FAITH CAPSULE: Is your name affecting your world positively?

1 Samuel 1

Give a positive name to child. What have you been called to answer in life? Through the bible, many lived life by what they were named to answer. For example, Shiphrah and Puah lived their name to affect their world positively. Shiphrah means “Beautiful One” and Puah mean “Splendid One”. When Pharaoh attempted to reduce the Israelites male children at birth, he commanded midwives named Shiphrah and Puah, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” (Exodus 1:16) Beautiful and Splendid woman disappointed Pharaoh and not become agent of killer of Hebrew women’s sons.
What is it about your name that is affecting your world positively?
Hannah named her son Samuel meaning, “…because I have asked for him from the Lord.” (1Samuel 1:20) After years of barrenness, God answered her and she him named Samuel. Samuel is a name answer from God. Samuel greatly affected his world positively as a prophet from God. As a child, he was in position at a time when the word of God was rare. Samuel touched his people as the bible testified, “So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 3:19-20) The name of Samuel answered to the glory of God.
Bible recorded in Acts 4:36-37; “And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” This report was recorded for a purpose of encouragement but not reported for the purpose of storytelling. Joses did not live as a vessel of discouragement to body of believers yesterday and tomorrow.
Have you ever asked yourself, “What does my name mean?”
Search your name to seek if there is a need to change your name. Jabez’s meaning name was pain but he prayerfully made change of his name as it is written, “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”  And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.” (1 Chronicle 4:9-10) In life, ask to a name that will positively affect your generation to the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to understand and answer to a positive name for God’s glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Many are prophesy-lying claiming to be prophesying in the name of God.

Psalm 91

There are so many calling out; claiming Jesus but only knows about Jesus and not knows Jesus. Knowing about Jesus does not know Jesus. So many answering to self-named or man named as pastor, bishop, prophets, apostles are posturing, rising up while taking place of every corridor of church. Many are speaking from the head claiming to be speaking in tongue. Many are prophesy-lying claiming to be prophesying in the name of God. Indeed, not knowing Jesus encourages many to continue lying in the name of Jesus but Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Boldface liars, bogus self-acclaimed man of God, wretched, despicable full of gimmick knows self and God knows them. Lying around in the name of God is nothing but evil. God is not asleep but He is seeing evil work, God’s judgement will come. Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 buttressed, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.  Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.”
Are you answering to the name of God by lying and fully engaged in bogus gimmick? Is evil your passion or way of life? Are you a vulnerable victim in the hand of self-acclaimed man of God lying around?
Making choice to become ignorant in the hand of wicked liars; self-acclaimed man of God is not an excuse for deliverance as a victim. The word of God clearly spelt out our faith prescription to be free from the evil ones stating, “…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) The word of Jesus speaks to all. In this wicked world, abide in the secret in the word of God as refuge. Psalm 91:1-2 is not a story but a secret for deliverance and preservation stating, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Trust and hope in God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of deliverance and preservation.

FAITH CAPSULE: God alone is in control and He shall not sleep over His purpose for His children.

1 Kings 1

God is absolutely in control. Man’s lack of knowledge of God shall not limit or deny God’s agenda in the life of man. If you know that God is in control of your life then you will know to rest in the midst of unrest. In life, regardless of the enemy’s attempt to upstage God’s plan for you, always trust and hope that the word of God shall not fail in your life.
David promised to put Solomon in place as king but Adonijah set up a plot because he realized that David was old and advanced in years and could go to sleep at any time. The bible recorded, “Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.” (1 Kings 1:7-8) Adonijah conferred with people who counted, but not with people that counted and mattered. Adonijah was set up for failure because of his attempt to answer what God did not call him to be. Solomon did not know that there was any plan in process for him to get to the place where God wanted him to get to. God’s hand for Solomon to be king was in place but not in place for Adonijah.
At the point of God’s move against the struggle of Adonijah, Prophet Nathan made a move that eventually terminated every plot of Adonijah. Evidently, there was no struggle for Solomon, but there were people in place in time who God had planted for Solomon to get to divine schedule of God for his life. Prophet Nathan’s move required Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, to play a role of bring the plan and purpose of God to life when he asked Bathsheba to, “Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king?’” (I Kings 1:13) Bathsheba reacted by Nathan’s word; Nathan responded by playing his role before David, God showed up and moved in David. As a result, Solomon became the king as designed by God.
Today, only focus on God. God alone is in control and He shall not sleep over His purpose for His children that focus on Him. In your entire endeavor, let the peace of God that surpasses all understanding have its place in your life. God Himself will put people in places who you do not know and they will offset every set up of the enemy that is against your life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God that you shall live life in the center of God’s divine agenda.

FAITH CAPSULE: Is there any reason for discouragement and worrying in your life?

Numbers 21: 4-9, Matthew 6:25-34

The word of God is more than enough to encourage us and not to dwell in discouragement. Philippians 4:6-7 buttressed, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Discouragement is not of God it is a maneuver of enemy. It is discouragement that will expose man and set man for self-destruction. Often times, discouragement is rooted in worrying. Jesus specifically warned against worrying stating, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:25-27)
Is there any reason for worrying in your life?
When worrying is established as a result of needs, discouragement shall take charge in attempt to destroy. The children of Israel saw the deliverance of God as He brought them out of the bondage of over four hundred. God gave them word of promise for the Promised Land but yet, worrying provoked discouragement for their destruction. The bible recorded the cause and consequence of discouragement of the Israelites, “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.  And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”  So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” (Numbers 21:4-6)
The case of the deadly bite was due to discouragement that was rooted in worrying and complaint. The Israelites complained against the quality of bread provided for them by the Almighty God. God’s provision was not satisfied enough for the Israelites. Does that sound like your case? The Israelites also complained for the lack of water. Complaining made the Israelites to name the quality of the provision of God worthless. Indeed a worthless complaint caused them a worthless death. By knowing and understanding the awesome hand of God, be encouraged and not be discouraged; engage worshipping God but not worry; above all, be still and know that God alone is God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to deny discouragement and worrying in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you one that is giving attention to self instead of giving attention to God’s command?

Exodus 17:1-7, Numbers 20:7-13

Command (word) of God comes with details. The command of God (word of God) cannot be broken but demands to be precisely obeyed. Both times the Israelites lacked water God responded with word of direction through Moses. First time, God commanded Moses, “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”” (Exodus 17:5-6) Moses obeyed as commanded by God. The second time to meet thirsty of the Israelites God commanded Moses again stating, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” (Numbers 20: 7-8)
At the first attempt to get water the word of God directed Moses to strike the rock while the second time called for speaking to the rock. Moses followed God’s command by striking the rock. The second time Moses failed struck the rock instead of God’s direction for him to speak. The bible recorded that, “Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:11-12)
Striking is not same as speaking. Failure to fully obey is an avenue to self-destruction. He is a God that must be fully obeyed in His direction not in our own desire. Have you been playing God instead of placing God’s word precisely before the fellowship of His people? Are you one that is paying attention to self rather than paying attention to His command? Moses was a giant in the hand of God; he was a man of great exploit by virtue of God’s calling but he missed out of God’s Promised Land on account of the children of Israel. To man, Moses did all that was enough to get him through to the Promised Land. To God, he missed it on account of the children of Israel. Be accountable and not count yourself out through disobedience.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be constantly obedient to God and not to self.