FAITH CAPSULE: Before God, there is no excuse to do wrong in the right way or to do right in the wrong way.

2 Samuel 6
 
God gave His command to Adam, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)Adam made the choice of violating God’s command by responding to Eve’s suggestion of eating from the forbidden tree. At the time of God’s visitation to Adam and Eve, God asked for the reason why they ate from the forbidden tree and Adam responded to God stating, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12) Adam’s response to God’s question was an indirect excuse for his disobedience and a way of putting blame on God for his own act of disobedience. Before the Perfect God, there is no excuse to do wrong in the right way or to do right in the wrong way. God demands a full compliance to His command without any excuse for disobedience. Adam had a very appealing reason, but action is what weighs before God. Just like Adam’s violation, Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, violated God’s word. Uzzah did the right wrongly when he put out his hand to the ark of God in attempt to prevent it from falling when the ox which was transporting the ark stumbled. In response to Uzzah’s hands on the ark, the Bible records, “Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:7) Uzzah, by virtue of his good heart to do right for the business of God, did wrong by violating God’s command which was in place as recorded in Numbers 4:15, “…but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.” The ark was not to be touched. The law was specific that the ark was to be carried by the sons of Kohath; not by any other means of transportation. The Psalmist described God’s character stating, “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.” (Psalm 25:10) Indeed God is merciful and very true to His Word; however, there is no way out whatsoever in violating His Word because His testimonies are very consistent from the past to the future. Are you doing right wrongly or doing wrong rightly? With God, doing right in the right way is all that counts. Also, there is no excusable excuse that counts. Adam had the greatest excuse and nevertheless, it did not count.
 
Prayer for today:Let me not be missing my steps in any of Your path for I put my trust in You.

FAITH CAPSULE: The price for Him not to leave us nor forsake us is to always do what pleases Him.

John 8:28-43
 
The word of God that you put to work and does not answer on your behalf is because you have not worked the works of the word. Jesus was asked by the people that went following Him,“…what shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered saying to them, “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Do you believe in the word of God? Believing in the word of God is behaving the word of God.
Often times, believers engage in quoting the Word of God that states “He will not leave me nor forsake me.” (Joshua 1:5) However, quoting the Word of God without having engaged in what it takes to bring it to work is the evidence of lack of knowledge. One that lack knowledge of the word is not living the word. One that does not live the word is not working the works of the word. It is not possible to get God committed to His word when we are not committed to working His word. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith once made a statement in John 8:29, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” After having quoted the word, have you ever found yourself in a situation of being left alone? Jesus was working the works of God indeed and in truth and He was never left alone all throughout His ministry on the face of this earth. Whenever Jesus spoke, His words were backed with power because the Father was always with Him. Are you confessing it that He will never leave you nor forsake you? You have missed it if your words are empty. Are you paying the price that will cause Him not to leave you nor forsake you? Jesus paid the price and that is an example for us to follow if we desire for the Father not to leave us. The price for Him not to leave us nor forsake us is to always do what pleases Him. Pleasing God is the secret. Hebrew 11:6 states it that, “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.” Today, consider the need to live the word of God so that you will begin to avoid empty quotations that are not backed with power. The word of God was, is, and will always be true if one pays the price that is behind every word. To sound the word of God, one will have to obey the word of God.
 
Prayer for today: Ask Him for the grace to keep His Word.

FAITH CAPSULE: His provision is not limited by what you have or do not have.

John 6:1-14
 
When God is set to make a way where there is no way, there is nothing under heaven that shall stop Him. When God wants to make provision where lack reigns, there is no force under heaven that shall hold Him back. He is the Providing provider; the Almighty creator of all things. His provision is not limited by what you have or do not have. His provision is not bounded by how much you have, neither is it determined by what you have at and or do not have. Where do you find yourself at this juncture in your life? What is lacking in your life?
Jesus had the multitudes following Him wherever He went — mountain, sea and valley. They followed Him because they witnessed the signs and wonders He performed. In one instance, they followed Him to a place where there was not enough food to eat or purchase. Jesus knew there was a need for food, and that there was no place to buy food. The Bible recorded that, “Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” (John 6:5-6) Jesus knows what He will also do concerning your need do not pay attention to the test of time. Keep focus on God in the area of your challenges. In the course of looking for food, , “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?’”(John 6:8-9) How can five barley loaves and two small fish add up to feed a multitude of at least five thousand? It was only by the grace of God that such a provision was made for the numbers at hand. Think of your need as minute when compared to the need mentioned among the multitude that went to Jesus. At the place where you are now, Jesus is more than able to attend to your need and have lack cease in your life if you place this need before Him and respond to His command. John 6:10, “Then Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.” He gave a command and blessed the inadequate meal before Him. Abundance reigned in and leftovers abounded. Give yourself over to His command in total obedience and your lack will become history. God will make a way in Jesus’ name.
 
Prayer for today:Ask for the grace to remain focus only on Jesus for your provision.

FAITH CAPSULE: Proposalthat does not center on God is an indirect withdrawal from God.

Genesis 11:1-9
 
Power is wealth and wealth is a blessing. The Bible makes us to realize that God is the one that gives to get wealth; He alone makes man to be rich. However, every wealth or riches that are not from God cannot be established. At a point in time, man wanted to rub shoulders with God by their proposal to build into the heavens. It is written, “Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:3-4)  When God proposes, no man can dispose. When He disposes, man cannot propose. Have you been proposing without God? Have you taken your proposal before God to find out whether or not it is in line with Him? As an acclaimed believer of God, it is important for all of your proposals to involve God. It does not matter what you are, who you are, or where you are. You have to remember that you are under heaven and not beyond your Creator’s reach. The motive behind the proposal was in conflict with the Almighty God. It was a proposal to lift self, they stated, “let us build ourselves a city” The people wanted to grow beyond their boundary and wanted to make a name for themselves. If they were Godly minded, they would have consulted Him who is above before making a proposal of building into the above. What are you trying to accomplish with the proposal that is impending in your heart? Do you want to stand tall above and beyond your level? Are you also considering making a name for yourself? Do you want it to be proclaimed all over that “you have made it”? Have you taken this to God? Nothing is wrong in proposing to grow big or to multiply in the blessings of God. The proposal, however, that does not center on God is an indirect withdrawal from the One and only God that makes riches. He alone can establish any proposal. It does not matter how huge or small is your proposal; take it to Him today in prayer. Let it be that you are letting Him know what He has already known. He has seen the future from the past. He is a jealous God and He deserves all your attention so He can attend to you even more than you expected. Take all your proposals, desires, hopes and dreams to the Lord with a humble heart and He will increase you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to cause you to give your heart to Him that you may observe His ways.

FAITH CAPSULE: A failure not to let the past be past is the evidence of not trusting God for His word.

Exodus 2, Numbers 32:8-15
 
Most times, it is how we call on God that will determine the response of God to our calling on Him. The children of Israel could not be quiet but cry out to God in the face of their challenge. Despite the promise of God to their forefathers, when they could no longer remain in pain, they cried out. It is written, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) The goodness and mercy of God was stirred when the cry of the children of Israel reached God’s ears. The word stated in Exodus 3:7, “And the LORD said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.’” God did not plan to have them stranded in the wilderness when He delivered them out of over four hundred years of bondage. God’s plan was to lead them out of bondage through the hand of Moses to a better land, a land that flows with milk and honey. God brought them out, but they would not leave Egypt behind. They would not follow God fully; they failed to let go of the life they lived in Egypt. When God delivers you from your past, let the past be past. A failure not to let the past be past is the evidence of not trusting God for His word. The Israelites could not let go and God responded in Numbers 32:11-12, “Surely, none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.” Know God in whom you believe and it will be the strength to stand on your personal conviction and not others confession. Though a multitude may stand in wrongful agreement, and you are the only one in dissent, know that you are not alone in righteousness. It is worthy to know and stand on the word of God for direction and not compromise one’s faith. Ignore the dictates of your heart and you will not be surprised that you are the only one standing on His ground.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you in taking a rightful stand when the situation demands it.