FAITH CAPSULE: Failure to fully obey is an avenue to self-destruction. 

Exodus 17:1-7, Numbers 20:7-13

Giving attention to God will attain the blessing of God. 
A failure to give attention to God will incur a curse, evidence of disobedience to God.
Are you one that is giving attention to yourself instead of giving attention to the command of God?
Command (word) of God is the direction with details that demands devotion not to depart as commanded.  
Do not disobey the command of God at all times because no excuse will count for disobedience to God.
Both times, when the Israelites lacked water, God responded with a word of direction for provision through Moses. 
At the first time of lack:
God commanded Moses, “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also, take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:5-6) 
Moses obeyed as commanded by God. 
The second time of lack:
The second time of the need for water, God commanded Moses again, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” (Numbers 20: 7-8)
At the first attempt to get water, the word of God directed Moses to strike the rock, while the second time called for speaking to the rock. 
Moses followed the command of God by striking the rock. 
The second time Moses failed to obey the command of God when he struck and spoke.
Numbers 20:11-12 records, “Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. 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.” 
Striking is not the same as speaking. 
Failure to fully obey God is an avenue to self-destruction. 
He is a God to become obedient in His direction.
Are you paying attention to yourself rather than paying attention to His command? 
Moses could not step on the Promise Land based on his disobedience to the command of God.
Be accountable and not count yourself out through disobedience.
God is not a joker. 
God expects obedience to His word unfailingly.

Prayer for today: Ask to be enabled with constant obedience to God and not to self.

FAITH CAPSULE: No one should not afford to live life foolishly.  

1 Samuel 13

Foolishness is a sin before God, but God does not tolerate sin.
It takes a foolish-minded one to take a position as a speaker for a forum that claims there is no God.  
Psalm 14:1 buttressed, “The fool has said in his heart that “there is no God” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” 
One that says in the heart that there is no God is such that speaks it from the mouth that there is no God. 
Jesus buttresses, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35) It is always evil to say there is no God. Often, it is an action that reveals a foolish, not only what utters from the mouth.
Are you saying there is no God by your verbal communication, body language, or the company you relate with?
The word will point out who the foolish is.
The foolish ones have all turned aside, not serving the Lord God.
The foolish ones are corrupt, dishonest practices such as bribery and lack of integrity.
The foolish ones do not do good but evil in approach and live in sin and iniquity.
Does any of the above sound like you? 
No one should not afford to live life foolishly. 
Living life in the wicked world of today demands a constant answer, not to be foolish. 
The world is wicked. 
Genesis 6:5 testifies, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  
Without a doubt, it takes a foolish mind to embrace the wicked world. 
As a believer, how do you answer to a foolish world? 
A believer must be with wisdom, not to be foolish. 
Foolishness is a sin, and sin does nothing but destroy. 
One living in sin will be far away from God.
Saul became a sinner by his act when he offered the burnt offering not belonging to King but to a priest. 
In a time of war against the Philistines, Saul could not wait for Samuel to sacrifice. 
At the arrival of Samuel, Saul gave an excuse for his foolishness while his act was foolishness to have engaged in offering. 
Samuel responded to the foolish act of Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you.” (I Samuel 13:13)
In engaging the wicked world, avoid foolish excuse that amounts to sin before God. 
Foolishness is a sin before God and will deny sinners from seeing God.

Prayer for today: Ask to be delivered from foolish engagement and not to miss the presence of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: To fully obey is not half obedience.

Luke 5:1-11

“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.” (Hebrews 11:6) 
Indeed, faith is the catapult of base shifting into the blessing of God. 
To fully obey the word of God will provoke the uncommon blessing of God. 
Today, the word of God is asking all to launch into the deep where eyes cannot see what is deposited there in the deep. 
However, the inability not to see what lies in the deep continues to deny one from launching into the deep for uncommon blessings.
Have you been asked to launch deep?
God is not a liar in His command to make a move when available provision is not a position to claim.
The problem with launching into the deep without having a breakthrough is rooted in the lack of complete obedience. 
Luke 5:4 records, “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’” 
The command of Jesus to Simon testifies to the truth that all Simon needed was already waiting in the deep. 
All Simon had to do was obey the command of Jesus, which was not a suggestion but a word to engage.
To fully obey is not half obedience.
Also, not fully obeying is a demonstration of half obedience. 
Jesus commanded Simon to launch into the deep and let down.
It is obedience to let go of the world of doubt to let God be.
In all of your launching, have you seriously been letting it down? 
Are you one that is holding back and not let down? 
The expectation of manifestation of the word of God is not in quoting the promises of God but in obedience to the word of God.
The command of Jesus to Simon was clear and direct enough to generate the expected result for Simon. 
In all endeavors is to give self to the command of God, launching deep by the word of God to experience expectation.
Fully obey the word of God to deny the evidence of struggle and anxiety in a season where the promise of God is hanging on as a blessing. 
In challenging times, it is not right to commit a burden to Jesus and not focus on obedience to the glory of God.
In these times, let worshiping God take the place of worrying. 
Diligently seeking God denies doubt. 
Simon and his fellow professional fishermen did not doubt but let their nets down and saw the miracle that provoked following Jesus. 
Luke 5:11 records, “So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsake all and followed Him.” 
Living a life of obedience to the word of God is an unfailing route to arrive at the manifestation of expectation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the strength of God to live by His command that does not fail.

FAITH CAPSULE: In a time of challenge, keep your eyes on God, and testimony shall be glorious.

Luke 1: 1-17

Luke 1:5-7, “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.”  
In life, none is above challenges, but God can deliver.
The faithfulness of Zacharias and Elizabeth before God was not enough for them not to experience life challenges.
To be serving and seeking God could not deliver Zacharias and Elizabeth from the barrenness of a child at their younger age. 
Despite so much time praying for a child, the hope of having a child was almost impossible in the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth until old age when they had a child. 
Does this sound like you?  
Have you lost hope and accepted challenges as destiny? 
Challenges are not because God did not hear your prayer, neither is it evidence of unrighteousness. 
However, keep on waiting on God and not be discouraged. 
God is not asleep regarding those with faith but does have a plan for the faithful. 
Be faithful, and keep on praying to God.
Zacharias waited in prayer, but the answer did not happen at his expected time but at the time of God.
In the face of challenge, grace, goodness, and mercy that is of God will make the difference. 
For Zacharias and Elizabeth, it was late to receive an answer to their prayer, but the miracle of God is at His time.
In the time of God is His plan and purpose that do not fail.
God remembered Zacharias, whose name means: “Jehovah remembers.” Zacharias experienced his breakthrough miracle. 
While Zacharias was serving God in the temple of the Lord, he had an encounter with a visitation of God. 
The Bible records, “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’” (Luke 1:11-13) 
The angel from God came with a message of a miracle to Zacharias. Indeed, the prayer of Zacharias and Elizabeth experienced delay before them and their world, but the appointed time of God was not interrupted.
God is never late to answer one with focus and does not replace God with a gimmick. 
God does not late!
In a time of challenge, keep your eyes on God, and testimony shall be glorious.

Prayer for today: Ask for the strength to maintain focus on God.

 FAITH CAPSULE: In asking, be specific and exact before God.

1 Samuel 1

When blind man Bartimaeus received information that Jesus was passing, he knew to cry out for his need. 
Luke 18:38-39 records, “And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
To know to ask is different from to know about asking. 
Bartimaeus asked for mercy with the assumption that Jesus knew his problem. 
Jesus knows all problems, but He wants all to know for asking what is needed.
Do you know to ask, or do you only know about asking? 
Jesus wants all to know and ask. 
Luke 11:9 states, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” 
Without a doubt, Jesus knows the need of all but engages Him by asking for the demonstration of faith.
Bartimaeus made a noise of asking for mercy, and Jesus decided to remind him to ask, “Saying, what do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” (Luke 18:41) 
Making a noise without asking is not enough to gain the attention of God.
In asking, be specific and exact before God.
When are you going to start asking rather than making noise? 
Hannah could have died barren until she asked for a son from God instead of being quiet under the comfort of her husband. 
Elkanah, the husband of Hannah, gave preferential treatment to make Hannah comfortable with her barren situation. 
However, on one miracle trip, she received her breakthrough when Peninnah (the second wife of Elkanah) provoked her. 
1 Samuel 1:10-11 records the response of Hannah to the provocation of Peninnah, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” 
The bitter heart of Hannah urged her to ask for her need before God.
All the while, Hannah was going to Shiloh with nothing to show off until she knew to ask, and her story changed from a barren woman to the mother of Samuel. 
Hannah testifies that she asked for Samuel from the Lord by the meaning of Samuel, “…Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”(1 Samuel 1:20)
Do you know to ask, or do you only know about asking?
Bartimaeus and Hannah asked, and all should know to ask. 

Prayer for today: Ask God for your need, and also ask to be surrounded with songs of deliverance.