Heralds Digest

  “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” ‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3:8-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ In the human economy, rewards have a significant time value which must be respected by all parties in any business enterprise. This economy makes the time value of promises to be taken seriously by all. But after a believer has done the will of God and probably held onto His promises with apparent violation of this time value, he often get discouraged and more likely to accuse God for slackness. Whereas in God’s economy, promises operate on a grace gauge rather than with time value. God’s dealing with all of His children does not focus on individuals and the isolated treatment of promises. Even after the limit of a human's time value, whatever grace ...

  “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”” ‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3:3-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without faith in God, facts and figures have often become the only parameters for human actions and inaction. Even today, scoffers opinions are stronger than scriptural understanding. And the devil’s game in the life and affairs of believers remains ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’. Unfortunately, no one can stand or hold unto God’s promises in the face of the world’s evidence or scoffers’ expression, without faith in God. As we now live, work, fellowship and play with scoffers, believers need a daily supply of grace to hold unto his scriptural conviction. While scoffers’ speeches are always the loudest and the clearest of breaking news, only the word of God holds the everlasting promises of the Cre...

  “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ One of the beauties of leaving for the pursuit of God’s glory in career, marriage, ministry, business, and social life is the grace to face the consequences without shame. Apart from leaving with the disappointment of negative consequences, the shame on every flashback on the pursuit of self-will is always self-defeating. Whereas, true and obedient Christian do not follow the dictates of his flesh in arriving at life’s decision. And whenever these decisions are faced with strange suffering, he gets the relief of acquitting self from shame. As long as self is not to be blamed for the turnout of life’s engagements, the season of shame is always a game. After all, the evidence of God’s glory in a believer’s life is inaccessible with human intelligence. And while the world may appear to be counting the laurels of smartness and the dividends in the pursuit ...

  “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Gifted stewards in civil service and the general human engagements can aspire to be decorated masters, albeit with a reliable system of performance assessment and job appreciation. The only drawback is the temptation for intoxicated steward to run his services as master, even while awaiting promotion or decoration. Therefore, gifted stewards are called to be good stewards in order to retain focus on services, rather than the gifts. In kingdom business, steadfast stewards focus on the manifold grace of God for service delivery. In fact, the desire for promotion or service recognition is alwa...

  “Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭3:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Peace-loving in all relationships of life is simple and straightforward, if the dynamics of peace-making is completely controlled by the peace-lovers. No matter the personal desire for peace, the dynamics of peace at home, workplaces and the society are all influenced by a blend of the good and evil intentions, emotions, manifestation, and manipulation. For example, a peace-loving husband and father must do more than defining and desiring peace at home. He must be prepared to pursue peace in the midst of the worst disposition of his wife and children. Turning away from whatever seems evil to a peace-lover is always easy. Whereas, candidates for peaceful pursuits must learn how to understand the definition of evil in the eyes of others; and the pursuit of others’ concept of good, as much as possible for self and pleasing to God.

  “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:21-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ While sinful suffering understandably serves repudiation, it is always hard for anyone to accept the ministry of sinless suffering in the pursuit of righteousness. But by following the example of Jesus Christ, we know that sinless suffering enables gracious separation from the demand of the flesh; and it consolidates the virtues that depict godliness. Although the agents of sinless suffering in believer’s life are not commendable for their acts of wickedness, they create the atmosphere where Christ is lifted up for the world to behold His glory. Christ can no longer be lifted up on the cross of Calvary, being already risen from the dead. He is constantly being lifted up in believer’s absolute submission to sinless suffering, imposed through persecution, unjust denials of...

  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Praises for physical and material prosperity, financial breakthrough, family and business enlargement, and career progression or promotion are comely. Unfortunately, these give-and-take praises embrace the needs of the body at the expense of the needs of the soul. But when the scriptures presents a different type of praise from peculiar people, it becomes obvious that these self-promoted praises are not peculiar. Peculiar praise singles out God alone for His redemption plan and the deliverance of His own special people from darkness into the marvellous light. Even when we cannot see a personal reason for praise in our moment of pain, persecution, and p...