Heralds Digest

  “Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them; Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is awesome to the kings of the earth.” Psalms‬ ‭76‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Life’s pursuits eventually determine the windows of opportunity that are available to everyone. This is one of the primary reasons or the motivation for most people’s choices towards career prospects, business pursuits, residency placement, and social relationships. Unfortunately, these real life pursuits do readily attract the making of vows to selected people or personalities turned idols in any undiscerning believer’s life. Ideally, the making of vows to significant others is not necessarily wrong, if it doesn’t undermine or vacate the believer’s vows to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. For example, we are required to make and respect marital vows for a fruitful family; work ethics for a productive business, etc. However, we are not expecte...

  “For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭75‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ One of the reasons why many people are readily attracted to the loose lifting from men, compared to the Lord’s lifting, is because the lifting from men is over-marketed with deceit. Based on the fundamental principle of deception, human lifestyle, work ethics, political affiliations, and social relationships are naturally guided by people’s interests in the loose lifting or random recommendations. Unfortunately, like it was from the beginning, the fast and flashy presentation in the loose lifting from the devil is designed to activate disobedience to God and a subtle jettison of His revealed will. Whereas, the Lord’s lifting may not be quick and flashy; it guarantees a sustainable exaltation and everlasting satisfaction. There is always the ‘Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My sta...

  “Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.” Psalms‬ ‭74‬:‭20‬, ‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ One of the privileges of prayer is finding rest to a faulty rise. “ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬) remains the promise from the Lord. Without the ascent into the throne of grace for this privilege is the throwing of self-help, self-will, and self-management, leading the troubled hearts into the sea of confusion, confrontation, and contamination.  But when the righteous prays, he gets to remember the Father’s covenant of peace in times of storms, dominion in the face of oppression, and victory against the display of cruelty. Therefore, when the righteous say like the psalmist “ Have respect to the covenant…or remember ”, they are actually awakening their remembrance of the promises of God towar...

  “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ When the Lord says “ And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John‬ ‭8‬:‭32‬)”, He meant the ‘ knowledge of the truth ’ and the ‘ righteous use of the truth ’ are two different and distinct requirements before total freedom. Unfortunately, foolishness is not necessarily the absence of the ‘knowledge of the truth ’; the wrong or unrighteous use of the truth is still foolishness. Sometimes, even the divine revelation of the truth can lead many people astray, if they become boastful and do not wait upon the Lord for an answer to ‘how do I use the revelation or knowledge rightly?’ . Therefore, freedom to remain at the centre of God’s will and pursue righteousness requires a consistent fellowship with Jesus - the truth personified. Since ‘And you shall know Jesus ’ is one requirement, and ‘Jesus shall make you free ’ is another requirem...

  “O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.” Psalms‬ ‭74‬:‭10‬, ‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ While God is undoubtedly a righteous Judge and a consuming fire, He delights only in salvation and not destruction. For example, in the salvation of the children of Israel by God’s saving strength that divided the Red Sea, the recalcitrant host of Pharaoh got consumed when the divided sea closed up. Unfortunately, believers under the oppression of the wicked would often blindly ask like the psalmist “ O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? ”, without reflecting on the wholesome salvation experience. God has never ever shown delight in the destruction of the wicked, but rather graciously waits if they can heed to the call unto salvation. A...

  “We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long.” Psalms‬ ‭74‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ If familiarity breeds contempt, then distancing in relationships can propel concentration. Seriously, sometimes believers sigh for signs and divine revelation; and get nothing because of unseriousness and lack of concentration. Particularly, in these days of social media distractions, grandfather influences, and business networking, divine counsel and guidance in decision making are becoming strange phenomena. Even many professing prophets will have to force out empty revelations with the attempt of silencing the ‘we do not see our signs’ syndrome. Whereas, the prevailing sigh signs call for absolute waiting upon the Lord with sincere consecration. Those who have truly ever sighed for God have pursued Him with the whole of their body, soul, and spirit; and nothing good has ever been withheld from those who seek God diligently.

  “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.” Psalms‬ ‭73‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without the evidence of struggling with slippery places in every believer’s life engagements, it will be difficult for anyone to appreciate the comfort of God’s presence. Otherwise, the affluence in wealth that men can see, and the convenience in position that men can feel will always control the desires and pursuits of the hearts. And after these opportunities slipped away from the psalmist, he became confronted with the priceless portion of the abiding presence of God. Unfortunately, the end of an endless pursuit of earthly possessions is destruction. Beyond affluence and convenience, there is divine guidance in the wilderness and divine comfort in the darkness for those who care to listen to God. Actually, the currency of all earthly possessions does fade; but believers’ confidence in the Lord will never ...