Faith Capsule: The word you meditate in your heart will elevate you in your world.

Acts 16:16-40

The word admonished us in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” The word of Philippians 4:6 must have been well versed in the heart of Paul and Silas when they were locked up in the prison for a wrong reason. While they were in the prison they were not questioning God but doing according to the word as recorded in Acts 16:25, “ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…” As they were not anxious but praying and praising God, heaven responded on their behalf with a great earth quake which opened the prison door. Is there any situation that is representing prison in your life? With the word of God in the heart, the key to breakthrough is in the hand. In the journey of life, the word in the heart is the vessel of transportation for one ride onto one’s center of divine assignment. The living word of God in the heart is the key to undeniable deliverance and preservation. The word got Paul and Silas out of the prison.
The story of Daniel is the testimony of word working wonder in man’s life. When Daniel refused to bow to any other god because of the living word of God in his heart, he was condemned by the king to the pit of hungry lions. The word in his heart that made him refused not to bow for any image caused hungry lions not to have appetite for fresh meat(Daniel). The three friends of Daniel could not become roasted beef in the fiery burning furnace when they refused to bow for other god. The word you carry will shield you where you are set for termination.
Caleb’s testified in Joshua 14:7, “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.”
Caleb could not give a negative report after spying the land which God promised the Israelite. He gave a positive report ignoring the negativity which the spy saw on God’s Promised Land. The word of promise that was given through Moses was carried in his heart. The word of God in the heart of Caleb took him to God’s Promised Land.
Meditating the word of God in the heart and not memorizing in the head is what will cause the word of God to have a place in the heart of man. Remember, the word of God is living and powerful. The power in the word is the more reason we should carry it in our heart. Give yourself to the word and it shall get you to place of God’s glory. Commit to meditating the word in your heart.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that will cause the word of God to take over your life.

Faith Capsule: The word you carry in the world will carry you through in the world of wickedness.

Genesis 39

Among the description given to the word of God in Hebrews 4:12 is, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) The word of God is a weapon; a sword in the heart of a believer that carries the carrier; it is power and the word you carry will determine your journey in the world.
Ministering the word and praying is the reason we gathered every time we come together. Acts 6:4 buttressed, “we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministering of the word.” Apostle Paul admonished us, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32) The word of God is not just a story but a secret to set you up for great exploits. It is the word you carry that will carry you through from this word to live eternally. How do we carry the word of God to carry us?The bible makes us to realize that we carry the word in our heart not our head. Deuteronomy 11:18, “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” Psalm 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
Joseph carried the word in his heart and he was able to arrive at the center of is divine assignment in life. As he journeyed, sin presented itself to him when the wife of his master approached him to lie with her. Joseph could take to a short cut through his journey and fail by not getting through to where God was taking him. The word in Joseph’s heart responded in Genesis 39:8-9, “But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.  There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” He has hidden the word in his heart not to sin as stated in (Psalm 119:11) Imagine what could have happened to his great journey in life if he had fallen for his master’s wife?
It does not matter how much you carry but it does make the difference when you have the word in your heart.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you have the word established in your heart.

Faith Capsule: Are you one that only quotes word but not quickened to engage the word?

Genesis 39, Joshua 1

After the death of Moses, the Lord promised Joshua stating, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) The promise of God was with condition. Often, acclaimed believers that hardly observe and engage the condition that triggers the manifestation of the promise of God claims the promise only by mouth. Any acclaimed believer that expects God not to leave him/her nor forsake him/her just as He promised Joshua must engage the condition given to Joshua as stated in Joshua 1:8, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” The word of God is God, meditating the word of God is carrying God along inside of you day and night. When carrying God in man is in place in the life of man, God is constantly in place. Are you one that only quotes word but not quickened to engage the word?
The life of Joseph depicts what it means for God to be with man and not forsake man day and night.
The bible recorded, “The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.”(Genesis 39:2-3) The statement, “the Lord was with Joseph” was repeated two other times in the same chapter. The Lord was with Joseph and it was not hidden but visible enough for all that were around him to see it. Joseph became a light that could not be hidden but to shine. The reason why the Lord was with Him was because he feared God. The fear of God is only evident in one that meditates the word of God day and night. Joseph testified the fear of God that prevented him from yielding to the attempt of his master’s wife to lie with him stating, “There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9-10) Joseph’s word is the word of one that meditates on the word of God day and night. The Lord was with him and he was not forsaken. He was prosperous regardless of challenges on his way.

Prayer for today: Ask God to add onto you the grace of meditating on His word constantly.

Faith Capsule: Going to inquire from God is separating to God for direction.

1 Samuel23:1-13, 2 Samuel 5:17-25

When it was reported to David that the Philistines were fighting against the Keilah, David inquired of the Lord saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” (1 Samuel 23:2) Inquiring from God is separating to God for direction. Inquiring from God demonstrates one’s reliance on God’s assurance and it gives jealous God His desired attention. Often times getting a confirmed assurance from God get exposed to doubt by virtue of surrounding multitudes. In your assurance, are you beginning to have a doubt concerning your assurance from God? When David inquired of the Lord for assurance to go against the Philistines, the multitudes (David’s men) surrounding injected doubt into David’s assurance. The bible recorded, “But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”” (1Samuel 23:3) David could not succumb to his men’s doubt but responded to his men’s discouragement as stated in 1Samuel 23:4-5, “Then David inquired of the Lord once again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”  And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.” Is your assurance from God experiencing a doubt? It is never too much to repeatedly go back to God for reassurance or confirmation.
David’s other encounter with the Philistines called for him to repeatedly inquire of the Lord. After David was anointed king over Israel, “The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” (2 Samuel 5:18-19) David went as commanded by God and victory answered on his behalf. In this victory, the enemies of David resurrected again. The bible stated it that the Philistines went up once again.  David could not assume but resumed to inquire from God again. It is written, “Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.” (2 Samuel 5:23) Going to inquire from God is separating self to God. It is important to note that David’s first separation to God did not deliver same direction as it was in his second separation. This points out that; yesterday’s separation to God is not enough for today. Separate daily to God for your daily engagements.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to always separate onto God for every engagement.

Faith Capsule: God’s mercy does not run out but it is consistently available.

Psalm 136, Luke 9:10-17

Psalmist declared, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1) The mercy of God is endless; He does not run out of mercy. Having life is never on merit but by virtue of His mercy. Regardless of situation or location, it is the character of Jesus, not to look away from His children and send them empty. God’s love for us is indeed, and in truth, beyond our comprehension. His love is His grace; an endless mercy. God’s mercy does not run out but it is consistently available. Can it be imagined of Jesus, in a deserted place, to send away a multitude that had been thronging on Him all day because of lack? When Jesus was on the face of earth He did not send His own away empty, and He will not do it now.
Once, in a deserted area, the multitude was to be let go emptily. When it was brought to the attention of Jesus, He responded to the disciples, “…You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.”” (Luke 9:13) Jesus would not let them go empty because they went to Him. He will not let you go empty as long as you keep going to Him. The disciples were concerned because there was not enough to feed five thousand, but with Jesus there is always more than enough, because in Him there is abundance. The disciples told Jesus “For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” (Luke 9:14) Jesus, knowing that there was nothing; and having the power to deny impossibility regardless of location or any other force of hindrance went ahead and gave His word of command. He commanded how the people were to be seated, while provision was not yet visible in the physical.
Are you one that is experiencing deserted situation? Does your situation seem to be unresolvable? Trust in the might of His power by following strictly His word of command. The Bible recorded that the people sat down as He had commanded. The multitude sat down in obedience to His command expecting, “Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.” (Luke 9:16-17) He is not an empty God; He will not forsake you if His command is not forsaken. As a believer, taking a seat of obedience is engaging the blessings of His goodness and mercy.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to always hear and know to respond to His command.