Heralds Digest

  “ They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog .” Psalms 22 : 18 - 20   Although this prophetic proclamation of the psalmist expresses the neater nearness of God surrounding the suffering, crucifixion and death of Christ, it establishes the priority of believer’s focus on the nearness of God at all times. The normal nearness in life is bound to bring the mixture of anxiety, excitement, disorientation, and disorderliness. And those who want to specialize in creating orderliness out of the chaotic disposition of men with diverse interests have so much to wrestle with. Whereas, Jesus Christ demonstrated the secret of sanity in our chaotic world by starting each day in the presence of the Lord. Therefore, the orderliness of Heaven comes down with God to human’s disorderliness, when God is invited to come down...

  “ All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”” Psalms 22 : 7 - 8 NKJV While the psalmist’s encounter with faithless forces in the days of his wilderness experience was personal, it represented the general phenomenon for the expression of frustration at our faithlessness in God. It is a typical act of transferring aggression to the reachable others in our relationships, when actually we aim at complaining to a supposedly unreachable, uninterested, and unconcerned God. For example, when the Israelites in the wilderness with no water to drink cried out to Moses “ Give us water, that we may drink (Exodus 17 : 2 )”, Moses knew they were actually frustrated by the thought “ Is the Lord among us or not? (Exodus 17 : 7 )”. So, he was able to handle the faithless forces at Massah and Meribah. Unfortunately, Moses was stretched beyond his meek tolera...

  “ For they intended evil against You; They devised a plot which they are not able to perform. Therefore You will make them turn their back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power. ” Psalms 21 : 11 - 13   While the love of God is demonstrated by the cross of Jesus Christ, His power is manifested by the resurrection of the Lord. Notwithstanding, even 2,000 years after the resurrection of Christ, the conspiracies against ‘He is risen! ’ have never subsided, as vividly demonstrated by the lifestyle of believers in the power of God’s grace. Although what the scriptures says concerning this grace is “ teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age ( Titus 2 : 12 )”, believers often make mockery of the power of God’s grace by dancing in unrighteousness with arrogance and pride. Meanwhile, even in the...

  “ And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. ”” Exodus 14 : 13 - 14 NKJV Sweet submission to the Lord and His promises are words and opposite to the people’s stubborn stance and hardness of hearts. While the former is borne out of love for the Lord’s mighty hands, the latter is borne out of hatred for divine counsel. When the Lord told Moses and the Israelites “ Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so (Exodus 14 : 4)”, it was made so the Israelites may be convinced of their call to a sweet submission to the Lord. Unfortunately, and like many believers today, the Israelites couldn’t stand still with sweet s...

  “ And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. ”” Matthew 27 : 39 - 40 NKJV It is no longer news that the Passover story of the Israelites from Egypt presents the sacrifice of lambs, for “ when I see the blood, I will pass over you” . Just as the lamb without blemish must sacrifice its blood for the adopted household to escape the angel of destruction, Jesus Christ offered His blood on the cross of Calvary for the world who believes to escape eternal destruction. Unfortunately, on the day of the sacrifice, “ And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself!“ ”. Likewise today, sinners who passed by often blasphemed the Saviour, wagging their heads and bragging with their mouths saying, “ Save yourself! ”. Thankfully, Jesus didn’t respond...

  “ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call. ” Psalms 20 : 7 - 9   One of the horrible things about focussing on one’s personal capabilities in relationships is the subtle encouragement to commit evil without even acknowledging its feelings. Judas Iscariot was boosted by his capabilities to engage people, negotiate financial transactions, and book-keeping to engage the Pharisees and temple leaders on a conspiracy to exchange his kissing of Jesus with 30 pieces of silver. Before the feelings of the transaction was done on him, he committed suicide without repentance. Also here the psalmist remembered how Pharaoh boosted about his capabilities to organize the artillery of chariots and horses against the Israelites, even after the divine demonstration of about 10 devastating plagues to unveil the superiority...

  “ Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression .” Psalms 19 : 12 - 13   The primary responsibility of a secret service agent is the protection of his subject from insecurity and attacks from the enemy. And as errors and presumptuous sins in our intelligent world, social media, and physical institutions are increasing in astronomical proportion, we all need the daily secret service of the word of God to stay sane and alive. Even men of God, like Moses and Aaron who paid attention to ‘Thus says the Lord unto… ’, still struggle with the secret faults of disobedience and dishonesty, especially when they come face to face with their Pharaoh and his adamantly hardened heart, who would do anything to enforce unrighteousness and not righteousness. Like the psalmist, believers are faced with the dilemma of ...