FAITH CAPSULE: The word you celebrate will elevate you.

1 Thessalonians 2

God spoke in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” What an awesome declaration! God is so sure of His word that His word shall not fail but perform to what He says. It is this same word that brought forth creation in the beginning and the same word is still manifesting when it is engaged with understanding.
Are you the one that heard a preacher preach and claimed to have received the word and yet nothing happens? After having heard a preacher preach, how often have you claimed to receive the word, and after having claimed to have received the word, nothing happens? There is no evidence of change, no result, but yet you continue to claim, “I received it.” The word of God is true, it does not fail and it will not fail unless you fail to live by the word. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 pointed out why there is nothing to show for your claim to have received the word by stating, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
The word of God that you claimed to have received is not working because: One, you have failed to welcome the word. Can you imagine how you would receive a message that one million dollars has just been deposited into your account? If you truly receive the word of God as frequently as you claim, you will celebrate it. Two, if what you claim to have received is scripturally based, then do not let anything deny your acceptance and celebration of the word of God. When the measure of how you welcome what you receive matches up with the celebration, then what you have received will work effectively for you.
David in his celebration for answered prayer testified, “I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” (Psalm 138:2) The word of God shall never fail when His word is engaged with understanding. Celebrate the word you claim to have received by living the word and it will elevate you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of understanding the word of God.  

FAITH CAPSULE: One language breeds communication.

Genesis 11: 1-9

Within every group in the journey of life, positive communication is undoubtedly the fuel of transportation. In life, when communication is in place continuation survives. However, when communication is negative there will be complication. Positive communication is what makes every group to journey without disorientation which often leads to disconnection or disruption among different group which journey together.
The bible recorded, “Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (Genesis 11:1-3)One language breeds effective communication that kept man going in their journey at that time. They were able to see in the same direction without distraction. Also, they were able to dwell with one another in understanding. Within your group, allow effective and positive communication to build you up in line with God’s will.
Building outside of God’s will is like building a Tower of Babel. The people then, because of effective communication possessed a plain land…a land that had no hindrance but was free from obstruction. Life became too easy for them so they lost focus. Genesis 11:4 stated, “And they said, 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.” When focus is centered away from God, self-centeredness will enter into man. Has the Lord placed you on a ground that is set for your blessing? Do not lose focus or take your attention away from Him. Those people who built the tower of Babel assumed their own responsibility and forgot that the land and its fullness belonged to God. They wanted to use what He had blessed them with to go and investigate His workshop (Heaven). Obviously, God does not tolerate selfishness because it operates in opposition to God’s way. Selfishness represents arrogance and pride. God saw where the people were coming from and He knew where they were going with the kind of project they embarked on.
By virtue of negative communication, when you begin to build outside of God’s will, He will come down against you. God came down on them. Genesis 11:7-8 recorded, “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.” Allow positive communication to build you up and move you forward as you journey in life Take yourself out of your negative communication, readjust your focus and set your sights on God and He will settle you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to guide you that you not become part of any communication that does not line up with His will for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Have you been getting away with lying and deceiving others?

2 Kings 5, Acts 5:1-11

After the healing of Naaman, Elisha refused to accept gifts from Naaman. Without any direction from Elisha, Gehazi the servant of Elisha deceitfully went after Naaman and stated, “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” (2 Kings 5:22) Gehazi accepted gift from Naaman against Elisha’s will. Elisha knowing about Gehazi’s deceptiveness asked Gehazi about his action but Gehazi lied. Elisha responded to Gehazi’s deceptiveness stating, “…was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?  Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:26-27)
Have you been getting away with lying and deceiving others for so long that there are no bounds as to when or where you lie? Lying and deceiving can be destructive to a liar’s life. As much as it reigns outside the church, so it is rampant inside the church. Acts 5:1-2 recorded, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” There was no indication that Ananias and Sapphira had to sell their possessions, and it can be assumed that it was a voluntary move. So why would they lie? Are you a believer who will lie, fake, or deceive to get attention or to impress fellow believers? All conduct is accountable before God who sees both inside and out of your being. Peter knew they were lying, faking, and deceiving. It is written, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?’” (Acts 5:4) What is worth doing for the Lord is worth doing well. Both, Ananias and his wife, might have had good intentions were it not for lying which had become a garment in their life. The bible stated in Acts 5:5, “Then Ananias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.” Lying and deception took the life of Ananias and Sapphira. Lying, deceiving, and faking may go unnoticed for years, but it will only take one day for the truth to expose you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver and preserve you from deceptive spirit.

FAITH CAPSULE: Praise God the more you wait in hope.

Psalm 40

Challenging time is not an excusable time for complaining but a better time of complementing God. Challenges by nature  serve as a call to battle or contest. Challenges have the tendency to be ugly and painful, especially when they persist or refuse to cease. When challenges persistently become painful, it is possible to cause man to wonder or question if God remembers or sees them in those challenging situations. Are you facing a long enduring challenge that seems like it will never end? It is important to understand and know that God is not asleep and at appointed time deliverance shall come as you continue to remain focused on God for His intervention. Jesus already warned about challenges being undeniable in the life of man. However, the antidote for challenging time (tribulation) is peace for those who receive and believe in Him. John 16:33 buttressed, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In this world, tribulation will come either man likes it or not. However, it is better to accept Jesus for the purpose of having peace during tribulation or man can make the choice of not having Jesus to engage tribulation without peace.
In challenging situations, waiting on God is the key and, how one chooses to wait determines the outcome of waiting. David described how he waited and the result of his waiting in Psalm 40:1-4, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. (Psalm 40:1-4)
Waiting patiently is what makes man perfect and complete lacking nothing. (James1:4) In your challenging times, allow hope to continually be your garment. Hoping on God is committing God to act on one’s behalf. Hope is the evidence of faith in God. Hebrews 11:1 buttressed, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Refuse to let down your hope in God. One that is hopeful will worship and not worry. Worship in place of worrying is anchored on singing praises to God. Praise God the more you wait in hope. By your way of life, testify the righteousness of God and allow the grace of salvation reflect every moment of your life. Above all, allow His word to take charge in every area of your thoughts and communication. God is able to reverse challenges for His glory.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of new songs.

FAITH CAPSULE: Whatever God builds, no man can bring it down.

Exodus 1, 2

Whatever the enemy has put in place to break you, God is not limited from using it to make you. The Bible records that a new king came to power in Egypt who did not know Joseph. The king not knowing Joseph inculcated inside of him the fear of the growth of the children of Israel’s population.
As a result of fear, the king of Egypt passed a law that put the children of Israel under the affliction of taskmasters. The evil one will always answer to its name which is evil. Also a child of God is not invincible for the evil want to attempt but definitely in position to overcome. Book of Psalm 34:19 admonished us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Are you one that is experiencing the pain of the evil in any area of life? It does not matter what the activity of the evil one is about, as long as you keep eyes on the Lord, His word of deliverance will answer for you.

Whatever God builds, no man can bring it down. Pharaoh’s effort to terminate the growth of the children of Israel by increasing their affliction resulted in their multiplication. The appointed taskmasters’ effort failed and the direction to midwives to kill every male son could not interrupt but provoke the plans of God to manifest. Pharaoh, having tried what he knew to reduce where God is increasing made a new command, “So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.’”  (Exodus 1:22) It was after this new command to terminate the growth the children of Israel that Moses was born. Despite the wicked command of Pharaoh, Moses was born and the mother tried to hide him from the wicked command of Pharaoh. The bible recorded that, “…when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.” (Exodus 2:3) It was in the same water that Moses was picked up by the daughter of the chief commander Pharaoh.  Evidently, Moses’ deliverance was God at work. Moses was not only delivered but preserved and raised by Pharaoh in the palace of Pharaoh where law was made to kill every male child. On top of it all, Pharaoh also gave name to Moses his name meaning “Because I drawn him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10) All that the enemy has set to use in breaking you will rather make you. Every hand that has gone out to destroy you will rather deliver you for the glory of God. God alone will always have the final say.

Prayer for today: Ask for the will of God to be manifested in your life.