Heralds Digest

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.26.16.nkjv   While the world is currently ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, curious minds are bothered not just by the search for the solution; but the unwinding of the pure purpose behind the pandemic represents the same level of concern. Unfortunately, it is more easier for human’s passion and emotion to be manipulated in relationships without seeing the clarity of purpose. And many often cry foul at home, workplaces and the society, after a long relationship that is shrouded with hidden agenda or betrayal due to remotely-conceived intention. Like Apostle Paul had the privilege of an encounter with Jesus and a revelation of pure purpose behind his newly-found commission, finding the pure purpose behind believers’ self-...

“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.26.6-7.nkjv When serious commitments are evident to past promises, there is hope that future promises will be kept. Hope in these days of pandemic is desirable by all, bringing peace and comfort from the world of panic and pandemonium. Unfortunately, there are myriad of religions with limited offers in terms of a genuine promise of peace. Even in stocks, chains and bonds, Paul had peace for today and hope for tomorrow. Whereas, the Jews, chief priests and elders had a religion filled with promises without the relationship that guarantees peace and hope. Meanwhile, there is always peace with the Giver of life, especially in times of trouble. Even today, it is only helpless hope that losses the c...

“I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭25:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.25.26.nkjv   Although the organized corporate world has a system of objective assessment for career progression, many systems struggle to deliver a truly acclaimed free and fair examination. And like the examination of Paul before king Agrippa, most appraisals of fellow human’s ability and competency in our everyday affairs are largely determined by activities and inter-relationships prior to a set day of examination. But unlike man, God examines the intentions in man’s heart rather than the actions in man’s hands. Let the whole world proceed in fairness with its extemporary examination of man’s actions and inaction, the intention behind life’s disposition at home, workplaces and in the general society ...

“But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭25:9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.25.9.nkjv   In today’s day of social distancing, even favour from the most trusted allies, partner, and associates are treated with suspicion. Actually, we  merely have an unprecedented moment of exposing the innate characteristics and the derivative of seeking true help from mortal man. For example, in governance and the provincial politics of Caesarea, the newly appointed Governor Festus apparently needed the solidarity and support of the Jews in Jerusalem in order to prove competence and control in leadership. While the politics of favour that embrace the association with men is not bad, the version of such politics that encourages the alienation of God is the problem. Even with the favour that comes from God (position, prosperity, personality, etc), man...

“Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭24:25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.24.25.nkjv   One of the things smart people do is the placing of the indices of time on the incidents of the truth. As long as time enables the smart manipulation of any system for the prospect of personal advantage, absolute truth in life is mostly devalued. Even when Felix trembled and fret at the truth about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, he procrastinated his decision for the prospect of commercializing his privilege and position. The whole wide world has never experienced such scale of winding down on the indices of time like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And while the world rushes into panic mode, believers are expected to raise up the banner of the treasured truth; instead of mourning the unfortunate devalue of th...

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets...This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭24:14, 16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.24.14,16.nkjv If there is anything so clear about the accusers of Paul, it is the fact that they also claim to worship God, the undisputed Father of the Jewish’s forefathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. Then, what is the cause of the disparity in the strive between them and Paul? Human commitments to social strive in life have always looked after the cordial coexistence, interdependence and interrelationships among people within a system (family, institution, society, and nations). While good intention with these commitments has a good record of resolving crisis, it is easier to step outside the bound of c...

“For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes...And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭24:5, 9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/act.24.5,9.nkjv In our wicked world of deceit and power struggle, the enemies of peace are often the loudest propaganda of the gospel of peace. They are much skillful to invade the privacy of any system with their peace and prosperity offerings, wrapped with a time-bomb of disagreement, dissociation and disaster. For the team comprising the high priest and elders from Jerusalem, who came to Caesarea in order to accuse Paul before Governor Felix, politics or praise of peace was leveraged to invade the system with plague. And as long as the rhetoric of peace is attractive in any home, work and societal system, the enemy of peace will continue to thrive with plague offering, after the injection of chaotic and panic mod...