FAITH CAPSULE: When fear compels, complication prevails.

1 Samuel 13

Whenever the compelling force in your life is positively in line with the Word of God, the end result will be nothing but a positive and blessed result. However, when a compelling force in your life is negative and not in line with the Word of God, you are set for a negative and complicating result. Have you ever thought about what is compelling you in making your daily decisions? Among the most active and frequent compelling forces that often complicates the life of man is that of fear. The story of King Saul depicts exactly what it is to allow a negative compelling force, such as fear, to have a place in our life. King Saul was the first king of the children of Israel. He was a king anointed by God for God’s people. He had God on his side along with Samuel constantly in place for him as God’s mouthpiece. What else could a man need to fully rest and trust on God? Despite King Saul’s position, he could not function effectively without fear. At a time of war with the prominent enemy of the children of Israel, he allowed fear to take over as a compelling force that led him to his complicating decision. King Saul was commanded by Samuel to wait for seven days until Samuel arrived to offer the burnt offering before his battle with the Philistines. “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, ’Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came…” (1 Samuel 13:8-10) Saul made the wrong move because he could not travail in waiting. Samuel came as promised the same day, but not at Saul’s timing. When Samuel asked why King Saul took such a decision, Saul’s response was that, “…when I saw that the people were scattered from me…” (1 Samuel 13:11) Who are you looking up to? Do you look up to God or the people and situation around you? Saul went further in his testimony and stated, “…I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” Saul succumbed to fear when his people scattered and was compelled to make an unlawful sacrifice. Samuel made it clear that he violated God’s command. Violating God could be termination from God. Samuel made it known to Saul, “…the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever but now your kingdom shall not continue…” (1 Samuel 13:13-14) When fear compels, complication prevails.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God, I ask that You cause me to trust in You with all my heart.   

FAITH CAPSULE: Standing in faith will require the grace of God and not just determination

Matthew 14:22-33

As you face a new day, lift up your eyes and pray the words of the Psalmist: “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,” (Psalm 64:1-2)In addition, memorize it and meditate on it as you navigate through the journey of life. If meditating is your routine, you will do well with the word of the Psalmist. The anchor in this prayer is, “preserve me from the fear of the enemy.” There is only one enemy for every creation of God and that enemy is the devil himself. Fear is the deadliest of the enemy’s weapon. When faith sinks, it is because fear was allowed to rise. Fear does not discriminate on who to invade. Job, a man of integrity, was described by God in response to the Satan asone“that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) Job had a high standard in the presence of God. After he had lost all that the Lord blessed him with, he confessed about fear, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25)Fear did not announce himself to Job when it was gaining its ground inside of Job. In Job’s life, fear could not destroy him but did a great damage on him. Also, it was fear that caused Peter to sink in the storm. In the challenge of stormy water, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ’Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ’Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:28-30) In this narration of Peter, it is clear that when faith was in place, he was able to walk on the storm and not sink. However, when faith was out of place, fear began to make him sink despite the fact that Jesus was there with him. Standing in faith will require the grace of God; not determination. Peter, the man with strong determination, almost got his termination when fear took the place of faith in his life. The Psalmist knew what it takes to hold on to faith. Pray the prayer of the Psalmist so that your faith will not fail.      

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that upholds man in faith in face of the daily journey.

FAITH CAPSULE: Many can see, but are yet spiritually blinded.

Mark 10:46-52

Despite the fact that blind Bartimaeus was at the right location at the right time to connect with his healing, he refused to allow any force to deny him his well deserved healing. To be positioned where Jesus is passing by is undoubtedly a well deserved blessing. Among the reasons of His coming was to deliver and preserve in every area of life that will add up to having life and having it abundantly. Today, so many Bartimaeus’ are actually positioned in the right place at the right time, but cannot connect with their healing. The Bible recorded about Jesus, “As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ’Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Mark 11:46-47) Clearly, Bartimaeus’ healing began at the point where he was able to hear about Jesus. His physical blindness could not interfere with his hearing that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Many had eyes and ears but could not see Jesus passing by neither could they hear about Jesus. Bartimaeus, a blind man, heard about Jesus and called out. Forces around him could not deny him his miracle despite the physical loss of his sight. The major force that could have denied Bartimaeus was the multitude. Bartimaeus understood well enough that the name of Jesus was all that he needed. As a result of his understanding, the multitude’s attempt to discourage him and shut him up failed and could not prevail. In the location at which you can receive your deliverance, are you paying attention to forces of discouragement and hindrance or are you paying attention to your understanding about your Lord and Savior? The Bible recorded how the multitude (force of hindrance) attempted to deny Bartimaeus. “Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, ’Son of David, have mercy on me!’”(Mark 10:48) Bartimaeus could care less and cried out even more. He denied giving attention to the multitude. Bartimaeus’ cry caused Jesus to respond and give him attention. With Jesus’ attention, the same crowd that attempted to silence Bartimaeus also responded saying, “…Be of good cheer. Rise He is calling you.” (Mark 11:49) It is not enough to know about whom you believe but to actually know Him and be known in Him is what will put His mark on your life. The cry of Bartimaeus, “Jesus, Son of David” was the one that represented knowing Jesus. Bartimaeus was blind in the physical but he did have spiritual insight. Many can see, but are yet spiritually blinded. What about you?  

Prayer for today: Jesus, son of David, have mercy. Cause the eyes of my heart to be opened.

FAITH CAPSULE:The challenges in your calling will make you and will not break you.

Jeremiah 1

Many giants in the hand of God sailed through in the center of their divine assignment while many could not sail through. Today, many are answering and maintaining their position in the center of their divine assignment while many are falling and not maintaining their calling. Having started right and later succumbing and falling in doing the work of God is not always evident to the fact that they are not called of God. The bottom line of it all is that God is in total control and nothing under Heaven passes by Him without His knowing. Have you been called and now face tough challenges? It is good to rest assure that your challenges will not break you. Stay on the truthfulness of God’s Word and you shall overcome. In God’s calling, challenging times will come, but when we remain faithful we shall not fall but shall remain standing. When God called Jeremiah to the center of his divine assignment, it was with words of encouragement over challenges that were ahead for Jeremiah. God spoke to him, “Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.” (Jeremiah 1:17) Whenever He calls you, He will back you up if you do not fail to back out of His Word. Backing out of His calling will definitely lead to the falling of the called. God also warned Jeremiah stating, “’They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,’ says the LORD, ’to deliver you.’” (Jeremiah 1:19) God will not call and fail to back His called. Failure, however, happens when the called fail to maintain faith in God. The same way God gave His assurance to Jeremiah, He also gave to Ezekiel. He spoke to Ezekiel, “You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house…” (Ezekiel 2:7-8) Are you doing just as He sent you? It is a sin to violate God’s word of command and God will not overlook sin. In your calling, if you are going by your own word, disobedience has taken control and it could lead to self-termination. There is hardly any that do not face challenges among the called ones. The Bible recorded about Jesus in Hebrews 5:8, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” In God’s calling, there is no way out to avoid challenges. The challenges in your calling will make you and will not break you.

Prayer for today: Enable me O Lord in the course of my calling that I may not fail You.

FAITH CAPSULE: What you believe determines what you receive and what you receive is what you will have.

Mark 11: 12-24

Inside the lesson of the withered fig tree, Jesus accentuated the power of true faith. The illustration of moving a mountain into the sea is an extreme impossibility. However, having faith in God can definitely make it possible. The lesson of the withered fig tree began when Jesus and His disciples were coming from Bethany and Jesus was hungry. When Jesus approached the fig tree expecting to find something to eat and found nothing, He responded, “…Let no one eat fruit from you ever again…” (Mark 11:14) The Bible records that the disciples heard Jesus. Despite Jesus’ word, nothing happened right on the spot as they continued on their journey. However, as they were returning in the morning, the fig tree had dried up from the roots. Peter responded to what had become of the tree by calling Jesus’ attention. “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.” (Mark 11:21) Jesus did not hesitate as He responded to Peter’s comment. “So Jesus answered and said to them, ’Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24)Inside the response of Jesus is the secret of moving mountains. The first point is to have faith in God and not in gods. Any thought or expectation from any other avenue for help reduces God from moving your mountain for you. Secondly, speak to your mountain. Your mountain must have a name in order for you to call it. Call your mountain by its name and take authority over it in the name of Jesus. Truly this is easier said than done, but where there is true understanding of what is said, then what is said will be done. The third secret that is no secret for ones who have understanding of the Word is to believe that what you are asking for has been already been received even though it is not yet in your hand. Although the fig tree was spoken to, nothing happened until the following morning. With faith, speak to your need, believe you have received it although it is not yet in your hand, move forward and then you will have it. The point is: what you believe determines what you receive and what you receive is what you will have. Remember that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Prayer for today: Ask God for His grace for you to be rooted in operating true faith.