FAITH CAPSULE: God invested so much love over man but man extends minute love to Him.

John 3

God loves man more than man knows about God’s love for man. God’s love is not partial because He is a perfect creator. What He says to one speaks to all. God spoke to the children of Israel, “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. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) God wants peace for us; He wants a hopeful future for us; He wants our attention by communicating with us; He wants us to seek Him constantly. The love of God is evident as recorded in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
The point here is that God invested so much love over man but man extends minute love to Him. After many years of privilege life which the Lord God bestows on you, how much are you extending to Him?
It is written, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2) It is wisdom to make this a season to upgrade in giving more of love for God. Give self to God by living life to give Him glory. Make this moment your season to change from material gain to walking in the ways of God. Deuteronomy 5:33 states, “You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.” Walking in all the ways of God’s command is seeking God first. Seeking God will no doubt fulfill every of your desire. Jesus buttress when He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34) A better way to seek God is in praising Him to glorify Him and thanking Him to magnify Him. Make your moment to be a season of constant thanks giving.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of living life for the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is faith to be looking into God’s command.

Hebrews 11

To be complete in the journey of life is giving self to God’s command. Command of God is His word which is set to deliver and preserve man in life. Looking in God’s word is not to be a victim of shame for man that looks into His command. Psalm 119:6 buttressed, “Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.” Looking into God’s command (word) is looking unto God for His hand. It is faith to be looking into God’s command. When command (word) of God sounds in man’s direction, man should know to obey, to dwell and wait on God’s command for manifestation at the appointed time.
All that faith described about faith is evidence in the life of Abraham.
It is written, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The verse confirmed Abraham’s faithful before God because he was able to obey; he dwelt and he waited on God’s command.
Obedience: When God called Abraham out from his country; his family; his father’s house to an unknown land, he obeyed fully by launching out as commanded by God. Although, there was no idea of where he was going but it was ideal for him not to question God. Abraham gave no reasonable excuse to decline the calling upon his life. Abraham obeyed God by moving from certainty to uncertain ground and abandoned his comfort zone. Indeed, Abraham “went out” just as it was mentioned in the scriptural verse above.
Dwelling: Abraham dwelt on the word of God. Living life according to God’s command is same as dwelling in the secret place of God. He did not look back but went forward as commanded by God. God’s command moved him, faith led him to a foreign country and faith caused him to dwell in tents. The word (command) of God is story to those with no understand. For ones with understanding the word of God is a secret place to dwell. Abraham dwelt in it. It was lack of understanding for Lot’s wife not to dwell in God’s command when she looked back against God’s command. (Genesis 19)
Waiting: Abraham obeyed God, he dwelt and he waited. Those who know to dwell in God’s command should also know to wait through for manifestation. It is not enough to obey by dwelling in His command and not patiently wait for the manifestation of His command. For example, King Saul obeyed by dwelling in the command through Samuel for seven days but failed to wait for Samuel when he engaged unlawful sacrifice on the seventh day. (1 Samuel 13) Engage His command fully to excel for His glory.

Payer for today: Ask for the grace of God to fully give self for His command over your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Look away from the wicked and not be envious of the wicked.

Psalm 73

Wickedness belongs to evil. Engaging wickedness is conversant among believers and non-believers. There is no minor or major way of engaging wickedness. With no exception, wickedness is wickedness before God. Ones in the business of evil doing by destroying other’s life and one that is lying, deceiving or manipulating others are same wicked ones before God. It is true that any man quoting the word of God from mouth but not carrying the word of God in the heart is not near but far from God. Man, that is far from God is set to be a wicked one. Jeremiah 12:1-2 buttressed, “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.”
If the word describes you as wicked one, there is a need for you to withdraw from wicked doing by submitting to God. Today, desire for God to deposit in you with all that it takes to live life for the glory of God. In this wicked world, live life in the word of God and not take to the way of wicked. God is not asleep but watching and waiting for His appointed time for judgement of this wicked world.
The same God yesterday, today and tomorrow will not overlook the wickedness of today. God is not in rush of dealing with wicked ones but wicked ones are to rush out of wickedness into Christ life. Jesus will come in appointed time. He gave insight of His plan for the wicked ones as stated in Matthew 13:30: “Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Where do you stand? Are you a representative of wheat or a representative of tare? At every time of rainfall and when all contributes to growth, both wheat and tares are in position of privilege of growing. Oftentimes, there is no clear distinction identifying tares from wheat. Also, it cannot and it should never be a surprise to see tares growing better than wheat. However, you should wake from your sleep to live for God because the harvest time is coming. Separating and packing up wicked for fire of God will come regardless of how long or how soon it takes to come. All that will make the difference is for you to be faithful in doing the will of the Father just like Jesus said, “Not every man 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) Will you be willing to step out only unto God? Have you thought about your stand lately?

Prayer for today: Ask God in His faithfulness to deliver you from every track of wickedness.

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow your situation to remain in the hand of God for unfailing victory.

1 Samuel 30

Get to know God enough to allow Him in all situations. God will remember and visit with salvation for man that knows Him. David, a man after God’s own heart was able to bring down Goliath who stood to deny the Israelites’ peace. David was anointed to be king but years of situation kept him away from answering as king. Despite his knowing to become king without happening, he did not upset the plan of God for his life by forcing situation to position him King at his speedy approach. How often have you changed situation with hope for positive in the place of negative? Forcing change of situation is engaging situation outside of God with negative result. David was in position to terminate King Saul for favorable situation to become king. He had the life of the reigning king (Saul) in his hand so many times when he was being chased by Saul. Yet David did not take Saul’s life. David could have killed Saul to become King before God’s appointed time. He had good reason to kill Saul, but he chose to run and hide from cave to cave, wilderness to wilderness, and from one priest to another.
It is worthy of note that, among the characters of David as a man after God’s own heart was his constant inquiring from God. At a time when King Saul was after the life of David, David wanted to keep his father and mother safe. It is written, “Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.” (1 Samuel 22:3) David repeatedly refused to take situation into His hand but he took situation to the hands of God. Before going after the Amalekites that burned the city and took captives of David’s wives, sons and daughters, it is written, “David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” (1 Samuel 30:8) David disallowed his past glory from replacing his reliance on God for direction. As directed by God after his inquiring, “…David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.” (1 Samuel 30:17-19) Inquiring from God is a demonstration for allowing situation to be in the hand of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of constant and complete reliance on God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not worry but worship God which is a place to hide in time of trouble.

Psalm 27

It is written, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? time of comfort. Trouble often brings distress, disturbance, or pain.
Job is qualified to tell what it is when trouble comes. Job 3:26 stated, “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for troubles come.” With trouble comes are: not being at ease, not being in a quiet state of mind and lack of rest. In man’s life with trouble, confusion and making wrong decisions will have its way.
King Herod had no reason to be troubled at the announcement of the birth of Jesus when his decision demonstrated that of a troubled mind. It is written, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2:1-3) King The trouble that came into the life of King Herod led him to make wrong and confused decisions.
Trouble is the root of wrong and bad judgment or unwise decision making. Herod made an error in judgment and a wrong decision in his attempt to terminate God’s divine agenda. The decision of the wicked king to terminate God’s divine agenda brought to life the way and the infallible word of God to manifestation as it is written in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.” The trouble in King Herod brought confusion into his life to think he could terminate the King of kings. Are you experiencing any kind of trouble? Today, is there any sign of trouble in your life? Think of it, what is the root cause of your trouble? Is your trouble rooted in pride?
Eliminate trouble, do not worry but worship God which is a place to hide in time of trouble. The Psalmist recorded, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5). God is at work on behalf of all who seek refuge in time of trouble.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to sincerely worship God in the place of worry.