FAITH CAPSULE: Faith, not fear, will make a way where you do not see any way.

1 Kings 17:1-16
 
By the good hand of God, the children of Israel were delivered from bondage which lasted more than four hundred years. After seeing the failure of their enemy to deny their deliverance, fear visited them at the entrance into their God’s promise. The Israelites complained, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3)
Fear opens the door for failure; faith makes way for man to prevail. In time of famine, God sent Elijah to a widow of Zarephath who would provide for him. It is written in1 Kings 17:9, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” This widow did not even have enough for herself and her son to survive. When Elijah approached her, she made this known to him in 1 Kings 17:12, “So she said, ‘As the LORD your God lives I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’” God commanded Elijah “See, I have commanded a widow to provide” but the widow responded to Elijah, “See, I only have a handful for me and my son.” Fear is the thickest cloud that will blind man’s vision from seeing where God has already made provision for man’s survival. She was reacting by what she saw and what she had, while Elijah responded by what the Lord had said. What is the Word of God saying concerning your challenge? For the widow of Zarephath, God spoke through Elijah, but fear was the only force that could have caused the widow to suffer the famine like everyone else in that city. Faith was all she needed to prevail. It is written, “And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said but make me a small cake first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.’” (1 Kings 17:13) Faith, not fear, will make a way where you do not see any way.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of holding on in faith at all times.

FAITH CAPSULE: Remember always that enemy cannot be more powerful.

Exodus 1, 2:1-10
 
With God on our side the enemy cannot be more powerful. Whenever the enemy, in the wickedness of his heart, put a plan in place to terminate one in the journey of life, it will only take the intervention of God for one to be delivered. An innocent baby boy, born at an appointed time of God, was born and to live as God’s agent to deliver his people from bondage of over four hundred years. Moses was born at the perfect timing of God, but to Pharaoh, it was the worst time for such a baby to be born. Pharaoh passed a law, “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him…” (Exodus 1:15-16) Pharaoh an enemy of God, wanted to terminate God’s agenda but the enemy cannot be more powerful than God. He called forth every male child born to the Hebrew people should be terminated. In God’s timing, it was the right time to send a male son who would bring deliverance to thousands of His people. Is there any Pharaoh directly in your God’s given direction? Be rest assured that the enemy cannot be more powerful. What a mighty God! In your situation let those that think it is poor timing hold on to what they are seeing with their naked eye. You, as someone that knows the living God should begin to see your challenges in the time you are living as God’s allowed timing. Moses was to have been killed at birth just as others were killed, but after three months, his mother decided to send him off in an ark of bulrushes on the water. He was found by the daughter of the one that was to kill him (Pharaoh’s daughter). Pharaoh’s daughter knew about what she saw but God renew her mindset to have compassion. It is written in Exodus 2:6, “And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’” You have been crying to God because of man’s timing which is affecting you. It is clear that the enemy is in the place to execute evil agenda but be rest assured that the enemy cannot be more powerful. See today that God will let open a door of compassion on your behalf and your story will be eternally changed to the glory of God. Remember always that enemy cannot be more powerful.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that enables man to keep focus on His power.

FAITH CAPSULE: Attending to God is being faithful to God.

1 Kings 3
 
God is a jealous God. It is written, “Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land…” (Exodus 34:12-15) Antidote of jealousy is by giving attention. Among the ways of giving God the attention He deserves is pleasing Him. To please God we have to be faithful to Him in our ways. Hebrews 6:11, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” He definitely desires to be pleased with how our life is constantly conducted. Please Him in your lifestyle; please Him in your meditation and please Him in your asking. As we go about in all areas of our life pleasing Him, He will bless us beyond our imagination. King Solomon the son of David and the third King of Israel was blessed by God beyond his imagination. King Solomon is best known for his wisdom and for building the Temple. He pleased God with his speech, and that provoked God to endue him with great wisdom which became his identity forever. He went to sacrifice at Gibeon when God appeared to him. God inquired of Solomon to ask Him what he wanted, 1 Kings 3:9, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” He had the business of God at heart; self was not in place when he asked for what it takes to carry out God’s divine plan for his life. What would you ask for if He showed up in your dream? Will you request to be a God-serving purpose, or self-achieving purpose? It is important that all acclaimed believer, professional minister, or a minister for the Lord’s business, should consider their request in these days of self-centeredness. Solomon did not hesitate to ask pleasingly and God was pleasingly provoked to bless Him beyond what he could have ever imagined. It is written 1 Kings 3:10, “The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.” Solomon’s request is the evidence of giving attention to God. Attending to God is being faithful to God. God did not just give Solomon understanding, but added wisdom to the understanding. Please Him in all that you do and His blessings will never leave nor forsake you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to fully attend to the business of His kingdom.

FAITH CAPSULE: Study to know God, be still and He shall be exalted in all areas of life.

Mark 4: 35-41
 
What is holding you down from having the Father always with you? Is it the inability to fear Him? The more you grow in faith the more you know to fear Him and have His fear go before you in every step of life.
GOD IS GOD: When hearing and hearing of the word becomes constant and consistent in gaining entrance into one’s life, then one is bound to be filled with the presence of God. Psalm 119:130 spells it out clearly, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Jesus the living Word of God, who was in the beginning with God (John 1:1), introduced Himself, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”(John 8:12) It is also written, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) Is He gaining entrance into you? Understand that what is needed to navigate through in this world of darkness are in the word of God which is also the light. For those that are simple, the word will have a place in their life. The book of Proverbs 14:15 identify the simple as the ones that believe.
Do you have Him in your life? 1 John 2:9-10 says, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” If you have Him your life you know Him and no darkness can overcome you. Having the light in your life is through the word of God. When understanding the word of God gains its place in the life of a man, knowing God becomes undeniable. During one of Jesus’ crossovers, with the disciples, in the middle of a great windstorm Jesus was still and was also able to sleep in the boat when the disciples were moved by fear of the storm to wake him for help. The Bible records “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-41) In this case, Jesus commanded the disciples to be still and He questioned their faith. Evidently they lacked faith because they were yet to know Him. The disciples at that stage only knew about Jesus and it was reflected by their demonstration of lack of faith and their question“…who can this be?” Study to know God, be still and He shall be exalted in all areas of life.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for understanding to know and be still in Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: To know God is to fear God.

Psalm 46
 
It is written, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10) God will be exalted in every area of life of those who dwell in the earth. In this world of darkness, for God to be exalted in every area of your life you have to be still. For one to be still as required by the word, knowing God, not just knowing about God is a must. What Jesus says to one he says to all. Once Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” (John 8:19) Do you know Him or you only know about Him? Being conversant and fluent in quoting the words of God is not evidence of knowing God. Being active in the activity of the church is not evidence of knowing God. Above all, one can have all the titles in the church and be far from knowing God. To know God is to fear God. With the fear of God one will know to walk in all His ways. Walking in the way of God is to love the Lord God. To love the Lord God is to serve Him in deed and in truth. It is evident through the pages of Scripture that, one cannot love God if one does not fear Him. Also, if one do not love God, it is not possible to serve Him. To fear God is to love God; to love God is to serve God. By this it is apparent that a believer will be in a position to please God. Jesus said 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.” When we please Him He will not leave us nor forsake us.
How does one know how to please Him? Also how does one please whom one does not know?
PLEASING GOD: We are made to understand in Hebrews 11:6, “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 without faith it is impossible to please Him, with faith it is absolutely possible to please Him. Faith is not what anyone is born with but faith is what you have to seek for and you know that it will come. Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” What the Word is saying is hearing is not for a time or two, but it is of consistence and continuity. When there is no failure in hearing, faith will pass you on to fearing God and having His fear go before you.
 
Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to have its place in your life.