FAITH CAPSULE: There will always be reasons to be afraid but it is not enough for one to be reduced unto fear.

John 6:15-20

By virtue of the signs today, the time in God’s calendar demands that you leave religion and begin or continue to run the race in Christ-reality. Focus your strength on getting to your expected end. The expected end is the goal of your journey that is to faithfully complete the Christian life journey. Evidently, sin and living in sin is the main terminating force that denies completing the race of life. Besides sin and living in sin, fear will stand against one with every step toward the expected end. Fear is a terminator and not a motivator in the course of race to faithfully complete the Christian life journey. David talked about fear, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His Word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4) It is clear in David’s word that, there will always be reasons to be afraid but it is not enough for one to be reduced unto fear. Jesus once joined His disciples in their journey to go ahead on a boat, over the sea toward Capernaum. The Bible recorded, “Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,  got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.” (John 6:16-18) On their way, a storm took over and fear showed up powerfully that they could not recognize their Savior. Does this sound like a stage in your journey or in your race of life? Storm is inevitable but God is invite-able to see one through. In all that you are facing, are you facing the Lord for intervention? In order to deny fear, Jesus knowing the state of heir condition in journey showed up in the middle of their storm, “But He said to them, it is I; do not be afraid. Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”(John 6:20) Will you receive Him into your boat of life? When you receive Him in every situation, He will take you to the expected end. However, fear has to be terminated for faith to rise. Fear will sink you; faith will raise you. The Christian faith is not to be misconstrued as entertainment. It is gaining entrance into the Kingdom of God. Grace is available for all to enter into the Kingdom of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every agent that causes fear in your life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Understand the need to stay focused in your race and also allow God to bless you.

2 Timothy 4

It is written, “Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times! Remember me, O LORD, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation.” (Psalm 106:3-4) It can be concluded that, to be remembered by God and to be visited by God is undoubtedly God’s blessing. As indicated in the above scriptural quotation, keeping justice and doing righteousness at all times (not at our convenient times) will trigger the blessing to be remembered and to be visited with God’s salvation. The requirement for righteousness at all times buttress the notion that: consistency; persistency; continuity are the rule of race. The apostle Paul in his illustration of what it takes to faithfully complete the Christian life journey (which is like running a race) stated, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day…” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) To run a race and be able to get a prize (blessing) is to continue in running according to the rule and not give up. To run a race with continuity, consistency and persistency demands for one to deny every form of distraction such as sin. Often times when sin comes into play, getting back into race can be challenging. One should always keep in mind that God is a good God that He is ready to forgive. (Psalm 86:5) In His forgiveness there is the privilege to get back and continue in the race. It is always good to keep in mind that forgiveness from God is not a liberty to continue sinning and shining living in sin. Apostle Paul elaborated further on not to continue in sin despite the forgiveness in place when he stated, “…Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it…?”(Romans 6:1-2) Understand the need to stay focused in your race and also allow God to bless you when you are able to continue in keeping justice and doing righteousness at all times. Have you fallen short in your race? It is time to get back in the race by asking for forgiveness from a good God that is ready to forgive. Throughout the Bible, there are documentations of those that fell and not able to continue because of lack of understanding to ask for forgiveness. Also, there are documentations of those that fell for sin and by virtue of understanding, they regained continuity by asking for forgiveness and were able to complete the race. Run with understanding and be blessed.

Prayer for today: Ask God for grace and strengthen to run according to His rule.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is knowledge to constantly regard the work of God.

Isaiah 5

Knowledge, the evidence of understanding is the application of wisdom. Having knowledge is the way out of captivity. Whenever regarding the work of the Lord or considering the operation of His hand are actively in place in the life of a man, knowledge can never be misplaced. The book of Isaiah confirms this by stating, “…But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…” (Isaiah 5:12-13). Just as Isaiah points out, the Psalmist also stated, “Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5) Without any doubt, having a clear understanding of the word “regard” and being able to consciously operate it, will help to maintain the knowledge that it takes for one not to end up in captivity.
Regard is defined as: to look closely or attentively, to observe steadily, to hold in respect, to look upon or consider in a specified way. With understanding and application of the meaning of regard, when it comes to the work of the Lord, it will be almost impossible to end up in captivity. The work of God is markedly and noticeably wonderful. It is also the wondrous works of His hand that declares that His name is near. (Psalm 75:1) Why not begin to regard the works of His hand so as to maintain the fear of God that keeps one from any form of captivity? A failure not to regard the work of God is an undeniable access to God’s wrath. Also, not to regard the works of God can be compared to turning back on God. There is no excuse not to regard the work of God. Knowing that the works are there and visible to every one is same as knowing about God and making the choice of not turning to God. The book of Romans stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:20-21) Sodom and Gomorrah did not regard the works of God and they received judgment of God. If Sodom and Gomorrah could not escape judgment, the present generation will not escape God’s judgment either. Regard and retain God in your knowledge, abstain from ungodly and careless life. It is knowledge to constantly regard the works of God.

Prayer for today: Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)

FAITH CAPSULE:It takes one that loves God with all heart to dance with all might

2Samuel 6

The psalmist recorded, “…we will show forth Your praise to all generations.” (Psalm 79:13) Showing forth praise is God dignified and man undignified praise worship. King David, during his praise worship, after he brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom, demonstrated what it meant to show forth praise. In his praise worship, he chooses not to be silent and in his thanks giving he did not think thanks but expressly gave thanks with shout. David went undignified and humbles himself before God. It is interesting how some miracles as in the Bible days is being expected where standard of worship is far below that of the Bible days. Today there are places or people (with no health conditions) that claim praising while having issues rising on their feet to praise God. King David’s praise worship after sacrificing oxen and the best of sheep to God was described as, “…David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.” (2 Samuel 6:14-15) God deserves the best. The word of God requested for the best, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) It takes one that loves God with all his heart to dance with all might without paying attention to mockery or ridicule. King David, a man after God’s own heart, gave God his best. He shouted, he danced, he jumped and whirled before the Lord. David’s heart was lifted in praising God and he was able to bless every participant with bread. During the course of his praise worship, Michal the daughter of Saul, the wife of David made a comment, “…How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” (2 Samuel 6:20) Michal’s statement was a mockery that ridicules David. Among David’s response was, “It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel 6:21-22) Adopt David’s praise worship. Be undignified to give a dignified praise to God. Do not be quiet, give it all to God what prayer cannot do, praise will do it for you.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to show forth His praise continually to all generations.

FAITH CAPSULE: Delay is not denial

Ezra 4, 5

The word of God is consistently true to perform and perfect that which concerns every one that walks in line with His word. Also, when God opens a door of breakthrough, no demon can shut or deny it. Apostle Paul testifies, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9) Yes, adversaries, the agents of the evil one will always attempt to shut the great and effective door but failure belongs to the adversaries. Once, King Cyrus, a pagan king woke up and issued a decree allowing the Israelites to return to their home from the captivity of Babylon. The move of King Cyrus was a great and effective open door for the children of Israel. The king was moving in line with prophecy from 140 years before his reign. (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1). The children of Israel left to rebuild as it was decreed. The adversaries moved against the children of Israel’s rebuilding process in their home land. The adversaries attempted an indirect way of resisting the building process. The Bible recorded, “Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” (Ezra 4:1-3) This deceptive effort that could allow the adversaries failed, but the adversaries found another means to cause the rebuilding process to cease for two years. During the two years of disruption, “Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. (Ezra 5:1) The children of Israel listened to the prophets of God and they were able to succeed in completing and dedicating the temple. It is written, “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished…” (Ezra 6:14) When God opens the door, the adversaries can only delay but can never succeed in denying the purpose of the open door. Live by the word of God as stated, “Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20)

Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to locate you and establish you for God’s glory.