Heralds Digest

  ” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. “ Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭49‬-‭50‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ It is important to note the Boy Jesus’ question “ Why did you seek Me? “ didn’t query the parenting skills of Joseph and Mary. The question was just a reawakening of all concerned hearts to the best business engagement on earth, which is the business of our heavenly Father. While life beckons the rush into career progression, professional engagement, social relationships and responsibilities, including advances in ministerial opportunities, the business of our Heavenly Father in all these engagements is central. Unfortunately, it is always possible to be busy and seemingly productive with life and all its callings; and still completely lose sight of the purpose for living. Whereas, as we initiate an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father, we get the chance to reflect the di...

  ”“ Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation “ ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ By contrasting Simeon with Balaam, we can tell that not everyone who wish to depart this world in peace and righteousness wait on his desire. While “ Let me die the death of the righteous ” is a prayer request, “ Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace ” is a testimony of answer to prayer. The difference in the two experiences is the fact that peace paths require the virtue of patience and waiting upon the Lord. However, it is important to note that waiting on the peace paths is not possible without the guidance of the Spirit. This is because the flesh is used to wanting something that the Spirit often forbids. Therefore, waiting upon the Lord implying the letting down of all fleshly agitators and the pursuits of personal desires. Unfortunately, the devil is skillful in providing service for every trace of personal ...

  ” And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house“ Proverbs‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ It is instructive that the scripture connects unfaithful undertaking to unfruitful understanding,, i.e., every understanding devoid of the fear of God: ” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever ” (Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭10‬). It implies that faithfulness in our relationship with one another is pivoted on our faithfulness to God. And in the words of Mother Teresa, I am not called to be successful but to be faithful. Unfortunately, the world comprising its existing standards for institutional, societal, and political excellence do readily celebrate success at the expense of faithfulness. Even among our religious circles today, unsuccessful adventurers are easily branded as being devoid of unders...

  ” The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. “ (Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭16‬-‭18‬) When the relatives of John and Elizabeth expressed their concerns internally concerning the baby John the Baptist, saying ‘What kind of child will this be? ’, they were merely confirming his divine purpose as a forerunner of Jesus Christ. They had witnessed how his conception had led to spirit baptism upon Elizabeth; his delivery and christening ceremony had led to the opening up of the tongue of Zachariah; and the release of the Holy Ghost upon Zachariah to prophesy the plan of God. Previously, there had been the barriers of spiritual darkness, and the absence of the presence of God in the land for over 400 years. Even in our contemporary days, our society is often clouded...

  ” Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. ”“ ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭42‬, ‭45‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The confirmatory visit of Elisabeth by Mary provides a vivid example of the blessedness of every encounter with Jesus. Even while He was still in the womb of Mary, the encounter of Elisabeth created unspeakable joy and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Little wonder at another and later episode of the disciples’ encounter with heaven’s blessedness, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “ I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭21‬). That is the reason why irrespective of every believer’s physical encounters and the challenges of life, spiritual encounters and i...

  ” No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy ” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭33‬:‭16‬, ‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ If the mercy of God is always mightier than the mightiest man, the question “ what is the essence for the pursuit of excellence in career, business, and political endeavours? ” begs the answer. Even though God favours just those who fear Him, rather than a mighty man; He is the Architect of excellence. God delights in walking a lowly man through the ladder of breakthrough and success to become a mighty man. Unfortunately, the greatest temptation comes when a divinely-made mighty man delights in his own might rather than the mercy of God. No doubt, the psalmist had witnessed many examples of these unfortunate twists to the mighty mercy of God. There has never been a time when any man has found sincere mercy in the might of man; it has always been the service of might...

  ” And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years .“ Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The experience of Zachariah with the Angel teaches that unbelief usually grows in the channel of believer’s needs and the challenges of life. John and Elizabeth have no problem at all along their channel of consecration: ” And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless ”. Although they were defined by their childlessness, believers are not expected to restrict the performance of God along their childless channel. Just as John’s childless channel brought the touch of correction with its prevailing challenges and chaos, our childless channel in life is not designed to take anyone away from his channel of consecration. Sincerely, childless channel demands consistent feeding on the promise...