FAITH CAPSULE: Go and forgive, receive and move forward because there is power in giving and blessing in receiving.

Matthew 6:1-15
 
A heart that does not know how to give will not know how to receive. Jesus, in His lesson about how to pray, Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Any heart that does not know how to give is set to be on his own and heading in the direction of temptation and the evil one. It could be that you have not been able to receive yours because you have refused to stop going around carrying and nursing how your brethren has offended you years ago. Jesus taught it and it is clear that one need to go and tear one’s diary of animosity, woes, anger and plan for revenge. Go and forgive, receive and move forward because there is power in giving and blessing in receiving.
John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” This same Word is the one that comes from God. This same Word is the one that comes to give life. John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The Word is here and not that He will be here sometimes. The purpose of the Word being here as stated by Him is to give life. In His giving of life, there will be abundance in it. The life He came to give can only be received by every believer that knows how to receive it. Are you a believer that knows how to forgive and move from the past into life that is in the Word? As regard to forgiveness and prayer cannot be separated. Jesus points it out, “… whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”(Matthew 11:25-26) As a believer that desires the blessing of forgiving and receiving, give up not being able to forgive and let your prayer bring forth all that is set for you to receive.

Prayer for today: Ask God for forgiveness for not having been forgiving as much as it should be. Also, ask for the grace to be forgiving as often as there is a need.

FAITH CAPSULE: Every distinct action commands heaven’s attention.

Mark 2:1-12
 
Every distinct action commands heaven’s attention. Jesus was ministering the word in a full house, where all access into the house had been blocked by crowd’s attendance. It was then that men who came with a paralytic man decided to gain entrance through the roof into the house. By virtue of their action, the Bible records Jesus’ response, “When Jesus saw their faith; He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5). Undeniably, faith is see-able because faith is an action. Faith is acting out the word of God that is heard. Faith is behaving one’s belief. What is heard is what is believed, what is believed is what is acted and what is acted is what becomes of one. Indeed, the word of God is true, stating, “…For the Lord is a God of knowledge; and by Him all actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3). Our action that is rooted in the understanding and knowledge of God is what God is looking for in us. It was the action (tearing through the roof to gain access) that Jesus saw and was provoked to move on behalf of the paralytic man.
So many provoked heaven and many are still provoking heaven by their uncommon action/distinct action (faith) and many have received uncommon miracles while many are still receiving distinct and instant miracles.
Yes, believers have read and have been privileged to see how distinct action provokes instant miracles. The question is do you have what it takes to activate distinct action?
God was speaking in Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not my word like a fire?” It takes the burning of the word in the inside of one to act or behave in a distinct way that calls for heaven’s attention. It was the burning word in the heart of the three friends of Daniel (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) that caused them to refuse to obey, bow or worship a golden image. Although, they were sentenced to death by a fiery burning furnace but their response was a distinct response stating, “God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). In the face of death by fiery furnace, the three friends of Daniel’s distinct action provoked heaven to come down for their deliverance. The Lord came down to join them in the fiery furnace, when He could have sent angels or speak to their deliverance. Deliverance, healing and preservation often inhabits heaven’s visitation whenever distinct action is demonstrated in testimony to our trust in the power of God. 
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the burning word of God never to lose its fire inside of you.

FAITH CAPSULE: At every time a man takes onto his course instead of God’s course, man will end up cursed.

Jonah 1, 2
 
God cannot be denied from having His way in the life of His creation. Assuredly, nothing under heaven or above heaven can stop God. Without any doubt by going right with God all will go right with you. And, when you go wrong with God all will go wrong with you. There is no other way that is right but God’s way. Anyone that takes outside of His way will end up in the way of death. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Why not take the way of God? Jonah was called by God, and he heard from God, but was hard on God. He was called to go to Nineveh but he fled to Tarshish. At every time a man takes onto his course instead of God’s course, man will end up cursed. Jonah did not put only himself in the line of destruction, but all the people that were on the ship were in the face of dangerous storm. Jonah was carrying the mark of disobedience. What is it that you are running away from? Can you specifically identify any clear and specific direction that has been placed upon your life? Jonah knew that he was the target of the violent storm; he could no longer run away from his disobedience. Have you taught of the cause of the storm in your journey? As a believer that has been running from the calling of God or from the way of God, know it that you are the cause of storm in the vessel of transportation. During the course of the journey to Tarshish, with storm of destruction looming Jonah was requested of what could be done to bring peace and quiet in the storm. Jonah responded, “…pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” (Jonah 1:12)Without any doubt, you will know if you are the cause of storm. God has not called you on a journey over the water and it does not matter how far you have gone on the water, He will bring you back to a dry land. A dry land is where He wants to establish your footing. Jonah was thrown into the sea where he spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. The Bible recorded, “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me.” (Jonah 2:1-2) God is still in the business of having mercy. Do not take to your own way. Jonah 2:10, “So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”   
 
Prayer for today: Ask Him to roll away ever affliction in your journey of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Identify your place in God and deny your challenge from overpowering you.

1 Samuel 17:45-58
 
In every challenge of life, one’s focus on God will phase out fear and faith will reign. Maintain focus on God and be a winner.
At the valley of Elah, where Goliath took a stand defying the armies of God, David alone stood out against Goliath. Despite the huge armies of Israel, none, not one could identify themselves as an army of the living God. They all saw defeat; Saul the leader saw defeat; only young David could identify himself in God. David’s brother rebuked him not to fight Goliath. David was labeled by his brothers as someone that is proud with insolence of heart.
King Saul, in his attempt to discourage David said to David, “…You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” (1Samuel 17:33) David refused to be discouraged because of the testimonies of God.
Attempt to get David clothed with Saul’s armor failed whenit limited David’s mobility rather than to aid David’s mobility. The failure not to be able to get dressed in warrior’s armor was not enough to discourage David. In facing Goliath, all of David’s surroundings were discouragement. However, David’s identity in the testimonies of God was encouraging enough for David not to be discouraged or disregard going against Goliath in battle. In fighting the challenges (Goliath) of your life, do not look around for help; look up to God for your help. God alone is a living God and He will fight your battle.
Do you know Him or you only know about Him? It makes the difference knowing God as the only way. It is impossible to know God and doubt Him for His delivering power. Call on God and He will honor His word by not forsaking you.
If you only know about Him, be very careful or your case will cage you. In Acts 19:11-13, when some of the inherent Jewish exorcists attempted to identify with Jesus in a battle against evil spirit, they lost. They only know about Him. Act 19:15, 16 the evil spirit answered and said Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” Can you be identified in Jesus? Are you sure you know Him? Just as David did against Goliath, identify your place in God and deny your challenge from overpowering you. Religion will fail but Jesus reality will prevail. Get real in Christ and He will see you through.

Prayer for today: Ask for the boldness and character in the word to have its place in you life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Fleeing will not solve your case until you identify yourself in God and face the case.

1 Samuel 17: 1-44
 
For forty days, morning and night armies of the living God (children of Israel) suffered assault from the Philistines as they gathered for battle. The bible referred to the leader of this assault as the champion, the Philistine of Gath, named Goliath. While they wait to engage each other in battle, the Philistine said to the children of Israel, 1Sam 17:10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”(1 Samuel 17:10) Goliath’s verbal abuse and emotional shots at the Israelites did not settle well with Israelites as they were overwhelmed by being afraid. 1 Samuel 17:11 recorded, “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistines; they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” To be afraid and be greatly dismayed of an unbeliever is to have forgotten God’s testimonies. Is there any reason for the fear of an unbeliever in your life? 
Can you examine the situation in your life that has kept you so low in fear and being afraid that you cannot remember who your God is? For forty days!! The armies of the living God were crawling before armies that do not have a living God. So sad! Does this sound like your case? As a believer, have you failed to remember who you are serving? When a believer fails to remember, such believer will not be able to identify him/herself in God. 1Samuel 17:24 recorded, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. Fleeing will not solve your case until you identify yourself in God and face the case. Yes, everything in the physical is pointing you out as looser of this case. All you need to do is identify yourself. David a young man; not a listed army; saw and heard the man that was defying the armies of the living God. He decided to stand up to Goliath. He could reach that decision because he remembered his testimony by stating, “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:36) By being able to remember the greatness of his God, he was able to identify himself in God. His identity was his claim that, the same God will deliver him from the hand of Goliath. Psalmist stated, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!” Obviously, David was a keeper of His testimonies and he successfully sought God with the whole heart as he engaged and brought down the giant that was defying the name of His God.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to cling to His testimonies that keeps man from shame.