FAITH CAPSULE: Are you still questioning His authority?

Matthew 21:1-27

It is true that all authority has been given to Jesus. Jesus confirmed that all authority has been given to Him. Matthew 28:18, After His resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and made known to them stating, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”  Authority is power. The power that belongs to Jesus is the power over all creation; it is the power to heal and to deliver; it is the power in His Word and the authority which no man can deny.  By the power invested in Jesus, He has the authority to cleanse all that is due for cleaning so that God may reign and rule in our life. Whatever needs to be cleansed in our temple (our life) we should take it to Him in our prayer to clean us.
The Bible recorded how He went to clean the temple at a point in His ministry. Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and He drove those that were buying and selling out. Jesus was able to clean the temple by driving out all the irrelevancies and He left. Matthew 21:23 stated, “Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and  said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?’”  The priests and the elders realized there was authority in place which could not be denied from delivering His agenda.
Jesus Christ is the Authority. However, questioning Authority and where He gets His authority from is an absolute lack of knowledge. Are you questioning His authority too?
While Jesus was here on earth the chief priests constantly questioned His authority.
The Bible testified that, “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:29)
In spite of the fact that His teachings were given with authority they could not recognize Jesus as the Authority. Today so many are still questioning His authority. Inside and outside of the Church, His authority is being constantly questioned.
Are you questioning His authority too?
Recognizing Jesus’ authority is demonstrating uncommon faith which is the power to be healed and to be delivered. Accept Him by recognizing His authority and healing and deliverance will be your portion just like the centurion’s servant. The Bible identified Jesus in Colossians 1:15-16 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”  Now we know why He is the authority. Are you still questioning His authority?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that His authority will reign and rule your life all the days of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: open the door of your heart for Him He will go through you just like He went through Samaria.

John 4:1-42

What kind of a believer are you? Are you a believer by word of the mouth or a believer by the way you live life? Does your lifestyle reflect that of a true believer who needs not to be introduced as a Christian? Conducting oneself according to the word of God is the identity of a believing Christian. So many, believer claims to be a believing Christian but the word of God cannot be read in them. What does it mean to be a believer? The bible recorded in John 8:31, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed.’” Jesus spoke to the acclaimed believers not unbelievers. Evidently it is possible to claim to be a believer and not abide in Him. As an acclaimed believer, there is a need for you to abide in Him. One cannot abide in Him and live life outside of His word. If the Lord shows up now will you be found ready to meet with Him? The time and days for playing religion is over.
Do you abide in Him? Have you allowed the Lord to go through you? Jesus is at the door knocking will you allow Him to come inside of you? Revelation 3:20 stated, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” When you truly open the door of your heart for Him He will go through you just like He went through Samaria.
Bible documented, “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.” (John 4:3-4) In the New Testament, Samaria was a region in central Palestine avoided by the Jews. Jews intensely hated Samaritans and often refused to set foot in Samaritan territory. The passing of Jesus through Samaria was a demonstration of God’s love for the sinners and not the sin. Jesus came to the world as The Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Are you a believer indeed and in truth? It is not how long you have been going to church that will point you out when He comes but it is how you abide in Him that will point you out. You can be of great service in the church and not abiding in Him.
So many are licensed to be a minister of the word of God but very few have access to the Lord God Almighty. Do not be deceived but set yourself up to be delivered by allowing Him to go through you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God that causes man to be opened up for Jesus to pass through.

Genesis 42, 2 Samuel 5:1-5

There is an appointed time for everything and every situation that transpire under heaven. God alone is God; He is does not sleep nor slumber. Everything passes through God. He sees it all and none is out of His control. Your situation is not outside of God’s intervention. God alone has solutions in His hands. God resolves all unsolvable situations in life. Joseph’s brothers attempted to terminate Joseph’s dream when they sold him out at age seventeen. At age thirty, Joseph stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt. It was a ground where he was positioned for the manifestation of his dream. The dream that sent Joseph to slavery positioned him for the manifestation of the dream. The brothers of Joseph came to Joseph’s new ground where he was privileged to ask his brothers, “Is your father well…?” The bible recorded the response of his brothers who sold him to slavery to avoid bowing down before him. Genesis 43:28, “And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.” God is always in absolute control of His plan over every creation.”

From the moment it became apparent to Saul that David was going to be king it was hell over the life of David in the hand of Saul. Saul chased David from valley to cave in attempt to terminate God’s agenda concerning David. The mountain that was before David, the one that King Saul created for him fell after Saul had died. David eventually became the king just as the Lord had planned for him to be. In spite of his challenges when the appointed time was there, nothing could possible relocate David to where God had not located him to be. The mountain that has refused to resolve itself and give way to your breakthrough will fall down at the Lord’s timing. 2 Samuel 5:4-5 recorded, “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.” The time David spent in running and hiding for his life by the hand of Saul was nothing to compare with the years that he spent reigning and ruling as God ordained. The mountain that refuses to fall will fall, the pain will go and the gain will come. God is true to His Word. King David prayed, “Be pleased O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil.” (Psalm 40:13-14) The Lord God answered and delivered King David.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to endure in your challenging times.

FAITH CAPSULE: Constantly ask God for his grace of deliverance and preservation.

Job 1, Psalm 140

The Bible described Job as a blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (Job1:1) Job was blessed with material possessions. The bible accounted for his possessions, “…seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.” (Job 1:3) He was also blessed with seven sons and three daughters. In one day, without warning, he lost all of his blessings despite his standing in the Lord. Job lurched from the pinnacle of prosperity to the pit of poverty. Disasters located Job from earth and heaven. From earth, his livestock and servants were raided and killed by the Sabeans. From heaven, fire fell and burned up the sheep and servants and great wind destroyed his house and killed his children. As if the loss of property and children was not enough his health became a victim of unexpected attack. Job was struck, “…with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.” (Job 2:7-8) In the midst of it all, Job did not despise his God. As a result of Job’s challenges, his world (three friends) questioned his standing in the Lord and concluded it was the result of Job’s sin to God.
Job’s affliction was the request of Satan. At the time  Satan went before God he asked, “But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:11)  God did not deny the request of Satan but responded, “…Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”” (Job 1:12) True indeed, the devil is always on the move going about searching for whom to devour. As a believer, regardless of your assumed title in the name of God, it is not carelessness to constantly ask God for his grace of deliverance and preservation. David prayed it, “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts…” (Psalm 140:1-2) Paul knew to pray it in his letter 2Timothy4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” Are you considering yourself too righteous and one with blameless and upright record before God and need not to be asking for deliverance and preservation from God? David prayed, Paul prayed you too watch out and pray.

Prayer for today: Just like David asked, you ask for yourself, “Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked concerning your life.”

FAITH CAPSULE: Meditate and think of His hand coming upon you.

Ezekiel 37

God testified about His hand in Isaiah 50:2 stating, “Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver…?” Again, Isaiah 59:1 testified about the hand of God, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save…” Without any doubt, the longest hand of man is not enough to deny what can be considered the shortest hand of God in operation. The hand of God is mighty in battle and great in deliverance. Who can deny the hand of God? There has been none in all history and there will be none in ages to come. Pharaoh the king of Egypt failed to deny the hand of God from bringing the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years. It is written, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.  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. ²¹ And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.” (Exodus 3:19-21) In the hand of God there is great deliverance. In the hand of God there is uncommon favor that answers in man’s life. Are you a believer that constantly desires the hand of God to come upon you? Meditate and think of His hand coming upon you, know it that what you desire will be deposited in you.
Ezekiel testified, “The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.  Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.””(Ezekiel 1:1-3) When His hand comes upon you, it will set you up in a position to see miracle in the place of mockery; you will see life in the place of death. When the hand of God comes upon you, it will make you to have the right answer for every question in life. With right answer you will gain access and be position for God’s glory upon your life. It is not a one-time prayer to ask for the hand of God upon your life but a constant and consistent prayer.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the same hand upon Ezekiel to locate you and come upon you that you may testify His hand of greatness like Ezekiel did.