FAITH CAPSULE: Let the word work for you.

Matthew 8

Receive and believe word of God to work for you. Word is enough to terminate struggle in any area of life. Naaman, a commander of the army of the king of Syria, a mighty man of valor had leprosy challenge. However, when the word of God sounded in his direction he could not receive and believe the word that terminates challenges. Elisha told Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan seven times so as to be cleansed from his leprosy but he refused and could not accept the word of healing. The Bible said, “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’” (2 Kings 5:11) Naaman struggled with word but later went back to receive and got cleansed.
Are you denying yourself a timely deliverance by not receiving or believing the word of God? The book of Psalm 107:20 stated the word of God, “He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions”  The bible also recorded, “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.” (John 1:1-3) The word is still terminating challenge in the life of one that receives and believes in the word? Jesus was and He is still the living word of God that answers for ones that receive and believe His word.
It was the word of Jesus that healed a centurion’s servant. When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him asking for healing on behalf of his servant that was lying at home sick and paralyzed. Jesus responded with promise to go to centurion’s house. The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8:8) The centurion received and believed when he asked for the word. The word of God is to terminate challenge for any one that is definitely able to accept and trust in the word of healing and deliverance. Jesus saw the faith of the centurion with action without any doubt before Jesus. It is written in Matthew 8:13, “Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.”” Are you delaying your healing deliverance? Jesus as spoken let the word work for you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to receive and believe the word.

FAITH CAPSULE: The way of God is the way of going up from where you are now.

Exodus 13

When God is taking man to the promise location He will put everything in place for man to get to the expected end. Has He brought you out of the house of bondage in an attempt to take you to the expected end?
In God’s journey expected end for man, challenges are not exempted. Man should endure the challenges of the giants along the way of journey to the expected end. Hebrews 10:36 buttressed endurance which is crucial to attain promise of journey, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” The will of God is to take man to the expected location. The will of God is in the way of God. An adage stated, “Where there is a will there is a way” The adage is true to everyone that the Lord calls to a journey of promise. For example, when God called Abraham to come out of his country, from his family and from his father’s house there was God’s will in place for Abraham. The will of God for Abraham was to make Abraham a great nation, great name and a blessing. (Genesis 12: 1-2) As a result of God’s will that was in place for Abraham, there was a way for Abraham to get to the promises of God. Truly, where there is a will for a child of God there will always be a way to get through to God’s will for the obedient ones. Abraham’s obedient caused him to arrive at God’s will for his life. God always place every of His children on the right track but the enemy is always at work to overthrow man. Abraham endured challenges. He experienced delay; he engaged war to deliver Lot; Abraham attempted the life of old age son (Isaac) for sacrifice. When God is taking man to a location of promise it is not a liberty to take step out of God’s way.
Are you stepping out of God’s way into you way?
Man should not take any way because any way will not lead one to God’s expected end. Abraham could not take out of God’s way. Moses, the leader of Israelites could not make the choice of wrong way. The bible recorded, “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17-18) Let God take you through His way.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your ears and eyes into His way.

FAITH CAPSULE: knowing to do good and doing it must be a blessing.

2 Kings 4:8-17

Doing good is investing to be positioned for God’s visitation. Why not know to do good when situation demands good? It is worthy to think that, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) By the word of God, when man knows to do good but make choice not to do good sin occupies. Doing good is among the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:22 listed, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” Be investing doing good. Among the bible passages that identified the importance of doing good are, Romans 12:9, “…Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” Hebrews 13:16, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Be investing doing good and take a position to reap. Get to know and do good. Thinking of doing good from the heart, but to care is by action. It is worthy to engage doing good by acting with care, knowing fully well that what you are doing is in the name of God and for the glory of God.
The Shunammite woman unconsciously invested doing good in the life of the man of God that frequently passed by her place. 2 Kings 4:9-10, “And she said to her husband, ‘Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly. Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a chair and a lamp stand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.’” The man of God came and his life was made easier for him. He acknowledged the woman’s investment of doing good. Elisha sent servant to her, “…Say now to her, ‘“Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ She answered, ‘I dwell among my own people.’” (2 Kings 4:13) Indeed, the man of God spoke on her in the name of God and barrenness ceased in her life. The Shunammite woman became a mother in her husband’s old age. The Shunammite woman, by concern and care, she invested in doing good in the name of God and she reap the blessing of the womb.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be one that is investing to doing good.

FAITH CAPSULE: All that belongs to you by God’s appointment shall not elude you.

1 Samuel 16

When God send for you no man can offset you from answering to God. King David, at the time for him to be anointed as king he was not at sight but could not be exchanged for his brother to become the king. It was Samuel that God sent to anoint David as a king of the Israelites after King Saul disobeyed the word of God.
God called on Samuel to go and anoint David without Samuel knowing it was David. At Samuel’s arrival at Jesse, the Bethlehemite, he wanted to determine by sight the one that was to be anointed according to God’s command. Samuel called for all the children of Jesse. The bible recorded, “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!”” (1 Samuel 16:6) When God sends you, allow Him for His specific direction. Samuel did not wait for specific direction when he attempted to make a selection for God. Samuel’s attempt was a miss because he moved by sight. The Lord told Samuel not to look at appearance or physical stature (1 Samuel 16:7).
Are you allowing God to take you through in His direction?
When He sends you, allow Him to be in charge because He is the one that called you and you do not call yourself. After Samuel’s failure by looking at the physical appearance, he now responded to God by not looking but listening for whom God will announce for anointing. Samuel saw all the children of Jesse but could not complete God’s assignment because the one God sent for Him to be the king after Saul was absent. Samuel knowing that God did not make any selection among the children of Jesse that was on location, he said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” (1 Samuel 16:11b) Despite the fact that David was not on location, none of his brother could replace David and offset David’s calling.
In life, what belongs to you by God’s appointment shall not elude you. In the waiting for David’s arrival, all remained standing. Today, all that belongs to you by God’s appointment shall not elude you in the name of Jesus. Where ever you are or whatever the situation on the ground is, God’s calling shall always wait for you. David’s calling waited for him until his arrival. Anointing is not what is to be struggled for it is for whom the Lord calls that shall claim God’s appointment. David the last of the children of Jesse did not struggle to claim God’s appointment.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to live to the fulfillment of God’s divine assignment. Pray against any agent of denial. Pray that you shall live to the fulfillment of God’s glory in life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Understanding can lead mouth out of destruction.

2 Kings 7:1-20

Understanding is the ability to listen carefully and be in charge of what comes out of the mouth. Truly understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. (Proverbs 16:22) Are you considering the importance of listening ability and not live as potential fool? Bible warned, “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.” (Proverbs 18:7) If indeed mouth can lead to destruction, understanding can lead mouth out of destruction. Bible also warned in Proverbs 13:3, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” It is understanding that causes mouth to preserves life. With understanding, are you taking charge over your mouth not to react negatively to troubling challenge?
Once during the time of the prophet of God, Elisha, a sever famine reduced the land to a place of lack. Shortage was rampant across the land. The Bible recorded, “Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’”(2Kings 7:1) To one of the officers, the word through Elisha sounded as impossible task. To the officer, how could such breakthrough be possible in the face of severe famine? The officer could not be in charge of his mouth; the officer lacked understanding; the officer took a stand as a fool. The ignorant officer responded to Elisha’s prophecy when he spoke out of his mouth with lack of understanding, “…Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be (2 Kings 7:2)?” Imagine the demonstration of lack of understanding which caused doubt from the ignorant officer.
Do you doubt what God can do?
Can you imagine yourself waking up in the position of plenty instead of waking up in the place of famine?
With understanding, if you know that God is still on the throne then believe that miracle is not beyond God. Just as Elisha has said, the officer saw the miracle with his eyes, but could not touch it. 2 Kings 7:20 recoded the end of the ignorant officer, “And so it happened to him, for the people trample him in the gate, and he died.” God opened the window of plenty; lack was terminated and destruction marked the ignorant officer.
Jesus was pointing out the possibility of God when He stated, “…With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) With understanding are you taking charge of your mouth stating God’s possibility and not stating God’s impossibility just like the ignorant officer?

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from lack of understanding.