FAITH CAPSULE:

1 Samuel 17

With understanding and knowledge, boasting about God is glorifying God.
Who are you boasting about besides God?
Are you boasting about your strength?
In your boasting, allow God to be your strength.
David was a shepherd boy with an assignment to be caring for sheep when he killed a lion and bear by his strength and his might to deliver sheep in his care. Despite David’s strength and his might, he did not boast in himself, but he identified God as his strength and might to boast in God. Are you bosting about your strength?
With David’s boast in God, he confronted Goliath at his war of Philistines against the Israelites.
At the time of war between the Israelites and Philistines, Goliath repeatedly despised the Israelites and their God but David boasted in God to convince Saul for his permission to fight against Goliath. David stated before King Saul: “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. Moreover, David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:36-37)
David’s boast in the Lord did not allow him to boast in his strength.
David’s boast in God was the evidence of why he was able to kill a lion and bear by his hand.
David’s boast in God is the testimony of David’s attention for God over his life.
One that gives attention to God will provoke God’s attention for one.
Against Goliath, David’s weapon was not of man but was the hand of God.
What is your boast about in life?
Among the things man boasts about consciously or consciously in life are their wisdom or riches. What to boast or what not to boast is stated in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,”
In life, getting understanding and know that God matters the most.
In life, not boasting about God testifies not having an understanding or knowing God. Making your boast in God is a way of glorifying God with praise. To be acknowledging God is praising God. Psalm 50:23 buttress, “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” Allow boasting God to become your way of life.

Prayer for today: Ask that God will enable you to be boasting Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage prayer continually against pain rooted in negative decisions in your life.

Exodus 3

Romans 15:4 records, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ”
Learn and live by the living word of God.
The effect of decision making can be positive or negative which is possible to bring pain.
A decision is a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration.
Making a right or wrong decision will prompt consequence in the journey of life.
In the journey of your life, a decision that was made on your behalf yesterday or decision which you made for yourself will affect or determine where you are today and tomorrow.
Today, many are living in a position (painful position) which is the consequence of a decision made by grandparents or parents.
Also, many are living in a position which is the consequence of a self-decision.
Is it a right or wrong decision that is the consequence of your position in life today?
Every position of life that is rooted in the wrong decision of yesterday or today must be addressed prayerfully to reverse the pain of wrong decision of yesterday, today or future.
In the journey of life, decision making by self or on behalf of one is possible to deliver kinds of pain that can deny, derail or destroy one’s journey of life.
Also, making right or wrong decision as a result of unexpected situation will prompt painful decision to derail, deny or destroy any journey of life.
It was an unexpected situation that prompted the Israelites’ decision to move to Egypt. At Egypt, the Israelites became the slave for over four hundred years. While in slavery, God’s intervention answered for the calling of the Israelites’ deliverance, by His stretch Hand.
Bible records: “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst, and after that, he will let you go.” (Exodus 3:20)
“And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”” (Exodus 7:5)
It was the stretch hand of God that brought the Israelites out of the decision rooted in challenging which brought them into Egypt where they lived the life of bondage for over four hundred years.
Know and believe that God is the only God that reverses irreversible.
God answered the crying out of prayer of the Israelites that prompted God’s stretch hand which delivered the Israelites from the bondage of over four hundred years.
Prophesy to your new month as the month of STRETCH HAND OF God.
Prayerfully ask before God that before the end of this new month, you shall come out of every decision that is holding you down, in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Cry out to God for your coming out of the consequences of wrong decision, by HIS STRETCH HAND.

FAITH CAPSULE: When there is no focusing on God, loneliness will take position in one’s life.

1 Kings 19

When a man is focusing on God continually, it becomes impossible to become a victim of the wicked one.
When a man loses focus on God, becoming loneliness will set into a man’s life. Often time, with loneliness, to be doing what is right will possibly turn to not doing what is right.
Peter followed Jesus through His ministry but positioned himself for untimely death when he lost focus on God’s plan over his life. In the face of death, Peter should know not to sleep, but he slept instead of praying before God. Thank God for the church’s prayer of deliverance on behalf of Peter. He lost focus and entered into loneliness.
The Bible stated about Peter, “And when Peter had come to himself, he said, ‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.’” (Acts 12:11) When there is no focusing on God, loneliness will cause a man to be outside of God’s plan.
Are you focusing on God continually?
Without focusing on God, giving up in times of challenge will lead to discouragement.
Elijah, as great as he was used by God, at a certain point, he experienced loneliness.
Focusing on what God has done and what He is doing should encourage man to hold onto God that is: The Deliverer and Preserver of all man. God is a God that does not fail.
Are you experiencing loneliness which is the root of getting overwhelmed concerning challenges in your life?
As a true believer of God, you are not alone. Take your stand and regain your focus on Him. He alone is abundantly able to see you through.
Elijah called for rain to stop for three and a half years and he also called for rain to fall after three and a half years. Elijah called fire from heaven during a sacrifice on Mount Carmel and he also executed four hundred and fifty-five Baal prophets.
Despite Elijah’s exploits before God, he confessed loneliness. Elijah’s loneliness was the root of his concern about being the only survival prophet that escaped sudden death. He also escaped Jezebel’s threat trying to kill him because he executed the prophets of Baal.
Elijah ran from wilderness to mountain. Twice in the course of his running, he responded to God’s appearance to him, “…I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:10) Loneliness was evident in Elijah. Elijah requested from God during his running away from Jezebel, “It is enough! now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4) As a believer, you must know that you are not lonely, God that created Heaven and heart will not leave those who remain focused on Him.

Prayer for today: Ask Him to deliver you from every spirit of loneliness.

FAITH CAPSULE: A believer in God must understand to wait and endure period.

Psalm 62

Are you waiting in your asking, seeking and knocking or you are rushing not able to wait on God?
For example, when King Saul could not wait on God’s direction, it was accounted to him as disobedient.
Waiting for God is giving attention to a jealous God. Psalmist admonished, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed…” (Psalm 25:3)
A believer in God must understand to wait and endure period. Waiting can be a delay but never a waste of time.
God testified about David when Saul failed to wait on God. God spoke through Samuel for Saul’s disobedience, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:14) David knows the heart of God to understand what it means as he consistently obeyed by waiting on God before making moves.
The parable of a prodigal son testifies that failure to wait on God will live life in waste.
The Bible record, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” (Luke 15:11-13)
The younger son (the prodigal son) could not wait for God’s appointed time. He asked and received the portion of good that falls to him from his father to journeyed far into waste.
At the time of waiting, continually meditate on God’s word that does not return to Him void. With no doubt, meditate to activate your faith and not become a victim as a wasted one.
Be strong and of good courage in the word of God as some scriptural verses stated:
Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.”
Psalm 37:9, “For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”
Psalm 37:34, “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.”
Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.”
Psalm 62:1, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.”
Psalm 62:5, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.”
Hosea 12:6, “… wait on your God continually.”
Word of God is not foolish, but the foolishness of man not to wait is to become waste in the journey of life.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His hand upon you to stand in waiting on Him.