Heralds Digest

“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 19:11-12 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.19.11-12.nkjv   Even when it is a common knowledge that good and functional system at home, workplaces, and in the larger society takes a lot of rugged reforms, it is always difficult to find volunteers on the rough runs. For the likes of unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, it takes an absolute surrendering to the will and ways of God with reasonable and unreasonable persecution from friends and fiends. Whereas, the path adopted by the seven sons of sceva is the most fashionable to tourists in the corridor of faith. There will always be great expectations for perfect system, good children, presentable partners, clean society, etc. However, good realization of our great expectations in life requires sacrificial volunteers ...

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭19:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.19.1-2.nkjv   The fact that fruitfulness and faithfulness sometimes does appear non-correlated represents a sufficient source of frustration in ministry. However, the Master never at any time encouraged the engagement of disciples on the field, without the primary tool of Evangelism - i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Whereas, the working of the field in Ephesus by the twelve disciples, prior to the arrival of Paul, had been without partnership with the Holy Spirit. And by the acts of Paul towards the spirit-baptism of these disciples, the pullout of the evangelical training school from the synagogue, and the practical outreac...

“This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John...for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 18:25 , 28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.18.25,28.nkjv   One of the challenges of ministry in our fast-changing world is finding the equilibrium between the dynamics of faith and the delivery of facts. While the focus of the latter is on what is known in the flesh, the emphasis of the former is on who is known in the Spirit. Meanwhile, the scriptures declare that the letter kills but only the spirit gives life. Even with the limited knowledge of Apollos, he ‘taught accurately the things of the Lord’ because his emphasis in all said and done remains undeviated from Jesus Christ. Leveraging on extra-Scriptural references and illustrations in ministry can be very attractive sometimes; ...

“When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 18:20-21 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.18.20-21.nkjv   The concept of approving a proposed agenda before embarking on its implementation is common to man; and it represents respect for a constituted authority. And with the fact that “man proposes; but God disposes”, man is called to accept the supremacy of divine authority over every of life’s agenda. Although Paul tagged the prospect of his visiting Ephesus again with “God willing”, because divine approval of it was uncertain; he was uncompromisingly sure of the divine appointment in Jerusalem, irrespective of the danger involved. Unfortunately today, security consideration in residency, career placement, or project management influences all appointments in the affairs of ...

“Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭18:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.18.9-10.nkjv   It is often true that the only way to confirm fruitful engagements in life is through the persistent appearance of intimidation from people. And by taking the acts of intimidation personal, the first battle against the extension of the evil agenda is lost. But through the experience of Paul in Corinth, we know that insightful intimidation from people is mostly an inspired invitation from God. When the enemy intend to enslave the mind with fear through intimidation, the scriptures alway want believers to understand that they are rather invited to focus on a bigger picture. For example, Brother Sosthenes would have been lost by Paul, if he had taken the insightful intimidation from the people (apparently spe...

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 17:30 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.17.30.nkjv     The major challenge with all religious observances is the establishment of a fruitful relationship with the invisible God. Besides the demand for faith in order to clear all doubts, intimate relationship with God requires a sincere letting down of the intentional garb of ignorance against the omnipotence in the Creator of heaven and earth. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul on the Areopagus had to draw the attention of the Athenians to the fact that it takes an insightful creation of philosophy in the mind of any Atheist, freethinker, and religious fanatic to wear off the confronting conviction about the existence of the true God and His righteousness. Even those who struggle with the call to holiness and righteousness as free gifts arising from believers’ relationship with God need a religious cove...

“For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭ 17:21 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.17.21.nkjv   Unlike the Berea-minded believers, the Athenians have interest only in the knowledge of every new thing but a passive disposition to the potency of anything. Having the knowledge of God but denying the power of His influence in life makes a perfect description of the Athenian philosophers. Whereas, the holy scriptures present the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation for all who are willing to go beyond the head knowledge disposition. There is the power to save, heal and deliver anyone from the bondage of darkness, if faith enables the turning of passive philosophies into active anticipation of the power of the Cross.