FAITH CAPSULE: A failure not to have a way that seems right for one is not an evidence of God’s unfaithfulness to one.

Acts 9
 
The Psalmist recorded in Psalm 119: 89-91, “Forever, O Lord,Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations…” Indeed He is a faithful God. A failure not to have a way that seems right for one is not an evidence of His unfaithfulness to one. In fact, a failure for one not to have a way that seems right is a way to God’s purpose for one’s life. The word makes us to realize that, in the end of the way that seems right to man is nothing but death. (Proverbs 14:12) All power belongs to God and none can escape when He is set to call on any. Regardless of man’s past or back ground, His calling will always lead to a turnaround in man’s life. The life of Apostles Paul established the truth that God is not limited in extending His turnaround call to any of His creation. Paul testified about himself, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.” (Acts 22:3-6) Paul’s background could not deny God’s turnaround calling upon his life. Apostle Paul was described as breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord on his journey to Damascus. (Acts 9:1) He went all length and breadth of the land to lay hands of destruction on any who followed the Lord. During one of his trips to Damascus to find and destroy, he encountered his turnaround. The Bible describes it that, “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 9:3-5) Jesus’ showing up to Apostle Paul was a unique one. In his encounter, he gained a new sight that guided him into God’s divine assignment. Apostle Paul had a unique encounter which turned him aside from persecuting the Lord to prescribing the name of the Lord to all that he came across his path in life. God is still in the business of turning around man for His glorious name.
 
Prayer for today:As for deliverance from every way that seems right.

FAITH CAPSULE:Listening and hearing will deliver understanding to see how God wants to turn one aside.

Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1
 
Prophet Isaiah was able to look and see what the Lord placed before him to get his attention. Every man’s turning point is different from the next man’s. All that Isaiah needed to do was to see and be fully turned from what he was and become a prophet in the hand of God. The Bible records, “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) After Isaiah’s seeing, he beheld and then turned himself unto God for the calling upon his life. Are you positioning yourself well enough where He is able to get your attention to look, see, behold and turn unto Him?
Prophet Jeremiah was turned around by God from his lack of communication skill, young age and fear that reduced him from the office of prophet. Unlike others, his turning aside to God for God came when the word of God sounded in his direction in an unusual manner that was unique for a creature like him. Jeremiah 1:1-10, “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’ Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’ But the LORD said to me: ‘Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD.’” From the time he heard from God, he heard whatwas in place for him to be turned aside straight into his center of divine assignment. Many times, the difference that it will take for man to be turned aside unto God is not just in hearing, but also in the ability to listen and hear. Listening and hearing will deliver understanding to see how God wants to turn one aside. Job, during all of his challenges, heard from Godbut the effect of hearing was not in place until he was able to see in the word which he was hearing. Job later testified, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes sees You. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) His testimony at the time of his repentance is evident to the fact that hearing and being able to see what is heard is the only effective way that will turn man aside to God. Pay attention to what you hear; see in what you hear and turn to God for God.
 
Prayer for today:Ask for deliverance from every distracting agent of the wicked one.

FAITH CAPSULE: It was the fall of Goliath that caused David to turn to the center of his divine assignment.

1 Samuel 17
 
It is the uniqueness that is inhabited in how God turns your attention to Him that will determine the kind of passage that will lead you to the center of God’s divine assignment for your life. Through the pages of the Bible, God used so many to do great exploits. Among all that were used by God to carry out great exploits, none arrived at the center of their divine assignment without experiencing unique experiences. This includes King David, Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah and Apostle Paul and many more. Their experiences were different, but the assignments were from God and to the glory of God. 
King David’s turning around to the center of divine assignment did not manifest until he killed Goliath. As a shepherd boy, the youngest of his family and with no reputation, David held up the name of God reputably high before the giant Goliath of the Philistines. David was responding to his father’s command to go and see his brothers who were among the armies of Israel at the battle camp against Goliath and the Philistines. The giant Goliath, as strong as he was, caused fear to hold down the armies of Israel and was preventing them from taking any serious charge against their enemy. The armies of Israel were under incessant insult from Goliath for forty days; morning and evening. Goliath went as far as stating, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.’ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine; they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:10-11) A claim like this caused David to look and behold before turning around to face a Philistine giant that was reducing his God. David rejected every persuasion from his brother and King Saul not to fight Goliath. David’s turning aside was ignited when he responded, “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 defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you…” (1 Samuel 17:45-46) David did exactly what he said and Goliath was history. It was after the fall of Goliath that David turned completely from what he had become to what God wanted him to be. Are you looking and beholding what is at sight? Without turning to God, the journey to the center of His divine assignment for your life will not be turned on.

Prayer for today:Ask for the gracenot  to miss out in the line of God’s divine assignment for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE:Devotion with a purposeful heart for God is what positions man for a turnaround call from God. 

1 Samuel 3, John 20

In the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Lord placed a turnaround call on many and turnaround their destiny His glory. The same God of the Old Testament and the New Testament is still the same forever. God will always wait to see who is available to receive a turnaround call. The commissioning of Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had casted seven demons, to go and spread the news of Jesus’ resurrection was evident to the truth that God is not a partial God. At the tomb where Jesus’ disciples could not wait enough to see through the traces of His resurrection, Mary waited and received a turnaround call that glorifies the name of God. After the departure of the disciples that came to check Jesus at the tomb, Mary patiently waited. In her waiting and weeping (heart pouring) Jesus showed up on her asking, “…woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Mary explained herself without knowing that she was communicating with. Jesus decided to give her a turnaround call that set her up for God to be glorified. It is written, “Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned around…” (John 20:16) Having turned to the calling that sounded in her direction, Jesus gave her a command to go and spread the news of Him ascending to His Father and her Father, and to His God and her God. (John 20:17) It was a turnaround moment in the life story of Mary Magdalene, formerly ill-repute woman. How one seek Him will determine how and when a turnaround call will sound in one’s direction.
The Bible recorded, “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli…” (1 Samuel 2:1)It was at Samuel’s ground of ministering (serving and seeking) God that his turnaround call sounded in his direction. Just as the disciples were not in place to receive the kind of calling which sounded in Mary’s direction, so it was for the sons of the Priest Eli. They were not found purposeful for God. Again, this testifies to how God make His move in a non-partial way. God’s calling is always based on how one purposes one’s heart for His name to be glorified. At the place where Samuel was serving God, he received his turnaround call. Despite the fact that Samuel mistook the voice of God for the voice Eli three times, God could not pass on His call to none other than him. Samuel was available at the right location and at the right time when God’s calling sounded in his direction. Do you desire a turnaround call? Devotion with a purposeful heart for God is what positions man for a turnaround call from God.
 
Prayer for today:Ask that all stumbling blocks that often deny one from receiving a turnaround call, be terminated and not have a place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The moment you commit yourself to man you are complicated in your expectation.

Ezra 1, 2
 
Just as it is wisdom to always turn to God in confronting challenge so it is foolishness to always turn to man in confronting challenge. Turning to man is a way of saying there is no God and the Bible makes us to realize it that, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God…” (Proverbs 14:1)Are you saying there is no God by your word or by your action? It is only God that tunes the heart of man to turn man to a favorable condition concerning confronting challenge.
Cyrus the king of Persia was not an Israelite when God tuned his heart to turn around the captivity of the children of Israelite. Cyrus granted them a return passage to their homeland. It was Cyrus that also allowed them to rebuild the temple. It is written, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.” (Ezra 1:1-3) The children of Israel,did notengage military force for turning around their captivity but God, through Cyrus opened a great effective door for their return. Are you turning to man for your challenging situation? God is not asleep and He is always in the business of waiting for us to wait on Him for our turn around miracle. God is the only God that acts for the one who waits on Him. (Isaiah 64:4) It does not matter how close you relate with man but the moment you commit yourself to man you are complicated in your expectation. Jesus, our Lord and Savior did not commit Himself unto any man. The Bible recorded it that, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.” (John 2:23-24) Is there any better way to point it out that man is not capable of turning us to our breakthrough miracle? Know it that committing unto man for turning one around is an act of counting God out. If you will turn it all to God, all will turn out right and well.

Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace to be focus and committed only onto God and not man.