Heralds Digest

  “You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.” Psalms‬ ‭71‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Although the psalmist sounds here as someone rehearsing a happily-ever-after movie script, everyone knows that real troubles do not wear such hopeful garments without absolute faith in God. In fact, David’s expression in one of his escapades on the trouble tunnel captured the true feeling: “ So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up ” (II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭30‬). Therefore, why is faith in God seeing a triumphant trail in every trouble tunnel? This is because God is focussed instead of the troubles; there is no triumph without trouble; and trouble helps believers to calibrate the stories of br...

  “The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.” Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ When the scriptures say the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and He delights in his way, it suggests that the righteous has so much to learn from his own steps more than falling into the temptation of getting enraged by the steps of others. The rage race is infuriated by the negative energies exhibited in the actions and inaction of people in our world. Unfortunately, life is heavily influenced and powered by people who are gifted for the rage race; and the ‘simple’ believes or is easily deceived by every word from the rage race. Whereas, the righteous are called to be prudent with learning and understanding from his own steps. No matter how many times he stumbled and fall, he would always get focused on discovering how to rise and what can be done to avoid tripping on the same ste...

  “I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.” Psalms‬ ‭71‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Pure and uncorrupted power and human strength display nothing but the evidence of the presence of God. Beside supernatural miracles, signs, and wonders, God’s strength is readily manifested through the display of human physical, financial, political and social prowess, when human beings are released as the battle ax and weapons in the hands of God. Like the declaration of the psalmist’s intent, this is how the righteous display the wondrous works of God from generation to generation. Unfortunately, human selfish ambition and the pursuit of personal agenda often create a diversion or discontinuity to the straigh...

  “In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭71‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Trust with little or no threat demands diplomacy; but total trust attracts total threat. And for the psalmist’s total trust in the Lord, the threat from the enemies paints the end game of shame. Whereas, there is actually no game of shame with total trust in God. The total threat is an undeniable evidence of a believer's total trust in God. “ Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution ” (‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬). Unfortunately, the desire for good living rather than godly living in Christ Jesus attracts compromises in the believer's relationship with the principals in his world. By reflecting on Uriah’s total trust in God, it is possible for anyone to be distracted by the painting of the seeming shame in total threat from the likes of king David. Actually, total trust in God will never ever bring shame; believers can only be tempted to play games with t...

  “But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.” Psalms‬ ‭70‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Poverty and vulnerability are like twins. They are hardly separable. In fact, poverty and a strategic discouragement of economic empowerment policies are mostly adopted by superiors, who are obsessed with the mindset of keeping others in perpetual servitude. Needless to say, graceless help is simply manipulative and unholy. Therefore, the psalmist cried out to God to hasten with His help in order to avoid the pit of manipulation set by the enemies of his soul. Notwithstanding, it is only the human mind that tricks the poor and needy into the concept of delayed hope, and the consequent vulnerable heart. Holy help simply demands holy hands and the lifting up of the souls unto God. Great things happen when believers pray to God alone for help, even when it appears nothing has changed with the prevailing circumstances. Holy help with holy hands can neve...

  “The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.” Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭10‬, ‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Material riches and worldly entertainment can create a lively environment for entertainment and a feeling of happiness, but the heart always knows the lack of true satisfaction in all these things. There is always a void in the heart of man that cannot be filled by a stranger, but can only be satisfied by its Creator. Unfortunately, most hearts prefer dishonesty and deceit to sincerity and openness before God. When the preacher was inspired to declare that “ The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy ”, he is alluding to an honest heart. This heart must be holy, open, noble, expressive, sincere, and truthful to every inspiration from God. Whereas, a dishonest heart is deceived by the offerings from his worldly interactions, an honest heart...

  “For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it. Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, And those who love His name shall dwell in it.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭69‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Everyone can relate with the psalmist’s self-reflection on the plight of Zion - a city fallen from grace and the glory of God. But not everyone can relate with the power of humility, redemption, and restoration if Zion shall return in praise. It is evident that the self-reflection on the depravity of the fall of man can only produce the undeniable story of hopelessness. There is still hope in God for Zion, because the Creator and Redeemer God is the ancient Architect of love and restoration. Notwithstanding, it takes faith to believe that no mess can match the mercy of God. But with faith, we can all relate with the psalmist’s gracious revelation “ For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it. Also, t...