Heralds Digest

  “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.”Psalms‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Testimonies that are based on worldly achievements, material possessions, and pleasant opportunities are sweet but short lived. In night seasons of life, hearts that are filled with these seasonal testimonies struggle with mood swings and disappointment. But having found a solid surety in God, the Psalmist’s heart experienced a continuous gladness and a sustained expression of joy. Even in a state of abject poverty, physical weakness, and material deprivation, the heart whose trust is absolutely in God does rest in hope. Sincerely, it is always good that the heart is regularly subjected to the divine integrity test, where the basis of its joy and happiness can be ascertained. If the heart of man can truly rejoice in the gory situation of life, there will be no doubt that it has found a solid surety in God, and not just in sweet but shifting sands.

  “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Although the saying is always true that ‘if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for everything’ , the sustainability of all stands depend on the strength of the something under focus. Like with the experience of the psalmist, those who are familiar with the travesty in the night seasons of life understand the failure of standing for something else other than God. The night seasons of life are capable of displacing solid convictions, destabilizing stable careers, and destroying steadfast consecration. But when David said ‘ I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel ’, he underscored the benefits of a fixed focus on the Lord - the Counsellor, rather than buying a fragile focus on a desirable counsel, convenience  or comfort. While aiming for the star in...

  “But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Lyrics through the head knowledge of God’s manifestation in the affairs of the people are not difficult to sing loudly. Besides a self-proclaimed testimony, people can clearly observe the manifestation of God’s glory in the testifier’s affairs, career, home, and relationships. The problem though is that these manifestations may not be deep and can be negatively influenced by human manipulation. Deep manifestation of God’s faithfulness operates from the heart and not just the head. Even when the head of the psalmist has openly complained about its challenges and disappointment, the heart could still rejoice in God’s salvation. The grace of God that brings salvation to the heart of man is the basis of the bountiful praise and worship from a thoughtful heart. Therefore, a sound song from the head is just a lousy t...

  “The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The major difference between waiting on God and hanging out with friends is simply physical. Faith in God’s abiding presence, sustainable manifestation, and future performances is foundational; it often determines how long a believer can handle the pressure to shift ground. Particularly, when the upright in heart are surrounded by the wicked activities of the froward in hearts, the silent questions are easily summarized as ‘Where is God? ’.  No matter how predominant the challenges of life and how fierce the influence of the opposition, the Lord constantly remains in His holy temple. Waiting on God is not only the right thing; it is always the wise thing to do. His eyes has never and will never miss the minuted details about the plights of those who put their trust in Him.

  “Have mercy on me, O Lord! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation.” Psalms‬ ‭9:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The major difference in the basis of God’s relationship with man, compared to the human standard, is His choice of mercy over merit. Merit is good and greatly useful in the building of a fair and righteous system. But without a deliberate interest in the accommodation of people’s shortcomings, some privileged people’s merit might can be used to unleash hatred, and even a deliberate destruction of the system integrity. Therefore, the psalmist cried out unto the Lord for mercy and not merit. And like David and others who have sought the Lord, even when we screwed up, those who trust the Lord can be sure about His salvation; while the gates of mercy are still open wide. Surely, our troubles and captivity in the hands of the enemy cannot p...

  “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Thieves do not just invade a property without an insider report of the target valuables. And without proper surveillance and adequate security system, just a single invasion can forfeit all of man’s physical and material possessions. The scriptures say that spiritual invasion is always aimed at something greater than human-replaceable properties: the soul of man. Although all of man’s earthly pursuits may come in the way of the target invasion by the enemy of our souls, the enemy and the avenger of the soul of man is always concerned about the glory of God. The moment the soul is redeemed from the captivity of sin, he receives grace to begin to pursue the glory of God in all of life’s engagements. Unfortunately, the moment the soul gets invaded by the enemies (earthly glories, pride, and accomplishments), the ...

  “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Peace in a serene environment is normal and expected; but a significant attention or interest is created when traumatized experiences of life are managed peacefully. Naturally, troubled hearts always find someone to blame for their predicament; and God is not often spared in the blame game. Whereas, the relationship between God and a righteous heart is expected to be rooted in the evidence of God’s righteousness; and not based on His right-giftedness. And when the psalmist elect the praise of the Lord based on God’s righteousness, he recommended the heavenly commendation in peaceful praise. Even when it appears God allowed the transient triumph of wickedness over righteousness from the wicked, absolute confidence in God enables a righteous heart to trust in the later triumph of righteousness over wickedness. Therefore, a peaceful praise do not ...