Heralds Digest

  “ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. ” I Timothy 6 : 17 NKJV While there is no controversy with the affluence that surrounds the pursuit of material gains in the world, including the pursuit of pursue , position, and power, these gains suck out life when they start breathing. Living materials and affluence are no longer servants on service, but masters on mission. And whenever the heart of man becomes haughty and intoxicated with pride, he is no longer in control of his abusive use of privileges, power, and position. Whereas, great gain is strictly the pursuit of the living God, irrespective of the status of exposure to material gains. As long as the living God continues to influence believers’ basic decisions or relationships, and inspires their devotions to the service of the Lord, material gains are completely suffocated and unable to breathe. Obvi...

  ““ Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”” Jeremiah 45 : 4 - 5 NKJV It is always hypocritical when people admire true prosperity and despise genuine adversity. Smith Wigglesworth on the subject once wrote ‘Great faith is a product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.’ Unfortunately, the heart of man prefers to seek great faith without great fights, great testimonies without great tests, and great triumphs without great trials. Definitely, there are gross fights, tests, and trials for prosperity or ugly adversity that are inspired by human stupidity, selfishness, and sensualit...

  “ ‘If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,’ says the Lord, ‘for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land .’” Jeremiah 42 : 10 - 12 NKJV The proverbial revelation “ Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint (Proverbs 25 : 19 )” is a perfect fit for the loss of confidence in a loose land. The remnant Jews in Jerusalem had experienced an unpleasant twist of insecurity from the surrounding nations and neighbours, even when subjected to the Babylonian captivity. And in most developing economies with unaccountable leadership, loss of confidence in the state extends easily to loss...

  “I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments. I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.” Psalms 119 : 60 , 63 NKJV If collaboration and companionship do readily prioritize obedience to the pure precepts of the Lord above material and physical prosperity, there would be no reason for concern. But no, the weapons of believer’s warfare have never been carnal for those who are committed to keeping the divine commandments and the pure precepts. It hasn’t been enough to just know these commandments and precepts. The knowledge of the pure precepts must be accomplished by personal responsibility towards sincere obedience. For the psalmist, the personal responsibility says “ I made haste, and did not delay ”. Obedience to the pure precepts requires the following weapons of believers warfare: (1) Wisdom of God - Proverbs 1:7, (2) Examination by the Spirit - 2  Corinthians 13:5, (3) Attentiveness to Divine Revelation - Habakkuk 2:19-20, ...

  “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” I Timothy 2 : 8 NKJV As disappointment upon the words of men breeds wrath, discouragement about the words of God encourages doubting. Since everyone can attest to the fact that too much emphasis and expectations upon the words of men, like politicians, principals and principalities, are the primary sources of corruption, confrontation, and calamities in our homes and societies, we can understand why a little less emphasis and expectations from the words of men is desirable in life. Likewise, a little less esteem of God’s words and faithlessness, through the promotion of human partnership, productivity, and proficiency, withdraw our hope in the supernatural manifestation of God’s power. This is the reason why a ceaseless lifestyle of prayer and fellowship with God represents every life’s decent desire; and the lifting up of holy hands in reference to a sincere satisfaction by th...

  “ Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord— Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.” Psalms 119 : 41 - 42 NKJV Those who assess breakthrough and success on the basis of the superiority of skills and the sophistication of strategies have always queried the relevance of divinely recommended scriptural meditation. Whereas, “ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1 : 8 )” remains the divine revelation of the winning way. The embodiment of all superiority of skills and the sophistication of strategies are within the ambience of our sovereign God; and He reveals the maneuvering of these resources to those who put their confidence only in divine revelation. Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord ar...

  “ Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. ” II Thessalonians 3 : 16 NKJV Truth be told, the pursuit of righteousness is simply and straightforwardly the following of the right pathway, not necessarily the safe, the polite, and the popular pathway. Little wonder Martin Luther King once said, ‘On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, “ Is it safe?” Expediency asks the question, “ Is it polite?” And Vanity comes along and asks the question, “ Is it popular? ” But Conscience asks the question, “ Is it right? ”’. Unfortunately, finding the right pathway is not up to philosophers, psychologists, and politicians in our world, to whom there is no such thing as absolute truth. Whereas, the pursuit of the right pathway is the following of the One who says “ I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me ( John 14 : 6 )”. Jesus is the only Giver of peace; He gives grace, guidance, and ...