FAITH CAPSULE: To be steadfast is not a self-satisfying engagement

Luke 5

Follow the commanding word of God, wholly follow God fully.
Following God demands to be steadfast.
To be steadfast is not a self-satisfying engagement but can be full of pain, a self-discipline, to live for God.
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to be steadfast before God?
To be steadfast before God is rooted in having faith.
A Christian faith embodies a profound commitment to God, marked by unwavering trust and loyalty to God regardless of the challenges.
It transcends mere persistence; it is a heart posture that acknowledges the sovereignty and promises, even when circumstances seem bleak.
This deep-rooted assurance empowers believers to stand firm in their convictions, often reflecting the resilience demonstrated by Job, Daniel, and Paul, who faced trials yet remained anchored in their faith.
Without doubt, steadfastness is a character that remains anchored in having faith in God.
The determination will not be enough to be steadfast before God without having the desire to live for God.
For example, King David wanted to be steadfast before God by asking God, Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
A steadfast spirit before God was demonstrated by Caleb and Joshua.
Caleb and Joshua refused the negative confession about the Promised Land.
The testimony of Caleb and Joshua provoked the declaration of God, stating, “My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24)
Those who follow the commanding word of God wholly follow God fully.
Elisha steadfastly gave himself to God.
At the calling of Elisha, through Elijah, “…He left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ And he said to him, ‘Go back again, for what have I done to you?’  So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.” (1 Kings 19:20-21)
Elisha left all behind when he answered the calling of God.
In answering, Elisha demonstrated steadfastness; He emptied himself by getting rid of material that could have held him back.
Elisha used his equipment as a boiler to boil his slaughtered oxen. Whatever man cannot forsake for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven is what will cause Heaven to forsake such from becoming a qualified candidate for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Become emptied of all that is possible to deny self to find God.
Forsake all that is not of God, for your calling be established.
Be steadfast in following the word of God fully to be rewarded by God.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you to live a steadfast life before Him for His glory.

FAITH CAPSULE: Sin and sinning are evidence of not fearing God.

Deuteronomy 6

Fear God, live by His word.
The majority know about God but do not know God.
The evidence of not knowing God is sin and sinning before God.
The whole world is ravaged by sin.
Sin and sinning are evidence of not fearing God.
When there is no fear, sin takes over in the form of wickedness.
Wickedness ravages the world.
God saw the wickedness of all, as Genesis 6:5-7 records, “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. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man…”
God saw the wickedness of the earth, and He was sorry.
To know the word of God is to learn to fear God.
None is born with the fear of God, but to learn and grow in the fear of God.
Wickedness is sin, the evidence of the lack of fear for God.
The majority only know about God, not know Him to fear Him.
God does not look away from sin.
In the wicked days of Noah and Lot, God judged the deeds of the world. The judgment of God is in the calendar of God, His appointed time, which is beyond the influence of the world.
The word of Jesus buttresses in Luke 17:26-30, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so, will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed?” 
Understand that the word of God is perfect to perform.
Psalm 18:30 states it, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven…”
God will not speed in response to the wickedness of man.
God does have His appointed time; He will not judge outside of His time.
Ecclesiastes 8:11-12 said it well, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.”
Live with the fear to gain the promise of God for those who fear Him.
Fear God and do not become a vessel of self-destruction.

Prayer for today: Ask for the fear of God to be your garment.

FAITH CAPSULE: Live a life of giving thanks to God for all things.

Psalm 136, Luke 11:38-44

Thinking thanks is not the same as giving thanks.
Are you thinking thanks, or are you giving thanks to God?
God owes none, but all owe Him thanks for His every moment of mercy.
Do you count how many thanks have been offered to God this moment?
One who counts the number of thanks offered to God today does not count right, before God, the evidence of wrong counting.
One who is short of giving thanks to God is not praising God enough. Thanking God is praising God.
Psalm 150:6 stated, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”
The word of the psalmist is worthy to learn the need not to stop thanking God when there is life.
Evidently, thanking God at every breath is having life to escape from sudden death.
Do you have any reason not to give God non-stop thanksgiving?
Today, this moment, let giving thanks to God become a way of life.
God alone is worthy of thanks-giving for His mercy.
Psalm 136:1-3 gave a non-stop thanks to God, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever.”
Measuring the number of thanksgivings to God will be short.
God cannot be acknowledged enough for His immeasurable goodness to all.
The mercy of God is uncountable.
Psalm 136:26  also declares thanksgiving giving to God, stating, “Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.”
Two things that are certain to gain when thanking God becomes a way of living life are:
First, give thanks to God for all things, in all things, and all things will work together for good.
The Bible says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Having in mind Romans 8:28, be a doer of the word of Ephesians 5:20 as stated,“… giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Secondly, God performs in prayer, but He perfects in thanksgiving.
At the cave of Lazarus, Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me…”
Jesus thanked God because He knew that God always hears and gives heed to his need.
Make it a way of life, giving thanks to God.

Prayer for today: Ask God for a heart of thanksgiving as a way of life.

FAITH CAPSULE: Know to do right to prepare.

Mark 14:12-26

Thanking God should be continuous to provoke His visitation to bless.
Waiting to be convenient before thanking God is not enough.
Make it a way of thanking God at all times for all things.
Thanking for all things is what makes all things work together for the glory of God.
Thank God continuously, not on a particular day of the year.
Thanking God is praising God.
Prayerfully meditate by asking for strength and understanding, thanking God as a way of life in the coming year.
With understanding, give thanks to God.
Psalm 47:7, recorded, “For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.”
As praising God is with understanding, giving thanks to God should be with understanding.
Give Him thanks with understanding.
One who gives thanks to God with understanding will gain access to God.
Psalm 100:4 buttresses the meaning of giving thanks to God with understanding, stating, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
With understanding, thanking God will open the door to gaining the presence of God in the coming year.
PREPARE IN PRAYER NOT TO BE REDUCED BEFORE GOD IN THE COMING DAYS
Just as prayerfully thanking God for living for God is to pray against forces that deny living for God and not gain the presence of God, in the coming days.
In the coming days and ongoing, pray that God enable you to keep your mind on God.
Mind that does not stay on God is vulnerable to the forces against the mind.
The presence of God activates the rest of God.
The rest of God inhabits the peace of God.
God is the author of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:33)
With trust and hope, consciously activate your mind to stay with God for His peace.
Isaiah 26:3 states, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 
Also, the love for God with the mind stays on God, as Psalm 119:165 states, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.”
From this moment ask to live with the mind that stays on God.
An act of obedience is a preparation to experience the move of God in favour.
It was a preparation commanded by Jesus to move the stone at the entrance of the tomb of Lazarus.
Jesus needed to pray for the resurrection of Lazarus after four days in the tomb.
It was preparation that brought the dead to life.
Preparation for God prevails.
At the time of Passover, Jesus sent out two of His disciples to say to the master of the house, “The Teacher says, ‘Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.” So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.” (Mark 14:14-16)
In preparation, there is a provision.

Prayer for today: Ask for the obedient to the word of God.

FAITH CAPSULE: Engage the new season as a time to prepare

Psalm 150

Engage the new season as a time to prepare for the days, weeks, months, and a new year ahead.
Preparation in physical or spiritual will gain as expected.
Preparation entails action.
No action hides from God.
1 Samuel 2:3 informs, “For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.”
Know and believe that one in preparation for the coming days, weeks, months, and years is striving to draw the attention of God, to purposely live life for God by walking in His way.
With desire, prepare prayerfully, seek to live life for God in the coming days.
Walking in the way of God should be a characteristic of seeking God.
The word of God admonishes all to seek God first.
In seeking God is to gain.
Matthew 6:33 records, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Are you aware of the need to prepare to gain from God?
Preparation is the price to gain and retain the presence of God, to navigate and not be a victim of the wicked world.
Preparation is the action or process engaged in to gain the presence of God.
In the pages of the Bible, many situations call for preparation to gain expectation.
To prepare, with the mind of God shall provoke the blessing of God.
God blesses with conditions.
The condition is rooted in preparation.
Once, Jesus came to the tomb and wanted to raise Lazarus from the dead after four days.
Jesus spoke of the preparation needed for Him to wake Lazarus from the dead, stating, “Take away the stone.” (John 11:39)
Evidently, Jesus demonstrates the need for preparation for all who need to gain from Him.
Again, at the time of the Passover, Jesus sent His disciples to prepare a room for the need. (Marks 11:12)
Preparation will prompt manifestation of expectations.
The above summation demonstrates preparation to gain from God.
At this time of the year, prayerfully prepare for the coming year.
PREPARE BY PRAYING:
THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHAT HE WILL DO.
PRAY AGAINST THE FORCES THAT REDUCE ONE NOT TO LIVE FOR GOD IN THE COMING YEAR.
THANKING GOD
The grace of God has brought those alive thus far in life.
Prayerfully thank God for the past days, and the present days, so He will perfect the coming days.
God performs in prayer and perfects in thanking Him just as He answered the ten lepers. (Luke 17:11-19)
God is not in debt to anyone, but the world owes God.
At every moment, give praise and thanks to God.
Thanking and praising God should be a lifeline to retain living.
Psalm 150:6 records, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
In preparation, there is a provision.
Obedient to the word of God to wait is a preparation to gain a way where there is no way, to the glory of God.
One who prayerfully engages in preparation before God will excel for the glory of God.

Prayer for today: Pray for the strength to engage preparation.