Heralds Digest

“And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭ 18:13-14 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/gen.18.13-14.nkjv   Like almost all of God’s children, the problem of Sarah with the Lord’s promise of child-bearing is not really about “anything” but truly about “anytime”. She most probably would prefer the question “Is anytime too hard for the LORD?”. God is sincerely not able or probably not willing to give out his promise “anytime”. And for those who wait upon the Lord for the fulfillment of His promises, knowing the appointed time of visitation for every issue in life appears the crux of believers’ relationships with God. Unfortunately, many other believers do readily fail in the waiting room of their time testing, not comfortable with the idea of the time of life. It im...

“And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/gen.15.6.nkjv     Spousal relationship and problems with child-bearing constitute the major source of instability in families. Similar contributors include financial challenges and emotional dissatisfaction. Even when couples appear to exhibit great understanding and encouraging maturity, the influences of third parties and uninvited sympathizers can wear out the sense of fragile peace in relationships among concerned parties. Faced with similar challenges, Abram approached God with his concerns (an apparent compilation of fearful submissions from third parties) for explanation. God responded with the promise of provision and the comfort of a covenant, and Abram believed in what the LORD promised and not what He has done. How are we sure about this? Apart from the evidence of scriptural authority, the improved spousal relationship between Abram ...

“...the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose...But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:2, 8-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/gen.6.2,8-9.nkjv   In today’s online world, peer pressure is redefined and influenced not just by face-to-face interactions; but now faster and closer by digital or destructive social networking. Notwithstanding, like in antediluvian age, marriage relationships are still influenced by human attraction to beauty, wealth, and fame, rather than taking reference to the way and will of God. While social and career relationships are purely driven by human interest in position, pride, and prosperity. Unfortunately, these influences are now made more easily subscribed with smart access to portable devices or phones. But while the previous age attracted th...

“So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/gen.4.6-7.nkjv   Even as the fallen seed of the depravity of sin, the visitation of God to warn Cain against the dominance of evil shows the supremacy of human wilfulness in controlling his wellness. Wrongfulness is not really the problem of the sinful man: his depravity is inherited. The bane of the deprived heart is the wilfulness to ignore all possible warnings against the future doom and the consequences of sin. Although Cain was in sin and had even already sinned, God still warned him against the wilfulness to commit himself into honouring the future invitation to sin: “And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it”. Truly, no deprived...

“And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good...Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭ 1:25 , 31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/gen.1.25,31.nkjv   The foundation of creativity in life, family, career and fellowship is God. He is the predominant reference at the beginning of Creation; and without Him, everything would have been void. And, in reference to God, creativity is progressive. God saw His work at end of the fifth day and said that “it was good”. However, when He saw His work at the end of the sixth day, He said that “it was indeed very good”. And this progressive creativity got passed on to Adam and the expression of the work of his hands, until his eyes “were opened” to evil and disobedience by an intruder. When the scriptures say the l...

“My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O LORD —how long?...I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭6:3, 6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.6.3,6.nkjv   The global statistics for depression indicates a very common mental disorder for all ages, except for toddlers. It implies that the attention for depression is more important than the expression of the problem. Unfortunately, when all efforts at seeking primary help from wrong sources failed, the victims of depression often opt for the worse. However, the Psalmist provides the great relief in the expression of an overwhelmed heart before the right burden Bearer - God. In His presence, there is nothing wrong with the expression of weariness, groaning, and weeping in a pool of bed swim tears. It is only heart-breaking when we express these emotions publicly before men; and then complain privately before God. When we learn how to focus on the right burden Be...

  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” ‭‭I John‬ ‭ 3:21-22 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/1jn.3.21-22.nkjv   In agreement with an unforgettable high school introduction to economics, the reality of life and the desires for career, professional and family accomplishments have been truly consistent with the theory of insatiable needs of man. Everything is desirable in life, but the non-realization of all of man’s desires has always been the cause of judicial segregation, racial discrimination, social reclassification, political manipulation, etc. Even at home and in small family settings where mutual fellowship is expected, diversity is often treated with disrespect. Whereas, the scriptures here and everywhere affirm that in God’s economy, human needs are satiable. “And whatever we ask we receive from Hi...