FAITH CAPSULE: “…we often fail to bypass the way of the world in order to minister the message of God’s kingdom.”

John 4
It is written about Jesus, “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar…” (John 4:3-5) Samaria is not the place for a Jew to think of going through from Judea to Galilee but it is the shortest route. The Jews often avoided Samaria by going through another route. Jesus did not avoid the short route. For Jesus to get to the Samaritan woman, He took an uncommon route. Bitterness and rivalry did not deny Jesus from fulfilling one of His divine assignments on earth. It is not important how many of our assignments were executed but how many were not executed because of worldly ideas. Jesus bypassed rivalry, bitterness, enmity, worldly ideas because He wanted to get to the Samaritan woman. As a believer, we often fail to bypass the way of the world in order to minister the message of God’s kingdom. Jesus repeatedly proved how wrong the roles that the world often plays to deny salvation. When He came to Samaria, He ministered to a woman who had never heard the gospel message. Jesus stated, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14) Having ministered to the Samaritan woman, He told her about her past relationships with husbands. To the Samaritan woman, her encounter with Jesus was evidence that  Jesus was a prophet. After she listened to all that Jesus had told her, “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” (John 4:28-29) The Samaritan woman left what she carried with her and went on to carry out a great evangelism. For Jesus to get to the Samaritan woman, He passed through Samaria. The Samaritan woman’s evangelism caused many Samaritans to give their life to Christ just as it is written, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.” (John 4:39-41) Bypass the way of this world for the word of God to have its way.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that will enable you to live a fulfilled life to the glory of God.   

FAITH CAPSULE: When the word cannot be retained, attaining the exploit that word carries is impossible.

Matthew 13:1-23

Jesus explained the meaning of the parable of the sower to His disciples, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.” (Matthew 13:19) In His explanation, He mentioned other kinds of ground that represent those that hear the word and could not hold on to the word. The point here is that, every time the word is released it goes inside of the hearer but, what makes the difference is how it impacts the hearer. Psalm 119:30 states that, the entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” The psalmist is also saying that the word enters through our hearts. When the word enters our hearts it is suppose to give light and to give understanding. However, the word that enters will only work for the ones that have a simple (humble) heart. Without a simple heart the word that enters cannot have a place. By the word of the psalmist, it is safe to conclude that no matter how much a basket looks like a bowl it is not simple enough to hold water just like a bowl would do. Are you experiencing the absence of the work of the word in your life? Could it be that you have not been able to retain the word? When the word cannot be retained, attaining the exploit that word carries is impossible. The psalmist clearly mentioned that the word gives light and understanding to the simple. Proverbs 8:5 pointed out, “O you simple ones, understanding prudence…” Prudence can be described as: care, caution, and good judgment, as well as wisdom in looking ahead. Evidently, anyone who does not understand prudence would not operate with a simple heart. Without a simple heart the entrance of the word would not operate as light and understanding. In this world of challenges the word of God is what it takes to stand and have life. The word of God is sent for our healing and deliverance from every form of destruction. Psalm 107:20 stated, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”With a conscious and deliberate understanding to operate prudence, the hearer would be able to receive the word with understanding and also to receive it as light. How is the state of your heart? Can you compare your heart to that of a wayside or stony places? The Word in your life will enable you to overcome confronting challenges of this world.

Prayer for today: Deliver me O Lord from the forces that make the heart of man to operate like a stony heart.

FAITH CAPSULE: Seeking God is not only in answering or claiming to be a Christian.

Luke 13:22-35

“And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able.”” (Luke 13:22-24)As Jesus was going back and forth on earth in human form preaching the gospel, so He has positioned so many who are also preaching the gospel and introducing the Kingdom of God today. As He was questioned about who is saved and who is not saved, so the same question persists today about who is saved. When Jesus was asked about who is saved, He emphasized that the way of salvation is a narrow way and not the wide and popular way. It is clear that striving and not strolling is what it requires to enter through the narrow gate. Jesus also pointed out clearly that many will seek to enter and will not be able to. Are you seeking Him through the narrow way or the broad way? The narrow way is the unpopular way while the broad way is the popular way that carries the majority of people. Seeking Him is not only when going to church; seeking Him is not when we are doing whatever is convenient to do in His commandment. Seeking God is not about convenience, but rather a commitment. Seeking God is not in following crowds to places of worship. Seeking God is not only in answering or claiming to be a Christian. How are you seeking Him? When you believe in Him you will seek Him. Any believer that does not believe the word will fall short of seeking Him. Believing the word of God is living the word of God. Determination will fail but the grace of God is the only way to seek Him indeed and in truth. It is not possible to seek God when your ways are not His ways and when all that surrounds you are of the world. God cannot be deceived nether can any man hide from His presence. The Bible makes it clear the time of seeking and finding Him,“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7). In your life journey, strive to enter through the narrow gate and seek Him in truth.

Prayer for today: Guide and direct me O Lord so I will not enter into the broad way.

 FAITH CAPSULE: God remembers with favor and visit with salvation.

1Samuel 1

Remember me, O LORD, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance. (Psalm 106:4) God remembers with favor and visit with salvation. God never forget to attend to His children and when a call is placed on us, He always remembers. It is written, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”(Exodus2:23-25) It was the cry of the children of Israel that caused God to remember them in the bondage of over four hundred years. Despite the fact that God closed the womb of Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5), she did not stop going to Shiloh with her husband, to worship God every year. However, the shame of not having a child haunted her until she took her cry to God in a way she never did. Having made a vow in her request for an open womb, she continued praying before the Lord. While Hannah was praying, “…Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” (1 Samuel 1:12-14) The prayer of Hannah was mistaken for drunkenness because of the heaviness of her heart. Despite your faithfulness unto God, do you have any challenge that haunts you and remains persistent for years and will not go? Just like the children of Israel and Hannah, you have a need for aggressive means to get heaven’s attention. The children of Israel groaned and cried while Hannah vowed and prayed. After Hannah had poured out her heart, “…Elkanah knew her Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:19-20)When your asking begins to take an uncommon dimension, God who never forgets will remember you. Ask God like you mean it and He will visit you with favor.
 
Prayer for today:Remember me, O Lord, with favor and visit me with salvation.

FAITH CAPSULE: The Word God is life, study it and see life in it.

John 6:1-14

Signature is defined as a person’s name or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document. With the understanding of this definition, which one will you desire in your life­­­­­­­­­­­­­-following His signs or having His signature in your life? The sad thing is that many have their life trapped following the signs instead of having His signature in their life. It is always the ones that carry His mark (signature) that will make a mark in this world of challenge. The Bible recorded, “After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” (John 6:1-2) They followed Jesus because of the signs and not because they wanted to carry His mark. Carrying the mark of Jesus in our life is demonstrated in how we face the challenges of this world. The Feeding of Five Thousand depicts what it takes to stand against the challenges of having a lack of faith in this world. The Bible recorded, “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” (John 6:5) Jesus saw the multitude and He wanted to know what it would take to feed them. His disciple response represented a lack of faith. Philip responded, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” (John 6:7) While Andrew stated, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9) In Jesus’ command, we see what it takes to deal with the challenges of having a lack of faith. John 6:10-11, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples…” In dealing with the faithless challenge, sitting down and feeding on the word of God depict sitting on the grass (grass representing feed for the sheep), having the people sit in number depicts putting them in order (when you have a number system, you have order in place) and giving thanks to God. In confronting the faith challenge, sit and settle with the word, put yourself in order and give thanks to God. God will convert your lack of faith into a miracle and lack will be converted to abundant. The Word God is life, study it and see life in it.  

Prayer for today: I ask O Lord that You fill me with the knowledge of Your word that I may have spiritual understanding.