FAITH CAPSULE: Giving God all due attention will keep Him near.

Judges 16, Luke 10:38-42
 
Distraction can be described as that which divides one’s attention or prevents one’s concentration. When it takes a place in one’s life, there is tendency not gain or prevails in the course of one’s endeavor. For sure, distraction will deny any man that is not for real in his/herwalk in the Lord and how one works in the Lord.Distraction can also be a subtle poison that will deny you from getting to your expected end in the journey of faith. Samson was a man destined to be a deliverer of his people thru the hand of God. At the time he was to be conceived by his mother God sent an angel that said to his mother, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. 5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:3-5) After his birth, at a point in his life, he became a victim of distraction when he was enticed by his wife. Samson was not to reveal the secret that the angel delivered to his mother. After having been pressed by his wife he revealed secret to his enemy and became frustrated in his journey of life.
Many have welcomed Jesus into their hearts and welcoming as Lord and savior requires that one should give Him due attention. With Jesus in one’s heart, one must behave like Him (behave the word) in order to avoid an unfruitful life. For anyone who has welcomed and received Jesus into his life, there is a need to maintain His presence there. Giving Him all due attention will keep Him near. It is written concerning Martha,“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.” (Luke 10:38)Are you like Martha? Have you welcomed Him into your house by receiving Him?Martha welcomed Jesus into her house, “But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’” (Luke 10:40) It is clear how Martha was falling because of distraction. There is nothing wrong in serving, but if it becomes a distraction which takes you away from the Lord then you ought to refrain from it. Martha welcomed Him into her house, but became distracted.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God for deliverance from every form of distraction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage yourself to constantly worshipping God.

Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 21:34-38
 
At a point, Jesus was teaching the importance of watching when He stated, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life and that Day come on you unexpectedly.For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21: 34-36) Jesus started by stating, “…take heed to yourselves…” It is clear in Jesus statements that watching demands paying attention to self. When one begins to pay attention to self, one resumes in setting a stage for self-deliverance from the flows of this wicked world. Hearts are the major area that needs the most of our attending to and Proverbs 4:23 buttress it by saying, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issuesoflife.” With adequate attention to the heart, being weighed down with worrying about the cares of this life will be subdued by worshiping the Creator of life. Engage yourself to constantly worshipping God; maintain His presence and do not expose yourself to missing out at the time of His visitation. Watching and praying is worshiping God. One whose heart has been occupied by worrying will not worship. Watching and waiting is the evidence of ones who trust in God. To trust in God is to hope in the plans and promises that will be bestowed on ones who keep their heart with all diligence. God is always waiting for those who wait on Him. The ones who wait on God are set for total deliverance in every area of life. The Word promised, “But 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 and accept the need of watching and praying?
Those who watch spend time studying and meditating on the Word of God and those who watch are the ones who constantly observe to do according to the living Word of God. When the apostles watched, they engaged in prayer and the ministry of the Word. (Acts 6:4)The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins by Jesus depicts the need for watching to avoid the day of His coming as a snare.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins by Jesus depicts the need for watching to avoid the day of His coming as a snare.The foolish five missed out because they were like the ones who were watching but missing in prayer. Take heed to yourselves and allow worshiping God to reign in your heart instead of worrying.
 
Prayer for today:Ask that the day shall not come on you as a snare.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is not enough to have the door open without letting the repairman in.

2 Chronicles 29:1-11
 
It is written, “Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.” (2Chronicles 29:1-3) The word stated that Hezekiah did what was right in the sight of the Lord when he became king. Among the right thing which he possibly did was to open the doors of the house of the Lord. Hezekiah did not only open the door of the house of the Lord but also have it repaired. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20) Some are opening the door for Jesus to come in but very few are allowing Him to do any repair. Hezekiah opened the door and called for reparation.
The Word of God is written for our learning. Study and learn that the temple of God needs to be opened and worked on. Hezekiah did not just open the door, he opened it for reparation. For a long time, you have had the door of your heart opened, but do not know what to do with your opened door. Learn from Hezekiah that it is not enough to open the door but also allow repairs to have their way. Allow the Lord to come into your temple and repair it.
What type of reparation are you considering for your situation? Hezekiah did not just have the door open for playing religion; he brought in those that were qualified to work inside the Temple. 2 Chronicles 29:5, “And he said to them: Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.” If you are one that is yet to open the door for Jesus, it is time to have your door open so He can come in and sanctify you by His Word. Also, everyone that claims to open the door for Him does have a need to carry out the rubbish that has been denying the handiwork of the Lord in their life. You, as the “Temple of God”, will continue to be a waste until you let go of the rubbish that is living in you as the landlord in your life.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to open your heart indeed and in truth. 

FAITH CAPSULE: Do not let your adornment take the place of being fruitful.

Mark 11:1-22
 
A fig tree was very attractive in the eyes of its creator but there was nothing on it to offer its creator when it was approached. Just like the fig tree, God added all that it takes for us to be attractive enough to meet His expectation when the time for accountability is set. Whenever your attractiveness is used for purposes other than having communion with the Creator, God may deal with you by showing you the futility of your vanity. His making us to be attractive is meant for us to be fruitful for His glory. The fig tree perhaps was the only tree in the region that was mouthwatering. Its leaves were an indication that its fruit was delicious and palatable. Jesus created the fig tree for a purpose. The fig tree was not created to be pleasing to the eye or to be the best looking among the many trees in the garden. Is it you or your congregation like a fig tree that appears to be pleasing to everyone that notices you but yet with nothing to account for? As regard to the attractive fig tree, the Bible states it, “Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” (Mark 11:12-14) Are you one that does not know to be ready to deliver in seasons or out of season to the glory of the creator? The book of 2Timothy4:2 admonished us, “…be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” Our creator is capable of showing in season or out of season to ask for our fruit just like He did to the fruitless fig tree. Without any reasonable excuse we are to serve Him in every area of His request.
All of Jesus’ actions, reactions and words were meant to communicate to the people both during His time on earth and after His ascension. How much attention are you devoting to the Word of God? Jesus was not only displaying His power when He approached the unfruitful fig tree by virtue of the inviting leaves it displayed. Jesus was communicating a message through the demonstration of power. Christianity is not just about adornment and Sunday-noise-making. Christianity is about Jesus reality, and Jesus reality is fruitfulness. Do not let your adornment be merely outward by the arrangement of hair, the wearing of gold, or putting on fine apparel. Avoid being a side attraction. All of Jesus expectation is to see our fruitfulness. Be fruitful; win soul to the glory of God.
 
Prayer for today:Ask Him to deliver you from religion into Jesus reality.

FAITH CAPSULE: Powerless congregation will not prevail.

1Kings 18:20-46, 19:1-3
 
Elijah had demonstrated the power of God by overcoming the Prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah made a public show of their powerless god. He embarrassed them when they could not call their god to life. Elijah had the prophets of Baal assembled on Mount Carmel, he requested for all that it takes for sacrificial burnt offering. The Bible recorded Elijah’s command, “…you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God. So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” (1 Kings 18: 24-25) The god of the prophets could not show up. Elijah mocked and ridiculed them before he called on His God for the show of power. The God of Elijah answered by fire. Having embarrassed the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, Elijah caused them to be overtaken and executed at the Brook of Kishon. All of Elijah’s exploits were the effect of God’s intervention because Elijah stood for righteousness. What do you stand for? Is your congregation gathering in the name of the God of Elijah? Is it operating the power of the God of Elijah or the power of the god of the prophets? Powerless congregation will not prevail and it heads in the way of destruction just like prophets of Baal. After the prophets of Baal demonstrated lack of power, Elijah had them rounded up and they were all executed   .
Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab heard what Elijah did to the prophets of Baal, she threatened to kill Elijah. Elijah ran for his life. It is written in 1Kings 19:3, “And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” One would have expected Elijah to continue to walk in the power of God. Despite the power of God in the life of Elijah, he did not walk; he ran. Have you been running where you should be walking? This same Elijah had experienced the hand of God earlier when he was to be walking; the hand of God came upon him and put him ahead in 1Kings 18:46, “Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezebel.” God is a consistent God and He will not leave you nor forsake you. Despite the power of God in Elijah’s life he knew not to give enemy the chance of upper hand over his life.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the miracle hand of God to come upon you and gird up your loins to run ahead on every ground of enemy`s trap.