FAITH CAPSULE: Have you been getting away with lying and deceiving others?

2 Kings 5, Acts 5:1-11

After the healing of Naaman, Elisha refused to accept gifts from Naaman. Without any direction from Elisha, Gehazi the servant of Elisha deceitfully went after Naaman and stated, “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” (2 Kings 5:22) Gehazi accepted gift from Naaman against Elisha’s will. Elisha knowing about Gehazi’s deceptiveness asked Gehazi about his action but Gehazi lied. Elisha responded to Gehazi’s deceptiveness stating, “…was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?  Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:26-27)
Have you been getting away with lying and deceiving others for so long that there are no bounds as to when or where you lie? Lying and deceiving can be destructive to a liar’s life. As much as it reigns outside the church, so it is rampant inside the church. Acts 5:1-2 recorded, “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.” There was no indication that Ananias and Sapphira had to sell their possessions, and it can be assumed that it was a voluntary move. So why would they lie? Are you a believer who will lie, fake, or deceive to get attention or to impress fellow believers? All conduct is accountable before God who sees both inside and out of your being. Peter knew they were lying, faking, and deceiving. It is written, “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 5:4) What is worth doing for the Lord is worth doing well. Both, Ananias and his wife, might have had good intentions were it not for lying which had become a garment in their life. The bible stated in Acts 5:5, “Then Ananias hearing these words fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.” Lying and deception took the life of Ananias and Sapphira. Lying, deceiving, and faking may go unnoticed for years, but it will only take one day for the truth to expose you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver and preserve you from deceptive spirit.

FAITH CAPSULE: Praise God the more you wait in hope.

Psalm 40

Challenging time is not an excusable time for complaining but a better time of complementing God. Challenges by nature  serve as a call to battle or contest. Challenges have the tendency to be ugly and painful, especially when they persist or refuse to cease. When challenges persistently become painful, it is possible to cause man to wonder or question if God remembers or sees them in those challenging situations. Are you facing a long enduring challenge that seems like it will never end? It is important to understand and know that God is not asleep and at appointed time deliverance shall come as you continue to remain focused on God for His intervention. Jesus already warned about challenges being undeniable in the life of man. However, the antidote for challenging time (tribulation) is peace for those who receive and believe in Him. John 16:33 buttressed, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In this world, tribulation will come either man likes it or not. However, it is better to accept Jesus for the purpose of having peace during tribulation or man can make the choice of not having Jesus to engage tribulation without peace.
In challenging situations, waiting on God is the key and, how one chooses to wait determines the outcome of waiting. David described how he waited and the result of his waiting in Psalm 40:1-4, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the 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. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. (Psalm 40:1-4)
Waiting patiently is what makes man perfect and complete lacking nothing. (James1:4) In your challenging times, allow hope to continually be your garment. Hoping on God is committing God to act on one’s behalf. Hope is the evidence of faith in God. Hebrews 11:1 buttressed, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Refuse to let down your hope in God. One that is hopeful will worship and not worry. Worship in place of worrying is anchored on singing praises to God. Praise God the more you wait in hope. By your way of life, testify the righteousness of God and allow the grace of salvation reflect every moment of your life. Above all, allow His word to take charge in every area of your thoughts and communication. God is able to reverse challenges for His glory.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of new songs.

FAITH CAPSULE: Whatever God builds, no man can bring it down.

Exodus 1, 2

Whatever the enemy has put in place to break you, God is not limited from using it to make you. The Bible records that a new king came to power in Egypt who did not know Joseph. The king not knowing Joseph inculcated inside of him the fear of the growth of the children of Israel’s population.
As a result of fear, the king of Egypt passed a law that put the children of Israel under the affliction of taskmasters. The evil one will always answer to its name which is evil. Also a child of God is not invincible for the evil want to attempt but definitely in position to overcome. Book of Psalm 34:19 admonished us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Are you one that is experiencing the pain of the evil in any area of life? It does not matter what the activity of the evil one is about, as long as you keep eyes on the Lord, His word of deliverance will answer for you.

Whatever God builds, no man can bring it down. Pharaoh’s effort to terminate the growth of the children of Israel by increasing their affliction resulted in their multiplication. The appointed taskmasters’ effort failed and the direction to midwives to kill every male son could not interrupt but provoke the plans of God to manifest. Pharaoh, having tried what he knew to reduce where God is increasing made a new command, “So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.’”  (Exodus 1:22) It was after this new command to terminate the growth the children of Israel that Moses was born. Despite the wicked command of Pharaoh, Moses was born and the mother tried to hide him from the wicked command of Pharaoh. The bible recorded that, “…when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.” (Exodus 2:3) It was in the same water that Moses was picked up by the daughter of the chief commander Pharaoh.  Evidently, Moses’ deliverance was God at work. Moses was not only delivered but preserved and raised by Pharaoh in the palace of Pharaoh where law was made to kill every male child. On top of it all, Pharaoh also gave name to Moses his name meaning “Because I drawn him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10) All that the enemy has set to use in breaking you will rather make you. Every hand that has gone out to destroy you will rather deliver you for the glory of God. God alone will always have the final say.

Prayer for today: Ask for the will of God to be manifested in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Today, make the choice to look and turn aside unto Him.

Exodus 3

Moses was running away from the palace where he was raised. He ran away from his ground of comfort to a ground of pain. He ran away from palace to desert. It was without notice that Moses fled because he accidentally committed murder in Egypt. Despite the fact that he was coming from the best place (Pharaoh’s palace) he did not despise where he ended and the word testified that, “Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.” (Exodus 2:21) While in Midian, he led his father-in-law’s flock to the back of the desert. Moses, while at Horeb, the mountain of God, “…the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush:  So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’” (Exodus 3:2-3) The burning fire that did not burn the bush caused Moses to look and behold.
Having been able to look and behold, Moses then decided to turn aside to the great sight. Many are on their ground to see and receive God’s direction, many have been privileged to get to the ground but make the choice to look outside of God. Are you looking and beholding Him without turning aside to give God the attention that is required to get the calling to the center of divine assignment. The Bible testifies that after Moses had turned aside, God decided to turn on to him. “So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” (Exodus 3:4) God is not a slave master but rather is the saving Master. God, the Almighty Creator could have forced Moses to turn aside but he did not. It is time turn and behold so that He may set you up for you divine assignment. He called Moses, He is calling you. Be encouraged and know that, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”(1Thesalonian 5:24) Although Moses attempted to run from the assignment, he could not hide. Moses answered God’s calling that set him up into the center of his divine assignment. Today, make the choice to look and turn aside unto Him. God is calling you to the center of divine assignment. Do not let the privilege of your calling to your center of divine assignment pass by without you He will reward you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to cause you not to miss out in Jesus name.

FAITH CAPSULE: A heart that engages meditation on the word of God disengages negotiation with the devil.

Luke 22:1-23

It is written, ““The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Ecclesiastes 9:3, “This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after they go to dead.” (Jeremiah 17:9) The Bible clearly demonstrated that the heart is where the rise and fall of man begins. It is what flows from the heart of a believer that makes a believer. The heart of a believer will make or break a believer. Among the part of a believer, the heart is the most important target for the devil to launch its attack. Judas spent time with Jesus and went to places with Him. Despite his entire experience with Christ his heart volunteered for the devil to manifest. The book of Luke 22:3-4 stated, “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.” Satan went after the vulnerable heart of Judas and he was able to establish his plan of betraying Jesus. Invariably, faith will fail when the enemy attacks the heart.
Peter was close to Jesus and could also have been a victim of the devil. Once Jesus said to him, “…Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32) The only proven target for the enemy to strike is the heart. Ananias and Sapphira, his wife, were not forced to voluntarily sell their possession to buttress the fellowship of others, but they came up lying about the proceedings, “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep part of the price of the land for yourself? (Acts 5:3) Hearts need to be constantly engaged through meditation day and night.
A heart that is engaged by meditating the word of God is disengaged from negotiation with the devil. Determination to keep focus from letting Satan have its way can be disappointing. It was determination that failed Peter when he was determined not to deny Christ and eventually denied Him three times. Thank God that Jesus had already prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail. It is a wise thing to join King David in praying Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  God answers prayer. Meditate the word and keep your heart from the agenda of Satan. What is the state of your heart?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be constantly kept from the moves of the Satan against your heart.