FAITH CAPSULE:Whatever you behold will either build you up or bring you down.

2 Samuel 11

The Bible records about King David, “It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 11:1) Ideally, King David was supposed to have been at war. Instead, he was at home walking on the roof and, “…from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman.” (2 Samuel 11:2-3) Assuming that King David’s location at the wrong time played one of the major roles in his crime against Uriah, the issue of “behold” steered him into his crime against Uriah.
Behold actually means: to observe; look at; see. In most cases, whatever you observe might end up serving you the way you receive it. What you look at will end up in attaching you up to serve your desire. What you see will determine what will become of you. The function ability of beholding what goes around us hangs on to our eyes. Eyes and ears are the major route to our hearts where decisions for action take its place.
After beholding the wife of Uriah while she was bathing, King David inquired about her. He could have turned away from what he observed; what he had looked unto. However King David could not keep his heart under control when he inquired more by sending his messenger for her. After sending for her, “she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, ‘I am with child.’” (2 Samuel 11:4-5)
Beholding another man’s wife; beholding another woman’s husband; beholding what does not belong to one is a direct trap for self-termination. What is it you are beholding that does not belong to you? King David ended up in deep sin. There is always forgiveness where there is repentance. However, the consequence of sin always remains and could be very costly.
In the presence of two disciples, John the Baptist declared, “…Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36) The two disciples who beheld Jesus followed Jesus. The two disciples’ life was transformed; they were built up to possess their inheritance among the sanctified. Whatever you behold will either build you up or bring you down. If what you behold is of good it will build you up for good and if what you behold is of evil you are set for destruction.
Just as the two disciples beheld Jesus, you begin to behold the living word of God to build you up for His glory.

Prayer for today: Ask God to work in you what is well pleasing in His sight.

FAITH CAPSULE: Know that His word shall come to pass; wait and watch for the manifestation of His word.

Genesis 6, Matthew 25:1-13,

It is written, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:11-12) God decided to destroy with flood because of the wickedness of man. As a result God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will
destroy them with the earth.  Make yourself an ark of gopherwood…” (Genesis 6:13-14) For man it is unimaginable to have the earth flooded in a region where it hardly rains in the period of a year. Thank God He is not a man but the Almighty creator. Noah could have ignored, doubted or procrastinated and not fully engaged full obedience of God’s command. Noah engaged fully as commanded by God. Just as God said, it rained and flooded enough to destroy every living on earth.
Are you paying attention to the truth that Jesus is coming back to judge the whole earth just like Noah’s time when God brought judgment? It also sounds incredible to believe; it has been over two thousand years; many have predicted the end with nothing happened. One thing is certain and that is the word of God. Isaiah 55:11 buttress, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” His word was authentic in the time of Noah and His word is still the same today.
Are you sleeping over the unfailing word of God and not watching?
A believer that is often asleep is constantly at risk of missing His word. Jesus gave the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins which depicts the importance of waiting and watching over the manifestation of God’s word. The ten virgins were all purposeful in their agenda. They all went out to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:3-5, “Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” Having gone far in their pursuit to enter with the bridegroom, sleeping should have been avoided by engaging watching and waiting. They fell asleep and foolishness became their identity. How are you waiting? Can you tell if and when your oil is running out? You have come too far in this journey to begin to entertain foolishness.
Know that His world shall come to pass; do not be ignorant; wait and watch for the manifestation of His word.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of waiting and not sleep over the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: In life, you are either wise or foolish.  

Proverbs 4

How to prevail over the issues of life is directly rooted in how you keep your heart. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life.” This is not a suggestion but a command that will make the difference in the life of every man that is committed to this command. The heart takes a strategic position in the life of a man because it is where the giver of life looks to determine every action of man. Also, the same heart is where we determine and accept if there is God or there is no God. Psalm 14:1 recorded, “The fool has said in his heart that there is no God…” Confessing there is no God starts from the heart and not from the mouth. When such confession is communicated through the mouth, it always has its root in the heart. Any man that says there is no God through a non-verbal communication speaks from the heart. A believer that claims there is God with his/her mouth but doing all that is contrary to the command of God is indirectly saying there is no God. A wise saying states that, “Action speaks louder than words”. This can be concluded by saying that, what you believe is what you behave.
Every action or behavior is rooted in the heart and this is why Proverbs 4:23 stated, “…Out of it spring the issues of life.” Saul did not say there is no God when Samuel confirmed, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” (1 Samuel 13:13) To be confirmed as being foolish by our action or behavior is the same as being identified as one who makes a verbal confession that there is no God. In life, you are either wise or foolish. To be wise in the wisdom of God and not of the wisdom of this world is an evidence of the fear of God. Likewise, to be foolish in the things of God and not behaving what the word of God commands is as saying there is no God.
Proverbs 4:24-27 identifies what happens when we keep our heart with all diligence:
Besides the truth that issues of life springs from our heart, one will know to always put away deceitful mouth and perverse lips; one’s eyes will be focus where it is right before God; one will know to direct feet on established grounds. Above all, keeping heart with all diligence leads one away from evil at all time. (Proverbs 4:24-27)
It does not matter how much you confess it that you are a believer, if how you live life is not in line with God’s command, you are also saying there is no God.

Prayer for today:Ask God for understand that you may know not live life as a foolish one.

FAITH PRESCRIPTION: Avoid engaging the way of God in disorder; maintain orderliness.

Isaiah 38
 
Where there is expectation manifestation often prevails. With preparation comes provision. Orderliness is the evidence of preparation. In the place of worship, are you one that runs after the usher during tithes and offering ministration seeking the help of getting money changed in attempt to present tithes or offering? Ones who engages such action is the evidence of lack of orderliness and no preparation to give. God is a God of order and orderliness cannot be separated from the operation of His hand.
Once, King Hezekiah experienced a life threatening sickness “…And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” (Isaiah 38:1) King Hezekiah knew the source of his life threatening sickness and he responded to Isaiah the prophet without excuse. King Hezekiah’s house was in disorder and he was set for untimely death.  By virtue of his situation, he could not expect any recovery from God without going back and making adjustments and putting in order what had been in disorder. It is written that, “…Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38: 2-3) As much as God will not overlook the violation of His way so will He also be a merciful God that will not ignore but incline His ear to the crying of His children. God sent Isaiah back to King Hezekiah, “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5) Orderliness is important because it gives way to preservation and denies untimely death. Hezekiah’s situation is not an encouragement to anyone’s intentional and consistent violation of God’s way. God will forgive but then it is worth for one to forgo consistent violation of God’s way. In truth, God is a God of forgiveness and the word of God points out, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) Have you been ordering your steps in line with the word of God? Hezekiah put things in order and he was restored according to the goodness and mercy of God. Avoid engaging the way of God in disorder; maintain orderliness and keep your steps in line with the word of God. 
 

Prayer for today: Ask God to uphold your steps and keep you from disorderliness.