FAITH CAPSULE: Obeying promises in the word of God is opening self to claim and possess the promises of God.

Deuteronomy 1

In the pages of bible, promises of God are not closed for man that will open self and to expose self to claim the promises of God. Obeying the promises in the word of God is opening self to claim and possess the promises of God. It is interesting how God’s promises for His children in the pages of the bible are well laid while man languish and not able to see and possess God’s promises. For example, God promised the Israelites a land that flows with milk and honey (Promised Land). At a point in time, during their journey from the bondage of over four hundred years they made the choice to dwell too long at Horeb. For man, dwelling too long against the promise of God is taking self-closed from God’s promises to be opened for self-destruction.
As a result of the Israelite dwelling too long, God sent Moses to the Israelites stating, “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.  Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land…” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8)
In the word of God, there was a need for the Israelites to see in the promise of God that the Promised Land was set for them. The Israelites should not have had any reason for doubt but to move forward and possess God’s promise. The Israelites proved shortsightedness by not moving forward but rather went forward with a spying mission. Moses testified, “Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” (Deuteronomy 1:22) The Israelites wanted to possess the land by seeing the world around them before seeing and engaging the word of God. It was a demonstration that they wanted to make sure God knows what God was talking about when God asked them to move forward. Evidently, the Israelites could not see as commanded by God. Ability to see in what God says is a direct effect to possessing His promise. Month after months are you dwelling wrongly at wrong ground. Could it be you are not able to see in the promises of God for you? It is time to ask for clarity of sight that you may see in God’s word and be able to move and possess God’s promise.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to become open to possess God’s promise for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Joy and rejoicing should be the identity of a true believer.

Philippians 4

Joy and rejoicing is not purchasable by getting high through alcohol or smoking any substance which arouses emotion of having moment of happy. Joy and rejoicing is possessable by having established word of God in man’s heart. Feeding on the word of God constantly day and night is the source of carrying word of God truly in the heart. God spoke in Joshua 8:1, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” One that meditates on the word of God as commanded by God should carry God’s word and be joyful. The word of God is for joy and to be rejoicing inGod’s promises that are set to become manifested if man gives self to the condition of His promises.
Joy and rejoicing should be the identity of a true believer, a believer that is full with the word of God. A believer that truly knows God, a believer that worships Him in the spirit shall be one that knows to maintain joy. The book of Philippians buttressed, “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3) Regardless of any confronting situation is the evidence of trusting God that does not fail. One that is full of self cannot possibly have the Word of God which is the source of joy and rejoicing. To be full of the word of God is to be full of God.
It is important to believe that the word of God (promises of God) cannot fail. Having joy is to locate God’s promise concerning your challenge. Retain joy in the word of God believing that challenging is situation is solved while it is yet unsolved. Habakkuk 3:17 documented a confronting situation “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls.” The situation documented is comfortable situation but testifies the need to be joyful because of promising testimony of God’s word. Habakkuk testifies can be comped to having a place in the depth of a valley where there seems to be no way out, and no end in sight as to when the time of rising and climbing out of the depth of valley. There is no one that wants to plant a tree without yielding fruit. Regardless of the situation, Habakkuk 3:18 testified, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Allow the testimonies of God to fill you that you may be full of joy and rejoicing as emphasized by Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!”

Prayer for today: Ask God for His word to be established in your heart.

FAITH CAPSULE: Walk far to be away from the world by walking in the word of God.

Luke 15

Revelation 4:11, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Man are created by God for His glory because glory belongs to God alone. How are you living life for the glory of God? Are you living in the fear of God? Living in the fear of God is to fear God by walking before God. A prodigal son walked away far from his father, have you walked far from your Father, the Creator of all?
Jesus gave a parable of the lost son, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15:11-14)
In the parable, the younger son had his possessions and went far from his father. It cannot be affordable to be walking far and away from the presence of God in this wicked world. Going far is making a wrong choice which leads to sudden or untimely death. Going far from God will lead to a debased extravagant life which is a wasted life. A wasted life will always provoke a life of “want” and “relegation” from walking before God.Walking outside of God will expose man to every trouble of this world.
It is written, “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15:17-19) It is time to come back to yourself just like the prodigal son. The prodigal son arose and went back to his father. The Bible recorded, “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” (Luke 15:20-21)
Repentance from the heart is like a flash which will enlighten man to regain and retain the presence of God by walking before God. Take note and know that, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4) Walk far to away from the world by walking in the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to take charge over your life to walk before.

FAITH CAPSULE: Manifestly, Isaac walked in God’s command to claim promises of God.

Genesis 26:1-33

Today, Abraham is an example of God’s obedience for man to learn as it is recorded in the bible. God testified Abraham’s type of obedience to His word which delivers promise as it is written, “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” (Genesis 26:5) God’s testimony of Abraham’s obedience is clear that Abraham submitted, he was responsible, he responded to God’s orders by acting according to God’s rules.  Abraham’s obedience is what his Isaac son took from him to walk before God’s unfailing direction.
God communicated command to Isaac. Manifestly, Isaac walked in God’s command to claim promises of God.
It is written, “Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.” (Genesis 6:1-3) God communicated with Isaac. In the face of famine and nothing to show for, God commanded Isaac to stay put. Often time, when God is speaking what seems impossible, hearing God’s command becomes challenging. In the case of Isaac, there was total obedience when he did exactly according to God’s command. God wanted him to stay in Gerar and he did exactly.
In a place where there is famine having a well for sustenance becomes unarguably important.
Isaac repeatedly ran into confrontation with the herdsmen of Gerar over the digging of wells. He knew quite well that his part of the world could not have survived without wells.
However, every effort by Isaac and his servants to have a productive life at Gerar by gigging wells were disrupted by herdsmen of Gera. The herdsmen of Gerar kept taking away the wells that were dug by Isaac’s servants and would not leave them in peace. Despite of challenges in the place of God’s promise for Isaac, Isaac repositioned but could not relocate from obeying God’s command to stay in the land.
Just like Isaac, are you facing challenges in your area of obedience to the word of God? God will not ignore you but will surely attend to your challenge. Abimelek and his people tormented Isaac with hatred but eventually settled with a peace treaty. They realized that the Lord was with Isaac. Importantly, note it that the word of God is His way and His way is His command. Isaac walked in God’s way and it was impossible for him to fail. Proverbs 16:7 buttressed, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”  Walk in the word of God to be an overcomer in all endeavor.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to become an obedience in God’s word regardless of enemy.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is wisdom to know that there is nothing God cannot do.

Psalm 111

Trusting God without having hope on God does not complete to deliver man’s expectation from God. Trust in God is the reason for many to come into gathering of prayer or church to pray for expectation. However, coming out of prayer gathering/church for prayer with negative confession instead of positive confession is always the evidence of lack of hope. There must be trust and hope to wait on God and it is the evidence of being FAITH-FULL. Many claims to be having faith but really, many only have faith but not faith-full. Jeremiah 17:7 clearly testified the need to trust and hope, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” Blessings of God truly answers for one that waits on God in trust and hope for manifestation of one’s expectation.
Trusting and hoping on God provokes waiting on God with understanding and knowing that God is truthful to give answer. It is written, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4) Having trust and hope is waiting on God who acts for the one that waits for God.
How is it possible for one who do not fear God to be able to trust and hope in God? Truly, it is wisdom to know the fear God. The word of God could not have said it better when it says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom…” (Psalm 111:10) It is wisdom to know that the one that created heaven and earth is real and true. It is wisdom to know that there is nothing God cannot do. It is wisdom to know that He cannot fail and all His word will come to pass. Proverbs 3:5-6 pointed out how we are to trust God stating, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
The word of God calls for trusting Him with all heart but not with all mouth or empty noise. God goes by what transpires in the heart. Trusting God with all your heart should not be testing (doubting) God. To be testing God in the heart is to be testing Him by act of disobedience. Testing Him in the heart is rooted in doubting what He can do. Among the promises of trusting God is stated in Isaiah 57:13, “…He who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit My holy mountain.” Absolutely there is nothing worth more than trusting and hoping God to experience His truthfulness. A heart that knows to trust and hope God will know to wait on Him at all times in all situations.

Prayer for today: Ask God to put His fear in you for trusting and hoping in Him.