FAITH CAPSULE: Waiting or looking up to God is certain for man to get His unfailing attention.

John 11:1-44

Waiting on God is looking up to God. Looking up to God is waiting on God. Who do you wait or look up to in times of challenging? Waiting or looking up to God is seeking God and will get attention of God that is looking down on us. Psalm 14:2 testified, “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.” Waiting or looking up to God is certain for man to get His unfailing attention. Waiting and looking up to God is action which is a demonstration of faith. When God sees action (faith) of man, God will always act for man. Isaiah 64:4 recorded how God will response to man that wait on Him, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
Jesus demonstrated what it is like waiting on God, looking up to God.
Lazarus was dead by the time Jesus got to his cave. Stone was rolled against Lazarus’ possibility to come back to life. For Lazarus, hope was shattered, mourning and grieve became the portion of his people. Above all, there was no medical practitioner recorded to be on ground to help because trust and hope was not in place for dead Lazarus. Jesus, the Commanding commander gave a command asking for the stone (door) be removed. Jesus requested for open door for hope to be restored. It is written, “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.” (John 11:41-44) Among the actions of Jesus for Lazarus to come back to life was that, Jesus looked up for divine intervention. Jesus set up example for us to know and to always look up when all hope is lost. Also, Jesus looked up and gave thanks. Jesus did not wait or look to man; He did not wait or look up to complain but He looked up to giving thanks for expectation that was yet at hand. In your challenging situation, who are you waiting or looking up to? Are a true believer or a believing believer or an unbelieving believer? A true believer should not wait or look outside of God. Learn to be expecting your expectation from the Almighty God; Omnipotent and Omnipresent God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God over your waiting and looking up to God to always look up only to Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Apply discretion for your preservation; exercise understanding to keep you.

1 Kings 3

Confusion is not of God but the evidence of the lack of understanding. Making right choice in God’s direction is taking a step to be preserved for the glory of God. However, when man make right choice by doing as directed by God understanding of right choice will keep man to live life for the glory of God. Proverbs 2:11 stated it better, “Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you.”
God instructed man to fill the earth stating, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Instead, they made the choice to build a unified culture and constructed a tower as symbol and seal of their common identity. God wanted them to fill the earth but they wanted to build a city for themselves. (Genesis 11:4) People’s move to Shinar was a direct opposition to God’s instruction to multiply and fill the earth. Building Babel was a wrong choice against God’s direction as a result, they were not taking a place to be preserved. The people then were lack of understanding as confusing took charge over their life activity.
Man’s choice against God’s direction is always a wicked execution which never escape God’s attention. For the people at the construction of Babel, God visited their disobedient to scatter them and confused their language. (Genesis 11:8)
Are you applying discretion for your preservation and exercising understanding to keep you?
After Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord, the Lord appeared to him. It is written, “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5) Solomon could think of nothing better but responded to God’s question asking, “… give to Your servant an understanding heart…” (1 Kings 3:9) Understanding is for man to be kept in the journey of life. The bible recorded in 1 Kings 3:10, “The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.” God added wisdom to Solomon’s request for understanding. Truly, wisdom compliments understanding and it is the combination of both that will give a knowing edge over confronting challenges of the world. Proverbs 4:7 admonished, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
Listening to God’s word of direction is the assured way of gaining understanding that will keep man in the journey of life. Today, make the choice which preserves man; gain understanding that will keep you to live life for the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of making right choice and applying understanding from God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Encased in the word of God is what it takes to escape wicked agendas of wicked world.

John 1:1-38

The word of God of God. His word is astonishing (meaning that it is shocking, it is AMAZING…Acts 13:12)
The word of God is for warning in preaching (Colossians 1:28) and it is not for preachers to be reaping man’s possession. The word of God is testified in Psalm 18:30, “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Hebrews 4:12 described the word of God stating, “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.”
Without doubt, Jesus is the word of God. John 1:1-5 recorded, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
The book of John 1:1-5 is not proving or forcing the truth about the word of God but introduced need to know and understanding the word of God. Any man with choice to adapt and adhere to the living word of God as a mirror will not fail but to reflect the word of God in this wicked world. The living word of God is all that every man need to prevail in every area of living life to the glory of God in this wicked world.
How do you engage the word or will you take a position to be engaging the word of God? Without holding back, begin to behold and see in the word of God as mirror. Behold the word of God constantly by hearing and hearing with effective listening ability. In beholding the word of God as mirror, begin to see and receive in the word of God. Seeing indeed and in truth in the word of God there will be no doubt that shame will not locate man as garment. What man sees and receive in the word of God will make up man’s life.
Have you received enough in His word to be living in the word of God? Encased in the word of God is what it takes to escape and not be a victim of the wickedness of this world. If you will seek, you will see and be able to capture a secured future in the word of God which cannot be broken nor return to Him void.
Prayer for today: Ask God to be giving self to the word of god for unfailing in all areas of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Humility makes you a leader from God.

Matthew 26:47-56

Your title is not your task but to serve your people. As an acclaimed believer of God, be living according to the word of God. For example, as a believer of the word of God, live life with humility outside or inside of the church. As a believer of the word of God, with humility live as a server of the people you are in position to lead.
As an acclaimed believer of God, do you have humility?
To be a leader is to be the one that serves not to take a position as god. Jesus was mindful of the things of God and could not be a vessel of deception. God exalted Jesus and God gave Him a name that is above all names. (Philippians 2:9) Lying, deception and manipulation should not be the character of a titled leader. As a believer that is living by the word of God how do you handle your leadership role?
Does your role as a leader separates you or blends you with those that you serve? Can you be identified with the people that you are leading? Your identity as a leader that serves should not only be in your attire or material but in humility. Jesus taught humility, He demonstrated humility and at the time of His arrest it was evident that He lived and ministered humility. When it was time for Judas to betray Jesus, it was through kissing. Jesus was so much identical with His disciples. Matthew 26: 48-49 “Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.”  Jesus’ humility extended to His appearance; He was so blend with His disciples and He could not be identified except with a kiss.
What does humility mean to you?
Humility can be described as a condition of being humble. One that is humble is courteously respectful; not proud or arrogant. Humility is what preserves the soul. Psalm 69:32 buttressed, “The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live.” Humility is one of the keys to live life as a true believer. It takes humility for man to think of others before thinking of self. Apostle Paul bolstered, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3) Do you constantly think of yourself more than how you think of others?
Without doubt, humility is a state of mind well pleasing to God. Humility is a branch of faith and without faith God is not pleased. Be humble and live life to the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to live life with humility as your character.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you opening yourself for the Satan?

Job 1

Power belongs unto God. Psalm 66:3 testified, “…How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.” It is good to know that power belongs to our God. While the devil walks about, God sits on His throne to see all. The book of 2 Chronicles 16:9 encouraged us, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Power belongs to God but is not for us to abuse the privilege of having God on our side as a caring father. The book of 1 Peter 5:8 warned, “Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” God shall never leave us if we are focus on Him.
Do you fear God enough to continually acknowledge Him for protection of His hand upon your life? Having a loyal heart is relying on Him. Those who rely on God are the ones who fear God.
It is recorded in the book of Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” Can you imagine Satan having access to the gathering of the sons of God? The presence of Satan’s at the gathering of sons of God was questioned as he declared that he was going to and fro on the earth; he was walking back and forth on it (Job 1:7). For Satan, it is business as usual to be looking for someone to devour. Since the days of the Bible, Satan has been going to and fro looking for someone to devour. Today he is still looking for whom to devour and tomorrow he will continue to look for someone to devour until his time is up. The devil is at work and he has not given up his hope in attempt to frustrate the business of the kingdom just as he has been doing since he was driven out of heaven.
Devil was in his business of devouring man when he entered Judas a disciple of Jesus Christ. Mark 14:10 recorded, “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Indeed, when it was time for Satan to work through Judas, it was through a convenient way. Judas gave Jesus up with a kiss. Are you opening yourself for the Satan? It does not matter where you are or what you do, if your walk is short before God, the Satan will take advantage to devour you. Do not make yourself available for the devourer.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace not to become a victim of the devil.