FAITH CAPSULE: Mercy of God is what encases His favor and grace.

Genesis 39
 
Without any doubt, love should take a place in the life of a believer as a guiding spirit for a Christian’s life. Being merciful should be a way of taking a stand against evil. However, with genuine love there should also be a resistance of evil by challenging the wrongs directed against other people. God alone is merciful and that is why God spoke to Moses,” I will have mercy, on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” (Romans 9:15) All the power, glory, honor, praise, and worship belong unto God alone. In the mercy of God there is favor and grace that constantly locate any man that He chooses to give it to. In the story of Joseph’s life, it was demonstrated how he moved from dream into dread before becoming a deliverer of his people. In the same story of Joseph, it was clearly stated more than once how the mercy of God injected favor. It was recorded in Genesis 39:21, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Joseph was living in line of the kingdom rules. He knew to flee evil as a result; the mercy of God in which favor is encased located Joseph.
As the merciful favor of God was discharged unto Joseph so it was discharged unto Lot. Lot struggled and attempted not to leave Sodom and Gomorrah behind in following the angel’s prescription of salvation. Lot later testified in Genesis 19:19, “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.” Mercy of God is what encases His favor and grace. Noah, in the goodness and mercy of God, found grace when it was declared in Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Ask God that whatever causes man not to abide in His infinite mercy will not locate you all the days of your life. God’s mercy can be perceived as a transporting vehicle for grace and favor of God that locates man. The Lord will have mercy.
God does not and will not punish us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10) Often times, we punish ourselves when we do not polish or furnish ourselves with the living word of God that came to give all to us abundantly. He alone is exceedingly and abundantly merciful. Position yourself into receiving His mercy.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be consistently merciful all the days of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is merciful to all His children and He demands from His children to be merciful.

Luke 6:27-35
 
It is possible for one to have lived all his/her years in sin, iniquities and wickedness and just at the last minute, before departing the face of earth; there is an answer to the call of salvation. It can be clearly recollected how one of the criminals with Jesus received salvation on the cross at his dying hour. God is merciful. It is possible but it is not encouraging to purposely wait and take time to live in sin and iniquity while thinking that one is in control of God’s timing. Besides the control that we have over clock, no one has ever been in control and no one will ever be in control of God’s timing. He alone is the controlling controller of all things. The Apostle Paul knew exactly about the beginning, the course and the end of the race before giving the advice, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1Corinthians 10:12) God is a God of mercy and He does not want anyone to perish. God does not and will not run out of mercy, except that man has always been running out of His mercy. God is merciful to all His children and He demands from His children to be merciful. Do you as a believer have mercy? It does not matter the level and the time of service and sacrifice that you are putting forth in the business of the kingdom; if you are not being merciful you are running a risk of sacrifice that is not acceptable. It is written in the book of Hosea 6:6; “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” Also it was repeated by Jesus in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” What then can we say as regard to being merciful in order for us to be in position of receiving His mercy? In Luke 6:27–35, Jesus clearly spelled it out for believers all that it takes for man to be positioned in the place of receiving the mercy of God. It was referred to as the rules of the Kingdom: Loving our enemies and being good to those that hate us; blessing and praying for those that curse us and are spitefully using us; stepping out of a revengeful spirit; giving and not expecting to get back from those that are receiving from us even when they are supposed to; loving those that have taken a stand of enmity against us is also required of every believer.   Jesus concluded in Luke 6:36, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” It is a command to be merciful. Be merciful.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be lead in the truth of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: If having faith is what pleases the Father, not having faith will be what displeases the Father.

Hebrews 11:1-13
 
Jesus once said to the Jews, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do these things that please Him.”  (John 8:29) It is not enough to read and pass on in the Word of God, but we must read and gain the full understanding. Until understanding is in place, having a hedge against all confronting situations or challenges remains elusive to every confessing believers. Also, spiritual status is determined by reception and application of the Word. What you receive and understand will determine the level of result that you will be producing as you journey in the face of earth. Interest and commitment are what will always provoke the zeal for understanding that is gained in the Word of God that builds up a believer for inheritance among the sanctified. The Word of God is indeed true to the fact when it stated in Proverbs 4:7, “…In all your getting, get understanding.” It is a demonstration of need for understanding to want to know what it is that pleases the Father. Pleasing the Father is evidently crucial and important to continue in the journey of life because it keeps a believer in constant and continuous touch with the Father. Hebrew 11:5-6 points out what it takes to please the Father: “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 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.” If having faith is what pleases the Father, not having faith will be what displeases the Father. When faith is not in place in the life of a believer, the Father will not be in place in the life of such a believer. Jesus specified that doing what pleases the Father is what makes the Father to be in Him and not leave Him. What is the source of this faith that makes the Father’s presence to always be in Jesus? Romans 10: 17, “…Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”The importance of hearing so as to understand is vital and that is emphatically emphasized throughout the Bible. The apostle Paul knew the importance of hearing as vital to understanding the Word. What you do not understand will not work for you. Understanding is the key to the Word operating in the life that it enters. Listen to the Word; allow it to have a place in you and the Father will reign over you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to enable your listening and understanding the word.

FAITH CAPSULE: When you fail to remember God’s direction, you will be denied a place in God’s directory.

Numbers 20:1-13
 
Walking in disorder will deny one from getting to the promise land. Once Moses received an orderly direction from God but delivered it in disorder. It is written, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” (Numbers 20:8)   Moses went and struck instead of speak to the rock. He went further and spoke to the people by calling them rebels. Out of God’s order is out of God’s ordination. Moses was ordained to lead the Israelitesto the Promise Land but was denied from entering into the Promised Land because he went out of order that was given to him by God. Moses was a giant in the hand of God. It does not matter how strong or weak one is in the hand of God, whenever disorder sets in one’s journey, one is bound to be off set in that Journey. It is worth praying and asking for God’s mercy in keeping one from taking a step of disorder.
God is not a wicked God. He is a good and gracious God that will not violate His own word and neither shall there be any excuse for any to violate His word. The order in place for the ark of God was without exception. God had warned His people including the Levites not touch holy objects like the ark. While the ark was being transferred to Jerusalem, at a threshing floor (a place for processing grain) Uzzah reached out and touch the ark. It was unintentional. It was out of order to reach out and touch the ark. Uzzah’s action was unintentional but the word of God is with intention to keep orderliness in all areas of life. Death penalty had been specified for violators that goes out of order and touch the holy object of the tabernacle of God (Numbers 4:15) God does not waste word and every attempt not to be wasted in His word should be engaged in orderly manner. The book of Roman 6:1 asked, “…Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Indeed Uzzah lived in the days of law and we are living in the days of His grace. However, this is not an excuse to be living a life of disorder. God’s direction is His order. Living outside of His direction is living in disorder which is a way of death and eternal damnation.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that keeps man from falling to have a permanent place in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Do you assume that He is leading when you are not letting Him?

2 Kings 20
 
After over four hundred years of bondage the children of Israel did not depart from Egypt just by any way. At the time of their departure from bondage, God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the Children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 13:18) With God in place as the leader, there is always order in place for the followers. God is a saving master and not a slave master. God leading is by choice not by force. However, His leading is a way of life that is absolutely right and well rooted in orderliness. Walking in His order is a way of life. Engaging a way out of God’s way is taking to a way that seems right. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Are you allowing Him to take the leadership of your journey in life? Do you assume that He is leading when you are not letting Him? God is waiting to take a lead in our life. God is God that acts for those who wait for Him. Are you willing to move according to His order? His order is direction. It is the password that will access all to breakthrough in the journey of life. In which area of life have you been facing opposition, hindrance, confusion or affliction? It is never too late to make a U-turn from every wrong turning and allow the leadership of God to take over. Why not retrace your step so that He may be glorified over your life.
According to the testimonies in passages of the Bible, It is clear that walking in disorder is a direct route unto termination. The book of 2 Kings 18:4-8 reveals the orderliness in the life of Hezekiah. He allowed God to lead him when he removed idols and broke their sacred places. Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel; he held fast to the Lord; the Lord was with Him. God being with man is the evidence of man being in order. Despite having walked in orderliness, a time came when he could no longer walk in orderliness. Hezekiah’s trust in God departed from him and he could no longer stand against his enemy. God sent Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, to Hezekiah, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’” (2Kings 20:1)  Are you dying from lack of order? Turn your face to the Lord and pray. Hezekiah did, and God heard Hezekiah’s cry. God added fifteen more years to Hezekiah. It is never too late to cry out unto God for life to be restored.
 
Prayer for today: O Lord, let every of my step in life be in line with your word of order.