FAITH CAPSULE: Today, many are claiming to be a believer but still conform to wickedness of today’s world.

Psalm 51:10, Romans 12:1-12,

How man keeps mind will testify to man’s conformity to the wickedness of the wicked world of today. The word of God admonished “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Today, claiming to be a believer is not a license of escape from the wickedness of the world of today. Evil is the wickedness of today. As a believer that fears God do you embrace or despise evil? Proverbs 8:13 pointed out, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” Claiming to fear God and not despise wickedness makes a joke of acclaimed believer. Today, many are claiming to be a believer but still conform to wickedness of today’s world.
Do you conform (comply) with things of this wicked world? Paul the Apostle warned in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. Conform is described as an action or behavior in correspondence with current customs, rules, or styles. The warning is for us not to conform to wickedness of this world.
The ruler of this world is the wicked one; the liar and the destroyer, the devil, the Satan himself. Satan is the serpent that engineered the falling of man when he led Adam and Eve into the disobedient. Adam and Eve conformed to the Satan when God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden. The same skill that the enemy used for the misplacement of Adam and Eve is still very much in operation today. Man that keeps heart diligent; man that does not comply with this wicked world is taking a position not to be a victim of this wicked world. Take to the word of God constantly, consistently and know that daily word of God is to meet the challenges of the day.
The mind of man is to be constantly renewed by the word of God in the wicked world otherwise wicked world will remove man from where the Lord wants man to be. Determination is not enough to withstand the wicked world but watching and praying is a way to withstand the wicked world. Why not turn to God and begin to pray the prayer of psalmist as stated, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) In this wicked world of today, do not be conformed to this world.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you not to conformed to this wicked world.

FAITH CAPSULE: Give self to the word of God which is the light to navigate this world of darkness.

Genesis 6

Wickedness of man is turning the earth darker. The wickedness of earth did not just start; the wickedness of earth has been in place since the bible days. God identified the wickedness of earth as stated in Genesis 6:5-6, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Wickedness on earth is not reducing but it is increasing. By virtue of wickedness, the earth continues to get darker.
How are you engaging the earth where wickedness reigns while darkness did not reduce?
Are you experiencing challenges of darkness as you navigate your calling in this wicked world?
Why not wait on God rather than waste away? The world is getting darker and it only takes light to navigate darkness. The word of God reveals to us in John 1:1 “…light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” In these days that the world is getting darker, why not engage light that shines in darkness and worry? Worrying is a possible avenue to sickness as a result, give light a chance in your life. The light that is needed is the word of God. Psalm 119:130 confirmed word as the light, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
Are you sick and tired of all that is going on around this wicked world?
If you are sick of this wicked world, it is worth to begin to seek Him who has the power to take away and add all that will make the difference in your world. The word of God encouraged in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Seeking God is more than mouth claiming to be a believer or church goer. What makes the difference in this wicked world is seeking Him indeed and in truth. To be able to seek, there has to be a desire to seek God. Desire and seeking God can be compared to engine and motor. Desire is the engine while seeking is the motor. The Psalmist buttressed, “One thing I have desired of the LORD that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4) In this wicked world, desire and seek God so as to resume motion for transformation in this wicked world.

Prayer for today: Ask for His grace to give self to the word of God which is the light to navigate this world of darkness.

FAITH CAPSULE: Manifestly, fleeing from the presence of God is to be presentable for the adversary of man.

Jonah 1

The word of God is alive, it is not letter. A failure to obey the word of God is making a choice that is opposite of living life. A failure is self-created of self-destruction. When Jonah failed to obey the word of God, he faced his own self-created self-destruction. Without doubt, the word of God is God. Hearing and listening to the word of God is to obey the word of God so as to assess the presence of God.
The Bible recorded in Jonah 1:1, “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” God called on Jonah but he failed to move in response to God’s calling. Jonah’s disobedience to the word of God was described as Jonah’s departure from the presence of God as stated “…Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:3)
Manifestly, fleeing from the presence of God is to be presentable for the adversary of man. As a result of Jonah’s disobedience, the vehicle of transportation encountered a mighty tempest on the sea. Jonah’s disobedience set the passengers up for destruction. Jonah was approached as a result to the trouble on the storm. Despite Jonah’s disobedience he went further and claimed in Jonah 1:9, “So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Imagine a man that knows the word of God disobeying God’s word and standing on the same ground claiming the fear of God in his life? At every time that you hear God’s command and you move in opposite direction of God’s command, you are heading in the direction of self-created self-destruction. Jonah was heading in the direction of self-destruction. God is the only creator of man, the commander with expectation to be obeyed. God expects our obedience and none to be disobeyed. Obeying nine out of ten God’s command the same failure as in obeying one out of ten. Despite Jonah’s claim of the fear of God, he was still in the journey of disobedience.
Are you a present day Jonah? Are you a conscious obedience or disobedience of the word of God? Disobeying the word of God is building up a self-destruction. Obeying every living word of God is walking on a ground that does not disappointment obedient children of God. In the life of journey, obey the word of God to avoid self-destruction.

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

FAITH CAPSULE: listening disability compiles the challenges of hearing but lack understand to deliver God’s command.

1 Samuel 15

God sent Samuel to Saul “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3) Saul heard the message of God but could not listen to comply as commanded. Hearing and not listening is the evidence of incomplete obedience. The bible recorded Saul’s half-obedience, “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” (1 Samuel 15:9) Saul was not commanded to excuse any man or woman but he spared a man called Agag. There was Agag issue in the life of Saul. In the issue of Agag, Saul delivered half obedience before God; Saul attempted to manage God for God; Saul made choice to disallow God’s choice. Man or messenger can be deceived but God cannot be deceived.
Are you engaging the issue of Agag in your life?
Saul heard but could not listen to comply. Hearing with no understanding is the evidence of not listening. Jesus’ addressed some but definitely speaks to man stating, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) Evidently, listening disability compiles the challenges of hearing but lack understand to deliver God’s command.  Saul disobeyed God by executing God’s command at his own convenience. Saul’s disobedience replaced him out of the presence of God. In your hearing and listening to the word of God allow obedience but not half-obedient become your way of life.
After the death of Samuel whom the Lord had been using for Saul, there was a need for Saul to hear from God before confronting war against the Philistines. Saul inquired of the Lord, but there was no answer because his disobedience took away his privilege of accessing God. The war ahead of King Saul made his heart tremble while he could not hear from God. The Bible recorded in 1 Samuel 28:6, “And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.” King Saul turned to another medium but could not get answer for his challenge. Saul’s disobedience denied his access to God.
Disobedience of Saul led to Saul’s departure from the presence of God and brought upon him eventual destruction. God is a perfect manager that knows the end from the beginning. Never try to add or take away from His command.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to keep you in His presence all the days He has given you on earth.

FAITH CAPSULE: By his grace, strive to be hearing Him…no excuse not to hear God.

John 2

The word of God is God. The word of God testified in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The word of God is here for man to hear, to listen and comply so that blessings of God shall become manifested in the life of hearers of God’s word.
Psalm 107:20 mentioned about the word of God, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Jesus, the word of God declared, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The word of God is here to heal and deliver us from all destruction if we are able to hear, to listen with compliance attitude.
What is it about hearing, listening to the word of God?
Man that is hearing by listening to the word God is the position to be led by God. In life, it is not possible for man to hear, to listen to the word of God and doubt God.
Hearing by listening to the word of God is submission to be managed, to be steered and to be led by the word of God. Further, hearing by listening to the word of God will deliver man from lack to plenty; it will deliver man from shame at the ground of joyful celebration. At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, when the celebration ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus knew that hearing to Jesus will deliver the marriage from mockery to miracle. As a result, the mother of Jesus suggested to the servants at the marriage celebration stating, “…whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5) Hearing by listening to Jesus, the living word of God is the avenue to be delivered, to move forward and not be a failure. At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, lack of wine was converted to plenty because the servants heard by listening to Jesus as suggested by Jesus’ mother.
In life, not hearing and listening to the word of God will lead to wrong decision in all walks. Hear and listen to His word by dwelling is His word as teacher. Psalmist buttressed, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth…” (Psalm 86:11) “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)
Evidently, hearing and listening to the word of God is the avenue to be obeying the word of God. Isaiah identified the reason to be obedience and not be disobedient to the word of God stating, “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:19-20)

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of hearing and listening to the word of God.