FAITH CAPSULE: When it is said by God, consider it done and settled.

1Kings 11:26-40, 12: 25-33, John 9:1-12

Jesus, during one of His passing by, He restored a blind man’s sight in a questionable way to His detractors when, “…He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:6-7) The point here is that, the blind man did not question the word of God when he took off and went to wash. The fact that the blind man did not know Jesus at the time of direction was not an excuse for him to question or doubt the word of God. Doubt is dragging faith and not moving by faith. Jesus came to take over our challenges and He is the same yesterday and today. When God takes over on your behalf, do not overtake God. Jeroboam was installed by God. A prophet named Ahijah the Shilonite was sent by God to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you.”(1Kings11:31) When it is said by God, consider it done and settled. To unsettle it, set yourself out of His promise. God will never run out of mercy but man always “runs” out of His mercy. Why should an appointed officer of King Solomon be worried or attempt to overtake God in what God has said? Have you seen yourself in His promise? Relax and hope for the full manifestation of that promise. In His promise for you, do not try to rush it; do not add to it; do not take out of it and do not be threatened by anyone. God will bring it to pass. Jeroboam became king as was promised by God but when doubt began to set into Jeroboam; he wanted to build what was not being built by him. It is written, “And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David.”(Kings 12:26) God alone will bring to pass His words that build us to posses His promises.The Psalmist could not have said it better when he stated, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.( Ps. 127:1)  Doubt, sneaked into Jeroboam’s spirit. Jesus won our battle over 2000 years ago. He has given us victory but we continue to victimize ourselves. Jeroboam did not have any need for concern before his concern exposed him to failure.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every spirit of doubt.

FAITH CAPSULE: Placing our need before God and taking a rest in hope is failure impossibility.

John 6:1-14

His provision is not bounded by what you have or do not have. His provision is not bounded by how much you need, neither is it bounded by how long you have been waiting for manifestation. Where do you find yourself at this juncture in your life? What is lacking in your life? Jesus had the multitudes following Him wherever He went — mountain, sea and valley. They followed Him because they witnessed the signs and wonders He performed. In one instance, they followed Him to a place where there was not enough food to eat or purchase. Jesus knew there was a need for food, and that there was no place to buy when He asked Philip, “…Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (John 6:5). In the course of looking for food, “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?’”(John 6:8-9) How can five barley loaves and two small fish add up to feed a multitude of at least five thousand? It was only by the grace of God that such a provision was made for the numbers at hand. Do you have a bigger need compare to the need mentioned in the verse above? Jesus provided for five thousand in a place of lack. Placing our need before God and taking a rest in hope is failure impossibility. At the place of lack, Jesus gave command, “…Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.”(John 6:10) He backed up His command when He responded to the obedience of the people, “And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.” (John 6:11) The provoking point for heaven’s provision was obedience of the people that was backed with Jesus’ thanking God. Jesus gave thanks for the need that was yet at hand. It is written, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”(1 Thessalonians 5:18) Have you been waiting for too long? At this time of the year, begin to thank God for your expectation because it is the will of God for you. Jesus gave thanks to God and provision became adequate in the place of inadequacy. Abundance reigned in and leftovers abounded. With thanks giving unto God, obey all His command and your lack will become history.

Prayer for today: Ask God the providing provider to make a way for your need in Jesus’ name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Taking a seat of obedience will bring forth your abundance.

Luke 9:12-17

Only the grace of God will move and turn every frustration into celebration, stagnation to motion, and mockery into miracle. God alone is the Healing Healer and the Eternal Surgeon. Only God inhabits eternity, He cannot fail and His living word cannot be broken. What else does a believer need to hear in order not to give up waiting on God? Lay a claim for your blessings because He is a merciful God that cares for His children. In your expectation eliminate crowd (multitude) influence. The inability to ignore the crowd often leads to disobedience and the eventual termination of expectation. God does not sleep nor slumber. As you begin to expect from the hand that has been keeping you by grace, and not by work, do not allow your location or situation to become an agent that terminates expectation. Jesus is the One that converts our expectation to manifestation. Jesus has never been limited or delayed by any location or situation when is time for Him to convert our expectation to manifestation. Once in a desert, despite the late hour, where there was no food to feed a stranded multitude, Jesus extended His hand of provision. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He will extend His hand in any location and situation that you have found yourself. Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed a multitude that was not less than five thousand. Before the miracle there was a command in place that was to be activated before manifestation. Have you been following His commands? Before the miracle of the loaves and fish, Jesus gave a command, “For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” (Luke 9:14-15) And they did so, and made them all sit down.” As a believer how have you positioned yourself in your expectation for the visitation of His miracle? Jesus did not do anything to the loaves and fish, until after His command to the disciples was carefully delivered and responded to by the multitude. With the multitude’s obedience, “Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.” (Luke 9:16-17) In obedience to His command, miracle followed in the area of their need, miracle became a manifestation where there was no hope for provision. If you will obey His commands the direction of getting your expectation will become a simple one. Taking a seat of obedience will bring forth your abundance. Claim your blessings. He has come to give life abundantly.

Prayer for today: Ask God to for the grace to continue waiting on Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Pleasing God is living faithfully

1kings 3: 3-15

Faith is also putting God’s Kingdom business up before any other business. The Bible makes it clear that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”(Romans 10:17) Jesus, the living Word of God said to our hearing, “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. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 7:31-33) What are you asking God to do for you? What one asks from God is the evidence of one’s desires. Asking for what will evidently make one to become a better and effective server in God’s kingdom business will undoubtedly please God. Pleasing God is living faithfully and it is what we live for. It is written, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6) He definitely desires to be pleased with how our life is constantly conducted. Please Him in your lifestyle; please Him in your meditation and please Him in your asking. As you go about in all areas of your life pleasing Him, He will bless you beyond that which you can imagine. King Solomon was the son of David and the third King of Israel. King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building the Temple. He pleased God with his speech, and that provoked God to endue him with great wisdom which became his identity forever. He went to sacrifice at Gibeon when God appeared to him. When God inquired of Solomon to ask Him what he wanted he asked, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”(1 Kings 3:9) He had the business of God at heart; self was not in place when he asked from God. What would you ask for if He showed up in your dream? Will your request be a God-serving purpose, or self-achieving purpose? If you are an acclaimed believer, professional minister, or a minister for the Lord’s business, consider your request in these days of self-centeredness. Solomon did not hesitate to ask pleasingly and God was pleasingly provoked to bless Him beyond what he could have ever imagined. It is written, “The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.”(1 Kings 3:10) God did not just give Solomon understanding, but added wisdom to the understanding. Please Him in all that you do and His blessings will never leave nor forsake you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to remain focus on all that is God’s Kingdom business.

FAITH CAPSULE: Activity is good but achievement is what moves God.

2Corinthians 4:1-15

Here comes the month of December. It is the month when Mr. Christian, Ms. Christian, Brother Christian or Sister Christian can be easily identified as Christ follower. Indeed it should be a time of accountability for the grace of the past months. It is not only a time to count our blessing but also a time to reflect on how much we have done to bring glory to the name of our Lord and Savior. How many souls have you witnessed the grace of God to in the past months? It is important for us to know that activity is good but achievement is what moves God the most. Speaking the word and not backing it up with our action is a demonstration of wickedness. (Jeremiah 12:1-2) Conduct is a strong way of communication. As believers of Jesus Christ our conduct should reflect all through the year and not only in the month of December. As believers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our conduct is what will serve as communication to our neighbors. Christianity is not about what we are against; it is about communicating what we stand for. As a believer, you make too much noise in communicating what Christians are against and less noise communicating what Christians stand for. This is because your conduct is not loud enough for an unbeliever to see Christ in you. If for example, at your workplace, there is a call for the persecution of believers in Christ, would you be identified as one that confesses Jesus? Do you think your conduct as a follower of Christ will be enough for your fellow worker to identify you as one to be persecuted, or will there be no evidence for anyone to identify you as a Christian? Think about it; are you a hidden cross carrier? Some kinds of religion can easily be identified by their dressing, haircut, or jewelry. What is it that will identify you as a Christ follower? Paul the apostle certainly could not have been living in your neighborhood without being recognized as a believer. Even if he chose to be silent, his conduct would identify him. How do you conduct yourself? It is written, “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)  It is time to quit hiding by being silent in every walk of life. The conduct of a believer should not keep observers guessing whether you are a Christian or not. The twelfth month of the year is too long to wait for your identity to reflect and deliver a positive effect. Let your conduct bring out the message of the Gospel.

Prayer for today: Ask God to make you a consistent word living believer.