FAITH CAPSULE: Is your desire constantly right or wrong before God?

2 KINGS 5

Without doubt, a nurtured wrong desire is a direct avenue to destruction. Gehazi the servant of Elisha nurtured greed and went after Naaman the commander of the army of the King of Syria. Gehazi could not excuse himself from letting Naaman go away with his entire gift which Elisha refused to accept after commanding him to his healing from leprosy. When Gehazi returned for collecting gifts, Elisha responded to Gehazi’s corrupted desire by speaking to Gehazi, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:26-27) A destructive desire terminated the destiny of Gehazi.
Elisha asked him if it was time to receive money and other material goods from Naaman. In your serving others by the grace of God, is it time to receive money or material goods? Clearly there is time for everything. In your service by His grace, pay attention to God’s timing and not misplace your priority by engaging a destructive desire. Gehazi could have desired for triple anointing from his master Elisha, just as Elisha desired for double portion of Elijah’s anointing. Desiring for all that enables man to grow in the business of the kingdom of God is seeking God with all heart. It is written, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Whatever you desire, God will deposit it in your life. Do you know what your desire is? Is your desire constantly right or wrong before God? Whatever man does not know will not work for man. Know it this day that covetousness and evil desire is wrong before God and they cannot be separated. God gave His command in Deuteronomy 5:20-22, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
King David’s son; Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her.” (2 Samuel 13:2) Any desire that is causing man to be in a distressful situation is not of God. Ammon sought direction from Jonadab whom the bible described as a crafty man. Jonadab counseled Ammon and Ammon accomplished his desire over his sister Tamar. To Ammon, it was a life terminating desire. Be mindful of God’s command and His presence shall occupy you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to create in you a clean heart and a steadfast spirit within you.

FAITH CAPSULE: God cannot fail and He will not fail.

2 Samuel 22

After David was delivered from all his enemies and King Saul, he praised the Lord by stating, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust…” (2 Samuel 22:2-3) He did not stop pointing out that God alone is trust worthy as he went further speaking about trusting God in 2Samuel 22:31, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” God does not need to prove His worthiness to us but it is clear that He is perfect to perform and He is a shield to all who trust and know to run to Him. Trusting God is faith and it is also an avenue of giving a jealous God His due attention. Trusting God is not just by the word of mouth. God sees us through our heart and trusting Him demands trusting with the whole heart. Proverbs 3:5 made a declaration, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” The only thing God cannot do is to violate His proven word. It is impossible to trust Him with the whole heart and be leaning on any other source for direction. God is a caring and loving God. God does not fail, God cannot fail and He will not fail.
God was speaking against Moab in the book of Jeremiah 48:7, “For because you have trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken. And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity.” (Chemosh: The chief deity of Moab.) God’s pronouncement against Moab demands all of His creation’s attention and sincere meditation that all be enabled to observe how to place trust in Him, who and what we place our trust on. The word of God to Moab, demonstrates that God should be constantly and consistently acknowledged with thanks and praise for all that He has done, all that He is doing and all which He will do for those who trust Him. Are you one who places trust in self-effort as strength?
It is clear that the people of Moab could have resolved to self-sufficiency whereby looking to their work and treasure as a measure of self-effort. A dangerous way to captivity is to assume self-effort as strength and source of blessing. God alone is our source. God wants to be glorified and to be exalted for every blessing that comes our way. Turn to God in trust and give Him all the glory and honor which belongs to Him.

Prayer for today: In your asking this day, only lift up your hands in thanks giving and give praise to the name of the Lord for all which He has done.

FAITH CAPSULE: The word of God is secret to those who failed to take to it.

Psalm 64

There is no language under heaven that is beyond God’s understanding. With all the numerous ways that we have to communicate, there is none that surpasses God’s understanding. God hears and sees all that goes on back and forth among all of His creation. Psalmist states, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.”(Psalm 94:9-10) It does not matter how we call on God, the truth is He hears us whenever we call. You can communicate in your thoughts, you can speak loud or chose to meditate, God will hear you. Of all several means of communicating with God, meditation is one that demands more and delivers more. God did not hide the secret of meditation when He approached Joshua after the death of Moses. Joshua 1:8-9, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Three times in the book of Joshua chapter one, God laid emphasis to Joshua the importance of meditation. It is the secret to having a good success in the journey of life. Psalm 1:3 could not lay aside the importance of meditation as the way of God’s blessings. Meditation is not a one hour a day sacrifice it is an all day and ongoing sacrifice. Evidently, the one that meditates will undoubtedly intimidate his world by virtue of God’s blessing in one’s life. Meditation is power to be preserved from enemy, power to overcome plots of the wicked or the rebellion of the workers of iniquity. Psalm 64:1-2, “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity.” As a believer of the word of God, why not consider and take with serious urgency the need for constant and consistent meditation as a part of your life? The word of God is secret to those that failed to take to it. To the ones who choose to dwell in the secret place of the most high, spending time studying and abiding in the word of God as it is written is an undeniable power that manifests.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be meditating the word of God day and night.

FAITH CAPSULE: Wilderness journey is a journey of no turning back.

Matthew 4

It is written, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”(Matthew 4:1) Jesus, our Lord and savior passed through the wilderness before getting to the center of His divine assignment. As a result, no one is exempted from taking a journeying through wilderness before getting to center of divine assignment. In life, it is how wild a wilderness journey is that will determine how wide the ground to be covered in a believer’s divine assignment.
Wilderness journey is a journey of no turning back. In every wilderness journey there is no back road or short cut to the expected end, every ground must be covered. God took the Israelites through a route that would cause them not to change their mind and return to Egypt but through the wilderness. (Exodus 13:17)
Wilderness journey is not a journey which one plans for, it is a journey which puts one in the plan of God for one’s life. Wilderness journey is not a journey of comfort neither is it a journey of choice or interest. Wilderness journey is a journey for every vessel in the hand of God must pass through. Jesus was led into it, Abraham was called into it, and Moses was forced into it after committing murderer. It was not Joseph’s choice to walk into the wilderness journey of his life neither did Paul the apostle knew what he was getting into in his attempt to go and commit his violent act against the disciples of the Lord.Wilderness journey is a journey of trial and temptation and it is the only avenue that leads from the promise of God into God’s Promised Land for His children. Any attempt to avoid the wilderness journey will make a believer to become a wanderer and not a wonder in the area of divine schedule. Wilderness journey is a wild journey where nothing works but faith. Wilderness journey is a journey where every believer in it has to walk by faith, see by faith and move by faith. In the wilderness journey, a failure to progress by faith will lead to a passing on to falling for temptation. In the course of wilderness journey, one’s survival will be threatened; a need to test God for His word will presents itself. Above all, reason to worship other gods will present itself before getting through the wilderness journey. In all areas of temptation in the wilderness journey, Jesus demonstrated faith and passed through all. “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” (Matthew 4:11) After passing through the wilderness journey, “…Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4:17)Engage your wilderness journey by knowing that God is able to see you through.

Prayer for today: Ask God to tech and lead you through your wilderness journey.

FAITH CAPSULE: In every drive to purpose in life, there is no giving up.

Mark 2:1-12

It is written, “…He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. (Mark 2:1-4) The paralytic man that was brought to Jesus could not access through the regular entrance because there were so many crowd blocking the entrance. The paralyzed man must have heard about the news of Jesus in town very late so he arrived late at his healing ground. However, it is clear that the major hindrance for the paralytic man was the crowd that received and resists his getting through to the healing ground. What is it that is complicating your breakthrough? Is it a self-created crowd or the religious crowd at the entrance of your breakthrough? It is not the time to give up because of the crowd; it is time for you to take it up to another level which is not common.

Zacchaeus was described as a short man in stature. He wanted to see Jesus while in the midst of a thronging crowd. He did not wait for Jesus to pass him by. He took it up to another level by running ahead of the crowd and climbing on a sycamore tree (Luke 19:1-10). Bartimaeus the blind man needed to gain his sight when he recognized the passing of Jesus. He called out for Jesus but crowd called down his calling when they asked him to be quiet. Rather, he increased in his calling until he got the full attention of Jesus (Mark 10:46-52). In every drive to purpose in life, there is no giving up.

The four men with the paralytic man took their faith up to uncommon level. Mark 2:4, “And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.” A roof tearing faith was not a common access to break through hindering crowd. There is so much to learn from the word of God as regard to getting above and leaving the crowd behind. Crowds are a major force that will discolor your destiny if you get mixed up with them. Avoid all kinds of crowds, and most especially the religious crowd. Jesus will notice you if you will take it up to another level.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be persistent where there is a force resistance to your breakthrough.