FAITH CAPSULE: Give self to the word of God to avoid self-determination ignorantly.

Genesis 19:14-26, Matthew 26:31-75

Ignorance makes a destitute of a believer. Believing in self or believing in man is not possible to believe in God by giving self to God’s word. Self-determination can be the root cause of ignorance to believe in self-direction over God’s direction in His word.
Determination is good, but it is not good enough to take the place of God’s direction. Determination that is rooted in ignorance will fail man. Believing in self’s over God’s direction is the kind of determination that will deny man from seeking help by focusing on the word of God. It is this kind of determination that caused Peter to deny Jesus ignorantly. In Matthew 26:34 Jesus said to Peter, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter was self-determined that he will not deny Jesus as he responded to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35) Peter could not see ahead just as Jesus was able to see ahead. Peter could have cried out to Jesus for divine intervention to keep him from denying Jesus. Truly, Peter later denied Jesus three times as stated by Jesus. Peter’s determination was the evidence of ignorance.
Man’s deliverance from destruction in the journey life is rooted in giving self to God’s direction but not giving to self’s determination. In each day there is a God designed plan and map for guidance and direction. Ignoring and disobeying God will set you back each day until it becomes evident that you are out of God’s way for your life. To be out of God’s way for deliverance and guidance is stepping into a way for self-destruction. Simple obedience to God’s direction for daily journey will get you to where God is taking you. As a believer of God, wake up and not allow self-belief to lead you to destruction.
Lot’s wife believed word of God indeed by moving forward out of destruction into God’s deliverance but allowed ignorance to look outside of God’s direction. God’s specified direction was given to Lot’s family in a day’s journey of deliverance from destruction. The book of Genesis 19:17 recorded, “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”  Ignorant of Lot’s wife was her determination to engage direction in her own way over God’s way. Genesis 19:26 recorded, “But his wife looked back behind him and she became a pillar of salt.”
Deliverance for Lot’s wife failed when she looked back outside of God’s word for deliverance. Determination to knowingly ignore God’s specified word for direction is an evidence of ignorance that makes a destitute of believer. Are you finding it difficult to obey God’s direction for your life? In the place of God’s word, avoid self-determination which will fail you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of His strength not to be a victim of self-determination.

FAITH CAPSULE: Going by the word of God, is going through the only track in the race of life.

Proverbs 6

In the word of God is where man will live life to possess God’s promises. Possessing God’s promises is giving self to God’s word continually. Without giving self to God’s word will result to lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 recorded, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you…” The people of God (not the people that does not know God) lack knowledge. The people of God are close to His word but continually reject word of God by not giving self to the word of God.
The word of God is God’s law for man, for God’s instruction and His command for man that will give self to His word. Those who allow their heart to keep the word of God shall have length of days, long life and peace. (Proverbs 6) Those who can keep the word of God are the ones who make God their confidence. Those who keep the word of God will know to do good when the chance to do good calls for doing good. Those who keep the word of God do not stumble where others are stumbling. The word of God does not mark one or exempt man from afflictions but in the word of God, there is an assured promise for deliverance out of all manner of affliction. (Psalm 34:19) Above all, those who keep the word in their heart will know not to lean on their own understanding.
Life is a race that is set before us. Going by the word of God, is going through the only track in the race of life. The word of God is the track for race of life. Hebrew 12:1 buttressed, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” In the race of life, all we need to run and be able to possess what God has for us is by the word of His grace. All what God is having for man in His word is all that man needs to live life abundantly if man will give self to God’s word. Going by the word of God is going through His word as God’s track. Jesus is the living word of God as it is written, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6)
By giving self to the word of God continually is way of gaining understanding and knowledge. With word, when one roam (move) the word will lead, when one sleeps the word will keep one and when one is awake the word will speak with one. (Proverbs 6:22) Unmistakably, the word of God is the track of race to arrive at expected journey of life, give self to the word of God continually.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you that His word will reign and rule your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Claiming truth without love is not character of Christ (Christ-like).

Psalm 138, 1 Thessalonians 2

Word of God is perfect to perform! Word of God is power that is in place for man that lives life by the word of God instead of living life by the word of the world. God spoke in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” What an awesome declaration! God is so sure of His word; His word shall not fail but perform with perfection. It is this same word that brought forth creation in the beginning and the same word is still answering in the life of ones that lives by the word of God. Without doubt, the word of God is true and nothing man amounts to without standing in the truth. Claiming truth without love is not a Christ-like.
Have you been preached to or you are preaching by claiming to have received word from God with no evidence of God’s manifestation? God is not a talkative with lying in His word to deceive and manipulate. The word of God is true but never fail except man’s failure to live by God’s word.
Psalmist identified the character of God’s word: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7-8) Hebrews 4:12 also identified character of God’s word, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Word of God encased all that is needed for man to live life abundantly if man will continually give self to the word of God.
King David a man after God’s own heart testified, “I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” (Psalm 138:2) The word of God shall never fail when His word is engaged with understanding. Word of God is His prophesy and Jesus warned, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19)
Live by God’s word, celebrate the word of God and it will elevate you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of understanding to be living by the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Ways of man under heaven are not hidden but accountable before God.

2 Kings 5, Acts 5:1-11

Have you been getting away with lying or you have perfected in deceiving others for so long? Have you convinced self that your lying and deceiving others is with no bounds? Lying and deceiving can be destructive to a liar’s life. As much as lying and deceiving others reigns outside of the church, so it is also rampant inside of the church. Acts 5:1-2 recorded, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” There was no indication that Ananias and Sapphira had to sell their possessions, and it can be assumed that it was a voluntary move. So why would they lie? Are you a believer who will lie, fake, or deceive to get attention or to impress fellow believers? In life, every conduct of man is not hidden from God but accountable before God.
Peter knew that Ananias and Sapphira were lying, faking, and deceiving. It is written, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?’” (Acts 5:4) What is worth doing for the Lord is worth doing truthfully in truth. Both, Ananias and his wife, might have engaged good intentions but lying as their garment set them away from the presence of God. The bible stated in Acts 5:5, “Then Ananias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.” Lying and deception took the life of Ananias and Sapphira.
Just like Ananias and Saphira, it was lying and deception that terminated Gehazi from living in the center of his divine assignment. After the healing of Naaman, Elisha refused to accept gifts from Naaman. Without any direction from Elisha, Gehazi the servant of Elisha deceitfully went after Naaman and stated, “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” (2 Kings 5:22) Gehazi accepted gift from Naaman against Elisha’s will. Elisha knowing about Gehazi’s deceptiveness asked Gehazi about his action but Gehazi lied. Elisha responded to Gehazi’s deceptiveness stating, “…was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?  Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:26-27) If you are lying and deceiving others goes unnoticed for years, it will only take one day for the truth to expose you as a liar.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver and preserve you from deceptive spirit.

FAITH CAPSULE: Waiting for seven months or more with no manifestation is not too late.

Numbers 14

If you have been waiting for seven months or more with no manifestation of prayer expectation is not too late. Experiencing prayer of expectation with no manifestation is not an evidence that God is asleep with no response for expectation. With no doubt, God hears with response to prayer at His appointed time. God operates at His Time while man operates clock with the ability to turn clock forward or backward. God is God that answers by saying: Yes, No or Wait when man seeks for God’s response in time of prayer of expectation. Bible specifically encourages us by identifying God as one that sees and hears stating, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?” (Psalm 94:9) God hears every spoken word quietly or loudly and that is the reason for disengaging doubt but believe that God hears. Experiencing prayer of expectation with no manifestation can be a challenging time but it is not an evidence that God is asleep with no response for expectation. God will always respond to prayer of expectation at His appointed time.
Challenging time is not an excusable time for complaining but a better time of complementing God. Israelites could not avoid but complaint, speaking negative to God’s ear and God responded, “…As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.” (Numbers 14:28) Challenges by nature  serve as a call to battle or contest. Challenges have the tendency to be ugly and painful, especially when they persist or refuse to cease. When challenges persistently become painful, it is possible for ones to wonder or question if God remembers or sees them in challenging situations.
Are you facing a long enduring challenge that seems to be an unending challenge?
It is important to remain focus on God with understanding by knowing that God is not asleep, His appointed time with His intervention will be delivered. Jesus warned about challenging as tribulation which is inevitable in the life of man. However, the antidote for challenging time (tribulation) is peace for those who receive and believe in Him. John 16:33 buttressed, “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.” In this world, tribulation will come either man likes it or not. However, it is better to accept Jesus for having peace during tribulation or man can make the choice of not having Jesus to engage tribulation without peace.
Challenging situation that is resulting from the prayer of expectation with no manifestation demands waiting on God. Manifestly, how one chooses to wait on God determines the outcome of waiting result. David described the result of His waiting, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. (Psalm 40:1-2)
Waiting patiently is what makes man perfect and complete lacking nothing. (James1:4)

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of new songs.