FAITH CAPSULE: Do you believe that the Lord is with you?

Numbers 14:1-38

An act of complaint is an act to rebel. When there is rebellion in place it becomes a rejection of the word of God. To reject the word of God is also an act of disobedience, and this can be compared to setting a date with death. King Saul rejected the command of God, and God rejected him. The act of King Saul was accounted to him as rebellion. It is an act of rebellion to hear from God and not do as commanded. Rebellion does have its root in complaint. The children of Israel, during the journey through the wilderness, were constantly complaining before it was accounted to them as rebellion. During the investigation of the Promised Land, the spy came back with a negative report. Based on the report given, the children of Israel lifted up their voice of complaint against Moses and Aaron. At that juncture, Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb responded with a positive report and tried to disregard the negative report by saying “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us.” (Numbers 14:9) Do you believe that the Lord is with you?
Whenever one allows fear, rebellion, rejection of the word of God, or complaint, to have a place in your life, you are set in the way of destruction. Noah received a command to build against destruction when God commanded him to build an ark. Noah moved without doubt or question. Noah built an ark in the most unlikely area — he built an ark where it hardly rains in a period of a year. In his obedience, the word testified, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22) Are you as a believer finding it difficult to obey by building yourself up in the word of God? In the Old Testament time, Noah received the command to build against destruction that was eminent. Also in the New Testament a command to build has been released through the mouth of the Apostle Paul. In Acts 20:32, “So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give your inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Believers are to be built up by the word of God against destruction just as Noah built for himself and his household an ark by the command of the word of God. The word of God that’s released is what will build every believer who cares to hear and obey. Believers that want to be built up have to be constant and consistent in obeying the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the word of God to rule your life.

YOUR PHARAOH

FAITH CAPSULE: In life, there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor.

Exodus 14

When a man insists and persists on taking to his own way, it is evident that he is resisting the hand of God. Pharaoh insisted, persisted and resisted not to let go the children of Israel when God sent Moses for their release. The Bible recorded, “Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:1-2)
Indeed, any time you are resisting God’s word like Pharaoh did, you are also saying, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice…” Pharaoh undermine the word of God by operating a stubborn heart, he was set to be a vessel of dishonor.
In life, there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. Are you a modern day Pharaoh? Pharaoh’s response to the request of Moses caused more pain for the children of Israel when, “…Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks, which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”(Exodus 5:6-9) Pharaoh repeatedly stood his ground rejecting the word of God. After he had finally let them go, he went further and pursued the children of Israel. As a vessel with hardness of heart when it was time for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea, he could not let them go according to God’s command through Moses. Is there any situation that has insisted, persisted, and resisted your let go for God to have His way in your life? Through Moses, God responded on behalf of the children of Israel at the crossing of red sea when, “…Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained…” (Exodus 14: 27-29) This also shall be the portion of your enemy in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Ask that just it happened for Pharaoh at the Red Sea, so shall it be to Pharaoh in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: know that He is true to His word, live life according to His command.

Haggai 2

God spoke to Joshua after the he took over from Moses, “…I will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) The word that sounded to Joshua speaks to all that walks in line with the word of God. However, when there is lack of understanding that God is with you, the power of Him being there for you will not be activated. It is written in Hosea 4:6 that the lack of knowledge is what destroyed the people of God. It is important to constantly keep in mind that He is with us just as we walk in line with His word. God is always available for His children and the Psalmist described Him, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
The completion of the latter temple was nothing to be compared with the one that was built by Solomon. All those who lived to witness both temples do have enough reason to develop a sense of discouragement. However, there was a reason for them to be encouraged and move forward and not dwell on the past but to continue in their work for the Lord. The reason not to be discouraged was God’s word of encouragement through Haggai in Haggai 2:4, “Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, says the LORD; and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work; for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts”. Are you experiencing any form of discouragement?
Take to the living Word of God that was and that will always be. The word of God speaks encouragement and power in place of discouragement. It is time to disallow the past from counting you out but continue to count on Him that is abundantly able to accept us from where we stand in Him. God’s words through Haggai, “I am with you” (Exodus 3:12) was the same that was spoken to encourage Moses in the assignment for bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt. God has not ceased from backing His children up with His word. Hebrews 13:5 identifies what it takes to have the word answer on our behalf, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” To be living according to His command and to know that He is true to His word is encouraging. With our knowing, “…we can boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6) Know that the Lord is with you. Be encouraged by the Word of God today and He will see you through.

 Prayer for today: Ask Him to help you not to depart from His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: One that is taking wrong chances can change one’s life to worse experience.

2 Samuel 11

To be at the right place at the right time will always produce a positive result. In other words, being at the wrong place at the right time or the right place at the wrong time can be exceedingly destructive without the Word of God o help. To be at the wrong place at the wrong time is evidently the cheapest way to self-destruction. The right place at the right time is the only right with no iota of wrong having its way. King David, as greatly as he was used by God, got caught up in the right place at the wrong time. As a result, he failed to stand in the command of God. The Bible recorded, “It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle…” (2 Samuel 11:1) While David was suppose to be at the battlefield like other kings he, “…Arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” (2 Samuel 11:2) King David’s standing at the right place at the wrong time caused an outstanding mark of pain on him that endured all the days of his life. To King David, it was the mark of adultery that had a great negative impact on his life journey.

As an acclaimed believer, are you conscious of your present location? Avoid taking chances that can change your life for a worse experience. God cannot be hidden from and His presence will always locate you. As an acclaimed believer, where are you standing? Just as we pay attention to where we are standing giving attention to what we stand for is also important. What do you stand for? Where you are standing or what you are standing for can usher you into an unending journey of pain or an unending journey of great gains. In King David’s wrong standing, he entered into an indirect killing of Uriah when he ordered Uriah’s killing at the battlefield. King David, “…wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, ’Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.’” (2 Samuel 11:14-15) David creating a set up for the destruction of Uriah was an attempt to cover up his adultery that brought forth an unexpected seed. David’s adultery brought to life a child that he did not expect. King David’s standing was not acceptable to God because he violated the command of God.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s divine guidance through every walk of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Presence of God is a shelter at all time.

Psalm 27

What the heart desires often come forth in life. King David stated, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4) What do you desire? Dwelling in the house of God is taking a shelter against the time of trouble. David went further to identify what is inhabited in dwelling in the house (presence) of God stating, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5) Manifestly, dwelling in the presence of God will hide one and set one high away from trouble.
As one that believes in the name of the Almighty God, it is important to consider if you have only been entering into His presence and not dwelling. It is written, “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!’” Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.” (Jeremiah 7:1-3) It is not enough to be coming and going to the presence of God but to dwell. He who comes to God must believe that He is. Have you been coming long enough and nothing has changed in your spiritual life? There is a need to begin to come and seek Him diligently and make His presence become your dwelling place. Your level of belief is what will determine how you seek Him. Seek Him diligently and He will reward you because He is a faithful God. It is possible to come to Him and not believe.

In the days of Jesus Christ, many came to see Him; some came to ridicule Him. Some did not go to Him because they did not believe. So many go to church on Sunday or on any given day, but are not able to identify in themselves if they actually believe in Him. Likewise in Jesus’ time, many went to Him, but did not seek Him. When you come with belief, you will not doubt Him but seek Him diligently. It is not enough to come to Him but to come and seek Him. Seeking Him is settling and dwelling in His presence. Just like David, desirer dwelling and God will deposit all that it takes to dwell in His presence.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to continually to dwell in His presence.