FAITH CAPSULE: Prayer is the master key. Consider your prayer session to avoid prayer amiss.

Daniel 6, Luke 22:39-53

How is your prayer life? In this wicked world, prayer is all that it takes to be delivered from temptation. When disciples of Jesus followed Him to Mount of Olives, He told them, “…Pray that you may not enter into temptation…” (Luke 22:40) Prayer is a master key to shut out temptation and deny evil’s entrance. Prayer, being a master key to shut, it will also open up closed door for one to gain entrance to receive from God.
Prayer is not a fun fair; it is a laborious–fair. Jesus’ prayer time in the garden was a demonstration that prayer is work, a laborious assignment. Jesus’ prayer demonstrated as it is written, “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) Jesus, our Lord and savior demonstrated to us about knowing and getting the understanding of prayer as crucial means to sail through in this wicked world.
Are you counting on someone’s prayer on your behalf? Take note that a prayer of labor demands your personal prayer engagement more than counting on someone praying on your behalf. In the wicked world of Daniel, when he realized that written was set against him in judgement, the bible recorded his reaction, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.” (Daniel 6:10-11) Daniel could not count on man’s prayer session but engaged prayer time. Daniel’s prayer master key shut down the judgement, while in the lion’s den, lion’s mouth was shut up as Daniel came out of lion’s den unscratched. (Daniel 6:19-22)
The prayer of Jesus on Mount Olives was not a fun fair; it was laborious prayer time that was fueled by agony of Jesus. Also, laborious prayer of Jesus was earnestly engaged. Earnest prayer is a serious intended prayer; a purposeful prayer engagement; a sincere prayer that is zealous. Earnestly prayer session of Jesus on Mount Olives was labor with addition of the testimony of His sweat like great drops of blood. Is your prayer labor or casual?
Claiming Jesus is not by mouth but to be living like Jesus. Prayer is a must. Prayer is not a loud making; prayer is not a demonstration of pleasing man; prayer is not to be arousing empty emotion. Seek God laboriously; engage prayer as the master key. Believe it that God which no eye has seen will act for the one who waits for Him. Prayer is the master key. Consider your prayer session to avoid prayer amiss.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of strength on the altar of prayer.

FAITH CAPSULE: God’s sight is always set to spot and reward ones with humble spirit.

James 4

In this wicked world, one with the spirit of humility shall possibly live on earth as if it is living in heaven. Living heaven on earth shall be as living in position of overcoming challenges of wicked world. One with spirit of humility is set to be lifted above where no wickedness exists.  Word of God admonished us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10) With spirit of humility, while in this wicked world, one is bound to be in the high and holy where God is as Isaiah 57:15 stated, “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit…”
God does not lie; God shall not ignore to look down not to lift humble ones up to Him. God alone pays attention to every affair under heaven. It is written, He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? (Psalm 94:9) God sees, hear and not look away to draw humble up that is loyal and obey His command. 2 Chronicles 16:9 buttressed, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” Indeed, God will lift humble ones in His sight above all wickedness of the wicked world.
Word of God encourages us today as stated, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)  Today, desire and strive for His grace to have the mind of Christ which is humble to become obedient to God’s command.
God’s sight is always ready, He is set to spot and reward those with humble spirit.
Among the blessings of having humble mind in the pages of bible are:
2Chronicles 7:14 stated, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Humility before God is a catalyst that drive’s prayer and seeking God to get answer from God.
Psalm 25:9, “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.” Be humble to take position under His guidance and teaching.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of humility.

FAITH CAPSULE: Abraham’s careful and diligent heart for God secured his destiny.

Genesis 22

In life, man that keeps heart (carefully, attentively) diligently will eliminate troubling issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 reinforced, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
How are you keeping your heart in the face of troubling issues of life?
Among ways of keeping heart diligent from troubling issues of life is to avoid pride in the heart. Action that is rooted in pride often shows lack of fear for God. The bible recorded, “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:2-3) In life, action that is rooted in pride will demonstrate lack of fear of God. Abraham’s documentation of life story demonstrated evidence of heart that was kept with all diligence while God identified him as one with fear of God.
Abraham’s action was answering to God’s calling for him to leave behind his family as stated, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)
Abraham departed without questioning God, he obeyed God. Abraham knew not where he was going and he had no idea where he was going to live. God asked him to offer his son for burnt offering. Without questioning God, he laid down Isaac with knife to slay his son. In attempt to slay Isaac for burnt offering, “…the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “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 22:11-12)
Abraham’s careful and diligent heart for God secured his destiny. There was no pride in his heart as a result; fear of God was his identity. God identified Abraham’s obedience at the point of slaying his only son Isaac for offering as commanded by God. Abraham’s fear for God made him not to withhold his only loving son from God.
What are you holding from God?
In every way of living, actions speak louder than voice. Our actions weigh up before God or weighs man down before God. Abraham’s action was not hidden from God but it weighed up before God. God is the God of knowledge and by Him actions are weighed. In the face of wicked world, keep heart diligently; allow the fear of God rule in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of God to be your garment in all God’s given life to you.

FAITH CAPSULE: At this moment, it is time to turn to God and not be a victim of sin.

Psalm 73, 94

When the children of Israel came out of the bondage of over four hundred years for their journey to the Promised Land, they all passed through the Red Sea. The whole population of the Israelites journeyed under the same cloud of protection; God gave them all the same light and fire to lead them for direction and protection. In the same journey, all the Israelites were able to drink from the same rock as God allowed. During the journey, sinners and non-sinners were not separated by God but all were exposed to what the Lord was doing to keep them on a good footing in their journey. However, when it was time, in the eyes of God to separate sinners from non-sinners God was perfect with no mistake. God did not struggle or experience the failure to identify sinners from non-sinners among the population of the Israelites. God is a merciful God; He is a longsuffering God; He alone is in control of time and He operates at His appointed time of separating sinners. Until the appointed time of God to separate sinners from non-sinners, the blessing of God was reaching the whole population of Israelites. Are you getting away with sin by enjoying the blessings of God that covers the whole population of sinners and non-sinners of earth?
From the beginning of the year till this moment the mercy of God is answering to the population of sinners and non-sinners. However, think about the journey of Israelites where sinners were eventually separated by not crossing to the Promised Land. At this moment, it is time to turn to God and not be a victim of sin. God does not overlook sin; no sinner is out of His reach but He is waiting for appointed time to separate sinners from non-sinners.
God is not in rush to do what He has set to do and no man will push the hand of God before His appointed time. Jesus reinforced the truth about the timing of God when He mentioned about the time of harvest. Matthew 13:30, “Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Growth of sinners or non-sinners is not beyond God’s appointed time. Psalmist was curious about sinner’s growth as stated, “O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth; render punishment to the proud. Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the triumph? (Psalm 94:1-3) God is not curious but you should be focus on your journey.

Prayer for today: Have mercy on me O Lord and let me not miss it in the journey of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: In the past months to the coming months, the hand of God is not short to deliver and preserve.

Daniel 1

In this wicked world, disallow challenges from denying you from maintaining your focus upon the hand of God. As a result of the fact that your expectation of last month did not manifest, it is never too late for the manifestation of the coming months. In this wicked world, we are to keep focus on God by hoping on the hand of God that is not short for intervention. God is a merciful God that does not sleep or slumber. God does not overlook His children but shall respond at an appointed time. Time is in the hand of God but only clock can be turned back and forward by man. In the past months to the coming months, the hand of God is not short to deliver and preserve, look upon the hand of God.

Isaiah 50:2 recorded encouraging word of God, “Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst.” The word of Isaiah 59:1 also buttressed the grace of God’s hand that is not shortened stating, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”
Can you see in the above word that the hand of God is worthy to look upon regardless of wicked world?
Imagine how a young captive Daniel was able to maintain his believe in the God of his father despite the fact that life placed him in the hand of Nebuchadnezzar at a young age. Daniel refused all that could deny his focus on God while in captivity. At one point, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) As a captive, Daniel’s challenges did not set him up against his God but positioned him for promotion from level to level.
What is your stubborn challenge in the past month? This day, be encouraged, be rest assured on the hand of God that is not short. God’s hand is not short to deliver and preserve His children in the coming month.
In the time of challenges, Daniel’s promotion could not be denied because the hand of God was not short for Daniel. Despite Daniel’s promotion, Daniel ended up in the den of lion. However, the lion received promotion because lions refused not to touch Daniel’s life. The promotion of lion’s consumption was the families of Daniel’s enemies that attended Daniel’s life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the agents of the evil in your life to become consumption for lions.