FAITH CAPSULE: Know that His word shall come to pass; wait and watch for the manifestation of His word.

Genesis 6, Matthew 25:1-13,

It is written, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:11-12) God decided to destroy with flood because of the wickedness of man. As a result God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will
destroy them with the earth.  Make yourself an ark of gopherwood…” (Genesis 6:13-14) For man it is unimaginable to have the earth flooded in a region where it hardly rains in the period of a year. Thank God He is not a man but the Almighty creator. Noah could have ignored, doubted or procrastinated and not fully engaged full obedience of God’s command. Noah engaged fully as commanded by God. Just as God said, it rained and flooded enough to destroy every living on earth.
Are you paying attention to the truth that Jesus is coming back to judge the whole earth just like Noah’s time when God brought judgment? It also sounds incredible to believe; it has been over two thousand years; many have predicted the end with nothing happened. One thing is certain and that is the word of God. Isaiah 55:11 buttress, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” His word was authentic in the time of Noah and His word is still the same today.
Are you sleeping over the unfailing word of God and not watching?
A believer that is often asleep is constantly at risk of missing His word. Jesus gave the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins which depicts the importance of waiting and watching over the manifestation of God’s word. The ten virgins were all purposeful in their agenda. They all went out to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:3-5, “Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” Having gone far in their pursuit to enter with the bridegroom, sleeping should have been avoided by engaging watching and waiting. They fell asleep and foolishness became their identity. How are you waiting? Can you tell if and when your oil is running out? You have come too far in this journey to begin to entertain foolishness.
Know that His world shall come to pass; do not be ignorant; wait and watch for the manifestation of His word.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of waiting and not sleep over the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: In life, you are either wise or foolish.  

Proverbs 4

How to prevail over the issues of life is directly rooted in how you keep your heart. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life.” This is not a suggestion but a command that will make the difference in the life of every man that is committed to this command. The heart takes a strategic position in the life of a man because it is where the giver of life looks to determine every action of man. Also, the same heart is where we determine and accept if there is God or there is no God. Psalm 14:1 recorded, “The fool has said in his heart that there is no God…” Confessing there is no God starts from the heart and not from the mouth. When such confession is communicated through the mouth, it always has its root in the heart. Any man that says there is no God through a non-verbal communication speaks from the heart. A believer that claims there is God with his/her mouth but doing all that is contrary to the command of God is indirectly saying there is no God. A wise saying states that, “Action speaks louder than words”. This can be concluded by saying that, what you believe is what you behave.
Every action or behavior is rooted in the heart and this is why Proverbs 4:23 stated, “…Out of it spring the issues of life.” Saul did not say there is no God when Samuel confirmed, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” (1 Samuel 13:13) To be confirmed as being foolish by our action or behavior is the same as being identified as one who makes a verbal confession that there is no God. In life, you are either wise or foolish. To be wise in the wisdom of God and not of the wisdom of this world is an evidence of the fear of God. Likewise, to be foolish in the things of God and not behaving what the word of God commands is as saying there is no God.
Proverbs 4:24-27 identifies what happens when we keep our heart with all diligence:
Besides the truth that issues of life springs from our heart, one will know to always put away deceitful mouth and perverse lips; one’s eyes will be focus where it is right before God; one will know to direct feet on established grounds. Above all, keeping heart with all diligence leads one away from evil at all time. (Proverbs 4:24-27)
It does not matter how much you confess it that you are a believer, if how you live life is not in line with God’s command, you are also saying there is no God.

Prayer for today:Ask God for understand that you may know not live life as a foolish one.

FAITH PRESCRIPTION: Avoid engaging the way of God in disorder; maintain orderliness.

Isaiah 38
 
Where there is expectation manifestation often prevails. With preparation comes provision. Orderliness is the evidence of preparation. In the place of worship, are you one that runs after the usher during tithes and offering ministration seeking the help of getting money changed in attempt to present tithes or offering? Ones who engages such action is the evidence of lack of orderliness and no preparation to give. God is a God of order and orderliness cannot be separated from the operation of His hand.
Once, King Hezekiah experienced a life threatening sickness “…And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” (Isaiah 38:1) King Hezekiah knew the source of his life threatening sickness and he responded to Isaiah the prophet without excuse. King Hezekiah’s house was in disorder and he was set for untimely death.  By virtue of his situation, he could not expect any recovery from God without going back and making adjustments and putting in order what had been in disorder. It is written that, “…Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38: 2-3) As much as God will not overlook the violation of His way so will He also be a merciful God that will not ignore but incline His ear to the crying of His children. God sent Isaiah back to King Hezekiah, “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5) Orderliness is important because it gives way to preservation and denies untimely death. Hezekiah’s situation is not an encouragement to anyone’s intentional and consistent violation of God’s way. God will forgive but then it is worth for one to forgo consistent violation of God’s way. In truth, God is a God of forgiveness and the word of God points out, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) Have you been ordering your steps in line with the word of God? Hezekiah put things in order and he was restored according to the goodness and mercy of God. Avoid engaging the way of God in disorder; maintain orderliness and keep your steps in line with the word of God. 
 

Prayer for today: Ask God to uphold your steps and keep you from disorderliness.

FAITH CAPSULE: Give regard to God for His hand to respond on your behalf.

Exodus 3

We serve a jealous God who jealously yearns for our attention. Giving God His due attention is regarding the works of His hand. However, not giving Him all the attention which is due to Him is disregarding the works of His hand. The psalmist testifies, “Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5)The people were oblivious to the work of God in their midst.  As a result, the people were positioned to be destroyed. How much regard are you giving to the work of His hands? A failure not to regard the work of His hand is a passage to disregard God. How possible is it for His creation not to regard the work of His hand? As an acclaimed believer, is it an issue of ignorance that is denying you from consciously regarding the work of God and the operation of His hands?  It is important to know that ignorance only makes a destitute of a believer; ignorance does not serve as an excuse before God.  
Among many testimonies of His hands through the scriptures are:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. (Psalm 18:35)
My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. (Psalm 31:15)
For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. (Job 5:18)
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1)
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)
In the hand of God there is power to deliver, power to heal and the power to breakthrough.
In the hand of Jesus there is power. It is written, “And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.” (Mark 6:7) Power passed from the hand of Jesus to His disciples; His disciples went and exercised the power given and came back to testify healing and deliverance. (Mark 6:12)
The Israelites regarded God for deliverance from the bondage of over four hundred years and, God spoke, “… I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” Give regard to God for His hand to respond on your behalf.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be steadfast in looking up to His hand.

FAITH CAPSULE: With complaining, getting further in the journey of life is set to be permanently terminated.

Numbers 11

It is written, “And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2) The quoted verse was the reaction of the Israelites in response to the spies that went to investigate the Promised Land. God responded to the Israelites through Moses and Aaron stating, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.  Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.”” (Numbers 14:27-28) The Israelites resolved to complain, despite their exposure to various miracles of God, they could not trust God and compliment Him in the face of confronting challenges.
Complaining is an act of rebellion; complaining environment is very unhealthy; complaining gets man to forget about God’s mighty acts; complaining will cause man to lose focus of where God is working in the life of a complainer. With the spirit of complaining, getting further in the journey of life is set to be permanently terminated.
Through the Bible, among all the giants in the hand of God, Moses must have spent more time in the presence of God than all. With Moses, God worked enough great and mighty wonders to keep any man from getting into direct or indirect complaining before God. All of Moses’ encounters with God were not enough for Moses not to forget that he was not alone, and God was with him when he stated in Numbers 11:14, “I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.” In taking up your God given assignment, are you assuming the position of the sole leader, when the Sender has not given up His role as the Almighty Leader? Despite all of Moses experience with God, he should not have gone so low to think that he was bearing the entire burden alone. In the face of life challenges, whenever the thought of “I” or “me”, comes into the picture, there is a great tendency to end up complaining indirectly or directly. Moses ended up complaining while responding to the complaints of the children of Israel.
However, if Moses could have arrived in such a situation, it demonstrates the understanding that no man should claim to have arrived in the journey of life. Apostle Paul’s stated in, 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Whenever “I” or “me” comes into the picture, complaining becomes the frame and one is decorated for destruction.
Prayer for today: Ask God to for His grace not to ever be a victim of complaining.