FAITH CAPSULE: His name will not change and His name will continue to make changes

Exodus 3:13-19 ACTS 19:1-20

Anyone who does not know the name of the Lord will not receive the benefits or privileges of whoever calls on Him. Many people know about His name but very few know His name.  There is a significant difference. Knowing about the name of Jesus will not qualify one to be saved. Knowing about the name of Jesus is different from knowing the name of Jesus. Knowing the name of Jesus is not enough and it will not do if the one who claims to know Him is not known in Him. The case of the itinerant Jewish’s exorcist is a good case of ones that only about Jesus. They do not know Him (no relationship with Him) and they were not known in Him. It is written, “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (Acts 19:11-14)

The itinerant Jewish exorcists do not know Jesus; they only know Him as one whom Paul preaches. It was not funny for them when the evil spirit responded stating, “And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15) They were not known in Him. After the evil response was reaction which states, “Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.´(Acts 19:16) Truly the itinerant Jewish had no relationship but they wanted to experience what those in relationship with Jesus always experience. Instead, they were overpowered and were naked. Do you know Him and known in Him? Paul was known in Him and the evil force could not touch Paul when He ministered deliverance.

Which of His Names do you know? He answers name which no any other god shares with Him. Moses inquired from Him about His name and He responded, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3: 14-15) His Name has not changed. His name will not change and His name will continue to make changes because His Name is for all generation. Get to know Him and be known in Him.

Prayer for today: Ask God to guide and lead you into knowing Him and to be known in Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is a commitment and a lifestyle to live for God

Matthew 5

The world is full of wickedness and darkness clouds the world for those who does not have Jesus indeed and in truth. Jesus stated, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14) The word of God is light. Do you carry enough of it to be able to see through in this world?

Nothing passes through God without God knowing it. Absolutely, undoubtedly He sees it all. As man continues to go and grow far from God because of sin and sinning, God whose nature does not tolerate sin withdraws Himself from man. Roman 3:23 buttresses it saying, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” The glory of God, which is His presence, is not full but short in the life of man because of sin. Despite the shortage of His grace as a result of man’s sin, God still has mercy on man. Imagine how beautiful it will be for those who are far from sin and how full the manifestation of His glory in their life will be?

It must have been hard on Jesus when He asked, “…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” The Bible makes us realize that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is not possible to hear God and not live by the word. Not doing the word is evidence of not having heard the word. Jesus is actually asking that if he comes is there going to be a believer that is living by the word (To believe His word is to be living the word). Living the word is what makes man to be on a ground that is the same as that of Abraham, a ground where revelation is not rare but widespread.

It worthy to come out of religion and come to a position of receiving revelation that transforms by living faithfully like Abraham. Know that faith is a sacrifice and is not convenient; not cheap but costly. It is a commitment; a lifestyle to live for God and it enhances the flow of revelation from God. The Church should be making the difference allowing widespread revelation. However, the world has taken the opposite direction by turning away from God. Turn away from the world and turn to God; be privileged of God, take to a faithful way of living life and revelation will flow from God to turn your world around. Remember, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” (Proverbs 29:18) More revelation breeds more restraints and the avoidance of evil occurrences.

Prayer for today: Ask God to direct your heart into the fear of His Holy name and into the patience of Christ.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage God’s command (word) to claim His blessed promise.
Joshua 1

One of God’s promise to Joshua after Moses was, “…I will not leave you nor forsake you.”(Joshua 1:5) Very often acclaimed believers lay claim of the verse to themselves without engaging God’s condition for the promise. The condition for such promise is encased in God’s requirement which He spoke to Joshua stating, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) Engage His word, live by His command to claim His promise.
It is written in Isaiah 54:14, commanded, “In righteousness you shall be established…” After this required command, the blessings that will make a believer of the word of God to prevail were mentioned. Among such blessings are, “…You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. (Isaiah 54:14-15) “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn…” (Isaiah 54:17)The blessing that is packaged in being established in righteousness cannot be denied. Jesus Christ is our righteousness (2Corinthians 5:21). He came for each and every one, but not all will accept Him. Accepting Him is to believe Him and believing Him is behaving Him. Any one that believes (behaves) Him is the one that is set to overcome any weapon formed against him as promised by the word of God.
Not having been established is a risk standing to claim, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” The documentation of Daniel against weapon formed is a true and clear example for the need to be established before engaging weapons formed. The itinerant Jewish exorcists must have assumed the position of established ones, when they took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (Acts 19:13) The Bible recorded, “…the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”” (Acts 19:15-17)
By studying and gaining understanding knowledge will grow. Growth in knowledge cannot be separated from growth in grace. With steadfastness, grace will grow and knowledge will not fail. To be established in righteousness is the evidence of one’s steadfastness in the Lord. Loving God with all our heart and our soul is the route to living as an effective believer.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be steadfast living by His command.

FAITH CAPSULE: Distance of man to God is most likely the same or worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah days.

Genesis 18:16-33

The book of Proverbs 13:19 clearly states, “…it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.” The bible identifies the fool, in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” In a country where many claim there is no God, experiencing or hearing about evil occurrences shall know no bounds because it becomes an abomination for the fools not to execute evil occurrences. However, where there is many who truly live for God, revelation from God to counter evil occurrences shall not cease.
Without doubt, where there is no revelation transformation ceases; stagnation reigns, eventual termination prevails. It was revelation which came to Abraham that brought deliverance and preservation for Lot by taking him out of wicked city of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham was referred to as a friend of God just as Jesus called the ones He appointed friends in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” All of us qualify to be His friends when living by His word becomes our lifestyle. Abraham qualified to be the friend of God because, “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (James 2:23) By virtue of Abraham’s relationship with God, he was positioned where he could hear and see whenever God showed up or spoke to him.
Jesus promised that nothing will be hidden from His friends. God also declared, “…shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…” (Genesis 18:17) Evidently, becoming a friend of God makes one a candidate for receiving revelation from God when it matters. God who is always true to His word, could not hide but revealed to Abraham when it was time for Him to strike Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sin (Genesis 18:1-3). The world of today is no better than the world of Sodom and Gomorrah and that will make it impossible for God who is the same forever not to treat the world of today differently from the way He treated Sodom and Gomorrah.
Despite the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the distance of man to God is most likely the same or worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah days. Today, there are more title-holders such as Prophets, Apostles, Doctor, Reverend, Bishop and huge numbers of acclaimed believers in the wicked world, but yet revelation eludes them all. Jesus is still in the business of revealing all things to His friends. Are you in position to answer as His friend?

Prayer for today: Ask God and seek from God the grace to walk constantly in of becoming the friend of God. 

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you seeking Him emotionally or expectantly

Acts 3:1-16

God is a jealous God and the antidote for jealousy is attention. God request our attention; God deserves our attention. The word commanded, “…seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29) King David, a man after God’s own heart, in his word to Solomon admonished, “…know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) Seeking Him is costly; seeking Him is a sacrifice. He demands a reasonable sacrifice not a self-satisfying engagement.
Absolutely, for one who is able to seek God, nothing will become impossible. What is it that is representing impossibility in your life? What is it that has kept you stagnated all or most of your life? Understand and know that with God nothing is impossible. The only impossibility for your miracle is the possibility that you have been going to church without expectation for manifestation. In seeking God expect Him to manifest Himself. Seeking Him is focusing or fixing eyes on Him.
The Bible documents about lame man who was called to attend with expectation. “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple.” (Acts 3:1-2) The lame man was only asking for alms, he was not expecting miracle until Peter and John called his attention asking him to fix eyes on himwith John. Peter said, “Look at us.” (Acts3: 4) The lame man had condition which seems impossible because he was lame from his mother’s womb. The lame man’s situation changed when “…he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.”(Acts 3:5) It is true that where there is expectation there will be a manifestation. What are the expectations that you have? Trust God; seek Him and He will not fail. Expect Him to get you out of your stagnation. The lame man leaped for joy when he came out of his stagnation. Can you imagine a man lame from the mother’s womb receiving his healing at the name of Jesus when he attended with expectation? In seeking God, attend with expectation and the same name which worked for the lame man will also work for you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you to understand and know to attend and expect.