FAITH CAPSULE: Lifting eyes to God is asking from God.

Genesis 22

Lifting eyes to God is asking from God. Lifting eyes to God is the evidence of faith. Man, with faith will please God. If faith is the way to please God then, without faith will displease God. Hebrews 11:6 buttressed, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6) Psalmist was asking from God when he lifted his eyes stating, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?” (Psalm 121:1) Where or who have you been lifting your eyes to? In this wicked time, there is every reason, every moment to be lifting eyes to God asking for direction. Getting direction from God is certain to arrive at destination and not become a victim of evil agenda of this wicked world. Lifting eyes to God is to move in direction of divine assignment of God.
Abraham was asking from God by lifting eyes to God. He lifted his eyes when direction was needed and when there was a need of support from above.
Indeed, it is an act of faith to know that lifting eyes to God will enable one not to miss blessing of God. For Abraham, it can be assumed that he walked past ram that was in place for the sacrifice as stated in Genesis 22:13, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.” Abraham walked past a ram in place which is available for his burnt offering instead of his son Abraham for burnt offering.
When a believer is lifting eyes up to God, there will be no reason to expect help from another source. Lifting eyes to God is demonstrating the love, the fear of God. In the journey of life who are you looking up to? From the depth of your heart, allow God to be the only God to look up to. Abraham’s love for means his fear for God. Abraham served God with all his heart with all is soul. God asked for Abraham’s son, his only son, his love for burnt offering. Abraham could not withhold his son from God’s request. As Abraham was about to use his son Isaac for burnt offering to God, he heard from God stating, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22:12)   but   God discerns the heart; He knows you and your heart because your heart is in His hands. It is written, “… For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.” (1Samuel 2:3)
In the journey of this wicked world, make it your way of life to be lifting eyes to God, asking for direction. Abraham had uncommon testimonies because he walked with God for His direction.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of giving self to lifting eyes for God’s direction.

FAITH CAPSULE: In life it is asking that will deliver answer.

Daniel 3

It is written, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) All of Jesus’ saying is alive to deliver with unfailing answer.
What is stopping you from asking from God? Can it be that you are asking from God in doubt? Man, with boldness and character in the word of God will know to ask from God and not doubt but receive from God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had the knowledge of God in His word which built boldness and character to ask with expectation. When three friends refused to serve gods or worship gold image they were marked with death but the word of God answered for them as garment of deliverance. Daniel 3:16-18 recorded, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 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.  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Answer to the three friends was in their asking for God’s deliverance from death in the burning fiery fire. In life it is asking that will deliver answer. How are you asking from God in your time of challenges?
Trusting and hoping in God is asking from God with boldness and character. Are you asking wrongly? The bible makes us to realize the possibility to ask wrongly. James 4:3 stated, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Are you asking from God by seeking God for God’s glory to deliver you? Three friends asked by seeking God for His glory in their deliverance. God was glorified by showing with the three friends in the midst of fire. Nebuchadnezzar testified God’s power of salvation stating, “…I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25) Jesus meant it when He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives…” Asking of three friends delivered them from sudden death in a burning fire as the unbeliever Nebuchadnezzar testified the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of seeking Him by asking from Him for His glory over your challenge.

FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus will arrest man at His own way; His own time.

Acts 9

Apostle Saul (Paul) was illustrious murderer of followers of Christ. During Saul’s journey, he surrendered to Christ and had a changed name to Paul with a title as Apostle Paul. He became a celebrated writer of the New Testament. Evidence of Apostle Paul as the writer of most of the New Testament more than disciples of Jesus was his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Paul surrendered for Jesus despite his passion to go after followers of Christ to persecute them.
By your words or by your action, are you a persecutor of Christ followers? Are you an acclaimed believer of God but lying, deception and manipulation is your way in the name of God? Be assured that your surrender like that of Paul is set for you at God’s appointed time. Lying, deception and manipulation is a way of persecuting Christ. Paul went after the followers of Christ to persecute them when the Spirit of God arrested him. The book of Acts 9:1-2 documented, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” Saul (Paul) was full of threats and murder agenda against the disciples of the Lord. He had the permission from the high priest to the synagogues of Damascus to find man or woman of the Way and bind them to Jerusalem. Interestingly, he lost sight and became surrendered unto Jesus.
Saul (Paul) was a serious-minded persecutor of the followers of Christ as he went outside of his area looking for followers of Christ to persecute. Saul’s mission to Damascus encountered the power he surrendered to. From persecutor to a propagator of the kingdom of God’s business became the identity of Paul (Saul). Without doubt, no man under the heaven is above God’s redirection. God’s direction will reverse the irreversible. Saul’s persecution agenda brought him to Damascus when, “…suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.” (Acts 9:3) It was in this light that Saul (Paul) encountered Jesus and with no choice for him but to surrender. Saul (Paul) did not only tremble but requested from the Lord of what to do for the Lord.
Bible recorded Saul’s surrender, “Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” (Acts 9:8-9) After Saul’s surrender to Christ, Saul (Paul) gained a new sight; he took steps to serve God; Saul answered to a new name (Paul). God will put you to surrender at His time. Man can run but not able to hide for the only Creator of man. God will arrest man at His time and in His own way.

Prayer for today: Ask God for a gracious surrender to serve for His glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Give attention to the word of God as a warning to guide and direct you.

Deuteronomy 13

Undoubtedly, Jesus is the only author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the only One that sees perfectly into the future. Jesus is not a prophet or dreamer of dreams that will take a place of deceiving man. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 warned, “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,  and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Jesus prayed for Peter after seeing into the future that Peter was going to deny Him. The Bible recorded Jesus’ word to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32) Peter, trusted in his strength and determination when he responded to Jesus stating, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33)
Are you a determined believer? Determination will not be enough to keep you from distancing from Jesus in these days of challenges. The prophets or a dreamer of dreams will miss lead you to become distance from walking in the Lord. Truly, prayer is the only key for believer’s preservation and deliverance. If Jesus had not prayed for Peter, it would have been devastating for Peter’s journey of faith. Jesus was not wrong but was right when He prayed for Peter saying, “But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail…” (Luke 22:32) Believers should grow to be giving self continually to prayer and the word of God instead of giving self to the word of man. Just as disciples needed prayer against temptation, today’s believers are not immune from temptation.
Jesus prophesied Peter’s move to deny Him in Luke 22:54-56, “Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” Are you paying attention to the word of God as a warning but not to the word of lying prophet or a dreamer of dreams? The word of God is warning (Colossians 1:28) and we are to pay attention to the warning word of God.

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

FAITH CAPSULE: God’s word is enough for encouragement.

Exodus 2

The challenge for the Israelites was a need for expected change from years of bondage to breakthrough. With pains at the hand of Pharaoh his men the need for change the Israelites cried out to God. It is written, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  So, God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledge them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) The Israelites needed change. Challenges at the time of expected change are rooted in discouragement. Along with discouragement are delay, worrying and complaint.
Are you waiting on God (through prayer or crying) for a change? Know it that change will only come at God’s appointed time. It is true that you have been waiting for quite some time but nothing to show for your waiting. Delay is all that you are experiencing in the place of expectation for change. Be encouraged that delay is not a denial. Delay is possibly the enemy’s pointer to frustrate your expectation. Ignore delay but lay your request for change at the feet of the Master. Delay prompts discouragement, discouragement provokes complaint. Complaint is the act to rebel. In your case, disallow discouragement to deny complaint. With no complaint rebellion will have to relocate itself outside of you.
Worrying is like a parasite, it will eat into man quietly when change seems to be slow in coming forth. In waiting for change, reject worry but give self to worshiping God. In worship God, occupied time by praising and giving God thanks even though your change is yet manifested. It is important to know that when we thank God for all things then all things will work together for good. As you wait for change be conscious that your thoughts are demonstrated with action. Get the understanding of the truth that Lord God is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed. (1 Samuel 2:3) As regard to expectation for change, doubt should not be entertained. In time for expectation for change, doubt will prompt a backup plan for expectation. A heart that is full of faith should have no space for any backup plan. Backup plan is a lack of faith or an evidence of little faith which God is not pleased with. It is written, “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. (Hebrews 11:6) Please God while you are waiting on Him for your expected change.
God’s word is enough for encouragement. Acts 6:4 admonished, “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” In His word, be encouraged to seek Him diligently for expected change to arrive.
Your change shall come.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to give self to His word of deliverance.