FAITH CAPSULE: Lord helps in time of troubling challenge.

Psalm 3

When trouble increase it becomes a challenging trouble. A challenging trouble graduates to a permanent trouble. It is tolerating trouble that terminates troubled ones. In time of challenging trouble man’s faith is questioned. David, a man after God’s own heart had increasing trouble when he stated in Psalm 3:1-2, “Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.””
David testified how he dealt with his own increasing trouble.
First, David acknowledged God for His awesomeness by stating, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” (Psalm 3:3) David did not allow his challenge to cloud is worship. David worshiped instead of worrying when he acknowledged God for what He has done and what He was doing in his life. Acknowledging God in a time of troubling challenge is a way of thanking God and it provokes God’s hand of intervention.
Secondly David testified, “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.” (Psalm 3:4) Crying is not a sign of weakness. David did not let pride but he cried out loud. It was a cry with his voice not in his heart; it was a cry that went out loud to God’s (His) holy hill.The word of God requested open mouth wide and God will fill with one’s request. (Psalm 81:10) David testified that the Lord heard him from His holy hill.
Thirdly David mentioned, “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.”(Psalm 3:5) After having demonstrated worship in the place of worrying, David slept over his trouble just like Jesus. Once, during Jesus’ cross-over journey with His disciples, a troubling storm became a troubling challenge. (Mark 4:35-41) In the midst of storm, “Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.” (Mark 4:38) When the disciples were no longer able to hold to faith, they woke Jesus up and Jesus rebuked the storm. With trust in God, David lay and slept despite troubling challenges. David rested his case in the hand of God.
Fourth, David disallowed fear to have a place in his troubling challenge. He stated, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”(Psalm 3:6) It is true that when fear rises faith will sink and when faith rises fear must sink. Faith and fear does not tolerate each other and that is why a believer must eliminate fear. David made a conscious stand against fear when he declared, “I will not be afraid.” In the face of your troubling challenge, take a conscious stand of faith and not be afraid.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to hold on faith in the place of fear.

FAITH CAPSULE: His spoken word is to remain in us so that our joy may be full.

Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4

Jesus’ speech to His disciples confirmed that His spoken word is the source of joy when He stated, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11) John also confirmed the word of Jesus as source of joy stating, “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:4) Paul the apostle buttressed, “…Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18) Evidently, rejoicing testifies to being filled and full of the word just as stated by the word of God. Ones that truly receive and believe in the living word of God shall be full with joy.
As an acclaimed believer, think about it, why are you not rejoicing always?
Is the word of God gaining access in you? If yes, are you being filled by the word that is entering? Jesus wants His spoken word in us so that our joy may be full.
It is important to know that it is the fullness of joy that grants man to the presence God. Psalmist pointed out, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11) One must be joyful because the word He has spoken is true and it cannot return back to Him void.
Has He promised and not do?
One that is not rejoicing is the one with worrying in the world. One that have received the word and believe in the word should have no place for worrying but rejoicing because He commanded, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33) As one that claims to have accepted Christ as Lord and savior; one that is called according to purpose of God should not allow challenges to fill the place of joy. What are the things that are causing you not to rejoice? As a true believer, let it be known “…that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) In time of every challenging situation, engage the word of God by knowing that challenging situation shall eventually work together for good as promised in the word of God.
Be full of His word, allow joy and rejoicing become your portion regardless of challenging things of the world.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to enable His word have permanent place in your life.

FAITH PRESCRIPTION: Jesus is Lord and there is nothing He cannot do.

Mathew 11

What is it that is causing you to have doubt instead of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? With doubt fear will eventually come to place. Where there is fear or when fear is rising, faith will sink. The Bible identifies the source of faith stating, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Engage hearing and hearing by the word of God, allow faith to rise so that fear will sink and doubt will have no place in you. Deny your present situation or your location from operating as an agent that causes you to doubt.
John the Baptist doubted Jesus. It is written, “And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-3) Is there any representative of prison in your life that is causing doubt of what Jesus can do? John the Baptist, while spending time in prison doubted Jesus. It was John that baptized Jesus. It is written, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him” (Matthew 3:13) John the Baptist bears witness of Jesus, “…Behold The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”’ (John 1:29-30) John also exalted Jesus when he stated that, “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all.” (John 3:31)
Despite all which John the Baptist knew about Jesus, when he was in the prison of his life, he doubted Jesus. John wanted to know what he already knew. Remember you have heard it all and you have seen it all; if you will hold on to all that you have known you will depart from doubt and not dwell in it. Jesus’ response to John’s doubt speaks to all with doubts, “…Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Mathew 11:4-6) Where there is doubt faith has a tendency to drown. Hebrew 11:6 recorded, “…But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” With faith, declare to your situation that Jesus is Lord and there is nothing He cannot do.

Prayer for today: Ask for grace of God to keep you that your faith will not fail.

FAITH CAPSULE: Before God, incomplete obedience is a full complete disobedience.

1 Samuel 15

Obedience demands commitment but denies convenience. Obedience is often demands agreement or submission. Think of it, obedience is sacrifice. The word of God demands full obedience without any excuse or compromise. Rising in response to the word of God is not enough without rising and moving in direct of the word of God.
King Saul was an example of rising in obedience to the word of God but could not answer fully in direction of the word of God.
God sent Samuel to Saul, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. ³ 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 15:2-3) King Saul rose up in obedience but failed to fully answer to the word of direction. Saul spared some and destroyed as decided on his own against the word of God. Saul failed and was rejected by God.
Rising in obedience to the word of God is not enough without rising and going in the direction of the word of God. Many are failing to fully answer in the direction of God’s word. Jonah answered but failed to fully answer. It is written, “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 ’Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’ 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:1-3) Jonah responded by hearing but followed the dictates of his heart.
Disobedience of Jonah led him in the belly of a fish. It was a dark place; an unfamiliar ground for Jonah. An act of disobedience is to be disoriented just as it was like Jonah’s incomplete obedience. So many have started in the calling of God but failed as incomplete before God.
Jonah knew he entered self-affliction; He called on God. Jonah 2:1-2, “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: ‘I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice.”” God answered Jonah and his repentance to God delivered him from incomplete obedience. Full obedience is all that counts before God. Excuse for disobedience could not deliver King Saul. Before God, incomplete obedience is a full complete disobedience.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you and not be a failure.

FAITH CAPSULE: Is God taking you somewhere?

1Samuel 17

1 John 4:4-6 stated, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” The key here is, “…He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world…” Indeed, is He in you? In the world of there is giant harassment and there is giant intimidation taking a position to deny or derail destiny. If He is in you, giant of all kinds shall not prevail.
When David was to go and take on Goliath in battle, King Saul clothed David with his armor and all of his war gear. David could not walk from the weight of the gear and requested for all to be removed. He then took up his staff and five smooth stones from the brook along with his slings. He approached Goliath; Goliath disdained him; for he was only a youth, coming to fight him with sticks, 1Samuel 17:43, “So the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” David was not afraid and Goliath’s words and his size was not enough to cause doubt in David’s mind about what the Lord would do. David had a testimony that kept him going forward and not looking backward from the giant task, giant harassment and giant intimidation.
Giant situation took charge while David was on his way to where the Lord God was taking him. Is God taking you somewhere? He has a destination for all of His children just as He did for David. God is taking His children to a divine agenda just like when David responded to a giant situation in 1Samuel 17:45, “David responded, You come to me with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled.”  David went with a weapon that was greater than the weapons of this world; he went with the Word of God which was in him. Is the Word in you? Is He in you? 1John 4:4 stated, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  Is He in you? If He is, depend on Him and you will surely overcome your Goliath just as David did.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of Word to have a place in you.