FAITH CAPSULE: Abraham’s love gained heaven’s attention.

Genesis 22
 
Abraham was seventy five years old when he left home because he chose to love and serve God by fulfilling God’s call for his life. Abraham demonstrated his love when he moved in obedience to an unknown location. Through the journey of Abraham’s life, his love for God was constantly by God. However, the strongest demonstration of his love for God emerged after the birth of his son Isaac. God said to Abraham, “…take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2) God’s repeated emphasis on Isaac’s status to Abraham before mentioning Isaac for sacrifice was not enough for Abraham to deny God. Abraham demonstrated what it means to love with all our heart when he followed through and obeyed the instructions of God. Abraham resumed the journey of obedience at the early hour.
“Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.” (Genesis 22:4) It took Abraham three days to get to the ground of sacrifice. Abraham’s taking of his one and only son that he loved, on a three days journey must have been exhausting. Also, knowing fully well that the son was to die should have taken away all his strength as he went on for three days. Despite all, he continued because he loved God with all his strength.
Abraham also demonstrated his love with all his soul when he carried out the sacrifice in his heart. “Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” (Genesis 22:10) Abraham’s attempt called for heaven’s attention and the angel called on Abraham, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”(Genesis 22:12) By not withholding and being so willing to sacrifice his one and only son, Abraham clearly demonstrated how much he loved God with all his heart, strength and soul. Oftentimes we withhold from God by not letting go where there is a need to let go for His glory. Many believers proclaim that they love God, but it is easier said than done because actions speak louder than words. Loving God by demonstration rather than by word of mouth should be constantly seen in the life of every believer. Nowadays, it seems as though believers are often found to be identified with lying, deception and manipulation instead of demonstrating more of God’s love. It is impossible to love God and not constantly demonstrate loving others. Do you love God? Think about your love for God.

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

FAITH CAPSULE: Though our times are in His hand, every time we violate Him we allow the hand of enemies to operate.

2 Samuel 11
 
King David is a vivid example of one that maintained stability when wisdom and knowledge was his associate. Also, he is a good example of one that maintained instability when he parted with wisdom and knowledge.
King David was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) David was a man that sought God with all his heart because he would not make moves without seeking God for wisdom. David repeatedly behaved wisely because he was seeking God and it was constantly mentioned, “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.” (1 Samuel 18:5) David’s life was constantly stable when operating wisdom. Also as king, David regularly inquired from God before making any of his moves. Many times, he repeatedly went before God for re-confirmation of the word of direction before making moves against his enemy. (1 Samuel 23:2) All the time that he was operating wisdom, stability of time was his portion. The moment David failed and entered into instability of times was when he failed to inquire the wisdom of God.
Once during his stable times, he saw a beautiful woman bathing, but inquired outside of God. It is written that, “David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, ‘Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her…” (2 Samuel 11:3-4) God was not his source of his enquiry, but ‘someone’ else was. The result of his move made a lifetime mark of instability in King David’s life. David’s action did not settle well with God and God made it known to David through Prophet Nathan, “…if that had been too little, I also would have given much more…” (2 Samuel 12:8) God never runs out of mercy except when we choose to run out of His mercy by failure to operate wisdom and knowledge. Truly our times are in the hand of God. God will not deny you regarding how you choose to use your time that is deposited in His hand because He is not a slave master but rather is a Saving Master. Also, God is not a dictator but our Deliverer. He has put in place what it takes to live a stable life. His word of wisdom and knowledge is all we have to take to ourselves.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of making moves only in the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: A dislike for instruction is the evidence of hating knowledge.

Daniel 16    
 
When Angel of the Lord appeared to the mother of Samson he gave instructions, “…Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Daniel 13:3-5) As a Nazarite Samson was not to cut his hair which was the source of his power. He was set apart from birth for his divinely appointed mission, but his dislike for full compliance with instructions is evidence of disobedience. Samson was to be a Nazarite, but violated all stipulations of a Nazarite-among which was not to cut his hair. Samson because of what he liked, he did what God disliked when he revealed the secret of God upon his life to Delilah. The Bible recorded, “…he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.”” (Judges 16:4 -6) Samson’s infatuation with Delilah led him to his disobedience. What is it that is leading you to disobey God?
After Delilah had successfully shaved off Samson’s hair (which resulted in him losing his strength), she called the Philistines on him, “…So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.” (Judges 16:20-21) After Samson’s actions demonstrated his dislike for applying instruction, the Lord departed from him. There are so many back doors that are available for the enemy to come into us. However, none of it is open until sin takes residence in our lives. With sin, we become vulnerable to the enemy; our back doors become open for the enemy, thus making us vulnerable to him. The Bible makes it clear that, “Evil pursues sinners…” (Proverbs 13:21) It does not matter how diligently you seek God, do not dislike God’s instruction. A dislike for instruction is the evidence of hating knowledge.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to keep you from disobeying God’s word.

FAITH CAPSULE: When there is no failure in hearing, faith will pass you on to fearing Him and having His fear go before you.

Proverbs 9
 
Among the ways that the Bible describes the fear of God in Proverbs 9:10 is, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The fear of God is perfect to direct and to deliver for one that fears Him. This verse is saying with the fear of God going before us on the journey of life, the wisdom that is not of this world; wisdom from above will be leading us all the way into our victory. Also when the getting of understanding of His mighty act becomes one’s portion the boldness and character which man need to deny every force of hindrance will always come to manifestation. The promise of His fear going before the children of Israel was constantly causing confusion in the camp of their enemies. Confusion in the enemy’s camp is what was causing their enemies to have their backs turned to them. When enemies turned their back, hornets becomes the pursuant of their enemies. In the fear of God we have all that it takes to be able to compete and to complete; pursue and overtake on the journey of life. God wants us to have the fear in our going and He does not exclude any age or group from having His fear when He commanded, “Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 31:12) Fearing God, the evidence of full obedience is power to ones with understanding. Truly, knowledge is easy to him who understands. (Proverbs 14:6)
As an acclaimed believer, will you take to a position where hearing and hearing becomes your way of life so that His fear will begin to go before you? God wants us to have all the blessings available but the fear of His holy name has to be in place. He promised in Jeremiah 32:40, “…I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.” Having the fear of God go before us in every area of life is certainly the way of getting the full blessings of God. Gain the understanding to fear God and let wisdom rest in your heart. (Proverbs 14:33)
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the fear of God to reign, rule and overwhelm your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: To fear God is to love God; to love God is to serve God; to serve God is to fully obey God.

Exodus 23: 20-33
 
God spoke to the children of Israel in Exodus 23:27, “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.” What God says to one speaks to all. With the fear of God ahead on every journey of man’s life, confidence will be in place to keep one’s feet from being caught. (Proverb 3:26) Deuteronomy 10:12 states, “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” When the fear of God goes before us, we shall know to walk in all His ways and not in our own ways.
Walking in the ways of God is to love the Lord God. To love the Lord God is to serve Him. It can be accepted that what the word is saying, one cannot love Him when there is no fear for Him. Loving God, serving God and fearing God is obeying the commands of God. Obeying God fully is what places a believer in a position of pleasing God. Jesus said in John 8:29, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
What is it that is denying man from having the father always? Is it the inability to fear Him? The more one grows in faith the more one understands and know to fear in every step one takes in the journey of life. We are made to understand in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” If without faith it is impossible to please Him, with faith it is absolutely possible to please Him. Absolutely, no one is born into the world with faith. Also it is true that no one have to look for faith in the store to have it, but it is what one have to seek for before it comes. Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Are you one that heard the word faith but yet faith does not have its place in you to fear God? What the word is saying is about hearing, hearing, hearing and hearing. It is not for a time or two but it is of consistence and continuity. When there is no failure in hearing, faith will pass you on to fearing God and having His fear go before you.
 
Prayer for today:Ask that His fear becomes your garment.