FAITH CAPSULE: Love as commanded by the word of God and fulfill God’s command.

1 Corinthians 13

Paul the apostle stated the importance of love, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” It is clear in Paul’s word that though a believer can demonstrate the gifts of God such: as speaking in tongues, prophesying, reaching out to the needy and making oneself available when or where there is need, without love, all is empty and it carries no weight. Love as commanded by the word of God and fulfill God’s command.
Jesus meant what He was saying when He stated in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Have you been demonstrating any of the gifts in the name of Jesus while you entertain hate, bitterness, and any other opposite of what it means to love? Man can be deceived, one can possibly lie o pastor, brethren can be manipulated, but God sees the heart of all. The apostle Paul went further to describe what love is about, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” If every believer will consider the description of what love is about just as stated by the apostle Paul, there will be a need for grace and not a determination to love because determination will fail. To love in truth and in deed seems impossible but God will not require of us what is not possible. Love and be saved, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”(Galatians 5:14) Above all, every believer needs to examine and search themselves if they truly love instead of lying, deception and manipulation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to love the way the word of God requires and not in your own way of loving.

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow faith to rise so that fear will sink and doubt will have no place.  

Matthew 11:1-15

What is it that is causing you to have doubt instead of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? With doubt fear will eventually come to place. Where there is fear or when fear is rising, faith will sink. The Bible identifies the source of faith stating, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Engage hearing and hearing by the word of God, allow faith to rise so that fear will sink and doubt will have no place in you. Deny your present situation or your location from operating as an agent that causes you to doubt.
John the Baptist doubted Jesus. It is written, “And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-3) Is there any representative of prison in your life that is causing doubt of what Jesus can do? John the Baptist, while spending time in prison doubted Jesus. It was John that baptized Jesus. It is written, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him” (Matthew 3:13) John the Baptist bears witness of Jesus, “…Behold The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”’ (John 1:29-30) John also exalted Jesus when he stated that, “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” (John 3:31) Despite all that John the Baptist knew about Jesus, when he was in the prison of his life, he doubted Jesus. John wanted to know what he already knew. Remember you have heard it all and you have seen it all; if you will hold on to all that you have known you will depart from doubt and not dwell in it. Jesus’ response to John’s doubt is the same response that is speaking to you, “…Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Mathew 11:4-6) Where there is doubt faith has a tendency not to stand. Hebrew 11:6, “…But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Take your stand and declare to your situation that Jesus is Lord and there is nothing He cannot do.

Prayer for today: Ask the Lord God to deliver you from every spirit of doubt

FAITH CAPSULE: All that we need to desire is the grace to constantly and consistently fear God.

Numbers 14:1-38

It is written, “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.” (Psalm 145:19) Any man that truly knows to fear God knows what God wants and what God does not want for His children. Knowing what He wants for us will make it impossible for us to be asking or having a desire for what He does not line up in His desire for us. All that we need to desire is the grace to constantly fear Him. God alone knows all of our desire; He knows those that fear Him and He is more than capable to fulfill everyone’s desire.
Everything a man can consider as need is obtainable when we live in the fear of God. Proverbs 19:23 buttress the importance of fearing God when it states, “The fear of God leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.” (Proverbs 19:23) Are you one that desires not to have His desire for your life? A man that presses for his own desires will get it with persistency.
Often time, getting one’s desire which is not of God leads to self-destruction. The children of Israel, coming out of bondage of over four hundred years; seeing the wondrous work of God; strongly press for their own desire that is outside of God’s desire for them. They could not let go Egypt but pressed in their asking and complaining for all kinds of food they were eating in Egypt despite the truth that Lord did not make them to have any lack. God responded and gave them their food of desire. The bible recorded, “So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them their own desire. They were not deprived of their craving; but while their food was still in their mouths, the wrath of God came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel.” (Psalm 78:29-31) Get to know it that God wants the best for you and whatever we do not receive could be because it is out of time or out of place for us. However, when we hold onto Him in fear, He will not fail in giving us what only leads to life and not to our self-destruction like that of the stoutest of the Israelites that were destroyed as mentioned in the above scriptural verse (Psalm 78:29-31). It is worthy to desire for the fear of God so we may abide in God’s satisfaction and not end up in life’s dissatisfaction which always bring evil to man. The point of this write up is for us to live a life that brings desirable good things that are encased in the fear of God. Where there is no fear of God, nothing good will move in the direction of man.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly and consistently live in the fear of His holy name.

FAITH CAPSULE: When God goes before His vessel, every impenetrable ground will yield for penetration.

Isaiah 45: 1-13

God alone will make and unmake, He alone is the unquestionable King of kings and purposeful mighty creator. God appointed by separating a pagan ruler (Cyrus King of Persia) to Himself for engaging His will. The book of  Isaiah 45:1 recorded, “Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held— To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:” No man in heaven or under heaven dictates to God who is to be separated unto Him for appointed assignment. God held the right hand of the pagan king and his life story was influenced and changed for good and forever. By virtue of the word of God, as stated above, when God holds anyone’s right hand, victory is certainly certain. When He holds one’s right hand, one no longer does the battle but becomes a vessel being used by God. As it was when He held the right hand of Cyrus, so it will be for every other vessel for God’s assignment. Are you a vessel of His assignment? God will subdue and loose the weapons of your enemy; undeniable doors will be opened for your breakthrough. When God holds your right hand, He becomes the one doing the battle for you on the battlefield.
The book Isaiah 45:2 also pointed out that when He appoints, He will go before the one that is appointed and separated for His assignment. Isaiah 45:2 recorded, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.” When God goes before His vessel, every impenetrable ground will yield for penetration and the rough places that have been troubling will be made smooth. When He goes before one, highly invested gates that are specially and specifically constructed to stop and deny breakthrough will be shattered; they will not stand but fall down flat. Above all, every treasured and hidden activity of the wicked will be exposed. When the Lord goes before His vessel, the riches that the enemy cherishes will be exposed and the enemy will be naked. God is still in the business of holding the right hand of His appointed (anointed) vessel and He is still going before them. There is nothing that can be compared to answering as the Lord’s vessel. He is the Holy One of Israel; He alone is the Lord that does all things and nothing is impossible for Him to do.

Prayer for today: Ask God to take over your life in the new month and cause you to be concentrated unto Him.