FAITH CAPSULE: With understanding is to gain knowledge.

Hosea 4

With knowledge, commands in the word of God are possible to do.
Hosea 4:6  recorded, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
One lack is lack is one not full.
It is how full of knowledge that will determine how far such will go with God in the journey of life.
Walking for God, walking with God, or before God is a way not to live a life of waste.
One who is not walking in the knowledge of God is taking a route of self-destruction in the wicked world.
Understanding is to gain the knowledge of God.
One who listens to the word will gain an understanding.
Are you listening to the word of God constantly or casually?
To listen is not to hear.
Hearing, and hearing (hearing repeatedly) is listening.
Jesus identified listening disability as the reason for the lack of understanding.
Rhetorically, Jesus asked and answered why there is a listening disability: “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8: 43)
Having understanding is a need to be full and not lack knowledge.
One who gains understanding in the word of God is bound not to become a victim of lacking knowledge but to have a knowing edge in the challenges of the world.
In the word of Jesus, it is glaring that lack of understanding is the disability to listen.
Without understanding is the result of disability in listening.
One with a lack of understanding cannot be living by the word of God
In the Bible, Jesus repeatedly gave all do-able directions for self-deliverance.
Jesus said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” (Mark 13:33)
“Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)
Just like Jesus said, Paul also called for the importance of prayer:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saint.” (Ephesians 6:18)
The book of 1 Peter 4:7 also recorded, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers.” 
How is your prayer life? Are you serious about prayer?
Jesus demonstrated the need for prayer life for all, and Paul admonished the need for prayer as stated in
Acts 6:4, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Listen to gain an understanding of the word of God, and know to watch and pray for deliverance.

Prayer for today: Ask God to fill you with understanding in the knowledge of His word.

FAITH CAPSULE: The spirit of distraction is not of God.

Jonah 1

Distraction will not warn the victim of devices.
A victim of distraction does not arrive at the expected destination.
Distraction does not send a warning when it sets to visit the victim.
Answering titles, religion, or ages will not be exempted from the spirit of distraction from visiting to delay or deny one.
Distraction attempted Jesus to deny Him in His journey of life.
When Jesus came out of fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry when the tempter came to Him, saying, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Jesus responded, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus avoided distraction, not looking away from the expectation of His purpose, waiting for fasting for forty days and forty nights.
Repeatedly, the spirit of distraction tempted Jesus to gain entrance, but it failed.
With the word of God, Jesus overcame the spirit of distraction.
Distraction did not exempt Jesus from its visitation.
Identify the distraction that is set in your life journey, not to become a victim failing not to arrive at the promise of God.
The children of Israel fell for distraction and did not arrive at the promise of God.
When the word of God sounds with a promise, seeing in the word of God will be received, distraction will fail.
The Israelites did not see the promise of God in His word that promised the Promised Land.
Distraction derailed the Israelites, and they did not arrive at the promise of God.
Distraction is bound to blur the vision of one not to see clearly in the spoken word of direction.
The word of God that is direction came for Jonah, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “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.” (Jonah 1:1-3)
God spoke to Jonah, but he was moved by his feelings, going against God.
Jonah was angry, not wanting salvation for the wicked of Nineveh, and became distracted, seeking judgment of God because he failed to see the salvation of God for the people of Nineveh. (Jonah 4)
Distraction is a silent destroyer of disobedience.
Whatever one withholds against the direction of God is evidence of distraction, to become disobedience to God.
With direction, God called out Jonah and his family out of destruction to deliverance.
God directed Lot and his wife not to look back on the trail of deliverance, but the wife of Lot looked back.
The wife of Lot could not focus but looked back.
Looking back instead of looking forward is evidence of distraction.
Distraction will not inform its victim to derail.

Prayer for today: Pray not to become a victim of distraction.

FAITH CAPSULE: Failure to recognize is taking God for granted.

Luke 5

Living is a gift of God.
Living life without recognizing God is taking the gift of God for granted.
It is reasonable for all to know, understand, and be mindful of the truth that God alone created all to live life for His glory and honor.
Revelations 4:11 records, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will, they exist and were created.” 
There is no reasonable excuse not to live life for the glory of God.
Not to live for God is taking it for granted.
All creation of God exists for His glory.
Be aware of the truth to be living for God.
Existing for God demands serving Him without stopping.
In your service to God, are you pleasing yourself but displeasing God? Knowing God as a long-suffering God without living life for His glory is not a license for any man not to be living life for the glory of God. 
Live life for God by lifting your hands in submission, with the expectation to reach God. 
Living for God is connected with God continually.
Meditating is a way of connecting to God.
Meditation is Communicating to continuation.
When continuation ceases, continuation stops.
God is a good God.
God is worth for all man to be living life for His glory.
Seeking God diligently with all heart and with all soul is to find Him. 
Deuteronomy 4:29 speaks to all, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  What do we do to live life for God when seeking God diligently instead of taking God for granted?
TO SEEK GOD DILIGENTLY is obedience to HIS WORD.
Exodus 19:5 recorded, “Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” 
The word spoke in the Old Testament for the obedience of Israelites before God. 
The word of God that speaks to one speaks to all.
Obedience to the word of God will gain and retain the blessing of God.
Once Jesus spoke to Peter, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. 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.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” (Luke 5:4-6) 
Obedience is seeking God to live for His glory.
Disciples of Jesus obeyed to be enabled to live life for God as a fisher of man.

Prayer for today: Ask that you be enabled to live life for the glory of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: An acclaimed believer should desire the mind of Christ.

John 13

Paul states, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 2:5)
It is worthwhile to strive for a mind like that of Jesus Christ.
One having a kind of Christ is bound to live life for the glory of God.
Search yourself to identify what kind of mind you are.
What is it about the mind of Christ?
The mind of Christ is humble, a mind that is plain, simple, and set to live for the glory of God.
The character of a child is that of mind in Christ Jesus.
Once, the disciples questioned Jesus, “…Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1)
Jesus responded, describing humility as the way out to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
The answer of Jesus is a testimony to humility as the mind of Christ.
Humility is the key to having a mind of Christ, to excel to the glory of God.
Jesus said, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom.
To be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is distant for all until one converted to become one as a little child, having the character of humility.
The title of anyone in the place of working in the name of God is not evidence of humility before God.
The title of a man is not a ticket to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
One not filled with the character of humility will not live for Christ set not to become great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus demonstrated a mind of humility in John 13:1, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from the supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:3-5)
An acclaimed believer should desire the mind of Christ.
To be humble is to be with no pride, which does not parade with arrogance, malice, and self-importance.
Deny the mind of this world, and let the mind of Christ be in you.
The position or the title of today is not evidence of the mind of Christ with humility.
Director, Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, or whatever God has called you to be or that you have chosen for yourself should answer with the mind of Christ that is humble.

Prayer for today: Ask for the mind of Christ Jesus to become of you.

FAITH CAPSULE: Joseph answered the calling of God without knowing.

Genesis 37

In the journey of life, there is a calling of God for all His creation.
Engaging in calling demands commitment.
Answering with the commitment is to commit to God alone.
In the word of God is wisdom not to commit unto no one.
John 2:24 records, “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.”  
In answer to the calling of God, it is possible to work with one but commit to no one as Jesus did.
God is the Creator of all and sees before or beyond all that answering called in journey.
In the calling, there is a plan of God to set the call up to arrive at the center of divine assignment, focusing and being faithful.
When God calls, there will be no prior arrangement or announcement before the calling.
When God calls, there will be no baggage to hinder or slow one down. Calling will break before the blessing.
As you journey, do you know where you are?
Joseph traveled an unexpected journey with an unknown and painful route to becoming gainful in the hand of God. 
The calling of God broke Joseph before the manifestation of the blessing over his life.
Joseph answered the calling of God without knowing it was the calling of God.  
At age 17, Joseph answering the errand of Jacob (his father) was the path to the center of the calling of God over his life.
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)
When Joseph answered Jacob, he entered into his divine assignment without preparation for the calling.
Psalm 105:17-22 records Joseph as the answer to the calling by God, “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.”  
Since the age of 17, Joseph (Genesis 37:2)could not see his beloved father until he was 30 years of age. (Genesis 41:46)
When God calls to send you, self-control shall be out of your control.
When He called Joseph, he became a slave; he could no longer move at his own will or self-control.
Joseph came under the authority which he could not control.
Joseph, in his journey, remained focused on God and graduated from price slave to become a prime minister.

Prayer for today: Ask for the hand of God to be established over your life to live for His glory.