FAITH CAPSULE: Are you allowing the world to have its way in your life?

Psalm 73

It is written, “Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds, yet he will perish forever like his own refuse; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’” (Job 20:4-7) Without any iota of doubt, God is not pleased with hypocrite or the wicked ones. Can you clearly identify and make sure that you are not walking the walk of a hypocrite or the walk of the wicked one.

Hypocrite is a person who pretends to have religious or moral beliefs that he or she does not actually possess. It is a person who professes what he or she does not possess. Hypocrite is a deceiver, pretender and a Pharisee.
Jesus severely rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matthew 6:2,5,16) Matthew 6:2, “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Among the identities of the Hypocrite is self-glorification which does not have a place before God.

Encased in Jeremiah’s curiosity about the wicked is answer to who the wicked ones are. Jeremiah stated before God, “Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about your judgments. 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) Apparently, the wicked ones are the ones that are conversant quoting the word from their mouth but have their mind far away from God. It is wicked to have the word in the mouth and not live by the word of God but.

Any of the two evil agents sound familiar to you? Hypocrite is a sin and wickedness is a sin. Many inside the church could be consciously walking the walk of a hypocrite or that of the wicked one. Sin is sin before God and there is no smaller or bigger sin. God cannot be deceived; He will eventually judge sin at His appointed time. Take to the word of Ecclesiastes to heart, to know and not walk the walk of a hypocrite or of a wicked one. Understand it that, “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.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

Prayer for today: Ask God to disallow any spirit which does not represent Him to have a place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Compelling force is a possible determinant of how a man takes a stand against confronting challenge.

1 Samuel 13, Psalm 91

The Psalmist made a compelling statement, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1) It is a strong compelling understanding in the word of God that will cause a man to make bold declaration of protection. Just as the psalmist was able to make a compelling statement, he backed it up with a bold declaration, “I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2)
Compelling force is a possible determinant of how a man takes a stand against confronting challenge. David made a compelling statement and back it up with strong declaration, “I will call upon the, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” (Psalm 18:3) Calling to praise God is compelling for him to declare that he shall be saved from his enemies. Whenever a man’s compelling force is positive it will give the boldness and character to be a winner. However, when a man’s compelling force is negative, man is set to fail and fall from grace to grass.

Saul was compelled by seeing negative when challenge was intensified. King Saul was commanded by Samuel to wait for seven days until Samuel arrived to offer the burnt offering before his battle with the Philistines. “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.  So Saul said, ’Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came…” (1 Samuel 13:8-10) Saul made the wrong move because he could not travail in waiting. Samuel came as promised the same day, but not at Saul’s timing. When Samuel asked why King Saul took such a decision, Saul’s response was that, “…when I saw that the people were scattered from me…” (1 Samuel 13:11)
Who are you looking up to? Do you look up to God or the people and situation around you? Saul went further in his testimony and stated, “…I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” Saul succumbed to fear when his people scattered and was compelled to make an unlawful sacrifice. Samuel made it clear that he violated God’s command. Violating God could be termination from God. Samuel made it known to Saul, “…the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever but now your kingdom shall not continue…” (1 Samuel 13:13-14) When fear compels, complication prevails.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to remain focus and not become a vessel of failure in any area of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: When your breakdown is around know it with expectation that your breakthrough will arrive.

Genesis 41

Anxiousness is not of God. To be anxious is to be worried. Worrying is the opposite of worship. Anyone that engages worry will disengage from worshiping God. When there is no worship world affairs sneak into man. Apostle Paul admonishes us by stating, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) God is a prayer answering Father and there is nothing impossible for God to do. What is keeping you down? Whatever is keeping you down will surely not be able to stop you from rising if at all times your face is fixed on God. Today and just like in the bible days many were broken before their breakthrough. Is your love for the Lord and your walk before God is consistent? Make the choice to be consistently relevant living by the word of God and watch things change overnight for God’s glory over your life.

Imagine Moses living in the great palace of Pharaoh since he was three months old before he was broken from palace to desert and from desert to shepherd. Moses, from his desert he later became a giant in God’s hand. Joseph the dreamer was broken from the presence of his father’s love because of wickedness of his brothers. Joseph went down into pit; from pit to slavery and from slavery to prison. Eventually, Joseph came out from the pit, slavery, prison to become one that sat beside Pharaoh as the prime minister for the whole land of Egypt.

By virtue of your challenges, changes overnight are causing friends to scatter from you and no longer be there to help. You can hardly count on anyone for help and it seems you are the only Christian that is out of place. All that surrounds you is beginning to wonder how long you will go through what you are going through. Complaint, discouragement or self-destruction is not what you need. You need to know that God will see you through if you will keep seeing through in the word of God. Psalmist points out, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) God is faithful to honor His word if we are able to hold our peace and not be anxious for the enemy to take over our life.
The point here is that God constantly want to be glorified and make Himself a glorious name. When your breakdown is around know it with expectation that your breakthrough will arrive. He is a jealous God and He wants to be glorified concerning your life. God will see you through because you are not alone.

Prayer for today: Ask God for help to bring you up from where you are down; ask Him to build you where you are broken.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is important to know who you are and the One you answer to.

Acts 9

What is the name man calls you? Are you being called by your challenge? God is the unchanging changer and He is perfect to reverse every irreversible. He alone remembers with favor and visit with salvation. God will remember you at His appointed time and you will have a name change, a name that glorifies His Holy name shall become the name you answer to.

It is written, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.” (Luke 1:36) Her name was Elizabeth not Barren which call her. No man had any idea of what God was going to do with her when they were calling her barren. When God visited her, mockery was converted to miracle and she became the mother of John the Baptist. After Jesus, there was none like John in the bible days. Watch out, God is going to visit you the same way He visited Elizabeth and turned her story around for His glory.

Again, it is written, “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47) Blind Bartimaeus was his popular name. Despite the fact that they know his father’s name (Timaeus), they could not call him out without adding blind to his name. On his day of visitation he disregarded many from keeping him quiet. Many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more until Jesus gave him a standstill attention and his story was changed from blind Bartimaeus to one that followed Jesus.

The bible documents, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2) He was Saul the adversary of the brethren. Jesus located him on his way to wicked act against followers of Jesus. In that encounter with Jesus, he had a change of name from Saul to Paul the Apostle. He was transformed from agent of destroyer to agent of deliverance. Whatever man calls you is the evidence of limited understanding about what God can do with your life. However, it is important to know who you are and the One you answer to. Be encouraged in the Lord and you shall live to the fulfillment of your destiny in Christ Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to miss the time of His visitation for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are you too quiet not to be victorious?

Daniel 6

Is your crying consistent and loud enough to get heaven’s attention? Are you too quiet not to be victorious? The word encourages us to open our mouth loud. It is written, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10) Crying out loud is not an evidence of weakness it is a demonstration of trust and understanding that God attends to His children. Jesus points out, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) If we know His voice, He definitely knows our voice. Also, if we are hearing His voice, He will also hear our voice too. Do you have a voice in heaven which can be recognized when you cry out?

King David was so sure of his voice in heaven when he 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) A very bold statement is the evidence of full assurance. He made a bold statement, “As for me” David made it known how to get heaven’s attention. Calling loud all day will get heaven’s attention. Is it your custom to be calling on God in the evening hour, morning hour and noon? Those who make calling on God their way of life do so regardless of their challenge. Does that sound like you? If so, you must be having a voice in heaven and all you need is to know not to be quiet before God when you call for heaven’s attention.

Just like David, Daniel had a voice in heaven. Calling day and night was Daniel’s custom. It is written, “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 6:10) In the face of challenge, he did not shy and could not be kept shut. He went and engaged his life style which is accustomed to praying three times a day. To cry out when need calls for will provoke heaven on behalf of those with registered voice in heaven. When it was time for Jesus to wake Lazarus he cried out loud. It is written, “And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
Do not be quiet in your seeking God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to seek Him more than ever before.