Heralds Digest

  “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” ‭‭I John‬ ‭2:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ One major setback in the line of argument from the critics of the cross is how can someone undertake to pay the supreme price of death for ‘unknown’ people. While the ‘unknown’ narrative is a misunderstanding, the undertaking is truly unreserved. Truly, all was given for all. Unfortunately, even the redeemed from the unreserved undertaking of the Lord often struggle with this lifestyle of love. When the heart is pained or embittered, the mind becomes crowded with subtle recline from the fellowship of love. Yet, just as Christ gave Himself for all at the Cross, He is willing and waiting to give Himself freely through the redeemed at every situation and circumstance. Whereas, believers’ frequent reservations have become the ‘unknown’ clogs in the wheel of Christ’s unreserved undertaking.

  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” ‭‭I John‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ While sincere fellowship with the natural man can reveal the sin of commission, revelation of the sin of omission is not possible without divine connection. Whereas, sincere fellowship with God through His word always reveals the corruption in the heart of man. Even after the assurance of salvation and the inner witness of the Spirit as the redeemed child of God, sincerity of heart and openness to the word of God retain the divine connection through a daily revelation of the truth. Unfortunately, if we say that we have no sin, we buy the deception of the natural man and disown the revelation of the truth through divine connection. Salvation from the sin of commission is obviously not a license to subscribe for the sin of omission. As long as the flesh wears the regalia of the old nature, the heart of man constantly needs the truth in God’s word to retain the divine connectio...

  “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;” ‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Even while standing on the promises of the Lord, the prevailing circumstances in our social, political, or present life are strongly persuasive. Unfortunately, it is difficult for anyone to focus on these present things without getting unsettled emotionally, and with at least little compromise and corruption. Therefore, comes the timely admonition to the beloved, ‘looking forward to these [future] things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless’ . Irrespective of the turbulence in a believer's prevailing circumstances at home, workspaces and social life, there is always an access to peace for minds that are forward focussed. This promise is not accessible to those who must struggle with the forces that take pride in the manipulation of the present things, particularly with unclean hands and filthy hearts...

  “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...