FAITH CAPSULE: It will take the timing of God to catch up with the wicked ones.

Psalm 37

Are you fretful of evildoers or are you envious of the workers of iniquity? The Psalmist warned, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.” (Psalm 37:1)  The evidence of being fretful of the evildoers is in not resting in the promises of God as regard to the end of the wicked. One that does not trust in God troubles much and no longer rest in the Lord. Also, those who are envious of the workers of iniquity demonstrate that they are no longer resting in the Lord but rusting away. The truth of it all is, the wicked are here to stay until the Lord is ready to take them away. The same Psalm 37 gave the prescription of what it takes to ignore the wicked ones by stating, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.” (Psalm 37:3) Let the Lord take care of His business concerning the wicked. There is nothing that gets past the Lord. The Lord God sees all things and He knows all things that are going on.

The book of Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 admonished, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.  Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.  But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.” Fear God for your own and not fret because of the evil doers. God alone knows when to deal with those who make the choice not to come out of wickedness.

Jeremiah questioned, “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:1-2) God does not sleep nor slumber and it is important that we concentrate on pleasing Him, working the works of God rather than questioning His response to the wicked. The honest question is that, are you a wicked one? Is the word of God near in your mouth but far from your mind? There is no minor or serious wickedness. God will judge all the wicked ones. “…They shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” (Psalm 37:2) Man can be deceived, the whole world can be deceived but God cannot be deceived.

Prayer for today: Ask God to touch your heart and bring you out of every way of wickedness.

FAITH CAPSULE: Regard the works of His hand so as to maintain His fear.

Psalm 75

Isaiah stated, “The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…” (Isaiah 5:12-13). Just as Isaiah pointed it out, the Psalmist also stated, “Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5) Without any doubt, having a clear understanding of the word “regard” and being able to consciously operate it, will help to maintain the knowledge that it takes for one not to end up in captivity. Regard is defined as: to look closely or attentively, to hold in respect, to observe steadily, the works of the Lord in a specified way. When we begin to regard His works we engage a life that is free, life that is not in captivity (His work is His words). Constantly keeping His testimonies is regarding His work. Psalm 119:2 admonished, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies who seek Him diligently with the whole heart” (No one seek Him diligently and end up in captivity.)

The work of God is markedly and noticeably wonderful. It is also the wondrous works of His hand that declares that His name is near. (Psalm 75:1) Why not begin to regard the works of His hand so as to maintain the fear of God that keeps one from any form of captivity? A failure not to regard the work of God is an undeniable access to God’s wrath. Also, not to regard the works of God can be compared to turning back on God. There is no excuse not to regard the work of God. Knowing that the works are there and visible to everyone is same as knowing about God and making the choice of not turning to God. The book of Romans stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:20-21) Sodom and Gomorrah disregard works of God and received judgment of God. If Sodom and Gomorrah could not escape judgment, the present generation will not escape God’s judgment either.
Regard and retain God in your knowledge, abstain from ungodly and careless life. It is knowledge to constantly regard the works of God.

Prayer for today: Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; let Your loving kindness and Your truth continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)

Faithful Capsule: Disallow comfort from clouding your commitment to God’s command.

Numbers 32

Engaging the journey of life comfortably should never be a sin. However, when man comfortably place comfort ahead of commitment to God’s direction in the journey of life, one is set not to arrive at the center of God’s divine agenda. God, in His goodness and mercy brought the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years with plan to settle them in the Promised Land. It is written, “So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.” (Exodus 3:8) God wanted to place them from bondage to abundance when he promised them a land that flows with milk and honey. God promised to bring them up but for the children of Gad and of Reuben engaging comfort in the place of commitment took charge. The children of Gad and of Reuben decided to settle at the East of Jordan.

The Bible recorded that they had a very great multitude of livestock and that prompted a request for a settlement in the region which was a place for livestock; a place that was more comfortable by their own understanding instead of God’s promise. Despite their understanding of God’s plan, they attempted a choice to wander from the way of God’s understanding. Are you attempting to wander from the way of understanding gained from the word of God? Proverbs 21:16 admonished, “A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.”

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben approached Moses and stated their desire, “…the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.’ Therefore they said, ‘If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.’” (Numbers 32:4-5) It is clear that where there is livestock milk will flow, but not honey. God promised a land flowing with milk and honey, but they attempted to settle for their own comfort land. The land which flowed with milk was comfortably enough for them. It is good to be comfortable but not at the expense of God’s command or plan for us. Placing our comfort above God’s command is a direct avenue to becoming insensitive to the move of the Spirit of God. Spiritual insensitivity will reduce and not increase a believer. Are you operating the mind of the children of Gad and Reuben as you engage your journey to the Promised Land? Disallow comfort from clouding your commitment to God’s command.

Prayer for today: Ask God to restore unto you whatever you have lost to spiritual insensitivity.

FAITH CAPSULE: Meditate on His testimonies to provoke your faith in Him.

How do we describe testimony?Testimony is evidence in support of the wonders God. Testimony is an open declaration or profession, as of faith.
The testimonies of God will transport a believer to a ground of transformation. All that the children of Israel needed for their transportation through their wilderness journey was the testimonies of God which was to keep them from complaining against God. The children of Israel were to travel through the wilderness to their Promised Land for eleven days, but the journey went on for forty years.

Are you experiencing a time of wandering where you are to be a wonder to your world?
The generation that came out of Egypt did not only journey in the wilderness, but they wandered around until the wilderness passed them unto death and they were unable to step on the Promised Land. The children of Israel did not just become wanders in the wilderness by accident, but by their acts of complaints against God trapped them in the wilderness. The act of complaining is the evidence of not keeping God’s testimony. Due to their never-ending complaining against what God was doing in their life, God responded in Numbers 14:22-23, “Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.” God promised to take them to the Promised Land. He showed them great and mighty signs in Egypt, and they could not meditate to keep His testimony.

Are you constantly meditating on His testimonies? The Psalmist knew and confessed about testimonies of God in Psalm 119:2, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!” Keeping His testimonies is setting self-up to serve Him and not rebel by complaining. Psalm 119: 24, “Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.” Psalm 119:46, “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” The testimonies of God are all the things that He has done, the things that He is doing, and the evidence of what He can do. His testimonies are worthy of mediation.
Testimony of God is what we need to plead our case before God. Isaiah 45:26 stated, “Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.” Do you have any testimony to remind God when presenting your case?  State your case by referring to what He has done and what He can do. He is faithful to honor His word.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to help in keeping His testimony constantly.

Faith Capsule: The hand of God is not shortened that it cannot save those who desire His hand.

Psalm 31

Wisdom of God is all that it takes for us to excel living challenging days. However, when there is lack of understanding of God’s wisdom there will be no knowledge. Isaiah 5:13 is true when it states, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.” It is knowledge to gain understanding in the word that there are two different kinds of hands that operate in the life of man: the hand of God and the hand of evil one. Which of the two hands do you strongly desire? The hand of God, of course, should be the one that is strongly desire. One that truly desire manifestation of God’s hand will back up desire with action. It is wisdom to know and back one’s desire with action.  Also, it is not enough reading and knowing about the hand of God until there is a consistent meditation about what His hand can do.

The hand of God delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of over four hundred years and it added favor. Exodus 3:19-21 stated, “So 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. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians…” The hand of God was also in place for Ezra to complete his journey. It is written, “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) The hand of God is a source of encouragement for those who set their mind for His hand to answer on their behalf. Ezra 7:28 testified, “…So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me”

It is possible to rise and not able to build. However, to rise and able to complete is also in the hand of God. Nehemiah testified, “And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, ‘Let us rise up and build.’ Then they set their hands to this good work.” (Nehemiah 2:18). Do you consciously desire the hand of God upon your life? There is no deep place one cannot reach, neither is there any height one cannot climb because, “In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also.” (Psalm 95:4) God is a complete God with outstretch hand. The hand of God is not shortened that it cannot save those who desire His hand to work on their behalf.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to constantly desire the hand upon your life in these challenging days.