Heralds Digest

  “ And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations .” Psalms 79 : 12 - 13 NKJV One amazing concept of renewable energy is the ability to be replenished on human timescale.It bounces perpetually on its conversion technologies, without any concern about its depreciation and degradation. And as long as the conversion technologies are available, the flow of energies never ceases. Like renewable energy, there is a unique synergy between reproach and righteousness that produces renewable praise and thanksgiving unto God. When the scriptures say elsewhere that one of the products of the grace of God is righteousness in this present world, it speaks of the world of unrighteousness, wickedness, and reproach. It implies that without the meeting of reproach in the world and righteousness from the red...

  “ Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”” Acts 21 : 13 - 14 NKJV One of the major challenges of faithfulness in life and ministry is not necessarily ignorance on knowing of the will of God; but mostly negligence on the doing of the will of God. Oftentimes, we receive dreams, revelations, and inspirations about future events from God; and then begin to run without finding out the underlying instructions. That’s called knowledge without wisdom; or simply the use of human wisdom with spiritual backing. When Agabus revealed the danger ahead of Paul in Jerusalem, during the fellowship of disciples in the house of Phillip the evangelist, everyone began to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem on the account of applying the wise will. Unfortunately, many people of God tod...

  “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20 : 24 NKJV The major problem with rat race in life is that people often run the race to achieve what they really would not need, to impress those who are probably undesirable to them, and to celebrate an attainment possibly designed for their containment. Whereas, those who are focused on the right race do not run because people are running, go to where everyone is going, and do not necessarily desire what everyone is desiring. For example, in spite of the popular knowledge and revelation that chains await Apostle Paul in Jerusalem, he knew that the race to Jerusalem was right because God had an assignment for him there. Likewise, the race from Gilgal to Jordan with Elijah was the right race for Elisha; and he had to ignore the discouragement from his colleagu...

  “ Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established .” Proverbs 16 : 3 NKJV While it is evident that the difference between true thoughts and twisted thoughts is the thoughts that pass the establishment check, waiting to access the actual end of thoughts in life is always a challenge. Could this be the reason why Moses prayed “ So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom ( Psalms 90 : 12 )?”  Little wonder why there is a reasonable reservation in every wide celebration of birthdays, wedding anniversaries, project accomplishments, graduation ceremonies, ministerial accomplishments, etc. For example, this week marks our 20 years wedding anniversary with tremendous milestones, including the bringing up of three amazing and God-fearing kids, thriving testimonies in the journey of faith in our workplaces, ministries, family relationships, etc, in spite of the challenges of life. Notwithstanding, we have learned how to consistently di...

  “ But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again. ” Psalms 78 : 38 - 39 NKJV Those who engage in physical fight against any act of injustice, wickedness, and unrighteousness have always returned with shame and defeat. Why? There is no physical fight without spiritual influence; the flesh is always a mere container without any meaningful control. True fight is always in the spirit realm; and true overcomers must learn the reliable terms of engagement from God, to escape being a tool in the hands of the enemy. Whereas, our compassionate God has dealt with evil and satanic manipulations several times to deliver the feeble flesh from being used as trashed containers. And having found peace with God, the righteous children of God are empowered with divine nature to engage their...

  “ Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again .”” I Kings 18 : 37 NKJV The primary objective of all provoked proclaimers of the gospel is the turning of halted hearts to holy hearts. This is because the slightest displeasure or discouragement in life can halt any heart’s relationship with the Holy God. For example, when Elijah’s heart himself became halted, he ran away from Jezebel and turned to God for a suicide mission, rather than seeking God for sustenance. But here, Elijah’s humbleness was focussed on turning the halted hearts of Ahab and the people of Israel from the worship of Baals to the worship of God. It implies that halted hearts do not have any proven benefits in support of their patronage of idols or man-made gods, including materialism, socialism, and populism. Their actions and dispositions are merely a reflection of faithlessness, a statement of unbelief, and a declarati...

  “ Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.” Acts 17 : 18 NKJV The preaching of the gospel has always been strange news to sinners, backsliders, and the unrighteous systems of this world. Those who must dare to preach the gospel must be provoked by passion for souls and obedience to the mandate. Like Paul and his coworkers before the citizens of Athens in the New Testament, Elijah in the Old Testament was provoked by the need to preach the gospel to Ahab and the backslided people of Israel. Therefore, the three common lifestyles of provoked proclaimers include (1) being treated as strange fellows and babblers; (2) being threatened by exhaustion and depletion of the basic things of life; and (3) being blessed by consistent heavenly resources at the time of needs. Unfortunately, those who are...