FAITH CAPSULE: With the spirit of satisfaction, desirer will not outrun possession.

Philippians 4

In the journey of life, every one that is called by God needs the grace of contentment to get to the center of divine assignment. Imagine Moses coming out of the Pharaoh’s palace to live in a desert? Pharaoh palace must have been a place of comfort where everything makes man not wanting to give to sacrificing for God. Moses lived for forty years on a high ground. It was not in Moses plan to move to a desert when he suddenly became a resident of a desert land. In Moses’ attempt to defend his Hebrew brother from an Egyptian, he killed the Egyptian. The killing of the Egyptian was not hidden but triggered Moses to flee to Midian (desert land) for his life. Moses’ fleeing for killing the Egyptian unknowingly positioned Moses in his journey to the center of his divine assignment.
Among the pointer to his qualification as a leader was recoded in Exodus 2:21 stating, “Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.” Imagine the kind of shift Moses must have endured.
Contentment also means satisfactory. To be set up for God’s assignment consciously or unconsciously demands high level of satisfactory spirit in man. Contentment points to the evidence of God’s fear in man’s life. Proverbs 19:23 buttresses, “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.”  The book of 1Timothy 6: 6-10 stated it, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
The book of Philippians 4:4-7 mentioned the identities of one that is living life in satisfaction…that is one who is carrying the spirit that makes man to be content. Among identities of man with the spirit of contentment are mentioned in the book of Philippians 4:4-7. Rejoicing in the Lord always is visible in the life of one with contentment; one’s gentleness is also known to men; one becomes anxious for nothing but in everything rendering prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving to God; the peace of God which surpasses all understanding answers in the life of one who lives life with contentment. One with the spirit of contentment shall not become a covetous one and with contentment man shall serve God steadfastness.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be steadfast in serving Him with the spirit of satisfaction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Overcome hindrances not to deny desire in life.

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus meaning pure, desired to see Jesus. With pure and sincere heart, he took charge to go after the desire of his heart and grace answered on his behalf when he eventually received Jesus into his house. Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus overcame hindrances that were in place to deny him the desire of his heart. Among Zacchaeus’ hindrances were his profession as a tax collector and his short height. A tax collector was not characteristically the kind of person who went out of his way in order to see and have encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus demonstrated that man’s way of living life is not enough to deny man from ultimately engaging and achieving desire to have Jesus into their life. Despite Zacchaeus’ short stature in the midst of crowd, his desire elevated him to position him where he could not be denied of his desire to see Jesus.
What are the challenge or the challenges that are standing your way from seeing Jesus and having him entered into your house?
Despite Zacchaeus’ hindrances, the Bible says in Luke 19:4, “So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.” Zacchaeus is an example of someone that knew what he wanted, and how to get what he wanted from the Lord and Savior. Zacchaeus could have run ahead and stayed in the front line of the crowd. However, he took no chance when he decided to run and climb into a sycamore tree. It can be extra difficult for a short man to climb into a tree, but the purity and sincerity of Zacchaeus’ heart to see who Jesus was energized him to go all the way for his desire.
Are you taking charge by not allowing any hindrance to deny you of your desire to have a life changing encounter with Jesus?
The apostle Paul declared that, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”(1 Corinthians 15:10)  When there is a desire to receive Jesus, grace will deposit what it takes for desire to become manifested. Also, labor is what it takes but not laziness to go the extra mile in getting desires deposited in the life of a believer. Zacchaeus did not labor in vain because Jesus noticed him. And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.”(Luke 19:9) Indeed and in truth, pure which is the meaning of Zacchaeus’ name is the evidence of living up to the meaning of his name. It is written, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Zacchaeus did not just see Jesus, but received Jesus into his house because he sought him.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of sincere desire to seek after Jesus.

FAITH CAPSULE: Without questioning God, engage God’s calling.

Genesis 22

God called and spoke to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2) Abraham’s only son, whom he loves, was requested for as burnt offering by the One that was and that is in position to give and to take away as He pleases. Without questioning God, Abraham engaged God’s calling to sacrifice his son. As if it was not challenging enough to respond to God’s command for sacrifice, the journey to the center of sacrifice (the land of Moriah) was three days. Imagine how nagging it must have been in the mind of Abraham for not knowing the exact location and having to travel for three days. The bible recorded, “Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.” (Genesis 22:4) It must have been the longest three days of Abraham’s life and yet there was no record of complaint.
With complaint, Abraham could have made it the longest three days journey of his life. However, Abraham kept quiet and kept the journey short. The Israelites’ could not keep quiet to keep their journey short. The Israelites Complaint converted eleven days journey to forty years journey. The book of Deuteronomy 1:2-3 testified, “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.  Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them.” Eleven days journey turned out to be forty years journey because the Israelites could not resist from complaint against God’s ordained journey.
Many words will no doubt cause trouble. The Bible discourages many words when it commanded. “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19) Abraham kept his cool and focused on God’s command. It must have been difficult and challenging journey for him yet he kept on going through without complaint. Abraham, free of complaint, relegated distraction and elevated his focus on God. He gave a reasonable sacrifice unto God. By virtue of his commitment, God declared him as one who feared Him. Abraham released Isaac unto God in each step of his response. He demonstrated that he loved God with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his strength. There is a beginning and an end when a call of sacrifice comes our way; calling has to be carried out to the end. Obedience does not require a half heart; it requires whole heart (to wholly follow God’s command).

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of total obedience to His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Come out of religion and check into Christ reality.

1 Corinthians 3

Is the church (temple of God) for real today or only receding from what the word of God calls for the church to be? Bible identifies the church, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) So many claims to be for Christ (believer) with titles that are high to heaven, but none are in position like Abraham to be able to hear and see to observe according to the word of God.
Sin and sinning builds distance between man and God. As man continues to go and grow far from God because of sin and sinning, God whose nature does not tolerate sin withdraws Himself from man. Roman 3:23 buttressed stating, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” The glory of God, which is His presence, is not full but short in the life of man because of sin. Despite the shortage of God’s glory as a result of man’s sin, God does not permanently withdraw from man with His mercy on man. Imagine how beautiful would it be for man without sin before God that does not tolerate sin?
It must have been hard on Jesus when He asked, “…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” The Bible pointed out to us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is not possible to hear God and not live by the word. Not doing the word is evidence of not having heard the word. Jesus is actually asking that if he comes is there going to be a believer that is living by the word (To believe His word is to be living the word). Living the word is what makes man to be on a ground that is the same as that of Abraham, a ground where revelation is not rare but widespread.
Today, come out of religion; enter into Christ reality to become established on a ground (a position) of receiving revelation from God. As a believer, a Christ reality, live faithfully like Abraham. Know that to be faithful is a sacrifice and is not convenient; not cheap but costly. To be faithful is a commitment; a lifestyle to live for God and it enhances the flow of revelation from God.
Today, church has taken the opposite direction by turning away from God to the world. Turn away from the world and turn to God; be privileged of God, take to a faithful way of living life and revelation will flow from God to turn your world around. Remember, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” (Proverbs 29:18) More revelation breeds more restraints and the avoidance of evil occurrences.

Prayer for today: Ask God to direct your heart into the fear of His Holy name and into the patience of Christ.

FAITH CAPSULE: Ability to see in what God says is the clarity of sight to possess in the word of His promise.

Deuteronomy 1

It is interesting how God’s promises for His children in the pages of the bible are well laid while His children languishes and not able to see and possess those promises. To be able to see in the promises of God is the provoking force that will generate a move in direction of possessing the promise of God. God promised the Israelites a land that flows with milk and honey (Promised Land). At a point in time, during their journey from the bondage of over four hundred years they made the choice to dwell too long at Horeb.
In the journey of life, dwelling too long away from the promise of God for a man’s life is a terminating force that denies man from God’s promise.
As a result of the Israelites dwelling too long at Horeb, God sent Moses to the Israelites stating, “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.  Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land…” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8)
In the word of God, there was a need for the Israelites to see in the promise of God that the Promised Land was set for them. The Israelites should not have had any reason for doubt but to move forward and possess God’s promise. The Israelites proved short-sightedness by not moving forward but rather went forward with a spying mission. Moses testified, “Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” (Deuteronomy 1:22) The Israelites limited the word of God that said ‘SEE’.
Ability to see in what God says is a direct effect to possess His promise.
Month after months you continue to dwell at the same ground.
Could it be that you are not able to see in the word of God which is the promises of God for you? It is time to ask for clarity of sight that you may see in God’s word and be able to move and possess His promise for you.

Prayer for today: Ask God that this season shall be your time of clarity of sight. You shall see in His word what it takes to move from mockery into miracle and possess His package for your life.