Heralds Digest

  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. ”” Galatians 2 : 20 - 21 NKJV Loosed lives often fake liberalism as freedom of expression and privilege to be controlled by societal influences. But in actual fact, this fake liberalism is an expression of an absence of the love that matters, i.e., God’s love. God’s love brings grace through the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. So, when Apostle Paul shared the testament of his loved life as “ I have been crucified with Christ “, it confirms that a loved life is a crucified life; and not a copied life. Unfortunately, in our fast-paced world with complex worldviews on diverse subjects, a copied life is faced with complicated opinions on diverse cultural, political, an...

  “ Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men !” Psalms 107 : 28 , 31 NKJV The privileges of prayer are the most valued treasure chest in trouble. For example, when king Hezekiah and the people of Judah were embarrassed by the harassment of king Sennacherib of Assyria, Hezekiah cried out unto the Lord; and  “ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria ( Isaiah 37 : 21 )”…the Lord defended Judah and destroyed Sennacherib. Unfortunately, we seldomly appreciate the privileges of prayer in seasons of troubles and the challenges of life. Therefore, to all of God’s beloved children, trouble brings the best of God’s triumph of truths, reward of righteousness, opportunities from opposition, unparalleled unity in...

  “ For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. ” Galatians 1 : 10 NKJV Persuasion of God and the pleasing of men are mutually compatible characteristics of religious people. They are usually solid pillars and pioneering members of their religious institutions, mostly making themselves an institution to be pleased instead of God. Unfortunately, this unpleasant persuasion system is being confronted by Apostle Paul in the Galatian church over the contemptible controversy on the insufficiency of grace towards salvation from sin. Whereas, salvation from sin and separation from all forms of ungodliness are the comprehensive provisions of the grace of God. Saved souls are thereafter called to please God by living daily to persuade men. Conforming to the unpleasant persuasion system of the world and our religious institutions can be highly incorrigible, but the pleasing persuasion of all of God’s del...

  “ Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul .” Proverbs 22 : 24 - 25 NKJV Unfaithfulness starts with unfriendly fellowship, like unfaithful conversation with sinners, unfaithful consecration to satanic ideologies, and unfaithful conformation to sinful systems. Therefore, the biblical injunction “ Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go” is clear. An angry man is a repository of unfaithful conversation, unfaithful consecration, and unfaithful conformation. But what if the ‘angry man ’ is our wife/husband, brother/sister, child/parent or anyone we cannot keep at arm’s length? It is important to emphasize that the focus on every believer’s soul intimacy with God is revealed as the principle of a friendly fellowship here. Unfaithfulness to this friendly fellowship is always the basis of vices and satanic manipulations. Whether we are able to physically walk away from...

  “ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness .” Psalms 107 : 8 - 9 NKJV The abuse of God’s goodness starts with the misappropriation of His mercy towards redemption. It implies that only the redeemed of the Lord can truly understand the goodness of the Lord. And all the grateful hearts among the redeemed would readily give thanks for God’s art of goodness; and not necessarily for His act of goodness. Therefore, the great goodness is embodied in every believer’s full understanding of God’s nature with the expression of gratitude, as inspired by the psalmist “ Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy ” (Psalms 107 : 1 - 2 ). Even in the midst of human grossness and interplay of the wickedness of men, God’s goodness shin...

  “ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ” II Corinthians 12 : 8 - 9 NKJV In God’s economy of usefulness for service, burden bearer and bounty buzzer often wear interchangeable identities. Apostle Paul had a burden or thorn in the flesh that annoyingly refuse to go away, despite his consistent confidence in the ability of God to make the burden disappear. Yet, God’s response  “ My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness ” remains a profound principle of bounty buzzing from burden bearing. Human ego and pride would prefer to use bounty buzzing on the basis of personal intelligence, inspiration, and industry. Unfortunately, this human economy of usefulness is not acceptable to God. When God says...

  “ You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength. ” Isaiah 26 : 3 - 4 NKJV Those who trust in pseudo gods are motivated by their offerings of relative peace, in response to the prevailing challenges of life. Unfortunately, these Greek gifts with relative peace are rooted in satanic strategy of deception and the selling of birthright. From the garden of Eden, humanity has been falling into the pit of sin, unrighteousness, and shame on every temptation to doubt the fulfillment of the promises of peace from God. Whereas, it is instructive to note that any offering of peace in response to the demand for a change of circumstances is not a perfect peace - it is a dubious scam! Perfect peace is rooted in believers’ absolute trust in the omnipotence of God. Even when unpleasant circumstances persist, perfect peace is rather more easily validated. Funny enough, the state ...