FAITH CAPSULE: Is it true of you that deception and telling lies are your character?

Acts 5:1-11

As an acclaimed believer, what is your identity? Man can be deceived but God sees all things and nothing is hidden from God. Just as smoke cannot be separated from burning fire so deceit and telling lies cannot be separated from majority acclaimed believers. Who you are in the presence of God not what the people sees you or assumes you that counts.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira is an evidence of acclaimed believers that are skilled in deception and telling lies. The book of Acts 5:1-2 recorded, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Ananias and Sapphira’s selling of their possession was voluntary without evidence of force on them. Ananias and Sapphira acted good of heart but it was done wrongly when evidence of deception and telling lies were revealed. Both husband and wife entertained the devil and were filled with devil.
Ananias and Sapphira’s deception and telling lies became revelation for Peter to respond by speaking, “…Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4) Could it be that Ananias and Sapphira had been lying long before it finally caught up with them or was it just their first time? One thing is certain, telling lies can go for a long period or a short period of time but it only takes just one day for truth to prevail. Before God, there is no small or big lie. A lie is a lie and the end therefore is sin. Sin offers nothing but death. Both Ananias and Sapphira died instantly.
Is it true of you that deception and telling lies are your character?
The word of God revealed that deceitful is not accessible to the dwelling of God. Also, regularly attending church is not an evidence of dwelling in the presence of God. Clearly, those whose garment is of telling lies are set to be absent from the presence of God. The book of Psalm 101:7-8 stated, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.” Today, come out of deception and telling lies to enter the house of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance from the spirit of lie and deception.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you an acclaimed Christ-like that lie cannot be separated from?

John 4:1-45

Are you having hatred for some or your hatred is focused particular one? The identity of one with hatred rooted in heart is mentioned in the book of Proverbs 10:18, “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips…” Are you a celebrated liar? Are you a liar that claims to be a believer of the word of God? A believer or unbeliever that harbors hatred hinders their progress. The bible clearly stated that anyone with lying lips hides hatred. Jesus Christ, the Truth could not hide hatred or told lies in every step of His ministry. Are you an acclaimed Christ like but lie cannot be separated from your behavior?
It was truthfulness of Jesus that made Him to go through Samaria on His way from Judea to Galilee. Going through Samaria is often forbidden by the Jew because of hatred for the Samaritans. Jesus came in love and could not walk outside of love. Are you an acclaimed Christ like with hatred rooted in your heart? Is it the influence of hatred over you that is causing you to side track from the way of assignment? It was in the hate polluted route that Jesus was able to plant one of the most effective testimonies of salvation. Jesus bypassed hatred to allow the revelation of living water to come to life and become more distinct. In this route of hatred He encountered a Samaritan woman and He asked for water to drink. Jesus introduced the living water to the Samaritan woman because hatred had no influence on Jesus. Jesus knew quite well that she does not have what it takes to draw living water for Him to drink. In this route, Jesus made it known to the Samaria woman, “…Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14) In the hatred route of sin, the Samaritan woman received Jesus’ message with joy and went to testified Jesus. The Samaritan woman, through her encounter with Jesus, gained salvation, strength and song of salvation. The hatred route of sin could not derail nor deny Jesus from the business of the kingdom.
Are you on the right track of your calling but trapped by hatred? Without doubt, hatred is the portion of pride while pride is a personal ride to self-destruction. Deny self; deny untruthfulness and do not allow hatred come your way of calling to serve as Christ alike. Jesus could not be derailed by hatred.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you so as not become a vessel of hatred.

FAITH CAPSULE: Regard the works of God’s hand so as to maintain the fear of God.

Isaiah 5

Evidently, the lack of knowledge is an assurance way to captivity. (Isaiah 5:13) However, having knowledge is the way out of captivity. For example, when man regards the work of the Lord knowledge cannot be misplaced is man. The book of Isaiah 5:12 clearly stated the reason why the lack of knowledge drives man to captivity, “…But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands.” Indeed, the lack of knowledge drives man into captivity. (Isaiah 5:13). Psalmist also confirmed that a failure not to regard the work of God shall destroy stating, “Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5) Do you consciously pay attention to the operation of the hand of God? Meditating on the work of God is same as meditating the creating the word of God. Meditation is not memorizing but working word of God laboriously in the heart day and night. As a desire for the knowledge to be regarding the work of God and not be a victim of captivity, allow mediation of the word of God to become your way of living life.
Regarding the word of God is looking closely or attentively to observe steadily, to hold in respect, to look upon or consider in a specified way. It is important to know that the wondrous works of God’s hand is what declares His name as near to us. (Psalm 75:1) Why not begin to regard the works of His hand so as to maintain the fear of God that keeps one from any form of captivity? In life, not to regard the works of God is a way of turning back on God.
There is no excuse not to regard the work of God. The book of Romans stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:20-21) Sodom and Gomorrah did not regard the works of God and they received judgment of God. If Sodom and Gomorrah could not escape judgment, the present generation will not escape God’s judgment either. Regard and retain God in your knowledge, abstain from ungodly and careless life. It is knowledge to constantly regard the works of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the lovingkindness and truth of God to continually preserve you.

FAITH CAPSULE Agreement or disagreement is a clear identity of Christian body.

Acts 12:1-19

Agreement is an act of agreeing; it is a state of being in accord. Agreement is accord, compromise, compatible, consistency, complying, and reconciliation. Agreement is not disagreement, dissent, disharmony, discord, disunity, dissimilarity, dissention, divorce. Are you in fellowship of two, three, four or many fellowship with identity of agreement or disagreement? The roots of disagreement are lying, deception and manipulation. Agreement or disagreement is always identity of Christian body.
As an acclaimed believer, where do you stand?
Is your fellowship rooted on God’s direction or building a tower of Babel?
When the people began to build the tower of Babel their agreement was not rooted on God. The people were agreeing outside of God; they wanted to build for self not God. Building outside of your Creator is uncompromising, a disagreement with the only Creator. The people stated, “…Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4) The people arrived to build babel without agreement with their Creator. God responded to their construction stating, “…Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (Genesis 11:6)
Are you in agreement to make name for self or for God, your only Creator?
God cannot be counted outside of our engagement.
Take note that there is power in agreement when God is the center of our engagement. Jesus testified the power of agreement, “…if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20) The power of agreement is coming together for the glory of God not for self-glorification. In the name of Jesus, coming together in agreement is power to manifestation. Once, Peter was facing death like that of James, the brother of John that was killed by King Herod. There was no way out for Peter to escape the hand of Herod. It is written, “And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”(Acts 12:6) Peter’s deliverance came through when, “…prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” (Acts 12:5) The church’s coming together constantly in agreement delivered Peter. Man shut the door on Peter, but prayer of agreement before God opened the door and Peter escaped sudden death by the hand of God through the power of coming together in agreement.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from religion and place you into Christ reality.

FAITH CAPSULE: The word of God is the source of Joy.

John 15

Among ways of describing the word of God are: livewire which is bright spark, sustenance is the provision, and wellspring is source. Indeed, the word of God is the only way to have life. Jesus is the way (John 14:6), Jesus is the word of God (John1:1). Jesus confirmed in His word, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Do you receive and believe the word of God into your heart?
If yes, there is a need for you to consciously live life in the joy of the Lord. In times of today’s instability and wicked world, the joy of the Lord is the strength to those who have it.
Knowing Jesus (the word of God) is the source of joy that gives stability and strength.
Isaiah 33:6 stated clearly, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times and the strength of salvation…”
There is a need to understand and have knowledge that Jesus (the word of God) became for us wisdom from God. (1 Corinthians 1:30) Without doubt, the joy of the Lord is the strength to those who have it.
Do you have it and know that the word of God is the joy of the strength in this instability, unstable wicked world.
Jesus, the living word of God repeatedly stated out that having joy is in His spoken word for any who makes the choice to receive His word in them. Jesus stated in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” He emphasized again in John 17:13, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” All of His words in the world are the source of Joy. One with His joy is bound with strength that surpasses all understanding.
Do you know that His word is the source of joy that replace sorrow with strength in the life of those who have it?
At a point of confronting challenges for the Israelites Nehemiah spoked the word of comfort to encourage strength in the place of sorrow stating, “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Are you meditating the word of Jesus that your joy may be full?
Those who meditate the word of God shall know the joyful sound. Psalm 89:15 buttressed, “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.” Is it direction you need? Is it preservation you desire? If you begin to pay attention in your meditation for the joyful sound, direction and preservation shall position you for blessing.

Prayer for today: Ask for the understanding and know to be engaging the joy of the Lord.