FAITH CAPSULE: Taking a position of vacation from hearing and understanding the word is a route of termination.

Joshua 3: 9-17

Having knowledge of the word of God is captivity impossibility and deliverance assured. It is written in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Isaiah 5:13 also mentions, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” Obviously, lack of knowledge sent the people of God into captivity. Knowledge has its source in the hearing and understanding of the word of God. When hearing of His word is backed with obedience, it becomes impossible for captivity to have its grip over the life of one that hears and understand the word of God. Whatever is being heard clearly and constantly will determine how one gets over forces of destruction. Also, whatever is being heard with understanding will create a way of escape where there is no escape. Indeed, hearing and understanding the word of God is by every means a great asset to growing in the knowledge of God.
The word of God is true and when a believer is true walking the word of God then the word will work for a believer. What are you constantly hearing? After the journey of over years; having heard so many times from God through Moses, the children of Israel had to continue to hear in order to be able to continue in their journey. For every believer to arrive safely at divine destination, taking a position of vacation from hearing and understanding the word is an unfailing route of termination. At the point of crossing the Jordan River, God gave Joshua directions that the children of Israel needed to hear as they progress in their journey to the Promised Land. Joshua called on the children of Israel and said, “…Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.” A clear and compelling direction was laid down for the children of Israel when Joshua stated, “Come here and hear”. It is important to always go to where God’s direction is waiting, but it is even more important to also hear. If you have been going and not hearing it is incomplete. In the next verse, it is also clear in the word of Joshua that what they hear is what delivers the knowledge of what God was about to do. “And Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites.’”(Joshua 3:10) Begin to spend more time in the word of God. Make hearing and understanding unfailing in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask God for deliverance over every  distraction that is denying man from hearing and understanding the word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow His command to reign and rule in all your undertakings and nothing under heaven will overtake you.

John 2:1-12

In deed and in truth, obedience is better than sacrifice. Walking in the Word of God is obedience. Samuel could not have said it better when he stated in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” Obedience will save a lot when it is in place in the life of a believer. Obeying the Word of God will prevent a believer from shame. Obeying the Word of God is the evidence of trusting in God and what He can do. It is written in John 2:1-2, “…there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.” During the course of wedding celebration, the merriment sustenance (wine) of the wedding celebration was out. As a result, the wedding ceremony was in direction of shame, humiliation and embarrassment. Have you invited Jesus into your life, your marriage, health or finances and things not going as expected? Jesus did not just show up at the wedding but was invited. Despite the fact that Jesus was there, shame was set to cloud the wedding party as a result of wine running out. At that wedding in Cana of Galilee, the mother of Jesus approached Jesus for intervention that would save the wedding celebration from shame and embarrassment. Jesus responded to His mother’s call for intervention, “Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Jesus’ response was not discouraging to the mother of Jesus. She rather encouraged the servants at the wedding with her response in John 2:5. “His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
What is in the Word of God that is missing in your situation by virtue of your disobedience? If you will take an honest search within yourself, there is a step out of your situation by obeying what He has said to you in His word. John 2:7, “Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.” The servants were obedient by doing exactly what Jesus instructed them. Can you state with confidence that you are doing all according to His Word and commands? Jesus commanded them to fill all the empty gallons of wine and the wedding took a new turn; a new beginning and better celebration.  Let His command reign and rule in all your undertakings and nothing under heaven will overtake you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to trust and never be ashamed in His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Serving Him in the house should not be allowed to take away being served by Him.

Luke 10:38-42

Where are you located in the Lord? Which part have you chosen? It is a great thing to be working in the house of the Lord, for the glory of God. However, when your work begins to take you away from the feet of the Lord then your priority has been misplaced. Where are you? What is your place in the house of God? Martha was in a good location when she welcomed the Lord into her place. Luke 10:38, “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.” There is no blessing like welcoming Jesus into our place. To have Jesus come into our place and not being in the right place could be a great loss. Have you let Jesus into your place (your heart)? If you have done so avoid replacing Him by placing yourself in a wrong position. While Jesus was at Martha’s place, Mary the sister of Martha was positioned in the good place. Martha was busy working, serving and scrambling instead of serving and being served by the Bread of Life. By this virtue, Martha became distracted. Absolutely, there is nothing wrong in getting busy and serving in the Lord. However, when a server begins to feel distracted and not gaining in the Word of God, readjustment should be called for.
In the case of Martha, much distraction took the place of receiving from the Word of God. As a result, Martha approached Jesus requesting for Mary’s help in serving. Luke 10:40, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” Jesus’ responded to Martha in Luke 10:41-42, “And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Serving Him in the house should not be allowed to take away being served by Him. Martha was doing a good thing but Mary had chosen a good part. Every believer should understand that there is a place and time for everything (including work) in the house of God where His presence reigns and rule. Is your work in the house of God taking away the time to sit at His feet while He is in the house. It could also be a misplacement of priority when distraction is caused by work. It is good to serve Him, but there is a need to choose a good part and that good part is serving in Him. Do not just serve Him, but also serve in Him.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to deny every agent of distraction in your service to God.

FAITH CAPSULE: There are so many who want to be sent out, but few want to follow.

Matthew 8:18-27 Mark 6:7-13

Before a call to send, there should be a call to follow. Here is Jesus’ response to some among the multitude that wanted follow with mouth and not with heart, “Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:19-22) There are so many who want to be sent out, but few want to follow. When you fail in following Him, you will not pass into His call to be sent. In the days of Jesus, many went to Him, but very few actually followed Him. Today there are so many self proclaimed Pastors, Bishops, Evangelists, Apostles, and Gospel Singers who have not taken time to follow Him fully, but who want to turn back the clock and be sent. In following Him there will be exposure to dealing with winds and waves of this world. In following there are lessons to learn before leading His sheep.
In following Him there is power to gain before getting into His divine assignment. Many have gone out in His name without power but with a program. There is a great contrast between power and a program. In power, there is no enemy under heaven who can trick you into thinking that you are doing the work of the Father. However, with a program, you are empty and He is not backing you up, because He did not send you. In the beginning, the program might seem right and rosy because of skill or earthly wisdom. In time, the error will be revealed to you. Billy Graham once said, “If the Holy Spirit is taken out of the church, 95% of the church activity will continue without feeling of what is missing.” Have you been following? Are you called to be sent? Mark 6:7, “And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirit.”   Matthew 10:1, “And when He had called His disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” Think twice before you get yourself into a position to be sent. There is a price for responsibility.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s instruction, teaching and guidance before you make a move.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not be unwise, but be wise by not giving up seeing that your miracle is on its way.

1 Samuel 1

Encouragement in the Word of God is only what will carry one through in attaining life expectation for your miracle. It does not matter how long you have been waiting neither does it matter how much you have to do for expectation to become a manifestation. Allow the word of God to be your encourager. Elkanah had two wives; one was barren while the other one was fruitful. Hannah was barren and Peninnah was fruitful. Both had to go to Shiloh yearly with their husband (Elkanah) to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts. Despite the barrenness of Hannah, there was no indication of complaint from Hannah not to go to Shiloh yearly with her husband and her provoker, Peninnah. What is it that is mocking your faith or ridiculing your faith? Concerning Hannah, it is written, “And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.” (1Samuel 1:6)
Have you been experiencing provocation as a result of lack, setbacks, denial, road block and every other operation of the agents of enemy that have positioned itself in your life? It can be challenging for one to receive and accept or not to receive and accept any advice from brethren concerning one’s situation. However, if one will take some time out of all kinds of advice and seek counsel from how Hannah prevailed, one is bound to learn more than expected. The root of Hannah’s breakthrough was perseverance. The Bible declared in 1Samuel 1:7, “So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.” In the face of mockery and ridicule Hannah remained consistent in going year by year. It is not the right time for you to give up your faith. Seeking God should not only happen when everything is going good as desired in life. Also, to cease from seeking Him should not be determined by delay in breakthrough.
Allow your faith to rise as you rise; stand on your feet and keep on going with your eyes fixed on Jesus; you will get through with your breakthrough. Hannah did not give up until her miracle located her. Do not be unwise, but be wise by not giving up seeing that your miracle is on its way. Hannah’s story through 1Samuel 1 tell it all how God is the unchanging changer. The Lord that closed Hannah’s womb opened Hannah’s womb at His own time. Hannah’s persistence with expectation brought forth her manifestation. Look up and lock yourself unto the Word of God it will unlock all that is locking you down. He is a faithful God.

 Prayer for today: Ask for  deliverance from every spirit of distraction.