FAITH CAPSULE: The whole matter that counts is hearing the word of God to keep.

Matthew 14:22-33

Faith is anchored in hearing the word of God; faith is the source of fearing God. Failure to hear the word of God develops fear of evil. In life, the whole matter that counts is hearing the word of God and to keep the word of God.
It is written, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) If there is no hearing by the word of God, fear of evil take place the position of faith. God wants us to hear His word to fear Him. Ecclesiastes 12:13 recorded it, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” Man must hear the word of God to be able to fear God.
Evidence of the importance of hearing word of God to fear God was delivered through Moses, “…Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.” (Deuteronomy 4:10) Hearing the word of God is crucial to have faith, to fear God by not giving self to the fear of devil.
The word of God does not exempt us today. Today, we must hear the word of God to have faith, to have fear of God and not to give up to the fear of the evil.
Fear God is faith. Fearing outside of God is evil. Job 28:28 said it well, “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’”
Fearing God is taking a position to be blessed as mentioned in Psalm 128:4, “Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.”
Fearing God is encouraged in Isaiah 35:4 stating, “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
Hearing the word of God and able to keep the word of God will provoke faith and not to fear evil. However, hearing the word of God and not able to keep the word of God is the cause of looking away to challenges which will give place to fear of evil.
When Jesus called Peter and disciples to journey on the boat they all heard Jesus and faith led them into to the boat without fear. When storm started on the journey, Jesus walked on the water. Peter heard the calling of Jesus’ calling for him to walk on the water. With faith Peter joined Jesus with no fear. However, when Peter looked away from the Word of God by looking to the storm, fear of the storm made him to sink. Hear the word of God, keep the word of God for faith but not fear of challenges of evil.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be hearing and keeping the world of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Fear is a weapon of devil to reduce man for destruction.

Job 1, 2 John 20:26-31

It is important to note it that in life, fear will always cause failure for man while faith of man is the way to prevail against fear.
Many times, man locks selves indoor for fear. Whenever man is self-locked up stagnation will replace man’s movement or breakthrough in many areas of life. Disciples of Jesus allowed fear to lock them up after persecution of Jesus. It is written, “And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’” (John 20:26)  Fear, with no respect for man, went forward to shut door on disciples of Jesus after the persecution of Jesus. Obviously, fear and doubt became a roommate for the disciples until Jesus came and broke down the door of fear and doubt by His presence. On the same instance Jesus responded to Thomas’ doubt, “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at my hands: and reach your hand here, and put it onto My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’” (John 20:27)
Unquestionably, fear and doubt can be compared to a bag and its handle. Most times, fear cannot strike without doubt having its place in the life of its victim. The same can be said of a bag and its handle. A bag without its handle is not complete. Fear and doubt are agents of unbelief that patronizes man recurrently. Fear can be devastating when it strikes man in any area of life. Just as fear could not excuse disciples of Jesus, Job also experienced visitation of fear. Imagine Job a man described by God as none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil experienced a devastating destruction. He lost his children and wealth in a twinkle of an eye. Having lost it all, he testified, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Was it the testimony of Job’s fear that opened him up to become a target of Satan’s attack?
Meditating testimonies of God will deny fear and doubt. Wondrous works declare that God’s name is near (Psalms 75:1) By virtue of His wondrous works, keep eyes on God and He will always draw you near. What else do we need to confirm that He has come that we may have life and that we may have it more abundantly? Do not live life as unbelieving, but believing. Let God occupy you in this wicked world and He will not fail to deliver His own.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance from the spirit of fear; spirit of doubt so that faith will take charge in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Keeping the word of God will provoke heaven’s attention.

Proverbs 6

Knowing about God is not same as knowing God.
Knowing about God is engaging the word of God and not keeping the word of God.
Knowing God is engaging the word of God to be keeping. The word of God is like story to those who know about God while the word of God is secret to those who know God. The secret of God is not hidden from those who know Him. Knowing about God is not enough but knowing God counts.
Do you know about God or do you know God?
Many that dwell in the secret place of God and not abide in the secret (word) place of God are the same as those who know about God. However, those who dwell and abide in the secret place of God are those who know God.
To be dwelling and not abiding in the secret place of God does not keep Man. Also, engaging the word of God and not be keeping the word of God will fail man in the journey of this wicked world.
Among the marked identities in the life of ones that keeps the word of God are rooted in, “Do not do against what God does not want from man.” Proverbs 3:29-31 stated, “Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he dwells by you for safety’s sake. Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm. Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways” Keep the word of God by answering God to gain His attention.
Keeping the word of God will provoke heaven to be keeping one.
Keeping the word of God keeps man as upright that possesses secret counsel of God. Keeping the word of God keeps man from not experiencing the curse of God which is on the house of the wicked. The just and humble ones keep the word of God.
Word pointed out that God blesses the home of the just and God gives grace to the humble. Evidently, to be keeping the word of God is to be kept from experiencing shame. (Proverbs 3:32-35)
God is truthful to honor His word beyond the imagination of man while man takes far from receiving the word of God by not keeping to the word of God. Do not deceive yourself; do not be deceived by any force that is against the word of God. Truly engage the word of God that is live to keep because, “When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you.” (Proverbs 6:22) Knowing God is to be keeping the word of God by binding the word of God continually upon heart to have life more abundantly in this wicked world of darkness.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to know God not just to know about God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not doubt the word of God but be a keeper of the word of God.

Proverbs 3

Obviously, engaging the word of God is a source of living life abundantly. Jesus does not lie when He stated, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”(John 10:10)   The word of God which Jesus brought for us is the instruction of God; the word of God is the law of God and it is the command of God. In life, the experiences for man with the choice to truly engage and keep the word of God are reflected through the bible pages.
Proverbs 3 recorded some of what becomes of man that engages the word of God to keep the word:
*Proverbs 3:2 stated, “…let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.” Length of days, long life and peace belongs to man that keeps the word of God. There should be no man under heaven without desire to inherit the promises in the word of God. Engage and keep the word of God.
*In Proverbs 3:3, it is identified for ones that keep the word of God that mercy and truth should not be forsaken in the life of man that keeps the word of God.
*In this wicked world of darkness, favor and high esteem in the sight of God shall always be the portion of man that keeps the word of God. (Proverbs 3:4)
*Man that truly keep the word of God will know to trust God with all heart and not lean on self understands. (Proverbs 3:5)
*Making the choice of keeping the word of God is acknowledging God for His direction in one’s life. Proverbs 3:6 said it all. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
*Keeping the word of God is having wisdom; to fear God and know to depart from evil. Proverbs 3:7 confirmed it, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.”
*Ones that keep the word of God will experience the word of Proverbs 3:8 as it is written, “It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.”
*Keeping the word of God is gaining understanding to be honoring the Lord with possessions and with the first fruits of all increase. Honoring the Lord will surely result to having barns filled with plenty, and vats (containers) will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10) Indeed keep the word of God and His word will not return void to God but shall deliver fully to the glory of God.
Are you engaging the word of God to keep the word?
In this wicked world of darkness, listen; do not doubt the word of God but double check your ways of violating His word. Engage the word of God to keep the word of God in truth.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be keeping His word every moment of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Why not keep the word of God that is living and powerful?

John 1

The eternal word of God is in position for man to be engaged in the journey of life. The bible highlighted the word of God for man’s understanding, “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.” (John 1:1-5)
The bible identified what is about the Word: The Word of God was in the beginning; the Word of God was with God before creation; the word of God was God before creation; all things were made through the word; in the word was life; the word was light that shines in the darkness. Truly the word of God is the eternal word of God.
Without doubt, Jesus is the living word of God for any man that will make the choice to engage, to keep the word of God as a way of living the word of God in this wicked world of darkness.
The word of God is the instruction of God; the word of God is the law of God and it is the command of God.
The word of God is the light for man to navigate in this wicked world of darkness so as to arrive at the expected end. The bible recorded, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20) Evidently, God sent His word for deliverance and preservation but not for decoration. John 10:10 recorded the word of Jesus; “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” God declared He sent His word and Jesus confirmed in His word as stated, “I have come” not that He is coming. He has come; He is here for our deliverance from destruction.
Knowing the word of God is to know that the word of God is power of God which is in place for man’s deliverance and preservation. However, just knowing about the word of God is never enough; knowing about the word of God is maintaining distance from God and not being exposed to the power of God. In this wicked world of darkness get to know the word of God by keeping the word of God and take to the confirmation of what the word of God is about in Hebrews 4:12, “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.”
Every power that is encased in the word of God is available for every man with the choice of keeping the Word of God to live life abundantly as promised by Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of His word to overwhelm your ways.