Heralds Digest

  “ Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. ” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/php.3.17.nkjv Leadership position at home, workplace, and in the society of people without commitment to understandable responsibilities is clearly rudderless. Everyone can easily relate to the leaders’ frustration when the supposed followers operate under chaos and confusion. Whereas, inward-looking leaders understand his role as the followers’ forward and remained focus on the need for consistent leadership examples. While detractors were bent on taking advantage of the challenging circumstances among believers in Macedonia to promote confusion, Paul quickly promoted confidence in leadership by examples. It takes enormous level of responsibility for someone to say ‘join in following my example ’. Even while under intense persecution and trials, Paul remained committed to the leadership of Christ and obedient to His promise...

“ Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus .” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:12-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/php.3.12-14.nkjv One of the exciting agenda of the training received in elementary schools teaches kids how to set goals and articulate future ambition. Many successful people in life can attest to the usefulness of this training towards developing the sense of taking responsibility for breakthrough and accomplishment. However, as we grow up, kids are confronted with the challenges of managing personal goals and ambition with the diversity of the goals of other people for their lives. Although these challenges get simplified for t...

  “ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear .” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/php.1.14.nkjv The reason why most of us are skeptics of the game of buying God’s recommendation, mostly in the matters of life, is understandable. God’s goods are often packaged with uncommon wraps. When pain, persecution and peril follow the paths at the centre of God’s will, it is always difficult for many to see beyond the chains, confusions, and the crisis of faith. But seeing beyond the battered wrap of his personal convenience, Paul saw the resulting wrap of confidence to preach the gospel with boldness in the lives of the brethren in the Lord. Even today, God’s wrap delivers different goods to people, depending on the focus of their faith. Those whose faith is absolutely in God, and not necessarily in the packaged goods, are always confident to share the power of the gospel. Unfortunately,...

  “ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/php.1.6.nkjv While it is not right for anyone to underestimate the devices of the Devil, it is equally wrong for believers to disown or ignore the goodness of God in action at anytime. The Devil is undisturbed by believers’ attraction to the slogan ‘God is good, all the time ’, as long as the use of the slogan do not remove their focus on his evil work, wickedness, and the activities of the enemies. Whereas, Paul had to remind the suffering Church in Macedonia that focus on God’s works is more profitable. The riches of God’s grace and the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit are mostly profound in believer’s moments of difficulty, disappointment, and disaster. Therefore, wise children of God would rather ignore the temporary pain in suffering in order to embrace the fellowship with God and the man...

“ always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy ,” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/php.1.4.nkjv Just as human needs in life are insatiable, request for assistance from an abundantly rich source for supply is expected to be inexhaustible. Knowing fully well that God is abundantly rich to supply all our needs, it becomes difficult for anyone to prioritize the order and the coverage for desirable needs in anyone’s personal life. However, when Paul presented the concept of “ always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy ”, anyone would be curious to know what constituted this exhaustive request. Obviously, it was nothing material; but rather more grace to abide in the fellowship of suffering with joy. In every thought of the suffering Church and the similarities of his gracious fellowship in the ministry, believers’ prayer for more grace to live for Christ daily is always the only rich request in life. A request for more grac...

  “... praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/eph.6.18.nkjv The rhetoric for the putting on of the whole armour of God (i.e., the shield of faith, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit) is merely common and circular in a world fully captivated by the perilous influence of social media, liberalism, and wicked manipulation. Unfortunately, these rhetoric have succeeded in inflicting more harm than good through preferences for the practice of religion instead of the preference for relationship, based on righteousness. The knowledge of the things of the Spirit without the practice of His presence is lukewarm, lethargic and loosely evil in the sight of God. Whether we are engaged in the fellowship with members of the family at home, partners in the professional practice at the workplac...

“not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:6-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/eph.6.6-8.nkjv There is no doubt that loving God and the people in our world is the perfect Will of God. The only confusion is the challenge with the difference between knowing the Will of God and practicing the known Will acceptably to both. Whether in regards of family or business partnership, parenting, or professionalism, the pursuit of the will of God with a mind sets on men-pleasing is bound to invite compromises. Notwithstanding, it is the Will of God for believers to serve humanity with sincerity, loyalty and humility. In addressing this real life confusion, the scriptures provide the solemn secret of perfect pleasing as “ doing the will of God fro...