FAITH CAPSULE: Look to God not to be a victim of stagnation. 

John 5:1-17                                                           

Stagnation not moving forward is evidence of the agent of paralysis.
Bible recorded, “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” (John 5:2-4)
A man with paralysis could not get healing where all kinds of sicknesses were getting healed.
The man with the paralysis of thirty-eight years could not get his healing.
The man with the thirty-eight years was on the right track not to remain trapped. 
The man with paralysis was at Bethesda with the meaning: ‘House of mercy.’ 
The man with paralysis was trapped and could not come out of his paralysis.
In any area of life where stagnation continues to hold a man back from moving forward is evidence of the agent of paralysis. 
Are you experiencing stagnation physically or spiritually?
For thirty-eight years, at a location for healing, a man with paralysis remained stagnated.
What is holding you down and not living life to the glory of God?
As one that believes in the goodness and mercy of God, is there any evidence of stagnation having a place in your life?
John 5:5-7 records, “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 
At the breakthrough ground, the excuse is the holding force that holds many downs. 
The man with paralysis has been held down for thirty-eight years by the excuse of no man to put him into the pool.
Are you looking to man for your help, or are you looking up to Jesus for your breakthrough? 
Breaking out of stagnation and not becoming a vessel of mockery is knowing with understanding to lift a voice to God that does not ignore the calling of those who wait on Him. 
The Psalmist states, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” 
The paralysis of man is evidence of looking to man instead of looking to God, lifting his voice to God.
It is time to stop directing voice to man but to direct voice to God and look up to God. 
Jesus is the only one who can pull man through, not man. 

Prayer for today: Ask for mercy from the hand of God to bring you out of stagnation.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do you know to be giving thanks to God for all things?  

Psalm 107

Giving thanks should not be based on feelings but should be every moment of thanking God.
The past and present challenges, seeing a new day is a great grace, not a right. 
For a new day, turn to God and give thanks. 
Giving thanks to God is crucial; giving thanks to God should not be a casual way of appreciating God. 
Giving thanks should not be a mouth engagement to appreciate God.
Pages of the Bible emphasize thanking God.
Psalm 107:1 states, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 
Psalm 92:1, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High” 
The book of Revelation 11:17 also states, “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.”
Give thanks to God always, and give thanks for all things to God by not taking God for granted. 
How are you living, thanking God?
The word of God through the Bible demonstrates the need for giving thanks at all times, regardless of challenges. 
Thanksgiving should always be rooted in the heart. 
It can be challenging to give thanks when confronting the aggravating challenge of the wicked world.
Giving thanks to God should not be an every-now-and-then sacrifice but a continual thank God as a sacrifice.
Giving thanks should not be rendered to God only at times of convenience.
Let your thanksgiving to God be a commitment to thanking God continually.
Do you know to give thanks to God for all things? 
One knowing giving thanks to God for all things shall experience all things work together for good. 
Romans 8:28 buttresses, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” 
Are you giving yourself to the word of God or in part and in whole? 
The word of God is directly related, and none of His words can be left out to achieve the purpose of another. 
John 6:63 states, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” 
The word of God is spirit, and when it gains attention, it enters to enable one to do the simple by thanking God.
The word of God is what is needed for all to become filled.
One that is full will become built up to gain and retain the presence of God.
Take to the word of God as a whole by giving thanks for all things, and all things will work together for good. 
In sincerity, begin to give thanks to God as a serious priority. 
Regardless of the situation, give thanks always to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled to live a life of giving thanks to God.

FAITH CAPSULE:  Are you living by the word of God to claim the promise of God?

Genesis 12

One living by the word of God qualifies to answer as a believer of God.
One answering as a believer but not living by the word of God is a believer of the mouth, not of the heart.
Believing the word of God stands to claim the promise of God for one living by His word.
Are you living by the word of God, with the expectation to claim the promise of God?
The blessing of God comes with a condition.
The promise of God that is a blessing does not come to pass by accident but by living life by His word. 
The promises of God are vast, but man is vastly far from living by the word of God that delivers the promises of God.
Believing the word of God to claim His promises are: 
Obedient to live by the command of God; be holy; demonstrate the love of God;
Obeying His commandment:
God commandment Abram saying, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) 
Abram did not question God for His command nor delay or doubt God.
Abram went as commanded and claimed the promises of God. 
Genesis 12:2-3 records, “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  
Obedient Abram provoked the promises of God for his life. 
Many want to claim the promises of Abraham but are far from obeying the word of God, not living by His word.
Abraham followed the word of God.
Be holy:
Living life by behaving the word of God makes one answer holy. 
God wants us to be holy. 
1 Peter 1:15-16 states, “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” Living holy by the word provokes promises of God as stated, “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
Demonstrate the love of God:
To believe God is to love and fear God. 
One demonstrating the love of God will move God to bless with His promise of blessing. 
John 14:14-16 confirms, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” 
Abraham believed in God as he demonstrated his love for God when he offered Isaac, as commanded for sacrifice by God.
Isaac obeyed to receive the promises of God. 

Prayer for today: Ask for the understanding to live by the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: The word of God delivers and preserves from the wicked of the world. 

Judges 14

Against a wicked and darkened world, are you giving yourself to the word of God for deliverance?
The word of God, the Spirit of the Lord, is the power of God. _
The power of God testifies to healing, deliverance, and preservation through the pages of the Bible. 
The Bible records Samson and the Spirit of God that worked in him.
Judges 14:5-6 documents, “So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.” 
With the Spirit of the Lord, there is nothing a surprising challenge can do but fail and not prevail.
The enemy cannot be more powerful.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson when a surprise lion came at him, and Samson prevailed against the lion. 
Every day of the journey in this wicked and darkened world, unexpected lions roam back and forth, ready to devour available ones. 
In your daily journey, are you encountering an unexpected lion? 
A journey that is yet to encounter a lion is not evidence that free from a lion.
Wisdom is the way to prepare for an expected or unexpected lion that wants to devour on the way. 
Taking to the word, the Spirit of God is wisdom. 
Jesus spoke in John 6:63, “…the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” 
The Spirit of the Lord that is power is the word of God. 
The word of God is also the light generator, and when it enters, it gives light that keeps one not to stumble. 
As you journey in the wicked and darkened world, are you giving yourself to the word of God? 
The word of God is truthful to deliver and to preserve.
The Spirit of God delivered Samson from his enemies. 
Are you studying the word of God rather than skimming through the word of God daily? 
Encountering the journey in this wicked and darkened world, demand not to leave home without the word. 
Meditating on the word of God is communicating with God.
Meditate on the word of God that keeps one to God and not to be far away from the presence of God. 
The lion that encountered Samson was a surprise, but the Spirit of the Lord upon Samson made him an overcomer of the lion.
Give self to the word of God, the Spirit of God that can deliver one from known and unknown lions in the journey of the wicked and darkened world.

Prayer for today: Ask for the strength to increase the studying word of His deliverance.

FAITH CAPSULE: Make a life be of seeking God to find Him.

Luke 15:11-32

Deuteronomy 4:29 states the standard of seeking God, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 
To seek God with all heart and soul will find God.        
In life, maintaining a position not far from God is seeking Him. 
Seek God with all heart and soul steadfastness, and know that seeking to see God is not a casual engagement. 
Are you one who seeks God when it is convenient? 
The truth about seeking God should be an unending engagement as long as there is life. 
Seeking Him should never cease. 
Seeking Him should be a lifestyle. 
To stop seeking God is to have taken a position far from Him. 
David, a man after the heart of God, knows the right to advise his son Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:9, “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
Are you with a desire to find God by His way?
Some claim to seek God, but their heart is far from God. 
Today, the world can be a distraction from seeking to find God. 
Also, the challenge of the ministration of the word today is mincing the word of God on the ground of seeking God. 
Most grounds where to seek and see God is only with decoration that does not find God.
The ministers and majority places are worshipping with decoration to make feeling good the priority that does not see God.
Leonard Ravenhall once stated, “If Jesus preached the same message ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.”  
The priority of a believer is to be on the ground of seeking God to see God rather than becoming a part of a funfair gathering. 
All should seek God in truth and not be a victim of becoming far from God. Seek God in His word; take every word as a way of life that draws one to see God. 
Are you far from God? 
Today returns to God just like the prodigal son returned to his father coming from a distance. 
Luke 15:17 records, “When the prodigal son came to himself…” 
The prodigal son came to himself, he returned, he repented, and he regained to re-established back in the presence of his father and not far from his father. 
Rise today and call for mercy to draw you fully to God and not be a victim that wanders far from God.

Prayer for today: Ask that you will know to seek God and find Him.