FAITH CAPSULE: Do not be at fault with anyone so God can fault your enemy and established you.

Daniel 6:1-24
 
When you become faultless before your enemy, nothing formed against you will prosper. The word of God that is consistent and true to perform states it, “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.” (Proverbs 26:2) As a child of God, whose life is centered on walking in the word, where there is no cause the enemy’s curse shall not manifest against you. Stand your ground and let there be no giving in, but you have to be faithful to become faultless as was the case with Daniel. The notion of a captive who arose to become governor did not fare well among the free people of the land. There was no way for the free people of the land to bring Daniel down without being in conflict with the law of God. Daniel 6:5, “Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.’” They did find a way, however, to get Daniel in trouble by having King Darius sign a decree against anyone who petitioned any god or man. It was brought before the king that Daniel had disobeyed the law. Daniel’s disobedience according to the adversary of Daniel was, Daniel was found praying and making supplication before his God. The bible recorded that , “…they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” (Daniel 6:12) The consequence for his disobedience was to be executed. King Darius, knowing Daniel and his standing in the Lord, endured great struggle as he was compelled to abide by his own law. Against his own will King Darius gave the order to put Daniel in the lions’ den while hoping that God would deliver him out of it. Daniel 6:15, “Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, ‘Know, O King, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king established may be changed.’” Is your case similar to that of Daniel? As long as you are serving the Living God continually as did Daniel, God will consistently see you through even though it looks like there is no way out. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions but not a single scratch was recorded. God is a God of the eleventh hour. It is never too late for God to intervene. Know that as God saw Daniel through his difficulty while he was in a foreign land so will He dispense mercy on your behalf. Do not be at fault with anyone so God can fault your enemy and established you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to fail or fall against every confronting challenge..

FAITH CAPSULE: Trusting God is rooted in understanding what God has done and all that only He can do.

Daniel 3
 
Ones that trust in God will lean not on their own understanding. Trusting in God in the face of confronting challenges is to deny self from compromising. Trusting God is rooted in understanding what God has done and all that He can. The Psalmist stated in, “We give thanks to you O God, we give thanks! For your wondrous works declare that your name is near.” (Psalm 75:1) Evidently it is the ones that trust Him enough that acknowledges that seeing is wondrous works is same as seeing His word that created the wondrous works. With His works around it is certain that His presence is always around to trust. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to serve or worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image, they were sentenced to the harsh penalty of death by the fiery furnace. However, they were determined to stand their ground for God. King Nebuchadnezzar further questioned them stating, “…and who will deliver you from my hands?” (Daniel 3:15) They were so sure of their God in their response in Daniel 3:16, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.’” Is there any matter which is demanding you to compromise your faith? Is the matter threatening to you? You can be confident, just as these men of faith were that you have no need to answer the question. The hand of God is might in deliverance; trust in the same hand of God that delivered the Israelites from the bondage of over four hundred years. The three friends of Daniel trusted God and responded, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” (Daniel 3:17) The three friends of Daniel did not waver nor compromise through their ordeal. Seeing that they had been delivered from the furnace fire, King Nebuchadnezzar speaks in Daniel 3:28, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!” Your trust in God will frustrate the hand that moves the enemy in your life. Your trust in God will uphold you in the presence of your enemy. Your trust in God will put a new song in your mouth.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to endue you with the grace that causes man to stand in trust regardless of confronting challenges.

Numbers 22

FAITH CAPSULE: Get God committed by your work and walk in Him.
Jesus stated in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Getting work done in His name for His name without walking in His ways gets no one recognized by Jesus when it is going to matter the most. In the church today and among many acclaimed believers, so many miracles and wonders are being done in the name of Jesus. However, many are not walking in the way that will make Jesus declare that He knows them.
When participation in the work of God is not backed by walking in His way one would miss it. Doing the work of God is God-enabled. God can use anyone or anything to get work done but walking His way is in obeying His commandments. Evidently, man needs God for attainment but God does not need any for His own attainment He is the Creator. God once used a donkey to get his work done. God needed to get the attention of Balaam but there was no response from Balaam. As a result, God used Balaam’s donkey as documented in Numbers 22:28, “Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Jesus once declared what He could do with stones by stating,“I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40) This statement of Jesus Indicated that stones could be made to serve in His purpose where any of His living creation is not available.
The way of God calls for more serious attention, for us not to miss heaven. Heaven is not accessible by titles. There are many title holders such as Prophets, Bishops, Apostles and Evangelists that are working wonders in the name of Jesus and probably walking outside of His ways by going astray in their hearts. Despite the wonderful works of God for the Israelites, God stated, “For forty years I was grieved with that generation and said, ‘it is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalm 95:10) Not knowing the ways of God denies them to be known by God and they could not enter His rest.
Working but not walking in His way would lead into ugliness of not being identified by Jesus.

Prayer for today: Ask God to show you His way, that you may know Him and find grace in His sight.

FAITH CAPSULE: See His word as being there to answer for your healing and deliverance.

1 Kings 18
 
Elijah, a man of great exploits, took a stand in the name of God and called for rain to cease and God granted his request. Just as requested by Elijah, rain indeed ceased for three and a half years. When it was God’s time to bring the rain back, Elijah was the one to be used by God. It is written, “And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.’” (1 Kings 18:1) This same Elijah called on God to show forth in the presence of unbelievers and false prophets on Mount Carmel where he called for fire. It is written, “The fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’” (1 Kings 18:38-39) By virtue of God’s manifestation, Elijah seized and executed all the false prophets with sword. When the news of execution came to Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, she sent a message to Elijah stating, “…so let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” (1 Kings 19:2)
Elijah, a man of great exploits, did not inquire of the Lord when he fled in response to Jezebel’s threat. He received the word of threat and he saw the word of threat as real. It is written, “…when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” (1 Kings 19:3) At this juncture, it shows that what we say or hear becomes manifested when we are able to see as being said. When Elijah called for rain to cease, he saw it and it was so. When Jezebel threatened him, he saw what she said as being factual and he started a race for his life.
Elijah lost his focus by seeing the word of Jezebel as being there for him instead of seeing the Word that was making provision where there was none. Whose word have you been seeing concerning all that confronts you? As a believer in the Word of God, not being able to see the same word that God spoke and saw at the time of creation as being there for you is an avenue to self-destruction.
Focus on the living Word of God. See His word as being there to answer for your healing and deliverance.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to open your eyes of understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE:Wisdom is the instruction of God while knowledge is the application of wisdom.

1 Samuel 17
 
Salvation is work; it is inhabited in believing God. To believe God is work. Once Jesus was asked, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (John 6:28) In responding Jesus stated, “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29) Evidently, It can be concluded in the response of Jesus that believe is work
In conclusion to Jesus’ response, to complete the work of God is to believe. Philippians 2:12 buttressed the word by stating, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)
What does it take to work? In any kind of work, being of the physical or working the works of God (Believing God) strength is the source. Without strength work will cease. In physical work strength comes from food. However, to keep working the works of God and not lose our salvation, the supply of strength must be consistent.Isaiah 33:6 identifies the source of strength for salvation, “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation…” (Isaiah 33:6) Wisdom and knowledge are the source of strength that helps in working out our salvation.
Wisdom is the command, word or the instruction of God while knowledge is the application of wisdom. Are you studying the instructions (word) of God enough to be able to apply when you face challenges?
David operated in wisdom and once was recorded of him, “…David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely…” (1 Samuel 18:5) This describes David as a man of wisdom. When the children of Israel were confronted by Goliath and the Philistines army, there was a need for salvation. Goliath declared in one of his statement, “…I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. ” (1 Samuel 17:10-11)
David needed the wisdom of God to bring forth salvation to his people. Against every form of discouragement, the young David who was not trained in army combat went further and confronted Goliath by applying his wisdom stating, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you…” (1 Samuel 17:45-46)
David, in his application of the wisdom of God, he had knowing-edge (Knowledge) that prevailed over Goliath.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you for His wisdom to have a place in your life.