FAITH CAPSULE: Celebration of Jesus is not over, but a way of life.

Mark 11:12-14, 1 Peter 1:13-21

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is rooted in understanding is seeking Jesus. 
Seeking God is to find Him.
Are you available to Jesus to find you?
A fig tree perhaps was the only one of its kind at a time and in the region when its creator could not find it when needed.
Jesus created the fig tree for a purpose. 
The fig tree was to be pleasing to the creator but not found available.
Mark 11:13 records, “And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the seasons for figs.”  
The fig tree was attractive with its decoration, pleasing to the world around it, but could not be available to deliver its purpose to its creator.
Does that sound like you?
Are you one who celebrates with all kinds of decoration, but God cannot see in you that you are living according to the purpose of your being? 
The celebration of the birth of Jesus rooted in understanding is for seeking Jesus.  
The words of God demand, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) “…seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29) 
All should seek God in celebration and not be of mere attraction. 
The attraction displayed celebrating the birth of Jesus is like a fig tree that attracts its creator without anything to show. 
All the actions of Jesus and His words were to know and live for God.
How much attention are you devoting to the Word of God? 
The level of attention devoted to celebrating the birth of Jesus should determine the understanding gained. 
Also, the level of understanding will lead to having a knowing edge.
Jesus was not only displaying His power when He approached the unfruitful fig tree by the inviting leaves it displayed. 
Jesus was communicating a message through the demonstration of power. 
Christianity or Christmas celebration is not just about adornment and Sunday noise-making. 
Christianity is about the reality of Christ, which is fruitfulness. 
Do not let your adornment be merely outward by the arrangement that is putting on fine apparel or beautifying your surroundings with Christmas lights. 
Avoid being a side attraction. 
Attraction is possible not to deliver the message of the season marking the birth of Jesus.
The Christmas celebration is once a year, but living for God as a Christ-like life is a year at the breath of life.
All that Jesus wants is to see your fruitfulness. 
Make note that all are to live for the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask Him to deliver you from religion into the reality of Christ.

FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus is the gift of God to all.

Luke 2:1-21

Giving gifts without a place for the Lord in your inn is the same as lying, deceiving, and manipulating.
Are you with the mind to celebrate the gift of God by opening your inside for Him to occupy you?
God sent His beloved that will enable one not to perish.
Luke 2:6-7 records the coming of Jesus, “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.”  
Jesus, the King of all, was born in a manger. 
The Eternal Shepherd of all shepherds could have forced the opening inn for His arrival while He was still in the womb. 
Are you going to open yourself for Him to occupy you?
He came silently and wrapped in swaddling cloth. 
There was no space for Joseph and Mary at the inn. 
The inn that matters to Him is your inn. 
It does not matter the gift that occupies your inn, but be available to accept Him as your gift.
He spoke in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Jesus came to have a place in our inn so that we overcome and be granted a seat with Him on His throne.” 
To deny Him access into your inn is the evidence of having been filled with self. 
He who is full of self is one with lying, deception, manipulation, and all sorts of selfish character.
Jesus is knocking at the door of your inn. 
Will you grant Him full access and have yourself engaged in the privileges of having Jesus in your inn?  
When the knock came at the inn, there was a lock-out. 
The privilege of the inn to become the most well-known inn in all creation came knocking, but it was too full to be used for the birth of the Lord. 
What are you filled with? 
Giving gifts without a place for the Lord in your inn is the same as lying, deceiving, and manipulating. 
As time and the seasons continue to reveal things to you, you should begin to make arrangements to be ready for what is coming. 
Jesus is here to prepare your inn for His coming back. 
Send off lying, deception, and manipulation to let Him gain entrance.
Live in a way to let Him into your inn, and make your inn become where He lives.
Jesus is here, and He will be back after now. 
Be ready for Him!  

Prayer for today: Ask God to turn your heart unto Him like the rivers of water that you live to serve Him all the days He has given to you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Another birth date of Jesus is here! 

Luke 2:1-20 

Another time of the remembrance of the Birth of Jesus is almost here!
The celebration of His birth should also be the preparation for His coming back.
God the only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, which no man has seen or can see, is perfect beyond any imagination. 
All that was in place at the time of His birth speaks volumes about the interest of God for all.
The road and conditions that led to the time of His birth were not loud but purposeful.  
When Joseph and Mary left Galilee, the city of Nazareth, into Judea, the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, it was the place of registration of Mary. 
Joseph was walking in the line of the prophecy of Isaiah. 
While Joseph and Mary were there, the time of birth came to be. 
At the time of the birth of Jesus, there was no room at the inn for the Lord to be delivered. 
At the time of His birth, people did not understand that Christ was about to be born into the world. 
At the time of His birth, no hospital was alerted.
Luke 2:7 records, “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.”   
At His birth, He was placed in a manger with no fine cloth to swaddle the Lord of lords. 
Jesus came at an appointed time and to an appointed location.  
God is perfectly perfect. 
The King of Kings came to a ground where kings would choose not to pass through.
Hebrews 5:8-9 records concerning Jesus, “…though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” 
Ever before His birth and at the time of His birth, engaging all kinds of suffering has been in place. 
The life of Jesus, before He was born to the time of His persecution, demonstrates to all that humility is suffering, and it only makes one obedient. 
His coming is the reason for hope; His coming is the reason for joy. 
Jesus came despite all kinds of obstacles, such as discouragement, and there was no record of complaint by Joseph or Mary. 
The celebration of His birth should also be the preparation for His coming back. 
Do you have hope and joy because of the name of Jesus? 
Romans 12:12 prescribes that all should rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be continually firm in prayer. 

Prayer for today: As you join in the celebration of the birth of Jesus, ask God to locate you and preserve you for salvation when the trumpet sounds.

FAITH CAPSULE: Care to give concerned care that gets the attention of God.

2 Kings 4:8-37, 

Be concerned about caring for others. 
Give a chance to care for others to gain the attention of God.
Gaining the attention of God for doing right will experience the glory of God.
Gaining the attention of God will position one for the manifestation of the glory of God.
The Bible records a notable woman of Shunem for taking the chance to care for God’s sake. 
She was a woman whom Elisha often passed by her house. 
The Bible records, “Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.” (2 Kings 4:8) 
When Elisha was passing, all he was doing was stopping to eat. 
At a point in time, the notable woman approached her husband, “And she said to her husband, ‘Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.’” (2 Kings 4:9-10) 
The notable woman (Shunammite woman) was concerned with caring for Elisha, the man of God, to gain the attention of God. 
Elisha recognized the care he received from the Shunammite woman and he sent his servant (Gehazi) to call the Shunammite woman for him.  
By the concerned care of the Shunammite woman, it became glaring to Elisha the need to pray that the Shunammite woman should have a son. The Shunammite woman gave attention and care to the servant of God and turned out for her to experience the visitation of God.
Elisha prayed for the Shunamite woman to have a son.
The old age of the husband could not offset the goodness of God.
There are many ways of caring for strangers and non-strangers, but when such caring is to get the attention of God, it provokes the hand of God for a favorable manifestation of the goodness and mercy in the life of the one who cares. 
Most importantly, when your concerned care necessitates taking unusual chances that lead to the glory of God, the attention of God to such will become undeniable and profitable. 
Jesus made all realize that “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Mathew 5:7) 
Caring to impress the world does not present anyone before God. 
Care to give concerned care for the glory of God will gain God’s attention that delivers favorable mercy to the one who engages the attention of God.
Give a chance to give concerned care.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to know to care when situations demand caring.        

FAITH CAPSULE: Make it a priority to examine your walk with God.

Matthew 14:22-33

Genesis 5:24 records, “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”  
Enoch walked with God and did not miss his step on earth. 
Noah also walked with God.
Genesis 6:9 states the walk of Noah, “…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” 
The perfection in the life of Noah was the evidence of his walk with God. The Bible also recorded Abram’s walk with God, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” (Genesis 17:1-2) 
Enoch and Noah walked with God, but Abram walked before God. 
Can it be that Abram ungraded walking with God by walking before God?
The point here is walking with God or before God is they all live to the fulfillment of their destiny by not falling away from God. 
In this life journey, make it a priority to examine your walk with God.
To walk with God or to walk before God is walking in God. 
Are you walking in the Lord or outside of God? 
When you walk in the Lord, let every step you take become committed unto God. 
When you walk in the Lord, He will be involved in your decision-making. 
As a believer, walk by faith, not by the sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). 
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of your walk? 
The Spirit of God will not force on anyone. 
Galatians 5:16 records, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  
Jesus points it out to all, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) 
The Word of God is the Spirit of God. 
Believers have much to gain by walking in the Spirit, and that is why a believer must stay focused on the Lord. 
Peter walked on water because he maintained his focus when the Word commanded him to. 
When he lost focus on the Word, he began to sink. 
Are you focusing on Him despite delays in getting answers to your prayers? 
Is the noise of the multitude growing all around you to disrupt your walk?
Acts 9:31, “Then the churches throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit they were multiplied.” 
Without any doubt, walking in Him brings comfort and multiplication of blessings in every area of life. 

Prayer for today: Ask to become able to walk in Him in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.