FAITH CAPSULE: Is your sacrifice provoking the hand of God or is it revoking it?

1 Kings 3:3-15, Romans 12

It is written, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) How are you sacrificing to God? Sacrificing unto God is worshiping God. Worshiping God is a continuous engagement as long there is breath of life. Most times, the cost of sacrifice is inconvenient. A reasonable sacrifice is the sacrifice that counts before God.

A reasonable and acceptable sacrifice unto God will no doubt provoke the hand of God to favor. God demands and deserves a reasonable sacrifice from His creation. A reasonable sacrifice unto God will deliver a reasonable response from God. When His hand is deposited reasonably upon one’s life, every reason to stand out becomes undeniable. King Solomon was such a King that the world never stopped reasoning about the kind of wisdom he demonstrated in his life. David made us aware that Solomon had always been a wise man before God’s hand was provoked in adding a wise and understanding heart to Solomon. David said to Solomon, “Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.” (1 Kings2:9)This verse points out that Solomon had always been a wise man. However, when King Solomon offered a reasonable sacrifice, his story turned around forever. It is recorded about Solomon, “Now the King went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what shall I give you?’”(1 Kings 3:4-5) Solomon worshiped God with reasonable sacrifice and his sacrifice provoked the hand of God.

Is your sacrifice provoking the hand of God or is it revoking it? Do you remember Cain’s sacrifice? Genesis 4:5 recorded that God did not respect Cain’s offering and Cain was very angry. His sacrificial offering must have been too ordinary for God to accept. Is your sacrifice costing you? Your sacrifice matters; it will deposit an uncharacteristic power of God that is unparalleled in your life. 1 Kings 3:12, “Behold I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.” A reasonable sacrifice will provoke a reasonable God-investment in your life. God deposited a wise and understanding heart in King Solomon.

Prayer for today: Ask God to instruct you and teach you in the way to go that you shall live for your glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Fear Him and obtain His mercy.

Ecclesiastes 12, Luke 1:26-55

Apostle Paul quotes the word, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”(Romans 9:15) Whatever God says he will do is a done deal. Yes, He will have mercy on whomever He chooses to have mercy. It is also clear in the word of God that taking stand in the word of God will position man on an undeniable ground for the mercy of God. Meaning, it is possible for man to provoke the hand of God to obtain His mercy. Without any doubt, having the fear of God in life is taking a position on undeniable ground for the mercy of God. Keep it in mind that to fear God is to love God. Looking into few scriptural verses from the Old Testament and the New Testament will confirm to us and open our understanding that mercy is available at all times for the one that loves or fears God. It is written in Exodus 20:6, “but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” The book of Psalm 119:132 buttress, “Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name.” In the New Testament, the Book of Luke also recorded in Luke 1:50, “And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.” As mentioned earlier, to fear and to Love God is evidently the same. To constantly and consistently live life in the fear of God positions a man on a ground where the mercy of God cannot be denied.

It is written, “The Lord is good and His mercy is everlasting…” (Psalm 100:5) The mercy of God is, “great above the heavens…” (Psalm 108:4) Also, “The earth O Lord is full of Your mercy…” (Psalm 119:64) The mercy of God endures forever, meaning that God’s mercy cannot and will never run out. His mercy is abundant and enough for each and every one of His creations. As an acclaim believer, are you consciously walking in line of His word? Memorizing the word of God, quoting His word but not living the word of God is the evidence of lack of the fear of God. In this wicked world, there is nothing that matters for man like being under the mercy of the good God. Once a man is covered by the mercy of God, there is no way man can be messed up by the mess of this wicked world. Ecclesiastes 12:13, says it all, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” Fear Him and obtain His mercy.

Prayer for today: Ask God to put His fear in your heart so you obtain and live in His mercy.

FAITH CAPSULE: Looking away from God is losing focus to make a wrong decision.

1 Samuel 13

In the name of Jesus, pray against making a wrong decision in the coming days, weeks months and year. Making a wrong decision on the journey of life will terminate man’s journey, wrong decision is enough to complicate journey or cause permanent stagnation in life.
The bible recorded, “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.” (Genesis 11:31) Abraham’s father (Terah) must have seen something before making a move for Canaan Land. Terah did not live to see his Canaan because he decided to settle in Harran where he later died. However, it was the same Canaan that God called out for Abraham the son of Terah. Abraham engaged the calling of God and did not make a wrong decision to terminate his journey.

Lot’s wife made a wrong decision when she disobeyed the command of God for her life. When it was time for God to judge Sodom and Gomorrah, He called Lot and his house out of a pending destruction, “As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” (Genesis 19:17) Condition for escape was not only to flee but also not to look back. However, Lot’s wife made a wrong decision to look back against the word of God and she became permanently terminated. The word recorded, “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26)

Are you making a write decision based on the word of God…is your decision making based on the word (faith)?

Looking away from God is losing focus to make a wrong decision. Saul had just become a king when he looked away from God and became disobedient to God’s command. When Philistines were set to engage the Israelites in war, Samuel promised to show up for burnt offering on the seventh day. Before Samuel’s appointed time, “…the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets…” (1Samuel 13:6) Saul reacted to the challenge and made a wrong decision by offering the burnt offering which was against the command of God. Saul could not wait for Samuel’s appointed time. Saul’s main excuse for making a wrong decision was the fact that the people were scattered and he felt compelled to make a wrong decision (carrying out burnt offering). Saul’s destiny was eternally corrupted because he made wrong decision. Watch out do not make a wrong decision.

Prayer for today: Ask God to help you not to make a wrong decision engaging the journey of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: God will stir the heart of man to grant your open door.

Exodus 3, Ezra 1

How God is going to favor you is beyond your own expectation. His favor for you can be a unique one; uncommon one or one that is not of this world. As an acclaimed believer why struggle in the place of rest? Why exhausted in the place of engaging the living word? God’s favor or deliverance agenda is what no man can stop.
God’s was set to bring the Israelites out of the bondage of over four hundred years when He spoke to Moses, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 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; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.  But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” (Exodus 3:19-22) His word does not return back to Him void. Are you expecting His favor in the New Year? If yes, begin to see your favor as being there when is yet there. What you see is what you receive and becomes of you.

God will stir the heart of man to grant you open door where there is no way to pass through. Bible mentioned how He stirred heart of Cyrus king of Persia and he made a proclamation throughout his entire, “Thus says Cyrus the King of Persia: ‘All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. ⁴ And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:2-4) Who else can deliver like God? When He defends, He will deliver and when He passes, He will preserve. God stirred the heart of a non-believer to favor His children. Cyrus, the king of Persia, did not just make a way out for the children of Israel; he also made provision for their need and restored back what was taken away by Nebuchadnezzar.

Prayer for today: Ask Him to bring back your captivity as the streams in the south.

FAITH CAPSULE: When worrying takes the place of peace one is set to stumble.

Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 10:38-42

Ephesians 2:14 referred to Jesus, “For He Himself is our peace…” Many know about Him but they are yet to know Him as their peace. It the midst of confronting challenge, where there is lack of knowledge that the peace of God is within, worry will reign within. Imagine an acclaimed believer, singing love for Jesus day and night but not knowing to maintain peace when a challenge shows up? The word of God cannot lie when it states, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” (Luke 119:165) Do you claim to love the Lord? Why are you not holding on to the peace of God? How possible can a man be claiming Jesus and hardly settles in peace in all areas of life? Imagine Martha at the time she invited Jesus into her house. (Luke 10:38)

The Bible records that Martha welcomed Jesus into her house. (Luke 10:38) While Jesus was in the house, Martha was overwhelmingly distracted. Distraction is disengagement, it is an avenue to loss of focus which is an open door to worry and trouble. Martha laid her complaint at the feet of Jesus.  She said, “…Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:40) Martha welcomed Jesus into the house while forces of worry were also active in her house. Does this sound like you? Jesus, the Lord of all, knows all and He identified the problem of Martha with the response, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.”(Luke 10:41) Martha enjoyed serving the Lord and Savior, while worry and trouble was at work in Martha’s (house) life.

As an acclaimed believer, can you carefully examine yourself, identify and deny the silent agent of the spirit of worry in your life. It does not matter the kind of title you are answering to if worrying takes the place of peace you are set to stumble. Jesus does not want us to worry about our life or about anything because with worrying, peace does not have a chance. Worry and trouble will derail the flow of fellowship at every given time you have given yourself to it. Worry or trouble will not announce itself before or during his visitation because it is the character of the thief that has come to steal, kill and to destroy. Jesus our peace from God is with us always, apostle Paul knows better from his experience and he stated, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer for today: Ask, make haste O Lord, help and make me to live in the peace of your holly name.