Category Archives: Devotions

GAIN IN THE WORD

FAITH CAPSULE: To gain in the word is to be dressed by the word of God.  

2 Kings 5

Is pride a hidden identity that is clouding your destiny?
Sin and sinning drive away the sinner from God.
Pride is like the driver of sin and sinning.
Are you living life as a sinner, which is rooted in pride before God?  Leprosy was the most dreaded disease in biblical times, which kept one with leprosy away from others.
Leprosy is a type and picture of sin.
Interestingly, the Bible repeatedly does not speak about leprosy healing but talks about being cleansed of leprosy.
Luke 5:12-13 documented a case of leprosy cleansing, not mentioning healing: “And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus, and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately, the leprosy left him.”
Are you conscious or unconscious if there is a need for your cleansing of sin (leprosy) to be able to get near to God? 
Pride is a sin.
Complete submission is a condition of cure, while pride is a hindrance that will deny obedience to submission. 
Naaman had a cloud of leprosy.
What is reducing you from answering fully to what God has called you to be?
The case of Naaman:
Pride was a hindrance that clouded Naaman.
When Naaman approached Elisha for his healing, the cloud in his life stood between him and the word of the prophet.
The Bible records, “Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” (2 Kings 5:10) The healing word of God through Elisha stated: “wash and clean” The power of cleansing for Naaman was not in the Jordan but in the word of the prophet for life of Naaman.
The clouding hindrance in Naaman denied his listening ability. The Bible records the pride of Naaman, for cleansing: “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal leprosy.’  Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:11-12)
Is pride a hidden identity that is clouding your destiny?
The word of God is like a mirror to observe.
For one who observes is to be a readress and let the word become the frame for one to live for God.

Prayer for today: Pray against any force that will deny you from receiving from God.

WHAT IT MEANS

FAITH CAPSULE: What does humility mean to you?

Deuteronomy 8

One living life to be humble before God is taking a position to be blessed by God.
Proverbs 22:4 records, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life.”
The word of God identifies three rewards for those who walk in humility and the fear of the Lord:
This verse is a powerful and profound promise, offering insight into the heart of God,
His blessings for those who walk in humility and reverence before Him.
About the riches: It does not always mean financial wealth, but speaks of provision.
God blesses those who trust in Him, whether through material resources, spiritual riches, or relational prosperity. 
For honor: One who lives humbly before God is bound to be lifted at the time of God. (James 4:10)
For life: A life lived in obedience to God often leads to a long life.
What does humility mean to you?
Philippians 2:3 speaks to all, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Living a life of humility is not evidence of weakness or a lack of confidence.
One with humility will acknowledge God for all and will develop a heart position to obey the word of God.
The fear of the Lord is not a fear that drives one away from God but rather a deep reverence and awe for His holiness, power, and authority.
Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,  and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Living in the fear of God will prompt making the right choices to avoid sin and to walk in obedience to God.
Living in fear can be described as the foundation of a life for God.
It is worthy to live a life of humility, the nature of Christ exalted by God.
Why not pray to walk in true humility and the fear of the Lord, embracing the abundant life He has promised?
What is the result of taking a position not to humble God?
A hindrance agent who hinders others from serving God is not humble before God and will not experience blessing. 
The Pharaoh of Egypt was a hindrance, as he denied the Israelites from serving God. The Bible records, “So Moses and Aaron came into Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” (Exodus 10:3) 
Pharaoh repeatedly denied the Israelites the opportunity to serve God, as he experienced a curse but not the blessing of God.
CONFESSING INIQUITY BEFORE GOD IS AN ACT TO HUMBLE GOD
It is essential to acknowledge wrongdoing before God.
Confessing iniquity will prompt a remembrance of the promise of God.
The word of Leviticus 26:40-42 for the Israelites speaks to all about what it means to be humble and be blessed by God: 
It is worthy to confess iniquity to experience the blessing of God that remembers with favor and visits with salvation.

Prayer for today: Pray to be humble before God in all ways of life.

ALL ABOUT FEAR GOD

FAITH CAPSULE: Fear God to serve Him right.

Psalm 139

Seeking God out of His request, will not find God.
Seek God in His way, not in your way.
Seeking God in His way is rooted in having the fear of God.
Obedience is the character of one who fears God.
Seeking God is serving God.
Serve God with fear!
Psalm 2:11 said it all, “Serve the Lord with fear…”
Serving God right is the evidence of being righteous before God.
How are you serving God?
Are you serving God with the evidence of fear for Him?
David demonstrates his fear of God repeatedly in his word.
For example, Psalm 77:6 records, “I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.”
Psalm 139:1, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me.”
Psalm 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties.”
In your learning and prayer, know to fear God, to be righteous before God.
Isaiah 3:10-11 records the mind of God regarding how individuals serve God, “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”
How one serves God will determine what one receives from God, which is the evidence of a fear of God.
Who are you before God? How are you serving God?
Are you righteous or are you wicked?
Answering the questions above positively is evidence of learning to fear God.
The word of God for the heart, not just in the mouth.
To learn from the word of God is to know and grow in the fear of God.
One who knows the word in the mouth but not in the heart is the evidence of a wicked one.
Jeremiah 12:1-2 records, “Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.”
One who is wicked cannot possibly be a righteous one before God.
The wicked ones are quick to quote the word of God, but the word of God is far from their minds, with the absence of the fear of God.
One with the mind of God answers as righteous ones with the fear of God.
The fear of God answers as the treasure of God.
Fear God, live for God, excel for His glory.
Learn the word of God to know to fear Him, and you will undoubtedly live to fear Him.

Prayer for today: Ask God that you know to fear Him, living right before Him.

UNDERSTAND AND PRAY

FAITH CAPSULE: Understanding and prayer will enable one to fear God.

Jeremiah 32

Anyone who does not live in the fear of God is evidence of a lack of faith, living not to please God.
Hebrews 11:5 testifies, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death because he pleased God.”
When faith rises, fear of this world is bound to sink.
Do you have faith in pleasing God or living in the fear of the world?
Search yourself to identify if you truly fear God.
Gain the understanding to live by the fear of God.
Many who claim to fear God often exhibit a character marked by telling lies to deceive and manipulate their world.
A believer who claims to fear God, full of the word of God in the mouth but not in the heart, is described as wicked. (Jeremiah 12:1-2)  
Understand with the knowledge to have an edge, fearing God.
Among the ways to gain and grow in the fear of God are: to learn to understand the word of God and to pray that God enable one to fear Him.
BY UNDERSTANDING LEARN.
Having an understanding of learning through hearing the word of God will enable one to fear God.
Deuteronomy 4:10, God said to the Israelites, “I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me…”
Understanding is crucial to fear and live for God.
Jesus, rhetorically, questioned and answered, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43)
Strive for understanding to fear God all the days He has given you to live.
BY PRAYING BECOME ONE WITH FEAR
With desire, not just determination, pray before God to do what it takes to fear Him.
God answers prayer.
Ask God who gives.
Matthew 7:7 states, God promised, will give, stating, “Ask, and it will be given to you…”
Jeremiah 32:39 records, “I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever…”
Ask to be given what it takes to fear God.
One who asks God to fear Him will receive a life that pleases God.
With the desire to fear God, God enables you to increase, living in faith, not in fear of this world. (When faith rises, fear sinks.
Ask for understanding through hearing the word of God, and that you fear God, and become established in His life.
PRAYING FOR UNDERSTANDING IS PRAYING TO KNOW THE FEAR OF GOD.
Hosea 4:6 informs, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Whatever one lacks, one does not have.
Having knowledge is rooted in having understanding, the key to existing for God (to live in fear of God).
One must walk in understanding to exist for God, to fear God.
Prayer for today: Ask that God give you one heart and one way, that you fear Him forever.

THE PRESENT TIME

FAITH CAPSULE: The present time is evidence that God is moving you forward.

Psalm 118, Luke 17:11-19

The last moment is in the past.
Last year, last month, and last week are in the past.
The current time is the present.
Coming through the past into the present time is a privilege bestowed by God for you, but not a right for you to boast of knowing how to live life.
To be alive from last month to the present month, from yesterday until today, the present time is evidence that God is moving you forward.
One who does not acknowledge that God is moving one forward is taking the position of an ingrate before God.
An ingrate fails to demonstrate an act of gratitude before God.
The grace of seeing a new day demands turning before God.
It is the grace of God that has brought you this far.
Today, give thanks to God, but do not think that thanks that does not demonstrate a grateful heart before God.
All should always return to thank Him.
Once, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to Jesus with a grateful heart to give thanks.
Jesus responded to the one with thanksgiving as stated: “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-19)
Revisiting God continually with a grateful heart of thanksgiving for yesterday will perfect your today.
Have you been living more comfortably in the past months than in the present month? 
Focus on God, giving God regard, will gain a way where there is no way. Today, let yesterday remain in the past.
It is essential to understand that there is no permanent condition; God can reverse even the most irreversible for all.
Give glory to God for your life today.
In all, the only thing which God cannot do is: GOD CANNOT FAIL.
Know, understand by remembering that your life today is not because of your merit but because of His mercy. Psalm 117:1-2 admonished, “Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the LORD endures forever.” The mercy of God was in place for Lot and his family for their deliverance from destruction.
The wife of Lot looked back because she failed to look forward.
Focus on looking forward.
Set your sight on God, who has brought you from the past to the present and the future.

Prayer for today: Ask by giving thanks to God for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.