FAITH CAPSULE: Pay attention to distance and closed ones which represents crowd and multitude.

Mark 2:1-12

Crowd/multitude should not be one’s partner in expected end of journey. Crowd/multitude’s specialty is to delay, deny or discourage one to arrive at the expected end of journey.
A paralytic man expected healing at Jesus’ visitation at Capernaum. It is written, “…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.” (Mark 2:1-2) The paralytic man avoided crowd/multitude as recorded, “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.” (Mark 2:4) Identify your crowd/multitude and not be denied from getting to expected end.
Crowd/multitude which the Israelites could not disengage denied and derailed the Israelites from getting to God’s Promised Land. At the time the Israelites started journey to God’s Promised Land, bible recorded, “Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.  A mixed multitude went up with them…”  (Exodus 12:37-38) Mixed multitude became the baggage for the Israelites. A mixed-up multitude is unholy mix-up to deny and derail man from arriving at expected end.
At the time of Israelites’ departure, dangerous of carrying multitude was not glaring. The Israelites’ mixed multitude among them was the effect of negatively. It is written, “Now the mixed multitudes who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers 11:4-6) Crowd/multitude is an agent of evil to deny and derail journey. Are you one having crowd/multitude as baggage in your journey of life? Mixed multitude was a baggage for the Israelites provoking complaint against God.
God responded to the Israelites complaint as stated, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.  Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:  The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.  Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.” (Numbers 14:27-30)
This year, it is not too late to avoid crowd/multitude as your partner. Pay attention to distance and closed ones which represents crowd and multitude.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to deny crowd/multitude in your journey of life.

FAITH CAPSULE:Do not become a victim of failure in the journey of life.

1 Samuel 18

In the journey of life, one must pay attention but not focus on forces such as cheers and jeers which sounds in one’s direction. However, it is important for one not to allow cheers and jeers to replace the word of God as encouraging force to arrive at expected end of journey in life. Cheers can be expression of thanks in one’s direction while jeers which is speaking or crying out with derision or mockery can also sound in in one’s direction. As a leader or to be holding up a position, receiving cheers and jeers is an unavoidable route and it is important for one to be careful and not become a victim of failure in the journey of life.
David, a man after God’s own heart could not avoid cheers and jeers from sounding in his direction.
Philistines and Goliath stood a ground of war against the Israelite. Goliath made a provoking statement, “Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”  And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine; they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:8-10) It was the statement of Goliath that provoked David and made David to respond as it is written, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26)
David eventually killed Goliath as the Israelites overcame Philistine and cheers from the Israelites was directed to David as recorded, “…when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.  So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:6-7)
The same David that was cheered by the Israelites was embarrassingly jeered by the Israelite. While David was still King, the heart of the men of Israel went with Absalom and David had no choice but to vacate the throne to run for his life. As David was fleeing curses and stones were the unimaginable jeers that were thrown at David. (2Samuel 16:5-14) David, a man after God’s heart experienced cheers and jeers but remained on track without distraction. David was focused to arrive at his expected journey of life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God not to become a victim of world around you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Live life consistently by the word of God and watch things change overnight for God’s glory over your life.

Exodus 2

Complaint, discouragement or anxiousness is not what you need at this point of unexpected changes in every area of life. Unexpected changes overnight are causing friends to scatter from you and no longer be there to help. Do not count on man to answer as your help. It seems that your surrounding is beginning to wonder how long you will be going through unexpected changes. However, get to know that God will see you through if you will keep seeing through in the word of God. Psalmist pointed out, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) God is faithful to honor His word if man should focus on God with no complaint, discouragement or anxiousness.
Anxiousness is not of God but builds up worrying inside of man. In life, worrying is the opposite of worship. One with worrying shall disengage self from worshiping God. Where there is no worship issue of life will occupy one’s life. Apostle Paul admonished as stated, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Word of God that enters into heart is the way to be above any issues of life by trusting and hoping that the word of God is true to perform with perfection. Unexpected changes can be challenging but with God it is impossible to keep one down. In the bible days, unexpected changes responded to God’s intervention in the life of many.
Moses was born and breaded in the great palace of Pharaoh. From age three months old before unexpected changes Moses was not exposed to any life in the desert. When Moses flee from palace he ended up in the desert. Without any experience as a shepherd, Moses became a shepherd at desert ground. In time of unexpected change, there was no record of complaint by Moses but he was content. By unexpected changes from palace to desert, “…Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.” (Exodus 2:21) Moses’ unexpected changes were not comfortable but built him up as a giant in the hand of God. Joseph the dreamer’s unexpected changes relocated him from the presence of his father’s love because of wickedness of his brothers. Joseph went down into pit; from pit to slavery and from slavery to prison. Eventually, Joseph’s unexpected changes positioned him from prison to prime minister of the whole land of Egypt. One which can envision how God turns unexpected changes to God’s glory platform will capture self in the reality of living life for the glory of God.
The truth is, God constantly want to be glorified and make Himself a glorious name. He is a jealous God that is mindful of man. With unexpected changes God is in position to see man through when man maintains trust and hope on God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for His grace to bring you above unexpected changes.

FAITH CAPSULE:God will not forget you for a new name and a glorious story of His visitation.

Luke 1:5-45

God alone is the perfect creator. God alone created all without giving out contract to any contractor in His creating agenda. God is the only unchanging changer and He is the only God that reverses any irreversible. God performs perfection. He alone remembers with favor and visits with salvation. Above it all, God alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16)
It is certain that God will wait to act on your behalf if you will wait on Him ALONE. God will remember you at His appointed time and you will have a name change, a name that glorifies His Holy name shall become the name you will be answering to. Elizabeth was her name when her situation gave her a different name. It is written, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.” (Luke 1:36) Her name was Elizabeth not Barren. Does that sound like your situation? No man had any idea of what God was going to do with her when they were calling her barren. When God remembered Elizabeth, He visited her and mockery was converted to miracle. Elizabeth barren answered new name as the mother of John the Baptist. Imagine how God remembers and visit in the place of ugly situation to change to beautiful situation? After Jesus, there was none like John in the bible days. Watch out, do not give up, God is going to visit you the same way He visited Elizabeth and turned her story around for His glory.
Again, it is written, “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47) Blind Bartimaeus was his ugly situation name. Despite the fact that they know his father’s name (Timaeus), man made the choice of calling him blind Bartimaeus. On Bartimaeus day of Jesus’ visitation, he disregarded many from keeping him quiet. Many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more until Jesus gave him a standstill attention which changed his story from blind Bartimaeus to one that followed Jesus.
Be patience by waiting on God which wait to act for those who wait on Him. God will not forget you for a new name and a glorious story of His visitation. Take to heart that God is God which gives new mercy at every new morning. Your story is set for a new song for the glory of God!

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep you waiting on God alone.

FAITH CAPSULE: Before God, do not be quiet but cry out where there is a need for God’s attention.

John 11:1-44

Today, do not be quiet to deny your victory! Crying out to God is not an evidence of weakness and do not be shy, be loud enough to get heaven’s attention. Are you too quiet not to be victorious? Psalmist encouraged opening mouth loud in Psalm 81:10, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”  Crying out loud is not an evidence of weakness it is a demonstration of trust and hoping for God to attend for the crying out of His children.
Crying out to God is to have distinct voice before God. Jesus pointed out, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) If we know His voice, He definitely knows our voice. Also, if we are hearing His voice, He will also hear our voice too. Why are you quiet before God that recognizes all?
With understanding, King David was so sure of his voice in heaven when he stated, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17) David’s understanding of God made him to one that personalizes God. David made it known how to get heaven’s attention. Calling loud all day will get heaven’s attention. It will never be too much to be calling on God all day without giving up time for other life responsibilities. Those who make calling on God their way of life does so regardless of their challenging schedules of life. Having one’s voice registered in heaven for recognition and getting God’s attention should not be consistent quiet before God.
Daniel an example with registered voice before God. Daniel was not quiet before God by calling day and night as it is written, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10) In the face of challenge, he did not shy and could not be kept shut. He went and engaged his life style which is accustomed to praying three times a day.
Crying out when need calls for will provoke heaven on behalf of one with registered voice in heaven. Jesus’ registered voice in heaven and had no delay to bring Lazarus back to life. Jesus cried out loud. It is written, “And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:42-43)
Do not be quiet in your seeking God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God not to be a victim of being quiet before God.