FAITH CAPSULE: Is there any area where you have withdrawn from God rather than drawing near unto Him?

2 Chronicles26, Isaiah 6:1-13
 
The word of God is not a decoration; it is a declaration to bring clarity and understanding for terminating all kinds of bondage. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became King in Judah instead of his father. He did all things right in the eyes of God when he became king because he sought God and God made him prosper. He fought wars of conquest and expansion. The Bible testifies that his fame spread far and wide. Despite all Uzziah’s doing, he fell short of God’s glory by not being consistent to the end. It is written,“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord—valiant men. And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God.” 2 Chronicles 26:16-18)King Uzziah could not maintain consistency. Is there any area of your walk with God that has changed from when you first received a promotion as the overall supervisor? Is there any area where you have withdrawn from God rather than drawing near unto Him? If your answer is yes then you are headed for trouble. You have allowed inconsistency to settle in your life.
God does not need man for attainment but man needs God for his own attainment. God can always raise stone where man is not available. The Bible makes us to realize that with Uzziah’s inconsistent God raised another man in Isaiah that was consistent. It is written, “In the year that King Uzziah died, ‘I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.”
Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah must have been seeing before that year of King Uzziah’s death. In all that he was seeing, nothing brought transformation into the life of Isaiah. However, as recorded in the scripture, the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw beyond what ordinary eyes can see. He saw the Lord, and that culminated in a transformation that settled Isaiah all the days of his life for the glory of God. The life of King Uzziah represented a life of inconsistency in seeking God. Right after Uzziah’s death God caused Isaiah to see and to take over with consistency.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God that any representative of King Uzziah (inconsistency) in your life should die a permanent death.

FAITH CAPSULE: Cling to the word and not only quote the word.

Joshua 1, Acts 4: 1-13
 
Anyone can make all the noise quoting the word of God but if one fails to make the word of God his/her covering, one becomes naked and exposed to the wicked ways of this world. It is written, “He sent His word and healed them,and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20) The truth is: one that fails to receive and be living (believe) the sent word is not covered but exposed to wicked world.All that we need in this world is His word. God does not lie and His word will not return to Him void. (Isaiah 55:11) God is faithful and not partial. He gave His word and whosoever engage and not just be mouthful of His word will experience the answering power in His word that heals and delivers from any kind of destruction.
The word of God is not letter but it carries power. The book ofActs 4:12 testify, “For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Are you taking time to study the word of God or are you taking more time for the world? If you are spending time in the word, it will no doubt work for your benefit in this world of wickedness. However, if your time in the world is overtaking your time in the word then your living life calls for a serious readjustment. It is not possible for someone who is not answering to the word of God to be expecting the word of God to answer for him or her. The word of God is true. The word of God cannot fail and will not fail. A password is required to log into an account or file on a computer. When one of the letters is missing or incorrect, access will be denied. One can make all the noise that one likes by quoting the word, when the word is not sinking into the heart, one’s faith will not rise. Cling to the word and not only quote the word. God spoke to Joshua what it will take for Him not to leave Joshua nor forsake him by saying, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) It is time for you to stop sinking and start swimming in the word. Do not let the power of this world consume you, but take cover in the word of God. 
 
Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace that enables man to cling to His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Keeping God’s testimonies positions one under the covering of God’s love.

1Samuel 17:31-49
 
While climbing to the top of your expected goal, the place where God wants you, giants on the way will attempt to pull you off track. If you are facing a massive giant along your way, learn from David. He was anointed by God through Samuel but still had to travel through a passage before getting to God’s plan for his life. In David’s confrontation with the giant, no one nor any thing was in place to work for him in bringing down the giant, except the testimony of what God had done in his life. When King Saul voiced discouragement, David responded with testimony of what God did for him. 1Samuel 17:34, “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me , I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.” He also stated in v.37, “Moreover David said, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you!’”
David was operating the power of testimony against his enemy. Psalm 119:2 testifies, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,who seek Him with the whole heart!” Ones that keep His testimonies are the ones that are constantly covered by the love of God just as the word states in Proverbs 8:17, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.” Finding God is in keeping His testimonies while keeping His testimonies is seeking Him diligently. David keeps his testimonies of God and he found God to fight on his behalf.
In addition to keeping testimonies of God, David also held on to the name of God when he came face to face with the giant. 1Samuel 17:45, “Then David said to the Philistines, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled.” The giant, Mr. Goliath, succumbed to David because of David’s testimony and because he continually called on the name of his God. Have you approached your Goliath yet? Are you holding to any of His testimonies in your life? Remember what God has done for you (that is His testimony for you to use) and do not stop calling His name. God showed up on behalf of David and His Goliath fell. David got to his divine schedule, and you will get there too.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly remember His testimonies in the face of every challenge.

FAITH CAPSULE: When provocation follows you to the house of God, it is time for you to call upon the hand of God concerning your frustration.

1 Samuel 1:1-18
 
When going to worship God becomes convenient it is no longer a commitment. However, when it is commitment that is driving one to go and worship, the grace of convenience alwayscome to place.
Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, was barren. She kept going to the ground of worship with her husband and his second wife called Peninnah. She kept going despite provocation from Peninnah who had children. For Hannah, it was not convenient by virtue of her challenge but she kept on going. Hannah did not make any excuses not to go worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. What is your excuse when it is time for fellowship? Going to church only on Sundays is not enough to carry you through. Also, going without a purpose of heart is act of emptiness. If Hannah’s going to Shiloh every year has been without a purpose of heart, provocation from being barren would have stopped her from going.
It is written, “So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.” (1 Samuel 1:7)When provocation follows you to the house of God, it is time for you to call upon the hand of God concerning your frustration. Hannah sought the hand of God to divert provocation from her life. In seeking the hand of God, “Then she made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of His life, and no razor shall come upon his head.’” (1 Samuel 1:11) She made a strong vow, calling on God to look on her situation Hannah asked God to remember her and not forget her. God is a precise God. Hannah was precise in her request. She made it clear to Him that she desperately wanted a male child. Year after year, she went back and forth to Shiloh. Finally, God granted her request and gave her a son. Hannah responded to God’s blessing by naming her son Samuel, saying, because I have asked for him from the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:20) It could be that God is waiting for you to provoke His hand for your request. The word encourages us to ask and it shall be given. Take a lesson from Hannah’s approach. God is a faithful God and the same God that answered to Hannah’s persistent will answer to your persistent.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to give ear to the crying of your heart just like He did to Hannah.

FAITH CAPSULE: When provocation follows you to the house of God, it is time for you to call upon the hand of God concerning your frustration.

1 Samuel 1:1-18
 
When going to worship God becomes convenient it is no longer a commitment. However, when it is commitment that is driving one to go and worship, the grace of convenience always come to place.
Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, was barren. She kept going to the ground of worship with her husband and his second wife called Peninnah. She kept going despite provocation from Peninnah who had children. For Hannah, it was not convenient by virtue of her challenge but she kept on going. Hannah did not make any excuses not to go worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. What is your excuse when it is time for fellowship? Going to church only on Sundays is not enough to carry you through. Also, going without a purpose of heart is act of emptiness. If Hannah’s going to Shiloh every year has been without a purpose of heart, provocation from being barren would have stopped her from going.
It is written, “So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.” (1 Samuel 1:7)When provocation follows you to the house of God, it is time for you to call upon the hand of God concerning your frustration. Hannah sought the hand of God to divert provocation from her life. In seeking the hand of God, “Then she made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of His life, and no razor shall come upon his head.’” (1 Samuel 1:11) She made a strong vow, calling on God to look on her situation Hannah asked God to remember her and not forget her. God is a precise God. Hannah was precise in her request. She made it clear to Him that she desperately wanted a male child. Year after year, she went back and forth to Shiloh. Finally, God granted her request and gave her a son. Hannah responded to God’s blessing by naming her son Samuel, saying, because I have asked for him from the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:20) It could be that God is waiting for you to provoke His hand for your request. The word encourages us to ask and it shall be given. Take a lesson from Hannah’s approach. God is a faithful God and the same God that answered to Hannah’s persistent will answer to your persistent.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God to give ear to the crying of your heart just like He did to Hannah.