Faith Capsule: Faith is acting out the word of God that is heard.

Mark 2:1-12

Are you giving God the kind of attention that provokes the hand of God in your favor?
How is your action communicating you request before God?
A wise saying stated, “Action speaks louder than voice”
The story of Hannah testified to the truth that action speaks louder than voice.
Hannah was barren because the Lord closed her womb. (2 Samuel 1:5) During one of her trip to Shiloh, her action caught the attention of Eli. The bible recorded, “And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.  Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.” (1 Samuel 1:12-13)
Hannah’s action caught Eli’s attention which provoked blessing that caused heaven to open up her womb. Hannah’s action spoke loudly more than her voice while she was asking, seeking and knocking just as commanded in Matthew 7:7.
Our action is what God weighs as testified in (2Samuel2:3)
Commanding heaven’s attention is not in how loud we communicate in prayer. (This not saying it is wrong to pray out loud) Commanding heaven’s attention is encased in how heart connects with God. Hannah spoke in her heart. Are you speaking from the mouth to impress man?
Our action is the evidence of our faith. The men that tore the roof top at where Jesus ministered in Capernaum acted their faith and healing was instantly provoked. It is written, “And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.  And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.” (Mark 2:1-4) A roof tearing faith will no doubt get heaven’s attention.
The Bible recorded Jesus’ response, “When Jesus saw their faith; He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).
Jesus saw their faith. Undeniably, faith is what we see because faith is an action. Faith is acting out the word of God that is heard.
The word of God is the testimony of God. Psalmist stated, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!” (Psalm 119:2) One that keeps His testimony will know to be persistent by giving God all the attention knowing from God’s testimony that God is able to do more abundantly. Give God all your attention and He shall attend to you.

Payer for today: Ask God for the grace to know and become heaven provoker.

Faith Capsule: Saul took to a dark avenue but God showed up with light.

Acts 9

When time is up for man to be arrested by God for the calling upon man’s life, there is not going to be anywhere to run or hide. If you have been marked for God’s assignment, no amount of running or hiding shall be enough to keep you away from answering to God.
Saul wanted to go and persecute believer when he came under the arrest of God. The bible recorded Saul’s purpose, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”(Acts 9:1-2)
Saul (Apostle Paul) purposed evil but God disposed his evil agenda when he came under the arrest of Jesus.
Saul took to a dark avenue but God showed up with light. He was arrested by a shining light. It is written, “As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.” (Acts 9:3) The light that shone around Saul brought him down and opened up his ears and he heard the Word. Saul responded to the light of God, “And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” 6 So he trembling and astonished said, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”  (Acts 9:5-6)  
By virtue of the light, Saul’s lifetime journey was rerouted. Saul had his name changed from Saul to Paul. Above all, from the moment the light shone on him, he was empowered to live his remaining life under unfailing light of God. With the light on him, he never had a misstep in the calling that was laid upon his life. In Paul’s life, no darkness could harass or threaten him without him overcoming them. The light that brought Saul out from darkness gave him new spiritual eyesight. The light became Paul’s compass as he operated heaven on earth through the remaining of his life.
Are you running from God’s calling? Under heaven, it is impossible for darkness to deny light from exposing it. If God is calling you, know that He will catch up with you. It is time for man to stop running from the calling upon man’s life. It is encouraging to know that faithful is He that calls; He shall not fail to back the called ones up. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Prayer for today: Ask for light of God to shine on you that you may fully answer to His calling upon your life.

Faith Capsule: The combination of worrying and being troubled will elevate man to the state of fear.

Exodus 14

To become worried and troubled in the face of challenge is the evidence of not looking up to God’s help. Any time man keeps eyes on confronting challenge man is set to misplace focus on God. Are you beholding your challenge or you are looking up to God? Exodus 14:10-12 documented, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.  Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?  Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Does that sound like you? The Israelites knowing fully well that God is able gave into fear when they failed to lift up their eyes unto God for help. The Israelites were worried and troubled as a result they gave to negative confession.
Solution to challenges demands focusing on God and the word of His promise. Despite all the powerful teachings of Jesus against fear and worrying, the disciples went ahead and locked themselves up in fear of the Jews. “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19) While they were being locked up in the state of fear, Jesus showed up and declared peace. Jesus the Word of God is the Prince of peace. If you will look up to Jesus as Lord and savior He is always around to uphold you.
Faith in Jesus will cause peace to reign.  After Jesus had spoken peace into His disciple’s life, the eyes of their mind were opened to see the mark of crucifixion. “When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:20) Seeing the mark opened up the disciples to come out of fear. If you will begin to see the marks of crucifixion and believe that the marks were registered on Jesus for us to be able to have life abundantly, the fear about all that is going on around the world will not have its place in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask in for the grace of boldness and character to have a place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Does it seem like your waiting is taking forever without answer?

Psalm 37

Waiting on God for answer to one’s question is exercising faith. Waiting on God is a way out of shame. When man truly waits on God by not looking outside of God without any iota doubt shame shall not have a place in man’s life. The psalmist buttressed, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.” (Psalm 25:3) Waiting on God leads to right direction where expectation yields to manifestation. Waiting on Lord demands boldness and character which is a winning combination in the race of life.
The bible makes us to realize that waiting extends to looking up to God for intervention against wicked ones. Are you one that is constantly questioning how the wicked ones are excelling? Psalm 37:7 stated, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Waiting on God is keeping His word and not fret in the face of any wickedness. Waiting on God is keeping hope in Him as Great Defender. Does it seem like your waiting is taking forever without answer? Is your crying wearing you out? Listen to the testimony of Psalmist, “I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.” (Psalm 69:3) God has never fail and He shall not fail concerning your waiting on Him. Waiting is not a sign of weakness, keep on waiting.
Wait on God silently and patiently. David testified in Psalm 40: 1-2, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD.” Waiting for God will grant the grace to walk firmly on any ground and not fall. Passing through the trial of waiting will no doubt put a new song in the mouth of one that knows to wait. David stated in his testimony, “He makes my feet like the feet of the deer and sets me on my high places.”(2 Samuel 22:34) Waiting on God took David to his high places. Every man has a low place in the journey of life, but waiting on God is an avenue to come out of low places high places, a place that is above and beyond every painful situation that keeps man down. “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to know and to wait when challenges presents itself.

FAITH CAPSULE: Turning away from following Him will always lead to emptiness.

John 21

Prior to the time Peter and some of the disciples gave up all and followed Jesus, they were professional fishermen. Matthew 4:18-20 recorded, “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Peter and his fellow fishermen followed Jesus till the time Jesus went to the cross.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus new development came into play when, “Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.” (John 21:2-3) Have you received and believed in the death and resurrection of Jesus? For everyone that have received and believed in Jesus, there should be no going back to the past. In order for God to have first priority in our life, we have to put the past behind us and allow Him to lead and direct us. The disciples’ returned to their occupation and toiled all night with nothing to show for. The disciples caught no fish all night. It is written, “But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.”(John21:4-5)  The disciples returned to business as usual and did not recognize Jesus. Turning away from following Him will always lead to emptiness. Just like the disciples, Jesus is all that we need to be full and not be empty. Turning away after having been following Him will throw man to becoming a waste in life.
Jesus intervened into their situation and made it a great testimony when He commanded, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.” (John 21:6) After accepting the story of the resurrection, returning to your former lifestyle is a choice that will complicate destiny. Before Jesus came with them on the boat, the disciples did not have a testimony, but when Jesus showed up they had a great testimony. “Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.” (John 21:11) If you have received and believed the report of His resurrection, it is not right for you to return to your former lifestyle. Jesus is alive and He will be glorified in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to remain and not turn back from Him.