FAITH CAPSULE: Be conscious whenever God is operating in His goodness the devil will operate in his ugliness

Genesis 6:1-7, John 16

God is a good God. His character is always good with no iota of evil doing. God in His goodness created all to be good. Genesis 1:31, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good…” The goodness of His heart must have prompted Him when He pronounced blessings. It is written, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply…” (Genesis 1:28)  To be fruitful and able to multiply is good and it will always draw the attention of wickedness. Evidently, with fruitfulness and multiplication in place on the earth, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6) Every good act of God will also draw the attention of the evil one just as it happened in Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” As one that loves God and walks in His commands bumping into challenges in your opposite direction is not always an evidence of wrong doing but could be an evidence of the enemy’s attempt to derail and deny your blessing. It is true that when one walks in the right direction challenges of the evil one will not cease but overcoming challenges always answer for one that believes.
The Psalmist encourages, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) Every believer’s righteousness is in Christ Jesus. Any believer that is having Him; that is walking in line with Him does have the choice to have and maintain peace in the face of challenges. Evidently, the world will not be without challenges. 
Jesus once stated, “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) If you have Jesus, stay in line with Him, regardless of your challenges (tribulation) do not take your eyes away from him but be of good cheer just as mentioned by Him.
God is good; He made us to be good; to be fruitful and to multiply. The evil one will be attracted but termination shall be the portion of the evil one. Be conscious whenever God is operating in His goodness the devil will operate in his ugliness and that is why he is being referred to as the accuser of brethren.

Prayer for today: Ask the Good Lord God to deliver you and preserve you from every evil so that His name can be glorified in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: With obedience in place, what you see will determine what you receive.

Genesis 13

It is written, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Abraham was the only one that was called out of his family.
God had a plan for Abraham and to enter into God’s plan there was a need to fully obey by disallowing Lot to follow him. However, when he was getting out it was with Lot.
“So 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)
Abraham’s obedience was not in full compliance when he allowed Lot to go with him. Where there is absence of full obedience discontinuation will have a place. The lack of full obedience (having Lot with him) affected Abraham. While he continues in the Lords calling, he could not see what and where God had in plan for him until later, when they (Abraham and Lot) could no longer dwell together because of strife between their herdsmen. As a result of strife, separation and division of land was called for between Abraham and Lot and the Bible recorded that, “…Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.” (Genesis 13:10-11) Lot lifted his eyes to see only the present but could not see the future. Lot’s choice was not directed by God and His choice later became land of destruction (Sodom and Gomorrah). Abraham’s seeing was of the Lord’s calling. Lot thought that he was making better choice but, “…The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward;” (Genesis 13:14) As far as Abraham could see, it became his. With obedience in place, what you see will determine what you receive. What you receive is what you believe and what you believe will determine what you become. Are you seeing positive or negative as you look into the future? Do you believe that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you? Be anxious for nothing. See through Jesus, He owns tomorrow and holds it in His hand. Abraham saw great and the Lord declared, “For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendantsforever.” (Genesis 13:15) See good and good shall become of you.

Prayer for today: Ask from God to separate you from what is causing you not to see where He positioned your blessings.     

FAITH CAPSULE: Walking in togetherness count before God.

Acts 3:1-9

Agreement is the evidence of unity and it always demonstrates togetherness. Where there is agreement progress and positive results becomes the identity. Jesus buttress the effect of agreement when He stated, “…If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19) If agreement can be so effective, disagreement can possibly be destructive. Is there any area of your life where agreement or disagreement is having its place? It can be difficult for two or more to work or walk together without agreement. However, when two or more work or walk together in agreement, positive result becomes evident.
Peter and John must have been in agreement when they went together. It is written, ““Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.” (Acts 3:1) If there is a perfect time to walk together in agreement it should be the hour of prayer like Peter and John.
Today, many are walking at the hour of prayer and not in agreement but faking togetherness. The absence of togetherness is the absence of the manifesting power. In going together there is no bitter envy or self-seeking which are the author of confusion. Today, believers walk into the temple without paying attention to the importance of togetherness. Walking in togetherness count before God and it is among what moves the hand of God. Also it is what demonstrates the fear of God. There was power in the going of Peter and John because they were together and on time with the business of their God. At the gate of the temple Peter and John came in contact with the lame man. The lame man asked for alms and, “…fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.” (Acts 3:3-5) Peter and John had all that the lame man needed to get out of his lameness. Without attention there will be no expectation and when expectation is not in place there will be no manifestation. Peter and John called for the lame man’s attention and he responded to the calling of Peter and John expecting to receive. The obedience of the lame man got him more than he expected because his stagnation was transformed to motion. All the people that knew him to be a lame man and the ones that knew him to be a beggar saw the glory of God in his life and, “…They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” (Acts 3:10) Peter and John were together in agreement; the lame man gave attention with expectation and manifestation had its place.

Prayer for today: Ask God to bring forth your wonder and amazing miracle that glorifies His name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow the word of God to enter so that it may delight you.

Psalm 145

It is written, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4), “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.” (Psalm 145:19) Both scriptural verses pointed out that having desire fulfilled is in being delightful (Joyful) and having the fear of God. Psalm 119:130 stated that, “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” With light having its place in you, being in a state of delight will reign. However, without the word entering you, one cannot have the kind of delight that brings desire to come to pass. To be in a state of delight (joy) will grant access to the presence 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.” The path of life is to continuously be in the presence of God because the One that came to give life came to give it more abundantly. Abundance of life is in the presence of God and His presence is where ones desire is obtainable.
The enemy of God hates to see the children of God have life abundantly and that makes him operate as a thief that is here to steal, to kill and to destroy. The mission of the enemy is to make sure being in a state of delight is not possible because where there is no delight evidently there will be no joy which gives access to the presence of God. The Psalmist mentioned that at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. Getting to His right hand is only through joy. He made everything beautiful and He that made all to be beautiful has a plan to make life a blessing not a pain. It is written, “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22) Without doubt, living a life that brings desirable good things is found in the fear of God. Where there is no fear of God, nothing good will move in the direction of man. Jesus says, “…I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12) Remember, the light that brings joy is in the word of God and when it has been contacted in the word of God, it brings man to the presence of God. Paul the apostle knew what he was saying when he emphasized in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ” Allow the word of God to enter; let it delight you and rejoice in it so the presence of God will have its place. Always remember, God will not reside in a joyless environment.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that enables the entering of His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: To be patient and not doubt will convert any impossibility to possibility.

Mark 11: 12-24

Having patience and not doubting will trigger the removal and casting of one’s mountain into the sea. It is clear in the approach of Jesus to the cursed fig tree that having patience and not doubting will convert any impossibility to possibility. The lesson of the withered fig tree began when Jesus and His disciples were coming from Bethany and Jesus was hungry. When Jesus approached the fig tree expecting to find something to eat and found nothing, He responded, “…Let no one eat fruit from you ever again…” (Mark 11:14) The Bible records that the disciples heard Jesus. Despite Jesus’ word, nothing happened right on the spot as they continued on their journey. Evidently, patience and not doubting that the curse will manifest was in place because nothing happened on the spot. However, as they were returning in the morning, the fig tree had dried up from the roots. Peter responded to what had become of the tree by calling Jesus’ attention. “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.” (Mark 11:21)Jesus responded to Peter’s comment. “…have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24)
It is clear in Jesus’ response that: Having faith in God is what describes patience and not doubting. Any thought or expectation from any other avenue for help reduces God from moving your mountain for you. Secondly, calling out our mountain by its name and speaking to our mountain in Jesus’ name is taking a place of authority over our mountain to be removed. Truly this is easier said than done, but where there is true understanding of what is said, then what is said will be done. Thirdly, understanding of the word is to believe. With believe comes to wait for the result patiently without any iota of doubt. Although the fig tree was spoken to without anything to show until the following morning but Jesus must have seen it as a done deal while it was yet to be done. With faith, speak to your need, believe you have received it when it is not yet in your hand, move forward and then you will have it.

Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace to be rooted in exercising patience and not doubting in every area of expectation.