Heralds Digest

  “For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭54‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ As documented elsewhere, uprightness and faithfulness are the basic requirements for those who must not only dwell in God’s presence but also serve Him acceptably (Psalms 101:6). And here, the opposite of a sweet service (or strange siege) is presented as one of the characteristics of those who do not set God before them. It was an inspiring revelation to the psalmist, who was confronted with strange oppression, especially from a custodian of God’s authority and power. It implies that without the setting up of God always as the motivating factor for believers action at home, workplaces, and their social engagement in life portends the danger of being high-jacked by the enemies. Therefore, the supposedly sweet service, turned into a strange siege, will readily scatter fellowship at home, and destroy the original purpose of God for ...

  “The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.” Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Just as the physical world is shaped by different kinds of rights, like birthrights, human rights, animal rights, worker’s rights, etc, the spiritual world is dominated by the righteous’ rights. Although the wicked in our world often invoke the spiritual dimensions of rights to oppress those who seek to abide by the way of righteousness, the scriptures have rightly confirmed that “ The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright“. Unfortunately, many believers are usually distracted away from the paths of righteousness; thereby getting exposed to spiritual attacks from the wicked’s satanic dimension. Therefore, the rights of the righteous are strictly staying on the path of righteousness, no matter the provocation from the wicked. Once the heart of the righteous discovers this secret of a blameless lifestyle, he no longer allows...

  “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.” Psalms‬ ‭53‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ In order not to downplay the description of fools in the context, emphasis of the scripture on the heart should be retained. In Paul’s admonition to Timothy, he apparently referenced the same class of fools as “ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” ( II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬). Those without form of godliness are sincere sinners, and backsliders. Even unbelievers are free to outwardly and sincerely say ‘There is no God ’, until they have the privilege of a personal encounter with Him. But the hypocrites and foolish followers of the Cross have the form of fellowshipping with other believers, studying the word of God, and praying to God or leading others to pray to God; but their actions and inaction are not influenced by God because, in their hearts, ‘There is no God! ’. Otherwise, ho...

  “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.” Psalms‬ ‭52‬:‭1‬, ‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Human goodness, recognition, and rewards have great influence on the attitude and lifestyle of most people. Like the relationship between the mighty man - king Saul and the minion - Doeg in our context, people indulge in deceits, wickedness, and evil in order to get served with giant goodness. And like the psalmist, when anyone get caught in the mud, he goes with the rhetorical question ‘Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?’ Of course, the giant goodness, sometimes, puts food on the table, pays the bills, and enables fun. But like the green olive tree in the house of love, fellowship, and endurance, the great goodness from the Lord pays more than the temporal flashes of riches, promotion, and worldly recognition. It comes packaged by the grace of God that brings salv...

  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The conquering spirit must be free of impediments in order to remain steadfast. For king David, the impediment was adultery and murder that blocked his access into the presence of the Lord. And for many other people, the impediments have various shades and turns, including unforgiving spirits, evil speaking, and unrighteous thoughts. Once the channels that connect the flow of the Holy Spirit and inspiration from the throne of grace to the hearts of man are blocked, ideas ceased and motivation for uprightness becomes stagnated. Therefore, the psalmist’s cry is genuine “ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” . Even when the hands and legs are restricted, a steadfast spirit remains the window of the mind for the consistent flow of heavenly vision and divine engagement for the glorious manifestation.

  “The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom. The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10‬:‭21‬, ‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Finding the right relationship may seem like doing the right thing in one’s personal eyes; but it can readily be established that an acceptable right relationship is centered only on righteousness before God. Those who are driven by doing the right thing are easily frustrated by the diverse personal interests that rule homes, systems, and institutions. Whereas, pursuing a righteous relationship with God prevents the hearts from self-centredness, wickedness, and retaliation. If “ The lips of the righteous feed many ”, what will the hands of the righteous do to many other than accessing and providing their needs? Even when the righteous selfless acts are evil-spoken about, it is his righteous relationship with God that can ensure focus on the divine assignment. Unfortunately, many broken relation...

  “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ While the psalmist’s confession and communication with God borders on the desire for forgiveness from sin, it lays the fundamental principle for seeking wisdom and divine guidance in life. Everyone who approaches the presence of God with a contrite and humble heart, like ‘I have sinned ’, is simply serving the almighty what He desires…the transparent truth. Even the seemingly innocent but humble hearts are easily guided in the path of wisdom. For example, when the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and Israelites and went away with it, the scriptures added the transparent truth about the fact that Israelites bought the lies because they didn’t ask counsel from the Lord (Joshua 9:14). God is readily concerned about all our relationships and experiences with people and elements in our lives. And every time we expose the transparent truth about our hidden inadequa...