FAITH CAPSULE: Excuse will not prevail when lack of understanding contradicts good intention.

2 Samuel 6

Wisdom is the word of God (instruction from God). Knowledge is having a knowing edge in every area of life. Understanding is the ability to listen and hear the word (instruction) from God. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding make way for living life abundantly to the glory of God. The book of Proverbs 14:6 states, “…But knowledge is easy to him who understands.” Proverbs 14:33, “Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding…” Evidently, understand seems to be the anchor for wisdom and knowledge. Jesus buttresses the truth about understanding when He questioned and answered the people around Him, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) Understanding comes through the ability to listen and hear wisdom. When wisdom is in place, activating wisdom which gives a knowing edge over confronting challenge is what will make a believer of the word to become an overcomer. Truly, the word of Proverbs 4:7 is very true when it commanded, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” In all your getting, above all which you are chasing after, get understanding of God’s instructions and be safe from falling, failing in your walk as commanded in the word of God.

In every area of our relationship it is understanding that enables engaging the word (instructions) of God for our own attainment. A failure to engage God’s instruction without understanding is not enough excuse not to experience the consequence of wrong doing. This is to say, excuse will not prevail when good intentions provoke the violation of God’s command.

The case of Uzzah was one with good intention but rooted in lack of understanding and provokes violation of God’s command. When the ark of God was to be brought out of the house of Abinadab, Uzzah and his team drove the new cart but Uzzah’s lack of understanding caused him to die untimely death.
It is written, “When they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6-7) With good intention Uzzah reached out to prevent the Ark from falling by putting his hand. It was lack of understanding on Uzzah’s part to violate the Ark of God. With death penalty as the consequence, God warned His people (in Numbers 4:15) not to touch the holy object of the tabernacle. Uzzah, with good intention lack understanding not to touch the Ark. Uzzah died an untimely death because of lack of understanding.

Prayer for today: Ask for deliverance and preservation from every act which lacks understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE: Half obedience is worse than no obedience.

Exodus 4

God will not call or send any by accident. He is a purposeful God and He makes no mistake in all of His work. When He calls, there will be no reasonable excuse not to answer fully to the purpose of His calling. Moses repeatedly gave excuses at the point of his calling but none of his excuses were reasonable before God. At a point, he gave an excuse to avoid the calling upon his life by stating, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) The man Moses attempted to avoid the calling of God but God responded to his excuse, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?  Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” (Exodus 4:12) The calling seemed so challenging to Moses but the One who calls is able to back the called up in their journey. After Moses’ excuses, he pleaded that God should send someone else stating, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” (Exodus 4:13) God repeatedly renounced all of Moses excuses.
In answering to God there is no excuse; there is no distraction. Answering to God’s calling demands commitment. It is commitment that will build up to consistency and continuity will have its place. In answering to God, there is no giving up or turning back. Giving up and turning back are the evidence of disobedience. The way to answer is in keeping focus on the leading Master. Some went to Him voluntarily and ended up with excuses. He called some, but they could not commit to Him. It is amazing how He led some through the Red Sea in the face of their enemy. He led them through but they cannot get through to their promise land because they failed to follow Him fully. Obedience should be in full compliance and whenever it is short of full compliance it leads to termination. Thousands of the children of Israel were called out to their Promised Land but only two (Caleb and Joshua) were able to follow through.
It is disobedience in it is own class when there is a failure to fully comply in His word. Half-obedient makes hypocrites out of those that come to the Lord, and do not follow him. The children of Israel could not answer fully; their journey was terminated in the wilderness. To obey and answer to God is to follow His Word. Following the word of God is obeying God. Half obedience is worse than no obedience.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deposit in your life the spirit that makes man to answer Him fully

FAITH CAPSULE: Rendering to God constant and consistent great praise is great grace.

Psalm 48

It is written, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth…” (Psalm 48:1-2) He alone is the joy of the whole earth. For any who understands that He is the joy of the whole earth praising Him greatly should be a thing of active engagement. Are you counting your blessings or engaging act of complain? Having the grace of life is a privilege not a right. Also, having life is not of merit but of mercy. Many are able to count the number of time they have rendered a hearty thanks giving unto God in the period of one day. If that sounds like, you have been exceedingly short of appreciating God greatly.  Psalm 150:6 makes us to realize that the grace of breathing is the evidence of life when it declares, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” Great God is worthy of great praise and thanks giving. He is the God of miracle. God deserves a boastful praise and not only a contemplative (thoughtful or reflective) praise. The word of God states, “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) Give great praise, open your mouth wide in praise and allow God to raise you beyond your expectation. Praise Him today, tomorrow and as long as there is breathe.

It is a miracle to be alive. Knowing that the distance between life and death is a step (1 Samuel 20:4) there is great reason to greatly praise God. By virtue of the number of steps taken this day alone, it is time for Him to be greatly lifted up with thanks giving. God is a miracle working God. The miracle of God is not magical but runs deep. His miracles last forever but magic will fail you no matter how it glitters. Waiting on the miracle hand of the Almighty God by rendering great praise and thanks to Him is the only way out of every failure.
The psalmist testifies, “My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed.” (Psalm 71:23) “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” (Psalm 89:7) “For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” (Psalm 96:4)
Rendering to God constant and consistent great praise is great grace. Engage great praise to the good God in the day; in the night and not only on seasonal basis. He is worthy of our praise!

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to constantly and consistently render to Him great praise.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is to be greatly feared and telling lies should be strongly avoided.

Acts 15

Meditating on fearful testimonies of God makes a faithful believer. It is not all who claims to be a believer knows the fear of God. Many claims to be a believer but the words of their mouth are not valid. Believer whose words are not valid should never expect God to validate His word which comes out of such believer’s mouth. Are you the kind of believer that will say good morning when it is night time? Which word is yours? Proverb 12:6 declares, “The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,” But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.” Your word is you and it is your word that identifies who you are. The words of God are true when it states, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape.” (Proverbs 19:5) Telling lies is also giving a false witness and it does not settle well with God.

The Bible documents the story of Ananias and Sapphira, ““A certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?’”(Acts5:1-3) Ananias had no reason to lie, but he did. Peter responded to Ananias’ lie, “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:4)  Evidently, there was no curse neither was there any physical approach to hurt Ananias, but the Bible records, “Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.” (Acts 5:5-6)
By virtue of Ananias’ testimony, God is to be greatly feared and telling lies should be strongly avoided. Just as if the issue of Ananias was not enough for the people to see and fear God enough, his wife also took to the way of lying and she experienced the same result like that of her husband. Among ways of identifying what it means to fear God is when a man is consumed by the overwhelming awesomeness that is encased in the testimony of what God is doing or what He can do. What kind of life are you living? Living in the fear of God’s testimony is a way no to miss it with God; it is a way of life.

Prayer for today: Ask for the fear of God to reign and rule all your areas of living life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage the testimony of God to terminate the confronting challenge of enemy.

1 Samuel 17

How do we know to fear God which we have not seen face to face? Without His established testimony there will be no way of knowing to fear God. It is written, “For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” (Psalm 78:5-7) The testimony of God is the word of God. God will always honor His word; He will jealously protect the ones that give attention to His testimony. Testimony of God is the weapon David used to bring down Goliath the giant.

When Goliath repeatedly abused the Israelites at battle front none of the armies of Israel  confronted him. He went far stating, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” (1 Samuel 17:10) The Israelites could not respond to Goliath’s provocation but were reduced to fear. The Bible states, “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:11) Have you been reduced to fear in the face of enemy? As an acclaimed believer, what is your confronting challenge that seems to be overwhelming in every area of life? Imagine the armies of the living God being overly intimidated by an unbeliever with no strong testimony against God’s wonderful testimony of deliverance for the Israelites.

Young David with no military experience came to check the welfare of his brothers at the battle ground when he heard Goliath’s provocative statement against the armies of God. David, a man after God’s own heart could not be discouraged by Saul not to go against Goliath. David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”(1 Samuel 17:34-36) A testimony of what God has done and what God is capable of doing is more than enough for our breakthrough deliverance. Engage the testimony of God to terminate the confronting challenge of enemy.

Prayer for today: Father, let your spirit help me cling to your testimonies so that deliverance will be my portion, in Jesus name.