Heralds Digest

  “ For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrews 6 : 10 NKJV The uniqueness of motherhood in the theatre of love is in her being the custodian of the labour pain. Arising from the labour room, even the scriptures can attest to the incontestable excellence of love towards both child-bearing and child upbringing. Except by the special grace of God alone, wise men don’t compete with women’s labour love over their children, but rather compliment it. Notwithstanding, and in comparison with God’s labour love, love without pain is always a fraud. “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life ( John 3 : 16 )”. The pain in the quoted love is in the giving away, and the “ you have ministered to the saints, and do minister ” in the current scriptural reflection. Without prejudi...

  “ Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your judgments. Many are my persecutors and my enemies, Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies. ” Psalms 119 : 156 - 157 NKJV Revival and rebellion are responses to the same coinage - the word of God. Fortunately,  one of the major dividends of the real rest is real revival.  Therefore, it is pretty easy to play religion with both responses. And when the psalmist prayed “ Revive me according to Your judgments ”, he suggested the prospect of revival on the basis of sensuality, stigmatization, and substances, if a gracious response to the scriptures is forfeited. For example, the psalmist had the prospect of a horrible experience of rebellious responses to the activities of his persecutors and enemies. Unfortunately, whenever the righteous is crippled by FEAR or feeling exaggerated above reality, he becomes intoxicated with fake revival or rebellion against the commandments of the Lord. In spite of the te...

  “ For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world .” Hebrews 4 : 3 NKJV One of the dignity of labour is its access to rest and reward for services. Unfortunately, the insatiable variability of reward makes earthly rest a fluke. Whereas, God promises a real rest from worry and anxiety with absolute peace and satisfaction, which rides upon the believer's faith and confidence in the words of the Lord. But because real rest does not often come with feathers, people usually respond with unbelief and fear by mistreatment and mismanagement of laudable projects. Even in these days of economic uncertainties, social injustices and financial instability, God’s promises of real rest remain tenable before principalities and powers throughout the seasons of life. Its power is unconquerable, pleasure is unending, and presence is unquenchable. Jesus Christ i...

  “ Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights. The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; Give me understanding, and I shall live. ” Psalms 119 : 143 - 144 NKJV For obvious reasons, not many people will readily acknowledge the rightness of trouble and anguish in life. Whereas, like the psalmist apparently submitted, the rightness of tests provides the righteousness of testimonies. The evidence of the abiding presence of God in the life and affairs of believers is fully captured when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  Therefore, the testimonies of God’s grace, goodness, and glory are mostly wrapped up by our seasons of trouble and anguish. Unfortunately, those who lack this gracious understanding often fall into the condemnation of sin, compromises and satanic manipulations. But, those who exalt the words of God and His commandments above the traps laced with popularity, pleasure, and prosperity are always deli...

  “ But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands .” Hebrews 2 : 6 - 7 NKJV The working of grace towards the salvation of man from the dungeon of sin is an evident manifestation of our mindful maker. Jesus Christ became the author and finisher of every believer’s faith. Likewise, when we see only Jesus through the lens of our challenges and difficulties, we will be amazed by divine contemplation towards the greater glories. For example, beyond the amazing stories of transformation of Bible characters, I have seen lives and relationships change for better by the power of God and His mindful orchestration of strenuous events and awful circumstances. If God is always mindful of the glorious destination in His workings with man, we can as well reciprocate by our unw...

  “ But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?” Hebrews 1 : 13 NKJV Monstrous makers in our world are full of magic. Whether in politics, administration, and social welfare, the activities of the shakers and makers in our institutions and societies are more tempted to advance fear, intimidation and oppression than a peaceful response to its natural design. And while the Lord assured the righteous of their call to love, power, and sound minds, and not fear, monstrous makers often desire more ride spaces than our majestic maker. Yet, just as God the father assured the Lord Jesus Christ “ Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” , Jesus has promised all His children “ please sit at my right hand” . Standing up with our natural might and intelligence against all monstrous activities with fear and anxiety is normal. However, it takes absolute faith and confidence in our majestic maker to sit unp...

  “It is time for You to act, O Lord, For they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.” Psalms 119 : 126 - 128 NKJV There is no doubt in the fact that the oppressive outbursts of wicked men in the world create repressive responses from those who are expected to trust in the promises of God. When promises are deferred, hopes fade. Whereas, the hearts and souls of the righteous get refreshed by every demonstration of the prevailing precepts of the Lord. Therefore, faith in the prevailing precepts is always the anchor for believers’ souls. It gets boosted by our regular digest of the words of God and daily dialogue in the secret place. Unfortunately, those who have subtly joined ranks with wicked souls and oppressors in battle against the righteous do readily undermine the potency of the prevailing precepts. Unlike these ...