FAITH CAPSULE: What must be done in your life will get you to where you must be in the Lord.

Acts 9, Mark 11:1-11

Jesus sent His disciples, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” (Mark 11:2-3) Jesus was able to see a colt where it was positioned. Finding the colt was not enough if the colt was not loose as commanded by Jesus. Jesus sent the disciples about what must be done for the colt to be used for God to be glorified. Jesus needed a colt which was not tied down, a colt that is loose.

What is it that must be done for you to enter into your divine assignment? Just like the colt was in position to be used for Jesus, many are in position for Jesus to become of use but they are tied down. Many are consciously or unconsciously tied down and not available for God’s service yet they engage celebration of Jesus. Celebration without connection to Jesus is the evidence of lack of commitment. Going and coming to fellowships on Sundays is not enough evidence of connection with Jesus. Answering to what must be done is what makes difference between acclaimed believers of Jesus as Lord and savior.

Saul of Tarsus was on his way to wreak havoc on the disciples of the Lord in Damascus when he encountered what must be done for him to serve like a colt which was loose for Jesus to ride triumphantly. After Saul’s response to the light that shone on him and brought him down to the ground, he asked who the Lord is and Jesus responded by introducing Himself. Saul gained the understanding of Jesus, “So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:6) Saul’s name was changed for good to Paul and from the moment of receiving instruction, Paul began to move in the direction of God’s assignment for his life. Determination is not what will help; but the grace of God is what will get you into your divine assignment. The word of God promises that “He will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and He will guide you with His eye” (Psalm 32:8).What must be done in your life will get you to where you must be in the Lord.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace for you to locate what must be done to serve the Lord in deed and in truth.

FAITH CAPSULE: There is no age limit serving before God.

Genesis 37

Whenever God is set to replace you from where you are into the center of His divine schedule for your life, He does not go by your own timing neither does He move by your age. In God, there is no age limit. When it was God’s time to call Abraham out into the center of his divine schedule, God called Abraham and, “…Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” (Genesis 12:4) At seventy five years old, he has passed the retirement age before God called him into divine schedule. Who would have thought of a journey of such magnitude for an aged man like Abraham? Moses, after forty years in one of the greatest palaces on earth, had no choice but to be replaced. God did not call him like He called Abraham but he found himself in a situation that chased him out into his divine schedule. Moses accidentally killed an Egyptian in his attempt to defend one of his Hebrew brethren. Pharaoh heard about Moses’ deed, “When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:15) At age forty Moses’ situation forced him to run unknowingly in the direction of God’s plan for his life. Can you see that God is in everything?

Joseph had a very positive dream but for the dream to come to manifestation there had to be a process in place. Process can be unacceptably challenging and exceedingly difficult. At the young age of seventeen, Joseph unknowingly began his placement journey to bring his dream to manifestation. The journey to a dreams manifestation can be challenging and uncomfortable. The starting point of a dreams journey is often unknown to the dreamer. Joseph did not plan to enter into the journey of his life when he went to check on his brother as directed by his father. “Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” (Genesis 37:14-15) From wandering into entering the pit, Joseph began a journey to the center of his divine schedule. Regardless of your age or where you are, do not struggle with yourself; God is on top of it all. Could it be that you are already on your journey to the center of your calling.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you in every step that you take on earth.

FAITH CAPSULE: In life, giving is sowing. What are you giving back to Jesus?

John 10

It is worthy to ask self, what have I done for Jesus lately? That is… “What have you been giving back to Jesus”? Do you not think you owe Jesus?
The main reason why Jesus was given to us is for us to inherit eternal life.
Every step taken to inherit eternal life is exactly what we are doing or giving back to Jesus. Every acclaimed believer should walk in His righteousness and obediently walk in line of His command is giving back to Jesus.
In life, giving is sowing, sowing is serving. What are you giving…how are you serving Him? When there is no understanding in place to give, it is better than to have the understanding to give and not give.
It is true that what a man sows he will surely reap. God is a perfect Manager and He perfects in managing each and every of His creation by virtue of allowing His creation to reap from what they sow. In life, it is impossible to sow the seed of deception and expect to reap the fruit of perfection.

Any man who sows the seed of lie will reap the fruit of being deceived. It is worthy to live life as one who knows Him and anything short of living life as one who knows Him is living life as a liar. It is written, “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”(1John2:4-6)

God invests so much in us while we extend so little to Him. Nothing passes outside of God seeing…man shall reap from whatever man sows. What kind of seeds are you sowing? When it is reaping time, prayer time might have expired and too late to avoid the consequences of failure to sow. It is written, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11) Celebrating the season of events in the life of Jesus is not an evidence of sowing any good which glorifies God for all He has done. Also, It is not a license to heaven. However, living life to the glory of God is what provokes the hand of God in the life of a believer. Allow this season of Easter celebration to be a season of a new turnaround of giving back for His grace of salvation.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s hand to begin to move and lead you to live the life of a good sower to God’s glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Without commitment there is no connection.

Matthew 6

It sounds lazy when an able man opens his mouth and states that seeking after your provision first should be replaced with seeking God first. Interestingly, it is actually the word of Jesus. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) However, it is not an avenue for any man to engage covenant laziness by having a paid job at the tip of their hand and not do it. Seeking after God is commitment. Commitment is not convenient. However, it is one that is committed is connected to God.

The provision of God for you is not bounded by what you have or what you have not. His provision is not bounded by how much you need; neither is it bounded by how long you have been waiting for manifestation. It is for this reason why seeking the Provider must be first and foremost rather than provisions. How can a man be going after creation for help when the Creator is available round the clock? Why should we focus more on the blessings rather than the blessed? Where have you found yourself at this juncture in your life? What is lacking in your life?

Imagine Jesus had the multitudes following Him wherever He went — mountain, sea and valley. Following Jesus is seeking Jesus and it can never be convenient because it will take you out of your location or comfort zone. In your following Him, remain focused on gaining heaven. Truly, they followed Him because they witnessed the signs and wonders He performed. Is that not enough to provoke following Him around in your life? In one instance, they followed Him to a place where there was not enough food to eat or purchase. Of course they must have had the realization of where they are going and the lack that was there but yet they kept following Him.

Jesus knew there was a need for food and that there was no place to buy when He asked Philip, “…Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (John 6:5). Always and forever, the foolishness of God is wiser than man. Imagine Jesus asking for a place to buy bread in the midst of nowhere; seeking for provision where there was none.

In the course of looking for food, “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?’”(John 6:8-9) Andrew definitely had no understanding that regardless of what is at hand does not count when you seek Him first. What is of importance is that which comes from the hand of whom you seek first.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to look back in seeking Him first.

FAITH CAPSULE: Repentance from the heart will bring forth restoration.

Luke 15

A parable is an everyday truth that has spiritual application. It is an earthly truth with a heavenly meaning. Jesus spoke many times using parables. He gave a parable of the lost son. This parable clearly connotes the mind of God concerning repentance and restoration of man from sin. Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15:11-14)
Jesus’ going to the cross and shedding of His blood is for our possession and a plan for our restoration. In the parable, the younger son had his possessions and went far from his father. We cannot afford to have Jesus and go far from the presence of God in this wicked world. Going far is choosing our way which will always be a way of death. Going far from Him will lead to a debased extravagant life which is a wasted life. A wasted life will always provoke a life of “want” and “relegation” from what God wants for us to be. Going far from Him will expose man to every trouble of this world.

How are you living life? Are you living in the fear of God? Have you gone far from Him like the prodigal son? It is written, “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15:17-19) It is time to come back to yourself just like the prodigal son. The prodigal son arose and came to his father. The Bible records, “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”(Luke 15:20-21)
Repentance from the heart will bring forth restoration. He repented and his father gave him full restoration. God is a merciful, Isaiah 64:4 testifies, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” He is waiting for you if you will repent, restoration will become your portion.

Prayer for today: Ask that the goodness and mercy of God shall not expire over your life.