Heralds Digest

“And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” ‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭20:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/2ch.20.15.nkjv Conflict management and challenges at home, workplaces and the society or institutions are not child’s play. Especially when the arsenal of confrontations in life are notably higher in stakes than anyone’s available resources, fear and anxiety shutdown the possible deployment of any system’s strategy. Jehoshaphat was found in such emotional mess until he found the secret of success and breakthrough in all of life’s battles. God’s glory ain’t man’s mess! When we are faced with challenges in life, family, career and ministry, fear and anxiety are natural reflexes because we take the mess personal. Whereas, the moment Jehoshaphat took the mess against God’s glory into the presence of...

“then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.” ‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭6:30-31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/2ch.6.30-31.nkjv   Like a harbour for the ship and hangar for an aircraft, the engine of life needs a maintenance altar for inevitable resuscitations. A friendly fellowship between the heart of man and his Creator started at the Garden of Eden until the harbour was aborted by sin and disobedience. When Solomon dedicated the new temple in Jerusalem, it was a call for prayer to reopen a National Heart Harbour for Israel. Unfortunately, sin and disobedience have equally succeeded in terminating the idea of a permanent place of refuge from the storms of life. Even today, running away from the harbour is an irresistible habit of the heart o...

“The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!...“ He is the tower of salvation to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.”” ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭ 22:47 , 51‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/2sa.22.47,51.nkjv   The zealousness of wickedness from the enemies in our world often create questions in the heart of the upright. Broken hearts will readily doubt the existence of God, sometimes silently with “Why?”. Had it and felt it, the Psalmist shows the righteous that the Lord lives, even while our load lasts. When our backs are laid against the wall and it seems there is no way out of the troubles of life, the Lord lives. Oftentimes, the virus against life threatens the peace in relationships with disturbing sets of false evidences; and God mostly appeared dead. At another time, it is the shooting of arrows against the faithfulness and uprightness of the righteous, and God mostly appeared indifferent. Wh...

“So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.” ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭ 8:15 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/2sa.8.15.nkjv   Perfect administration of judgment and justice in any nation and people depend on the appointment of the right Judge. Although King David had been anointed many years earlier, his appointment as the right Judge in Israel took many years of wilderness and training. Despite the injustice suffered in the hands of Saul and the wrong judgment received from the likes of Absaloam and Ahithophel, David eventually learned from God the administration of judgment and justice to all his people. Unfortunately, the path is not an easy one for anyone who is willing to pull the string with the system. Whereas, David endured the injustice and wrong judgment in order to keep his focus on the true Judge - God. Painfully, judgment and justice with the people is absolutely impossible without the virtue of patience in  judgm...

“Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭ 12:24 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/1sa.12.24.nkjv   Respect, the people say, is reciprocal. But when there is doubt in the virtue of respect in any relationship, there is bound to be unfaithfulness. Israel has just opted for monarchy in replacement of theocracy because of her vote of no confidence on the prospects of theocracy, especially when many surrounding nations seem to be getting more dividends from their system of government. Obviously, respect waned within with increasing appreciation of greener pasture outside the fence of any relationship. As long as fellowship is driven by tangible appreciation of taste instead of the transparent affection to the truth, respect will always remain a commodity to be purchased by the highest bidder.  Therefore, the LORD had to warn Israel against the risk of dwelling in unfaithfulness: “Only ...

“Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭ 1:11 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/1sa.1.11.nkjv   Man’s common concept of gifts from God is God’s release and man’s receipt. Similar to childish disposition, Man’s release of gifts received from God usually requires enormous persuasion. However, Hannah underwent an unusual bargain with God in order to have her womb opened by God: She promised to give Samuel back to God, if God ever considered her prayer for a release of the gift. And She painfully fulfilled her promise to God. Unfortunately, many of such promises are made by desperate people at the crossroads of life, but went unfulfilled. Actually, all of God’s gifts (children, wealth, talents, career, et...

“So he said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What ails you?’ ”” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭18:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/jdg.18.24.nkjv The long wait for a reliable cure for COVID-19 or any disease on pandemic scale can be frustrating. But as long as the search is attracting consistent investment of time and earthly resources, there is hope for solution in the end. Unfortunately, the search for medicine for the soul do not always enjoy the same level of comfort and hope, without the help of the true God. Like Micah, the people of Dan and the isolated men of Laish, man engages in the business of life by searching for god in his man-made privacy, prosperity, and peace. And the man-made privacy, prosperity, and peace are always unsecured and unreliable. Since they are destructible and degradable, the ailment resulting from their inevitable loss is awful. When Micah expressed his awful predic...