FAITH CAPSULE: Live your life to present yourself as a representative of Christ.

Luke 10:29-37

An acclaimed believer of Christ that does not represent Christ is an ordained deceiver. In the church lying, deceiving and manipulation is not a strange act. As an acclaimed believer, have you fallen into such act? Going to church is not a ticket to heaven. Many are on the right track but remained trapped. Think of it, no one shall miss heaven and miss hell. To miss heaven is to gain hell. God is a good God with provision for no man to perish but man takes to every perishable avenue. John 3:16 buttressed, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Are you engaging the task He came for or you are representing Him by answering to titles you answer to”?
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a priest and a Levite were in position to present and represent Christ by virtue of their title. They were in position to present Christ in their way of living life, but they failed while a sinner like and citizen of a sinful nation could not pass by without presenting Christ by representing Him.

Luke 10:30-33 documented, “…A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.” How often have you been passing by on the other side instead of presenting and representing Christ? The Christ that we claim to be representing is a compassionate One; He is not One that only flourishes by answering to title; He is One that will not ignore the needy ones. There is no excuse that counts; neither is there any excuse that is excuse-able before the Almighty God. It is worth it to call on God and ask Him for the grace to faithfully answer to living life as a believer of Christ. Going to church can deceive man, answering to titles can possibly become a way of manipulating others but God cannot be deceived nor be manipulated. Let us run this race with a mark that glorifies our Lord and Savior. Look around! There is always a waiting list in our passing whereby there is a need for a believer to present and represent Christ. As an acclaimed believer, you must live your life to present yourself as a representative of Christ.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to faithfully live life as a representative of Christ in this wicked world.

FAITH CAPSULE: The Word will not force itself on you, but you are to let the Word have its way in you.

Luke 23:1-43

When God gave His word or commands it is left for His children to follow or not to follow. The consequences of following or not following will catch up with His children. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This is the word of the One and only true God, the ancient of days, the great I Am the I AM. It is the word of God that never fails. It is the word of God that cares for His children. 2 Samuel 22:11 testified, “He rode upon a cherub, and flew; And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.” Psalm 104:3 buttressed, “He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind.” The word of God is the wisdom from God. It is the information for transformation for those that are well connected with His wisdom. The book of Proverbs 4:7 declared, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
Indeed, with understanding gained in His word having a knowing edge over the challenges of the world is set to be established in the life of a believer. However, if there is any that lack knowledge, or choose not to know God, there is so much to lose. How are you taking, or treating, the word of God that constantly comes in your direction? Remember, the word will not force itself on you, but you are to let the word have its way so it may deliver and lead you into God’s purpose for your life. Here is the scenario of two criminals as they responded to the Word around them, the One that knows what the future holds for every man under heaven, “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? (Luke 23:39-40) One of the criminals took the Word serious and conversed with Jesus, “Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”” (Luke 39:42) Having the knowledge of information that is of peace, and not of evil answered in the life of criminal and he became heaven bounded when Jesus responded to him stating, “…Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) The Word of God holds the future and its worth living by His Word.

Prayer for today: Ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His word in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be persistent and see if the Lord is faithful to fulfill according to His word.

Matthew 7:1-12, Luke 18:1-8

Jesus was speaking when He stated, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-9) Are you actually asking, seeking or knocking knowing that He is true to His word? God is not a talkative that waste word. Whatever He says He will do is a done deal. The psalmist testified to the word of God, “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) God is God that honors His word if you will ask, seek and knock God shall not deny Himself. The word stated further to assure us about the power of asking stating, “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:9-11)
Have you been asking and not receive from Him? Among the reasons for asking and not receive is to stop asking earlier before He answers. That is, not being able to be persistent in your asking. When you ask, it is lack of faith to stop asking when you are yet to receive or see what you are asking from Him. Man should never loose heart and stop asking. In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus speaks to the need to be persistent when  we ask. Jesus spoke, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”  (Luke 18:2-5) It is time to go back to your prayer altar or your praying mood. Be persistent and see if the Lord is faithful to fulfill according to His word. At the time He was telling the parable of the persistent widow, He mentioned, “…that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…” The challenge is within or beyond your control just take it to the Lord in prayer and see How the Lord will move on your behalf.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding to asking, seeking and knocking rightly.

FAITH CAPSULE: Sincere desire overcomes hindrances’ attempt to deny.

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus meaning pure, desired to see Jesus. With pure and sincere heart, he took charge to go after the desire of his heart and grace answered on his behalf when he eventually received Jesus into his house. Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus overcame hindrances that were in place to deny him the desire of his heart. Among Zacchaeus’ hindrances were his profession as a tax collector and his height. A tax collector was not characteristically the kind of person who went out of his way in order to see and have encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus demonstrated that man’s way of living life is not enough to deny man from ultimately engaging and achieving desire to have Jesus into their life. Despite Zacchaeus’ short stature in the midst of crowd, his desire elevated him to position him where he could not be denied of his desire to see Jesus.
What are the challenge or the challenges that are standing your way from seeing Jesus and having him entered into your house? Despite Zacchaeus’ hindrances, the Bible says in Luke 19:4, “So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.” Zacchaeus is an example of someone that knew what he wanted, and how to get what he wanted from the Lord and Savior. Zacchaeus could have run ahead and stayed in the front line of the crowd. However, he took no chance when he decided to run and climb into a sycamore tree. It can be extra difficult for a short man to climb into a tree, but the purity and sincerity of Zacchaeus’ heart to see who Jesus was energized him to go all the way for his desire.
Are you taking charge and not allowing any hindrance denies you of your desire to have a life changing encounter with Jesus? The apostle Paul declared that, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”(1 Corinthians 15:10)  When there is a desire to receive Jesus, grace will deposit what it takes for desire to become manifested. Also, labor is what it takes, not laziness to go the extra mile in getting desires deposited in the life of a believer. Zacchaeus did not labor in vain because Jesus noticed him. And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.”(Luke 19:9) Indeed and in truth, Zacchaeus whose name means pure lived up to the meaning of his name. It is written, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Zacchaeus did not just see Jesus, but received Jesus into his house because he sought him.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of sincere desire of having Jesus come into your life.