Heralds Digest

  “ They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love .” Psalms 109 : 3 - 5 NKJV The religious rewards for injustice, wickedness, and all forms of unrighteousness from the enemies sometimes include the outbursts of vengeance in prayer. When the psalmist says ‘But I give myself to prayer ’, little would anyone know that God was expected to be engaged as the propaganda of wickedness and vengeance. Notwithstanding, the best response to the advances of conflicts and confrontation in life is the engagement of God in prayer. Fortunately, one of the many rewards of a sincere prayer lifestyle is the conversion of all, including ignorant seekers. If the enemies do not reward good with evil, how would God make ugly things presented before Him right? Everyone who truly or sincerely ‘give myself to prayer ’ is bound ...

  “ Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless .” Psalms 108 : 10 - 12 NKJV The difference between human assistance and the help from God is apparently the remoteness of the help from a far away heaven. Oftentimes, God is blamed for walking against the human plans towards breakthrough and success. Whereas, we mostly have little or no idea of the definition and destination of the strong city. Even in a single family unit, and because of the import of human depravity on conflict of interest, the different parties’ helpline is sometimes treated with skepticism and suspicion. Whereas, God’s help is holy because there is no conflict of interest with divine assistance. The ultimate definition of God’s holy help is clear, and the destination of its strong city is straightforward. While man’s hidden agenda in the nego...

  “ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ .”  Galatians 4 : 6 - 7 NKJV There is no doubt the fact that adoption is not just the story of redemption from sin; it is the amazing story of Sonship. And the Sonship status comes with rights and privileges, including the automatic inheritance of heavenly resources, operating in the realms of the spirit far above the earthly principalities and powers, and freedom from fears, anxieties, and intimidation. Unfortunately, like the foolish Galatians, many redeemed children of God are ignorant of their status in Christ; and they are often taking advantage of by their enemies and detractors. And by operating less than the Sonship status, believers are forced to elevate the status of other gods, authorities, and powers above the counsels of God, This slavish ideology had ...

  “ Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand .’” Isaiah 41 : 10 NKJV Partnership in all of life’s projects is mainly about the hedging of strength. Even after due diligence is observed towards partnership agreement, many people have discovered that service strength towards success and productivity is not limited to personal diligence and determination. For example, a devastated widow once shared her divine consolation in the middle of the night from the revealed service strength in Isaiah 41:10. It implies that, beyond the hedging of partnership from business, marriage, and project partners, the service strength from God is the most reliable of all contributions from human beings and material resources. Unfortunately, many people are not encouraged to invite the service strength of God in their seasons of distress because of their standing self-will and apathy again...

  “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...