FAITH CAPSULE: Praying right is with power that never fails.

Daniel 6

To pray before God demands understanding that does not fail.
The answer to prayer before God is not rooted in forcing God to answer as one pleases.
The answer to prayer before God is: YES, WAIT, or NO
Do you know better than your creator?
God is God, the unchanging changer, and God alone reverses the irreversible.
The earnest prayer of Jesus(Luke 22:44) and Elijah’s prayer (James 5:17-18) testify that praying earnestly is labor that will provoke an answer from God.
Prayer demands understanding that recognizes open heaven, the lifestyle connecting with God.
At the location of water baptism, with people getting baptized, there was no record of baptism backed with prayer.
However, when Jesus was baptized, heaven opened. 
Luke 3:21-22 records, “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.”
Earnestly, will you engage prayer as your way of life?
Prayer is labor that answers for deliverance and preservation in this wicked world. 
Prayer is labor with a custom approach. David testifies to laboring in prayer for his deliverance and preservation that is custom: “As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17) 
Praying with labor, with a custom, will not fail to gain and retain the presence of God.
Daniel is another one with a lifestyle of praying with the labor of custom. Daniel 6:10 records the testimony of Daniel: “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.” 
Labor can be a customary way of seeking God.
Daniel lived a life of praying before God as his custom and could not die before his time.
Do you have a schedule of attending to God prayerfully? 
Study the word of God to understand the power of praying before God as a lifestyle.
Take note that “Whatever things were written before was written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4) 
With understanding, engage with the prayer of faith as demonstrated by Jesus.
Once, with faith, Jesus demonstrated prayer when He spoke to a fig tree to be withered. His disciples reacted with curiosity when they asked Jesus: “…how did the fig tree wither away so soon?” (Matthew 21:20) Jesus responds, “…Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:21-22).
With understanding, let praying laboriously be my way of life.

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled with consistent prayer.

FAITH CAPSULE: Prayer is like: a labour, not a playing ground.

Psalm 139

How is your prayer before God?
Prayer is a personal communication, a petition addressed to God. 
Communicating with God can be verbal or non-verbal.
Prayer is in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition (sincere remorse), or thanksgiving. 
Prayer by meditating before God should be with understanding. 
Prayer is also a devotion that can be done either publicly or privately.
Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners Fellowship once described prayer as: “Prayer is like a labor room where undeniable proofs are given birth to.” 
Prayer is indeed labor and, when it is actively engaged, it delivers undeniable miracles. 
Prayer with patience will answer as the antidote for suffering.
At the time of the suffering of Job, prayer with patience (communication with God) was continual. 
The Bible encourages all, “Is anyone suffering let him pray” (James 5:13).
All should give themselves to prayer as a way of life, with continual communication with God in every moment of life, the evidence of not ignoring the nearness of God to all.
Prayer always demands earnest engagement (serious intention, purpose, or effort). 
Prayer with seriousness is evident in the testimony of Elijah praying for rain. James 5:17-18 “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit”
Elijah prayed earnestly (with seriousness and purpose).  
Is your prayer with seriousness to gain the attention of a man or to gain the attention of God?
Once Jesus was in earnest prayer, he was on a praying ground when His betrayers came to arrest him. 
Luke 22:44 records earnest prayer, the labor of Jesus:“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” 
Are you striving to pray laboriously or to pray lazily? 
The prayer of Jesus was in sweat like drops of blood falling, the evidence of laborious prayer. 
Are you expecting to engage in prayer differently from how Jesus prayed to get results? 
Prayer that is labor is seeking God diligently to be rewarded by God. (Hebrews 11:6). 
Prayer is labor that builds up before God with answers as hedges, like a wall for protection, gained to be inaccessible for enemies.
For example, the constant prayer of Job over his household answered as hedges to deny evil acts. 
The Bible records the complaint of Satan before God, after failure not to do evil for Job: “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.” (Job 1:10) With the prayer of labor that is continual, build-up hedges the protection of God. 
Just like King David, let prayer be your lifestyle and be known by God for hedges of protection. (Psalm 139:5)

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled to increase strength and understanding in prayer.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be connected with the understanding of God to retain His presence.

Psalm 34

The Word of God is God. 

John 1:1 confirms that the Word of God is God, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “
Are you with understanding to know God in His Word?
Indeed, one with no understanding of the Word of God cannot observe to see God in His Word, to fear God, to live life in obedience to God.
The evidence of the lack of understanding of God is that one does not hear the Word of God.
John 8:47, “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Search yourself to know if you are of God.
Do you understand God to seek Him?
Psalmist buttresses: “The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:2-3)
To fear God is studying Him to understand and know His Word, the key to all that matters in living life.
With understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, one will have a place before God.
Firstly, “…But knowledge is easy to him who understands.” (Proverbs 14:6) One with the understanding of God will always have a knowing edge over challenges, and a peace that surpasses all understanding becomes the identity.
Secondly, “Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding…” (Proverbs 14:33) 
Wisdom is the instruction of God.1Corinthians 1:30 states, “But of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God…” The wisdom of God in the heart of man is Jesus in the life of man. Meditate on the Word of God Day and night to remain in the presence of God.
God identifies David as having a heart for God.
David, a man after the heart of God, teaches the fear of the Lord when he states, “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11) David knows what it is to have an ear to hear and fear God that kept him in his challenges.
DO YOU FEAR GOD?
Psalm 34:13-14 identifies four points in one who fears God: 
1. Keep your tongue from evil,
2. Keep your lips from speaking deceit, 
3. Depart from evil and do good,
4. Seek peace and pursue it. 
In this wicked world, one should meditate on what it means to fear God. Abraham served God because he feared God. Hebrews 11:8 testifies, “By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
Just like Abraham, fear God, give yourself to obey His Word to retain the presence of God.

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled to listen and gain understanding to seek God.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is a good God. It is a must to fear God when living life for His glory.

Deuteronomy 10

By faith is to be-living (believe) the word of God for the glory of God.
Believing by the word of God is not by the mouth.
What does God want from all? 
Deuteronomy 10:12 identifies the answers: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” 
One who fears God walks in His ways, loves Him, and serves God diligently.
Do you fear God? 
Seek God diligently with all your heart and with all your soul to walk in His ways. God spoke to the Israelites, “They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.” (Jeremiah 32:38-40) 
God wants from all is to fear Him.
God is a good God. It is a must to fear God when living life for His glory.
To fear will lead to loving God and being obedient to His word. 1 Samuel 12:14 admonishes, “If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God.” Have the desire that the fear of God will reign and rule your life. 
Do you have faith? 
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Without faith, it is not possible to fear or love God.
Do not just have faith but be a faith-full believer.
Claiming to know about faith does not make one faithful.
Get to know and understand as a faithful one. 
Pray with a desire to be what God calls all men to be when He made you.
What does God want from all?  
Psalm 139:14 of David testifies, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
One who fears God walks in His ways, loves, and serves God diligently, and is bold and character in the ways of life.
Be faithful with fear and love to live as fearfully and wonderfully created by God. 
Today, come out of self-deception and pay attention by listening to the word of God. Live life for the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God in His mercy to enable you to fear Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Obedience to God is seeking Him diligently.

Genesis 22

It is reasonable for all to know, understand, and be mindful of the truth that God alone created all to live life for His glory and honor.
Revelation 4:11 records, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will, they exist and were created.” 
There is no reasonable excuse for anyone not to live life for the glory and honor of God but to take God for granted. 
In your service to God, are you pleasing yourself but displeasing God? Knowing God as a long-suffering God without living life for His glory is not a license for any man not to be living life for the glory of God. 
Living for God by lifting your hands in submission should be with the expectation of reaching God. 
Live for God to remain connected with God as a way of life.
God is a good God; He is worthy.
All should seek God diligently with all heart and with all soul to find Him. Deuteronomy 4:29 speaks to all, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  What do we do to live life for God when seeking God diligently instead of taking God for granted?
1. TO SEEK GOD DILIGENTLY is obedience to HIS WORD
Exodus 19:5 recorded, “Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” 
The Old Testament records the obedience of the Israelites. 
The New Testament records the benefit of the demonstration of the disciples of Jesus.Luke 5:4-6 states, “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” 
Obedience is seeking God to live for His glory. Disciples of Jesus obeyed to be enabled to live life for God as a fisher of men.
2. TO SEEK GOD DILIGENTLY will fear God, not to withhold from His word.
Abraham lived life for the glory of God. Abraham could not withhold from the command of God.
God recognized the obedience of Abraham to His word and 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 22:12)
Abraham could not take God for granted but lived for God by seeking God with all his heart and soul.

Prayer for today: Ask that God enable you to live life for His glory.