FAITH CAPSULE: It is faith that pleases God and moves God to please us.

2 Kings 20:1-11, Daniel 6

The truth that Jesus knows what we want before we ask is not an excuse for us not to ask. When we ask we are putting faith to action and that is what God is waiting for. God wants us to show forth our faith. It is faith that pleases God and moves God to please us. It is written, “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.” (Hebrews 11:6) It is important to also know that, “…For the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3) The weight of our actions that moves the hand of God is what determines the magnitude of our miracle. Getting into prayer is going to action. Those who are waiting for challenges before going in to prayer and those who make praying unto God their custom cannot be experiencing the same level of breakthrough in the face of a break down. The Bible talks about how Daniel refused to bow to a golden image that prompted the attempt to break him down in the den of hungry lions, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.’ (Daniel 6:10) In the case of Daniel, having the custom of prayer can be compared to taking vitamins. Vitamins will build our systems up so that sickness will not have its way. Daniel did not call on prayer partners when trouble showed up, because prayer was his custom (vitamin). Hezekiah, a man who knew what prayer could do did not hesitate to get on his knees and pray for deliverance from untimely death. In his commitment to God, convenience sets in and pride shows forth. With pride, untimely termination becomes evident. After having defeated Sennacherib, Hezekiah’s heart was lifted up. (2 Chronicles 32:25) Knowing that pride before God is like a death sentence, Hezekiah became sick and near death. By virtue of his conviction that God answers prayer, even his sickness could not prevent him from praying and getting results. It is written, “Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight…” (2 Kings 20:2-3) God heard the prayer of Hezekiah and added fifteen years. Prayer can be inconvenient but it is crucial and it demands commitment. Deny hindrances from taking away your prayer time before the prayer-answering God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to make prayer a custom.

FAITH CAPSULE: When God says yes it is good; when God says no it is good.

2 Samuel 18, 19:1-20

Prayer is communicating with God. In prayer we ask, we seek and knock. It is a command given by Jesus when He stated, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”(Matthew 7:7) It is not a suggestion to pray, it is a task that must be performed. Jesus was so sure about the effect of obeying when He declared, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:8-12) Anyone who asks (prays) obviously knows about the fact that there is a prayer-answering God. Unfortunately, knowing about is not enough, but when there is a knowing there will be the understanding of not giving up in asking but to be persistent. With not just a knowing about prayer, there will understanding that the word of God never fails and He will do what He says He will do. The God who never lies testifies to the efficacy of His word, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) God commanded: you ask and it shall be given. Are you asking or are you whining? The word of Hezekiah demonstrates that prayer is like a labor room where undeniable proofs are being given birth to. When Sennacherib staged an offensive against Hezekiah by boasting against God through his servant Rabshakeh, Hezekiah confessed, “…This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth.” (2 Kings 19:3) The strength to push for birth to come forth is prayer; this is clear in Hezekiah’s reaction. Hezekiah went into prayer. He prayed before the Lord God and God answered his prayer. God sent Isaiah to go and say to Hezekiah, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.” (2 Kings 19:20) Prayer demands strength that comes from God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for strength to persevere in prayer.  

FAITH CAPSULE: Your conduct is your evangelism to the unbelievers.

Psalm 50

The Psalmist stated, “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23) Conduct, a way of acting or behavior does have a direct route on to salvation for every acclaimed believer in the name of Jesus. Paul the apostle, in his sincerity, made a declaration when he stated, “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.”(2 Corinthians 1:12) Often times, as a believer, our conduct is what should be introducing us in unknown ground. Our confession as one for Christ should not be limited to our church ground or when we carry our bible. As a believer that claims to have accepted Jesus as Lord and savior, how do you act when you are in the company of believers? Do you act differently among non-believers? Can you identify the differences in your actions? Have you heard people say that you are the Bible that they are reading? Christianity is not a religious act; it is a way of life. The conduct you display behind closed doors should not be an embarrassment when conducted in the open. Year after year, month after month, day after day, you have been “playing” religion. Your religious “play acting” will only last for a while before the truth prevails. Do not be overtaken by sin, because God is not deceived and will He not overlook sin. The word of God states, “For the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3) It is important that every believer should weigh in the hand of God by virtue of good conduct. It is one’s weight of good conduct that will determine how much could be assigned to carry in God’s assignment for the kingdom of heaven. The time for self examination and sincerity before God is now. God will always be merciful to those who call upon Him. Paul said in Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent , I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Your conduct is the testimony of your standing in the Lord. If your conduct is worthy of Christ, you will be steadfast in Him. Your conduct is your evangelism to the unbelievers around you that are yet to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. As the year goes by, let the word of God be echoing in your heart.

Prayer for today:Ask God to work in you both to do His will and to do it for His glory.   

FAITH CAPSULE: It does not matter how huge or small is your proposal; take it to Him today in prayer.

Genesis 11:1-9

God spoke to Jeremiah, “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.” (Jeremiah 1:5) The word of God to Jeremiah speaks to all without any exception. Evidently, God knows our end from the beginning. By virtue of this, it is true that whatever God propose no man can dispose. What God dispose no man can propose it. Have you been proposing without God? Have you taken your proposal before God to find out whether or not it is in line with Him? As a redeemed child of God, it is important for all of your proposals to involve God. It does not matter what you are, who you are, or where you are. You have to remember that you are under heaven and not beyond your Creator’s reach. Genesis 11:4, “And they said, ‘Come let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’” The proposed building was not the problem, but the motive behind the proposal was in conflict with the Almighty God of creation. Having been blessed with a plain land where there is hardly obstruction to construction, the people wanted to construct and grow beyond their boundary. Are you in process of abusing God’s blessing by attempting to make yourself a name instead of having His name to be glorified? If they were Godly minded, they would have consulted Him who is above before making a proposal of building into the above. What are you trying to accomplish with the proposal that is impending in your heart? Do you want to stand tall above and beyond your level? Are you also considering raising your shoulder above you head? Do you want it to be proclaimed all over that “you have made it”? Have you taken this to God? Nothing is wrong in proposing to grow big or to multiply in the blessings of God. The proposal, however, that does not center on God is an indirect withdrawal from the only One who can make or unmake the fulfillment of the proposal. It does not matter how huge or small is your proposal; take it to Him today in prayer. Let it be that you are letting Him know what He has already known. He has seen the future from the past. He is a jealous God and He deserves all your attention so He can attend to you even more than you expected. Take all your proposals, desires, hopes and dreams to the Lord with a humble heart and He will increase you.

Prayer for today: Take time out to praise God with all your heart and glorify Him today.

FAITH CAPSULE:It is the combination of boldness and character that makes a believer a winner.

Numbers 33:1-4, Joshua 1

Boldness and character is what identifies a believer as a winner. Evidently we see the great handworks of God around every where we turn to. The Psalmist states, “…for your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.” (Psalm 75:1) The book of Proverbs also testifies, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10) Both quotations are enough for one that believes to maintain a strong boldness that is rooted in the testimonies of God’s power to deliver. However, when challenges show up, the ability to maintain boldness, despite knowing both quotations sometimes freezes. Character, the Christ-like life that is identity of a believer is not enough when boldness is absent. It is the combination of boldness and character that makes a believer a winner in all areas of life. When boldness and character are intact in your persona, being victorious will never be a stranger to you in all areas of life. The children of Israel experienced all kinds of challenges while they were in the bondage of over four hundred years. There was a need for boldness at the time of their move out of bondage to their Promised Land. It is written, “They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.”(Numbers 33:3) They left with boldness, but there was no character to carry them through, except for Caleb and Joshua who maintained boldness and character of a believer. The children of Israel were able to leave with boldness because they had just witnessed the move of the great, good, and merciful hand of deliverance of God. They saw their slave-masters of many years bury their firstborn children, while their firstborn were full of life. They were glowing while their oppressors were groaning. They were endued with boldness. In the course of their journey, the smoke of bad character revealed itself when the complaining spirit in them surfaced. Complaints caused patience to subside, and their journey took a different course. Boldness, which arises from the testimonies of what God has done and is doing, will deliver victory into one’s life — if one’s character is rooted in the word of God. As a child of the Almighty God, your deliverance is meant for you to be a winner and an overcomer. God did not deliver us to lead us from bondage into another — you know better. God meant deliverance for our good.

Prayer for today: Ask God to endue you with the grace to hold on to His testimonies in all areas of your life.