FAITH CAPSULE: Foolish desire is a route to untimely death.

2 Samuel 13

The word of God cannot be broken. The word of God is wisdom in place to position us rightly when consciously engaged. Understanding the word of God is the key to having edge over the wicked world. Isaiah 33:6 confirmed the truth about the importance of wisdom and knowledge stating, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times and the strength of salvation…” It is the lack of wisdom and knowledge that set up Amnon (son of David) that set him up for self-destruction.”It is recorded in 2 Samuel 13:2, “Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her.”   

Desire that causes man to be distressed is the evidence that one is missing wisdom and knowledge that gives stability in the world of challenges. Ammon was so much consumed in the love for his sister to the point of sickness and he allowed an agent of evil to step in as his counselor. The one and only better way of making any decision on confronting issues of life is to seek for wisdom and knowledge in the word of God. Ammon’s crafty friend became his counselor concerning his distressed desire. 2 Samuel 13:3-5 recorded, “But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. And he said to him, ‘Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?’ Amnon said to him, ‘I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.’ So Jonadab said to him, ‘Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him’, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” On the first note, the desire of Ammon was a foolish one. Also, the crafty friend was the wrong one for Ammon and at the wrong time.

Are you engaging a foolish counselling over your distressed situation? Wisdom and knowledge is what will make all the difference in different steps that we take in life. Book Proverbs 2:10-12 also buttressed, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil…” Ammon did a shameful, disgraceful and evil thing by forcing her sister to lay with her. Absalom could not let go the evil committed by Ammon so he sent his servants to kill Ammon. Evidently, Ammon died an untimely death because his desire drove him in the route of death.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that your heart be kept with diligence against every thought that is self-destructive.

FAITH CAPSULE: Being wise and simple is a violence suppressor.

1 Samuel 18

Undeniably, the devil is the father of all lies and liars. Above all, he is persistent in getting wickedness done. He is unrelenting when it comes to inflicting pain on man. Every man’s pain is the devil’s gain. All this identify him as the violent one. Obviously, after is failure in tempting Jesus, he did not leave Jesus alone without a desire for a return agenda. The Bible pointed it out, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13) The Satan seeking an opportune time is the evidence of his persistence in being violent. Apparently the Satan is the violent one. The word of God made it clear that, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12) The wicked one’s understanding is violent and it will take violent to deal with him. The weapon of violent in the hand of believer is to be wise and simple. Paul the apostle buttressed in Romans16:19-20, “…but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly…”

The life of King David depicts one that constantly demonstrated wisdom. Before he became king, the bible recorded, “So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” (1 Samuel 18:5) David was well accepted in the sight of all including King Saul’s servant and that set him up for undeniable favor. David’s demonstration of wisdom caused him to gain high esteem. The Bible stated, “… And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.” (1 Samuel 18:30)  Applying wisdom and simplicity of heart set David up for a path that cannot be frustrated Saul’s evil agenda.

When it became clear that he was going to become the next king after King Saul, for so many years, David was still running from one mountain to another mountain; he hides from one cave to another cave in his attempt to avoid Saul’s evil agenda. He was relentlessly pursued in attempt to be killed by King Saul. David had many chances to kill Saul but he respected the anointing upon the life of Saul. With David’s application of wisdom by grace, there was no way he could fail. David was wise engaging the evil in King Saul. He also maintained simplicity by not taking over his challenges by virtue of power bestowed on him by the grace of God. Being wise and simple is a violence suppresser.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the kind of wisdom and simplicity that terminates violent that is set against you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Does your character communicate your claim as a believer of God?

Matthew 5:1-15

It is written, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) By virtue of the scriptural verse above, it is clear enough that there is no middle ground in every word of God. As an acclaimed believer, you are either one who contributes to the earth as a preserver or one who does not contributes but takes the place of a non-preserver (destroyer). In the Bible days, there was no refrigerator that could be used for preserving food. Preservation of food was done by the use of salt. When Jesus stated that believers are to be the salt of the earth, He spoke in reference to what the life of a believer should be all about.
Acclaimed believer should be the one bringing impacting changes to his or her environment such as their workplace, neighborhood, family gatherings and much more. Jesus identifying salt as a preserver means acclaimed believers should be agents of preserving the decaying world of sin and iniquity. Instead, the world is changing believers because believers are adapting to world ideas in the name of evangelizing or accommodating the world. Believers are not to be changed by the affairs of this world. It is not enough to be a consistent church goer neither is it enough to be fluent in quoting Bible verses if our character does not communicate our claim as a believer of the word of God in the Bible.

Most believers today want to be quiet in their walk with excuse that they do not want to offend anyone by what they believe in. Imagine this, in the world of a kitchen where there is salt, how can it be that every food that is coming out of such kitchen is tasteless and unacceptable? Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men”. The salt in the kitchen that is producing a tasteless and unacceptable food has no effect because it is not being used or it has lost its flavor. Evidently, the salt that is not effective has lost its purpose. Such salt becomes a waste and it is to be thrown away. According to Jesus, that salt becomes an underfoot material. What kind of salt are you? Are you one that is bold in quoting the word of God without Godly character to back your quotation or claim as a believer? Believers of the Word are to be a salt that seasons their world with godly and acceptable contributions. Choose to live life as a preserving agent according to the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for help not to live life as a salt less vessel to your world.

FAITH CAPSULE: Not being able to wait is to abide in waste.

Psalm 37, Luke 15:11-32

The inability to wait in the place of need is the ability to become available for extended frustration and unwarranted struggle. As an acclaimed believer, have you positioned yourself in a situation of not waiting for God’s intervention? Psalmist encouraged us, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14) It is important to know to wait on God who is the true helper of man and shield that does not disappoint. Psalm 37:7 did not say it wrong when it stated, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Evidently, ones that cannot rest on the promises of God cannot wait patiently for God to act on their behalf.

Why not wait for God? The parable of the prodigal (the lost son), clearly demonstrated that the prodigal son entered into a state of lack because he could not wait for God’s appointed time. He was the younger of the two sons who could not wait for the portion of the inheritance that would have fallen to Him. There was so much for him to receive in waiting but nothing to receive when waiting was bypassed. Have you bypassed your ground of waiting for a needless rush? Not being able to wait is to abiding in waste. The prodigal son got his portion of the inheritance and took a journey to a far country, and wasted his inheritance.

Jesus’ parable is not a play write-up; it is to place His written word in the life of believers. Evidently in life, waiting for appointed time can be painful but would eventually be gainful for those who persevere in waiting. As a result of inability to wait, he was bound to end up wasted. It is written, “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15: 13-14) Those who walks out of God’s timing walks into self-destruction. It is absolutely true that no one ever complained of falling, or stepping, into grievous mistakes while waiting on God. Listen to what the word of God says, “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.. “ (Psalm 37:34) The word of God does not lie, His word cannot be broken. God will wait for those that will wait on Him.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of enablement to consistently wait on God in all areas of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Wait, watch and see how the Lord will change your story.

Judges 11

In life, man often engage painful challenge which is not bargain for but gains ground in the life of man. Does that sound like you? What about your life? Are you experiencing challenges you do not bargain for? Trusting God for all things in the face of all things is an assured way of overcoming all kinds of challenge.

Jephthah the Gileadite gained the title: A mighty man of valor but he was none and referred to as son of a harlot. By virtue of his identity (a son of harlot) he was driven out of his father’s house. Jephthah did not call for his challenging situation. Jephthah’s challenge was outside of his control; Jephthah was paying for what he did not bargain for. Are you experiencing any similar challenging situation like that of Jephthah? Jephthah’s challenging situation demands a divine intervention. It calls for a true redemption. With God, redemption is certain. Wait, watch and see how the Lord will change your story. He is the only God who waits to act for those who wait on Him. (Isaiah 64:4) Imagine a son of harlot was approached by the Israelites asking for help. At the time the children of Israel were confronted by enemies, a need for a commander became there agenda. The elders of Gilead had to go and seek Jephthah for help. It was recorded in Judges 11:6, “Then they said to Jephthah, ‘Come and be our commander that we may fight against the people of Ammon.’”

Whenever man is condemned, God alone has His way of redemption for the condemned. Jephthah, son of harlot became a hot commodity. Imagine a son of harlot, one that was driven out by brothers became one being sought for to be a leader. Jephthah responded in Judges 11:7, “So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”” The same God that set up a situation for Jephthah to be called back to rise above and beyond where he was before he was expelled will always be available to turn your story around for His name to be glorified. God, in His deliverance plan or redemption plan cannot be too late or too soon, God will show up in your situation at His appointed time. Jephthah accepted the assignment and victory was delivered to the children of Israel. Jephthah did not just end up as a commander but he became the head because victory was delivered into his hand. The story of Jephthah was changed for good.

Prayer for today: Ask God for your story to be changed for good and to the glory of His name.