FAITH CAPSULE: With understanding, be encouraged, avoid discouragement.

Luke 5:1-11

It is worth keeping in mind that God answers prayers.
In waiting for the expectation that is yet to be at hand, thank God for it.
Seek God, acknowledging Him that you thank Him that He has heard you, and He always hears you.
Jesus demonstrated the meaning of the prayer of faith.
At the grave of Lazarus, the prayer of Jesus to bring Lazarus states, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Lazarus was still in the grave when Jesus prayed faithfully, thanking God for Lazarus, and he rose from the grave.
God is an answering prayer, but the world is limited in its understanding of how to gain from prayer to God.
What prompts discouragement is disappointment.
While waiting, do not be disappointed with the lack of understanding of your delay; be encouraged, avoid discouragement.
To arrive at the center of divine assignment, let unfailing faith become a way of life.
Four professional fishermen failed to catch fish. 
The four fishermen could not give up until daybreak, yet they caught nothing. 
As they were washing their nets and ready to pack for the day with nothing to show for as professional fishermen, Jesus showed up, “Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.” (Luke 5:3) 
Despite a lack of success in catching fish, their faith allowed the stranger (Jesus) to use their vessel without any refusal.
After Jesus finished teaching the multitude, He turned to the fishermen and gave them a word, His word as stated in Luke 5:4, “…Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 
Always take note that, in times of disappointment, the word of God will answer as a terminating force to turn disappointment into an appointed time. 
With the question of faith, not of doubt, Simon responded to Jesus, “But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5) 
In times of disappointment, do not be discouraged. 
Are you toiling with no result to show?
It does not matter how long you have been toiling with nothing to show, but it is possible to encounter an unfailing God who does not fail for a breakthrough.
Give it all for Jesus, and He shall settle you. 

Prayer for today: Ask that the word of God locate you with direction for your breakthrough.

FAITH CAPSULE: The character of living for God is giving to God.

Daniel 1

Giving back to God is always better than asking from God.
God is always a good God.
God is a caring Father.
God is a long-suffering God.
In the place of giving is the position to receive from Him.
Praising God is taking a position of giving to God.
Think of what to give back to God in the place of always asking from God.
Seeking God with a customized approach will draw God.
The character of living for God is giving to God.
Daniel lives a life of seeking God with a custom approach that delivered him from the wicked law not to terminate his life.
Daniel was a young captive when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem.
In the early days of Daniel as the captive, the King requested young men in whom there was no blemish, but who were good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, and quick to understand, who could serve in the palace. (Daniel 1:4)
Daniel and others were to be treated with the daily provision of the delicacies and the wine of the King for three years of training to serve the King.
Daniel, who lived for God, did not accept anything outside God.
The book of Daniel 1:8 records, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
The response of David is of one who seeks God but not man.
Daniel sowed for God to gain deliverance for his life.   
Daniel had a custom of seeking God since his early days.
In a way, activate a practice of giving back to God.
Daniel gave himself to God and did not become a victim of wickedness.
The custom of seeking God is like a seed that should not die but remain alive before God.
The custom of Daniel was his seed, sown before God since his early days.
The life of Daniel demonstrates what it means to plant and reap from the seed of deliverance in times of troubling challenges. 
Daniel 6:10 points to all about the seed of deliverance of Daniel, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” 
The custom of Daniel was the seed sown that delivered him in the time of challenge.
When having a custom of seeking God who acts for those who wait on Him, it is not possible to become a victim of the wicked world.
Sow the seed of seeking God continually and be counted as having a custom approach to God without failing.

Prayer for today: Ask God to take charge of your life to seek Him alone.

FAITH CAPSULE: No matter what your challenges are, the blessing of God is always present.

Genesis 37

Prayerfully, meditate on Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.”
With God, to be broken is to be blessed.
In life, to become broken comes before experiencing the blessing of God.
Abraham experienced brokenness when he answered God, who sent him out of his comfort zone, his family.
Out of the brokenness in Abraham, the revealed blessing of God.
Are you facing challenges that persist or refuse to cease?
With an understanding of God, one will know that God will give the strength to rest on Him for divine intervention.
Understand and know that Psalm 34:19 speaks to you, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Joseph answered the calling of God, but not with the idea of the blessings of God that would become manifested in his life.
No matter what your challenges are, the blessing of God is always present.
At age 17, Joseph went to Jacob (his father), who was unknowingly the architect of the route to the assignment.
Jacob said, “…Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks and bring back word to me.” So, he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.” (Genesis 37:14) 
Joseph answered the calling of his father, which was not outside of God.
The book of Psalm 105:17-22 confirms the calling of Joseph as it states, “He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.” They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom.”  
Genesis 37:2  records the brokenness of Joseph.
Joseph experienced a painful broken relationship, not seeing his beloved father Jacob for over 30 years. (Genesis 41:46) 
Joseph, the beloved of Jacob (his father), unknowingly answered the call as a prized slave who became blessed as prime minister. 
Regardless of where you are today, do you know if you are answering God with pain resulting in the blessing of God?
Joseph became a slave; he could no longer move at his own will.
Joseph came under the authority that he could not control. 
The calling of God will lead the called one into an unknown journey to learn to wait on God.
Jesus was broken and answered as the blessing of God to become the blessing of all.
Philippians 2:8 testifies of Jesus, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
God blesses the broken one before Him.

Prayer for today: Ask that the strength of God shall have a place in you to answer the calling of God. 

FAITH CAPSULE: It is understanding that prompts the knowledge of God.

John 1

Life is a journey, and it is a privilege of God to be alive this far.
With understanding, one will know that God is merciful to have brought one this far.
It is understanding that prompts the knowledge of God.
Live for God.
To know God is to live for God by studying the word of God.
Living for God continually shall not be a waste, but live life for the glory of God.
The character of one who understands shall experience the hand of God.
With understanding is:
TO FEAR GOD
WAITING ON GOD
MEDITATING THE WORD OF GOD
TO FEAR GOD
Understand God, know to fear God!
Among the experiences of knowing to fear God are:
Deuteronomy 4:10, “…Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.”
Psalm 25:12-14, “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.”
Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” 
Grow in understanding God, and learn the word of God to allow the fear of God to become a priority. 
With a desire to understand God, prayerfully ask God to enable listening to God continually.
Understanding that fear, God walks with God. 
WAITING ON GOD
Understanding to wait on God patiently will lead to walking with God.
David testifies, “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)
When God inclines to one that waits on Him, such shall walk with Him, walk before Him, walk in Him.
Isaiah 40:31 states, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
The understanding of God walking with God, and not running in the place to walk or running instead of walking.
Walk with God by waiting before God to gain wings as an eagle, and not be careless in the journey of the New Year.
Also, waiting on God is a walk with God that acts. 
Isaiah 64:4 testifies, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
With understanding, wait on God to experience God walking with you because He waits for those who wait on Him.
Prayerfully ask to meditate on the word of God, the source of growing understanding of God.

Prayer for today: Ask God, in His mercy, to enable you to gain more understanding of Him.

FAITH CAPSULE: With understanding, know that power belongs to God.

Daniel 3

Live for God to provoke the power of God for your deliverance.
In the power of God is preservation.
Understanding the power of God continually activates living with a knowing edge, navigating in the world of challenge.
God is the Almighty, in a position to reverse the irreversible.
God alone cannot be late to extend His delivering power to those who look up to Him.
The only thing that God cannot do is “God cannot fail.”
Revelation 7:11-12 testified, “All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
In the above testimony, power is among all that belongs to God.
The power of God is not the power that belongs to man.
The power of man will disappoint, but the power of God does not fail nor sleep off to deliver.
The three friends of Daniel demonstrated the power of God that does not fail nor sleep.
The three friends of Daniel demonstrated their surrender to the power of God over the rule of Nebuchadnezzar.
The three friends of Daniel refused to worship a gold image, resulting in the death penalty in a burning fiery furnace.
They did not struggle but only responded, stating,“…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)
Power passes power.
God alone carries all that understands His power.
One who understands the power of God, in the depths of the mind, will never be forsaken by God.
Understanding the power of God for deliverance is living with expectation for the manifestation of His power.
In this life, get to understand, know the truth of God, live in truth, and the power of His truth, and He shall make you free. (John 8:32)
The three friends knew the truth as they refused to bow down to a gold image.
Jesus is the truth; He is the living word of God.
God sent His word to deliver. (Psalm 107:20)
Jesus, the living word of God, testified, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Power is the word of God.
In the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar saw power that passes power as he stated, “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25)
Listen, live life with submission to God, and He will not disregard you.

Prayer for today: Ask today for the grace to live the word of God in every walk of life.