FAITH CAPSULE: Give yourself a reality check and determine if you are on the right ground with God

1 Corinthians 13
 
Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. Knowing God is not in knowing to be a good worker in the church. Knowing God is not in being known as a constant church goer. Also being fluent in quoting the word of God is not an indication of knowing God. Many are entering into the presence of God but short of dwelling in His presence. Knowing God is having relationship with God. Ones that knows about God can possibly be constantly attending church but fall short giving God all the attention by behaving the word of God.
Can you sincerely check yourself if you do not know Him? Majority claims knowing God but very few actually walk in line of those that knows Him. If you do not keep His commandments, you do not know Him and cannot expect Him to relate to you when you have no relationship with Him.
The word identifies what it takes to claim knowing God in the book of 1John 2:3 when it declares that now by this we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. What is the commandment that the Lord is talking about? Jesus specifically points out the commandments, when He stated,“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”(Matthew 22: 37-40)Is there any way to hear it better than hearing from the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? How possible it is for one that does not love is neighbor to love God? Love is not a word of the mouth but work from the heart. It is a sacrifice that often demands denying self. The apostle Paul points out the seriousness of having to love, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)One that loves as required by the commandments will live in heaven on earth. Let it be known to you this day that, it is impossible to be right with God if you are not right with man.Give yourself a reality check and determine if you are on the right ground with God and with man.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace to be a believer that loves in deed and in truth, not in mouth and false humility.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is impossible for one to hear God and not answer.

1 Samuel 3:1-14, Isaiah 6:1-13
 
It is written, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.And God saw the light thatit was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:1-5) Clearly, God made all things through speaking of His word. When God speaks creation answered because it is not possible for creation to hear God and not answer. Are you hearing when He speaks direction to your confusion? Do you hear when He speaks motion to your stagnation?
If there was ever to be a heaven-made hearing-aid on sale for thousands of dollars, would you purchase it? Hearing is the key in the race of life. Hearing is what is needed to start your journey and to get you to the expected end. If you cannot hear when the Heavenly Commander, the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent is calling or giving direction, you will miss the clarion call and your journey will either be terminated or delayed. Will you now consider buying a heaven-made hearing-aid? 1 Samuel 3:10, “Now the LORD came and stood and called as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel answered, ‘Speak, for Your servant hears.’”
Samuel heard the call and he was a standout among those that served God; he was a giant in the hand of God, and he was the last and the most effective of Israel’s judges.
Isaiah testifies, “Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”(Isaiah 6:8)Just like Samuel, Isaiah also heard his calling. He was considered the greatest Old Testament prophet. His ministry spanned the reigns of five Kings of Judah. Hearing and answering to God made all the difference in the ministry of Samuel and Isaiah. It is impossible for one to hear God and not answer His Word–the same Word that brought everything into creation makes all the difference in all that hears and answer Him. It is not possible for one to hear Him and fail in His calling. The problem of not hearing God is the evidence of a hearing disability, and it is everywhere on the face of the earth, because of the blocking agent who is the god of this age. God has been calling you, but you have not been hearing Him. When you hear Him, you must answer Him without doubting.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to open your hear of the heart that you may answer full to His calling.

FAITH CAPSULE: Assuming is denying God due attention.

Joshua 7:1-9
 
The word of God is power to direct, deliver and to preserve. The word of God does not return to Him void. The power and consistency in His word is assurance. With assurance from God, the Israelites were delivered and set for their assured Promised Land.In the course of their journey, Joshua and the children of Israel faced giant obstacles but none was enough to stop or slow them down in their journey. Despite challenges, the assurance for deliverance and preservation in the word of God remains consistentat every step.However, a failure to attend to God’s assurance at any point in journey is the evidence of taking God’s assurance for granted. Are you taking any step in your journey for granted? It can be tempting to take some steps for granted if your previous steps have been relatively easy. Assuming is denying God due attention.
The Bible described the challenge against Jericho, “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” (Joshua 6:1-2) The security of Jericho against the advancement of the Israelites was not enough to deny the assurance in the word of God. The Israelites, having brought down Jericho without using man made weapons but only God’s praise, they moved forward against Ai. Joshua sent men to go and spy on Ai before going in to attack. The spy went and came back with a report of assumption. Joshua 7:3, “And they returned to Joshua and said to him, ‘Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.’” Can you imagine the people of God turning to their own assumptions instead of God‘s assurances?The Israelites went and could not stand against their enemy. It is written, “So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.”(Joshua 7:4)The children of Israel were struck and could not stand against their enemy. If their battle was based on God’s assurance, their story would have turned out differently. If you are marching in the direction of victory, continue to seek God’s assurance. The devil is a liar. There is no easy battle for a child of God except the one that God fights for His children. Your assumption will ruin your victory, but His assurance will win it for you.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God to deliver you from every avenue of self-destruction.

FAITH CAPSULE: If your heart is one that is being guarded by the word of God, confessions becomes more of positive than negative.

Numbers 14, 1 Samuel 8:1-9
 
Whatever man speaks from his heart is what springs out for manifestation. Are you constantly speaking positive or negative concerning your situation? It is written in Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence,for out of it spring the issues of life.”Jesus said, “…for out of the abundanceof the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) The two scriptural verses testify that heat is where every positive or negative confession springs out from. What is the state of your heart? If your heart is one that is being guarded by the word of God, confessions becomes more of positive than negative. The children or Israel could not confess positive in the face of challenge but negative. God heard their negative complain and He responded by sending Moses to them, “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness…” (Numbers 14:28-29)
Also, whatever you are asking God to do for should be asked with clear understanding.God is still in the business ofanswering the call of His children. Some things you ask for will go forth and be delivered and there will be no excuse. Proverbs 6:2, “You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of mouth.” When the Israelites were crying out and rejecting God, they displayed acts of ignorance. They did not know that their call was a call of rejecting God; they thought they were rejecting Samuel. 1 Samuel 8:7, “ And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” If you do not know what to ask of God or when to ask it, go before Him in thanksgiving and in praise.Thanking God wholeheartedly takes man through into His gates while praising God with understanding access man into His presence. Bible testifies, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”(Psalm 100:4)Thanking and praising God in deed and in truth will eliminate the trap of negative confession and elevate man to a place of positive possession.If you know what to ask Him, it is safe for you to go before Him in thanksgiving and praise worship. He is a faithful God. The children of Israel ignorantly rejectedGod as King. Ignorance is not an excuse before God. Be very careful in what you ask, when you ask and how you ask.
 
Prayer for today:Ask God for the grace that your heart be constantly kept with diligence against all kinds of negativity.

FAITH CAPSULE: Listen tohave an edge over destructive challenges.

Genesis 18:16-33
It is written, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2) The word of God is life it is not letter. The word of God is still speaking and it is going to continue to speak forever. Any life style that is short of Romans 12:1-2 will cause distance between God and man. Without doubt, in this world of wickedness, a distance from God is walking closer to sudden and untimely death. Challenging situation where there is lack of knowledge causes both acclaimed believer and unbeliever their life. Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lackofknow…” Knowledge of God’s word is equal to having edge over destructive challenges. God is still speaking to deliver His from destructive challenge.
Are you still waiting for God to speak to your situation? Honestly, it could be that He has spoken and you did not hear. If you believe that He has not spoken, you can keep waiting to hear from Him. He will speak direction if indeed you are serving Him. If you are serving God, it is not possible for Him not to speak. Amos 3:7, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” You probably have heard Him with your ear but missed the message, because you did not listen with your heart. It is not enough to hear with the ear and not listen with the heart. The Word of God is true and there is no lie or failure in His word. Genesis 18:17, “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” God is faithful to His servants and He will do what he has promised to do. Are you doing what He expects of you? Are you living the life of a servant of God (a living sacrifice)? If he does not speak to you directly, it could be because of the distance that you are keeping from Him. However, because of His goodness mercy, He will still send one that is closer to Him to speak to you. If you will take a breath concerning your situation, and begin to go into the depth of His word, you will hear clearly and directly from Him. He is still in the business of revealing to those who will wait to hear from Him.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God to open your eyes and ears of understanding His word of deliverance.