FAITH CAPSULE: Are you toiling with no result coming forth?

Luke 5:1-11

It is written, “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:1-5) Peter and fellow fishermen toiled all night toiled all night and had nothing to show for it until they had an encounter with Jesus. Are you toiling in any area of life without anything to show for it? Peter and his fellow fishermen’s encounter with Jesus delivered a net crashing catch. Have you had an encounter with Jesus and yet nothing to show for? Many had an encounter with Jesus; many are encountering Him with nothing to show for.
The two things that triggered fishermen’s net crashing catch when they encountered Jesus are: The fishermen had no idea of who Jesus was when He requested to use their boats as the podium for communicating His message. Despite lack of productivity in their toiling all night they did not deny Jesus’ request. Is your situation dictating how you respond to strangers coming your way? You never know who God is going to use to touch your life in your present situation and there is no excuse not to reach out to anyone that crosses your way. Secondly, the fishermen did not question Jesus when He commanded them to launch out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch. The fishermen could have complained at Jesus’ command that called for doing what had not worked all night. The fishermen listened and did as they were commanded to do by Jesus. In your toiling without breakthrough, are you ignoring any voice sounding in your direction for your breakthrough? Take some time out and identify if the voice is meant for your breakthrough. The Fishermen were able to give and they were also able to listen and respond. What is the Lord saying to you that you are yet to obey? He will not ignore you in your toiling if you do not turn away from Him in your time of toiling.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open you up so that you will be able to see and hear what will bring forth your breakthrough.

FAITH CAPSULE: What area of your life needs to be changed for you to enter into what the Lord has called you to be?

1 Chronicles 4:1-12

It is written, in I Chronicles 4:9, “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” How else can the Bible describe a man better than being referred to as honorable? Throughout the Bible very few individuals were singled out with great identification like that of Jabez. Job was referred to as, “…blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” (Job 1:1) Also, Samuel noted David in 1 Samuel 13:14, “…The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart…” King David was a man after God’s heart. It is written concerning Abraham, “…Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.”  (James 2:23) Abraham became a friend of God because of his obedience which stands out throughout the pages of the scripture. Many must have had a great identity but failed to live life to their potential as regard to their identity. For example, Jabez had every reason to make it in life but then there was a need for a change somewhere in his life.
Jabez was an honorable man living a dishonorable life; not living up to his potential and what the Lord had called him to be. Jabez discovered his challenge when he recognized the meaning of his name as where change must have come from. The Bible recorded, “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. ” (1 Chronicles 4:10) God is the only Unchanging changer. Jabez (meaning sorrow) called on God and specifically requested for what could be his blessings as one that is identified honorable by the word of God. Jabez prayed a specific and direct prayer. Jabez wanted to be blessed, he did not pray “bless me Lord” but he specified the kind of blessing that he wanted. An honorable man deserves a large territory and he asked for the blessing of a large territory. Above that, he prayed for the hand of God to be with him just in case the evil one went after him. He called on God to have himself changed from being a vessel of pain to a vessel of gain. What area of your life needs to be changed for you to enter into what the Lord has called you to be? All it took for change to have its way in the life of Jabez was the ability to ask, and he did not ask a miss. Is it your name that needs to be changed for changes to be able to locate you? It is never too late and when the wind of change blows from the Lord nothing can stand against you.

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your eyes to whatever situation that is representing a trap in your life so you do not miss your blessing of change.

FAITH CAPSULE: Trusting God is resting in God and not rusting in the world of challenges.

Genesis 22:1-19

Just has anything that comes out to be good is set in good foundation, so it is that anything which comes out to be bad is set in bad foundation. Also, if faith can be demonstrated in minor challenges it should also be demonstrated in major challenges. If you have been trusting God for a minor provision, when the need for a major provision presents itself trusting in God should also be in place. Experience that brings out the best out of man in the journey of life builds up and adds up to empowerment. Experience into empowerment does not come overnight; it adds up and builds up. An adage says, ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Practice is what makes perfect. Practicing faith will bring out the best to stand tests as they come in the way of a believer. When it was time for Abraham to enter the test that settled him and defined him for his divine agenda, the Bible recorded, “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham…” (Genesis 22:1) The statement, ‘After these things’ is undoubtedly referring to all his experiences and responses from the time he was called out to the time God wanted to finally elevate him.
Abraham, a faith practitioner had passed through many minor tests before he was set for major test. Abraham’s response to the King of Sodom after Abraham’s victory of bringing Lot and people back from the captivity of king Chedorlaomer and other kings was evidence of the fact that Abraham’s passing the final test was rooted in the earlier test. Genesis 14:21-23, “Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’” Abraham was bent on trusting God as his only divine source and provider. When the final test of using Isaac as the sacrificial offering came up, Abraham did not hesitate to demonstrate his trust and reliance on God as his source. When Isaac asked for the lamb for burnt offering Abraham knew there was no lamb at hand but yet responded, “…My son God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering…” (Genesis 22:8) There was a foundation in Abraham’s defining moment. Abraham’s foundation had been in trusting God for His word. Trusting God is resting in God and not rusting in the world of challenges.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you not to miss His visitation that will pass you into divine agenda for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be conscious whenever God is operating in His goodness the devil will operate in his ugliness

Genesis 6:1-7, John 16

God is a good God. His character is always good with no iota of evil doing. God in His goodness created all to be good. Genesis 1:31, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good…” The goodness of His heart must have prompted Him when He pronounced blessings. It is written, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply…” (Genesis 1:28)  To be fruitful and able to multiply is good and it will always draw the attention of wickedness. Evidently, with fruitfulness and multiplication in place on the earth, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6) Every good act of God will also draw the attention of the evil one just as it happened in Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” As one that loves God and walks in His commands bumping into challenges in your opposite direction is not always an evidence of wrong doing but could be an evidence of the enemy’s attempt to derail and deny your blessing. It is true that when one walks in the right direction challenges of the evil one will not cease but overcoming challenges always answer for one that believes.
The Psalmist encourages, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19) Every believer’s righteousness is in Christ Jesus. Any believer that is having Him; that is walking in line with Him does have the choice to have and maintain peace in the face of challenges. Evidently, the world will not be without challenges. 
Jesus once stated, “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) If you have Jesus, stay in line with Him, regardless of your challenges (tribulation) do not take your eyes away from him but be of good cheer just as mentioned by Him.
God is good; He made us to be good; to be fruitful and to multiply. The evil one will be attracted but termination shall be the portion of the evil one. Be conscious whenever God is operating in His goodness the devil will operate in his ugliness and that is why he is being referred to as the accuser of brethren.

Prayer for today: Ask the Good Lord God to deliver you and preserve you from every evil so that His name can be glorified in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: With obedience in place, what you see will determine what you receive.

Genesis 13

It is written, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Abraham was the only one that was called out of his family.
God had a plan for Abraham and to enter into God’s plan there was a need to fully obey by disallowing Lot to follow him. However, when he was getting out it was with Lot.
“So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” (Genesis 12:4)
Abraham’s obedience was not in full compliance when he allowed Lot to go with him. Where there is absence of full obedience discontinuation will have a place. The lack of full obedience (having Lot with him) affected Abraham. While he continues in the Lords calling, he could not see what and where God had in plan for him until later, when they (Abraham and Lot) could no longer dwell together because of strife between their herdsmen. As a result of strife, separation and division of land was called for between Abraham and Lot and the Bible recorded that, “…Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.” (Genesis 13:10-11) Lot lifted his eyes to see only the present but could not see the future. Lot’s choice was not directed by God and His choice later became land of destruction (Sodom and Gomorrah). Abraham’s seeing was of the Lord’s calling. Lot thought that he was making better choice but, “…The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward;” (Genesis 13:14) As far as Abraham could see, it became his. With obedience in place, what you see will determine what you receive. What you receive is what you believe and what you believe will determine what you become. Are you seeing positive or negative as you look into the future? Do you believe that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you? Be anxious for nothing. See through Jesus, He owns tomorrow and holds it in His hand. Abraham saw great and the Lord declared, “For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendantsforever.” (Genesis 13:15) See good and good shall become of you.

Prayer for today: Ask from God to separate you from what is causing you not to see where He positioned your blessings.