FAITH CAPSULE: God’s preference should always prevail over our best reference.

Judges 7

Jerubbaal (Gideon) was camped with his people and set for a confrontational war against the Midianites when God spoke to him, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And twenty-two thousands of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.” (Judges 7:1-3)
In every battle, there is a need for high numbers of soldiers to emerge victoriously. God sounded to Jerubbaal with instruction for Jerubbaal to reduce the number of soldiers. Without hesitation, the Word of God prevailed as instructed. God’s direction called for the number of soldiers to be reduced by more than half, from twenty-two thousand to ten thousand. The God of battle that does not share His glory with no man called on Jerubbaal after he had cut down the numbers saying, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there…” (Judges 7:4)
If you are Jerubbaal communicating with friends about God’s instruction to reduce your soldiers, how would you react? Jerubbaal’s obedience to reduce the number, without doubt, His friends would have wondered and even considered Jerubbaal as foolish, spiritually insane, overzealous and unrealistic.
Jerubbaal led the people to the water as directed by God with the intention to have the number reduced the second time. At the water, God spoke again, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.” (Judges 7: 5-6). In going against the Midianites, one that considers assigning men that lapped from water over ones that got on their knees to drink water would have been considered foolish.
At all times, regardless of how foolish it sounds, God’s preference should always prevail over our best reference. The number of men to go to battle against the Midianites was eventually cut down to three hundred men from thirty-two thousand; this is foolishness by human reasoning. For any man, it is suicidal to go to war after ending up with such a small number. Thirty thousand seems to be the right way and not the foolish way. Always remember the word of Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.” Jerubbaal did not take the path that seems right, he simply obeyed God’s word without complain nor doubt and went with three hundred men to fight a battle which initially called for thirty-two thousand men.
Are you fighting a battle yet looking to human wisdom to sustain you?
The wisdom of human should not replace God’s wisdom.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s wisdom to reign and rule your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The enemy of all man is the master of deception.

2 Samuel 11

Enticement is a cunning device of the devil with no respect for any man under heaven.
The agenda of the devil is to engage enticement to bring his victim down into a pit of sin.
Enticement and temptation are same.
Know and not dance to the sound of enticement but remain the focus on the word of God.
One of the weapons of the enemy’s most deadly weapon is “enticement.” To be enticed is to be lured away from the point of focus. The temptation is not sin but falling for temptation will cause a man to sink in sin. King David did not accidentally fell for the sin of sexual immorality which he committed with Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife). It was through seeing (which is the anchor of enticement) that King David entrapped himself into sin. The Bible recorded David’s avenue to sin, “Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” (2 Samuel 11:2) David, at the right place at the wrong time trapped himself with sin. David fell for sin when he saw woman bathing. David could not resist the temptation of sin but went on to inquire about woman belonging to another man. Getting carried away by enticement will lead to a deadly avenue of sinning before God. David was identified as a man after God’s own heart but could not avoid sin.
Are you paying attention to avoid the wrong place not to become a victim of sin against God?
The enemy of all man is the master of deception that has been around long enough to draw one into the sin of destruction.
Jesus had the experience of enemy’s enticement but could not become a failure like the Eve.
Today, be warned and wise to know that if Jesus experienced enticement of the enemy, no man is above cunning enticement of the enemy.
Which of your need is leading you to become a victim of devil’s enticement?
Did the word not promised that my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus? (Philippians 4:19)
Do you believe?
Take to Paul’s admonition as stated in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Abstain from seeing in the wicked world; take to the Word of God.
Today, open your mouth wide and begin to give Him thanks for all He has done; praise God for entire He is doing and all that He will do. Live life by giving thanks and praise and not become a victim of enemy’s enticement of sin.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God not to expire over your life to become a victim of the enemy.

FAITH CAPSULE: Worshipping God is a sacrifice, costly to seeking God.

2 Samuel 24

Branches of worship are the ways of seeking God with commitment. Worshipping God demands a commitment that is costly and counts before as a reasonable sacrifice. In the bible, King David demonstrated worshiping God. In the story of David’s census which provoked the anger of God against Israel, we see what it means to give a costly sacrifice as worship to God. David conducted census against the will of God that provoked God to send plague over the Israelites which called for sacrifice before God as Araunah offered David a free-threshing floor to build an altar.
David rejected the free offer stating, “…no, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So, David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” (2 Samuel 24:24)
Like David, is your sacrificial offering (worship) reasonable enough to be accepted by God?  Before God, give a costly sacrifice before God to receive a priceless blessing of God.
Worship is obeying God to please God by doing His will.
Be obedient to God by keeping His ways not pleasing ways that seem right to self. Proverbs 14:12 buttressed, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Walk the Lord God’s ways obediently is worshipping God that gives life.
Worshipping God is keeping heart with all diligence as commanded by God in Worship God in the spirit and truth. In your worship, know that worshipping God is not limited by time or by any location. In your worshipping abide in the word of God (His spirit) to always engage God in worship. Proverbs 4:23, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”  A heart that meditates day and night is a heart in worship day and night with all diligence to obey God and become pure before God. Matthew 5:8 buttressed, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Will you give heart to God as the center of worship to God?
Among the ways of worshipping God to keep heart with all diligence is: “…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:18-21) Whatever fills one is the evidence of what flows from the heart of one to affect one’s walk, stands and sits before God. The Psalmist admonished all, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in the law, he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2) Engage your heart in worship, be able to see God and be blessed.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable your worshipping Him continually.

FAITH CAPSULE: An acclaimed believer should desire the mind of Christ.

John 13

Paul admonished in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
What is it about the mind of Christ?
Do you have the mind of Christ?
The mind of Christ is a humble mind, a mind that is plain, simple and set before God.
At a point in time, the disciples questioned Jesus, “…Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Jesus’ response clearly described humility as the way out to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom.” (Matthew 18:3-4) Jesus’ answer is a wakeup call for those with wrong assumptions of what it is to be ready to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
To be greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is distant for all until one is converted to become one as little child.
The title of any man on earth is not evidence of humility before God. The title of a man is not a ticket to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. One that is not filled by Christ is not full of God’s word (Jesus Christ) and is not with the Spirit of God.
Little children are with mindset humility because they have no spirit of pride with the identity of malice, deception, and un-forgiveness that cannot see God. Jesus demonstrated for His disciples then and today about the importance of humility in John 13:1, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from the supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:3-5) There is no perfect way to teach and demonstrate what it means to be humble than documentation of Jesus’ way of humility.
As an acclaimed believer with a title which is esteemed high among fellowship, is the humble spirit your mindset? Among your family, friends, and co-workers, are you decorated with humility but not demonstrating what it means to be humble?
An acclaimed believer should desire the mind of Christ where humble becomes the identity of acclaimed believers.  To be humble is to be with no pride which does not parade with arrogance, malice, and self-importance. Deny mind of this world and let the mind of Christ be in you.
The position or the title of today is not an evidence of the mind of Christ with humility. Director, Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, or whatever God has called you to be, or that you have chosen for yourself should answer with the mind of Christ which is humble.

Prayer for today: Ask for the mind of Christ Jesus to become of you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be steadfast for God but not self-satisfying in serving God.

Matthew 7
Jesus was teaching when He stated, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
Does that sound like you?
Are you one whose word does not line up with your walk?
Do you profess Jesus but perfects in wickedness? Jeremiah talked about the wicked in his statement before God, “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.” (Jeremiah 12:1-2) Clearly, the wicked ones are near to God in their mouth but far from God in their mind. Also, lying, deception, and manipulation are in their makeup. The Lord God we call is not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with Him. (Psalm 5:4)
Those who carry the identity of the wicked do not carry the cross and such does not follow Him fully. Jesus specifically requested, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26) Whatever a man desires, God will deposit. Is it your desire to follow Jesus fully? Following Jesus is not flowing with the crowd. Many are flowing with the crowd, but few are actually following Jesus fully. To follow Him fully demands to be steadfast in our walk that is in line with the Word of God by forsaking all for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.
Anyone who is self-full cannot be word-full. Following the Word of God fully is following Jesus steadfastly. Jesus is the living Word of God that was in the beginning. John 1:1-3 buttresses, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Why not steadfastly deny yourself, forsake all and settle for the living Word of God? Why not take up His cross and follow Him to cross over?
Following fully is not a one time or an on-and-off engagement. Following the word demands to be steadfast which is to be fixed in direction, firm in purpose and fixed in intensity. To be steadfast in following the living Word of God is not a self-satisfying engagement and one who is self-full cannot be possibly steadfast.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His grace not to expire over your life to serve Him steadfastly.