FAITH CAPSULE: CONFESS 2018 AS YOUR YEAR OF: DRAW ME NEAR GOD

Psalm 69

Man, with the privilege of God to see a Year 2018 should wisely be confessing Year 2018 stating: Draw Me Near God. Speak to the New Year and expect year to answer what you call it to be. Ask from God confessing to be drawn to God like David did in Psalm 69:16-18, “Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies.” (Psalm 69:16-18)
Indeed, any man with desire to be drawn near to God must live life as one with expectation to become drawn near to God by striving to walk in the word of God.
Why do we need to be drawn to God more than as usual; more than as was in the past years?
World is becoming more unusually wicked and dangerous more than as it was in the past. The world of today’s situation demands to be hidden continuously in the hand of God. Believe it that, there is God but, where are you? Also, God is near but how far are you from God? God is waiting to draw man that desire to be drawn by God. Evidently, God is God that waits to act for those who wait on Him. (Isaiah 30:18)
Do not be deceived but make the decision confessing before God to draw you near. The wicked world is glaring. Wickedness is not hidden but hypocrisy of man is denying man from doing what is right to seek drawing near to God. Jesus pointed issue of hypocrisy stating, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2-3) Is it not true as Jesus stated? Acknowledge the world challenges and desire by confessing prayerfully to be drawn by God. To become drawn near to God is a certain unfailing way for man to gain and maintain the presence of God.
Confessing prayerfully to be drawn near to God also demands must-do such as:
Man must take to the spoken word of God through the bible. Jesus warned in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Any man that gives self to the spoken word of God will experience word of God which enters man’s life. Psalm 119:30 clarified, “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” God is light (1John 1:5). One with light in self is drawn nearby God.
This year, walk in His word to be drawn by God deliverance and preservation.

Prayer for today: Ask God to draw you near this year 2018.

FAITH CAPSULE: This season of time, be more diligent, studious seeking God for divine intervention.

1 Samuel 1

All year long, searching to receive solution or to overcome unacceptable challenge remains impossible. Does that sound like you? It is time to become languid or tireless of not getting your expectation. However, it is time to become diligent, studious seeking God. At the time man is thinking it is too late to receive breakthrough is the time of God visitation if man will remain focus on God but not focus on man’s intervention. Without doubt, time and process of time belongs to God not paying attention to man-made clock. It is important that we remain persistent when praying to God for His divine intervention. Persistence is the evidence of faith. To stop asking when expectation is yet to be manifested represents shutting down faith.
Imagine, At the age of forty, Isaac took Rebekah as his wife. The bible recorded that at sixty years of age Isaac had his first child. Evidently, Isaac waited for twenty years before Rebekah’s barrenness ceased. Twenty years must have been long years for Isaac. However, Isaac was not quiet before God during the season of waiting. It is written, “Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (Genesis 25:21) History and time of Isaac’s father to wait was not enough to stop Isaac from asking and pleading with God. Have you been pleading to God for His intervention concerning any area of challenge in your life? Be encouraged and know that it is never too late to keep on waiting and pleading for God’s intervention.
Joseph the apple of his father’s (Jacob) eye, at age of seventeen was on an errand by his father to go and check out the well-being of his brothers. It was not until after thirty-plus years that his father set eyes on him. Communication between Joseph and his loving father was ceased but consistent pain of missing each was more pain on the father’s side. Is there a loving one, the apple of your eye that is missing? Evidently, waiting on God’s divine intervention to bring each other back seems like forever. Trust and hope in God which re-united Joseph and Jacob will also re-unite you and your missing love ones. It is possible! God is a God of possibility.
Be encouraged knowing that God does not sleep over your challenge. In the coming days, weeks, months or years your mockery shall be converted to miracle in Jesus name. The God who granted Isaac’s plea will grant yours in Jesus name. 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 God for His grace to locate you in every area of pain. In the coming days your mockery shall be converted to miracle in Jesus name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus came for man’s victory but with lack of understanding man remains victimized.

John 14

Jesus is always watching on us to move on our behalf when we trust, hope to obey His word for deliverance and preservation. At one of Jesus’ passing, He restored a blind man’s sight in a questionable way as recorded, “…He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:6-7) The point here is that, the blind man did not question or doubt the word of God but took off and went to wash. Jesus’ command was a direction for the blind man’s avenue to receive his sight. Doubt or distraction could not derail the blind man from obeying Jesus’ commanding direction for his miracle.
Doubt will hinder faith and it will not move faith forward. Jesus came to take over our challenges and He is the same yesterday and today. When God takes over in the place of challenge man should not overtake God but to allow God. Psalm 34:19 testified, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” At all time the word of God should be considered done and settled. Doubt will unsettle what the Lord has settled for man in His promising word. The blind man responded to Jesus’ commanding direction which settled his challenge. With faith, Jesus won our battle over 2000 years ago and it was settled for man to be a winner by faith. Without doubt, Jesus came, and He has given victory to all, but many continue to be victimized because of doubt.
Get to know Jesus! From today know Him and not doubt Him. One must know God for who He is and what He can do. What is it that you do not know about Him? The word of God is His work. All His creation from the beginning was His word. Knowing by seeing His work (creations by His word) is the evidence that He is near. Psalm 75:1 buttressed, “…For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”
The word of God in His work is true that God is near to man that will hear and see in His word. It is time to be living by His word. Seeing the creations of God by His word is everywhere for man to know Him and not doubt Him. God is unfailing, He is a mighty warrior. It is important to know personally that Jesus came for a purpose. Jesus, in His word confirmed the purpose of His coming when He said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus came to give abundant life. Take Him serious in His word.

Prayer for today: Ask from God by thanking God at all time for the coming of Jesus.

FAITH CAPSULE: With confusion there is no connection with Christ.

Mark 10:46-52

Celebrating the birth of Jesus is good but to lack the understanding of celebrating His birth is bad. Celebrating the birth of Jesus every day with knowledge is the purpose to gain and attain the life abundantly which Jesus brought for man. Abundant life which Jesus brought extends from earth to eternal life. When there is understanding and knowledge of His coming there will be reason to believe in celebrating the birth of Jesus every day but not just a glamorous day of celebration. God has a plan and purpose for man’s life in Jesus which is the plan and purpose of God’s salvation for man. Gaining understanding to live life in the purpose of God for man.
Who do you say Jesus is in your life?
Many only know about Him and celebrate His birth religiously without Christ reality. Glamorous celebration of His birth is with confusion. With confusion there is no connection with Christ. The ones that know Him know the name to call on. In this season of celebration, settle down to seek and get to know Him; come out of religion and take on Christ reality. Jesus Christ is the Lord and savior, He is Jesus (Yahweh saves), Immanuel (God with us), Light of the World (One who brings hope and gives guidance) Chief Shepherd (one that gives guidance and protection) Chief Cornerstone (A sure foundation of life). Seek Him by celebrating Him every moment.
It is interesting sorry to know with wonder that why is it so easy for man to know about the birth Jesus and fully engage in celebrating His birth and not work the works of God which He brought? The central part of His coming is for man to work the works of God. The book of John 6:8-9 clearly answered to what it means to work the works of God. Jesus was asked, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” and He responded, “…This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Many received the story of how He was born, they embraced it and celebrate it glamorously but do not consider working the works of God. Working the works of God is to believe in Him (to be living life according to His word).
Coming of Jesus is the love of God sent to man. It is written, “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.  “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18) Work the works of God, celebrate Christ with reality; come out religion; eliminate world that denies living for God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to enable living life for God indeed and in truth.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you celebrating the birth of Jesus without the type of God’s love

John 10:1-21

Huge population celebrating the birth of Jesus is same as huge population attending church services to worship God without living life which impact the world positively. Jesus addressed the issue of impacting life, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matthew 5:14) Jesus also stated, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Ones with belief celebrating Jesus’ birth should be light or salt with positive impaction over the world. Rather, being busy with glamorous celebration is the way of celebrating birth of Jesus. Glamorous celebration is lack of understanding. Knowing about God is different from knowing God. Majority does not have understanding why Jesus came. Jesus declared why He came, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) One with understanding of the coming of Jesus is in position to have life abundantly without fail to inherit eternal life.
With understanding, it is good to be celebrating the birth of Jesus continually by doing all things which glorifies the name of God. Glamorous celebration comes in December and last through the end of December. After December celebration of Jesus’ birth, living life for God becomes irrelevant to celebrants.
Celebrating the birth of Jesus should be centered on self-question such as, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Such reasonable question will enable man to keep focus on God, avoiding not to miss eternal life. A certain lawyer asked Jesus, “…Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25) Jesus responded to the certain lawyer by asking him of his reading of commandment’s understanding. The certain lawyer answered Jesus correctly, “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27) The lawyer answered Jesus correctly, but he wanted to know who is his neighbor. Jesus responded with the parable of the good Samaritan’s love for a stranger as his neighbor.
Celebrating the birth of Jesus should be a true love for Jesus and such love should be extended to neighbor or stranger. Unfortunately, man’s love for Jesus and love for neighbor is a conditional love. Man celebrate with love which pleases man but not to please God. Celebrating the birth of Jesus without the type of God’s love will cause man not to inherit eternal life.
A faithful believer will live life loving God and neighbors. Without love is the evidence of lack faith. Interestingly Jesus questioned, “when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Jesus’ coming is for glorious celebration not a glamorous celebration. Be a reasonable celebrant of the birth of Jesus!

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of understanding to fully follow Jesus.