FAITH MAIL: Fear God; be humble and operate the mind of Christ to live life for God.

Matthew 18:1-10

It is important to be mind-full of Jesus’ way of life to be living for God. 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?
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 wanted to know from Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It is written, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “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. Jesus 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) What a wakeup-call for those with wrong assumptions of what it is to be ready to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Jesus said assuredly, meaning: without any other means; with all certainty heaven is distant until one is converted and become as little children.  It is those who are converted (that is, accept Jesus as their Lord and savior) and those who become of the Lord by virtue of living the Word of God, are those ready for the great home coming. Confessing Christ and not living by the Word of God is same as claiming to have been converted and not become as little children.
Also, one’s title on earth is not an evidence of humility in one’s life. Unfortunately, title is not a ticket to becoming the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Many are full of themselves and not filled by Christ, as a result, humility is strange to them.
Little children whose mindset operates as of a little child are true example of carrier of humble spirit. Such children do not have pride, as a result any fruit of pride such as malice; deception and un-forgiveness are not part of little children’s makeup.
Jesus emphasized the importance of humility when His hour was near (John 13:1).
Having clearly showed and taught how to be humble, He waited until His final hour to give His disciples a lasting impression which revealed the importance of humility.
It is written, “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 show what it means to be humble than Jesus’s demonstration.

Prayer for today: Ask God to turn your mind to be Christ like.

FAITH CAPSULE: Giving self to living for God is to sow self in God.

1 John 2

In a new beginning, man should desire to give self to living life for God’s grace. In the past days and months, whatever it was that did not represent God; that did not glorify God, Man should disallow it from having a place in one’s life. Living for God is like sowing self for God. It is true that what a man sows he will surely reap. It is how man sow self and give self to God that will surely reap, claiming the promise of God. God is a perfect Manager and He perfects in managing each of His creation by virtue of allowing His creation to reap from what is sowed.
In life, it is impossible to sow the seed of deception and expect to reap the fruit of perfection. Any man who sows the seed of lie will reap the fruit of deception. It is worthy to live life as one who knows God, because anything short of that is living a life of lie. Giving self to living for God is to sow self in God and keeping His commandments. It is written, “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:4-6)
Work without walking in Him is not enough. Work is to believe, Walk is to behave.
God invests so much in man while man extends so little to Him. Working and not walking will not get man to where God wants man to be. Our walk is our seed which we sow for God to reward us. Give self to living for God by walking according to His word. Leviticus 18:4 stated, “You shall observe My judgment and keep my ordinances, to walk in them. I am the Lord your God” To comprehend the word what needs to be done is to meditate on the Word of God.
God is good and doing good is giving self to living for God for the glory of God.
A parable is an everyday truth that has a spiritual application. It is an earthly truth with a heavenly meaning. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan clearly connotes the mind of God concerning sowing good which is rooted in having a compassionate heart. In the parable, a man fell among thieves who stripped him of his belongings, wounded and left him behind half dead. A priest and a Levite walked passed on the other side, but a good Samaritan was able to sow good for wounded man. Knowing to do good but not doing good is sin. Sin is turning from giving self from not living for God. James 4:17 warned, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Abstain from sin to allow God’s glory in your life by living life for God.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s hand to draw you near to Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: LIVING for God is possible by watching and praying.

Ezekiel 3

Living for God from this month and hence further demands giving ear to hear through the head and establish what is heard in the heart.
The evidence of hearing with the ear and received into heart was glaring in the assignment of Ezekiel as documented on the pages of the Bible. Ezekiel testified that when the Lord spoke to him, he heard “a thunderous voice”. Hearing “a thunderous voice” was an indication of hearing with the ear and receiving into the heart; and at the same time, testified to the fact that we cannot hear from God and not know that He has spoken. Ezekiel testified, “…I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!” I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.  So, the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat and remained there astonished among them seven days” (Ezekiel 3:12-15). In this testimony, Ezekiel was changed, and his life was not the same after he heard from God. The word that came to him lifted him up and took him away to the center of God’s assignment where he was relocated for God’s glory. The desire of man should be living for God. Though God’s calling on His children often comes with painful sacrifices, but the Hand of God will always be upon the life of anyone that hears with the ear and receive wholeheartedly, just as Ezekiel testified – “…but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me”.
Another scriptural page that confirmed the importance of hearing with the ear and receiving with the heart is Job’s testimony which stated, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). Job heard so much from people during the time of his challenges, but the hearing that made the difference came after he was able to hear God with his ear and his heart. Thereafter, he could see what and where the Lord wanted him to see. Job lived life for God and received inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Jeremiah 13:15 also warned, stating: “Hear and give ear: do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken.” Hearing with ear and being able to receive what is heard in the heart are all that make the difference in the life of a believer. It is important to know that whatever we hear through the Word of God, and can receive into the heart, is what we see and what makes the difference in our lives.
Avoid hardness of heart which is also a prime force that denies man from hearing with the ear and receiving with the heart.

Prayer for today: Ask from God that His word established in you to live life for His glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be encouraged knowing that God does not sleep over your challenging situation.

1 Samuel 1

In the coming days, weeks, months or years of pain, you shall gain for the glory of God. Above all, frustration shall be converted to celebration; mockery shall be replaced with miracle and stagnation is set with motion in Jesus name.
Joseph the apple of his father’s (Jacob) eye, at age of seventeen was on errand by his father to go and check out the well-being of his brothers. Joseph’s errand of moment separated him from his father from his age of seventeen until he was at the age of thirty-plus years. Communication between Joseph and his loving father was ceased but consistent pain of missing each was more Jacob the father of Joseph. Is there a loving one, the apple of your eye that is missing from your sight? Waiting on God’s divine intervention for breakthrough will come to pass at God’s appointed time. God re-united Joseph and Jacob after years of painful separation. Trust and hope in God’s divine intervention to re-unite you and your missing love ones. It is possible! God is a God of possibility.
The children of Israel spent over four hundred years in the bondage of Egypt before God sent Moses as His agent to deliver them. The bible recorded, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  So, God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) Deliverance from bondage of years came to end because the hand of God is not short but will be extended for man’s deliverance and preservation. Your deliverance and preservation are at the door waiting for your open door. God is not a partial God, He performs perfection in situation.
Hannah, the mother of Samuel experienced mockery at the time of her barrenness. It is written, “Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” (1 Samuel 1:6-7) Despite Hannah’s experience of mockery from her rival, Hannah remained focus and her continuity waiting and trusting God remained intact. Hannah did not stop praying to God and there was no record of bitterness toward her mocker. Eventually, Hannah’s prayer yielded when she gave birth to Samuel.
Be encouraged knowing that God does not sleep over your challenging situation. Hannah was encouraged in God to ignore her mockers. Bondage of over four hundred years was not a life time for the Israelites as their story was changed at God’s deliverance visitation. The same God that eventually brought re-union between Joseph and Jacob after painful of over thirteen years will acknowledge your pain to favor you in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s grace to locate you in every area of pain of life for His glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Obey God’s word by living according to God’s.

Exodus 20

For a change, personally and prayerfully give a name to new month as: My month of LIVING FOR GOD.
Living for God is living by His word. His word is His promise. It is written, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
The word of God is His promise. The promise of God is not empty; the promise of God comes with condition and is meant to deliver for man. Condition to possess His promise is to have faith. Faith is to work the works of God and it pleases God.
What is it to work the works of God?
Jesus was asked about what it is to work the works of God and He responded with answer in John 6:28-29, “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Condition to possess the promise of God is not by quoting the word of God but to be-living the word of God. Work the works of God (believe in Him) is the condition to engage and claim the promise of God. Without living by the word of God, working in the building of church does not count as condition to possess God’s promise. To work and not walk according to God’s word does not add up as engaging condition to possess the promise of God.
Clearly, through the pages of the Bible, claiming the promises of God comes with condition. Exodus 19:5, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” Obeying God’s word is set to excel in this wicked world. Are you obeying God’s word by working the works of God?
Deuteronomy 4:29, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 6:17, “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.” Seeking God diligently is keeping His command not chasing after the world activities.
God is the iving God; God is a jealous God and He is attentive to man that truly give Him attention. Proverbs 8:17 testified God’s character, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.”
From today, abstain from self-deception; come out of mouth religion, stop being religion of the face but giveself to religion which is CHRIST REALITY. Quoting God’s promise with expectation is for believing-believers not for mouthful unbelieving-believers.
This day, week or month, desire from the depth of heart to be-living for God.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s grace to be-living by His word.