FAITH CAPSULE: Wisdom without understanding is incomplete.

Mark 10:46-52

Wisdom is important to have and it is inhabited in instruction. The Bible states that wisdom is the principal thing to get. As important as wisdom could be, the function ability of wisdom clearly rest on getting understanding. Wisdom without understanding is incomplete. This cannot be emphasized more than in the word of Proverbs 4:7 which states, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” By virtue of the word in the book of Proverbs, it can be concluded that wisdom is instruction while understanding is attention. The instructions that we have in the word of God requires attention and without attention there will be no attainment. Understanding is what gives a knowing edge over the challenges of the world. The word of God declared in Psalm 47:7, “…sing praises with understanding.” If singing praise to God demands understanding, then thanking God, calling on God and every area of seeking and worshiping Him also demands understanding. In calling the name of God, the magnitude for the reason of understanding can be identified in the story of Bartimaeus the blind man. Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was a road side beggar by profession because of his blindness. As God would have it for him, when Jesus was coming out of Jericho with his disciples, He was with a company of great multitude. The Bible recorded, “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47) Bartimaeus, despite his blindness, clearly had the understanding of the name he was calling when he did not only call on Jesus but called Jesus, Son of David. The multitudes tried to silence Bartimaeus but, he persevered and because of his perseverance he received his sight. The Bible said many warned him to be quiet but, he cried out all the more. Bartimaeus’ understanding of the name gave him the conviction that brought forth manifestation. In life, it takes someone that understands and knows your full name to call you by your full name. Do you know the names to call on God and gain His full attention? When Jesus heard His full name being called the Bible said, “Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.” Many of the multitudes with full sight were thronging without understanding to call Jesus to a stand still. In your praise worship, in your thanksgiving, call on Him by His name that is not common to the multitude and you will also get his attention.

Prayer for today: Jesus, Son of David, I ask for your divine intervention in every area of my stagnation to be converted to motion. Cause every pain to be converted into gain.

FAITH CAPSULE: Your challenges cannot be too much for you not to love God.

Genesis 39

What is it that is compromising your love for God? He is the Almighty God, all purposeful God, and undeniable God. He is more glorious and excellent than mountains of prey. God deserves all of our love and not a partial love. To love Him is to fear Him. When you sincerely love God, the enemy cannot do anything to overcome you. At the age of seventeen, Joseph, who was dearly loved by his father more than anyone else was lost from home in line of obeying his father. In the course of being lost, his brothers attempted his life but God delivered him from the pit of death. Instead of gaining his route back home, he gained entrance into slavery. Joseph’s story is comparable to moving from frying pan to fire at a point in his journey to grace. While in slavery there was no father, mother, brothers and friends to relate with. Heaven smiled on him as favor answered on his behalf before his master. While enjoying his new comfort zone, his master’s wife fell in love with him. Suddenly the ways seemed right for Joseph to take over his master’s wife in the absence of his master (Potiphar). What could be better than a way that seems right? The Word of God does not lie when it says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Have your challenges move you into a way that seems right? Pay attention to Joseph’s story and you will learn that the only right way is the way of God. Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph so, “…she spoke to him day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or be with her.”(Genesis 39:10) After Joseph ran, Potiphar’s wife plotted against him because he did not follow through with her advances. By running away, Joseph did not solve the problem. His reaction gave the implication that he was guilty of the accusations, even though they were false. As a result of his reaction, the master’s wife gave a false accusation that Joseph tried to rape her. The only reason why Joseph refused to follow the wrong path was because of his love for God. During Potiphar’s wife’s pressure, he responded to his master’s wife, “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.” (Genesis 39:10) To love God is to fear God and to please Him before every challenging situation. When you love Him, He will love you and your enemies attempt will fail while you gain favor from Him. Your challenges cannot be too much for you not to love God. God was with Joseph and He made him successful and prosperous.

Prayer for today: O Lord, put Your fear in me that I will not depart from You.

FAITH CAPSULE: “…not to operate in the knowledge of God will not excuse a man from the consequences of lack of knowledge of God.”

Daniel 1

Ignorant, meaning to lack knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact is what makes destitute of a believer. Isaiah made us to realize that the people of God went into captivity because they lacked knowledge. One will wonder if the knowledge was not there for them to take, use and avoid captivity. Isaiah mentioned, “…but they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands. Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.” (Isaiah 5:12-13) Indeed, ignorant or lack of knowledge is nothing but a destroyer to those that lack knowledge. In this world of confronting challenges, having the knowledge of God is the only way out to having edge over all challenges. Also, not having the knowledge of God will not excuse a man from consequences of not having the knowledge of God. It is knowledge to know to love God while it is ignorant to only know about loving God or not loving God at all. God commands that we love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our strength. Many assume that loving God equals going to church on Sunday, attending mid-week services and working hard in the church. Indeed, it is good to be active in the church activities as mentioned above but, it does not define loving God. Loving God is a sacrifice, a costly sacrifice whereby a price has to be paid. Sacrifice unto God is not cheap. It is a proven mark of love for God in every moment of its engagement. Sacrifice to God is worship. Worshiping God is seeking. Seeking God demands all of our heart, soul, and strength. In loving God, no situation or condition should be enough to cause distraction. Our God who is jealous demands all our love and He will not settle for partial love. Daniel was among the giants of God that demonstrated his love for God and reap from his love for God. Daniel denied the comfort of the king’s delicacy, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) Daniel could not compromise his love for the one that created him. God responded instantly to Daniel’s love, “Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.” (Daniel 1:9) For Daniel, it was great exploit through all his days. When God loves you, enemies attempt will increase but failure becomes enemies’ attempts.

Prayer for today: O Lord, circumcise my heart to love You with all my heart with all my soul.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is in total control and the world has not gone out of His control.

Psalm 73

Jeremiah identified who the wicked are in Jeremiah 12:2, “…You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” They are the ones with the word in their mouth but not in their heart. The Psalmist pointed out several characteristics of the wicked in Psalm 73. The wicked are: not in trouble as other men, pride serves as their necklace, violence covers them like a garment, their eyes bulge in abundance, and they have more than eyes could wish. He went further to identify the wicked by stating: they scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression, they speak loftily, they set their mouth against heaven and their tongue walks through the earth. Have you been able to identify any of the wicked identities in you? The psalmist also called them ungodly. Indeed wickedness is ungodly and many are actually caught up in it without knowing. The identities of the wicked went further as it was pointed out that they are ones who always at ease and they increase in riches. The psalmist could not hide his feelings when he stated, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:2-3) Just as it was in the days of the psalmist, so it is today. Nothing has changed in the operation or the characters of the wicked ones. The good thing is that God neither slumber nor sleeps. Therefore He sees all that is going on around Him. Are you weary of seeing how the wicked prosper? God is in total control of the universe and it does not matter how much the population increases, God is still in control. As believers who want to see the end of the wicked reign we have to remain focus and not be partakers in acts of wickedness. Rest assured that the prosperity of the wicked will not last, their wealth will not count before God, their pleasure will vanish, and it will not be recognized before God. Clearly, the psalmist gained a proper perspective of life after death and that the righteous will live with God forever. The wicked shall perish and the righteous will draw near to God. Do not be envious of the wicked, take heed to the word of the psalmist, “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” (Psalm 73:28) 

Prayer for today: Lord I ask for a heart to fear You in every area of my ways. Let me not end up in the way of the wicked.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is not about the title; but the task.

Mark 5:43

Jesus has not stop in crossing over, but His crossing over has taken a greater dimension by the move of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus presence is instant and available more than when He was here on the earth. It is written, “Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.” (Mark 5:21) It is demonstrated here that Jesus was always crossing over while those who were seeking Him were always in position to encounter Him. In one of His crossing over, “…Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.’” (Mark 5:22-23) Jairus put aside his religious title that could have built an empty pride in him. Jairus’ title did not measure to the task that was at hand as he went to meet with the only King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jairus needed to have his daughter delivered from the point of death. Jairus did three things to have his daughter delivered. First, he met Jesus at the right location, which was the crossing point. Your crossing point could be at the ground of fellowshipping. Often times, many have missed their crossing point because of title (pride). Jairus could not allow his title to deny his miracle but approached Jesus. How are you responding to altar call whenever altar call is made? It does not matter how often you have stepped out in the past, as long as the need continues to resist you, you have to persist and insist on your blessing. Secondly, Jairus saw Jesus and he took a step of faith. Jairus’ stepping out caused him to have a direct contact with Jesus. Jesus knows all things and Jairus’ need was not strange to Jesus. His stepping out and seeing Jesus was a renunciation of being a part of the multitude to being one who was on purpose and not flowing with the crowd. Let Jesus see you in your need and not just in the crowd. Finally, Jairus fell at His feet. He laid it all unto Jesus. Imagine Jairus begging earnestly for the life of his daughter saying, “Here I am, a poor religious leader, have mercy on my dying daughter.” While begging at the feet of the Master, he made his request without paying attention to his title and the multitude. Watch out, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs16:18)

Prayer for today: Deliver me O Lord from every spirit of pride.