FAITH CAPSULE: Be persistent thanking God and He will not resist from answering you.

Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus was on His journey of mission to the region of Tyre and Sidon when a woman of Canaan came and cried out to Him. Have you been crying to Him all year long? The woman cried for mercy stating, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” (Matthew 15: 22) All kinds of crying must have been going up to Him and still waiting for His response. In the scene of this woman of Canaan, Jesus response testifies the truth that God hears every time but only answer at His appointed time. As regard to the case of the woman of Canaan, the Bible recorded Jesus’ response, “But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”” (Matthew 15:23) Jesus did not answer the woman at the time of her asking because Jesus’ timing is different.
God’s timing is not man’s timing.
The disciples could not wait but quickly requested for her to be sent away.
God is a compassionate Father that will never ignore any of His children.
Whenever our expectation for answer from God seems delayed according to our timing, we can always turn to Him with the sacrifice of thanks giving.
Giving thanks in the face of pending needs is declaring God’s faithfulness. Giving thanks is also an evidence of understanding that all things passes through our good God. Without doubt, what passes through God to us comes out good. Romans 8:28 buttress the need for us to constantly hold on to God in thanks giving, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The Word of God went further concerning the issue of thanks giving when it stated in Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Obviously, the scriptural verses points out that, those that give thanks for all things, will have all things work together for good on their behalf. As difficult or as challenging situations we should know to give thanks for all things and in all things.
After Jesus’ brief silence to a woman of Canaan’s request, He later communicated with her and the Bible recorded, “Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:8)
Do not give up, be persistent and He will not resist from answering you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be persistent giving thanks in your waiting on Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: Give it all for Jesus and He shall settle you.

1Kings 19:11-21, Luke 5:1-11

At a point in time, four fishermen forsook all and followed Jesus. In life, to follow in serving God demands forsaking all. Elisha followed Elijah in his serving of God. The bible recorded that Elisha answered calling to serve when he wholeheartedly followed Elijah. Elisha broke with his old life by kissing father bye and by destroying the yoke of oxen that were his livelihood. (1Kings19:19-21)
What do you forsake to follow in serving God?
Four professional fishermen at the right time at the right place failed to catch fish. The four fishermen could not give up until day break; yet they caught nothing. While they were washing their nets and ready to pack for the day with nothing, Jesus showed up. “Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.” (Luke 5:3) Despite lack of success with catching fish, their kindness was intact as they allowed the stranger to use their vessel without any refusal. After Jesus finished teaching the multitude, He turned to the fishermen and gave them His word stating, “…Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4) In response, professional fishermen lamented about toiling all night with nothing to show forth.
Are you in any situation where disappointment denies turning to any word of change? Have you found yourself on a ground where you have been grounded due to lack of positive result? Often, listening to hear and see in the word of change is always the route of transformation. The fishermen responded to the word to launch out into the deep and let down nets, “…they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:6-8)
Is there any area of your life where you have been toiling? It does not matter how long you have been toiling with nothing to show off. However, it is certain that when you listen to hear and see in the word of God it shall lead you to route of transformation. The fishermen listened and heard the word that terminated their struggle. Give it all for Jesus and He shall settle you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to sound in direction of every area of your struggle.

FAITH CAPSULE: Hearing and seeing in God’s word is the Key to every door in life.

Joshua 6

The word of God is power and it will deliver when it enters into man. Psalm 119:130 admonished “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” Do you trust the word of God to enter in your life for understanding? When attention is truly given to words and words not depart from eyes, the heart will keep the words to bring forth its manifestation. (Proverbs 4:20-21)
Responding to God’s word by giving attention to hear and not allow God’s word to depart shall bring forth manifested. God commanded Abraham, “For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.” (Genesis 13:15-16) At the time of command, Abraham has passed the age of child bearing. Despite of that, he was commanded to see himself where he has never been. Not just to see, but to also imagine descendants that could not be numbered. Like Abraham, when attention is truly given to words and words not depart from eyes, the heart will keep the words to receive the promises of God. Abraham saw in the words of God and he obtained God’s promises in the words.
The children of Israel, after years and years of journey to their promise land, the King of Jericho attempted to deny God’s word of promise. They were set to enter, but the King of Jericho was determined to deny them. The bible recorded the plan of the King of Jericho in Joshua 6:1, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.” Man can shut you out from where God is taking you, but the key to every door is in the word of God if you allow and see in the word. God spoke His word to Joshua the leader of the children of Israel in Joshua 6:2, “And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” In God’s command, there is deliverance if you will give attention to hear and see deliverance while is yet to manifest. Joshua saw victory in God’s command before it was manifested in the physical.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to open your ears and heart for as a house of God’s word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Trusting God is to rest on the promises of God that never fail.

Joshua 14, Psalm 23

Trusting God is the confidence in the certainty of His deliverance and preservation.
Trusting God is to rest on the promises of God that never fail.
King David was so sure to trust on God when he stated, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
What is better than to know that with God is deliverance and preservation?
God is shield where there is no reason for lack.
King David was so sure to trust on God and not to entertain fear. David walked and not ran through the valley of the shadow of death. He testified, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) Knowing to trust God is not same as knowing about to trust God. Many know about trusting God but not knowing to trust God in the heart. In life, to truly know and trust God is to be faithfully filled by God. In the valley of the shadow of death, it is a true trust to walk confidently in the certainty of God’s deliverance.

In the journey of life through the wilderness, the only way out to the expected end is to trust God. God is always at every juncture where there is no sign for survival. Caleb and Joshua were the only survivors among thousands of the children of Israel that left Egypt for the Promised Land. Caleb and Joshua survived because they saw hope where there was no hope. Caleb and Joshua trusted God enough and took an odd stand among their brethren who failed to trust in God’s promise. Caleb trusted God and testified, “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.” (Joshua 14:7) Trust is not just word of mouth, but word from the heart. Unlike Caleb and Joshua, the people who went to spy the land failed to trust in the heart. Caleb testified, “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God.” (Joshua 14:8) Evidently, Caleb’s trust in God made God to keep him and he testified, “And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.” (Joshua 14:10) God is trust worthy.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly maintain trust in the name of God.

Faith Capsule: Be truthfully faithful and obtain good testimonies.

Hebrews 11:8-19

The word of God is command that requires full obedience without compromise. Whenever the word of God sound in our direction is worthy to obey, dwell or wait in the word of God. To obey, dwell and wait on the word of command is evident in the life of Abraham. The bible recorded of Abraham, “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. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)
Obedience: When God called Abraham out from his country, his family, his father’s house to an unknown land, he obeyed fully by launching out as commanded by God. Although, there was no idea of where he was going, but it was ideal for him not to question God. Abraham gave no reasonable excuse to decline the calling upon his life. Abraham obeyed God by moving from certainty to uncertain. Are you obeying to obtain good testimonies?
Dwelling: Abraham dwelt on the word of God. Living life according to God’s word of command is same as dwelling in the secret place of God. Psalm 91:1 buttressed. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Are you a truthful believer that knows to dwell in the word of command of God? Abraham dwelt in God’s command by not looking back to his country but went forward. He dwelt under the shadow of the Almighty God. God’s word of command moved him, faith led him to a foreign country and faith caused him to obtain a good testimonies. The words (command) of God are stories to those with no understand. For ones with understanding, the word of God is a secret place to dwell. Abraham dwelt in it.
Waiting: Abraham obeyed God; he dwelt and he waited. Those who know to dwell in God’s command should also know to wait patiently. Hebrews 11:10 recorded about Abraham’s waiting on God’s command that, “for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Indeed, Abraham lived in the land waiting for the future which was not yet insight. Waiting on the promise of God’s word can be painful but gainful is undeniable for obedient.
In all of life journey, it is understanding and knowledge of God’s word that gave full obedient and obtaining good testimony for Abraham that is written for our own learning to gain.

Prayer Point: Ask God for the grace that will open the ears and eyes of our heart that will live for His name to be glorified.