Heralds Digest

  “It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The conception of the idiom ‘sleep like a baby’ must have been embraced through the acknowledgment of the privileged freedom of babies from worry and anxiety. But as we grow older, a thoughtful mind becomes overwhelmed with his sense of responsibility in life…to self, to the people within one’s primary sphere of influence, and ultimately to the world. Notwithstanding, God has designed sleep for the psychological management of insanity, and all variants of worry and anxiety in every man. Besides, many new dreams and innovative ideas are brought to life when man has a good and refreshing sleep; rather than literally forcing the hypertensive body to go to sleep through the use of pills, or the different forms of sleep enhancers. Even when God would bring Eve out of Adam, He made Adam go to sleep. Unfortunately, when we forget God, we excha...

  “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭122:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without the privileges of frequent transition from pressure to pleasure, life’s engagements at home, workplace, and the society are bound to be boring, depressing, and sometimes suicidal. ‘ All works and no play ’ syndrome forces the carefree souls to clubhouses and joints where they are mostly targeted for unnecessary destructive plan of the wicked. Whereas, the scriptures declare that in the presence of the Lord is the fullness of joy and unending pleasures. For those who have found peace and reconciliation from the bondage of sin, there is always joy and gladness at every opportunity to take a break from the performance pressure of life’s engagements into the prevailing pleasures in God’s presence. And whenever there is no gladness at every call into the presence of the Lord, there is every evidence that the soul has fallen from grace.

  “Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:165‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Everyone knows that life without law is a jungle and unattractive. Therefore, systems  are created to be governed by laws for access to peace and sanity. Unfortunately, it takes just a lawless person in any system to create a chaotic environment for the population of law-abiding people. And since lawlessness procreate faster than lawfulness, even righteous people are not secured by their moral standards. The only hideout from lawlessness in life is the pursuit of the law of God. Even in the midst of uncontrollable storms, the entrance of the Lord’s law gives light and peace in the heart. And when the psalmist said nothing causes those who delight in the Lord’s law to stumble, he actually attested to the great satisfaction and peace in a law-abiding and godly heart.

  “I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.” Psalms‬ ‭119:125‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ It is common knowledge that the pursuit of most training curricula is driven by the manifestation of personal prosperity, financial freedom, and remarkable recognition. The acceptable concept of training is the offer of opportunity for transformation from being a servant to the attainment of the position of a master. Unfortunately, these carnal training and exposures in life have done more havoc than good to the original purpose of God for many promising prospects in the kingdom. Whenever a change in status finds its way into the head, the head loses its honourable control of the body system. Whereas, in God’s training school, the focus of all trainees is not a change of status; but rather the consistent improvements in enlightenment and understanding. In every situation and status, there is always something to learn more from God; in order to advance in the fulfillment of His ...

  “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:105‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The words of principal at the workplace, partner at home, and principalities in the society are mostly remarkable. Career progression, family peace, and societal prosperity are known to be either woven or wasted by their counsels, depending on the personal interests of these external influences. Little wonder why many concerned personalities, like the psalmist, are drawn to a neutral Source of light and inspiration. When the scriptures say, referring to the Ancient of days, that ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path’ , it reveals the absence of self-interest in all the revelations from the throne of grace. While the counsels from almost all external influences in everyone’s life are laden with selfish coloration or a self-lubricant to their personal agenda, the rhema from the Lord is always righteous and a lamp only to the feet of its recipients. Oh for a heart to truly trust in ...

  “Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works. My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:27-28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ There is no private interpretation needed for visible manifestation of divine intervention in believers’ works, careers, families, etc. With clarity of word construction, everyone can attest to the testimonies of divine provision, promotion, protection, and preservation. But for divine guidance along uncharted and unattractive territories of life, not many people are so clear of what God is doing, even when the steps taken are convincingly marked by His precepts. The days and moments when hearts struggle to understand the beauty in our ashes, the sweetness in our pain, and the bliss in our wilderness experiences, the eyes can only see ‘wicked works’ . When the psalmist realized the failure of the eyes to see the wonderful works of God in his own personal wilderness experience, he cried unto th...

  “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without the right perspective on control in life, the end of story relating to mess is always anguish and pain. Unfortunately, the incitement  of mess in a promising career, business, family and ministerial life is always one of the best-selling stories. Even when someone attempts to get the mess stories behind, reporters are often quick to tag every present event with the negative issues in the past. Whereas, the psalmist‘s proposition here is always the right perspective. The sovereign God has never ever lost control in all of life’s messy situations and circumstances. The mess in a believer’s life is inconsequential, compared to the pool of God’s mercy and providence for every new day. When we focus on someone or something else as the agent of our mess, we lose focus on God’s mercy and providence. But like the psalmist, those who truly believe that God is the Lord over our l...