FAITH CAPSULE: God’s package of escape is consistent to deliver and should never be violated.

Genesis 19:1-18, Numbers 14:26-38

It is written, “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “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) Two angels were sent for destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels spoke to Lot about taking the route of escape and not become a part of destruction which was set as a judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot responded, “Please, no, my lords!  Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” (Genesis 19:19-20) God had a better and extended plan of escape for Lot and his family but Lot is stuck with limited plan of escape. Is God taking you to a mountain top as your ground of escape while you have settled for a little and minor ground of escape? It is possible that the spirit of limited possibility is the Lots family. Just as Lot struggled to accept and move forward to a mountain instead of limited ground, his wife demonstrated spirit of limitation.

At the time angels brought them outside to set them for escape, it was clearly communicated to Lot and his wife, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you…”

Interestingly, despite angels warning not to look back, Lot’s wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. God’s package of escape is consistent to deliver and should never be violated. The world today is indeed a copy of Sodom and Gomorrah but Jesus brought to the world escape package for whosoever receive and believe in Him.

In the package of escape, there should be no looking back for any who sincerely desirers escape. Looking back is an evidence of back sliding and it will cause a setback. Looking back is setting self on what belong to the past which does not have a place with God. Looking back will connect one with complain the evidence of comparing what belong in the past with the present. The Israelites in their escape route looked back; they complained and confessed negative which deny their entrance to God’s Promised Land except for Caleb and Joshua with no complains but positive confession.

Accept and believe in Jesus, stay focus and not stray from looking up only unto He who is able to deliver you through to the end.

Prayer for today: Ask for God’s grace and mercy to keep you from looking back away from Jesus.

FAITH CAPSULE: There is power in keeping and using the testimonies of God when it is declared against the enemy.

1 Samuel 17:1-51

The champion from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath was described, “…height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.  And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.  Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him.” (1 Samuel 17:4-7) Physically, Goliath possessed all that it takes to be unstoppable.

By virtue of his description, under no circumstances should no man who is born with the right mind volunteer to go and battle Goliath. However, one with the mind of God, possess all that it takes to challenge and defeat Goliath. David a young shepherd was identified by God as a man after His own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) David was also described by his eldest brother Eliab, as one with pride and the insolence of heart (1 Samuel 17:28) Brothers saw him as boldly disrespectful or shamelessly bold. Despite what the brothers saw and said about him, he was not intimidated from not taking on Goliath.

What man sees and say about you is countless if God sees you different. David, a man after God’s own heart had nothing to fight the might of Goliath, but his testimony and declaration was rooted in what God can do and what God has done. David testified and declared, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:45-46)

There is power in keeping and using the testimonies of God when it is declared against the enemy. The word of Psalm 119:2 buttress the power of testimonies stating, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!”  David sought God by testifying and declaring God; God responded on behalf of David; great Goliath with great height fell; Goliath became a story to the glory of God forever.

Prayer for today: Ask by reminding God that He is not a partial God. Ask for the same grace which delivers victory for David against Goliath.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not be a self-deceiver do the things which He says.

Matthew 7:13-28

Jesus was speaking, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) Does that speak to you? Quoting, preaching or teaching His word is not the same as doing the things which He says. Many are fluent and very conversant quoting the word but they are far from doing what the word says. It is more important to do the word of God more than quoting the word. Many are very conversant in quoting the word of God yet the world around cannot quote the word of God in them.

Jesus identifies what it takes to become the doer of His word by stating, “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like.” (Luke 6:47) Have you been going before Him and yet not living by His word? Jesus is more interested in those who pay attention enough to do what He says, more than those who come to Him and not do what He says.

Today many are calling His name while they do not do His word. Many are claiming all kinds of miracle yet His word is not relevant in their way of living. There are so many prophets prophesying in His name world but not all living the word of God. However, the only ticket to entering the kingdom of heaven is rooted in doing the word of God. It is written, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)  It is important to pay attention by listen to hear and do what He says. Jesus compared those who do His word to a house that is well dug with strong foundation on a rock. (Luke 6:48)

There is nothing like becoming a house that stands, a house that is on solid rock. Becoming a solid rock foundation building happens when putting the word into action is a reality in the life of those who follow Jesus. A solid house will stand when confronting any challenge such as inevitable flood of life.

Have you been hearing and not doing the word of God? It is important to know that flood and storms are raging in every corner of the world. Engage the word, be steadfast doing the word, build and become a building which cannot fall to the flood of life.

Prayer for today: Ask God for a hearing ear which will enable you to live by His word indeed and in truth.

WICKEDNESS IS SIN

FAITH CAPSULE: Abstain from wickedness to regain and retain godliness.

Isaiah 47

“For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, ‘No one sees me’; your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; and you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.” (Isaiah 47:10) Does that sound like you? Are you embracing wickedness consciously or unconsciously in any way of living life? Isaiah stated what is going to become of those who trust in their wickedness stating, “Therefore evil shall come upon you; you shall not know from where it arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; you will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know.” (Isaiah 47:11) Have you been identified as wicked lately? Do you consider yourself wicked? Who are the wicked? Who the wicked ones are is identifiable in the question of Jeremiah before God when he asked, “…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)   As indicated in the word of Jeremiah, the wicked are the ones with the word near in their mouth but far from their mind. The wicked profess God but confess the world by all standard of living life. In Jeremiah’s statement, anyone with the word of God in the mouth, but lifestyle is far from the word of God which is professed, is identified as wicked.

Jeremiah’s points out the identity of the wicked by stating that the wicked are well in their standing; they have roots, they grow, and they bear fruit. Does that describe you in anyway? The wicked and the proud are birds of the same feather and they also bud in the same company. It is worthy to take to consideration what the word says concerning the wicked and the proud in Malachi 4:1, “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the LORD of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.””

Bible says the day is coming when the wicked and the proud shall face the consequence of their wickedness. God cannot be deceived He will strike at His appointed day and deal with the wicked and the proud. Wicked can pretend before all, wicked can also be eloquent and very conversant in the word of God but the Lord God cannot be deceived. It is wisdom to know that God does not overlook wickedness. Abstain from wickedness, regain and retain godliness and you shall be established.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace not to live the life of a wicked one.

FAITH CAPSULE: Looking wrongly at appearance often lead to judging wrongly.

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Jesus was speaking when He stated, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”(John 7:24) Looking at the appearance to judge people is evidence of a wrong assumption. As an acclaimed believer, on no ground should judging others by virtue of assumption should have place. When a believer gives into assuming rather than taking time to wait and access the presence of God for direction will lead to untimely death. Assumption which often leads to passing judgment is also rooted in engaging a way that seems right to man. Bible warned, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Assuming on what seems right will lead to passing wrong judgment that will lead to untimely death.

Do you frequently engage wrong assumption or ways which seems right to you? Judging others according to appearance is not a right thing to do because Jesus warned against it.

Samuel the prophet, the last judge of Israel was called by God to lead Israel back to serve God. Samuel’s life was characterized by honesty and fairness. The word described him in 1 Samuel 3:19, “…And the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” Despite the kind of man he was, making a wrong assumption could not elude him. Assuming wrongly which leads to making a wrong judgment can happen to anyone. It does not excuse anyone regardless of title or position. Assuming wrongly happened to Samuel a man with the task to be a judge of Israel.

God commanded Samuel to go and anoint a new king for the children of Israel after Saul violated God’s command. Samuel assumed wrongly when he judge by looking at the appearance. Samuel went, “So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!” (Samuel 16:6) God told Samuel in his word, “…I will show you what you will do; you shall appoint for Me the one I name to you” (1 Samuel 16:3) Samuel could not wait on God to show him. After Samuel had assumed wrongly, God rightly corrected him stating “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) At home, school or in the church, answering to God’s assignment by looking at the physical is evidence of not allowing the Spirit of God to take charge. Samuel looked wrongly because he looked at appearance. Never look at appearance live as God commanded.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from taking any step outside of His divine direction by the way of looking wrongly at appearance.