Heralds Digest

  ” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight .”“ Luke 18:40¬41 NKJV Sometimes, life and its challenges can wear a settled lifestyle, especially when everyone in the society has accommodated the lifestyle as normal. The blind Bartimaeus’ lifestyle was a typical example of societal misnomer. Other misnomers can include lameness, wretchedness, wickedness and unrighteousness. Like many people in our days, Zacchaeus was a very good companion of the blind Bartimaeus with a sin scar. While many would keep wearing the scars on their sleeves, Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus took a bright break when life presented the opportunity of meeting Jesus. Even when the society painted a blind break against the desperation of the blind Bartimaeus, he refused to be silenced. Even today, it is never too late for anyone to take a bright break away from his life...

  ” And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? ”“ Luke ­18:7-8 NKJV In God’s justice system, hope deferred is only faith strengthened and not justice denied. While man is always looking for justice, God is more interested in faith: “ Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” . God will use our faithfulness to service, but He is more interested in our faith in Him. This is because many believers are merely engaged in eye-service faithfulness, just to pay the assumed price for justice, favour, and goodwill. Whereas, God wants a wholehearted understanding and confidence in His person as a just Judge. When we truly believe in this great God as a just Judge, we will no longer chase any flesh again for justice. Our faith in God as a just Judge, in the words of W...

  ” God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah “ Psalms ­46:5, 10-11 NKJV There is no doubt about the fact that motions without movement are miserable, but that is the most accurate representation of life’s activities outside the presence of God. Life’s choices on family planning, career choices, business decisions, and residency at the impulse of weather, security, social, political and economic threats are just few of the many miserable motions. But whenever believers truly understand the scriptural revelation and assurance that ” God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved “, they cease to engage in miserable motions. Conversely, the birthrights of the enemies of God’s people is simply the engagement in miserable motions to generate these threats. ...

  ” For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you .“ Deuteronomy 23:14 NKJV One of my favourite scriptural references to support cleanliness in every camp-meeting’s ’Life in the Camp ’ is here focussed. The solemn lesson here teaches that a clean camp is an individual’s responsibility; and God demands even the camp commandants to encourage an enabling environment for individual’s responsibility for camp cleanliness. Why? Cleanliness enables the abiding presence of God, and keeps the camp secured against the enemies’ invasions. Understandably, our camps are our individual hearts and the campground or environment is our respective homes, workplaces, communities, and the different places of our daily engagement. If anyone wants and expects God to walk consistently in the midst of his camp and around his campground, he must t...

  ” So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” “ Luke 16:1 While still reflecting on yesterday’s sermon “ The scripture-based impartiality of true brethren in Christ ” by W.F. Kumuyi, it is clear that Jesus’ commendation of the faithfulness of the unjust steward here shouldn’t be misconstrued. It is saddening that believers live often with absolute disrespect of the virtue in the graceful generation. Whereas, the riches and righteousness through the benefits of grace should represent a sufficient motivation for every believer’s lifestyle of integrity and faithfulness. Unfortunately, when believers copy the mantra of the greedy generation in their struggles for the unrighteous mammon, popu...

  ” Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions .“ Psalms ­45:6-7 In our competitive world, it is not strange why righteousness does not often coexist with gladness. It is believed that someone or some people elsewhere must pay a wicked penalty for personal derivative of gladness. Little wonder why envy, hatred, and wickedness thrive where there is no gracious production of gladness. This is where Jesus Christ exceeds all of mankind as the One acclaimed of having a sceptre of righteousness as the sceptre of His kingdom. He is the only Giver of grace or the oil of gladness with zero motivation for wickedness. His non-depleting gladness can power the entire world with righteousness, without suffering loss. Christ’s throne of righteousness is eternal; and His renewable gladness is inexhaustible...

  ” …and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused .’“ Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ ‘Come unto me, and I will give you rest ’ is no doubt an incredible invitation to the kingdom and a guarantee of salvation from sin and worldly stress. But when hope of believers get readily deferred, future invitations from the Lord can easily become incredulous invitations. The hopeless experience of many believers is succinctly captured by the parable of the Lord on the invited guests to the great banquet. ‘Come, for all things are now ready’…But they all with one accord began to make excuses. Apparently, the invited guests all gave those excuses because of their bottled up offenses and hopelessness in the readiness of the Master. Likewise, it is very dangerous for believers...