FAITH CAPSULE: In the journey of life, take to God’s way not man’s way.

Proverbs 16

Taking to the way of man is abandoning the way of God. In the way of man there is lying, deception and manipulation. In the way of man there is discouragement to be denied in the journey of life. In the way of man there is performance with no perfection. In the way of man distraction is in place which builds to corruption that leads to termination in life. In the way of man, giving clock priority over timing of God is a pattern of life for man. Timing of God is God’s appointed time with no possibility for man’s interruption. Clock is always in man’s hand to be turned backward of forward by man with not result. There are so many ways that seems right but not all leads to life. Think of it, is it the way of man (person’s way) or the way of God you are giving self to? The way that seems right to man is outside of the way of God. Word of God warned concerning way that seems right, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 16:25) God cannot be mocked, and He sees from where we are coming from to where we are going. Which way are you taking to? Any way outside of the way of God is a way to self-destruction. God has His way and His ways are in His word. The way of God is written in the pages of the Bible. In the way of God there is guidance to keep and direct man in the journey of life. I Samuel 2:9 buttressed, “He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail.”
God cannot be deceived neither can He be mocked as regard to the way man engages the journey of life. Also, it is impossible to take to the way of God and end up in destruction. It is evident that all who has taken to their own way, outside of God’s way is set for self-destruction.
Take to the way of God and God will take you beyond your expectation. He is a faithful God. A time of self- examination is not a time of self-deception. Today, give to self-examination and avoid self-destruction. The book of Proverbs 16:2 stated, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.” Will you be sincere with yourself and let God redirect your steps into His way? God wants to be pleased with how we walk. Proverbs 16:7 admonished us, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” The Lord God has spoken, and it is left for man to listen. Take to the ways of God and you shall never fail. It does not matter how long you have been taking to your way with no result, but it is true and certain that the way of God cannot be wrong.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to walk in His way to guide and direct you in the journey of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Many confess Christ, but ways of life do not complement confession.

John 8:21-59

Claiming to be a believer but living like unbelieving will mark one as noise maker. A nose making believer is not truthful to the word of God and not free indeed. There are so many claiming to be a believer only by mouth and not by their way of living life. Many confess Christ, but ways of life do not complement confession.
Does that sound like you? Are you truly living life by the word of God or living by the word of world?
Being church is not abiding in church. Regardless of answering as a church member does not make man a believer that is free indeed and in truth. It is written, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Jesus was talking to believers but not unbelievers when He stated, if you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Despite Jesus’ word, believers are far from His word.
As an acclaimed believer, do you ABIDE in Him? Meaning that are you giving self to the word of God? Those who abide in Him are the ones that dwell in Him by giving self to the word of God. Engaging church activities is not an evidence of abiding in Him. Today, give self to God’s word and be abiding in Him indeed in truth.
Psalm 91 recorded, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  (Psalm 91: 1) The secret of the Lord is the word of God and delivers as power to ones who abides to dwell in the word of God.
Psalm 91:1-6, pointed out what it is to be free indeed and in truth when we abide in the word of God by stating:
“Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.”
Jesus is true to His word when He stated that those who abide in Him are His disciples and they shall know the truth and they shall be free. Clearly Psalm 91 identified what it means to be free indeed and in truth when abiding and dwelling in the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be abiding and dwelling in the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is possible, and it is now to rise and shine against darkness of this earth.

Matthew 5

Jesus identified believers as salt and went further to identified believers as light. It is written, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) Interestingly, how many believers are living life as light or how many recognizes self as light? Millions claims to be a believer of the word of God but not taking a position as light which terminate darkness of their world. Living life as light is not a mouth activity or a noise making but to be rising and shinning against darkness of earth for the glory of God.
As an acclaimed believer of God’s word, answer as light and shine for the glory of God by rising to His calling. Isaiah 60:1-2, “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.” The call to rise does not have a condition nor shall there be any reason for compromise but to rise and respond to God’s calling. When God calls He is evidently more than able to back man in calling. Obedience is to rise and shine for God’s glory. Indeed, deep darkness will show its face in attempt to discourage or deny man from rising but the Lord is always at work for the heart that desires to rise unto God’s calling. He said that He will rise over us and His glory would not be denied. Rising in response to the word of God is all that made Abraham to be distinct before God. It was Abraham’s rising to shine for God that also recognized him as “Friend of God” (James 2:23) Abraham rose for God when God said to him, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Abraham did not hesitate, he did not exercise doubt, neither does he questioned God’s calling for him to rise.
Indeed, Abraham’s rising to shine for God, made it possible for him to possess promises of God for his life. As an acclaimed believer, can you think of what is keeping you grounded from rising to God’s calling? In all your walk and work on the face of the earth, is there any area you have remained grounded? The rising of Abraham continues to generate the blessings of God’s promise from generation to generation. It is possible, and it is now for your rising to arrive at God’s blessing.

Prayer for today: Ask God to intervene against forces of your rising for God’s glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus’ Zealous act in the temple was of a right principle.

Numbers 25

Man should understand and know the need to be in shape as God’s symbol by living on right principles (ethics, value) by not missing out in the center of God’s divine assignment on earth. Zeal will set man right before God and settle man for greatness for God’s glory when zeal is grounded on right principle. Jesus’ Zealous act in the temple was of a right principle. Jesus drove out those who engaged buying and selling in the temple by using whip of cords. (John 2:13-17) As a believer, are you learning from zealousness that is rooted on a right principle through the pages of the bible?
Documentation of Phinehas the son of Eleazar was a demonstration of a faithful act which testifies to man’s zealousness that was rooted on a right principle. (Number 25)
Once on the journey to the Promised Land, the children of Israel provoked the anger of God against them when they joined to Baal of Peor. While they were facing the wrath for joining Baal Peor, “…One of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.” (Numbers 25:6)
The point here is that, they had not gotten over the consequences of one sin when they began to engage another sin through a fellow in their midst. Phinehas’ zealous response is recorded in Numbers 25:7-8 stating, “…Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel.” Phinehas action, provoked God and God spoke to Moses, “…Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal…” (Numbers 25:11)
Phinehas could not sit back and compromise with wrong doing in the presence of God. Phinehas’s zealousness which was rooted on a right principle made Phinehas to act on behalf of God against evil act of the children of Israel. God responded to Phinehas’ zeal by zipping him in a bundle of blessing which extends to his descendants. God spoke through Moses, “…Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God…’” (Numbers 25:12-13) God is the benevolent rewarder of those that seek Him diligently. If you desire zeal for God, ask for it in prayer and God will deposit desire for His zeal.

Prayer Point: Ask God for the grace that His zeal will eat you up.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you loving by your standard or by God’s standard?

1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4

Knowing the word of God is knowing God while knowing about God is not knowing God. In the word of God is God’s commandment and the purpose of God’s commandment is love. Loving as commanded by God is knowing God. Loving is rooted in having faith in God. One that loves as commanded by God does have faith in God. In the world today, is there love the evidence of faith? Wickedness reigns all over the world in the place of love. Interestingly, Jesus asked, “…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Search self and identify if living life in commandment of God is demonstrated by loving. Loving as commanded by God is having faith. Word of God recorded, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1John 4:7-8) Do you know God? Do you love as commanded by God? Are you looking forward to the coming back of Jesus and not miss out when He comes?
Love as commanded by God is crucial not to miss heaven.
God gave His commandment so that love can exist among man. A brother who abstains from stealing, lying or deceiving his brother demonstrates love. Loving in God’s way is God’s love. We cannot love in our own way but by God’s standard. The book of 1Timothy 1:5 identified standard of God’s love, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk.” Loving by God’s standard is not common especially in a world where man is full of self. Claiming to love without loving with pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith is empty love. In a world where living life is without good conscience love is evidently not a way of living life. In a world where man is desperately concerned about self, engaging others with sincere faith is a strange thing. Are you loving by your standard or as commanded by the word of God?
Among the gift of God, love is the greatest gift. Love should be considered as the anchor which every other gift holds on to and when love is not there fulfilling the command of God is impossible. Paul the apostle clearly drew out the importance of love in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” Have faith by loving as commanded by God is profitable.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to love according to His standard.