Heralds Digest

  “ O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down. ” Psalms‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Chastened conscience is preferable to a shattered conscience, especially for children who appreciate their father’s love and affection. Unlike the conscience of the psalmist, Balaam the son of Beor represented a conscience shattered by the Lord’s hot displeasure. While he once wished “ Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his! ” (Numbers‬ ‭23‬:‭10‬), he never walked his talk and was finally destroyed by his greed and unrighteousness. When a believer’s conscience is pierced by the arrows of chastening, delays, and disappointment, it is always rewardable if he feels the Lord’s presence and sees His love in the rebuke. And like it was for Balaam and many others, anyone who rejects chastening in the Father’s rebuke is prepared to receive the shattering in the Father’s retribution. At ...

  “ Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace .” Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭37‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The premium for a comprehensive insurance plan is always higher than the other insurance products in the market because of its offering of peace of mind. Notwithstanding, everyone knows that it is always better to avoid accidents than depending on insurance coverage, if an accident knocks at the door. Conversely, the referenced future by the psalmist is inevitable for all humans. There is no earthly insurance coverage for the future after death or the end of human sojourn on the earth. Unfortunately, although the cost of an heavenly insurance coverage for peace is avoidable, it is not acceptable to those who cannot have faith in its provision. Faith in the sacrifice of God’s only Son - Jesus Christ - is the premium for the peace plan from God Himself; and all beneficiaries are marked blameless and upright by grace, with their daily pursuit of godliness or righteousn...

  “ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way .” Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ If God only led His children along the expressway, almost everyone would opt for the autopilot option with little or no interference. But in reality, the way to the promised land is often laced with potholes, speed bumps or breakers, and regular detours. And in every sweet fellowship session, believers get to acknowledge their confidence in the Lord’s delights on the way. A focus on the Lord’s delights helped Joshua and Caleb to choose a completely different path, compared to the other spies who were sent to assess the promised land for the children of Israel. Likewise, whenever the divine delights become the righteous’ single pursuit in life, family, career, and ministry, he sees nothing in potholes, speed bumps or breakers, and regular detours. Oftentimes, believers’ steps and stops in pursuit of the revealed will of God are designed as part of the prerequisites to underst...

  “ All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them .” Proverbs‬ ‭8‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The major argument of those who believe in the relativity of truth is the reality of diversity in our world, culture, language, and philosophy. And to some appreciable extent, this argument aligns with some facts about how we live, learn, and lean on one another at home, workplaces, and in society. Notwithstanding, none of these relativity of truth can pass the wholesomeness of righteousness, either in public and in private. That’s why only Jesus Christ, being the truth personified, said “ I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me ” (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6). Only a full salvation through His grace can say “ All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them .” Therefore, while we are required to relate and respect the diversity of beliefs, orientation, and sophistication in our world, belie...

  “ A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. ” Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The fact that meekness is synonymous to littleness makes the divine call extremely out of place. And those who dare accept the divine call to littleness can share their stories of loneliness, wilderness experience, deprivation, and isolation, especially based on the proud activities of the wicked. So, the question is what in this world can be better in littleness, compared with the riches, achievements, and the promotions of the wicked? The psalmist provides the better concept in the abiding presence of the Lord, bringing the abundance of peace in the midst of the challenges of life. The bottom line is that there is always no peace for the wicked. Get into the clusters of celebrities, and the inner rooms of tycoons, the priceless value of peace will be appreciated. The riches in a righteous little may appear insignificant; but the rest in the right little is always incomparab...

  “ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth ” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The transient moment of prosperity is not only attractive to evil doers, the upright in hearts can also be easily taken on a ride with fear. The fear of failure and disappointment produces many wicked vices in seemingly honest followers in the path of righteousness. Unfortunately, all frustration-inspired angers have no special permit in the court of holiness and righteousness. Many homes, marriages, and relationships have been destroyed on the account of provoked anger. And after the anger is unleashed, the impact cannot be reversed. The simple biblical solution has zero tolerance. Do not take the fret freight - it only causes harm! Therefore, instead of taking the fret freight with the proud workers of iniquities, the righteous in heart are admonished to trust in the Lord and feed on...

  “ For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light .” Psalms‬ ‭36‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Light shines brightest in the dark for sure; but it is extremely difficult to sustain its fuelling in a prolonged darkness. Considering the evil and wickedness that men do as darkness, and the good and godliness as the light, no one is capable of sustaining life’s light without the grace of God. Therefore, the psalmist confessed that ‘For with You (God) is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light ’. Besides the presence of the fullness of God’s grace, it is easy for afflicted souls to be embittered by the wickedness of men. And while that happens, even when these souls continue to claim uprightness, they are blinded by the clouds of bitterness against their oppressors. Whereas, everyone who ensure consistent shower of God’s grace in all his daily engagements sees just the brightness of light, even in the blackness of darkness. Therefore, if anyone wants to retain life’s light on...