Heralds Digest

  “ I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.” Psalms 77 : 12 - 14 NKJV The import of psychological and sociological sciences on productive human relationships, family engagements and business partnerships is straightforward. Unlike the destructive narratives of the influence of social media on loneliness in our generation, effective interpersonal relationships and intimate friendliness have saved unnecessary marital, business, and project challenges. Fruitful friendship is built only on godliness and intentional meditation on divine principles and revelation. Whereas, the human heart is easily distracted by the personal pursuit of remedy for its self-centredness, greed, and pride; but a humble heart will always find the right answer to “ Who is so great a God as our God? ” in the sanctuary. Show me you...

  “ So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’ “Known to God from eternity are all His works .” Acts 15 : 17 - 18 NKJV In the word of apostle James, God’s plan of redemption and the evolution of dispensation along the way are pretty known to Him…but the pathway is full of surprises in human intelligence. Unfortunately, the reality of warped works in life’s social, career, and ministerial engagements is driving idolatry and the worship of any known superior intelligence in our world. Whereas, God’s plan of redemption embodies the comprehensive actions and inaction of the human race towards a singular purpose: “ So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord ”. For example, the martyrdom of Stephen by the instigation of Saul, the amazing arrest of Saul and conversion to Paul on his way to Damascus for increasing persecution of saints, and his suffering and surrendering to the cause of pre...

  ““ When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers .” I Kings 8 : 33 - 34 NKJV While reflecting on the projected WWIII of the ongoing Israel-Iran war, it is always cheap for believers to place their sentiment on the biblical covenant of God with the people of Israel without underscoring the condition. It is instructive to note that even king Solomon failed before the end of his reign to keep the terms of a triumphant temple. Therefore believers, irrespective of their current national affiliations and including Israel and Iran, are now the spiritual people of Israel and holders of the divine promise of a triumphant temple. And as rightly emphasized in the New Testament, “ And what agreement has the templ...

  “ Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself. Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them; Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is awesome to the kings of the earth. ” Psalms 76 : 10 - 12 NKJV Praises are naturally inspired by the sentiments of rewards, recognition and remunerations. And little wonder that human beings are experts in these kinds of sycophantic praises, with no roots to bear in times of difficulties and shame. However, “ surely the wrath of man shall praise You” suggests the evidence of a prevailing praise to God in troublous times. Due to His sovereignty, nothing catches God by surprise. The wrath of man embodies the worst of human oppression and opposition against the divine causes, prescribing failures, defeats and disappointments. Notwithstanding, those who truly trust in the Lord God will still be praising the Lord before, duri...

  “ And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—” Acts 13 : 22 - 23 NKJV It is instructive that the raising of king David teaches justification as a joint-venture between God and man. God found a submissive shepherd boy in David and justified him as a picture of Jesus Christ - ‘a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ And even today, in just Jesus, we have a complete justification through the understanding of His grace for salvation and consistent revelation as the truth personified. Those who still struggle with self-will after their claimed encounter with Jesus are truly not submissive to the complete work of grace. Whereas, just as David endured the wilderness experience after being found by God, submission to the will of Go...

  “ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied.” Acts 12 : 23 - 24 NKJV It is often said that every believer needs three types of conversion, including conversion to Christ, conversion to His church, and conversion to His cause. Unfortunately, many supposed followers of Christ are readily distracted by a conflict of personal pursuits, promotions, and prosperity, primarily against the cause of Christ. Since the scriptures recorded that an Angel of the Lord struck king Herod because he did not give glory to God, it implied that his appetite for personal glory, appraisal as god for his political power and almighty sagacity at the expense of the spread of the words of God is destructive. Little wonder the scriptures quickly added to the heavenly verdict “ But the word of God grew and multiplied” , showing that the God of glory is always unstoppable by the pride a...

  “ When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord .” Acts 11 : 23 - 24 NKJV Except to expose the basis of inconsistency in the testimonies of compromising Christians, the singularity of the grace of God and the God of grace is wholesome. For example, Barnabas saw the grace of God in believers in the Antioch assembly and quickly admonished them to continue with the God of grace; because without a consistent fellowship with the God of grace, the fraud in any believer’s claim to the grace of God will soon be an open scam. Unfortunately, today, there is too much religiosity hype without relational righteousness and holiness. We readily abuse the grace of God because we disuse the delightful relationship with the God of grace. Whereas, for Barnabas and every true Christian, the onl...