FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus had a zeal for the things of God.

What does it mean to be zealous for God?
The documentation of the life of Jesus is what it means to have a zeal for God.
John 2:13-17 records a demonstration of the zeal of Jesus, “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up”.
The evidence of having the zeal of Jesus for God is living life for God by seeking God diligently.
With the zeal for God, there will be boldness and character for the acclaimed believer of the word of God to stand against activities that are not of God. 
Are you zealous for God?
Jesus could not look away from world activities in the temple when he drove to pour and overturn all wicked world activities out of the temple of God.
Do you know that you are the temple of God?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 identifies the temple of God, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”   
As a temple of God, what do you carry that is not or of God? 
With the zeal for God, it shall be able to recognize that the house of God is not the house of merchandise but to stand against the activities of the world.
One with a zeal for God will not compromise the word of God in the temple of God.
The disciples testify of Jesus for His boldness and character, “…Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (John 2:17) 
Do you have a zeal for God that has eaten you up by the things of God?
To be eaten up by the zeal for God is one that is built up by the word of God, meditating the word of God day and night.
Why not desire to be eaten up by the zeal of God?
Jesus reacted to the temple, “He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.” (John 2:15) 
With self-deception, every worldly activity occupies the majority temple.
Jesus knows all the temples with deception, not living right before God.

Prayer for today: Ask Jesus to flush out all that is not of God in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you living life as a true believer? 

John 8:31-47

The word of Jesus about truth to those who believed Him also speaks to all with no exception. John 8:31-32 records, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  
The word of God is truth.
Do you know God or know about God?
Knowing about is not the same as knowing the truth.
Knowing the truth builds a believer not to be a liar, deceiver, and manipulator. 
Knowing the truth is the evidence of knowing to fear God and turns one to live free for God. 
The book of Hebrews 2:1 admonishes all, “…we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” To live life as a believer that is true and not live as a liar, one must give more earnest heed to the things heard in the word of God.
Are you living life as a true believer? 
In truth, are you fellowshipping with one heart, one soul that builds up all things in common in the fellowship?
Are you violating or not violating the spirit of God and great grace upon your gathering?
The word of God repeatedly admonishes all to be a true believer stating, “…give the more earnest heed to the things heard in the word of God”.
The word of God demands from all to, “…give the more…” 
Asking all to give the more is additional hearing and hearing in the Word of God. Giving self to the word is not casual attention but demands earnest engagement to become a true believer.
To be a true believer is not by noisemaking of the word or quoting bible verses. 
Also, it is not only attending fellowship or holding a position in the fellowship gathering. 
To be exposed to bible teaching and not be imparted by the word is the evidence of not giving earnest heed to the word of God.
Today believers are busy with the world more than giving more earnest heed to the word of God. 
When a believer gives less to the word of God, the world will occupy more of the believer. 
You can be a liar to deceive and manipulate others, but God cannot be lied to or deceived because He sees all.
Today, know the truth (word) of God.
Be steadfast in living by the word of God, the source of salvation. 
Give more earnest heed to the word of God to allow the truth of God to take over in your life. 
Proverbs 12:22 states, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.”
Be a believer that is full of the truth of God.

Prayer for today: Ask that God empower you to be a true believer.

FAITH CAPSULE: Always listen to the word of God to become of you.

Joshua 6

The Word of God is God. (John1:1)
The Word of God is for all to see in His Word.
The ability to listen to God in His word will behold (see) God in His word for direction, to live life for God.
The Word of God is God. 
Always listen to the word of God.
In listening, behold (see) the word of God, to receive and become of what word speaks to you.
The direction in the word of God does not fail.
For example, Joshua needed to behold (see) the word of God to gain victory over Jericho. 
Jericho posed as an enemy in the attempt to stop the advance of the Israelites to the Promised Land. 
Joshua 6:1-2 records the word of God for Joshua to see (to behold) victory in the Word of God, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.”  
Always listen to see in the word of God.
Joshua listened; he was able to behold (see) direction in the word of God as he gained character and boldness to become the winner over Jericho. 
God wants all to see in Him (His word) to engage His direction and not become a failure. 
Are you seeking direction by listening to the word of God?
Jacob was to engage in a journey, his course of running away from his brother when he needed victory in his journey. 
God responded to the need of Jacob by calling his attention to see in the word of victory, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:15) 
Today, listen to see (behold) in the word of God to engage the path of victory over your challenge.
There is victory in the word of God for one that will listen to see in the word of God.
God magnifies His word above His name. (Psalm 138:2) 
The Word of God is worthy to deliver; His word is mighty and will preserve one that beholds the word of God.
Do you listen to God?
Listen to see in the word of God and gain boldness for the victory for the glory of God.
God is power; God that delivered Israelites is still in the business of deliverance and preservation if one will take a position to listen, to see (behold) God in His word.
God sent His word to heal, deliver, to preserve living life for the glory of God. 

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you to always see in His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: You shall not become buried.

Mark 4:1-32

The majority lack the knowledge and understanding that God creat all for His glory.
Revelation 4:11 testifies, “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will, they exist and were created.”
God creates all to exist for His glory and not be a victim of the wicked world. 
God is a good God that delivers.
Psalm 34:19 testifies, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” 
Affliction can be an attempt or effort for the enemy to bury another one while such is alive.
Pray before God that you shall not die but live life to the glory of God.
To experience being buried does not have to be one is dead physically and becomes buried under the ground.
One can be alive but remain buried as in living dead, the experiencing of being delayed, denied, or delayed to become stagnated not moving forward in life.
Are you experiencing delay, being denied, or derailed in all your endeavors, living life at in dead-end yet, having the breath of life?
Consciously or unconsciously, are you burying yourself by choices made or the choices made on your behalf?
The agents of burying one can also be the force of the wickedness of life.
The plans to bury one can be from the closet or distance.
To be delivered from stagnation, from being buried while alive physically, spiritually, or emotionally demands to seek God diligently to find God.
Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13 mentions the word of God, “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”   
It is impossible to seek God diligently and find God to remain buried physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
The enemy does not have more power than one that lives life by the word of God.
Among ways to seek and find God, to gain self-deliverance is living by the word of God.
One that brings the word of God (Spirit of God) out from letter to life shall gain life in the word of God. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
With knowledge and understanding, engage the word of God as life to live life to the glory of God.
Consider yourself as a seed of God.
As a seed of God, it is unfortunate that the people who tried to bury you did not know that you are a seed of God.
Know that seed happens to thrive when buried, then it grows to become a big tree like a mustard seed.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed points out what mustard seed is like when it is buried and grows, “when sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” (Mark 4:31-32)
The word of God is life to answer for one that believes, to receive His word.

Prayer for today: Prayerfully, meditate to be a seed that cannot be buried but live life for the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Remember the doings of God, the evidence of understanding. 

Psalm 106

To experience the wonder of God is rooted in the mercy of God.
With a lack of understanding of the wonders of God, one will not remember the mercies of God. 
One that does not remember the mercies of God is bound to become rebellious to the word of God.
Psalm 106:7 records the lack of understanding of the wonders of God by the Israelites, “Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of your mercies but rebelled by the sea-the Red Sea.”  
Lack of understanding prompts rebellion and complaints, the cause of negative confession. 
Numbers 14:1-4 records, “…And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt…?”
The Israelites repeatedly demonstrate a lack of understanding of the move of God on their behalf. 
Are you of the same that is complaining negative before God? 
A complaint before God is a sin is with painful consequences.
God responds to the complaint of the Israelites, “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness…” (Numbers 14:28-30) 
Are you with the understanding of God not to live a life of waste?
Understanding is not of the mouth but of the heart. 
Understanding is critical to living life for the glory of God.
Understanding the wonders of God will cause one to remember and with a rebellious heart. 
Proverbs 16:22 testifies that “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it…”  
Wellspring is a source of abundant supply. 
With understanding, one will have an abundance of life that Jesus brought for all. 
The Israelites lack the understanding to become wasted in the wilderness.
Forgetting the works of God cannot be separated from the lack of understanding of the doings of God. 
As regards the Israelites, Psalm 106:13-14 points out, “They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert.”  
One that is not mindful of the works of God will forget the doing of God to become of sin before God. 
The Israelites forgot; they could not wait on God but died in sin and did not get to the Promised Land.
One with a lack of understanding of the doings of God will not remember, will forget to fail not to believe in what God has done and what God can do. 

Prayer for today: Ask to know and constantly remember the understanding of the doing of God in your life.