FAITH CAPSULE: When God is set to move any man for His agenda, no power is enough to stop God.

2 Samuel 24

It is written, “Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.” (2 Samuel 24:1-2) In this verse, God’s anger was not against David but He moved David to be able to unleash His anger against the Israelites. Truly, the understanding of God is unsearchable. He is God and could have dealt with the Israelites directly but He moved David against them without David knowing that he was being moved by God. God was in action while David was the vessel. He is the One and only God that can do and undo. God’s move in David was an indirect move against the children of Israel in order to punish them. When God is set to move any man for His agenda, nothing on earth is powerful enough to stop God. God cannot be denied in His purpose. God does have different ways of sending anyone that He decides to send.
Who could have imagined Joseph’s encounter during his journey to becoming second in command to Pharaoh was God’s move? It is written in Psalm 105: 17-19, “He sent a man before them—Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” Joseph had no choice to deny God in his life for God’s agenda. The Bible clearly stated it that David’s journey was God sent and yet he faced overwhelming challenges. Is your journey facing the great challenges of your life? Unknowingly, are you on course for God’s agenda? Are you encountering disgrace in your challenges? Most times disgrace has to come for one to enter into God’s amazing grace. The Bible is written for our learning and if you will read about Joseph, there might be an understanding that your journey could be God sent. Despite all the challenges in Joseph’s journey there was no recording of any act of rebellion towards the name of God but Joseph became more faithful to God. Joseph did not violate any of the Lord God’s command as he remained focus on God. One thing that is clear for all to hold onto in the face of any challenge is the word of God that states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) He meant what He said and He will do what he says. He is a good God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to have mercy on you, as it is His custom towards those who love His name.

FAITH CAPSULE: Take time out; trust in His name, rest and not rust in His promises.

Psalm 9

It is written “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:9-10) It is not contemplation but an assured promise that the Lord God is a refuge to those who are oppressed or troubled. However, many are oppressed and troubled but yet they are missing out of the assured location for deliverance from oppression and trouble because they do not know the name to call or to run to. The place of deliverance from oppression and trouble is in none other place than in the name of our Lord God. Have you considered the name of the Lord God as your refuge? Running or calling on to His name demands knowing and trust in His name.
Among His names is: Strong Tower. Psalm 61:3 testifies, “For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.” Proverbs 18:10 buttress, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Knowing to trust in the name of the Lord God through Jesus our righteousness; our Lord and savior is the way to run and be safe from oppression and trouble. God identified Himself when it was time to bring the Israelites out of oppression and trouble, “God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’” (Exodus 3:15) Do you really know His name enough to trust Him? Do you trust Him enough to bring you out of self-created oppression or the oppression of the wicked ones? Do you trust His name and know that He is the same yesterday and forever? Do you trust Him and know that He is God that acts for those that wait on Him? The book of Isaiah testifies, “For since the beginning of the worldMen have not heard nor perceived by the ear,nor has the eye seen any God besides You,Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah64:4)
God is faithful not allow His word to return without performing what He sent it for. Doubt will deny man from trusting; pride will cloud man from looking up to Him; leaning on one’s own wisdom will withdraw man from trusting His name. What is stopping you from trusting in His name? Take time out; trust in His name, rest and not rust in His promises.

Payer for today: Ask that the spirit of God will enable you with the grace to trust in Him continually.

FAITH CAPSULE: Pay attention and allow the entrance of the word.

 
Mark 4

Jesus is the living word of God. He was purposeful in all of His going and coming when He was here on the face of the earth. Everywhere He went He was doing good. The Bible makes us to realize it that the word of God is light. He was the light that was and that is manifesting every good; terminating darkness and giving hope to the hopeless on the face of earth where darkness is the order of the day. Are you paying enough attention to the light that comes in your direction? At every encounter of the living word (light of God) it is worth to pay considerable attention.
Once at the sea, “…He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got in the boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.” (Mark 4:1) At that sea, He taught the parable of the soils, parable of the Lamp, parable of the growing seed and the parable of the mustard seed. All of the parables were centered on the word (light) that is powered enough to navigate any storm or darkness of life. One will assume that the people who were present had received teaching while facing the sea that would have to be crossed over. Having exposed the people to His teaching, the Bible states that, “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’” (Mark 4:35)
At the places of worship or at every juncture of life where the word is being presented, are you giving a reasonable attention to the word of God? Are you aware if the word before you is what will take you across to your unexpected journey ahead? Jesus could have called for crossing-over during the daytime before it was evening. Are you receiving your teaching that will carry you through a sea that needs to be crossed-over at a dark hour? They were all seated facing the sea not knowing that their next call was to cross the sea that was before them. It is important to pay attention and allow the entrance of the word at every gathering for His teaching. The Psalmist made us to realize that, “The entrance of Your words gives light…” (Psalm 119:130)Jesus, the light of God, came and He gave His life to enable our cross over. Have you accepted Him indeed and in truth as your Lord and Savior? The journey He called for was not without storm but for those that have received the word storm shall be still. Wherever storms are intimidating you from crossing-over the word will see you through in your crossing over.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to have its place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: With solution in place captivity will be displaced.

Daniel 1

It is written in the book of Isaiah 5:12-13 “…but they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands. Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” Failure to regard or failure to consider the operation (work) of the hands of God is the sure avenue to captivity for every acclaimed child of God. Engaging a renewed look at the meaning of regard, consider and captivity might revive understanding that is yet to be activated or impact understanding where there is lack of understanding.
Regard is defined as:to have or show respect or concern for;
Consider is defined as:to think carefully about; to bear in mind;
Captivity is defined as: the state or period of being held, or enslaved.
Clearly, the word of God is what brings out the work of God. When there is a failure to show respect or concern (regard) for the word (work) of God or when there is failure to think carefully about (consider) the word (work) of God, the people of God enters into the state or period of being held (captivity)
The solution to avoid captivity is to know and to always regard the word (work) of God. Also to constantly engage considering the word (work) of God. With solution in place captivity will be displaced.
Indeed, the lack of knowledge is a destroyer to those that lack knowledge. In this world of confronting challenges, engaging solution to avoid captivity is the only way out to having edge over all challenges. Also, not having the knowledge of God will not excuse a man from consequences for the lack of the knowledge of God. For example, God commands that we love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our strength. Many assume that loving God equals going to church on Sunday, attending mid-week services and working hard in the church. It is good to be active in the church but, it does not define loving God. Loving God is a sacrifice, a costly sacrifice whereby a price has to be paid.
Daniel demonstrated his love for God. It is written, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8) God responded instantly to Daniel’s love, “Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.” (Daniel 1:9) For Daniel, it was great exploit through all his days. When God loves you, enemies attempt will increase but failure becomes enemies’ attempts.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to constantly embrace the truth of the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: True trust will see you through as an overcomer.

Psalm 125

Those who trust God will know to wait on Him. Bible describes those that wait on God, “…those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Do you trust Him enough to wait on Him for your breakthrough miracle? Job, during his days of unimaginable challenges declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15) If Job can trust God during his challenges, what is preventing you from trusting Him? Are your challenges more than what Job experienced?
Psalmist, by virtue of his experience testifies, “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” (Psalm 125:1) What is it about Mount Zion that those who trust in God can be compared to Mount Zion? Obadiah 1:17, “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” With the word of Obadiah, it is safe to conclude that anyone who puts their trust in God would be assuredly delivered and possessing the possession as promised by God is certain.
To trust in the Lord is easier said than done. To trust in the Lord is to rest in the Lord; not to trust in the Lord is to rust in the world of challenges. Trusting God is crucial to cruise through the challenges of this world without compromise. Isaiah 57:13, states that “…he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.” God is true to His word only if we can live truthfully in His word. Daniel is an evidence of possessing the land and holy mountain of God. When he knew that a sentence was on the way to persecute him for trusting in the Lord his God, he persisted further by calling on His God. He overcame and promotion became his possession in the land (Daniel 6).How do we trust in Him? Proverbs 3:5-6, “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.” Trusting God with all our heart will make us to operate the wisdom and understanding of God. Can you truly trust Him for your breakthrough miracle without any doubt? True trust will see you through as an overcomer.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to trust in Him fully without any iota of doubt.