FAITH CAPSULE: Obeying God can be painful but it is gainful.

1 Samuel 15

Samuel delivered a message from God to Saul, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” (1 Samuel 15:2-3) Saul disobeyed God’s command. The bible recorded, “Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them.” (1 Samuel 15:9)

Obeying God’s command hangs on willingness of man to do as commanded by God. God is not a slave master but a saving Master. Saul re-wrote the command of God as it seemed right to him. Anytime a man take to the way that seems right, man ends up terminated. The way that seems right is not of God, it is a way of death. (Proverbs 14:12) When Samuel discovered Saul’s disobedient, he approached Saul stating, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) Obeying God is crucial to attaining greatness to the glory of God. There is price to pay and much to gain when we obey God. With disobedience comes pain and nothing to gain.

Obedience is costly; it is commitment, it is uncomfortable and above all it is a learning process which is meant to position man for great exploit. Jesus, our Lord and Savior went through obedience learning process. The book of Philippians 2:5-9 documented, “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, 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.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.” In Him there was no fault but He was faulted. He was excessively beaten, He was denied, He was disrespected, He was rejected by His people, He was moved around in pain without His will, He was misrepresented and His disciples withdrew themselves from Him. The King of kings, Lord of lords could have avoided all kinds of humiliation but He suffered all not to falter God. Obeying God is pain but it is gainful.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the spirit obedience to reign over you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Jesus is alive and He lives and reigns forever.

John 20

It is written, “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” (John 20:1-2)
Mary Magdalene was the first to announce the disappearance of  Jesus’ body from the grave. This was the Mary who Jesus healed from the possession of evil spirits. The crucifixion of Jesus meant a great deal to her. After the resurrection of Jesus, Mary was in place to recognize Jesus but could not recognize Jesus. She mistook Him for a gardener. The bible recorded it that, “She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (John 20:15) Imagine the one who saw Jesus in the physical and not able to recognize Jesus after resurrection from grave. Jesus is alive and He lives and reigns forever.
Mary Magdalene was occupied with sorrow. Mary Magdalene was so sure of Jesus but do not have what it takes to recognize Him. Does that sound like you in the time of grave challenge?

It is written, “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” (Luke 21:13-16)
They could see in the physical, but they had lost sight of their Savior. They knew Jesus well, but they did not know Him well enough to identify with Him at the point of visitation after he had resurrected from where the devil could not hold Him captive. The two must have been at the point of frustration thinking their hope was gone. Are you experiencing frustration in any area of your life? Remind yourself that Jesus is not dead; He is a living God. At the time the two regained sight, it was time for Jesus’ departure. Luke 24:31, “Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.” Your story does not have to be like the two on the way to Emmaus. Emmanuel was with them yet they were far from Him. He has risen! Set focus on Him in your journey of life and allow Him to have a place in your heart.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from mind blinding agent.

FAITH CAPSULE: Prayer not sleep will lock temptation out.

Luke 22

Every engagement with Satan is temptation enablement.  It was the day serpent engaged Eve that the temptation to eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden became a manifestation in her life. Eve became disobedient, scattered from God’s command and fell for sin when she ate against God’s command.
Judas Iscariot engaged Satan. It is written, “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.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” (Luke 22:3-6) Always, with temptation comes disobedient to disobey God. Disobeying God is the evidence of betraying God.

Temptation is the key which opens door to all kinds of sin. Jesus emphasized it that, prayer is way to lock out temptation.
The bible recorded, “Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-40) While He was praying the disciples were sleeping. To sleep at the prayer hour is the avenue for temptation to have a place in man’s life. Jesus was praying earnestly but the disciples were sleeping with sorrow. Jesus approached them and said, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46) Jesus must have seen what was about to happen when He came to speak to the disciples about keeping awake. The bible recorded, “while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Judas, the one Satan entered sold out his Lord and savior cheaply. Is there any way you have been selling Jesus out consciously or unconsciously.
At the time Jesus woke them up from sleeping they have entered the situation that caused all of them to scatter in attempt to save their life. At the time Jesus woke them up from sleeping instead of praying Peter was set, to strike instead of him to allow Jesus to speak to situation.  Peter struck by cutting off the servant of the high priest’s ear. Jesus responded by speaking to the situation. With temptation in the place of prayer man will end up denying and selling Jesus out. Engage unceasing prayer to disallow temptation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be strengthened on prayer altar.

FAITH CAPSULE: What must be done in your life will get you to where you must be in the Lord.

Acts 9, Mark 11:1-11

Jesus sent His disciples, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” (Mark 11:2-3) Jesus was able to see a colt where it was positioned. Finding the colt was not enough if the colt was not loose as commanded by Jesus. Jesus sent the disciples about what must be done for the colt to be used for God to be glorified. Jesus needed a colt which was not tied down, a colt that is loose.

What is it that must be done for you to enter into your divine assignment? Just like the colt was in position to be used for Jesus, many are in position for Jesus to become of use but they are tied down. Many are consciously or unconsciously tied down and not available for God’s service yet they engage celebration of Jesus. Celebration without connection to Jesus is the evidence of lack of commitment. Going and coming to fellowships on Sundays is not enough evidence of connection with Jesus. Answering to what must be done is what makes difference between acclaimed believers of Jesus as Lord and savior.

Saul of Tarsus was on his way to wreak havoc on the disciples of the Lord in Damascus when he encountered what must be done for him to serve like a colt which was loose for Jesus to ride triumphantly. After Saul’s response to the light that shone on him and brought him down to the ground, he asked who the Lord is and Jesus responded by introducing Himself. Saul gained the understanding of Jesus, “So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:6) Saul’s name was changed for good to Paul and from the moment of receiving instruction, Paul began to move in the direction of God’s assignment for his life. Determination is not what will help; but the grace of God is what will get you into your divine assignment. The word of God promises that “He will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and He will guide you with His eye” (Psalm 32:8).What must be done in your life will get you to where you must be in the Lord.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace for you to locate what must be done to serve the Lord in deed and in truth.

FAITH CAPSULE: There is no age limit serving before God.

Genesis 37

Whenever God is set to replace you from where you are into the center of His divine schedule for your life, He does not go by your own timing neither does He move by your age. In God, there is no age limit. When it was God’s time to call Abraham out into the center of his divine schedule, God called Abraham and, “…Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” (Genesis 12:4) At seventy five years old, he has passed the retirement age before God called him into divine schedule. Who would have thought of a journey of such magnitude for an aged man like Abraham? Moses, after forty years in one of the greatest palaces on earth, had no choice but to be replaced. God did not call him like He called Abraham but he found himself in a situation that chased him out into his divine schedule. Moses accidentally killed an Egyptian in his attempt to defend one of his Hebrew brethren. Pharaoh heard about Moses’ deed, “When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:15) At age forty Moses’ situation forced him to run unknowingly in the direction of God’s plan for his life. Can you see that God is in everything?

Joseph had a very positive dream but for the dream to come to manifestation there had to be a process in place. Process can be unacceptably challenging and exceedingly difficult. At the young age of seventeen, Joseph unknowingly began his placement journey to bring his dream to manifestation. The journey to a dreams manifestation can be challenging and uncomfortable. The starting point of a dreams journey is often unknown to the dreamer. Joseph did not plan to enter into the journey of his life when he went to check on his brother as directed by his father. “Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” (Genesis 37:14-15) From wandering into entering the pit, Joseph began a journey to the center of his divine schedule. Regardless of your age or where you are, do not struggle with yourself; God is on top of it all. Could it be that you are already on your journey to the center of your calling.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you in every step that you take on earth.