FAITH CAPSULE: Does your character communicate your claim as a believer of God?

Matthew 5:1-15

It is written, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) By virtue of the scriptural verse above, it is clear enough that there is no middle ground in every word of God. As an acclaimed believer, you are either one who contributes to the earth as a preserver or one who does not contributes but takes the place of a non-preserver (destroyer). In the Bible days, there was no refrigerator that could be used for preserving food. Preservation of food was done by the use of salt. When Jesus stated that believers are to be the salt of the earth, He spoke in reference to what the life of a believer should be all about.
Acclaimed believer should be the one bringing impacting changes to his or her environment such as their workplace, neighborhood, family gatherings and much more. Jesus identifying salt as a preserver means acclaimed believers should be agents of preserving the decaying world of sin and iniquity. Instead, the world is changing believers because believers are adapting to world ideas in the name of evangelizing or accommodating the world. Believers are not to be changed by the affairs of this world. It is not enough to be a consistent church goer neither is it enough to be fluent in quoting Bible verses if our character does not communicate our claim as a believer of the word of God in the Bible.

Most believers today want to be quiet in their walk with excuse that they do not want to offend anyone by what they believe in. Imagine this, in the world of a kitchen where there is salt, how can it be that every food that is coming out of such kitchen is tasteless and unacceptable? Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men”. The salt in the kitchen that is producing a tasteless and unacceptable food has no effect because it is not being used or it has lost its flavor. Evidently, the salt that is not effective has lost its purpose. Such salt becomes a waste and it is to be thrown away. According to Jesus, that salt becomes an underfoot material. What kind of salt are you? Are you one that is bold in quoting the word of God without Godly character to back your quotation or claim as a believer? Believers of the Word are to be a salt that seasons their world with godly and acceptable contributions. Choose to live life as a preserving agent according to the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for help not to live life as a salt less vessel to your world.

FAITH CAPSULE: Not being able to wait is to abide in waste.

Psalm 37, Luke 15:11-32

The inability to wait in the place of need is the ability to become available for extended frustration and unwarranted struggle. As an acclaimed believer, have you positioned yourself in a situation of not waiting for God’s intervention? Psalmist encouraged us, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14) It is important to know to wait on God who is the true helper of man and shield that does not disappoint. Psalm 37:7 did not say it wrong when it stated, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Evidently, ones that cannot rest on the promises of God cannot wait patiently for God to act on their behalf.

Why not wait for God? The parable of the prodigal (the lost son), clearly demonstrated that the prodigal son entered into a state of lack because he could not wait for God’s appointed time. He was the younger of the two sons who could not wait for the portion of the inheritance that would have fallen to Him. There was so much for him to receive in waiting but nothing to receive when waiting was bypassed. Have you bypassed your ground of waiting for a needless rush? Not being able to wait is to abiding in waste. The prodigal son got his portion of the inheritance and took a journey to a far country, and wasted his inheritance.

Jesus’ parable is not a play write-up; it is to place His written word in the life of believers. Evidently in life, waiting for appointed time can be painful but would eventually be gainful for those who persevere in waiting. As a result of inability to wait, he was bound to end up wasted. It is written, “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15: 13-14) Those who walks out of God’s timing walks into self-destruction. It is absolutely true that no one ever complained of falling, or stepping, into grievous mistakes while waiting on God. Listen to what the word of God says, “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.. “ (Psalm 37:34) The word of God does not lie, His word cannot be broken. God will wait for those that will wait on Him.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of enablement to consistently wait on God in all areas of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Wait, watch and see how the Lord will change your story.

Judges 11

In life, man often engage painful challenge which is not bargain for but gains ground in the life of man. Does that sound like you? What about your life? Are you experiencing challenges you do not bargain for? Trusting God for all things in the face of all things is an assured way of overcoming all kinds of challenge.

Jephthah the Gileadite gained the title: A mighty man of valor but he was none and referred to as son of a harlot. By virtue of his identity (a son of harlot) he was driven out of his father’s house. Jephthah did not call for his challenging situation. Jephthah’s challenge was outside of his control; Jephthah was paying for what he did not bargain for. Are you experiencing any similar challenging situation like that of Jephthah? Jephthah’s challenging situation demands a divine intervention. It calls for a true redemption. With God, redemption is certain. Wait, watch and see how the Lord will change your story. He is the only God who waits to act for those who wait on Him. (Isaiah 64:4) Imagine a son of harlot was approached by the Israelites asking for help. At the time the children of Israel were confronted by enemies, a need for a commander became there agenda. The elders of Gilead had to go and seek Jephthah for help. It was recorded in Judges 11:6, “Then they said to Jephthah, ‘Come and be our commander that we may fight against the people of Ammon.’”

Whenever man is condemned, God alone has His way of redemption for the condemned. Jephthah, son of harlot became a hot commodity. Imagine a son of harlot, one that was driven out by brothers became one being sought for to be a leader. Jephthah responded in Judges 11:7, “So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”” The same God that set up a situation for Jephthah to be called back to rise above and beyond where he was before he was expelled will always be available to turn your story around for His name to be glorified. God, in His deliverance plan or redemption plan cannot be too late or too soon, God will show up in your situation at His appointed time. Jephthah accepted the assignment and victory was delivered to the children of Israel. Jephthah did not just end up as a commander but he became the head because victory was delivered into his hand. The story of Jephthah was changed for good.

Prayer for today: Ask God for your story to be changed for good and to the glory of His name.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is impossible to be committed to God and not be connected.

1Kings 19:19-21, Matthew 8:12-22

Commitment: Is to give in trust that is to entrust…to hand over. As an acclaimed believer, are you committed to any man you see than the God you do not see? Does your life demonstrate that of one who is committed to God?
Jesus had twelve disciples that were constantly and continuously around Him. The Bible recorded, ““But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” (John 2: 24-25) Jesus, our Lord and savior could not commit Himself to any man and we should never commit ourselves to any man. Why should a man commit to a man? How can one commit to a heart one does not know? The bible described the heart of a man stating, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) As regard to wickedness of man’s heart, Genesis 6:5 also stated, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” A deceptive heart is a wicked heart and it makes commitment to man to be cheapest way to self-destruction.

Waiting on God is the evidence of commitment. It is a way of handling all over to Him for intervention. There should be understanding in place that, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4) The word of God is true to perform and perfect that which He has spoken to us. So many want to be near Jesus but they do not want to stand for Him. So many want to follow Him but they do not want to seek Him. Also, so many want to come to Him but they do not want to take what He offers. Numerous times, multitudes followed but lack the commitment to follow through.

In commitment we follow to serve. When He called His disciples, He called them to follow. He knew what He would do. He did not at anywhere or anytime called any to serve without following Him. He is calling you today to re-identify how you have been following Him. Following Jesus is demands commitment; commitment is a costly adventure that does not accept any excuse. At one time a disciple gave a reasonable excuse to delay or deny following Jesus, “Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” (Matthew 8:21) Jesus’ responded to the disciples excuse stating, “…follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22) Clearly, answering to His call is commitment.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of commitment to God’s calling over your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Looking up to God should not be just at times of challenges.

Psalm 34

Lazarus was dead by the time Jesus got to his cave. Stone was rolled against his coming back to life; hope was shattered, mourning and grieve were in place. Above all, there was no medical practitioner recorded to be on ground because it was finished for Lazarus. Jesus, the Commanding commander gave a command that the stone be removed. He requested for open door for hope to be restored. It is written, “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.”(John 11:41-44) Among the actions of Jesus for Lazarus to come back to life was that, Jesus looked up for divine intervention. He was setting up example for us to know and to always look up when all hope is lost. Jesus looked up and gave thanks. Jesus did not look to man; He did not look up to complain but He looked up to giving thanks for expectation that was yet at hand. Who are you looking to? How are you looking up?

In the face of any challenge a true believer should never look anywhere except to look up with expectation unto the Almighty God, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent God. Believer that is true to the core should look up to the only one who is “…the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy (Isaiah 57:15). Whenever deception, delay, denial, or destruction, knocks or shows up unexpectedly He is always there for us to look up to Him. Many giants in the hand of God repeatedly looked up to Him in the course of their journey while they were on the face of the earth. You can always look up to him for direction, provision and for every area of need. Looking up to God should not be just at times of challenges, but also at the time of lifting His Holy name high. It is recorded in, Psalm 34:5, “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” Is there any confronting shameful situation that is set against you? In waiting for the Lord God of Israel, He will acknowledge you when your eyes are set on Him. The book of Micah 7:7 also buttressed looking up, “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.” Begin to look up to God for His divine intervention.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to always look up only to Him.