FAITH CAPSULE: Are you worried and not looking up to God?

Exodus 14

The antidote for challenge is focusing on God.
Challenges provoke worry.
Worrying is the reason for not looking up to God.
Are you worried and not looking up to God?
A failure to look up to God in the face of the challenge will misplace focus on God. 
Are you beholding your challenge or looking up to God?
The Israelites looked away from God to behold the challenge before them. 
Exodus 14:10-12 documents, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Does that sound like you? The Israelites, knowing fully well that God is able, yet they gave in to fear when they failed to lift their eyes unto God for help. 
The Israelites were worried and troubled when they gave a negative confession.
The solution for challenges demands focusing on God and the word of His promise. 
Despite all the powerful teachings of Jesus against fear and worrying, the disciples went ahead and locked themselves up in fear of the Jews. “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19) While the disciples of Jesus locked up themselves in the state of fear, Jesus showed up and declared peace. Jesus, the Word of God, is the Prince of peace.
Faith in Jesus will cause peace to reign.  
After Jesus had spoken peace into the lives of His disciples, their minds opened to see the mark of crucifixion.
John 20:20 states, “When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”
Challenges today demand setting the whole mind on the mark of crucifixion of Jesus to remind all that He has paid the price to uphold all, not to become a victim of challenges.
What denies one from giving oneself to the word of God is the challenge of the world not to live for the glory of God.
God sent His word to heal and deliver from self-destruction. (Psalm 107:20)
Jesus is the living word of God.
He paid all on the cross for all.

Prayer for today: Ask to be bold and to have the character of looking up to God at all times.

FAITH CAPSULE: Error is a moral offense; wrongdoing; sin.

2 Samuel 6

Doing what is good wrongly in the name of God is an error with no excuse before God, not to experience the consequence.
There is always a consequence for any violation of the word of God.
However, mercy belongs to God for any repentance for doing wrong before God.
With repentance, consequence will also answer with peace that surpasses understanding.
The world will see the consequence but not understand the peace in the life of one who is at peace.
Be warned, error is a deviation from accuracy, as in a mistake, as in action or speech.
Error is the condition of believing what is not true.
Error is a moral offense; wrongdoing; sin.
It is an error to violate the word of God, and it can be a conscious or unconscious error before God.
An error happened in despising the word of God.
The word states, “He who despises the word will be destroyed…” (Proverbs 13:13)
Have you in any way violated or currently violating the word of God?
Before God, there is no excuse for error.
Before God, Adam and Eve committed the error of believing the serpent. They ate where God asked them not to eat.
When God showed up (just as He will show up to all), both Adam and Eve attempted to justify their action before God by stating, “Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12-13)
The excuse of Adam and Eve was not enough before God, but they received the consequence for their disobedience.
It happened that during the transfer of the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio drove the cart.
In the process of moving the ark, Uzzah touched it when he should not have.
The bible recorded his error, “And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.’ (Genesis 6:6-7) The act of Uzzah, which was of a good heart, but an error before God.
Uzzah despised the word of God as stated in Numbers 4:15, “And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.” Uzzah touched the holy thing, which was the ark of God.
To despise the word of God, taking a position of self-destruction.

Prayer point: Pray not to be a victim of violation of God consciously or unconsciously.

FAITH CAPSULE: With understanding bound to be right for God.

Psalm 34

The world is full of ups and downs.
Gain an understanding of God  
One set to navigate the world of challenges should have an understanding of God.
With understanding one bound to be right through the journey of life.
The word of God promises, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19)
The world is a place of challenge.
The word of God is wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:30 states, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God…”
One who gains wisdom and understands, the wisdom is the character of having understanding.
One with understanding shall have a knowing edge.
Understanding is what it takes to have a knowing edge to become a testimony of one living for the glory of God.
All are to live for God, the only creator of all, for the glory of God. (Revolution 4:11)
It demands understanding to live for God in every aspect of living.
God creates all to exist for Him.
A failure to exist for Him is evidence of living a life of waste.
How are you living?
Is there an understanding of your portion to know why and how to live for God?
Understanding is crucial to living life for God.
Praise 47:7 speaks to all, “For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.”
The word that demands praise with understanding also demands seeking Him with understanding.
With understanding, living for God shall excel for His glory.
The question and answer of Jesus, the light of God, state the importance of gaining understanding to live for God.
Jesus rhetorically questions and answers the importance of having understanding, stating, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43)
Does the word of God speak to you?
Listening is the key to gaining an understanding of the Word of God.
Are you listening enough to the word of God?
Listening is hearing, and to be hearing the word of God repeatedly.
Listening is not having a headshot of the word.
When one gains understanding, it is such that the word gains entrance into the ear, to gain light.
Psalm 119:130 states, “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
Is the word gaining entrance into you?
Are you simple to gain and retain the word of God?
The evidence of one who is simple is one living by the word of God and answering as a believer.
Simple is referred to as a believer through the pages of the Bible.
There is a need to strive and gain understanding, to know and live life for the glory of God.
Does the word speak to you?
God is a caring creator who is merciful and gracious to those who seek Him diligently.
Let it be your choice to live for God, not to live a life of waste.

Prayer for today: Ask for the strength to strive to live for the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Pay attention to the emphasis in the word of God.

Mark 14:27-72

The emphasis of the word of God is a warning to give attention and not live outside of God.
Jesus warned Peter he would deny Him three times, not once.
Jesus said to His disciples, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” (Mark 14:27-29)
Peter had the determination not to deny Jesus.
Jesus points out that the lesson of determination is not enough; to live by the word of God, one must have a desire, by the grace of God, not to deny living for God.
Jesus responded to Peter, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” (Mark 14:30)
Peter was so sure of his determination not to deny Jesus, saying, “But he spoke more vehemently, ‘If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
Jesus had told Peter (act of emphasis in the word of God) that he would deny Him three times, not once.
Peter denied Jesus!
Is the emphasis of the word of God getting your attention to warn you?
Thank God, Jesus, who sees tomorrow from today; present from future, had prayed against the failure of Peter when he denied Him, prayed, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:32)
There is a lesson in paying attention to emphasis in the word of God.
In the situation, be aware not to sleep off physically or spiritually,
Jesus attempted not to excuse His disciples for sleeping at the hour of prayer.
Jesus went back and forth to keep His disciples awake during the prayer hour.
Twice, Jesus could not keep them awake: “Then He came the third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:41-42)
Three times, Jesus wanted to keep His disciples awake, not to sleep, but to pray.
The word of God is written for learning, not for decoration.
The word of God is a sustaining prescription for any man with a desire not to be a victim of this wicked world.
Sleeping in the place of watching and praying is the ground for the enemy to sow its agenda.
Matthew 13:25 buttressed, “…but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”
Are you awake by watching and praying?
Strive to live life, not to despise the word of God.
Pay attention to the word of God to gain and retain the presence of God.

Prayer for today: Pray not to live life outside of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Give to praising God in the midst of challenge

2 Chronicles 20

It is the grace and mercy of God that have brought you this far, not because you know how to live life.
Many were standing yesterday, but were not able to stand.
Praise be to God!
Glory be to God!
In your God given new day and days to come, praising God is enough to bring your enemy down for you to the glory of God.
Psalm 48:1-2 records “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth…”
“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” (Psalm 96:4)
Do not submit to fear, but submit to God, praising His greatness regardless of stubborn enemies.
Jehoshaphat received a message of fear as stated in 2 Chronicles 20:2-3, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
Is there any great that is greater than the only greatest God that is above any other gods? Absolutely, there is no other god greater than the Ancient of Days.
Concerning enemies, the Lord that is great and greatly to be praised is not going to look over your sincere understanding praise; He will deliver you.
With the message of the enemy against Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat sought God and received a message to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
In the coming days of this year, praise God to stand still and see the hand of God on your behalf.
Stand still, see and know that the same God of yesterday, today, and forever will not fail to deny you.
Give to praising God in the midst of challenge, stand still, see, and know that God is with you.
The word recorded how Jehoshaphat stood still and saw in 2 Chronicles 20:21-22, “…he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: Praise the LORD For His mercy endures forever. Now, when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
With praising God, victory is certain and undeniable.
Let no man prescribe how you are to praise Him, but take the prescription of the Psalmist praise as stated in Psalm 150:1-6, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbre and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Prayer for today: Ask God to let your praise worship be acceptable before Him.