Heralds Digest

  “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things. ’” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭45:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/isa.45.7.nkjv One of the problems with human response to the experiences of darkness and calamity is not just the asking of wrong question ‘why’. We often do not ask the same question ‘why’ in response to the experiences of light and peace. Therefore, the mind gets burdened with the responsibility of supplying myriads of blame spots, like a chessboard. Although there is no hiding in the fact that human factors, omission and commission do contribute significantly to most of life’s predicament, the sovereign God do accommodate all of human actions and inaction for a purpose. So, the right question at a single stop spot (and not myriad of spots) is ‘what’, and not ‘why’. ‘What are you doing, Lord?’ is always better than ‘Why do you allow that to happen to me?’. Afterall, if man is believed to be part of God’s work in progress, p...

  “And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭30:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/isa.30.20.nkjv Although it is generally agreed that experience is the best teacher, nobody wants adversity as his advisor. Notwithstanding, personal preferences do not always count when life is determined to serve its assigned teachers. However, people often detest adversity in the line of career development, ministerial accomplishments, family responsiveness, corporate discipline, and social relevance. Whereas, promotion always come on the platter of problem solving. Truthfully, there is an abiding advisor in every taste of adversity in life; only that human disposition to adversity always prevents its prosperity. Whenever the Lord say to His people “your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore”, He speaks of grace to always see the abiding...

  “The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just. Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O LORD, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/isa.26.7-8.nkjv The difference between practical uprightness and the theoretical version is the awful waiting for a change. ‘ Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus ’ is only palatable to anyone who have no idea what it means for God to be watching, while a troubled soul is waiting. Yes, God does watch while man waits...because sincere waiting brings absolute confidence in God’s watching. He is more interested in the righteous’ acknowledging the fact that ‘ The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright ’. Unfortunately, waiting for a change of circumstances rather than a change character makes wickedness or insensitivity out of God’s watching. Whereas, God is not moved by His children’s name-calling dispositio...

  “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/isa.6.8.nkjv There is no doubt about the reality of frustration caused by a misconception of an authority’s request and a subordinate’s response. For peaceful coexistence and accommodation at home and in the fellowship of people, a compromise towards the right of both request and response is often desirable. Likewise, fruitful fellowship with God depends on the ability of His children to constantly match ‘I heard...’ with ‘I said...’. Oftentimes, we say perfectly different things from what we heard. Isaiah had been engaged in the business of saying much things about God’s business, relationships, and righteousness prior to his new encounter with the Lord here. Whereas, it has here that he knew how ‘undone’ he was. And when we are equally ‘undone’ or not in the right realm with God, our right responses would...

“Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall; Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The LORD alone will be exalted in that day,” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭ 2:15-17 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/isa.2.15-17.nkjv Throne is not restricted to a traditional palace. It can be attained academically, politically, economically and professionally. But whatever kind of throne it is, throne brings a sense of power, pride, and privileges that must be alien to common man. Unfortunately, almost everyone knows how to aspire for the throne; but very few people know how to step down, when necessary. There are times to crave the worship of people, and there are other times for the heart to worship others in order to keep healthy. And either healthy or unhealthy, the heart of the lofty shall be bowed down and the heart of the haughty shall be brought low in the Lord’s day. Every throne o...

  “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭11:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/114/ecc.11.9-10.nkjv The major challenge of the licence as a free moral agent is the balance of the freedom to enjoy and the fear of examination. Freedom to enjoy without fear of examination creates recklessness. Although recklessness appears enjoyable to irresponsible child, parent, leader, and student at the start, it surely brings shame and disgrace at the end to those who indulge in it. When God says enjoy your licence as a free moral agent responsibly, He expects the conscious understanding that there is no true enjoyment without righteousness. Likewise, fear of examination without freedom to enjoy...

  “He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/ecc.11.4.nkjv The principle of sowing and reaping is naturally a good investment story, until a full disclosure of the level of risk involved is obtained. High risk investors are hard to find, especially when the heart is trained to pay attention to details. Particularly, in a land full of giants in criminality and buoyant in insecurity, people are often careful and reserved to calls for investment of love and expression of generosity.  But then, the scriptures admonished craving for a singlehearted mind: “He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap”. A singlehearted sower must derive pleasure in sowing for the good in the act, irrespective of the open revelation of the risk involved. When the gain attached to the act of sowing is remote, the good in the act of sowing is just sufficient for those...