wonders, the apostles and elders in Jerusalem could not miss the language of love in the ministry of Barnabas and Paul...”men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The expression of love in parenting, partnership, pastoring, and presiding over any matter and system in life is not in rhetoric but in risk-taking. Whenever we chose to stand where Jesus stood with the attending risks in all our relationships, we wou...

“‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.’ “Known to God from eternity are all His works.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:16-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.15.16-18.nkjv In the multiplicity of engagements, it is almost impossible for any man to foreclose a misplacement of attention and an exercise in futility. The Apostles and Elders were here noted to have laboured in disputes and in an exchange of passion in the promotion of works against the will of God, until the voice of the Spirit was entertained. God works and we work; but we know that every work outside the scope of God’s works is wrong work. Therefore, it is sufficient for man to pursue just the knowledge of God’s works, if known to God from eternity are all His works. Obviously, working with God i...

“So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.15.3.nkjv   By treatment life and its constituting relationships as a gift on trust, man is likely just to be able to focus on the right perspective in approach. Without a primary focus on who among the two teams on the conflict of theology is right or wrong, a major lesson is learnt from the priority of the team Barnabas and Paul, even on their way to Jerusalem for clarification...”they caused great joy to all the brethren”, as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria. The simple message of the gospel is the causing of joy to the world through our relationship with the people. When the pursuit of right or wrong takes the best part of any relationship, it would be evident to all that the much ado is about personal joy rather than the people’s joy. ...

“Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 14:27 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.14.27.nkjv   Without singleness of purpose on a ship with many licensed sailors, it would be difficult to distinguish a voyage with many side attractions from a voyage with many destinations. Especially when a pirate is on board, the ship can get hijacked from the Captain and get diverted into a completely different destination. When life is considered a ship, it would be possible to see the challenges of riding with singleness of purpose. Side-attractions in marriage, ministry, and the mission of great accomplishments can sometimes take a toll on anyone who started the race with the Lord. Learning from the grace on Paul and Barnabas in their first missionary journey against rude ride, the fact that “they reported all that God had done with them” represents a ...

“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 14:19 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.14.19.nkjv   The incidence of stoning in life is sometimes not the cause of pain, but the serial transition between praise and persecution. In just the previous verse, Barnabas and Paul struggled to stop the people of Lystra from sacrificing to or celebrating them. “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came” to Lystra and the moment of sacrificing unexpectedly changed to stoning. But after they were haunted and hauled to near death by gravel, they were helped and healed to life by grace. Even though the haulage of stones in the paths of progress and prosperity are mostly unexpected, the supply of grace is always abundant for those who wait upon the Lord.