FAITH CAPSULE: It is a sin not to live a humble life.

Philippians 2

Paul admonished In Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” What is it about the mind of Christ? The mind of Christ is a humble mind set before God. At a point in time, the disciples wanted to know from Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ response clearly described humility as the way out to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
What a wakeup call for those with wrong assumptions of what it is to be set for becoming the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus said assuredly, meaning: without any other means; with all certainty heaven is a distance until one is converted and become as little children. It is those who are converted (accept Jesus as their Lord and savior) and those who become of the Lord by virtue of behaving the word of God are the ones set for entering the kingdom of heaven. Confessing Christ and not living by ones confession is same as claiming to have been converted and not become as little children. Also, one’s title on earth is not an evidence of humility in one’s life. Title is not a ticket to becoming the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Many are full of themselves and not filled by Christ as a result, humility is strange to them. Little children whose mindset operates that of little child are true example of carrier of humble spirit. Such children do not have pride as a result any fruit of pride such as malice; deception and un-forgiveness are not part of their makeup.
Jesus emphasized the importance of humility more when He knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world (John 13:1). Having clearly showed and taught humility, He waited until His final hour to give His disciples a lasting impression which revealed the importance of humility.
It is written, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from the supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:3-5) There is no perfect way to teach what it means to be humble than in demonstration. Jesus clearly showed us humility by the way He lived life.
It is a sin not to live a humble life. Fear Him; be humble and operate the mind of Christ.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be humble in life.

FAITH CAPSULE: God cannot be rushed out of His plan of salvation.

1 Kings 19

After Elijah executed the prophets of Baal at Brook Kishon, Jezebel the wife of Ahab the king of Israel threatened to do the same to Elijah. When news got to Elijah, he did not take the time to seek God for answers, but instead he fled for his life. The Bible recorded, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4)Elijah wished death for himself because he took off running before seeking direction from God. As a believer, when we are faced with challenges it is important for us to learn how to wait on God instead of making hasty decisions to remedy challenges. Waiting on Him will enable us to run where we need to run and walk where we need to walk. As Elijah progressed in his running from under a broom tree into the cave, God responded to him, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD…” (1 Kings 19:11)The command for Elijah to stand is waiting for God to show up. Are you experiencing a similar situation, where you have taken a jump before learning how to walk?
While Elijah was standing on the mountain waiting for God, the bible records,“…and behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1Kings 19:11) Trusting God is not timing God. Trusting God is taking time to wait for the Lord. God cannot be rushed out of His salvation plan. God did not show up in the great and strong wind neither did He showed up in the earthquake or fire. God’s appearance or His time of His visitation cannot be controlled by man. His timing is not our timing. We have clocks that we can manipulate in our hand but He alone has time in His hand. How or when you are expecting Him does not matter to Him but it does matter for you to take a stand in waiting. For Elijah, God showed up in a still and small voice. His visitation for you might not be the still and small voice. Do not calculate Him but respond to His command. God’s command for you is to trust and wait on the Lord. God has never failed.

Prayer for today: Deliver me in Your righteousness. Let me not be ashamed.

FAITH PRESCRIPTION: The word of God is all that makes difference in life.

2 Chronicles 15

The word of God is God. The word of God is His spirit. John 6:63, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” It is written, “Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2)It is safe to say God came to Asa through Asa. The need for Asa to hear from God was huge and God came upon Azariah. Only God knows how often He has been coming to you through His servant but you are yet to listen and allow His word to have its way in your life. Azariah kept on with his exhortation while Asa listened. Azariah then concluded his exhortation by stating, “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”(2 Chronicle 15:7) Exhortation that sounded in the direction of Asa turned things around for Asa, “And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the LORD that was before the vestibule of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 15:8)The word of God which came to Asa heard and engaged the word which came through Azariah. 
It is the same word He sent and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:20) Jeremiah 23:29 also testifies, is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” Is there any rock of hindrance in your way that needs to be broken? You can ask for the hammer nature of the word of God to break it down. Jeremiah once found the word of God in his time of need for encouragement and he testified, “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16)
Is there anything that does not represent God in your life and needs to be burnt off? Engage the word of God, for the word of the LORD is right, and all His work is done in truth.(Psalm 33:4)Remember, it is the same word that the Lord God used in the creation of the whole of heaven and earth. The word of God is all that makes difference in life.

Prayer for today: Ask that the same word which distinguished Asa will sound to distinguish you for His glorious name.    

FAITH CAPSULE: Open your mouth with a deep conviction; confess; trust God and speak out loud, “I am coming out”

Genesis 37

Joseph was acting on his father’s instruction to go and check his brothers when he ended in the pit. It is written, “Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming!  Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” (Genesis 37:18-20) Are you in any situation which is representing pit of the wicked? The word of God admonished us stating, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) If you will open your mouth with a deep conviction; confess it; trust God and speak out loud, “I am coming out” You shall come out of every representative of pit in your life, in Jesus name. Be conscious and know that, what you did not confess with conviction in your heart will not convert you in your situation.
When Reuben heard the wicked intent of his brothers concerning Joseph, he came up with suggestion stating, “…Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.”(Genesis 37:22) Joseph did not go into an ordinary pit but into a pit in the wilderness.
Joseph went from his distinctive tunic to a destructive pit; a pit in the wilderness; a pit of no way out; a pit of every kind of life derailment and destruction from getting to his dream. Is your pit closer to that of Joseph’s pit of destruction? With God, no pit is too deep or destructive enough to deny man from getting to one’s center of divine assignment. For Joseph, the pit that was set for his termination was is avenue to God’s center for divine assignment.
The plan and purpose of Joseph’s brother was to make sure the dream was terminated and not come through just as they stated, “…We shall see what will become of his dreams!” (Genesis 37:20) Believe it today, as man proposes to destroy you and afflict you in their wickedness; God will dispose of them by extending His hand of deliverance. You have confessed your deliverance and you shall come out of every pit in Jesus name. Remember, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) God is faithful to deliver.

Prayer for today: Ask God to bring you out of every representative of pit in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Understand that the faith-generated praise is a vital spiritual weapon for winning impossible battles.

Acts 16:25-34

It is an understanding to know God. Ones that know Him fear Him. It is the fear of God that will make man not to depart from God. To fear God is to love Him. Obviously, you can only praise the one you love and the one that you have faith in. Fear God, allow faith to raise you, and praise Him with understanding. In praising God, understand that God will be there to raise you and make you an overcomer over confronting challenges. Understand that the faith-generated praise is a vital spiritual weapon for winning impossible battles in the journey of life.
Paul and Silas, in the prison of termination, stagnation, and destruction, prayed and sang praises to God. It is written, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” (Acts 16:25-26) Paul and Silas engaged praise worship, a weapon that never fails to deliver and deliverance became their portion. Making the choice to praise God instead plunge into fear is the evidence of faith and fear of God more than man.
Jesus spoke about fearing God rather than fear the wicked one stating, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) King David testified in his thanksgiving, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4) Jehoshaphat could not have won the battle when he was confronted by Moab and Ammon. He sought the Lord for help and the Lord promised to take over the battle. (2 Chronicles 20:17) The Bible recorded, “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”(2 Chronicles 20:32) Today and in the coming days, weeks, months or years, only invest fear in God, reject fear that is not of God; call upon His Holy name just as David testified. In your calling, let Him know He alone is worthy to be praised and you shall be saved from all your enemies. When faith rises, fear will sink; when fear rises, faith will sink. Let your faith rise. Praise Him and fear will fail.         

Prayer for today: Ask God the Most High God; the King of kings; the ancient of days to put His fear in your heart.