Faith Capsule: Pride stands out as the agent that denies or complicate hearing and receiving to heart.

Ezekiel 3

It is impossible to hear from God and doubt Him. Claiming to have heard and still occupied with doubt and fear is the evidence that you are yet to hear with ear and heart.
Ezekiel testified, “…I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!” I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.  So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days” (Ezekiel 3:12-15). In this testimony of Ezekiel’s hearing, his life was transformed. The word that came to him lifted and positioned him in the center of God’s assignment which glorified God over his life. The word of God transforms and set up man His glory. God’s calling on His children often comes with painful sacrifices, but the hand of God will always be upon the life of anyone that hears with the ear and receive with heart just as Ezekiel testified, “…but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me”.
Job’s testified, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). Job heard so much from people during the time of his challenges, but the hearing that provoked transformation in his life came after he was able to hear God with his ear and his heart. Thereafter, he could see what and where the Lord wanted him to see.
What prevents man from hearing and receiving to heart?
Pride stands out as the agent that denies or complicate hearing and receiving to heart:
Hardness of heart is rooted in Pride. It is an agent of the evil one. It is a prime force that denies one of hearing when supposed to hear with the ear and receive with the heart. The word of God warns against hardness of heart in Psalm 95:8 – “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.”  Jeremiah 13:15 also warned, stating: “Hear and give ear: do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken.” Hearing with ear and being able to receive what is heard in the heart are all that make the difference in the life of a believer. It is important to know that whatever we hear and are able to receive into the heart through the word of God is what we see and what makes the difference in our lives.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to always hear with the ear and receive into the heart.

Faith Capsule: Do you have the fire of the word burning in your heart?

Luke 24:13-35

The psalmist stated, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2) The psalmist needed a sanctuary, a protection and he knew what to say to get what he wanted. What you say will answer to save you. What will you say of the Lord? How do you call on Him? Elijah needed God to answer for Him before the prophets of Baal when he called on the name of God who answers by fire. Elijah called, “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice…” (1 Kings 18:37-38) It is good to call Him the way you want Him to answer for your challenge. The book of Hebrews 12:29 identified God stating, “For our God is a consuming fire.”
He answered on behalf to Elijah as a consuming fire.
Exodus 24:17 described the sight of His glory, “The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.” He was identified in Deuteronomy 4:24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” He is a God that is mindful of His children and visits His children. (Psalm 8) He was mindful of the Israelites and He went before them as a consuming fire. (Deuteronomy 9:3)
What will you say of the Lord?
The word of God is God. Jeremiah 23:29 stated “Is not my word like a fire? Says the Lord…?” Do you have the fire of the word burning in your heart? It is the fire which burns in man that will cause man to recognize and retain the presence of God.  After the resurrection of Jesus, two of disciples could not recognize to retain His presence. The bible recorded that on the way to Emmaus; two that knows all about Jesus conversed about all that was happening. They knew about Him but did know Him enough to recognize His presence and retain His presence as much as they wanted to. Jesus spoke about their failure to recognize His presence, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! “ (Luke 24:25) By the time Jesus vanished from their sight, they also spoke to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) Their heart could not burn because the fire of God was quenched by concerns in their life. Regardless of the world around you to engage more of the fire (the word of God) burning and you shall recognize and retain His presence.

Prayer for today: Ask for the fire nature of the word of God not to quench in your going.

Faith Capsule: Pay attention to His hand by extending your regard to His hand.

Ezra 7

All that a man need to navigate the journey of life as a rider and not as a pusher is the hand of God. The hand of God is absolutely mighty and exceedingly powerful to deliver break through. Is it your expectation for His hand to answer in your life? Ones that expect the hand of God will give regard to the hand of God to answer on their behalf. 2 Chronicles 30:12 testified, “Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.” Evidently, the grace to be obedient to God’s command is encased in the hand of God. If you will ask for the hand to give you a singleness of heart for obeying His word you shall not be denied.

The Israelites regarded God for deliverance from the bondage of over four hundred years and, God spoke, “… I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” (Exodus 3:20) Give regard to God for His hand to respond on your behalf. When the Israelites entered their open door of deliverance, it was with favor by the hand of God as promised by God. Pay attention to His hand by extending your regard to His hand.
The psalmist buttress the awesomeness of His hand in Psalm 20:6, “Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.” Here, it is evident by the testimony of the Psalmist that the right hand of God is a saving strength. Pharaoh tried to deny it but he was destroyed. Isaiah 41:10 declares to us to “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Again, it is testified that the right hand of God upholds. As a believer whose righteousness is the Blood of Jesus Christ, all of your needs that will get you to the expected end are in the consistent and diligence asking for the right hand of God to answer in every area of your life.
Ezra could not have completed his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem if not by the hand of God upon him. The word testified, “On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.” (Ezra 7:9) Express your expectation for His hand by asking for His hand to answer in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the hand of God to come upon you in every step of life.

Faith Capsule: His blessings know no sorrow.

2 Kings 4:17-37

The Shunammite woman, by virtue of her caring concerning the man of God opened up a close womb which no force (not even death) could lock up. Elisha was impressed by the Shunammite woman’s care when he pronounced on her, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” (2Kings 4:16) Just as pronounced by Elisha so it was when the Shunammite woman conceived and bore a son at the appointed time as pronounced by the prophet of God. A closed womb opened up for a son to come through because of a caring engagement. Do you know your hour of visitation? The hour of the Shunammite woman’s visitation for her breakthrough was when she saw God in the man of God and care for him because of God in him.
The child of blessing grew. At a point in time, the enemy (sickness) attempted to terminate him when he went out with his father. During the outing, the bible recorded that, “…he said to his father, “My head, my head” so he said to his servant carry him to his mother.” (2Kings 4:19) At the time he was with his mother, he died. After having been dead, there was no record of panic by the mother. The bible recorded the mother’s response to the untimely death of her only son; the child of old age; child of blessing stating, “And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.  Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” (2 Kings 4:21-22)
The child was a blessing that was brought forth by the caring of his mother for the man of God. In Proverbs 10:22, the word of God makes us to realize that, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” The reaction of the Shunammite woman from the time of the death of her son to the time she approached the man of God for intervention is the reaction of one that is blessed with no addition of sorrow. After having laid her son down with no demonstration of grieving over his death, her journey to the man of God was questioned by her husband.  Knowing in her spirit that all was well for her, she answered her husband stating that, “it is well”. (2 Kings 4:23) When she was approached by the servant of God she maintained her conviction stating it is well. She was focused enough to deny a potential distraction from seeking the man of God for intervention. The Shunammite woman’s son regained life.  Gain understanding and know to hold on to the blessings of God in the face of challenging situation. Deny distraction, discouragement will cease and you will not be derailed.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you retain His blessings by adding to you the boldness to know that it is well.

Faith Capsule:Turn to caring for others.

2 Kings 4:8-16

The bible talked about a notable woman at Shunem. The woman was so caring not to miss her source of blessing when she was in position for the arrival of her blessing. The Prophet Elisha was always passing by and always turned to the notable woman of Shunem to eat. The women responded to the Elisha’s frequent turning to her place when she spoke to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.  Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.” (2 Kings 4:9-10) The notable woman of Shunem (the Shunamite woman) cares. She cared enough not to ignore but recognized and a man of God. Are you one that is position to recognize your source of potential blessing but make the choice to turn head in opposition direction? The Shunamite woman recognized man of God and set herself up when she set the man of God up with comfortable provision.
During one of Elisha’s turning to her place, he sent his servant Gehazi, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army…? (2Kings 4:12-13) Are you concerned with caring or concerned with cutting off your unknown source of care? The Shunamite woman, out of the abundance of her good heart was caring for a man of God. However, she responded to the man of God’s offer, “I dwell among my own people.” Despite her rejection of the offer for her to be connected to king and commander of her land the man of God persisted on what could be done for her. Gehazi the servant of Elisha answered to man of God’s persistent to bless the Shunamite woman stating, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.” (2Kings 4:14) Elisha responded to Gehazi’s information, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” (2Kings 4:15-16)
How is your caring ability or your caring disability? In particular, how do you care for identifiable servants of God directed in your way? Life is not always about what you can get or make out of everyone in your way. Turn to caring for others knowing that you are doing it in the fear of God and see how God’s blessing shall unlock your locked-up door of blessing.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of caring for others.