FAITH CAPSULE: In your heart think or meditate on what glorifies God

Jeremiah 17

Whatever is meditated in the heart is what we think in the heart. What are you thinking in your heart? A positive thinking breeds a positive manifestation while a negative thinking breeds negative manifestation. It is written, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8) What are you thinking? Know to engage positive thinking in the face of challenge and know not to engage negative thinking in the face of challenge.
It is important that we give our heart a procedure that will remove every thought that is not right, that is negative and that is not fruitful to the glory of God. The thinking that you carry out in your heart is what will determine your future on the face of the earth. The book of Proverbs 23:7 states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he Eat and drink! he says to you but his heart is not with you.” It is clear that in all that we are to keep with diligence, our heart should be number one. A failure to keep our heart meticulously clean will give wickedness the avenue to reap through our heart.  Daniel, while in captivity, he maintained his heart for God. The word testifies, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) Daniel’s operation of the heart made all the difference in his life. He purposed in his heart to do his all for the glory of the Lord. What are you thinking in your heart? That which you harbor in your heart will make all the difference in your life. Will you be singled out as a giant in the hand of the Lord or will you forsake your calling to adhere to the world? It is our heart that God wants to meet before He commits into your hand great feats. 2Chronicles16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” What His eyes are looking for throughout the earth is not what your eyes or any eye can see. His eyes look for the heart that is loyal to Him. In your heart think or meditate on what glorifies God then great exploitation will be yours.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be constant in thinking positively.

FAITH CAPSULE: Have you been sent to deliver an assignment which does not glorify God?

Exodus 1

The book of Ecclesiastes concludes by pointing out the importance of fearing God when it states, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandment, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14) With the fear of God in place, fearing what man can do against us should not have a place in our life. It does not matter what position you hold or who you are answering to by delivering evil message. It does matter that at all times, man must avoid delivering messages that are evil before God. 
Have you been sent to deliver an assignment which does not glorify God? It does not matter who sent you, or what your reward will be. What matters is to fear God and not just fly in the direction of an evil errand. When one engages flying under the direction of an evil minded service, one is set to crash land and such will fail woefully. However, when you agree to the fear of God before delivering an evil message, God will not ignore your move, but will acknowledge you beyond and above whatever reward that is set for you. It does not matter where you are today or what position you are holding. Let it be established in your heart that today you have abstained from delivering any message that is meant to hurt others, or that does not glorify God.
Pharaoh entered into shrewdness because of the increase in number of the children of Israel. He ordered the midwives to kill all male children at birth. The fear of God arrested the midwives. It is written, “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.” (Exodus 1:15-17) Pharaoh that sent for the killing and the one that engage in the killing will have to answer to God at the time of judgment. The midwives demonstrated the fear of God by not answering to Pharaoh’s evil command as a result, “…God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God that He provided households for them.” (Exodus 1:20-21) Let all your actions be based on the fear of God, and He will establish you in all areas of life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to fear God in all areas of living life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The Christian faith is all about pressing and seeking to gain the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 6

Among so many that claims to have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, very few are believers of their claim. To believe in Jesus Christ is to be living the word of God. Are you one that sincerely receive and believe Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior?
If you have received Him, it is worthy to begin to desire a higher calling in every walk of God’s assignment. The Christian faith is not to be misconstrued as entertainment neither is it about living life in a state of worry. Jesus warned, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:31-32) Why not engage worshiping instead of worrying? Jesus went further in His conversation to identify what the Christian faith is about, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) The Christian faith is all about pressing and seeking to gain the Kingdom of God.
By virtue of the signs today, the time in God’s calendar demands that we should come out of religion and begin to live in Christ-reality. As an acclaimed believer, it is important for one to focus his/her strength on getting to God’s expected end for those that live to seek Him. The expected end is the goal of one’s journey. On the way to the expected end, fear will always rise against one with every step toward that expected end but with faith, fear must sink. Jesus once led His disciples to go ahead on a boat, over the sea toward Capernaum. On their way, a storm took over and fear showed up powerfully that they could not recognize their Savior. In all that you are facing, are you turning your face to the Lord for intervention? Jesus responded to the fear in His disciples, “But He said to them, it is I; do not be afraid. Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.” (John 6:20) Will you receive Him into your boat of life? When you receive Him in every situation, He will take you to the expected end. However, fear has to be terminated for faith to rise. Fear will sink you; faith will raise you.

Prayer for today: In your prayer, know that the grace of God is available for all to enter into the Kingdom of God. Know to ask God to deliver you from every agent that causes fear in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you being prideful, like Naaman, in any way?

2Kings 5:1-19

Whatever man says you are might not be what God sees in you. The bible states, “Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.”(2Kings 5:1) God is the creator and the choice to use or not use any of His creatures to convey His message fully belong to Him. God used a donkey to communicate to Balaam when he decided to go the way that seemed right to him and not to God. Balaam was on the way to pronounce curse on the Israelites, has requested by Balak, against the will of God. Balaam struggled to direct and redirect his donkey on the way to his assignment for Balak. It is written, “Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28) God is an awesome God and if there is a need to use stone in raising up children for Abraham God would have done so without any one questioning Him why. (Matthew 3:9)
God’s decision to use Naaman a leper, in giving Syria victory was not evidence that Naaman knew God. Naaman’s middle name should have been “Empty Pride”. He was sent to Elisha for healing.Naaman was looked upon as great and honorable in the eyes of his master, but he had a great affliction (leprosy). Naaman’s rank, however, did not impress Elisha. All that the empty commander needed to do to be healed was to go and dip seven times in the Jordan River, and wipe out the arrogance in his life. 2Kings5:1,1 “Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘indeed, I said to myself, He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’’’ Being a leper, he could very well have been a beggar on the street. A wise saying states, “Beggars are not choosers.” His status was a cloud to him, because he could not see beyond his prideful nose. What about you? Are you being prideful, like Naaman, in any way? When your shoulder is beginning to rise above your head, it is an indication that you have moved to a ground of self-destruction. Pride is a terrible cancer that will deny you your deliverance and let destruction have reign over your life. Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Watch out, for you have not yet arrived until the King of kings arrives to take over and bring you into everlasting life.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every spirit that does not line up with the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Walk wisely; be above the enemy and not below.

1 Samuel 18:1-7, Proverbs 2

It is normal for one to enter a new realm after having hindrances become totally disassembled and one becomes the champion over one’s hindrances. Are you experiencing gaining access to a new realm? Celebrate by giving God all the glory. Let the celebration elevate you to place of greater accountability. David, a man after God’s own heart, accessed a new realm after having destroyed the chief enemy of the Israelites (Goliath). Israel celebrated David and, therefore, Saul elevated him to a position of greater responsibility. Have you recently been elevated after having disassembled any hindrance? It is worth to study and identify what David did to engage new assignments after his elevation. David’s new assignment required that he resign himself to a new way of approaching life. Is your situation like that of David? You have been elevated and have moved onto a new ground where a new force will rise up against you in an attempt to hinder you from going further. From the time you have knocked down your Goliath you are bound to progress if you will take to the Word which gives wisdom, like David did.
The word of wisdom is the Word of God and it is able to keep one safe from one’s enemies. The word of wisdom kept David as long as he was able to remain in the Word. It is written, “So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” (1Samuel 18:5) The secret in the story of David is “David’s wise behavior” Wisdom is crucial to maintain elevation gained in every area of life. Proverbs 2:10 points out the importance of wisdom, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things…” (Proverbs 2: 10-12) Wisdom is precious to prevail in all area of life including maintaining elevation in life.
When you begin to walk wisely, you will be above the enemy; you will not be below and you will be accepted by men on your way. Heaven will answer on your behalf and earth will not be able to stop you from where He is taking you. With God, nothing is impossible. Ask and it shall be given to you for the glory of the Almighty God.

Prayer for today: Ask God today to endue you with all that it takes to become one that behaves wisely in all walks of your life.