FAITH CAPSULE: Conducting oneself in God’s word is living in obedience to God.

Genesis 6, 7

Apostle Paul spoke, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent , I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Conduct is a personal behavior; way of acting, especially from the standpoint of a believer of Christ. As an acclaimed believer, your act is your action. As an acclaimed believer, how are you conducting yourself that is, what is your action? Do you not know that your action is what counts before God? The book of 1 Samuel 2:3 buttressed, “…for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” Every conduct of a believer counts and how it counts will determine how you are connected with God. Christianity is not to impress man but to press forward for the Kingdom of God; to press forward and not to be cut off in God’s divine agenda in the life of man. Apostle Paul warned, “…let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”
There is a command to stand fast in the spirit. Those who stand fast in the spirit are the ones that cue themselves in the command of God. Why not stand fast in the word of God? Taking a cue in the word of God will make one a commander of his/her world. Your conduct is the testimony of how you stand in the Lord. If your conduct is worthy of Christ, you will be steadfast in Him. Your conduct is your evangelism to the unbelievers around you that are yet to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. As the year goes by, let the word of God be your commander and let it take a charge of your heart.
The word of God testified about Noah stating, “…Noah did according to all that God commanded him…” (Genesis 6:22) Noah conducted himself in line with God’s command and destruction could not locate him. Conducting oneself in God’s word is living in obedience to God. Apostle Paul was asking for a conduct that binds believers together for the advancement for the faith of the gospel. Can you identify the differences in your action? Have you heard people say to you that you are the Bible that they are reading? Christianity is a way of life. God cannot be deceived, let not your conduct be of deception. Whatever your conduct is behind closed doors should not be an embarrassing issue when it is conducted in the open. Have you been playing religion? Ones that are playing or acting religion will only last for a while before the truth prevails. Do not be overtaken by sin because God will not overlook sin. It is about time for self-examination and sincerity before God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to remain focus in His word of command.

FAITH CAPSULE: Allow patience to disallow lack.

James 1

The Old year is gone and the New Year is here. Interestingly, the enemy remains the same but operates differently. However, it is important to know that through prayer the God we serve is more than able to see us through. The year is full of promises of God. God’s promise is a blessing. It is certain that His promises do not have sorrow embedded in it. The word of God buttressed in Proverbs 10:22, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Unfortunately but fortunately the conditions of His blessing can be exceedingly challenging. Also, the conditions of claiming His blessings can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. The conditions of claiming His blessing cannot be compromised. Know it that the New Year shall answer for you as a year of “no lack”. The word of God commanded, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:7-10) Pray from the depth of your heart that the New Year shall answer for you as a year of no lack.
Just as God answers to prayer the need to work the works of God should not be compromised. The people asked Jesus what it means to work the works of God and Jesus answered them clearly. It is written, “Then they said to Him, “What we shall do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)
Living a year of “no lack” demands working the works of God which is, living as a believer by having patience continually. The word of God promised living life with no lack if patience will reign and rule over us. James 1:4 confirmed, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Allow patience to disallow lack in every area of life. The book of Hebrews 6: 11-12 identified how patience can have its place stating, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Constant prayer for the grace of patience and engaging hope and imitating what the word says about the giants of faith in the pages of bible is key allowing patience reign and rule over us.

Prayer for today: Ask God to direct your heart to the love of God and the patience of Christ Jesus.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be encouraged it is never too late to keep on pleading for God’s intervention.

1 Samuel 1

At the age of forty, Isaac took Rebekah as his wife. The bible recorded that at sixty years of age Isaac had his first child. Evidently, Isaac waited for twenty years before Rebekah’s barrenness ceased. Twenty years must have been long years for Isaac. However, Isaac was not quiet before God during the season of waiting. It is written, “Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (Genesis 25:21)  History and time of his father’s waiting was not enough to stop Isaac from asking and pleading with God. Have you been pleading to God for His intervention concerning any area of challenge in your life? Be encouraged and know that it is never too late to keep on pleading for God’s intervention.
The children of Israel spent over four hundred years in the bondage of Egypt before God sent Moses as His agent to deliver them. The bible recorded, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) The time you think it is too late to receive your breakthrough is the time of God visitation if you will not stop crying to Him alone. Time and process of time belongs to God, do not pay attention to man-made clock. It is important that we remain persistent when praying to God for His divine intervention. Persistence is the evidence of faith. To stop asking when expectation is yet to be manifested represents a faith shut down.
Hannah experienced mockery at the time of her barrenness. It is written, “Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” (1 Samuel 1:6-7) Despite Hannah’s experience of mockery from her rival, Hannah remained focus and her continuity waiting and trusting God dwindles not. Hannah did not stop praying to God and there was no record of her going against her rival. Hannah’s prayer yielded when she gave birth to Samuel. Be encouraged, ignore your mockers. In the coming day, week, month or year your mockery shall be converted to miracle in Jesus name. The God who granted Isaac’s plea will grant yours in Jesus name. The same God that acknowledged the crying of the Israelites will acknowledge your crying to favor you in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to remain focus on His gracious and merciful name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Doing what is right demands prayer.

2 Samuel 6

At the time David gathered men for the transportation of the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab, “Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.  Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6-7) Uzzah did the right wrongly by putting his hand on the ark in attempt to prevent it from falling. Uzzah’s action violated the word of God as commanded in Numbers 4:15, “…they shall not touch holy thing, lest they die.” Uzzah’s attention to the thing of God was accounted to him as an error. Uzzah engaged a life terminating error and he died untimely death. Are you consciously or unconsciously engaging that which is enough to cause untimely death physically or spiritually? Is it your finance that is facing untimely death due to unconscious error before God? Are you on the ground of committing error consciously or unconsciously? Uzzah meant well as he attempted to do right but in a wrong way. Clearly, doing what is right demands prayer. The same God yesterday, today, and tomorrow is still answering prayers.
Why not pray against any kind of life terminating error in your life? Jesus was not giving a suggestion as regard to praying but He commanded stating, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
Obeying the command of God is a blessing and not obeying His commands is an open avenue to curse. The word of God that commanded us to pray will definitely deliver when we pray. The bible buttressed, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye shall He not see?” (Psalm 94:9)  God hears us before we ask. Most times, our manner of asking is what denies our prayer from getting answer. It is important to also pay attention to how He commanded us to pray, “But when you pray, go into your room; and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:6) There is a need to be error free in all areas of living life by the grace of God. Pray to God in Jesus name against engaging life terminating error as the year runs out and the New Year sets in.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every life terminating error in all your goings and your comings in the coming days.

FAITH CAPSULE: Who do you say Jesus is in your life?

Mark 10:46-52

Celebrating of the birth of Jesus is good but to lack the understanding of the reason for His birth is bad. Jesus stated the reason for His coming, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Where there is lack of understanding of His coming there will be no reason to believe. Gaining the understanding and believing Jesus is the only way to abundant life which Jesus brought. God has a plan and purpose for our life. Jesus is the plan and purpose of God’s salvation for our life.
Who do you say Jesus is in your life?
Many know about Him and many celebrate His birth. However, not knowing Him is not having life. Many have confused knowing about Him with knowing Him. The ones that actually know Him know the name to call on. In this season of celebration, celebrate Him as the Lord and savior. Among His names are: Jesus (Yahweh saves), Immanuel (God with us) Light of the World (One who brings hope and gives guidance) Chief Shepherd (one that gives guidance and protection) Chief Cornerstone (A sure foundation of life) Know Him by His name, call on Him by His name. His name is above all names.
Bartimaeus a blind man knew Jesus by His name when He called on Him in to receive uncommon attention from Jesus. It is written, “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47) The Multitude does not know Him by His name when they attempted to stop the blind man from calling out the name of Jesus. The bible recorded, “Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48)
Who do you say Jesus is in your life?
It does not matter how one follows the crowd to celebrate, it only matters for one to know Him. The blind man knows Jesus and the crowd could not keep him quiet. Jesus responded to the blind man’s calling. It is written, “So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” (Mark 10:49) Do you know Him enough to call on Him and get His full attention? Gain the understanding to get out of commercial celebration and get into Christ celebration.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding that you man know Him more.