FAITH CAPSULE: Make the choice to abhor wickedness and not to sin before God.

Genesis 39

Joseph ostracized doing wickedness and sin before God. Genesis 39:9 recorded Joseph’s seeking of God, “…How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” What a man is doing before God continually will count and determine if a man seeking before God. Joseph was continually against wickedness and not sin before God. All great wickedness is not hidden from God. Wickedness does not escape in the eyes of God. Above all, great wickedness before God is having the word of God in the mouth but far from the mind. (Jeremiah 12:2) The onset of greatness wickedness towards Joseph is recorded, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” (Genesis 37:3-4) From junction of great wickedness of hate from Joseph’s brother towards Joseph was great wickedness but God’s mercy repeatedly answered for Joseph.
Great wickedness was activated towards Joseph when:
Joseph’s dream of greatness provoked his brother’s great wickedness with attempt to kill him but later sold him to slavery which took him to Egypt. Joseph was not in position to do wicked in return to his brother’s great wickedness but he found favor before God. In Egypt, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. While Joseph was with his master Potiphar, the Lord was with him, and he was a successful man; his master saw that the Lord was with him. While he was there, great wickedness located him when he refused to lie with his master’s wife. Master’s wife accused Joseph before the Potiphar saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” (Genesis 39:17-18)
Great wickedness of Master’s wife accusation brought Joseph to prison. As he was in the prison, he interpreted dream which granted the attention to also interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream promoted Joseph from prison to become Prime Minister of the whole land. All through Joseph’s journey, there was no record of him responding to great wickedness with wickedness and God gave him favor. Joseph’s brothers unknowingly, sought for food at Egypt in time of famine when they located Joseph but he received them by not paying back wickedness to his brothers.  Joseph left home at age seventeen and could not reconnected with his father at age thirty plus. Joseph was delivered from great wickedness all through his journey because there was no attempt of wicked vengeance from him. Joseph despised wickedness and not sin God; he continually served God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to be a part of doing wicked all the days of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Serving God diligently is continually serving God.

Daniel 1

The living Word of God is not a fiction or made up story. The living Word of God is secret for man with understanding. With understanding of the secret of the Word of God, deliverance is set in place for man. The bible recorded the story of Daniel’s deliverance in the den of lions. Daniel was set for destruction when he made the choice not to serve any other God. King Darius was pleased when he placed Daniel among three governors and he distinguished himself because an excellent spirit was in him. As a result, “…the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm, the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.   Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:3-5) Daniel as a governor which was surrounded by other governors as enemies attempting to destroyed him. Eventually, he was set and placed in the den of lions. King signed reluctantly for the order which placed Daniel in the den of lions but cared to check Daniel’s well being as stated in Daniel 6:18-20, “Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. ¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰ And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Daniel was delivered in the den of lions overnight without a scratch from hungry lions. Daniel responded to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me.” (Daniel 6:21-22) The story of Daniel’s deliverance was not a made-up story. Any man with understanding in the secret of Daniel’s deliverance will not be a victim in the hand of evil agenda. Daniel’s secret for his deliverance was: He continually served God.
Are you an acclaimed believer that pleases self in the way of seeking God or pleases God in seeking God?
Daniel’s way of seeking God are:
Daniel, since his early days purposed in his heart not to despised himself. (Daniel 1:8)
A purposed heart not to despised self for God does have a custom, a schedule, an uncommon relation with God.
Daniel had a custom of praying and thanksgiving to God.
Daniel, with committed schedule, he was praying three times a day before God.
There was no fault against Daniel and he was faithful to His God.
Following God is continually serving God. Daniel continually served God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to continually serve Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you lacking understanding of the word of God?

Luke 7:11-35

Wisdom is power of God for man. 1 Corinthians 1:24 stated, “…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:30 also buttressed that Jesus “became for us wisdom from God.” Jesus is our wisdom from God. Understanding is the ability to listen not just to hear. Jesus, at a point responded to unbelieving believers concerning lack of understanding, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) Obviously, it is possible to hear but not listen to get message in man’s life. Lack of attention is the root of lack of listening which is listening disability. With listening disability having knowledge (a knowing edge) in the face of challenge becomes impossibility. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge are crucial for man to know God rather than knowing about God. In this wicked world, man must understand the wisdom of God to know how to have edge in all situation.
Are you lacking understanding of the word of God?
Consequence of lack of understanding can be exceedingly painful in the life of man. Ever since the bible days until today, lack of understanding has been reducing man from entering God’s promise of rest for man. Imagine disciples of Jesus with the lack of understanding of crucifixion and resurrection which Jesus repeatedly revealed to them. Truly, as revealed to His disciple He was crucified and resurrected on the third day. On the day of resurrection disciples of Jesus were shut-up in a room because of fear which was the lack of understanding of resurrection of Jesus. On the same day of resurrection, two of His disciples were on when they demonstrated lack of understanding of Jesus’ resurrection. On their journey to Emmaus, they were so sad instead of celebrating Jesus’ words which was manifested. Sadness blinded them as they could not recognize Jesus as their company while they journeyed. Resurrection was to be celebrated but not be taken as sadness and confusion. With understanding, resurrection, the power of God is meant to be for rest then, today and future. If disciples that spent time with Jesus when He was here could not understand and enter His rest, how can the present age should gain understand from Jesus and rest in Him?
John the Baptist preached Jesus. When baptizing Jesus, John heard the voice of God saying this is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17) yet he does not understand Jesus enough to rest in the promise of God. Despite John’s relation to Jesus in person, his lack of understand of Jesus became glaring when John’s disciples went to Jesus as stated, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’” (Luke 7:20) Imagine the level of understanding of John the Baptist. What is the level of your understanding to be able to gain the promise of God which is rest?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of His understanding in life.

FAITH CAPSULE: The rest of God for man is in His word.

Hebrews 4

Recognition of the Word of God is written in John 1:1-5, “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.” The Word of God is Eternal, Everlasting, Undying and Unending. The Word of God is God. The more any man hears the word of God through His voice or in the pages of Bible with attention the more man should get to know and understand God’s will and purpose in the life of man.
In this wicked of world, the glaring will and purpose of God for man is His promise. The promise of God is His rest for man. The rest of God for man is in His word.
Moses in His journey asked God for His way and God responded in His word saying “…My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14) Obviously, the word of God is His way; His way is His presence that gives His rest. The promise of God for man is His rest.
Hebrews 4 talked that the promise of God remains to be in place for entering His rest but there is indication of being coming short of it. (Hebrews 4:1) Without doubt, the promise of God which is rest has been missed by some in the days of bible. The reason for being coming short of the promise of God is stated that, “…the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”
Just as it was in the bible days and among today’s believers, to hear the word and not being profited is the evidence of not mixing what is heard with faith. Mixing faith and being profitable is by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Hearing by hearing is the continuous, consistent way to bring word alive in the life of man to be in the promise of God which is rest.
Whatever you have heard from God, add faith to it (faith is hearing and hearing by the word of God) Man that turn to hearing, hearing and hearing by the word of God will enter the promise of God which is rest of God.
Manifestly, the word of God is alive, the word of God is the power of God. Man, that is obedient and not be living disobediently to the word of God is certain to enter rest as promised by God.

Prayer for today: As God for the grace not to miss His presence all the days He has given you under heaven.

FAITH CAPSULE: With understanding, celebrate resurrected Jesus do not seek Him among the dead.

Luke 24:13-53

Instead of celebrating His resurrection they came for His dead at the tomb. All came early seeking for living Jesus in the place of the dead because of lack of understanding. Luke 24:1-5 said it all, “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.  But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth…”
Lack of understanding is the evidence of failure to have advantage making forward not to become stagnated in life. With understanding of resurrection of Jesus is to be living with trust and hope that Jesus is alive. Jesus told His believers about His crucifixion and resurrection but to believe resurrection was not in those who went to seek Him at the tomb. On the first day of the week, His disciples and some women went to the tomb greatly prepared for the dead? He was being sought like dead instead of seeking Him as living. Are you seeking dead Jesus instead of seeking living Jesus? How are you seeking Jesus regularly today? He promised that He is alive yet man is burdened with challenges in the place of seeking Jesus. Are you taking Him for lie instead of taking Him for His truth? Have you thought about it that not standing in His truth is not being able to stand for God that is able to do possibility where there is impossibility? Today gain understanding and know it today that resurrection is not idle tales. (Luke 24:11) In the place of celebrating resurrection, understand and know to disallow challenging sad situation in your conversation. Two of His disciples were on journey to Emmaus with no understanding to celebrate resurrection but were occupied with sad situation when Jesus joined their conversation. Jesus asked them “…What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” (Luke 24:17) His disciples were lack of understanding of resurrection but lamenting crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus called their situation foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe. (Luke 24:25) His disciples on the way to Emmaus’ lack of understanding was the evidence of blindness until Jesus had communion before they could see. The bible recorded, “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31)
With understanding of resurrection, disallow conversation that is not centered on the living Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to rest in the resurrection of Jesus.