FAITH CAPSULE: Disallow your concern to allow the command of God.

Jonah 1, 2

Disallowing the command of God is disobedience.
Disobedience to the word of God is an avenue to painful consequences in life.
Disobedience is evidence of carelessness, not keeping God’s commandment (word).
Proverbs 19:16 warns, “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of his ways will die.” (Proverbs 19:16)
Are you keeping yourself in the word of God for His direction over your life?
Jonah was a case of disobedience to the command of God.
The book of Jonah 1:1-3 records, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”
Jonah was careless not to keep to the direction of God over his life.
When God calls and sends one, He will back such one not to fail.
The command of God is His direction to keep but, disobedience will lead to self-destruction. 
Jonah was supposed to obey God regardless of what seemed right to him.
Have you received the calling of God with a specific direction, not your specified idea?
God called Moses out to lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years. 
Moses, out of his concern for God, reacted to the rebellious act of the children of Israel toward God. 
Moses took it upon himself to strike the rock against the direction of God. God responded to the disobedient of Moses, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12)
The same God sent Samuel to go and anoint David while Saul was still living as the King. 
Samuel was concerned about the command of God when he asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” (1 Samuel 16:2) 
Out of concern, Samuel could have responded by going his own way but went by the command of God.
God responded to Samuel, “…Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”1 Samuel 16:2-3) 
The concern of Samuel could not provoke him to disobey the command of God. 
God alone knows the end from the beginning.
God knows all before the birth of anyone. 
Disallow your concern by allowing His command to have His place.

Prayer for today: Ask to live by obeying the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: know to plead for the mercy of God.

Exodus 15

Plead for the mercy of God!
God is at a distance where or when sin exists and does not accommodate sin.
With sin, one is short of the presence of God, but without sin, one will gain the fullness of the presence of God. Romans 3:23 speaks to all, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 
Distance from the presence of God will provoke unwanted, unexpected painful challenges that exist in the wicked world of sin.
With repentance from sin, the mercy of God shall answer painful challenges.
Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, the mercy of God has been consistent to see you this far, not to become a victim of the wicked world.
Just as power belongs unto God, mercy also belongs to God. 
The mercy of God means God is compassionate and kind.
His mercy is with forbearance that does not run out.
Only God is in the position to render mercy unto all without failing.
The mercy of God does not result in merit but in the goodness of God. 
God cannot be intimidated or manipulated by His creations to obtain His mercy.
God testifies to His mercy, “…I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So, then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” (Romans 9:14-16)
The mercy of God is in place for all, and nothing under heaven can displace or deny one to experience His mercy.
The mercy of God could not be displaced or denied of the Israelites from coming out of the bondage of over four hundred years.
The Bible records, “You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed…” (Exodus 15:13) 
In this wicked world, understand and know to live life to attain the mercy of God as the Bible records His word.
Know to plead for the mercy of God.
Know to plead for the mercy of God.
God identified Job as a blameless man that fears God and shuns evil but not with an excuse not to plead for the mercy of God. Job 9:15 records the pleads for mercy by Job in the presence of God, “For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge” (Job 9:15). 
There is no excuse for Job to receive the mercy of God without pleading for His mercy. 
Just like Job, the Psalmist pleads for the mercy of God, “Have mercy on me, O LORD! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death.” (Psalm 9:13). 
Know to plead for the mercy of God.

Prayer for today: Ask, and plead before God for His mercy over the challenges of your life.

FAITH CAPSULE:  When God calls you with promotion, He will put people in a position to dress you and not reject you. 

2Kings 9:1-13

When God calls one, such shall be elevated to arrive at the divine assignment for the glory of God.
For example, Jehu was only a commander in the army of Ahab at the time God called Jehu to become the King of Israel.
God is the caller of mine without permission to call one as He pleases, regardless of the status of anyone He calls. 
Before the calling of Jehu, there was no prior announcement or qualification for the calling of Jehu.
The calling over the life of Jehu was not by the way of the world but by the way of God.
In the calling of Jehu, there was no indication of what the calling was for Jehu. 
In the life journey, your elevation will come just like it went and located Jehu. 
It was business as usual when Elisha sent one of the prophets to go and anoint Jehu with oil as the King of Israel. 
2 Kings 9:2 records, “Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room.” 
Jehu rose from among his associates to become the head among his associates. 
The calling of God at the appointment of His time cannot deny or derail the call.
Interestingly, Jehu did not pray to ask for the calling over his life.
Jehu was not with the idea of the calling of God.
Jehu did not struggle or take any stand of opposition before the anointing came unexpectedly to lift him above and beyond his associates. 
The calling of elevation over the life of Jehu was from God, and his associates could not resist nor reject him as the King. 
Have you received the calling of God unexpectedly when not expected to be called the King of Israel?
When God calls you with promotion, He will put people in a position to dress you and not reject you. 
God will be for you in answering His calling.
2 Kings 9: 13 records, “Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!” 
Jehu did not only receive dressing but was announced with the blast of trumpets and with a loud announcement of his new position. 
Are you wondering if you will ever rise above and beyond where you are now? 
God is a great God.
He is still in the business of extending favor, mercy, grace, and blessings. Let no situation or condition dictate to you or discourage you from what you can become or what you cannot become. 
God, the lifting lifter, will lift you above your associates in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen. 

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled to give attention to God by studying His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: All challenging stories are changeable for good.

Judges 11

Jephthah the Gileadite had a but in his life that reduced him before his world, not before God.
Jephthah was a mighty man of valor but a son of a harlot. 
Jephthah was chased out of his father because he was born by another woman. 
Jephthah was in a situation that was not called for by him. 
The challenge of Jephthah was outside of his control.
He was billed to pay for what he did not bargain for. 
Are you paying for what you did not call for?
Are you experiencing any similar situation to Jephthah? 
Life has ups and downs.
Life demands wisdom and knowledge of God, not to live a life of waste.
Life is a journey.
The journey of life demands unfailing faith and patience.
Faith with patience is like the key to the ignition vehicle of the life journey.
Wait, watch, and see what the Lord will do to your case. 
Regarding Jephthah, after being chased out by his people, the children of Israel came back to him for help. 
When God intervenes, the situation will change for the glory of God.
During the confrontation with the enemies, the children of Israel needed a commander. 
The elders of Gilead had to go and seek Jephthah for help.
Can you imagine how your story will change for the glory of God? 
The book of Judges 11:6 records, “Then they said to Jephthah, ‘Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon.’” 
Whenever your world condemns you, God has His way of redeeming you.
Jephthah became a hot commodity. 
Jephthah was a son of a harlot.
He was driven out by his brothers, now being sought to be a leader. Jephthah responds in Judges 11:7, “So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” 
The same God set up a situation for Jephthah to become redeemed by getting a call from his people.
With his calling, he rose above and beyond where he was before being expelled.
God is in a position to always turn the story around for His name.
The name of God should become glorified over the life of anyone He brings up.
God can never be too late or too soon.
God will show up in your situation at His divine timing. 
Jephthah the Gileadite accepted the assignment to deliver victory for his people over the enemies.
The children of Israel were victorious by the leadership of the rejected one.
Jephthah did not just lead as a commander but became the head because of victory over the enemy by his hand. 
Jephthah the Gileadite had a but in his life that reduced him before his world, not before God. 
Your story will change for good to the glory of God. 

Prayer for today: Ask that your story will change for good to the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Are your challenges more than what Job experienced? 

Psalm 34

Challenges will come and go.
There is no one with an excuse not to experience challenges.
Challenges can be persistently painful. 
No challenge is beyond the deliverance of God.
Trusting the name of God should not be limited to when there is no challenge. 
The name of God is worthy to be trusted at all times as a strong tower that the righteous run to and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)
Job, during his days of unimaginable challenges, declares, “Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15) 
If Job can trust God during his challenges, what prevents others from trusting Him? 
Are your challenges more than what Job experienced?
Challenges will come and go.
Give thanks to God for all He has done and will do.
Regardless of the challenge, know to have a heart purposed for God.
HAVE A PURPOSE FOR GOD WITH PRIORITY
To answer as a believer, not living by the word of God is not with a purposed heart for God. 
Daniel had a challenge.
Daniel was a young captive taken away from his people and land. 
Daniel 1:8 records, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…”
Daniel purposed, resolved, and persisted not to defile himself by engaging in that which is not of God. 
Purpose with priority to live life for God by walking with God.
Consciously, consistently, let your purpose be your custom way of life before God.
Daniel did not live a life of waste. He purposed with priority and walked with God.
The challenge Daniel could not deny him from walking with God was not to become a victim of a wicked world.
THE WORD OF GOD IS POWER TO CALM THE STORM
Challenges will come and go.
An unexpected or expected storm is a challenge that will calm.
Power is an authority in the word of God.
One living by the word of God is with power.
Challenges such as windstorms shall respond to specific authority to gain peace over challenges.
Over your windstorm, pray with understanding, not play religion by making noise over God, not listening to hear back from God.
Jesus spoke with authority, “…Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39)
Living life by the word of God is the position to operate with authority.
Deceiving to manipulate the world is not a position to operate the authority in the word of God.
One seeking God will carry the mark of a righteous one.
Righteous one should be an expectation for deliverance in all challenges.
Psalm 34:19 encourages, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  
Keep in mind, know that challenges will come and go.

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled to walk with God.