FAITH CAPSULE: Determination will not help to dwell in the word; when there is desire to dwell, God will deposit what it takes to dwell in His word

1 John 3:13-24

When the knowledge of God is not there in you, you are out there in the world at your own risk. Also, captivity becomes a familiar ground for you. Isaiah 5:13, “…my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.”To lack knowledge of God is an avenue to captivity. Do you desire for the word of God to have its place in your life? The apostle Paul prayed, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” (Colossians 1:9-11)Paul’s prayer is worth of constant meditation for all that desire to dwell in Him. The word of God is the will of God and to know God is to be in Him and Him in you. Having been in the church for long or having the ability to memorize and be conversant in quoting the word is not a determinant of knowing Him. 1 John 2:3, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Keeping the commandments of God is a determinant of knowing Him; not by just talking about the commandments. Many talk about the commandments of God but only a few are demonstrating the life of one who keeps the commandments. 1 John 2:4-6, “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”The word of God is true. God does not lie and He will not look away from the manifestation of His word.In this world of challenge there is no better place to abide but in the word of God. Determination will not help to dwell in the word; when there is desire to dwell, God will deposit what it takes to dwell in His word into your life. “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in Him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)

Prayer for today: Fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

FAITH CAPSULE: It is not enough to preach and not reach the people.

Mark 2:1-12

“And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.” (Mark 2:1-2) There was no need for any publications or news coverage before it was known that Jesus was in town. His testimony was the announcer and His work followed Him everywhere He went. At the arrival of Jesus, there was no delay before the whole ground was covered by the needy. Bishop Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel once said, “If the grass is green, the sheep will come” As an acclaimed carrier of the word of God, how is the word announcing your presence everywhere you go? The people gathered because Jesus was preaching the word and also reaching the people by His word. It is not enough to preach and not reach the people. The preaching that reaches the people is the one that brings forth healing, deliverance, provision and above all, it provokes undeniable miracles. In that trip to Capernaum because of the word that He preached and that reached the people, some sick were not able to reach Him where He was. “And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”(Mark 2:4-5)What Jesus saw was faith in operation. Jesus did not ask what the sin was, but rather He pronounced forgiveness upon the paralytic man. Ask Him for the kind of forgiveness that delivers man from every ground of stagnation just like that of paralytic man. After forgiveness, the word of authority and healing followed through, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!””(Mark 2:11-12)As a carrier of the word, what do you desire in the business of the Lord? Is it carrying the word around with no proof and nothing to account for? It does not matter how long you have been born again, but it does matter for you to become His agent; that is His ambassador. A wise saying stated, “What is worth doing is worth doing well” Are you not tired of being His ambassador without His power? God is willing to use us mightily for His name to be glorified and for the unbelievers to know to believe Him.

Prayer for today: Cause me to put my trust in You that I may declare all Your work.

FAITH CAPSULE: Half obedience is full failure. Half obedience does not count before God.

Genesis 6:8-22

The source of faith is stated in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Have you heard from Him about your next move? Go ahead and make your move. If he has called you, have you answered? If you have heard from Him, then you have no reason to doubt neither should there be a reason for you to exercise fear. Fear is not of God, but of the devil. Fear will sink you and not raise you. Fear is the opposite of faith and faith is all that you need to move forward in all that you have heard from God. If God sends you, He will back you up. If God calls you to move, He will equip you through in your move. God alone is more than able to see you through. If you know that He called you, ignore all the confronting challenges which are in the way of your move. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Hebrews 11:7) Noah could have ignored the warning and missed the vehicle of his salvation. Noah had every justifiable reason not to move. There were enough tangible excuses for Noah not to move as commanded by God. In a region where it hardly rains in a year, how then could it flood so much that there would be a need for such a huge boat? Noah, being one who lived in that region and knew the weather pattern there, could have responded and built a smaller ark as compared to the one God called for. Noah knew the land very well and there will be no reason to move fully in obeying God. Half obedience is full failure. Half obedience does not count before God. The Bible records, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22)Are you still considering making that move? Is your moving a matter of consideration or of His calling? Counting on Him and committing it all on Him will see you through. Without faith God is not pleased. Please God with your move because it is a demonstration of faith in Him. Hebrew 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.”Please God consistently and He will be consistent with you in your walk to the expected end in your life.

Prayer for today: O Lord I ask that you open the eyes and ears of my heart that I may move in your command.

FAITH CAPSULE: Be encouraged and do not be discouraged in the race of life.

Hebrews 12:1-24

The journey of life is a race of life. Running the race is not by strength or by determination, but only by the grace of God. Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”The race is already set and there is no choice but to run it. To run the race requires endurance through the grace of God. Also, the race is not to the swift but those who run it from the beginning to the finish line. In the running of this race, every baggage weight should be laid aside because too much weight will slow any runner down. Slowing down will bring forth the temptation of abandoning the race; abandoning the race will lead to eternal damnation. What kinds of weight are you carrying in your race? Is it manipulation, unable to forgive, lying, deception, keeping malice, fornication, adultery, stealing and all kinds of race terminating baggage? In this world of challenges, running with determination will not be enough but endurance is what it takes to run successfully. Running the race with endurance can only be engaged by looking up unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. For effective and successful running, Jesus paid the price on the cross with His blood. The Blood of Jesus never runs out or short of supply. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) In the race of life, it is not affordable to look or attempt to look outside of the One who has been at the beginning of the race and will be waiting for us at the end of the race. Jesus is the only One to look up to and the only the One we can take all concerns and cares up to. When there is a failure to look up to Him, one will end up in the race wrongly. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith stated, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)Are you getting weighed down in the race of life? Be encouraged and do not be discouraged in the race of life. Hold on to Him by keeping your eyes on Him and He will see you through. With Jesus, you will run with peace and find rest.

Prayer for today: Deliver me O God of Host; Cause your face to shine on me and I shall be saved.

FAITH CAPSULE: God is constantly consistent in His ways and His ways will not change.

Psalm 37

Learning from men of God like King David can never be too much because so much is needed navigating through the journey of life. In David, one can learn that clinging to testimonies of God will not put a believer to shame. David testifies, “I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed.”(Psalm 37:25-26) King David, a man referred to as “one that is after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22)knew exactly what he was talking about. King David was not arousing any man’s emotion neither was he attempting to please man, but rather lived to lift the name of God. The truth behind King David’s statement is that indeed it was pleasing to God because it was a statement that demonstrates faith in the highest order. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” King David was so sure of his God and he testified about his lifetime experience of not having seen a righteous one ever forsaken. Who is it or who are those that David referred to as never been forsaken? King David was referring to the righteous one. Who is righteous? 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Have you accepted Christ indeed and in truth? It is one thing to claim to have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and not be living the Word of God. Also, it is another thing to claim to have received Christ and actually be living according to the Word of God. When a believer begins to live indeed and in truth, he becomes righteous in Christ Jesus. The righteous are the ones that King David referred to as the one that cannot be forsaken. God is constantly consistent in His ways and His ways have not changed from the times of the Bible through today. His ways will never change, but His ways will be making changes in every way to the glory of His Name. Where do you stand? Are you consistent with your confession? Are you true to the Word of God? God will not forsake any of His own. Jesus loves you and He will not give you what you do not need. Be encouraged and take to the word of Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said I will never leave you nor forsake you.”David experienced it and confessed it. If you will live according to the Word of God, your testimony will be like that of David. God is faithful!

Prayer for today: Let Your hand become my help O Lord.