Heralds Digest

  “ You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come. ” Psalms 102 : 13 NKJV ‘Testing! Testing! Testing!’ …is a familiar voice of the Master of Ceremony (MC) or confidence note that a waiting programme or event is about to start. By self-recognition of the MC, the anxieties of the waiting audience are always quieted. Likewise, the set time for the manifestation of God’s promises in the lives and affairs of His children is always a trust time. It is more a time for believers’ inspirational fellowship with the MC God; and an opportunity to develop confidence and faith in our unchanging, unstoppable, and unconquerable Master Changer (MC) of time, space, and events. Even in the closest and accurate revelation of God’s will, the human heart is mostly focused on selfish dreams and ambitions. But with the trust time, human perspective on the manifestation of God’s will is redesigned for optimal revelation of the glory of God. Therefore, ‘You ...

  “ For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars. ”” II Chronicles 16 : 9 NKJV The pitiable 5-year ending of the reign of king Asa in Judah, after a commendable 36-year absolute reliance on God, teaches that God is not interested in halfhearted loyalty. He had enjoyed rest from wars to the extent that he became war-freaked and extremely paranoid at any warfare activity. Whereas, wholehearted watchfulness is simply an absolute reliance on God. It doesn’t guarantee the cessation of hostilities and the manipulation of wicked elements. More often than not, God allows the uprising of some unpleasant activities of men to test and recalibrate believers’ absolute reliance on Himself. Intelligent watchfulness and carefulness are commendable human strategies against the activities of the enemies, but they must not be allowe...

  “ And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” ” II Chronicles 14 : 11 NKJV While the commanding evidence of peace is the absence of wars, conflicts and confrontations, the prevailing peace is rarely not the absence of these challenges. When Asa discovered the secret of prevailing peace during his reign in Judah, even the people of Israel and citizens of the neighbouring nations immigrated to Judah to enjoy this abiding peace - i.e. the presence of the Lord. And when Ethiopia challenged the status of peace in Judah, Asa cried unto the Lord his God for intervention; and the Lord answered by striking Ethiopia before Asa and Judah. Even at the moment when the enemies’ advances are escalated beyond personal control, the boundaries of the p...

  “ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding .” I Corinthians 14 : 14 - 15 NKJV Understanding in all of human relationships is fed by attentiveness. Therefore, it is no news that broken relationships are mostly influenced by the absence of attentive communication between parties. And it is logical for anyone to learn how to listen attentively, in addition to the advances in the leverage on speaking opportunities. Even in spiritual fellowship, a fruitful prayer session can never be left as a monologue. Unfortunately, the Corinthian church had cultivated the radical approach of speaking in tongues without fellowship with one another and God, turning the church of God into a spiritual gymnasium. Whereas, when everyone thrives always to engage God in a fruitful fellowship...

  “ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ” I Corinthians 13 : 4 , 7 NKJV By all standards, the dominant characteristic of love is long suffering. Of course, a clear imitation of love is lust; which is clearly averse to even a little suffering. Little wonder God’s version of love is all about sacrifice, because God is love. He loves the world and He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as the ransom for our sins. Therefore, the callout on all believers, who are the products of God’s love, is appropriate. If I am also love or sacrifice as God, do I suffer long and am I kind? Am I free from envy, parading of myself, and puffing up of myself? Do I believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things, especially in view of their conspiracies against the pursuit of a clearly revealed counsel of God? Even when the stretch of our little love ...

  “ Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy .” Psalms 99 : 9 NKJV Whether through ascension or descension, the significance of the holy hill of the Lord is simply holiness. But, even though the stake of the Lord’s holiness is so high that it cannot accommodate the faintest of unrighteousness, the vilest of sinners can still attempt to ascend the holy hill, if they are willing to allow its descent through forgiveness of sin and repentance. And the redemption story is graphically captured by the lyrics of the song by the Crabb family “ Please Come Down to Me! ”. Likewise, the psalmist invites every heart of worship in all the redeemed of the Lord to the holy hill with a sincere reference of God’s holiness. When we live daily by intentionally purging our hearts from every form of unrighteousness, we are inadvertently exalting the Holy God in His holy hill within our hearts, saying “ Please Come Down to Me! ”.

  “ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ” II Chronicles 7 : 14 NKJV Just as darkness is simply the absence of the light of God, wickedness is the absence of the worship of God. Light and worship are the primary essence of God’s creativity. Whenever believers fully assumed their roles as the light of the world, they are simply worshipping God as the Giver of light. Unfortunately, the fallen man is fully entangled by his wicked ways; and intoxicated by the worship of anything else in life, besides God. Even our so called followers of the gospel have preferred the following and worshipping of celebrities, principalities, and the merchants of wealth in their world. Whereas, the worship ways only take the path of humility, penitence, and looking up to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Worship is the only eviden...