Category Archives: Devotions

HEART-FULL THANKSGIVING

FAITH CAPSULE: Return to give thanks to God always.

Daniel 6

Thanksgiving before God is evidence of one that is mindful of God.
Thanksgiving before God should be rooted in the mind of man but not just in the head. 
David must have been curious why God is mindful of man when he approached God to ask, “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4)
Be mindful of God with the understanding that thanksgiving before God will lead one to the divine assignment. 
Giving thanks to God is a will of God that demands to be continual.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 admonishes all, “Do you know that giving thanks for everything is the will of God.”
With prayer, live a life of giving thanks before God without ceasing, the evidence of one that is mindful of God.
Giving thanks to God or praising God must be with understanding.
Psalm 47:7 admonishes all, “For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.”
Know to be giving thanks, praising God, worship God in all ways with the understanding, reasonable, and acceptable before God.
Ephesians 5:20 buttresses, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 
Understand and know giving thanks always for all things to experience all things to work together for good. Give God a HEART-FULL of thanking and not just by giving MOUTH-FULL of thanks before God.
God awaits the offering of thanksgiving at all times.
A HEART-FULL thanksgiving is with the expectation to gain the attention of God.
Thanksgiving with praise worship before God is engaging a weapon to gain victory.
The Bible records how thanksgiving is the way to move forward and not become a victim of the wickedness of this world. 
Daniel, with thanksgiving before God, was delivered from sudden death in the den of Lions. Daniel 6:10 records, “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 did not hide his thanksgiving before his enemies to aggravate them as he received the grace of deliverance from God. With thanksgiving, Daniel could not die an untimely death in the den of lions. 
Thanksgiving before God gave Jonah an escape from sudden death. Jonah disobeyed God to end in the belly of fish. The Bible records the testimony of Jonah, “But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.” (Jonah 2:9) The thanksgiving of Jonah before God was his deliverance from the belly of fish.
Are you giving thanks to God with understanding?
Thanksgiving before God demands consistency as a sure way of deliverance of God.
Again, understand and know that thanksgiving before God for all things will make all things work together for good, to the glory of God.
God is a jealous God and expects your thanksgiving before Him at all times.

Prayer for today: Ask that you will live the life of giving thanks to God.

PURSUE GOD DILIGENTLY

FAITH CAPSULE: Live a life of responsibility before God to excel for His glory.

1 Timothy 6

Today, put aside all that is not of God, with responsibility, pursue all that draws man to God. 1 Timothy 6:11 rightly states, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
Responsibility is to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 
Righteousness: 
Pursuing righteousness is the responsible life that David lived before God. David testifies his pursuit, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness…” (2 Samuel 22:21) 
Like David, Job pursuit the righteousness of God, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me…” (Job 29:14)  
Seek God diligently, be righteous to find God.
Godliness:
To be living a godly life is conforming to the laws and wishes of God.
Be responsible, live a life of pursuing godliness that will mark you as a godly one. 2Timothy 3:5 states pursuing godliness: “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” 
Faith: 
Faith is not born with no man but gain by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 testifies, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The pursuit of faith is a responsibility to seek the Word of God by standing on the word of God. 
Without faith, God is not pleased.
Have a life of faith, be responsible for pleasing God by pursuing things of God.
Be responsible not to become a victim of evil.
Love, Patience, and Godliness: 
With responsibility is to pursue the command of God to love. The Word of God in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 declares the importance of love, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” To pursue is the responsibility of love as the command of God, which is the way to find God. 
The pursuit of love comes with patience and cannot be separated.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 states, “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”
Be responsible, pursue patience because “By your patience possess your souls.” (Luke 21:19)
Living a life of responsibility, to pursue gentleness, with the knowledge will identify one as a fearing vessel before God. Galatians 5:23 buttresses, “…gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.”
Live a life of responsibility, pursue acceptable ways before God.
Responsibility before God is the price for greatness, doing great exploits to the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask from God that you want to live a life of responsibility by His word.

KNOW OR KNOW ABOUT GOD?

FAITH CAPSULE: The majority knows about God but, only a few know God.

John 8

Lack of Understanding.
It is not possible to know God with a listening disability which results in a lack of understanding.
Jesus questions with an answer confirming for all to know the reason for lack of understanding, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43)
The world is too busy to ignore and also not give attention to God. 
It is not possible to understand who you do not know. 
One that gives attention to God will listen to gain understanding and know God for who He is. 
The majority knows about God but, only a few know God.
Ask God to enable you to know Him more.
Forgetting attributes of God does not know God.
One that is mindful of God will continually remember the works of God to know God. Deuteronomy 4:5-6 buttresses, “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding…” One that is not exposed to learn about God will not give attention to understand the attributes of God, to know God.
Truth is not appealing to get attention, to be known.
God is true, but His truth is hardly acceptable to the world. It is not possible to believe and not know God. John 8:45-47 records the word of Jesus that speaks the truth about not knowing God, “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore, you do not hear, because you are not of God.” One that does not accept the truth cannot believe and will not know God that is true.
You must know God to come out of the religion of this wicked world.
To know God is rooted in the living word of God that is written for understanding if any will give self to study the word of God.
To study the word of God is a sacrifice with the cost of labor.
To know God is seeking God diligently, to please Him and to find God as promised in Hebrews 11:6“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.” 
You must know God because knowing about God is not enough to escape from the pain that exists in the wicked world.
Know God, come out of religion, live life for the glory of God.
You must know God that is the truth to be free in this wicked world.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you to know Him more.

GOD IS COMPASSIONATE

FAITH CAPSULE: The mercy of God means God is compassionate and kind.

Genesis 39

The mercy of God is with forbearance that does not runs out.
The mercy of God is His loyal love; it is the conventional love of the covenant-keeping God. 
The mercy of God is not by merit but by the goodness of God to be received.
Just as power belongs unto God, mercy also belongs to God. 
God cannot be intimidated or manipulated by any of His creations to receive His mercy.
The mercy of God is not attainable by the work but by working with God. 
God testifies to His mercy in Romans 9:14-16, “…I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So, then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
The mercy of God is in place for all, and nothing under heaven can displace or deny one that God will visit.
The mercy of God is attainable when the life of one aligns with the word of God:
One that lives life according to the word of God will always receive the mercy of God. For example, Joseph lived life according to the word of God when he ignores the temptation to violate the word of God not to fail before God (Genesis 39:7-15). In one instance, he denied the offer to sleep with the wife of his master by claiming: “…How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) The reaction of Joseph reacted against the temptation of the wife of his master to experience the mercy of God as the Bible mentions, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor…” (Genesis 39:21). 
The mercy of God is attainable when one loves God
The obedience to God is the evidence of love for God that will always provoke God for His mercy. 
The Bible makes all realize that loving God is keeping His commandments (John 14:15). To love God is to fear God.  
The story of Joseph points out that Joseph kept the commandment of God by forbidding adultery when he fled away from sleeping with the wife of his master. Joseph loves God to obtain the mercy of God.
The mercy of God is attainable when one trusts God 
The Psalmist declared, “But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (Psalm 13:5). Trusting God will provoke the attainment of the mercy of God. Trusting God is looking up to God with no doubt. Looking up to God with an open heart before God will locate God for His mercy. 
Luke 17:13 records, “And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 
God is merciful. He does not run out of mercy for one that knows to trust and lift voice to Him.

Prayer for today:  Ask that God enables you to align with His word all the days of life He has given you.

FOR ALL

FAITH CAPSULE: In life, God has a calling for all.

Genesis 12 

God alone created all for His glory and His honor. 
Revelation 4:11 testifies to God, the Creator of all for His will, “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.” 
What is it that you do not understand about God? 
God alone is the Almighty, the Ancient of days, the only Eternal Creator. 
1Timothy 6:15 describes God, “…He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” 
God alone is above and beyond all, and Psalmist states it clearly, “The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, And the Lord sits as King forever.” (Psalm 29:10) 
God is the unchanging changer that will make and unmake. 
God alone in the position to reverse the irreversible. 
The calling of all belongs to God. 
God creates all for a purpose to live life before Him while having the breath of life.
His calling comes with the process, for His purpose over the called ones. 
The calling of God over your life must be connected to God continually by dwelling and abiding in His direction, the only way to answer the calling of God obediently.
In life, God has a calling for all with a different assignment. 
The calling of God over the life of one will break such at the initial of His calling but will no doubt turn to the blessing for obeyed as directed.
In the calling of God, with obedience to His direction, you will experience the backing of God and, He will not leave you nor forsake you when answering His calling.
When God calls you, do not look away but keep looking forward without distraction. 
The family and Lot received calling direction out of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but the wife of Lot looked back into self-destruction. (Genesis 19:26)
The calling of God will come with challenges, but obedience to God will deliver the called one unfailingly.
In your journey of life, have you been called out by God?
When God calls you, know to remember that, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”  (1Thessalonian 5:24)
When God calls you, do not allow doubt, do not be discouraged from answering the calling of God.
In your answering to the calling of God, discouragement will question you with negativity to redirect your calling wrongly. 
When you engage the calling upon your life, do not commit yourself to no man but God alone. Jesus did not commit to no man as John 2:24 records His testimony, “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.”
Answering God and arriving at the destiny of His calling demands continuous obedience to His word of direction not to become wasted in the journey of His calling.

Prayer for today: Ask that God will enable you with understanding to know and answer Him unfailingly.