Heralds Digest

  “ Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts .” Romans 13 : 7 , 10 , 14 NKJV While there is no doubt in the fact that it is God’s will for His children to be good citizens, many do readily have concerns about believers’ submission to bad government. For example, what if the governing authorities are not God’s ministers, but instruments of the Devil? The fundamental truth in all relationships, including government, family members, project partners, and co-citizens, is that relationships with our earthly elements is a reflection of our relationship with God. When the scriptures attest to the fact that “ the authorities that exist are appointed by God” , it called out believers’ faith in the sovereignty of God. With the supreme ...

  “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ” Romans 12 : 1 - 2 NKJV Since the making of saints attracted divine sacrifice by the mercies of God, divine plead for saintly sacrifice should be a privilege accorded to any living soul. In the saintly sacrifice economy, there is no longer need for the bodily sacrifice of animals or humans; the final sacrifice was paid for by the offering of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Notwithstanding, the saintly sacrifice now connotes believers’ unwavering offering of their talents, time, and treasures for the service of humanity, especially in the face of extreme confrontations, conflicts, and controversies. Anyone can claim to offer worldly services on...

  “I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him.” Psalms 89 : 20 , 23 NKJV From times immemorial, God’s calling has never been cheap. Casually, anyone can readily say that what David’s anointing oil attracted into his life, at his calling, was wilderness experience, with affliction and persecution. Notwithstanding, the testimony of God’s best beat stands out, testifying “ I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him ”. And while it is always true that God has the best beat, we are often discouraged and devastated by human’s bitter beat…forgetting the fact “ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11 : 29 )”. The bitter beat of this world can and will always threaten the worst of loneliness, loss, and limitations; but these are definitely incomparable to the love of the Lord and His lifting at the end of the race. When the troubled Apos...

  “ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” ” Romans 10 : 14 - 15 NKJV If the words of a tale bearer are like tasty trifles, the gospel in the mouth truth bearer must bring gracious goodness. Little wonder, only wise people share these glad tidings of good things. When the scripture says to Joshua “ Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses (Joshua 1 : 3 )”, it wasn’t a declaration of 100% promise to irresponsible souls. The good news or gospel is actually the declaration of 100% peace, promotion, and preservation to responsible souls, who would accept the escape route from punishment, penury, and perdition. Unfortunately, “ How t...

  “ And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. ”” Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭29‬, ‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The story of redemption for the people of Israel in the Old Testament is synonymous to the salvation experience of the New Testament’s believers in Jesus Christ. The saved seeds are the remnants who believed in the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross for salvation from dead works and justification by faith in the finished works of grace. Although the provision is finished and dusted, our response to the provision is still voluntary and personal:  “ Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame ”. The primary benefit of the saved seeds is that they are the planting of the Lord; and they cannot be up...

  “ Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. ” Hosea 14 : 9 NKJV The advances of knowledge in these last days suggest the multiplicity of the supposedly wise ways or foolishness. Otherwise, life’s challenges and national problems will be easily resolved within the conference of philosophers and the assembly of sages. But the scriptural revelation is that only the ways of the Lord are right, in just about everything in our lives. Therefore, we should seek advances in knowledge, opportunities, and privileges to discover more of the ways of God; and not rather turn away from Him and His counsels. Unfortunately, even the learned and supposedly righteous people will expect the patronage of their wisdom and understanding on personal lifestyles, current affairs, family projects, and national issues, without recourse to the counsels of God. These undo...

  “ For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You .” Psalms 89 : 6 - 8 NKJV The movers of this world are respected shakers or shockers of love; and it is understandable why people who desperately need a shake of love to make advances or necessary movement in life do catch cold when these movers sneeze. Unfortunately, fellowship with these mundane movers often requires compromise in believers’ desirable fellowship or intimate relationship with God. And when Paul submitted a rhetorical question “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? ”, he attested to the reality of persecution that awaits anyone who dare disrespect a mundane mover, in reverence of the mightier mover. And like the psalmist affirms the faithfu...