Heralds Digest

  “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ It is the beginning of a New Day, New Week, New Month, and New Year at the same time. However, the New Year will offer new opportunities, new discoveries, and new achievements to those who can find the Way among many ways. Among the many ways are those suggested by human opinions, social media, friends and colleagues. While these many ways often carry potent and seemingly right paths to prosperity and success, the scriptures say they are always leading to destruction and death in the absence of divine guidance. Therefore, the winsome way is the total surrendering of one’s life to Jesus, the only Way, the Truth, and the Life for daily guidance. For the Lord knows the winsome way to peace, promotion, and prosperity; and He shields the righteous from the wicked ways.

  “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.” I Chronicles‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ As we come to the end of 2022 and without much thoughtfulness, it would be difficult to fully quantify God’s faithfulness to His promises. Unto many people, the consciousness of living in terrified territories is an evidence of God’s unfaithfulness. Unknowingly, and inspired by the experience of Jabez, “ You would keep me from evil ” is better than “ You would keep evil from me ”.  Since he was born in pain, he needed pain so that he may not cause pain. With God in our pain in life, we have prosperity from our problems, affluence in adversity, intelligence from inhibition, and novelty from nonsense. Therefore, his prayer ‘That I may not cause pain ’ doesn’t mean a desire for the absence of pain. In th...

  “Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian servant whose name was Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife, and she bore him Attai.” ‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭2‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ One of the most significant import of the story of genealogy is succession, through procreation arising from the union between a man and a woman. And since human lineage is traced by the seed of the man in the union, anyone without sons is usually treated as someone without the blessing of succession. But here the scriptures say “ Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife” to secure a succession. Likewise, there is always a clear path of succession for all of God’s obedient and abiding children: “ But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him ” (Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬). When the Lord blessed and requested all His beloved to be fruitful and multiply, He ordained a path of succession for those who call...

  “The son of Carmi was Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing.” ‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without emphasis on the quality of action, the type of Achar provides the needed spice in the rendition of names in the genealogy listed in the book of Chronicles. While “… the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing ” referred to a transgressed troubler, it implies that there can be “ …trusted troublers, who are used to transform the accursed system into a delightful thing ”. Examples of such trusted troublers include Paul the Apostle, to whom the Lord boasted “ Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome ” (Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬). Even though Paul’s life after his worthwhile surrender to the Lord‬‬ appeared messed up by imprisonment, conspiracy, and persecution, he remained a trusted troubler of any system he was privileged to interact with. Anyone who fully surrenders his life...

  “Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭24‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The captivity of captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem resulted in a brain brag for Babylon; and it was a brain drain for Judah. While this brag-drain transaction has always been the fundamental balance of the world’s economy from the time immemorial, not many people have often taken God (who is the chief Architect) serious with the management of the kingdom affairs. Notwithstanding, on personal reflection, there is always a trespass tax on sin and transgressions. Likewise, when the scriptures declare that the wages of sin is death, it implies that no one can escape the punishment for his transgression and sin without accepting the gift of God and salvation by grace. There...

  “Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The steadfast stand of king Josiah emphasizes the injunction to meditate daily on the book of the law for all-round prosperity in life. Unfortunately, many of the kings before him had kept the sacred book out of sight; and the consequences are the wrath of God and His casting off the people out of sight and the shield of mercy. Even today, it is easier for God’s people to be preoccupied with life’s activities, social engagements, and work exigencies, particularly at the expense of daily meditation in the words of the Lord. Little wonder, we become easily captivated by life’s excitement or anxiety. And the resulting sloppy stand makes compromis...

  “Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its pattern, according to all its workmanship.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭16‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Innovation in life is simply the art of making changes through exposure and experience. And the importation of the Damascus design into the temple of worship in Jerusalem was one of the achievements of king Ahaz. Unfortunately, the worship of God is never subject to human design. It is always all about God’s design; and His worshippers must receive all inspiration from God, in order to escape the worship of man. Well, the importation of the Damascus design didn’t start with king Ahaz’s trip to Damascus. It started by his reliance on king Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria for deliverance against the enemies. It is just natural that he who plays the piper dictates the tune. While there are many strong influencers like king Tiglath-Pile...