FAITH CAPSULE: A blessing in delay is not a blessing in denial.

Ezra 1, 4

When God opened door for the rebuild of the temple a pagan ruler, Cyrus the king of Persia was moved to the open door as prophesied that a man named Cyrus would issue an order in support of the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 1:1-2, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.” What the Lord has purposed for you shall not be disconnected by any position of authority. Just like when He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus so shall He stir theheart of the ones in authority to favor you. Just as there was an open door for the temple to be built, there were also agents and adversaries, the enemy of progress. As the building progressed the resistance to build also presented itself. This was God’s project facing resistance in the hand of the evil ones and his agents. If God’s project can face such a resistance yours can also face resistance. The promise of God states, “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14) It answered for the Israelites it shall also answer for you regardless of your adversary’s wicked agenda if you will hold to your peace. 
The adversaries of the children of Israel succeeded as far as making the project of God cease. Ezra 4:24, “Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” The project of God ceased and it was delayed. Are you experiencing delay in any area of your life? The adversaries could only delay but they could not deny the project from getting completed. Your project will be completed like that of the Israelites. It is written in Ezra 6:14-15, “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Now the temple was finished…” Are you concerned about any delay? Be encouraged that the same God will complete your project. A blessing in delay is not a blessing in denial.

Prayer for today: Ask God to permanently terminate and destroy any adversary that is playing a role in the delay of your breakthrough.

FAITH CAPSULE: The word of God is easier said than done.

Luke 5:1-11

Regardless of the past challenges, launching out by looking forward in your new beginning and hoping to receive the good and exciting package that comes along in your new beginning is faith. Launching out especially where in the past nothing good comes to hand, can be a very discouraging situation. Four seasoned professional fishermen toiled all night with no fish to show for it. For the four professional fishermen, fishing was done for the day when packing up for the day by washing of empty nets was engaged. The four fishermen were ready to launch away from the sea to their various destination with no fish to show for after an all-night toiling when they encountered Jesus. In their encounter, Jesus said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)
Jesus’ command which asked for launching into the deep sounds foolish but was backed with power because Jesus said it. Know it that, “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) Are you receiving a similar command that calls for you to launch out where there is nothing to show for? Simon responded to the command of Jesus, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” (Luke 5:5-6)
Launching out at His command is breaking through. Launching out in the place of hopelessness is an act of faith. Abraham acted in faith by obeying God when he was called to come out of his ground of certainty to uncertainty; from his ground of convenience to inconvenience.  It is written, “…he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10) Abraham launched out when he left his family behind, he let down when he dwelt and waited for the promise of God to manifest.  There was no record of doubt among the four fisher men and neither was there any record of complain recorded for Abraham. They acted by launching into God’s command. The word of God is easier said than done among the believers today. However, it is the one that acted the word from the heart that counts before God and not only the word that comes out of the mouth. Know it that, “…the Lord God is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3) Launch out where you are called to launch; let down and He will lift you above and beyond your expectation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of constant, immediate and full obedience to the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Actions that we communicate are the intentions of our heart.   

Numbers 14

The book of Proverbs warned, ““Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverb 4:23) Jesus also admonished, “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) It can be concluded that if the issues of life springs out of heart, the issue of death must spring out of heart. How are you keeping your heart? Heart operates as the producer and whatever it produces the mouth must act as the deliverer of its product. Evidently, just as mentioned in the bible, keeping our heart with all diligence is important to deliver our breakthrough in the journey of life. Actions that we communicate are the intentions of our heart. When we pay a close attention to the actions which we communicate, then there will be understanding to seek God diligently. God is God that weighs the actions of our heart (Proverbs 21:2) God sees and hears us clearly in the intents of our heart. It is most important for us to know and understand that, as long as our spirit is alive, nothing can be hidden from God and that is the reason why Proverbs 20:27 testifies, “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of the heart.” Do not allow what goes on in the heart to hinder you from what God put in place for your possession.
Despite the promise of God to take the children of Israel to a land that flows with milk and honey, they allowed the product of their heart to terminate God’s promise for their life when their mouth spoke. After the spying of the land that the Lord had planned for them, they spoke from their heart, “…We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” (Numbers 13:31) Out of the abundance of their heart they spoke out and God responded through Moses, “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.” (Numbers 14:28) What is your heart producing for your mouth to present before the perfect Creator? 
The Word of God encourages us in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” When actively engaged the word of God, the Word of God which is life will give life and not death in the journey of life. Here is what the book of Proverbs commanded if you desire to keep your heart with all diligent, “…Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands and live” (Proverbs 4:4) Can your heart retain the word of God? Retain the Word of God and live abundantly.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep your heart with all diligence.

FAITH CAPSULE: When we study it makes all the difference by delivering the promises in the Word of God.

Psalm 32, 33

When a believer comes across the Word of God with a beautiful promise, he/she often memorizes the Word and begins to quote the Word, expecting to get the promise in the Word. The truth is that the Word of God cannot return back to Him void as He stated in Isaiah 55: 11 “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.” 
The challenge is that the quoted or memorized word for the promise expected often fails to deliver. The failure to deliver is not evidence that the Word returned to God void.
For example, believers often quote the Scripture, “All things work together for good”, and having made such quotation, they expect all things to work together for good, but it does not answer to the ones who only quote and not apply. The quotation was not correctly or fully attended to. It is written, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Besides the truth of being wrongly quoted, it is also clear that all things will work for good for only those who do according to Ephesians 5:20, which states: “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It cannot be imagined of anyone that does not know how to give thanks to God the Father for all things, but expecting all things to work together for good.
The Word of God needs to be fully observed for us to get the true promise in His Word.
Looking from another Scriptural verse: Psalm 32:8 states, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” This promise of God cannot go back to God void, but it can be voided in the life of anyone that fails to fear Him. Psalm 33:18 makes it clear about whom the promise of Psalm 32:8 will actually answer for when it states: “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.” (Psalm 33:18) The eye of God that is to guide, as stated in Psalm 32:8 answers for those who fear Him and hope in His mercy.
Truly the Word of God does not return void but we are to take to His word by giving ourselves to studying; not just reading or scanning through the pages of Bible. When we study it makes all the difference by delivering the promises in the Word of God because it is only in the study that we get the riches.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that grants the Word a place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Seeking God diligently amounts to striving and not strolling to gain entrance through the narrow gate.

Luke 13:22-35

Jesus was questioned during His journey through the cities and villages. Luke 13:22-24 recorded “And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able.””   Jesus’ response pointed out that the way of salvation is a narrow way and not the wide and popular way. It is clear that striving and not strolling is what it requires to enter and navigate through the narrow gate.  Jesus also pointed out clearly that many will seek to enter and will not able to. Are you seeking Him to enter through the narrow way or the broad way? The narrow way is the unpopular way while the broad way is the popular way that carries the majority number of people. Seeking Him is not only when going to church; seeking Him is not when we are doing whatever is convenient to do in His commandment. Seeking God is not convenience, but rather a commitment. Seeking God is not in following crowds to places of worship. Seeking God is not only in answering or claiming to be a Christian. How are you seeking Him? When you believe in Him you will seek Him. Any believer that does not behave the word will fall short of seeking Him. Behaving the word God is living the word of God.
Determination will fail but the grace of God is the only way to seeking Him indeed and truth. It is not possible to claim seeking God when your ways are not His ways and when all that surrounds you are of the wicked world. God cannot be deceived nether can any man hide from His presence. The Bible makes it clear the time of seeking and finding Him, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7). In your life journey, strive to enter through the narrow gate and seek Him in truth. Seeking God diligently amounts to striving and not strolling in attempt to enter through the narrow gate. It is written, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Hold on in faith that truly there is a narrow gate to strive for, seek Him diligently and you shall not miss your heaven because God is true to reward seeking Him diligently.

Prayer for today: Ask God to guide and direct you not to enter into the broad way.