FAITH CAPSULE: it takes having understanding to keep man from reoccurrence of confronting challenges.

Proverbs 2

Gaining understanding in the word is crucial to having a knowing edge over confronting challenges. Understanding is of the heart. Proverbs 2:2 buttressed, “So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding.” It is a good thing to have the freedom to make a right decision that keeps man away from confronting challenge but it takes having understanding to keep man from re-occurrence of confronting challenges. Proverbs 2:11 stated it better, “Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you.”

At Gibeon, after Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord, the Lord appeared to him.  It is recorded, “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5) Solomon could think of nothing better but responded to God’s question asking, “… give to Your servant an understanding heart…” (1 Kings 3:9) Understanding is crucial to continue and to prevail in the journey of life. The bible recorded in 1 Kings 3:10, “The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.” God added wisdom to Solomon’s request for understanding. Truly, wisdom compliments understanding and it is the combination of both that will give a knowing edge over confronting challenges of the world. Proverbs 4:7 admonished, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

In the beginning of the book of Job (Job 1:1), Job is described as a blameless man and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Later in the same chapter, God testified of Job, “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) What else could be said when God testifies for a man just like He did for Job? With this description, and the testimony, of God about Job, it is possible to think that a man like Job has arrived in the things of the LORD. However, in the last chapter of the book Job, he confessed “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. (Job 42:5) Until man begins to see in what is heard, understanding is not in place. When we hear and able to see in what was heard it becomes evident that understanding is in place. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith pointed out in His speech that having understanding is rooted in listening ability. (John 8:43) Trust God to give the grace of listening and gaining understanding.

Prayer for today: Ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE: Look into the mirror of the word for what you will adhere to adjust your life.

John 1:1-38

Have you received enough in His word to be living in the word of God? Encased in the word of God is what it takes to escape and not be a victim of the wickedness of this world. If you will seek, you will see and be able to capture a secured future in the word of God which cannot be broken nor return to Him void.
How do you effectively engage the word? Begin to behold and see in the word as one looking into the mirror. Behold the word by constantly hearing and hearing with effective listening ability. Begin to see and receive in the word of God. You cannot see in the word and doubt what you see if you truly see. What you see you receive and it becomes of you.

How you see yourself in the mirror before engaging your day determines how you carry yourself through the day endeavors. One that sees self as sick first thing in the morning we walk through the day as sick. Same applies to ones that see self with need to be pitied.
However, ones that looks in the mirror of the word and says to self “boy you look strong and good today” is set to rule the day with uncommon energy. Make the word your daily routine, study the word continually not only when it is convenient. Allow the word of God to impact your perspective of life; allow the word to be your mirror which will identify you for breakthrough. Look into the mirror of the word for what you will adhere to adjust your life that you may have a great exploit in the life God has given you.

Daniel did great exploit and that is why the bible stated in Daniel 11:12, “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
Among the secret of Daniel which made difference in his life to do great exploit was praying three times a day. It was testified in Daniel 6:10, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”
Daniel must have seen Himself in the mirror of the word in the psalm of David which stated, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17) Look into the word and secured your destiny in the word of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your eyes and receive the word of God as your image.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do you have humility or you only talk about it?

Matthew 26:47-56

Humility can be described as a condition of being humble. One that is humble is courteously respectful; not proud or arrogant. Humility is what preserves the soul. Psalm 69:32 buttressed, “The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live.” Humility is a key to living life as a true believer. It takes humility for man to think of others before thinking of self. Apostle Paul stated it well, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3) Do you constantly think of yourself more than how you think of others? Without doubt, humility is a state of mind well pleasing to God. Do you have humility or you only talk about it? God is mindful of man but man is mouth full of God. The word of God admonished us, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus was mindful of the things of God and could not be a vessel of deception. God exalted Jesus and God gave Him a name that is above all names. (Philippians 2:9) As an acclaimed believer, do you have humility?

Jesus taught humility, He demonstrated humility and at the time of His arrest it was clear that He lived and ministered humility. To be a leader is to be the one that serves. As a believer that is living by the word of God how do you handle your leadership role? Does your role as a leader separates you or blends you with those that you serve? Can you be identified with the people that you are leading? Your identity as a leader that serves should not only be in your attire or material but in humility. When it was time for Judas to betray Jesus, it was through kissing. Jesus was so much identical with His disciples. Matthew 26: 48-49 “Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.”  His humility extended to his appearance He was so blend with His disciples and He could not be identified except with a kiss.

Prayer for today: Ask God for humility to reign and rule in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not make yourself available for the devourer.

Job 1, Mark 14: 43-52

The book of 1 Peter 5:8 warned, “Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” It is good to know that power belongs to our God. While the devil walks about, God sits on His throne to see all. 2 Chronicles 16:9 buttressed, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” God shall never leave His own vulnerable for the adversary to devour. Do you fear God enough that you may be acknowledge for protection by the hand of God? Having a loyal heart is relying on Him. Those who rely on God are the ones who fear God.

It is recorded in the book of Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” Can you imagine Satan having access to the gathering of the sons of God? Satan was asked about where he was coming from, he declared that he was going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it (Job 1:7). For Satan, it is business as usual, looking for someone to devour. Since the days of the Bible, Satan has been going to and fro looking for someone to devour, today he is still looking for whom to devour and tomorrow he will continue to look for someone to devour until his time is up. The devil is at work and he has not given up his hope of frustrating the business of the kingdom just as he has been doing since he was driven out of heaven.

When Jesus was here, the devil also found its way to use Judas one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Judas was available to be an agent for the devil when he got paid to betray Jesus. It is written in the book of Mark 14:10, “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Indeed and in truth, when it was time for Satan to work through Judas, it was through a convenient way. Judas gave Jesus up with a kiss. What is the convenient way you have taken to allow Satan? It does not matter where you are or what you do, if your walk in the Lord is short of fully obeying Jesus you are betraying Him. Do not make yourself available for the devourer. Trust God for the grace not to be a victim of the devil.

Prayer for today: Ask God to fill you with the knowledge and grace not to betray Jesus in all your walks of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Glorify God so that He may be glorified in the life He has given you.

Genesis 19

A failure to see that God is moving you forward is the passage to self-destruction. Think of it, relocation from a comfort zone is challenging but a new zone is refreshing if a believer sees God as the One ordering steps. Embrace where you and allow the past to be in the past. Glorify God so that He may be glorified in the life He has given you. Having life today is not because of merit but because of His mercy. Psalm 117 admonished, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endures forever.” Mercy of God was in place for Lot and his family but Lot’s wife failed to see the mercy of God in her relocation. As an acclaimed believer, do you see God in your relocation? Those who live by faith will see in faith and move by faith knowing that the truth of the Lord endures forever. The truth of God is in His word. He gave His word to warn Lot stating, “…Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” (Genesis 19:17)

An escape from self-destruction demands setting sight on the Commander of commands. The command was obviously too difficult for Lot’s wife to obey because she could not look away from her comfort zone. The Bible records that Lot’s wife looked back behind him and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26) Could it be that your relocation is God’s way of repositioning you for better? What is it in your past that cannot be forgotten and is causing you not to see God ordering your step? Looking back is an evidence of worry instead of glorifying Him. God is moving you forward to a different ground for your deliverance purpose, disallow complaint from occupying you.

The children of Israel were taken out of the bondage of over four hundred years, but their bond with the house of bondage loaned them out to self-destruction. It is written, “Now the mixed multitudes who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ‘Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!’” (Numbers 11:4-6) The children of Israel vigorously complained instead of glorifying God for His merciful kindness and His truth which endures forever. Complaining does not settle well with God. Give all the glory to God for where you are today.

Prayer for today: Ask God to take over your days so that your days be concentrated to His Word.