Faith Capsule: God answers before we call on Him.

2 Samuel 22:1-25

Are you still calling on Him? It is not too late in the year to give up. Keep up with Him in your expectation and know it that He hears you.
What a mighty, gracious and merciful God we serve! God was speaking in the book of Isaiah, “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24) God is true indeed. King David testifies to the truth when he stated, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4) David’s kind of praise is a celebrated praise; a boastful full praise. By virtue of his kind of praise, he was sure that his call had been answered by God who answers before we call on Him. David’s approach is evidence to the truth that God is not only worthy of our contemplative praise (thoughtful or meditative praise). David was rendering a boastful praise knowing that God had done it before asking. A boastful praise is rooted in understanding of God’s character of answering prayer before we call; boastful praise is celebrating what He has done or what He will do.
God also mentioned that “while we speak, He will hear us”. Indeed He heard the children of Israel speaking (not praying) in the face of challenging needs during their journey through the wilderness. It was rebellious speeches rooted in complaints. God responded by stating, “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.” (Numbers 14:28) Unfortunately for the Israelites it was negative speech; it was rebellious speech whereby they were rejecting God for His mercy that brought them out of bondage of over four hundred years.
It is very important to always know what we are asking for before opening our mouth or our heart in prayer and speech. There is no safer place in speaking than speaking positive at all times regardless of the negative before us. The same word of God declares to us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) Often time we have no idea who is before us whenever we speak out positive or negative. As a result, the word of God also warns, “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?” (Ecclesiastes 5:6) It is worth not saying negative than saying it and claiming mistake for excuse. Before God there is no excuse that counts.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of understanding as you journey through life.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is more than trustworthy to wait on Him.

Psalm 62

It is written, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) Despising God’s instruction is the evidence of no fear of God. Ones who take to God’s instruction know to fear Him and will dwell safely, and will be secure without fear of evil. (Proverbs 1:33) Trusting God comes from knowing Him by constantly following His instruction. God is more than trustworthy to wait on Him. Do you trust God? Can you trust Him enough for your deliverance?
The word of God could not have said it better when it says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom…” (Psalm 11:10) It is wisdom to know that the one that created heaven and earth is real and true. It is wisdom to know that there is nothing He cannot do. It is wisdom to know He cannot fail and all His word will come to pass. How do you trust in the Lord? “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust in Him with all heart-not just by acting to impress others. Trusting Him just by the word of the mouth is not enough to provoke the hand of God because God goes by what transpires in the heart. Do you truly trust with your heart or test Him in your heart? Testing and not trusting is a way of doubting God.
The word of God promised,”…He who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit My holy mountain.” (Isaiah 57:13) Absolutely there is nothing worth more than trusting God and finding out His truthfulness. A heart that knows to truly trust God waits on Him at all times in all situations. God expects us to wait on Him because it is a demonstration of faith and faith is what pleases God. The book of Isaiah 40:31 testifies, “…But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” There is no failure in trusting to wait on God. With the fear of God every other thing shall fall into the right place. All that the word is asking from us is to fear Him. King David also testified in Psalm 62:1-2, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” In trusting God there is salvation and God will not fail to defend the ones that truly trust Him. Do you truly trust God?

Prayer for today:Ask for the grace to love and trust God in every area of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is not the time to keep your distance but to take a stand in the word of God.

Luke 22:54-63

Peter followed Jesus well enough to know better and not deny Jesus in his entire walk when Jesus was arrested. Jesus spoke to Peter, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” (Matthew 26:34) Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35) Peter was so sure of his strength when he responded back to Jesus. No man is strong and the word of God confirms it stating, “For by strength no man shall prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9) Jesus warned Peter ahead of time but Peter could not avoid but denied Jesus three times just as the Lord revealed. Peter spent time with Jesus, he was a man that witnessed the miracles of Jesus and he denied Jesus. The warning and stumbling of Peter demonstrates that the race of life is only by grace. It will take only the grace of God to keep a believer from stumbling where stumbling is eminent. If a man like Peter could deny Jesus, what will happen to believers of today when challenges show up?
It is written, “Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.” (Luke 22:54) Peter’s denial started at the point when he began to follow Jesus at a distance. At every time one makes the choice to follow the word of God at a distance, it becomes taking a deliberate step into a big fall in life.
Peter’s denial was a gradual process and it was not sudden. As a believer, are you experiencing any life challenges that are threatening and intimidating your well-being? It is not the time to keep your distance but the time to get close by spending more time in the living word of God.
Today, do not let your situation or your challenges dictate how or when you will spend time in the word of God. Give more time to the word to be able to eliminate distance and maintain a stand in the Lord.
Keeping distance from the word of God is an indirect way of giving self to Satan’s request of a believer’s life. It is written in the book of Luke 22:31, “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Jesus revealed the purpose and program of Satan for the life of Simon. Jesus gave Peter the details, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” (Luke 22:34) Peter prevailed because of Jesus’s prayer for Peter.

Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace of strength which makes man to prevail by not denying Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Calling for the hand of God and looking up to His hand is the right thing to do.

Psalm 16:9-11, 20:6-9

Engaging the right hand of God by calling for His right hand to answer in our direction is what will enable us through daily journey of life. Also, attempting to deny the hand of God is an avenue to destruction. Pharaoh attempted to deny His hand and he was destroyed. It was the hand of God that deliver the children of Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh. God spoke to Moses, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.  So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.  And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.” (Exodus 3:19-21) God did exactly what He said when Pharaoh attempted to deny God from bringing the Israelites out of the bondage. Obviously, in the hand of God, there is deliverance; there is undeniable favor and there is unexpected provision. Besides the fact that Israelites were favorably favored by the hand of God, there are other testimonies through the pages of the Bible which points out what the hand of God is all about.
It is written, “Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.”(Psalm 20:6) Here, it is evident by the testimony of the Psalmist that the right hand of God is a saving strength.
Isaiah 41:10 declares to us to “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” If there is any desire gaining strength to help in every step and to uphold us from failing in the face of daily challenges, call and keep eyes up to Him. He commands us to ask. What is stopping you for consciously and consistently asking for His hand to locate you? Psalmist makes it known to us that pleasure cannot be found missing at the right hand of God. Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Above all, Jesus went and occupied a seat at the right hand of God. Mark 16:19, “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” Occupy the place of asking to gain His attention for the extension of His right hand as you engage the coming days.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His right hand to take charge in all areas of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is a sin not to live a humble life.

Philippians 2

Paul admonished In Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” What is it about the mind of Christ? The mind of Christ is a humble mind set before God. At a point in time, the disciples wanted to know from Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ response clearly described humility as the way out to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
What a wakeup call for those with wrong assumptions of what it is to be set for becoming the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus said assuredly, meaning: without any other means; with all certainty heaven is a distance until one is converted and become as little children. It is those who are converted (accept Jesus as their Lord and savior) and those who become of the Lord by virtue of behaving the word of God are the ones set for entering the kingdom of heaven. Confessing Christ and not living by ones confession is same as claiming to have been converted and not become as little children. Also, one’s title on earth is not an evidence of humility in one’s life. Title is not a ticket to becoming the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Many are full of themselves and not filled by Christ as a result, humility is strange to them. Little children whose mindset operates that of little child are true example of carrier of humble spirit. Such children do not have pride as a result any fruit of pride such as malice; deception and un-forgiveness are not part of their makeup.
Jesus emphasized the importance of humility more when He knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world (John 13:1). Having clearly showed and taught humility, He waited until His final hour to give His disciples a lasting impression which revealed the importance of humility.
It is written, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from the supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:3-5) There is no perfect way to teach what it means to be humble than in demonstration. Jesus clearly showed us humility by the way He lived life.
It is a sin not to live a humble life. Fear Him; be humble and operate the mind of Christ.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be humble in life.