FAITH CAPSULE: Regard the works of God’s hand so as to maintain the fear of God.

Isaiah 5

Evidently, the lack of knowledge is an assurance way to captivity. (Isaiah 5:13) However, having knowledge is the way out of captivity. For example, when man regards the work of the Lord knowledge cannot be misplaced is man. The book of Isaiah 5:12 clearly stated the reason why the lack of knowledge drives man to captivity, “…But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands.” Indeed, the lack of knowledge drives man into captivity. (Isaiah 5:13). Psalmist also confirmed that a failure not to regard the work of God shall destroy stating, “Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5) Do you consciously pay attention to the operation of the hand of God? Meditating on the work of God is same as meditating the creating the word of God. Meditation is not memorizing but working word of God laboriously in the heart day and night. As a desire for the knowledge to be regarding the work of God and not be a victim of captivity, allow mediation of the word of God to become your way of living life.
Regarding the word of God is looking closely or attentively to observe steadily, to hold in respect, to look upon or consider in a specified way. It is important to know that the wondrous works of God’s hand is what declares His name as near to us. (Psalm 75:1) Why not begin to regard the works of His hand so as to maintain the fear of God that keeps one from any form of captivity? In life, not to regard the works of God is a way of turning back on God.
There is no excuse not to regard the work of God. The book of Romans stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:20-21) Sodom and Gomorrah did not regard the works of God and they received judgment of God. If Sodom and Gomorrah could not escape judgment, the present generation will not escape God’s judgment either. Regard and retain God in your knowledge, abstain from ungodly and careless life. It is knowledge to constantly regard the works of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the lovingkindness and truth of God to continually preserve you.

FAITH CAPSULE Agreement or disagreement is a clear identity of Christian body.

Acts 12:1-19

Agreement is an act of agreeing; it is a state of being in accord. Agreement is accord, compromise, compatible, consistency, complying, and reconciliation. Agreement is not disagreement, dissent, disharmony, discord, disunity, dissimilarity, dissention, divorce. Are you in fellowship of two, three, four or many fellowship with identity of agreement or disagreement? The roots of disagreement are lying, deception and manipulation. Agreement or disagreement is always identity of Christian body.
As an acclaimed believer, where do you stand?
Is your fellowship rooted on God’s direction or building a tower of Babel?
When the people began to build the tower of Babel their agreement was not rooted on God. The people were agreeing outside of God; they wanted to build for self not God. Building outside of your Creator is uncompromising, a disagreement with the only Creator. The people stated, “…Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4) The people arrived to build babel without agreement with their Creator. God responded to their construction stating, “…Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (Genesis 11:6)
Are you in agreement to make name for self or for God, your only Creator?
God cannot be counted outside of our engagement.
Take note that there is power in agreement when God is the center of our engagement. Jesus testified the power of agreement, “…if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20) The power of agreement is coming together for the glory of God not for self-glorification. In the name of Jesus, coming together in agreement is power to manifestation. Once, Peter was facing death like that of James, the brother of John that was killed by King Herod. There was no way out for Peter to escape the hand of Herod. It is written, “And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”(Acts 12:6) Peter’s deliverance came through when, “…prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” (Acts 12:5) The church’s coming together constantly in agreement delivered Peter. Man shut the door on Peter, but prayer of agreement before God opened the door and Peter escaped sudden death by the hand of God through the power of coming together in agreement.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from religion and place you into Christ reality.

FAITH CAPSULE: The word of God is the source of Joy.

John 15

Among ways of describing the word of God are: livewire which is bright spark, sustenance is the provision, and wellspring is source. Indeed, the word of God is the only way to have life. Jesus is the way (John 14:6), Jesus is the word of God (John1:1). Jesus confirmed in His word, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Do you receive and believe the word of God into your heart?
If yes, there is a need for you to consciously live life in the joy of the Lord. In times of today’s instability and wicked world, the joy of the Lord is the strength to those who have it.
Knowing Jesus (the word of God) is the source of joy that gives stability and strength.
Isaiah 33:6 stated clearly, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times and the strength of salvation…”
There is a need to understand and have knowledge that Jesus (the word of God) became for us wisdom from God. (1 Corinthians 1:30) Without doubt, the joy of the Lord is the strength to those who have it.
Do you have it and know that the word of God is the joy of the strength in this instability, unstable wicked world.
Jesus, the living word of God repeatedly stated out that having joy is in His spoken word for any who makes the choice to receive His word in them. Jesus stated in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” He emphasized again in John 17:13, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” All of His words in the world are the source of Joy. One with His joy is bound with strength that surpasses all understanding.
Do you know that His word is the source of joy that replace sorrow with strength in the life of those who have it?
At a point of confronting challenges for the Israelites Nehemiah spoked the word of comfort to encourage strength in the place of sorrow stating, “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Are you meditating the word of Jesus that your joy may be full?
Those who meditate the word of God shall know the joyful sound. Psalm 89:15 buttressed, “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.” Is it direction you need? Is it preservation you desire? If you begin to pay attention in your meditation for the joyful sound, direction and preservation shall position you for blessing.

Prayer for today: Ask for the understanding and know to be engaging the joy of the Lord.

FAITH CAPSULE: Cry out to God in time of distress.

Mark 10:46-52

Are you shy to cry out for God’s attention?
Crying out to God is not an evidence of weakness but a communication with God. The Israelites cried out to God, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.” (Exodus 2:23) After the bondage of over four hundred years, the cry of the children of Israel brought heaven’s attention for their deliverance. God is a prayer answering God and it could be that the children of Israel did not realize that they were in bondage until the King of Egypt died. Nevertheless, their cry out to God brought them out of bondage.
Jonah needed to cry out to God due to his self-inflicted affliction. It is written, “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me.  “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:1-2) Jonah, a prophet of God put himself into affliction when he disobeyed God’s command. God called on Jonah, “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…” (Jonah 1:2-3) Is there any disobedience to God’s direction in your path that caused a self-inflicted affliction? God listened and heard the cry of Jonah despite his disobedience. Will you cry by opening your mouth wide for the mercy of God due to your disobedience of God’s calling?
Evidently, crying to God is a way out for God’s deliverance from affliction.
David, a man after God’s own heart cried out to God for God’s attention in the face his challenge. David testified, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” (Psalm 18:6) Cry out to God in time of distress. God was not a partial God to deny the crying of blind Bartimaeus. The bible recorded about Bartimaeus cry out, “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47-48) The blind man Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus and could no man kept him quiet. Do not be quiet to deny God’s attention for your deliverance.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace not to be a victim of denial agent before God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you still avoiding God’s calling?

Exodus 4

When God was set to use Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites, Moses could not block his ears to hear and avoid answering to God. Moses had no way but heard and repeatedly to refuse God with different excuses, claiming as incompetent for the calling of God. Moses answered series of God’s calling stating, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.” (Exodus 4:1) God answered to each of Moses’ question with answer to encourage Moses. Moses also told his creator that he was not eloquent; he was slow of speech and slow of tongue. (Exodus 4:10) Moses attempted to avoid answering God’s calling.
Are you avoiding God’s calling just like Moses?
With God there was no way to block out God’s calling. God responded to his speech and slow of tongue of excuse stating, “So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.  Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do.” (Exodus 4:14-15) Moses had no way of escaping God’s calling but he made himself available for God’s assignment.
Are you still avoiding God’s calling?
Do you have a considering place that is not within the reach of God’s calling?
When God called Jeremiah, God did not consider any place of escape for Jeremiah not to answer His direction. However, at the calling of Jeremiah, Jeremiah considered himself a youth but God responded, “…Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you…” (Jeremiah 1:7-8) Just as the calling for Moses was loaded with God’s direction so the calling of Jeremiah was set to be well established by God’s direction.
Whatever man is using as a ground of hiding to avoid God’s calling is definitely within the reach of God’s calling. The same God that called Moses with speech and slow of tongue also called young Jeremiah. He has an appointment for you; go and ask Him where you are to go and what you are to do. From where you are now it is not too late to ask from God and get back into a right direction.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from agent denial of God’s divine assignment in the life of man.