FAITH CAPSULE: Give the heart to fear God.

Psalm 34

Living life in the fear of God is taking a position not to fail in the journey of life.
To fear God is rooted in giving attention to God’s word by inclining ear, keeping God’s word in the depth of heart not just in the head.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 identifies the importance to live life in the fear of God, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.”
Are you one that keeps the word of God in the head with no space for the word of God in the heart?
It is the will of God for all to fear God and know to train children to live life in the fear of God.
Is it your desire to fear God and to train your children, the fear of God?
Deuteronomy 4:10 admonishes all, “…Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.”
Know and understand to fear God in every way of life, it is the conclusion of the whole matter.
The word of God that speaks to one speaks to all to fear God for the ways of living life as Job 28:28 records, “…And to man, He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding…” Jeremiah 10:7, “Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. “
Who will not fear God? 
One that does not fear God will not abide in His command, to dwell in the presence of God.
Word identifies what it means to be in the presence of God with those who fear God: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy.” (Psalm 33:18)
“The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.” (Psalm 34:7-9)
“And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50)
Let the fear of God keep you under the eyes of God.
Your determination to fear God is the desire that can disappoint you because it is not the power of God. In life, in the place of determination, it is only the prayer before God (power of God) that will not disappoint.
Imagine Peter’s relationship with Jesus, with his determination not to disappoint Jesus but denied Jesus, the evidence of failure determination. Jesus prayed against Peter’s failure, “…But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail…” (Luke 22:32) 
Give yourself to prayer, that the fear of God becomes established in your hearts not to depart from God.

Prayer for today: Ask that you want to live life in the fear of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: For God’s calling, are you questioning His calling without faith?
God called Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2) God asked for Abraham’s only son, whom he loves, to be used for a burnt offering.
Abraham did not question the calling of God for his son.
Are you questioning the calling of God?
Questioning God’s calling with faith can be acceptable before God but questioning God’s calling with doubt is not acceptable before God.
For example, with faith, Samuel questioned God’s calling when he was sent by God, to go and anoint David as King when Saul was the king of the people. 
1Samuel 16:2-3 records Samuel’s question and God’s response, “But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.” 
God answered Samuel’s question.
Without faith, are you questioning God’s calling over your life?
Abraham did not question the calling of God but answered fully to God’s calling over his life.
The Bible records, “Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.” (Genesis 22:4)
Abraham did not complain over the calling of God in his life.
The Israelites did not question the calling of God to the Promised Land but failed because of their complaint.
The Israelites’ complaint converted eleven days’ journey to forty years journey. The book of Deuteronomy 1:2-3 testifies, “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them.” 
Questioning God without faith or complaining before God can be rooted in careless thought or talking. 
The Bible records against talking carelessly, “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19) Careless talking can lead to complaining before God.
Abraham kept his cool and focused on God’s command. It must have been a difficult and challenging journey for him yet he kept on going through without complaint. 
Abraham gave a reasonable sacrifice to God. 
Abraham released Isaac unto God in each step of his response to God’s command.
Abraham demonstrated that he loved God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength. 
God declared Abraham as one who feared Him.  
In the journey of life, the calling of God, there is a beginning and end. When God calls you, answer obediently with trust and hope to arrive at God’s calling, just like Abraham.

Prayer for today: Ask God to give you a heart of faith in all your thought and action.

FAITH CAPSULE: Among the reasons why you do not know God.

Hebrews 11

Among the reasons why you do not know God but only know about God is the lack of understanding and not believe Him.
Lack of Understanding:
A failure of giving attention will result in a listening disability. Jesus questioned and answered why lack of understanding, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43)
It is not possible to understand what or who you do not know. The world is too busy for self, and not to give attention to God. One that gives attention to God will listen to gain understanding, to know God for who He is. He is a good God, the One that reverses irreversible.
Forgetting attributes of God:
Forgetting attributes of God, not being thought about Him will not 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 enough to know God.
Truth is not appealing:
Truth is not popular, is not acceptable to the world. It is not possible to know what is not accepted, not believed. John 8:45-47 records Jesus’ word that speaks the truth about not knowing God, “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 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 truth to believe does 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, 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, “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.” (Hebrews 11:6)
You must know God, knowing about God is not enough to excuse before God to escape the consequence that is set with lasting pain.
Know God, come out of religion to live life for the glory of God.
You must know God the truth to know and be free.

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

FAITH CAPSULE: What stops you from keeping the testimonies of God?

Deuteronomy 6

The testimonies of God are the proofs of God.
The testimonies of God are the evidence of His word.
Among reasons to keep the testimonies of God is to know Him in His word.
All man should know to trust and hope in Him, to claim His blessing.
Jeremiah 17:7 points out, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” To trust and not hope is rooted in the lack of knowledge, and it does not complete to claim His blessing.
All should know the testimony of God to fight for all that will know to stay in peace. Exodus 14:14 makes it known as stated: “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
All should know that God thinks about all. He is a precious God that cares to think of all. Psalm 139:17 records, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” 
Jeremiah 29:11 buttresses, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 
Testimony one does not know to keep will not position one to claim the blessings of keeping His testimony.
All should know that God is mindful of all. In Psalm 8:4, King David questioned with faith before God, “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” Keep the testimony that God is mindful of all to claim His blessing.
All should know that God is the rock and refuge.
Psalm 62:6-8 testifies, “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
All should know that God is always with us.
Matthew 28:20 records, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Keep the testimony of God, to Know God, as the blessing of His assurance.
All should know that God is not a partial God.
One that keeps His testimonies is qualified to claim His blessing. Romans 2:11 encourages all saying, “For there is no partiality with God.” 
Remember, the testimonies of God are the proofs of God.
The testimonies of God are the evidence of His word.
What is denying you from giving yourself to keeping the testimonies of God?

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding, keeping His testimonies.

FAITH CAPSULE: God’s secret is for the believer not to become a victim of the wicked world.

Judges 16

The testimonies of God are His testimonies.
The word of God is the strength of God and the secret of God to man.
When His word locates man by entering into the heart, the strength of God will become man’s portion.
The word of God will come to locate one not to become a failure in the calling for God’s assignment.
At the time of Samson’s parent were barren with no child, the word of God that is strength, secret, came to the parents of Samson (Manoah and his wife) as Judges 13:2-5  records, “Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now, therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
God’s word above for Samson was received by his parents for Samson to be engaged secretly, to avoid failure in the purpose of God’s assignment.
Samson’s wife (Delilah) knows about the strength of Samson but did not know the secret of his God-given strength. Judges 16:6 records, “So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.”
Just like Samson, are you one with God’s word (strength) for you, to be kept as a secret?
Samson was not following God’s word with his heart to keep God’s word but revealed God’s word to his wife that represented the enemy of his life.
Judges 16:15-17 documents how Delilah pressed Samson to reveal the secret of his strength: “Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.” And it came to pass when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”
Are you keeping testimony of God, His strength, His secret for you not to become a failure in God’s calling over your life?
Learn from the testimony of Samson to be keeping the word of God as the secret for your strength not to become a victim of the wicked world.

Prayer for today: Ask God to order your mind not to become a victim of the wicked world.