FAITH CAPSULE: It is an act of faith to know to lift your eyes unto God even when it seems like you have walked past your blessing.

Genesis 22

It is written, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.”
Abraham found himself in a good position and did not miss the prospect to turn his eyes in the right direction. He was on the mountain top and his ground of sacrifice was his ground of breakthrough into the promises of God. Psalm 121:1, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?” Where or who have you been lifting your eyes to? He that is above is above all. There is no way on earth to look up unto God in faith and God not look down to lift you up unto Himself in every journey of faith.
Abraham was always lifting his eyes whenever God called. He lifted his eyes when direction was needed and when there was a need of support from above. It is an act of faith to know to lift your eyes unto God even when it seems like you have walked past your blessing. It can be assumed that Abraham walked past the ram that had been provided for the sacrifice because it is stated in Genesis 22:13, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.” The ram was behind him, but in his looking up he was able to see the ram. When a believer is lifting eyes up to God, there will be no reason to expect help from another source. Who are you looking up to? From the depth of your heart, allow God to be the only One to look up to. God discerns the heart; He knows you and your heart because your heart is in His hands. It is written, “… For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.”(1Samuel 2:3)
It was time for God to step in with a ram for the sacrificial offering because Abraham had clearly and distinctively demonstrated that his heart was made up for God’s command to use Isaac for the sacrificial offering. When a believer is able to lift up eyes unto the Lord, such a believer will be above and beyond in every area of expectation. Abraham lifted his eyes and looked up as it was his custom and God provided for Abraham on the mount of ‘God shall provide’.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep you up and always looking up to Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Listening disability is enemy to gaining the understanding in the word of God.

Proverbs 4

The book of Proverbs admonished, “Hear my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.” (Proverbs 4:1) Many are hearing the word of God and the promises of God in the word are not answering in their way of living life because they do not give attention to the word they heard. There is no way the word will work when understanding is not in place for the hearer of the word. The word specifically stated that we should “hear the instruction and give attention to understand.”  Understanding the word of God is the key to living life as a winner; understanding is the key to excel as a child of the most High God in the face of the wicked world. God does not waste word and that is why the word of God mentioned, “…and in all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7) Hearing is not enough; hearing is only enough when you are able to give attention to know understanding. It is certain that the word of God that you hear and give attention to will definitely make you up in life.
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the only One that was in the beginning realized it that man was not getting the understand that is required for living life abundantly when He questioned and answered retrospectively, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) It is clear that listening disability is the key to not gaining understanding. From the word of Jesus, hearing and not getting the result from what is heard is the evidence of listening disability. Do you have it? It is called “listening disability.” Listening disability is enemy to gaining the understanding in the word of God which makes difference for man to live life to the glory of God in the wicked world.
An acclaimed believer that lacks understanding will struggle and not found it easy to exercise knowledge in affairs of the world. However, an acclaimed believer with listening ability to hear the word of understanding never struggles with exercising knowledge when there is a need for it. Proverbs 13:6 buttressed, “…but knowledge is easy to him who understands.” Are you one that hears and give attention? Do you have understanding? The best way to identify yourself if you have listening ability to hear the word of God is that, your heart becomes a resting place for wisdom. Proverbs 14:33 best described by stating “Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding.” It is important that you search yourself if you are getting the word of God indeed and in truth. It is possible that you are hearing and not gaining the understanding that is required to live for His glory.

Prayer for today: Turn to God today and ask for help not to perish because of lack of understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage life by watching and praying.

Ezra 8

Among ways of watching and praying are: to keep waiting in trusting God; to keep waiting in fasting.
Waiting and trusting God: When watching and praying becomes an active engagement for believer, waiting and trusting on God for who He is will no doubt move a believer’s away from not becoming a victim of temptation. The book of Isaiah buttressed, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Spiritually are you crawling, walking, or running or flying? Some are on the ground of crawling without knowing because the need for upgrade is a thing of ignorant. Unfortunately, ignorant is what makes a destitute of a believer. How long do you want to remain crawling spiritually? Some are getting upgraded from walking to running and running to flying. Get upgrade by trusting in Him then you will walk where there is need to walk and not run where journey calls for walk. David was spiritually upgraded and could afford to walk and not run in the valley of the shadow of death without fear. (Psalm 23:4) Are you running where you need to walk? If yes, it is time to get upgraded and not become a victim of weariness or fainting.

Waiting is Fasting: Fasting is what humbles man before God. Ezra testified, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God…” (Ezra 8:21) Psalmist buttressed, “…I humbled myself with fasting…” (Psalm 35:13) The ones with a humble spirit are the ones with a contrite spirit. The upgrade for those with a humble and contrite spirt is stated in Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Jesus also talked about the need for fasting when He makes us to realize that fasting is not conditional it is a must do for every acclaimed believer. He stated in Matthew 6:16, “When you fast…” He was not suggesting that “if you fast.” Fasting should be a part of an acclaimed believer’s life style as an acclaimed believer that wants to be constantly ungraded. Jesus stated further in the same chapter of Matthew 6:17-18, “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,  so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” When fasting rule is engaged as prescribed by Jesus ones that fast will have an undeniable reward like that of a house whose light cannot be hidden. One that is with open reward will have an open heaven that makes enemy’s accessibility a failure. Keep trusting on God and waiting by fasting so you be constantly upgraded and not be downgraded for enemy to step on.

Prayer for today: Just open your mouth wide and ask God to help you.

FAITH CAPSULE:  As a believer, are you constantly getting upgraded spiritually.

Luke 22:1-34

Upgrade means raise, boost improve. The three words expressly describe what upgrade means. Can you think of anything which have life and do not get upgraded on a regular basis?
To think of it, man takes the position of giving upgrade to things that does not even have life in them. For example, most cars get upgraded by their manufacturer every year. Home owners are not without exception by constantly upgrading in the name of renovation. Computer is a non-living thing that constantly get upgrade every year. Imagine those who create virus and anti-virus, giving upgrade to their product on a constant basis. Virus creator and anti-virus creator can be compared to devil upgrading his devices of baiting and causing faith failure among the acclaimed believers on a regular basis. We all know that the devil has been the same since the beginning of its time and his cunning device are constantly changing that is, he gets upgraded constantly.
As an acclaimed believer, how are you upgrading your spiritual lives so that you do not become vulnerable to the devices of the devil and be a victim in the hand of the wicked one? Are you a believer that waits for fasting to be called for the whole congregation before you engage fasting in the period of the year? Are you one that is yet to go out of his/her way to witness Christ? Are you a believer that his/her offering has remained the same for years despite increase or no increase of income earning? Search yourself and know if you are constantly getting upgraded spiritually as a believer. For any believer to keep up with upgrading self in different areas that calls for upgrade in life, the major source of upgrade must constantly be on and never be shut down.
What is the major source for constant upgrade?
The major source for constant upgrade for every acclaimed believer is identified by Jesus as, watching and praying. Once watching and praying remains active and never shut down one is set to be actively upgraded and not be a victim the devil. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith warned in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation…” He warned again in Luke 21:36, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  As if the warning was not clear enough, Peter a disciple of Jesus also warned, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7) Among ways of watching and praying are to keep waiting and trusting God; to keep waiting in fasting. Do not allow yourself to be ignorant by not keeping up spiritually in the face of the wicked world.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you so that you will not be a victim of the wicked world.

FAITH CAPSULE: Continuity is the price for greatness.

Daniel 6

Through the pages of the Bible, those who continually focused on God excelled greatly to the glory of God. Continuity eschews inconvenience and answers with commitment meaning that those who continually seek God are committed with no excuse for inconvenience in every area of seeking after God. Continuity is what constantly connects us with God. Those who give themselves up to serving the Lord continually remains constantly up there in His hand. The Psalmist testified, “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”(Psalm 71:14) “So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever.” (Psalm 119:44) Hosea 12:6 buttressed, “so you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually.” Act 6:4 laid it down for believers stating that, “we are to give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Hebrews 13:15 admonished us, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God.”
Daniel continually served God to the point that a pagan king recognized it in him. When the king was about to give the command for Daniel to be put in the den of lion he stated, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” (Daniel 6:16) The bible documented how the king could not sleep all night but waited for morning to come. In the morning he went first to check on Daniel and spoke, “Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions.  And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Daniel 6:19-20)
A king who does not know God knew it that those who give self to God continually never go wrong in the face of any form of challenge. In life challenges, where there is no backup plan for faith your continuity in the Lord will back you up just like it did for Daniel. Continuity in serving God answered for Daniel as power for his deliverance. After spending all night toying with hungry lions, Daniel responded to the king’s calling, “Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (Daniel 6:21-22) Daniel’s continuity in serving God caused heaven to attend to him for deliverance and preservation. Seek God by serving Him continually.

Prayer for today: Ask God to endow you with the spirit to continually seek Him.