Faith Capsule: Be filled and live by the word to retain His presence.

John 6:1-14

As an acclaimed believer, do you retain the presence of God? Many claim to have given their life to God but do not retain His presence in living life. Retaining the presence of God is encased in pleasing Him. Jesus stated in John 8:29, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” Indeed, man needs to retain the presence of God in living life. Going by the word of Jesus, retaining the presence of God is in pleasing God. Is your walk in life pleasing to God? What does it mean to please God? Hebrew 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Pleasing God is by living a faithful life. That is a life that is full of the word of God. The word says faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Are you a faithful believer or a faithful unbelieving believer (believer that is conversant with the word and not live by the word)?
Jesus was doing what pleased the Father, and the Father’s presence was always there with Him. When God’s presence becomes constant and consistent in the life of a believer, knowing what to do, and what not to do, will become the believer’s portion.
When Jesus got himself and His disciples to the place that called for the feeding of five thousand, there was no food physically in place. John 6:5-6, “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” How could Jesus, the One that is in charge of meeting needs in the presence of lack, not know what He would do? Jesus knows the end from the beginning, and the beginning from the end. Jesus knew what He would do and He had answer in His hand before questioning the disciples. As a believer that claims the grace of salvation, do you know what to do to come out of a dead end position? There were five thousand and Jesus was asking what could be done. Without any hesitation, Philip answered Jesus, “…Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”(John 6:7) Philip was responding based on the physical, and he could not see the way Jesus was seeing. Jesus knew what He would do because He retains the presence of the Father. It is worthy for man to be filled by the word and live life by the word so that man should constantly retain His presence.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that enables man to become full of the word and to live by the word of God.

Faith Capsule: What you say with your mouth is an expression of what you carry in your heart.

Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11:1-2 described faith, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” Defining faith can be almost impossible while identifying characters of faith is very much possible. Among the characters of faith are:
Corresponding action: James 2:18-22 stated, “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?”” Abraham went to sacrifice just as he was commanded. His action proved his believe. Faith without corresponding action is dead. Corresponding action validates faith. God weighs our action to determine His own intervention. Corresponding action provokes divine intervention.
Peace that passes all understanding: Peace is a companion of faith. Peace gives you rest.  Psalm 112:7, “His heart is established; He will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies.” Philippians 4:7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Hebrews 4:9-11, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”
Continuous celebration of God: Abraham did not stagger during his long waiting. Genuine celebration provokes divine intervention. Romans 4:20-21 testified, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” Your thankfulness is a proof of level of faith. Thanking God is a spiritual weapon that provokes divine intervention. Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Thanking God before getting an answer. Jesus demonstrated at Lazarus death when He resolved to thanking God for God’s hand before He called Lazarus out of death.
Faith that works is triggered by quality thanks giving. Give thanks for things to happen; do not wait for things to happen before thanking God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that your faith shall not fail.

FAITH CAPSULE: Seeking God should be a way of life.

2 Chronicles 26

Moses reminded the Israelites, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29) To seek God with all heart and soul is to see God. Those who seek God accordingly shall always find Him. It is not possible to find God and remain the same in any area of life. When seeking God becomes man’s way of life, man becomes an enviable vessel. To be Seeking God with all heart and soul demands steadfastness. Seeking God is not a casual engagement or temporary engagement. To be seeking Him with an enviable result demands a non-stop engagement. Are you one that only seek God when it is convenient? Are you one that is seeking God casually?
The life of King Uzziah testifies to the truth that seeking God is not what we start and not able to continue. King Uzziah was described as a king who started right but ended up wrong. At the beginning of his reign, he sought God. The Bible recorded that as long as Uzziah sought the Lord, God made him prosper. (2 Chronicles 26:5) While he was seeking God, “…he became exceedingly strong.” (2 Chronicles 26:8) God made him prosper and, “…his fame spread far and wide; for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.” (2 Chronicles26:15) Uzziah was right before God and God elevated him to be strong and famous across the nations. Uzziah sought God.
The truth about seeking God is that there should never be an end to seeking Him. As long as there is life, seeking Him should never cease. Seeking Him should be a life style. The seeking of yesterday does not count for today. Further, to stop from seeking Him is to have forsaken Him. Uzziah enjoyed the hand of God in every area of his life, “…but when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.” (2Chronicles 26:16) The fame that spread for Uzziah when he sought God made him to feel strong all around him. With his fame, pride set into his life. What pride does is to set man for self-destruction. Are you beginning to sense self-accomplishment? Uzziah got carried away by assuming a position of a priest in his attempt to burn incense on the altar of incense. Uzziah shifted focus in his area of calling and became distracted. Are you one that is seeking Him? Do not stop seeking God but disallow distraction and He shall elevate you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to keep you and not take your eyes away from God.

Faith Capsule: If faith is what pleases God lack of faith is what displeases God.

Genesis 38:1-10, Romans 6

It is written, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrew 11:6) Evidently, faith is what pleases God. If faith is what pleases God lack of faith is what displeases God. Demonstrating lack of faith is doing against God’s command. When Judah’s firstborn was killed by God because of his wickedness (Genesis 38:7) his brother Onan should have married the widow of Er according to the law. Deuteronomy 25:5 stated the Law, “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.” Onan knew what the law commanded but Onan abandon the command. He did not want to go by what the law commanded.
Judah responded to Onan in Genesis 38:8-9, “…Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”  But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.” Judah played the role of father by asking Onan to do what was right. Clearly, as it is written above in the verse above, Onan had his own agenda not go by the law. Every Word and command requires a full response yesterday, today and forever. God does not compromise is word.
Onan knew what was right, but failed, by not doing the right thing. The bible testified, “And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.” (Genesis 38:10) Onan died because his action displeased God. Displeasing God is to know what to do in the Word and not do it. God has not changed or lowered the standard of His Word. Having an agenda to compromise the Word of God is a life threatening issue. God is a merciful God and He is also gracious however, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) The command of God remains the same and that is, it cannot, and should not be violated. Displeasing God in anyway can take life.

Prayer for today: Ask for mercy not to take a conscious or unconscious step to displease God in all your going and coming.

Faith Capsule: Disengage lack of transparency; it is not of God but of the evil one.

Acts 5:1-11

In your relationship are your transparent? In your dealings with others are you transparent? Transparency is very crucial in any relationship because it is a bond that binds a relationship together. Where there is transparency, there will be working and walking in agreement. Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Just as there is power in agreement that brings forth result, there is also power that brings forth termination where there is lack of transparency. It is worth it for us to always play our part and not be influenced by that which does not represent God. Are you relating with others without transparency? If you have been getting away without transparency, it is time to ask God for deliverance from the steps or walk which often lead man to termination.

The story of Ananias and his wife Sapphira depict what hidden agenda can do in the life of ones that cannot relate with transparency. “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. But Peter said, ’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?’”(Acts 5:1-3) Ananias and Sapphira made the choice not to be transparent when there was no reason to lie. Ananias and Sapphira lied about the proceeds they received.
The spirit of lie is of the devil. Lying in the place of truth is a relative of lack of transparency. Jesus described the source of lie, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Does this speak to you in any area of your relationship? Among the believers today, some of the most common identities are deception, lying and manipulation. As an acclaimed believer, we are not to be a part of any of those identities. Integrity holds firm before God. It does not matter how often an acclaimed believer gets away with deception, lying or manipulation one day it only take one day to terminates a believer from the ground of calling. In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, it is possible that it was not their first time, but their last time came with an irreversible termination. The devil is set to terminate his victim; his agenda is set to destroy all that is good.

Prayer for today: Ask for deliverance from any reason to engage lack of transparency in your relationships.