FAITH CAPSULE: Are you sleeping from sorrow or sleeping in blessings?

Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 22:39-46,

Challenging root of Christians is the issue of not giving attention to the word of God as warning. Today, majority with titles such as Evangelist, Pastors, Apostles only answers to titles not as tasks for God by preaching Him (Jesus, word of God), warning to man. Paul buttressed, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:28) Preaching Him, warning man is for man to have fear of God which is the source of wisdom in man’s life as stated in Psalm 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”
Jesus, in His last hour on earth, declared staunch warning, “When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:45-46) Jesus was not discouraging or disallowing man from having sleep at appointed time. However, He warned man not to be sleeping at appointed time of prayer. Appointed time for prayer is a time of dedication before God. Dedication time of prayer before God is a time of blessing. Word of God clearly stated, “He found them sleeping from sorrow” Word of God did not say that “He found them sleeping in blessing” Sleeping from sorrow will withdraw man from blessing of God. (Truly Proverbs 10:22 said it all saying, blessings of God add no sorrow.)
Jesus’s warning in His word at His time was directed to man of His time and to man of today stating, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Jesus’ warning command was “rise and pray lest you enter temptation” As an acclaimed believer, are you giving attention to the warning of God by giving self to watching and praying and not become a victim of temptation which often terminates man from living life for the glory of God.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Parable of Ten Virgins) by Jesus speaks to the difference of sleeping from sorrow and the sleeping in blessing. In the parable, foolish (five) virgins had no extra oil for their lamp but slept from sorrow. The wise virgins had extra oil for their lamp but were prepared to sleep in blessing. Wise virgins could not miss Jesus visitation unlike foolish five virgins with sorrow and not gain blessing of God. To be awake before God is not sleeping in the place of prayer.
From Old Testament to New Testament word of God repeatedly warned against sleeping at an appointed time of prayer as stated, “watch and pray”. A failure to pray and not watch will position man for temptation which denies blessings of God but add sorrow from temptation. Are you sleeping from sorrow or sleeping in blessings?

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to keep you awake from sleeping from sorrow.

FAITH CAPSULE: Trust and hope in God is the key to frustrate enemy in one’s life.

Daniel 3

It is only those who know the name of God (not those who know about His name) that will always put their trust and hope in God. Jeremiah 17:7 stated, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” The Psalmist buttressed, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10) Inability of man not to be placing trust and having in God does not mark man as boldness and character frustrating enemy’s agenda. For example, going into prayer ground with prayer request is having trust in God. However, coming out of praying ground with doubt over prayer request and confessing negative testifies not having hope in God.
It is incomplete to approach God with trust and not have hope. Verse above clearly said it, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” With trust in God to be participating activities among believers, while confessing lack of hope is the evidence of not knowing God indeed and in truth. The fear of God is knowing God. One that does not fear God cannot possibly trust and have hope in God.
In the face of fiery furnace fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to serve or worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image. The three brothers had trust in God with hope in God which is demonstration of boldness and character, a winning combination. The three brothers took their stand without bending in their trust and hope in God’s deliverance. When King Nebuchadnezzar questioned three brother’s deliverance he got response as stated, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.” (Daniel 3:16) The three brothers had trust and hope in God for possibility in the place of impossibility.
Just like the three brothers, is there any challenging threatening attempting to hanging your life? In the face of untimely death in fiery fire, three brothers of Daniels’ trust and hope in God responded to King Nebuchadnezzar, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” (Daniel 3:17) Truly, deliverance answered for the three brothers and king Nebuchadnezzar responded, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!” (Daniel 3:28) Trust and hope is the evidence of boldness and character which is a winning combination for ones with fear of God and knows God.
Just like the three brothers of Daniel, trust and hope in God to promote you and prostrate your adversary to the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of boldness and character in life standing for the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Determination is not enough for man to answer fully for God’s calling but prayer.

Psalm 19

Determination to have clean heart not to fail before God will fail but only prayer will enable man not to fail before God. When Jesus prophesied that Peter was going to deny Him, Peter did not accept Jesus’ prophecy but determined not to deny Jesus. Determination failed Peter as it is written, “A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.” (Mark 14:72) Peter, a disciple of Jesus is an example that determination is not enough to answer fully for man’s desire to live for God’s glory. Evidently, Jesus actually prayed against Peter’s failure as stated, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:32) As a believer, it is good to have determination for God’s calling but there must be understanding that prayer is the key not to fail.
Is your heart clean for not to fail before God? Have you given your heart to God? It is important that man should give heart to a procedure that will remove all which represents wickedness. Procedure to remove and clean the heart is in prayer. The Psalmist prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) Man needs to engage prayer to help in having a clean heart. The thinking which man carries in the heart is what will determine man’s exploit on the face of the earth. The book of Proverb 23:7 buttress “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he ‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you but his heart is not with you.’” It is clear that man should keep heart with diligence to avoid any form of negativity. With prayer, Man should also know and understand to keep heart with diligence otherwise wickedness will reap through the heart of man.
Daniel kept his heart with diligence by purposing positives to the glory of God.  Daniel 1:8 records, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” Daniel purposed heart and it marked him out for great exploit to the glory of God. Daniel’s heart made the difference that matters in all of his life.
It is written, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Desire for a clean heart, keep to heart the word of God and give self to prayer trusting God to deposit what it takes to have a clean heart.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace not to fail but to stand for God’s glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Knowingly or unknowingly, is it pride that is hindering you to live life for the glory of God?

2 Kings 5

What is reducing man to live life for the glory of God? Can you search your heart and not be self-victim not to live life for the glory of God? There is nothing that can reduce man but self. Naaman had leprosy which was not enough to reduce him to live life for the glory of God.
It is written, “Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.” (2 Kings 5:1) With all the honors in the life of Naaman there was leprosy. In documentation of Naaman, leprosy could not deny Naaman’s status and achievement before his master. The Hindrance issue of Naaman was alive in him and not obvious to his master and people around him. The hindrance issue which clouded Naaman is the same that is clouding so many today especially among believers. The hindrance in Naaman’s life was none other than pride.
It was hindrance issue that stood between Naaman and the word of his healing. The bible recorded, “Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” (2 Kings 5:10) Wash and clean was the word of healing that was spoken to Naaman. Evidently the power to get Naaman’s healing was obedience to the word of God’s prophet. The hindrance issue in Naaman reacted negatively as it is written, “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’  Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:11-12).
Hindrance issue in Naaman’s life was pride. Unknowingly or knowingly, is it pride that is hindering you to live life for the glory of God? The pride in Naaman’s life manifested when: He became furious (extreme anger); Naaman walked away from his glorious healing; Naaman’s spirit of “I” set in; rage took over Naaman to act with fury. Knowingly or unknowingly, is any of Naaman having place in you?
When pride in Naaman’s life subsided, obedience to the word of prophet led him to be washed from the leprosy in his life.
Today, take time out to look in the mirror of the word of God. Word of God is a revealing word for man to observe for self-correction. Give self continually to the word of God as mirror for correcting self and not become a victim of self-destruction in life. Pride is without doubt a personal ride to self-destruction.

Prayer for today: Ask before God for deliverance from pride of self-destruction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Faith by mouth or by head is not faith that is rooted in the heart.

1kings 3: 3-15

Without faith no man can please God. Hebrews 11:6 buttressed, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  God with jealous expects to be pleased in all ways of life, He definitely wants to be pleased in man’s way of life. As an acclaimed believer, are you living life by faith to please God? Habakkuk 4:2 stated, “…the just shall live by his faith.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 also pointed out that we watch and stand by faith. Faith by mouth or by head is not faith that is rooted in the heart. Many claims to be a believer with faith but standing is far from God by watching out of God’s direction. Do you pay attention to how you stand and how you watch? Are you hearing enough of God’s word to keep your walking, watching and standing in faith? Live life to be pleasing God by standing and watching by faith. Please God with your lifestyle meditating day and night to be access to God’s presence.
Take note by understanding and knowing that God must be pleased and become rewarded by gaining and maintaining God’s presence.
King Solomon, the son of David and the third king of Israel was known for his wisdom and the building of temple. He was able to please God with his speech and it provoked God to endue him with great wisdom which became his identity forever. It happened to be that Solomon went to sacrifice at Gibeon when God appeared to him. God asked Solomon, “…What shall I give you?” (2 Kings 3:5) King Solomon responded to God’s question, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9) He had the business of God at heart which was pleasing to God. Solomon was not pleasing self to please God. For Solomon, self-pleasing before God was not in place as a result, Solomon asked for what it takes to carry out God’s divine plan in his life. What is pleasing for you above pleasing God?
Are you a truly acclaimed believer, professional minister, or a minister for the Lord’s business? Solomon asked pleasingly before God as God was pleasingly provoked to bless Solomon beyond his expectation. It is written, “The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.” (1 Kings 3:10) God blessed Solomon with uncommon wisdom. Live life by pleasing God for His uncommon blessing to answer in your life for His glory.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to pleasingly live life for God.