FAITH CAPSULE:  How are you engaging the word of God?

Genesis 19

The Bible records: “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20) God sent His word to heal and to deliver but not to take His word for a joke.
Have you been engaging the word of God with seriousness or with a joke? One that knows and do the word of God is obedient by not joking around with God’s word. It is the disobedient one to God’s word that joke with God’s word.
The word Joke is defined as something said or done to provoke laughter or to cause amusement; a matter that need not be taken very seriously or something that does not present the expected challenge.
The word of God is definitely not to be taken for a joke.
God spoke to Abraham, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20-21) When God was set to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of sin He spoke to Abraham and Abraham took the word of God serious. With seriousness, Abraham’s responded to the word of God, he repeatedly interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah but there was nothing in place for God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. The purpose of God’s reveal to Abraham was for Lot to be delivered from destruction which was set for Sodom and Gomorrah.
The angels that were sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah approached Lot and said, “…Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” (Genesis 19:12-13) In life, how much one knows God (not knowing about God) will also determine how serious one take to God’s word. Lot knew God enough not to take His word for a joke.
Lot, not wanting his people to be consumed by destruction, responded to the messengers of God as stated: “So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.” (Genesis 19:14)
God is not a comedian. Every single word of God should not be taken for joke. If you are one that does not obey the word of God, you have taken God for a joke. There was no further indication that the sons-in-law followed Lot to the ground of escape from destruction. You can avoid destruction by taking to the word of God. The word of God is for deliverance and preservation from destruction. Those who know to take the word serious are the one God knows to talk to.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s strength not to be taking His word for Joke.

FAITH CAPSULE: You will give earnest heed to what you have heard to deny doubt about your following Jesus.

Mathew 11

What is causing you to have doubt instead of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior?
With doubt, fear will settle in one’s life to make one upset. When fear rises, faith will sink.
Have faith which does not sink, by giving self to the word heard with more earnest heed to the things heard in the word of God. Romans 10:17 identifies the source of faith: “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Giving self to doubt is taking a position of neglecting the great salvation. Doubt does not respect any man but giving the more earnest heed to the evidence of God’s doing is more than able for any man to live life without doubt.
John the Baptist, in the prison of life, his doubt about Jesus crowded his life. The Bible records: “And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-3) Prison time in the life of John the Baptist, one that baptized Jesus became doubtful of who Jesus was.
The record of Matthew 3:13 was enough for John to remember and not to become doubtful, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him”
Also, John the Baptist’s bears witness of Jesus was enough not to doubt as John 1:29-30 records: “…Behold The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”’
If you will give earnest heed to what you have heard and see, the doubt should not a place in your life.
Imagine, John also exalted Jesus but his doubt denied him to remember what he said to Jesus as stated: “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all.” (John 3:31)
The challenging time, of John the Baptist demonstrated that he knew about Jesus, but did not know Jesus because of his doubt.
Regardless of challenging times, get to know Jesus by giving earnest heed not to be doubtful.
Jesus’ response to John’s doubt speaks to all with doubts: “…Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Mathew 11:4-6)
With doubt, faith will have a tendency to drown.

Prayer for today: Ask for the strength of God to keep you so that your faith will not fail.

FAITH CAPSULE: What is holding you from giving earnest heed to the word of God?

Jeremiah 30

The word of God is not sent to convince but for all man to be committed to the word of God. Also, the word of God is not for decoration but for declaration. Every man’s way of life is declaring who a man is, in the word of God.
Come out from RELIGION in the mouth, but give self to the word of God. A failure to give earnest heed to the word of God will lead to one’s distance from God but closer to self-destruction.
Living by the word of God is rooted in giving the more earnest heed to the things we have heard. Living by the word of God only work for those who work the works of God. Without giving the more earnest to the word that is heard in the word will not work for anyone. In the book of John 6:28, Jesus was asked, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus responded, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” One that gives earnest heed to Jesus will be living life by the word of God. Jesus is the word of God, give the more earnest heed to His word.
The word of God is POWER with no substitute that is in place for man to live life for the glory of God.
The word of God is the way out for our salvation.
The power in the word of God is for deliverance and preservation.
What is holding you from giving earnest heed to the word of God?
The word of God is proven and witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Without a doubt, one that will give earnest heed to the word of God is taking a position to be free from the grave of this world. It was the power of God in the word of Jesus that brought Lazarus from the grave of four days. Bible records: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”  Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:42-43)
It is important to give earnest heed to the word of God which is the way to gather self in the word of God instead of gathering self in the WORLD.
Giving the more earnest heed to the things we have heard is the evidence of pledging to approach the word of God.
Those that pledge to approach God are the ones that make up mind for God that is mindful of man. Jeremiah 30:21-32 buttressed, “…For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord. You shall be My people, And I will be your God.’”
How is your way of life demonstrating the pledge of your heart to God?
Give more earnest heed to the word of God!

Prayer for today: Ask for your ears to hear and receive the word of God into your heart.

FAITH CAPSULE: To give earnest heed is to be purposeful and to be giving attention to the word of God.

Daniel 1

Hebrews 2:1-4 records: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”
A failure to give earnest heed to the word of God will lead to one’s distance from God. Keeping distance from God is getting closer to the position of self-destruction.
Earnest implies having a purpose and being steadily and soberly eager in pursuing it.
Heed means paying attention, to listen to and to follow.
To give earnest heed is to be purposeful and to be giving attention to the word of God.
The heart is where purpose takes place.
The heart is where listening takes place.
Be mindful of it that the heart is where God sees the doing of all man under heaven.
Daniel Purposed in His heart.
Daniel, with more earnest heed for God, he purposed in his heart for God and God led him into God’s favor. Daniel 1:8-9 records: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.”
David, a man’s heart was after God’s heart.
God will find any man that earnestly heed the word of God. After Saul’s violation, God reacted saying: “…I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” (Acts 13:22)
The word of God is for real not to be a victim of this wicked world and that is why all have been warned as stated: “…we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard…” There is no compromise but with no excuse we must give earnest heed to the word of God.
The word of God is not sent to convince but for all man to be committed to the word of God. Also, the word of God is not for decoration but for declaration. Every man’s way of life is declaring who a man is, in the word of God.
Come out from RELIGION in the mouth, but give self to the word of God. A failure to give earnest heed to the word of God will lead to one’s distance from God but closer to self-destruction.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the understanding to know the power in the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Faith with patience is to fuel living life.

Hebrews 11

Living life should be fueled by faith with patience as the key for the ignition. Faith is described as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Faith has a source. The Bible emphasizes the source of faith stating, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Take to mind that the Word of God which comes can also cease from coming when there is disengagement from hearing the Word of God. Living life demands constant engagement to the Word of God. Living life with faith and patience, the Word of God gives life to the just ones. Habakkuk 2:4 buttressed, “…the just shall live by his faith.” All that pertains to living life is encased in living by the Word of God (living by faith). The word states it, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7); we watch, stand by faith (1 Corinthians 16:13); faith purifies the heart (Acts 15:9); we are saved by faith through grace (Ephesians 2:8)
Patience is crucial for anyone journeying through life having faith in God.
Describing Patience: Patience is the ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. Patience is steady perseverance (steady persistence)
God’s character of “Longsuffering” indicates that He is a “Patient” God as stated in Numbers 14:18, “The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.”  The word of Colossians 1:11 could not separate patience from longsuffering when stated; “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy” By living life, the level of patience one possesses will determine the level of being blessed with perfection, completeness, and without lack.
Lack of patience denies self’s blessing and often lead to self-destruction.
Among the scriptural verses that shed light on the importance of faith and patience, “…you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12). For a believer to inherit the promises of God, patients must be applied with faith. The Parable of the Sower by Jesus pointed out that it is through patience that bearing fruit is a possibility. Luke 8:15 stated, “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” This is also buttressed in the book of Luke 21:19, “By your patience possess your souls.” Would you consider yourself a patient person, as this is required in this journey of life in faith? Man’s attention to the growth of patience in his life will be provoking more of the blessing of God.
Patience yields perfect work. James 1:4 stated it clearly, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Patience is of God. (John 6:28-29) In life, have patience; believe in Him whom He sent so that you become perfect, complete, lacking nothing.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you to be patience as you have desire in Him.