Heralds Digest

   “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12 : 1 - 2 KJV The idea of service as a sacrifice has been instituted by God, right from the Old Testament dispensation. Love as a character of God is a service sacrifice, demonstrated by the offering of His only begotten Son, Jesus  Christ, for the salvation of humanity from the bondage of sin. Likewise, believers in Christ Jesus, called brethren, are expected to present their bodies daily as a living or service sacrifice at home, workplaces, and in the society. Since these services include loving people in our lives that are undeserving of love, gifting tips to people in the neighborhood that appear to be taking advantage of our ...

  “ I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: Mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.” Psalm 89 : 20 - 22 KJV Since Merriam Webster dictionary defines ‘exact’ as ‘to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain’ , it implies that the opposite of ‘ to exact’ can be ‘to entertain ’.  From the benefits of hindsight, all the activities of king Saul against the anointing of David can be simply categorized as part of enemies’ entertainment. Yet, at one point in David’s wilderness experience, the enemies’ entertainment was misappropriated as enemies’ exactness: “ And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.” ( 1...

  “ The name of the LORD is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe. The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. A man's gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men. ” Proverbs 18 : 10 , 15 - 16 KJV Soulwinning has always been a freestyle storytelling episode for those who can personalize their salvation story. We run into the house full of God’s love with our mess and He turns the mess into mercy by His grace offering, showing in every stage, setting, and statement of life. Simply put, life is a bundle and collection of messes and many people are merely skillful in tackling these messes through their own personal efforts and the benevolence of natural or material resources available to them. Unfortunately, even the most resourceful fellow on earth has no sufficient power to resolve life’s challenges, especially coupled with the avalanche of conspiracy against breakthrough. But the LORD God is every bel...

  “ For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ” Romans 10 : 3 - 4 KJV Righteousness, according to the new age, is synonymous to morality, equity, fairness, freedom of speech, and even, liberalism. Little wonder, the world is plagued with human right abuses, terrorism, political and religious violence, etc. For example, the lifestyle and radicalism of Apostle Paul (once known as Saul) before his encounter with Jesus Christ perfectly fit his exposition to the Jews on wrong righteousness “ For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God“. Whatever we do to forcefully suppress the will of other people or their convictions in any attempt to get them to accept our own opi...

  “ Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein .” Hosea 14 : 9 KJV It is true that being created as a free moral agent implies ownership of our decisions. Unfortunately, our decisions, and not the prerogative of God, determine our destinies in life. When we think we are wise and have arrived, then comes the perplexity caused by confrontation with the sovereignty of God. Since human methods and mastery are perfectly subservient to sovereignty, acknowledging God’s ways as the only wise ways is not just the beginning of wisdom…it is the only available wisdom. And to the pride of Ephraim, the “ just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” ; while the truly wise and prudent souls are known by their submission to the sovereignty of God. Whenever the hearts of men are trained to accept the sovereignty of God in all s...

   “ God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? Or to thy faithfulness round about thee?” Psalm 89 : 7 - 8 KJV As faithful Father to His obedient children, faithfulness is expected to begat steadfastness. Therefore, while the psalmist’s rhetoric question was targeted to God intentionally, and not man; it was a callout on self’s steadfastness and submission to the love of God. As rightly positioned by Apostle Paul in the New Testament,  “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ( Romans 8 : 35 )”. While the agents of darkness and the architects of evil and wickedness against the lots of the righteous intend the spread of believers’ discouragement, this rhetoric question is often needed in the place of prayer for absolute reliance on the faithful...

   “ Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh And intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, But that his heart may discover itself. ” Proverbs 18 : 1 - 2 KJV If the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and the right application of wisdom is understanding, it is not surprising why the absence of the fear of God or His existence is summarized as foolishness. Unfortunately, fools often masquerade as the intelligent application of human wisdom and the forceful expression of interests in politics, public services, project management and social contracts at homes and workplaces. While the adoption of these decorated desires is readily applauded as the mark of excellence in today’s world, the scriptures speak of a distinguished desire for excellence through a determination to remain undefiled. For example, Joseph separated himself from Potiphar’s wife and suffered temporarily in prison to get the divine promotion to the position of a Prim...