FAITH CAPSULE: Ignore your concern by responding to His command fully.

1Samuel 16

What is it that you are keeping yourself to instead of keeping self in the word of God? Word of God is His command, know to ignore all your concern by giving yourself to His command. Proverbs 19:16 buttressed, “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of his ways will die.” Very important, take note that keeping to your ways instead of His ways is an error. keeping to His word is an evident of having faith in Him. Taking to His way can be sacrifice, it can be painful but shall be gainful by making heaven. It is a good fight of faith not to miss eternal life.
Documentation of Jonah testified what it means by giving self to His command or not giving self to His word. Jonah 1:1-3 stated, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,  “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah was careless when he did not giveself to God’s command. When God calls and sends one out, He will back the called up. When God calls, He makes available what it takes to arrive at expected end of journey. Jonah’s answering to calling was to obey.
It was God Himself who called Moses out to go and lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Moses answered the calling of God with concern. Out of his concern for God, he reacted to the rebellious act of the children of Israel towards God. Moses took it upon himself to strike the rock instead of speaking to the rock for water. God responded to Moses, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12)
The same God sent Samuel to go and anoint David as king while Saul was still living as the King. Samuel was concerned about God’s command when he asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” (1 Samuel 16:2) Out of concern, Samuel could have responded by going his own way. God responded to Samuel’s question, “…Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”1 Samuel 16:2-3) Samuel’s concern could not corrupt his obedience to God’s command. God alone knows the end from the beginning, He knew us before we were born. Disallow your concern by allowing His command to be established.

Prayer for today: Ask God for grace to continually respond to His command.

FAITH CAPSULE: Doing good according to word of God is a fight of good fight of faith.

Luke 10:25-37

The way not to miss heaven and to live eternal life is to fight the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6:12 buttressed, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” Source of faith is in the word of God. For example, word of God emphasized in, Romans 12:9, “…Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” Hebrews 13:16, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Doing according to God’s word instead of doing according to world’s word is a “fight of good fight of   faith.” Defintely, doing what the world says but not doing what the word of God says becomes an evidence of bad fight but not good fight of faith.
Through the pages of the bible, man is repeatedly commanded to do good. However, when discouraging circumstances presses man not to do good but man goes forward to do good it becomes evidence of laying hold on eternal life as it is written, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…”
The Good Samaritan is an example that engaged doing good where discouraging circumstances was surrounding his doing good location. Jesus identified what it means to be a good one in the parable of the Good Samaritan. In the parable, a stranger from Samaritan saw another stranger from Jerusalem who fell among thieves; badly wounded and was stripped off his clothing. The Samaritan could not walk away like others before him did, but he engaged the stranger from Jerusalem and spent his resources to make sure the stranger from Jerusalem received proper medical attention. Jesus our compassionate savior referred to the good doing of the Samaritan stating, “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.” (Luke 10:33) Is it in you to know to do good when need calls for doing good? Jesus identified what it means to be a good one in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Doing good is having compassion. Compassion is the heart of Jesus. James 4:17 recorded, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The need and the importance for us to be doing good as we engage living life cannot be emphasized enough. Do good according to word of God because it is a good fight of faith not to miss heaven which is to lay hold on eternal life.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s grace to continually do according to His word ignoring doing word of the world.

FAITH CAPSULE: What man sees will determine what man receives and becomes of man.

1 Samuel 13

To behold is to look or to see. In life, it is true that what man sees will determine what man receives and becomes of man. When a man looks into challenges with negativity nothing will come out of such challenge but negative. One that sees, and act based on the promise in the word of God will see positively in the place negativity. God promised the Israelites but the Israelites failed to behold positively but negatively in the promise of God for their journey to the promise of God. As they journeyed, the Egyptians drew near them with no way of escape. It is written “…the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptian marched after them. So, they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” (Exodus 14:10) The Israelites behold their enemy and fear took over them.
What are you beholding or looking up to? In any area of life, beholding the challenges of life will hold back man from moving forward in life. As a believer that give self to the word of God must take position of beholding positive but not negative in the word of God. Beholding positively in the word of God is an evidence of faith. God is true to His word which does not fail.
Daniel’s three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) saw in the testimony of God and their faith was activated for them to stand trusting and hopefull in God’s deliverance. Judgment by Nebuchadnezzar against Daniel’s three friends was not enough for three friends to behold outside of God’s delivering power. Bible recorded, “Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.” (Daniel 3:19) The fullness of fury in the eyes of Nebuchadnezzar and his command was not enough for the bulging of the three friends of Daniel. This day behold positive not negative. Look into the promise of God over your challenge, see, receive and become an overcomer.
Samuel commanded King Saul to wait for seven days in the face of intimidating challenge. King Saul could not behold in the word of Samuel but saw in his challenges. Samuel reacted to Saul, “What have you done?”Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”” (1Samuel 13:11-12) Saul behold negativity which prompted his failure. Know to only behold positive in the place of negative challenge.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to always see in the promises of God to overcome your challenges.

FAITH CAPSULE: In the word of God there is healing and deliverance to preserve man’s life.

Matthew 14:22-23

In the word of God there is healing and deliverance to preserve man’s life if man will continually engage the word of God. Psalm107:20 testified, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Word of God is here for man to have life abundantly if man will give self to the word of God. Jesus, the word of God declared, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) All that is in the word of God is in place for man not to be a victim of this wicked world if man truly give self to word of God by meditating day and night.
Meditation is not memorization. Allowing meditating on the word of God to be a way of life, as routine will answer as compass for navigating through the journey of life. With meditation man is set to do well. Meditation worked for Moses and must have worked better for Joshua. Meditation is not a fun-fare, it must be an intense way for man to gain and retain the presence of God because the word of God is God. The word of God is his law which should be for meditation. Joshua 1:8 declared, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Meditating the word of God is a way to be preserved from fear of the enemy. There is only one enemy for every creation of God and that enemy is the devil himself. Fear is the enemy’s weapon. In life, when faith sinks, fear rise to take charge in the life of man. Fear does not announce itself before it invades its victims. Fear knows no discrimination. Fear will not announce itself before visiting victims, it is not a respecter of man’s title. Peter was a disciple of Jesus when fear rose up while his faith sank. In the face of stormy challenge, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ’Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ’Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:28-30) Above scriptural verse, is the evident that when faith was in place, Peter was able to walk on the storm and not sink. The moment Peter redirected his focus from savior to the storm, faith was out of place. Fear caused him to sink. Engaging Word of God continually is an assured way of salvation from storm. Determination is not an assured way for salvation but trust and hope in the Word of God is certain for deliverance and preservation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to keep you up and not sink in the storm of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Knowing to receive from God is knowing to give self to God.

John 4:1-26

Among challenges that revolves in the life of man is lack of knowledge which is inability to know who they are in the hand of God that is mindful of man. God is so mindful of God and gave man indescribable gift. Unfortunately, one that does not know about God’s available indescribable gift for man will not know to receive the gift of God. Gift of God is the evidence of honor in place for man. Unfortunately, “A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” (Psalm 49:20)
Indescribable gift of God is honor which is bestowed on man. Truly, one that knows to receive God’s gift is set to live life for the glory of God. Psalm 8:4-6 identified honor for man which is wrapped in God’s gift, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; you have put all things under his feet.”
Do you know to embrace what God has given to man?
Jesus is the indescribable gift of God for man. At a drawing well for water, Jesus spoke to Samaritan woman which was at the well to draw water, “…Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.” (John 4:7-8) The Samaritan woman’s lack of not knowing Jesus responded with excuse by not giving to Jesus. She said to Jesus, “…the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”” (John 4:9) Ignorance denied the Samaritan woman to know and give to receive from indescribable gift of God. Receiving gift from God is only provoked when giving self to God as a way living life. Jesus responded to the Samaritan’s ignorance for not knowing Him as gift, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) Jesus is the gift from God for man to give self and be able to receive from God. Many knows about the gift of God but do not know the gift of God. Get to know the gift of God for your life. Those who fully know the gift of God often launch into God’s gift to engage the blessings of God’s gift. Any man that accepts and launch into the gift of God takes a stand on a solid ground which can not become a victim of the wicked world. Without doubt, it is impossible to have accepted God’s gift and live life as vessel of pity before world.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to know Him and not live life as a victim of lack of knowledge.