FAITH CAPSULE: It is not enough to hear the Word and then not take action on what you have heard.

Matthew 15:1-20
 
It is written, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Beyond every reasonable doubt the word of God is truly powerful as described in the quotation above. It work wonders to any that heed and walk in it as expected by God. Are you one that has been hearing the word of God and not see it manifest? Unarguably, it is not enough to hear the Word and then not take action on what you have heard. Are you religious, or are you a believer? If what you are hearing is not evident in your life, then you are not living the Word. Hearing the word does not qualify one as a believer. Hearing the Word and doing what the Word commands us is what qualifies one as a believer. Jesus’ response to those who delivered a message that His mother and brothers were looking for Him was a clear implication that merely hearing and not living out the Word is an error. Not following through on the Word renders our hearing it incomplete and does not deem one a believer. Luke 8:19, “But He answered them and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’” According to the response of Jesus hearing and doing is what identifies one as His relation. It does not matter how much or how often you draw close to Him if hearing and doing what He says is not in place in the life of one that hears Him. The Word has to be in you and you need to do what the Word says. In the world of today, many are claiming to be a believer without hear and doing His word. Many acts as drawing unto Him but far from Him by virtue of hearing the word but not doing the word. In these days, drawing near to Him should never be a yardstick in measuring or identifying one as a believer. Many are drawing near to God with their mouths while their hearts and ears are outside of Him. Matthew 15:8, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.”  It is worthy that we engage the zealously; hear the Word of God with the ear and listen with the heart. Man can be deceived but God that sees the heart is impossible to be deceived.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace to open the ears of your heart which will enable you in His Word.

FAITH CAPSULE: Receive the Word not only as daily bread, but also as oxygen.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, 2 Corinthians 3:6-18
 
In responding to ministration of the word of God, acclaimed believers most times respond stating, “I receive it” After having heard a preacher preach, how often have you claimed to receive the Word, and after having claimed to have received the Word, nothing happens? There are no changes, no results, but yet you continue to claim, “I received it.” The Word of God is true, it does not fail and it will not fail unless you fail to live by His Word. 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” The Word that you claimed to have received is not working because: One, you have failed to welcome the Word. Can you imagine how you would receive a message that one million dollars has just been deposited into your account? If you truly receive the Word as frequently as you claim, you will celebrate it. Two, if what you claim to have received is scripturally based, then do not let anything deny your acceptance and celebration of it. When the measure of how you welcome what you receive matches up with the celebration, then what you have received will work effectively for you.
The Word of God is not a letter, it is Spirit. 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.” How have you been receiving the Word of God? If you have been receiving the Word of God as a letter, it will weigh you down, and you will be better off not to have received it than to receive and be weighed down into stagnation with no motion in life. However, if you have been receiving the Word of God as Spirit, it will work effectively by making its receiver a rider rather than a toiler in the face of wicked world. The Word will be transporting you around and above this wicked generation. Receive the Word as not as letter, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”(2 Corinthians 3:6)
It is when you receive, believe and live the Word that you become a believer. Receive the Word not only as daily bread, but also as oxygen. You can do without bread for several days, but without oxygen, in minutes you are dead. 78
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to increase you with a zeal for His Word that is life, not letter.

FAITH CAPSULE: Faith, not fear, will make a way where you do not see any way.

1 Kings 17:1-16
 
By the good hand of God, the children of Israel were delivered from bondage which lasted more than four hundred years. After seeing the failure of their enemy to deny their deliverance, fear visited them at the entrance into their God’s promise. The Israelites complained, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3)
Fear opens the door for failure; faith makes way for man to prevail. In time of famine, God sent Elijah to a widow of Zarephath who would provide for him. It is written in1 Kings 17:9, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” This widow did not even have enough for herself and her son to survive. When Elijah approached her, she made this known to him in 1 Kings 17:12, “So she said, ‘As the LORD your God lives I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’” God commanded Elijah “See, I have commanded a widow to provide” but the widow responded to Elijah, “See, I only have a handful for me and my son.” Fear is the thickest cloud that will blind man’s vision from seeing where God has already made provision for man’s survival. She was reacting by what she saw and what she had, while Elijah responded by what the Lord had said. What is the Word of God saying concerning your challenge? For the widow of Zarephath, God spoke through Elijah, but fear was the only force that could have caused the widow to suffer the famine like everyone else in that city. Faith was all she needed to prevail. It is written, “And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said but make me a small cake first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.’” (1 Kings 17:13) Faith, not fear, will make a way where you do not see any way.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of holding on in faith at all times.

FAITH CAPSULE: Remember always that enemy cannot be more powerful.

Exodus 1, 2:1-10
 
With God on our side the enemy cannot be more powerful. Whenever the enemy, in the wickedness of his heart, put a plan in place to terminate one in the journey of life, it will only take the intervention of God for one to be delivered. An innocent baby boy, born at an appointed time of God, was born and to live as God’s agent to deliver his people from bondage of over four hundred years. Moses was born at the perfect timing of God, but to Pharaoh, it was the worst time for such a baby to be born. Pharaoh passed a law, “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him…” (Exodus 1:15-16) Pharaoh an enemy of God, wanted to terminate God’s agenda but the enemy cannot be more powerful than God. He called forth every male child born to the Hebrew people should be terminated. In God’s timing, it was the right time to send a male son who would bring deliverance to thousands of His people. Is there any Pharaoh directly in your God’s given direction? Be rest assured that the enemy cannot be more powerful. What a mighty God! In your situation let those that think it is poor timing hold on to what they are seeing with their naked eye. You, as someone that knows the living God should begin to see your challenges in the time you are living as God’s allowed timing. Moses was to have been killed at birth just as others were killed, but after three months, his mother decided to send him off in an ark of bulrushes on the water. He was found by the daughter of the one that was to kill him (Pharaoh’s daughter). Pharaoh’s daughter knew about what she saw but God renew her mindset to have compassion. It is written in Exodus 2:6, “And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’” You have been crying to God because of man’s timing which is affecting you. It is clear that the enemy is in the place to execute evil agenda but be rest assured that the enemy cannot be more powerful. See today that God will let open a door of compassion on your behalf and your story will be eternally changed to the glory of God. Remember always that enemy cannot be more powerful.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that enables man to keep focus on His power.

FAITH CAPSULE: Attending to God is being faithful to God.

1 Kings 3
 
God is a jealous God. It is written, “Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land…” (Exodus 34:12-15) Antidote of jealousy is by giving attention. Among the ways of giving God the attention He deserves is pleasing Him. To please God we have to be faithful to Him in our ways. Hebrews 6:11, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” He definitely desires to be pleased with how our life is constantly conducted. Please Him in your lifestyle; please Him in your meditation and please Him in your asking. As we go about in all areas of our life pleasing Him, He will bless us beyond our imagination. King Solomon the son of David and the third King of Israel was blessed by God beyond his imagination. King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building the Temple. He pleased God with his speech, and that provoked God to endue him with great wisdom which became his identity forever. He went to sacrifice at Gibeon when God appeared to him. God inquired of Solomon to ask Him what he wanted, 1 Kings 3:9, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” He had the business of God at heart; self was not in place when he asked for what it takes to carry out God’s divine plan for his life. What would you ask for if He showed up in your dream? Will you request to be a God-serving purpose, or self-achieving purpose? It is important that all acclaimed believer, professional minister, or a minister for the Lord’s business, should consider their request in these days of self-centeredness. Solomon did not hesitate to ask pleasingly and God was pleasingly provoked to bless Him beyond what he could have ever imagined. It is written 1 Kings 3:10, “The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.” Solomon’s request is the evidence of giving attention to God. Attending to God is being faithful to God. God did not just give Solomon understanding, but added wisdom to the understanding. Please Him in all that you do and His blessings will never leave nor forsake you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to fully attend to the business of His kingdom.