FAITH CAPSULE:Do you fear God just in the mouth or do you actually fear Him in your heart?  

1Samuel 13

In living life there is nothing that counts most like having the fear of God. The book of Ecclesiastes concluded with a sound warning stating, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) Do you fear God as commanded by the word of God? Does your fear of God reflect the life you are living? Proverbs 19:23, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.” Fearing God should not be a one time thing but a continuous thing. The continuity of His fear will lead to life. A life of abundance is a life that is filled with satisfaction; it is a life that is not accessible for the evil one to play around with. The Psalmist also pointed out that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). Samuel spelled out clearly in 1 Samuel 12:24, “Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” When there is fear of God in place, there will be every reason to serve Him in truth with the whole heart. Any believer that is serving God with a serious consideration of all the great work the Lord has done will ride on the understanding of the truth that indeed there is nothing God cannot do. A believer that is operating with the mindset of what God has done will undoubtedly be provoking the hand of God for what God can and will do concerning that believer’s situation. The fear of God will cause a believer to know that waiting on God is the rule for getting through to gain from God. The fear of God is what will cause a believer to appreciate God more as the only sustainer of man. The constant fear of God will constantly disallow a man from getting into complaining for what is not at hand. To fear God is wisdom and to know in the heart that there is God. Not to fear God is foolishness and to know in the heart that there is no God. It is recorded in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’. They are corrupt, they have abominable works, there is none who does good.’” Where do you stand? Do you fear Him just in the mouth or do you actually fear Him in your heart? Only fear Him and every issue that is wisdom tackle-able will be responding in your favor. Only fear Him.

Prayer for today: Lord put Your fear in my heart so that I will not depart from You.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is a Great Manager; God will never mismanage your life.

1 Samuel 8

Asking God to bless us with the blessings that he has blessed other with is a sign that we have rejected Him for what He has for us. God knows our each and every need; he has a better understanding of what we need and want most in life. God gave the children of Israel judges to rule over them as a nation while the nations surrounding them had kings. Seeing this, the children of Israel wanted a change; they wanted to have a king and be like other nations and not what God wants for them to be. The children of Israel approached Samuel, the leader ordained by God, “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. (1 Samuel 8:4-6) The request from the children of Israel was not rooted in sincerity of the incompetency of the sons of Samuel but on the fact that they wanted to have king like other nations around them. The request was not a pleasant one before God. The request lack sincerity and loyalty for God that was always with them  and with best provision. “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. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7-9) Are you letting God know that you appreciate all that He has done and the things He is doing rather than asking Him for what He is doing for others around you? He is a Great Manager; God will never mismanage our life. He is the same yesterday and forever. Evidently, God was not pleased with the children of Israel’s request when He referred to it again in Hosea 13:11,” I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.” Avoid the wrath of God; do not let your request before God count against you as an act of rejecting God.

Payer for today: Ask God to make you never to ask whatever is outside of His divine plan for your life.

FAITH CAPSULE:Come out of religion, stop being a discipline believer; become His disciple.

John1

Are you a disciple of Christ or a discipline religious one? One can be discipline and receive but not believe. It is also possible for one to believe and not receive Christ as Lord and savior. The word Disciple was used to describe one of the twelve personal followers of Christ or one of the seventy followers Jesus sent forth(Luke 10:1) Disciple is a person who is pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another. Whose disciple are you? There is none that can be qualified as a disciple of Christ except one that believe and receive Him as Lord and savior. It is written in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” There are a number of verses in the Bible that point out the facts that some only believe in Him but not receive Him. Likewise, some verse also points to the fact that some only receive Him but do not believe Him. The Bible states in John 12:42, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” This verse points out the truth that some believe Him but could not confess Him. One can only confess what or who one receives. Jesus’ prayer for His disciples points out that to believe and receive is all that qualifies one as His disciple, “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” (John 17:8) Are you confusing yourself in His word? If you start confessing His word in your life, if your behavior demonstrates the word that you claim to have heard from Him, then you are qualified to be an acclaimed disciple of Jesus. Claiming or knowing about the word does not qualify one to be a disciple of Jesus. The act of going to church on a regular basis will not mark any one as a disciple. Abiding in His word is the only mark of a disciple of Christ. Believing and receiving Jesus could not be spelled out better like Jesus did in one of His engagement with His people that believes in Him, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31) The evidence of one that believes and receives Him is living in freedom that is rooted in the truth of the word of God. Come out of religion, stop being a discipline believer; become His disciple.

Prayer for today: Cause me O Lord to begin to constantly abide in Your word.

FAITH CAPSULE: God will not fail in His plan and purpose for your life if you will accept and abide in Him.

Exodus 3

God is a God of purpose and He aligns all of his creations for a purpose at an appointed place and appointed time. However, the adversary of man wants to disappoint what God has appointed. The children of Israel were appointed by God for the Promised Land and what the adversary wanted for them is to trap them in the wilderness. Just as the adversary wanted it for the children of Israel, so he wants it for God’s children today. God appointed Moses to lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years in Egypt. Also, God appointed Jesus to save and deliver us from destruction. When it was time for God to move His children out of the bondage He sent Moses with the promise that the children of Israel will heed his voice as regard to His plan of deliverance for them. God also gave Moses His word for the king of Egypt, “…you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.2 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” It was a well detailed message for the King and also for the children to see what was ahead for them. He is a God of purpose yesterday, today and forever. The striking part in His plan states, “…But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders…” God’s outstretched hand to the children of Israel is not only to deliver them but also to give them uncommon favor. The same outstretched hand is the Wonderful Counselor that we have in Jesus today. God will not fail in His plan or purpose for your life if you will accept and abide in Him.

Prayer for today: Help me Lord. Take my days and my moments and let them be concentrated on you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Meditation is not possible when there is no delight in the word of God.

2 Chronicles 17

Good success is a blessing of God. God’s blessing does not come by accident but His blessing comes with condition as stated in His command. The word of God to Joshua after the death of Moses states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) To have good success requires meditating on the word of God day and night. Meditation is not possible when there is no delight in the word of God. It is written Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and His law he meditates day and night”. Evidently, having delight in the word of God will trigger constant meditation in the life of the delighted ones. What does your heart delight in? A heart that delights not in His word will not take to His way but will take to the opposite direction of His way. In the command of God, there is no middle ground but to obey and be blessed or disobey and remain un-blessed. The evidence and the result of taking delight in the law of God can be seen in the life of King Jehoshaphat when he ruled in Judah. It was evident that he walked in the ways of God. He sought God and he did not walk according to the acts of Israel (2 Chronicles 17:3-4). The results of his walk moved the hand of God as recorded in 2 Chronicles 17:5, “Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance”. What other blessings can substitute for the blessings that come from God? Just as God will not overlook sin, so He will not overlook a heart that takes delight in His commands. With all that was taking shape in the life of Jehoshaphat, it is recorded that “his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah” (2Chronicles 17:6). A heart that delights in His ways will meditate day and night and have good success.

Prayer for today: God is still in the business of answering prayers. Ask God to give you a heart that delights in His ways. A heart that delights in the law of God is set for blessings and there will be no stumbling in any walk of life.