FAITH CAPSULE: What does God’s commandment mean to you?

John 8:1-36

Commandment of God is His law to guide man. Commandments of God is the purpose (reasoning) of God for man to love. God’s law, His commandment did not change from the time of the Old Testament till today. Galatians 5:14 recorded the urgency of God’s purpose for His commandments stating, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Commandments of God is fulfilled for us to love others as God loves us.
In the book of 1Timothy 1:5-6, the word of God identified three avenues for love to be demonstrated by man before God. It is written, “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.”
Without doubt, loving from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith cannot be separated. Ones that love with pure heart strive for good conscience and they are the ones with sincere faith. It is not possible to claim faith (as many in the church do) and not have a good conscience.
Conscience is the sense of right and wrong that governs a person’s thoughts and actions. Actions of man before God demonstrates man’s faith before God. 1 Samuel 2:3 buttressed, “…For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” Conscience is what convicts man to turn man from what is not right. Lying, deception and manipulation are the identities of church and it is the evidence of one that lacks conscience. Also, it is the lack of conscience that causes a believer to live life in empty pride consciously or unconsciously.
Conscience is responsible for conviction in man’s life. However, pride often hinders man not to respond to conscience when conviction is in place. Conscience will convict man that is ready to disregard pride. The Pharisees brought a woman that was caught in the act of adultery to Jesus hoping for a judgment that calls for stoning her according to the Law of Moses. Jesus responded, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” (John 8:7) The book John 8:9 documented the reaction of the people, “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one…”
Man are to strive for conscience and not become a victim of lack of love before God. Paul in his defense before Felix made it known in his statement that conscience is what we strive for. Paul stated, “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16)
Having conscience without offence toward God and man is a good conscience.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be striving for conscience and gain to retain the presence of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Asking from God without doubt is a pointer to the center of God’s divine assignment.

Exodus 3

God’s direction is His command. In His direction there is a way where there is no way. God’s direction is certain to deliver when there is full obedience to His direction. In His direction doubt will lead to self-denial, misdirection, fear will rise, and faith will sink. God’s calling is His direction. When He calls you, he will back you up and not fail. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 buttressed, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”
So, why is it that doubt is interfering man’s journey of life when God’s direction never fails? Doubt is the center of fear provoking disobedience to God’s direction. Asking without doubting God’s command is the way not to become a victim of self-destruction. Knowing God instead of knowing about God is asking in faith for His direction regardless of any challenge. With full assurance, Jesus promised in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Often, instead of asking as promised in the word of Jesus, man turns to fear; complaint or giving excuses to God. Does that sound like you?
When it was time for God to make a way out of bondage for the Israelites, He called Moses. Calling of God was challenging for Moses, but he repeatedly asked for God’s direction without complaint or doubt. God called Moses, “…I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10) Moses responded to God’s calling, “…Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11) Moses’ asking was not to doubt God but getting elaboration that furthered God’s direction in his life. God responded to Moses, “…I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you…” (Exodus 3:12) When God calls you, He is certain to back you up unfailingly.
In life, there is no reason to stop asking from God prayerfully in faith and not in doubt. Moses also asked prayerfully in faith as stated in Exodus 33:13 “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”  Asking from God was a pointer for Moses’ journey as commanded by God. Fear for God awesomeness is asking without doubt and honoring Him. God is not a wicked God but a good caring God. Moses asked prayerfully, and God answered him, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14) Ask Him and hold onto His answer which is set to manifest.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be asking and hearing when He speaks unfailing direction to you.

FAITH CAPSULE: In this wicked world, man should be living as upright believer What kind of believer are you in this wicked world of today?

Colossians 3

Are you a believing believer or an unbelieving believer? Believers of today are mouth-full of the word of God but not mind-full of the word of God. Believers today are with actions that is not desperate for God but desperate for self-interests. Action that is desperate for God is characterized with uncommon action to provoke uncommon visitation of the hand of God with uncommon good of God for His glory. Action that is desperate before God is the action which God will see faith in it. In the paralytic man’s testimony, God saw faith in the action of the paralytic man. Mark 2:1-5 recorded, “And again, He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.  Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.  Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.  And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus saw their faith in the paralytic roof tearing action.
Are you a mouth-full believer with action which is desperate for self-interest or for God’s glory? Action that is rooted in the word of God is set to deliver answer that gives glory to God. It is very rare to locate believing believer that set mind on the things above, answering as upright believer. Is it your desire to be living as upright believer? Among the promises of God for the upright believer is recorded in Psalm 112:4, “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness…” The wicked world is clouded by darkness where the devil is taking charge, working round the clock devouring man.
It is living in the fear of God that will make man an upright believer. To fear God is to be living life in obedience to the word of God while darkness will be giving up for light of God to be keeping the believing man.
Today, be living upright that is raised up with Jesus, seeking the things of God which are in the above. Colossians 3:1-5 recorded, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Fear God and live as an upright believer of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the fear of God to be your garment.

FAITH CAPSULE: As your life journey continues by His grace be committed to His word.

Numbers 32

Giving self to a convenient location will dislocate commitment in the life of man from getting to the center of divine assignment.
The Israelites could not commit to God’s promise for their life when they considered to remain at a convenient location of their choice. The children of Gad and Reuben were set to settle for East side of the Jordan when God wanted them to cross the Jordan and establish them. The children of Gad and children of Reuben’s choice of convenience was priority above their commitment to God’s promise for their life. Man’s priority above God’s promise can relocate man from outside of God’s divine assignment for man.
Numbers 32:1-7 documented, “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,  the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,  the country which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”  Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.” And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?  Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?”
God promised a land that flows with milk and honey, but the children of Gad and children of Reuben wanted to settle for land with milk.
The Bible stated that the children of Gad had a great multitude of livestock. When they recognized that the region was good for livestock (the source of milk) their commitment to go forward and engage the full promise of God for the land with milk and honey was voided.
The request of the children of Gad was a discouragement to their brethren from going forward. Moses compared the request to same as the spy’s report at Kadesh Barnea when the children of Israel were discouraged (except for Caleb and Joshua). The discouragement led to complaint and they were terminated in the wilderness. In that action God’s anger was provoked. (Numbers 32:10-12) In life, man that is not committed to God will commit to complaint and not arrive at God’s promise.
Commitment is not convenient, it is a sacrifice. One that is not committed will compromise the word of God. Discipline lines with commitment while doubt lines against commitment. With doubt, fear rises to relegate faith. In the journey of life, be committed to God and remain connected to the promise of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God for you to be committed to God’s word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Starting from this month, be desperate for God.

Mark 14:10-50

In this wicked world, going by the time we are living it is time to come out of religion and get into commitment to God. Commitment to God demands to be seeking God diligently. Seeking God diligently is to become desperate for God by giving self continually to God’s word. It is the word of God that will position man for the blessing of God. As a child of God, there should be nothing to live life for but to seek God diligently. What does it mean to be placed in the position of God for man?
The position of God for man is how man walk, sit and stand in the word of God. Blessing of God comes with condition if man will commit to God’s word. Psalm 1:1-2 recorded, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” In life, every time man gives to negative opinion of others it becomes evidence of man’s withdrawal from commitment to God. Man is either committed to God or committed to devil consciously or unconsciously. In this wicked world, acclaimed believers with compromise in the position of God is the evidence of lack of commitment to God.
Commitment denies convenience for believer that is desperate for God. Acclaimed believers today are sold out for money but not able to give self to God continually. Without doubt, the gene of acclaimed believers today is the same gene of Judas Iscariot. With convenient Judas was sold to come out of commitment for Jesus. Bible recorded Judas Iscariot for our learning in the book of Mark 14:11, “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Betraying God is rooted in convenience. With convenience, believers and unbelieving-believers are giving up their commitment to God to deny God.
Denying God is declining to remain committed to God. In Matthew 26:34 Jesus’ spoke to Peter and it also speaks to how acclaimed believers of today are failing with no commitment to God, “Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Three times Peter truly void his commitment to God. Imagine, Apostle Peter, a disciple of Jesus who re-positioned his standing for God by keeping distance from Jesus. Peter also took a sit of convenient not a commitment to God. Mark 14:54 recorded, “But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.” Apostle Peter, a disciple of Jesus conveniently denied Jesus despite his determination not to deny Jesus.
Starting from this month, be desperate for God to remain in His position for man. Determination will fail but fervent prayer will prevail.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God that your faith will not fail.