The prayer meeting was good. The Holy Spirit moves freely in our midst. There was a call to come and serve God in the church. Two different women testified that, for some weeks, they could not sleep because God is telling them to join the choir in the church. Both women sing very well, they belonged to a church choir in the past but since they came to father’s House they both decided to ‘take it easy’. Both these women are not in a good position to join the choir now. One is mourning the loss of her baby who died two months ago and the other is heavily pregnant. Naturally they are not the best candidates for the choir. But the Holy Spirit is Lord. They have to say YES to God and all other things will all into place.

We sang the chorus ‘I say Yes Lord yes, to Your will and to Your ways…’ on and on for about an hour. Our spirits were encouraged and we finally said a joyful and unconditional yes to God, to serve Him, in any capacity he desires. No more excuses! Then the sermon came with power and anointing. It was from Jeremiah 17.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

And makes flesh his strength,

Whose heart departs from the Lord.

For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,

And shall not see when good comes,

But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,

In a salt land which is not inhabited.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose hope is the Lord.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

Which spreads out its roots by the river

And will not fear when heat comes;

But its leaf will be green,

And will not be anxious in the year of drought,

Nor will cease from yielding fruit (Jer 17:5-8)

The question is this: who do you trust? If you trust in yourself or any other man, in created things like silver or gold, then your life shall be like   ‘a shrub in the desert’. The life of a man who trusts in self is spiritually stagnant, boring, hopeless and lonely.

Trust in man ends in poverty, isolation, backsliding, constant anxiety and addiction to different sins. There is no victory. The enemies surround, threaten and attack constantly. God chastises His children by withdrawing the blessings He generously gave in the past. Idolatry always ends in emptiness and hopelessness.

But the trust in God Almighty manifests as a fruitful ever growing abundant relationship with God. The faithful man is spiritual stable and strong because his roots are in the right location. He is planted by the river of life. Even in ‘a year of drought’ (chronic sickness, joblessness, persecutions…) he is not afraid of death, poverty of defeat. His ‘neighbor’ is Jesus Christ, the water of life. And there is no fence of separation between them. That intimate relationship with God produces the assurance of salvation. The promises of God are fulfilled in his life.

What is the danger? Why so many believers who say they trust in God end up so badly? The answer is the heart!

The greatest idol is self. The heart is self-deceived and incurable wicked.

Self-deception means to lie to yourself until you believe that the lies are truth.  The heart is incurably sick. Only God can heal it!

It is easy to deceive yourself. We easily justify false beliefs about ourselves. The reason we do it is because deception brings comfort. Truth is good because it brings freedom and the power to change. But truth is painful and we reject the pain to change. Then we cling to lies, as an easy compromise. After sometimes, we convince ourselves that the lie is the same or even better than the truth we rejected.

The sin of deception is a very deep. It is also very common. All men are born with the capacity to lie and deceive. It cannot be detected and removed except by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a classic example: A child is lying to his father. The father sees enough objective evidence that his son is lying to him. But because he so much wants his son to be a good boy who never lies, that he chooses to believe his son. For the father it is much easier to believe the lies of the son. This is how the son has succeeded to deceive his father.

What is the solution?

You cannot mature spiritually and be fruitful if self –deception is not radically dealt with at the Cross!

Acknowledge the sin of self-deception! Ask God to search your heart and to reveal this sin to you! Repent of it!

Passive hearing of a sermon without obeying the Word of God is self-deception (Jam 1:22)

Thank God for the Holy Spirit! Thank God for the gift of a new heart in Christ! Reject empty religion! Be born again!

In Christ I declare:

I am born again!

I trust in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

I repent for self-deception and any other man-made idols!

Jesus is Lord over my life, my marriage, my home, my ministry, forever!

In Jesus name

Amen!

Jesus has not disappointed you in the past, so why doubt Him now?

“Through love serve one another…For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Gal 5:13; Mat 20:28)

To serve it means to be useful to another; to be worthy of trust; to be faithful to another; to be a helper; to favor another above yourself; to bring satisfaction; to minister and pray for another; to wait for another, to give the proper respect to another; to perform all the duties of an office; to supply the needs of another; to accommodate and be flexible with another, to forgive, to promote another above yourself.  A servant is a waiter, a domestic helper, a secretary, an assistant, a follower, a nurse.

The opposite of serving means to hold back, to withdraw, to refuse, to resist or to become the master or a lord.

There are two types of believers, weak and strong (Rom 14). This distinction comes from the type of consciences they have. The conscience is a part of the human spirit. It is planted by God to tell us what is right and what is wrong; what is of God and what is of the devil. The conscience starts to develop in a child in the pre-school years. If the parents are believers they will use the word of God to train their child’s conscience. Soon, their child knows what the will of God is and what is not. Then he will grow to be a mature and strong believer. But in the case of unbelieving or legalistic parents, they insist on many rules and regulations, adding a false burden on their child’s conscience. When the child becomes an adult, he will be a weak and religious believer. This man is always afraid to sin. He always assumes that his sins will take him to hell. He is afraid to make God angry in a multitude of things.  A weak believer has an over-sensitive conscience. He is easily upset with things that are not so important. He is very slow in making decisions and often comes back to change them. He does not understand the freedom with have in Christ or the love that never fails.

When you think of marriage, think of serving. Success in marriage comes from serving one another through love, for the sake of Christ! Let me make it easier for you…

When you are ready to be useful to another, to be worthy of his trust, to be faithful unto death, to help and to bring satisfaction another, to minister and pray for another, to wait and to give the proper respect to another, to forgive, to assist, to follow and to nurse another back to health…and so much more…then you are ready to marry!

To serve another is not easy at all. That is why success in marriage does not come easy. There are many hindrances along the way. The flesh is selfish and proud. It wants to be bossy and in control. The flesh hates to be seen as a servant. Many ‘house girls’ marry rich men just so that they will be ‘madams’. For them, the idea to be a servant ‘again’ is crazy.

Let’s imagine that a strong Christian woman marries a spiritually weak man. Remember that strength and weakness is not physical but is connected with the conscience. For example, the wife can eat anything but the husband forbids ‘snails’ in the house, for example. This is because his mother told him that in her village, snails are forbidden. He does not take the time to study the Bible and see if such food is acceptable. What his mother said is final to him. The truth is that Jesus declared all foods clean and acceptable before God (Mk 7:19). The husband imagines that if he eats snails, he sins and he will go to hell. But the wife grew up in a house where snail stew was  a delicacy and she likes it very much. What will she do now? According to the law of a servant, she will chose to abstain from eating snails, so that her husband will not wound his already weak conscience.  If she wants to be like Jesus, she will learn to serve him as he is.  She has to be very sensitive to the (greater) needs of her husband and learn to ignore her own. Service means sacrifice. This is never easy. But this is what Jesus did. This is what love requires. The only option is that patiently, she will pray and wait for her husband to mature spiritually. Then one day, his ‘eyes will be open’ and he will see the power of the Cross, of sacrifice, love, humility and Christian service. And then, he will change…he will become a servant too. That is when marriage becomes balanced and sweet! Oh…

Dear wife, you cannot expect to marry a man ‘ready-made’. Even if he is a believer, you cannot expect to have an ‘easy life’ with a man who is so trained by his mother that he needs nothing from you again. Personally, I do not wait for any harvest in my husband’s character, except the one that comes from the seeds I planted in him over the years. Many tears have been the only rain for my seeds. But this is God’s law: Humble service and wisdom come before honor. I am just reaping a great harvest of ‘divine love’, from seeds I planted more than twenty years ago. At that time, it looked impossible that we can ever come to the unity of the Spirit necessary to start a church, for example. We were too different…To serve one another in love meant to cross oceans and cultures that have never met. But these days, this peculiar unity is manifesting; it is solid, real and strong. It is not just the seed. It is the abundant life harvest of the wonderful grace we found at the Cross, the promised blessings of God upon the ‘international field’ of our marriage and ministry.
Lastly…Do not dream less! Do not edit your vision! Do not limit God! Do not be tired to serve the other even in the absence of kisses and hugs! Do not give up on your destiny! God who planted it in your spirit is still watching over you! You can do all things, even serving your (difficult) spouse in love, thru Christ who strengthens you!

In Christ I declare:

I plant in the Spirit and I reap eternal life and blessings in my marriage!

Thru faith and patience I inherit the promises of God!

My marriage is promoted from seeds to harvest time!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!” (Ps 139:13-17)

Dear Heavenly Father I ask for forgiveness for the abortions I have done in the past, as a doctor and as a mother.
For the sake of Christ, I receive Your peace!”

God knows everything about you. God knows everything about your children. You are not a mistake. You were in God’s mind before you came on earth! You are a planned pregnancy! God formed you in the secret place where no human eye can see and no human hand can touch.
Today take a moment and praise the God who formed your inward parts! He started with one little cell and lovingly multiplies it to become a baby! All your organs function well without asking for help from you!
God covered you in your mother’s womb! The word means to place a screen over the baby, to protect and defend him or her from many enemies. There are so many reasons why a pregnancy can end in a miscarriage: the baby may be sick, the womb or the placenta may have a problem, the mother may be sick too. But even so, at just the right time, you came out alive and well. Praise God!

God made all the organs. He formed the inward parts. These words mean the kidneys, the heart and all the rest organs. Everything inside you, all your organs, visible or invisible, co-operate with the will of God. That is why you live! God made and protects your body. The words mean to be jealous over the wellbeing of the organs!
God protects your baby’s heart and mind, from the time of conception until the very end. No heart beats by itself. God counts the beats, the seconds and the days! You will not be cheated by untimely death! God knows His job! God is in control! Praise Him! I mean really praise God aloud with singing!
Today I praise God for His protection over me from my conception until the very end?
Today I praise God for His continuous personal loving protection over my children and grandchildren?
My life and my children we are signs and wonders of the only Living God!
From the bottom of my heart, we praise You Lord!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My very body declares the power and the glory of Almighty God! I can never feel ugly! I can never feel too short or too fat! He that made the stars and placed them in the sky, made me as well! God made me unique and special! His name is Wonderful and I am His child!
God placed a soul in my body. God breathe His Spirit inside my soul!

In Christ I declare:
I was conceived and born to know God and to praise Him!
I shall fulfill God’s purpose for me!
With long life God will satisfy me and show me His salvation!
My children are all stars and they shall all be saved!
We shall praise God forever!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth: for Thy love is better than wine” (SS 1:2)

God the Son is the most romantic person in the whole universe. Can you imagine that some people, even among the believers, think that Jesus is a boring, hard master? The devil has deceived so many, especially about the character of God. From the time of Adam and Eve, satan has tried to convince men that he is the one who loves and cares, he knows what love is, he is the one who really understand us. This is the terrible power of sin…

When God molded Adam from the earth, He kissed him to live. We are created and live by the power of His breath and by passion of the Father’s kiss. Can you believe this? Are you afraid of too much passion? Are you afraid to get drunk with His wine? God’s first command is to love Him with all our heart and all our strength! Can a kiss be missing from all our heart? Can wine become water in all our strength? To the pure all things are pure, but to them who are corrupt, nothing is pure…Are you proud of your doubts?

The tragedy is that most people do not want to know the truth; so few believers are willing to pay the price for spiritual maturity. I look around and I see so many ‘baby Christians’. They like to come to a church where there is a little preaching combined with a lot of music and excitement. Much effort is spent in creating ‘the right atmosphere’ or ‘the right sound’; but at the end of the service the hearts of men remain unchanged. It is in fact a double tragedy because the people do not even know that they are unchanged, at least not for a long time. The emotions are swelled with the personal charisma of the preacher or the voice of the singers. People cry and ‘worship’ and all along they are ignorant that they do not touch the heart of the Father. I see that the hem of Jesus is too clean…Why so few come and touch it with needy sickly trembling dusty fingers longing for a drop of life…

In Hebrew, the name Solomon is translated ‘peace’. It is one of God’s very powerful names. It reveals the best God has for His children. It means to be perfect, wealthy, healthy, friendly, safe, happy and whole. But this is another wonderful revelation: the word for his bride, the Shulammite, comes from exactly the same root. Think of it…One is a rich and great king. The other is just a village girl whom he loves. The gap made by the world has been closed by the love that never fails. The Cross has made them one! Bride and bridegroom become one in Christ! May you long for the kiss of God, for the wine of His lips…I pray…

In Christ I declare:
Jesus has just kissed my heart!
I am drunk with the Holy Spirit!
I love God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin” (Zech 4:10)
(A Nigerian ke-ke)

“Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away” (SS 8:7)

Brother G started attending our church about seven years ago. He was saved but found no joy in his former fellowship. He had to change his address and with it, he decided to look for another church. One Sunday, he went to a church not far from ours. He said that he became very restless and could not even sit down. He came out and started walking down the street. He then saw our sign board and on the spot he made up his mind to enter in. He said that immediately he felt at home. At the end of the service he went to the head usher and told him that he wants to join the ushering ministry. He told me he never did that in the past. He said that because he is naturally very shy he decided to push himself beyond his comfort zone. He also made a vow to God that he will come every Friday and Saturday to clean the sanctuary and arrange the chairs for the Sunday service. Nobody appointed him. Lead by the Holy Spirit he appointed himself to do this humble ‘unglamorous’ but very necessary work for God. As his pastor, I am a witness that he has been faithful to his vow ever since.

He comes from a poor family. His mother had two children for two different men. She could not take care of them. When her son was one year old, she gave him up to a richer aunt living in Warri. Bro G  grew up there with his cousins. But the aunt sent only her children to school. G worked in the house and in her shop. He managed to go to school much later. When he was twenty, he left his aunt’s place and hired a room for himself. He worked as a driver and did other odd jobs. He gathered some money and bought a printer. That is how he started a ‘business center’. He also went into a partnership with a company and drove a ke-ke for them, paying daily the rental fees. At the end of two years, the ke-ke became his (a ke-ke is a covered tricycle used here as taxi).

When he was about twenty five, his birth mother came from the village to look for him. That is the first time he saw her as an adult. She explained that she could not take care of him that is why she gave him to the aunt. He was very angry that she ‘abandoned’ him and refused to accept her apology. She went away crying…

Brother G is now 37. He is a very committed Christian. Each Friday and Saturday I see his ke-ke parked in front of our church. I know that he is inside cleaning the sanctuary. He never had a girl-friend. He never dated any girl.  He is very shy. For the past two years he has been coming to my office telling me about his desire to marry. He told me that in the past, if he likes a sister and tries to talk to her, his tongue will ‘seize’. He will be unable to talk properly and begins to stammer. That is how his heart got ‘broken’ three times. In Nigeria, the women generally like to marry confident men. When the sisters saw him struggling to even talk, they rejected him immediately. To make matters worse, he does not know how to dress properly. He has no ‘fashion sense’ at all. His shirts are too big for him ‘flying’ on his (too big) old man’s style of trousers. He also told me that the sisters hate his ke-ke. They could have preferred a car (of course). To add to his problems, he is a Genotype AS. That means he has to marry only a woman whose Genotype is AA. This is to avoid the risk of having children born with Sickle cell anemia (This is the advice we give to the young people in our church who desire to marry).

Each time Bro G came to my office, I encouraged and prayed with him. I told him that the problem is not the tongue, is not the clothes, is not the ke-ke and is not the Genotype. His problem is that he has not found his own ‘rib’. I told him to be patient and continue to serve God and that one day, he will meet his bride. The sign that the sister is his true bride will be this: she will love him exactly as he is and she will not be afraid to change him for the better. I also told him that she will be a mature Christian, a woman who has suffered but by the grace of God she overcame her past. I told him that she will be about the same age with him and that she is a beautiful woman. Her sufferings, combined with the work of the Holy Spirit, have made her a humble and mature woman of God. I told him that she will have her own hand-work and she will never be a liability to him. She will be a true God given helper, an encourager, a challenger and a true blessing to him. I could see it in his eyes… It was in my office that he learned how to dream. For most poor people all over the world, romance is too much a luxury. But he is a child of God. That was my confidence in encouraging him. Nothing is too hard for God to do for His children.  At the beginning he was even afraid to say ‘Amen!’ He will open his mouth and forget to close it when I will tell him things about his future bride. At the beginning, he will always look down. But with time, his faith increased. The breakthrough came sometimes last year when he said that now he believes that I am not just his pastor, but his mother in Christ. It took him almost seven years to receive this revelation.

Each time we prayed, he always knelt down… I saw him bowing his head to God Almighty… His humility and faith encouraged me too… I knew in my heart that one day, all these words will come true…I rejoiced, Oh… I rejoiced!

During our Christmas and Jesus Mega Party program, he volunteered to use his ke-ke to carry the female ushers free of charge. That is how he ‘discovered’ sister L. He told me later that his ‘eyes got opened’. He will take extra care with her. He will take L and her daughter home every evening.

One day, Sister L was surprised when he wanted to know her Genotype. He begged her to come with him to the laboratory not telling her why he is interested in the result. Eventually she agreed. The next day the result came. She was AA. Usually so shy, Bro G got so excited… He jumped and jumped with the paper in his hand. He said: “I knew it! I knew it!” Then they entered his ke-ke to go home. In front of her parents’ house, with the traffic and the dust all over them, Bro G took her hand and asked her to be his wife. He had an engagement ring that he bought in the market. Sister L said ‘yes!’ Later, she told me that the same anointing that came upon her in my office, that same anointing and joy suddenly came upon her in the humble ke-ke in such a way that it was easy for her to say ‘yes’. The day was 17^th of February, 2014, exactly one year from the day she gave me her wedding shoes. The dust and (the ‘cheap’ two sizes too big) ring could not stop the angels jumping for joy… Is that not wonderful? The eternal God counts our days and moments… What a beautiful story of love and faith!

When L came to my office the next day she was happy like a teenager in love.  The first question I asked her was this: does Bro G stammer? She laughed and said not at all. She told me that he is very ‘talkative’. She said that she loves that ke- ke because ‘God is in it’. She told me that she has ‘a designer plan’ how to improve his clothes, that she will sew them all. Then I looked into her eyes and with all the confidence of heaven and earth I said: ‘Congratulations! You are indeed Bro G’s bride!’ The long awaited sign has finally come true!

Then Sis L wanted to meet his mother. He was silent for a time. They went to see his aunt who was surprised that G will get married to such a beautiful girl. After the visit, L asked him if this lady is birth mother. He said no. She insisted that she wants to see his ‘real’ mother, to thank her for bringing her future husband to earth. For the first time since they knew each other, he got very angry. He refused to tell her the truth. For a moment he started stammering again…

Later in my office, L told me that she had to fast and pray for him to open up his heart and mouth and to tell her about his pain of rejection. He promised to inquire about his mother. One day, his sister, her husband and their three children came to visit him. They said that they located their mum and they want to go and visit her. He said that he will come along. L said that she will come too. That is how one early morning; all of them went to the village in ‘the bush’ where the mother lives. It was a long journey, by bus and by motorbike. L told me that to her great surprise, bro G paid the transport fee for everybody. When they arrived at the village, they were told that the mother is in a church. They were all surprised because the mother was a pagan and never attended church before. They went to look for her there. When she heard that her only two children came to look for her, she ran bare feet on the village road thanking God for such a miracle. The pastor and the villagers soon gathered. That is how they discovered that two years ago, mama G became born again and the whole village knew that she was praying for a miracle to see her children. There was praise and worship, clapping of hands and dances of joy. She ran to the kitchen and cooked rice and stew for the ‘visitors’. Her daughter told her that L is her soon to be daughter in law (in love). That she was the one who interceded for this miracle of reconciliation, love and victory. They hugged and praised God and danced some more! The next week G’s mother came to Warri to stay with her son. She wanted to meet L’s parents and to thank them for bringing her to the world as a wife to her son. She promised that from now on, by the grace of God, she will be the best mother she can be to her children! Wonderful! Praise the Lord!

The wedding between Bro G and Sis L is coming soon. Please pray for them. Living here in Nigeria, I have learned so many things, holy beautiful things of God. One thing is sure: When poor people who have nothing and nobody except God by their side become vessels of honor for the Master’s use, their faith blooms like a rose in the desert. That is when the true testimony of grace and glory begins! I testify that I have seen God smile over Warri, Nigeria! Praise the Living God, who loves ‘the nobodies’ of this world, who is mindful of the humble state of His servants and who makes all things beautiful in His own time!

Dear reader, you too, be encouraged today and forever!

In Christ I declare:

Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

God is faithful!

God is love!

God is good!

All the time!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away” (SS 8:7)

This is a beautiful testimony of the power of eternal redemption found in Christ alone. It is also a beautiful love story between a man and woman, both true believers in Christ. Soon, we shall celebrate their wedding in our church. As a pastor and a mother in Christ I am very happy. I know both of them for more than seven years. We all love a beautiful romantic love story. Let me share with you a little from their testimony of grace…

Sister L started attending our church about seven years ago. Before then, she was the unofficial ‘second wife’ to a ‘rich man’. They were never married properly. She was in that oppressive relationship for more than five years. She had two children for that man. One died but her daughter survived. When she came to our church she was a broken woman with no dreams left, except to take care of her child. She is from a poor home. She is a dress maker. She came to my office and she told me her story… She was afraid to trust anybody…. But there was also good news… She has just given her life to Christ and decided to serve God in our church.

I told her that God loves her and from now on she will never be the same again. I also counseled her to separate from the father of her daughter. He was a married man with children and he will never marry her. She told me that she will not be able to pay rent with the money she makes from her work. Then I told her to go back to stay with her old parents. She agreed. The father of her daughter became violent and tried to take the girl from her. He told her that if she does not give him his daughter, he will not contribute any money for her welfare. In Nigeria it is very hard to ‘force’ a man to do what is right. It was not an easy battle. She prayed and prayed. She attended all the services in the church. She became baptized with the Holy Spirit. Every week I will see her coming to clean the sanctuary. She will pray in tongues for hours. She had t=no other hope than God. I saw her getting stronger and finally the war was over. The man abandoned them and stopped stalking them. She started living with her parents, sewing to pay for the food and the daughter’s school fees. She became a very good worker. Soon, she joined the ushers’ ministry. Also, she is one of the volunteer workers who designed and sewed the costumes for our yearly drama “The Nativity”. This is how her life went on for about five years…

Early last year, I called her to my office and asked her for her plans of marriage. She is now in her mid-thirties. She is a very beautiful woman, tall and slim, looking much younger than her age. Her daughter looks more like her sister. Both of them are very well behaved, humble, hardworking and faithful. Since she came to our church I have never heard from anybody that she behaved improperly towards any brother.

She told me that she does not have any plans to marry. That she does not think any brother will be interested to marry a woman like her. That she has dedicated her life to serve God and to be the best mother she can be. She told me that in her family they gave her ‘a title’ which translated from the urrhobo language it means ‘Second-hand-woman-with-child-who-will-never-marry-again’. I immediately rebuked her for accepting such ‘a title’, even if jokingly. With the authority I had as her pastor I destroyed the power and the effect such an occult declaration had upon her spirit. She said ‘Amen!’ I then told her to go home and think about God’s love and His plan for her to get married. I told her that if she believes my words, then she should go and buy her wedding shoes and bring them to me. I will keep them as a point of contact for her wedding day. We then prayed and the Holy Spirit fell on her. She was filled with joy. I have never seen her so happy! Two weeks later, she came, shaking with happiness. In her hands, there was a plastic bag with a pair of fancy high healed silver shoes. I knew that these shoes were much more expensive than what she can afford. She told me that God provided the money miraculously and that now she believes that she will be a bride. She told me that God gave her the design of her wedding dress and she will sew it herself.  She gave me the shoes on the 17^th of February 2013. Nobody in her family knew about the shoes or her faith in marriage. She decided to keep it a secret. In a family of unbelievers, that was wisdom indeed.

Exactly one year later, on the 17^th of February 2014, to her greatest surprise, a wonderful brother in Christ here in the church, proposed to her. Brother G is a fellow usher. He loves God, loves L and her daughter. He too has a great testimony… but that will be in another letter…

For now, just let’s give thanks to God who heals broken hearts, who plants seeds of life instead of evil, dreams instead of wounds and provides joy beyond words. May other single sisters, use this testimony as a point of contact! May God grant you true love, on this earth and even everlasting! For God is willing and able to do it, even much more than you can ask or imagine! Praise the God of sister L! Praise His Holy Name!

In Christ I declare:

Brother G and Sister L shall be happily married with children!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“To the Jews who had believed in Him Jesus said: If you hold to My teaching you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free…If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (Jn 8:31-36)

Examine yourself! Are you a free soul of are you a slave? There is no other option.

Jesus Christ died on the Cross to set you free!

The devil deceived Adam and Eve to make them and you his slaves!

Truth and faith in the Word of God sets you free!

Deception lies and idols will bring you into bondage!

This is the definition of freedom:

Freedom means to be saved, to have eternal life and to live in the center of the will of God!

Freedom means to fear God and no one else!

Freedom is the opposite and the end of slavery and bondage (to sin, to the law, to the devil and to the world)!

Freedom means the absence of a wicked force coming from outside and opposing you when making decisions!

Freedom destroys the evil powers of violence, manipulation and intimidation coming against your soul!

Freedom eliminates your enemies!

Freedom separates you from the evil power of another who wants to control you, to be your master by force!

Freedom means the power to be out spoken and honest; to speak the truth in love always!

Freedom means to have the boldness to conceive and execute a project as God leads you to do!

Freedom means the end of hindrances and frustrations that slowed you down in the past!

Freedom means making progress in life and moving fast into your God given destiny!

Freedom means to be a child of God and Spirit filled!

Freedom means to be healed and delivered by the Blood of Jesus!

May the blessings of true freedom in Christ be manifested in your life from now on and forever!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I hold to the teaching of Jesus!

His truth has set me free!

I am blessed!

I am healed!

I am delivered!

In Jesus name

Amen!

Our prayer meeting was very good. At exactly 5 PM there was a big storm outside. Because of that many came late, wet from the rain. If I was the one, maybe I could not have had the faith to come at the closing of the service. I could have stayed home because of the rain. It is possible that I am too much a perfectionist. Thank God that our congregation is not like that. They decided that one minute in the presence of God is worth the coming. What a reward for me as their pastor and teacher… My students came thru the rain, not to receive money or fried chicken. They came just to have an encounter with the Living God, to hear His Word, to pray, to worship and to receive His Spirit. I was greatly encouraged tonight. Thank You, our Father! The following was our sermon.

“Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.

But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.

They have mouths, but cannot speak; eyes, but cannot see.

They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell.

They have hands, but cannot feel; feet, but cannot walk nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will be like them and so will all who trust in them” (Ps 115: 3-8)

Psalm 115 reminds us of the eternal difference between God and other man made gods. The humanity is separated in two groups: the believers in Jesus Christ and the idol worshippers. Each man shall eventually resemble the thing he loves the most. If you worship God Almighty then you shall be like Jesus! If you worship a goat you shall behave like a goat! This is one of the greatest revelations of the Bible. Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:21)

The pagans are ignorant and foolishly bold. They persecute and mock the believers asking ‘where is your God?’ This is because without God’s revelation to man, no one can know Him. The answer is that our God is in heaven and He is sovereign over all, including the unbelievers. We all trust somebody. We trust God and they trust the idols.

The word ‘trust’ appears four times in Psalm 115. In Hebrew it means to boldly run inside a place of refuge, to be surrounded by hope, to have a sure faith and confidence of its protection. Inside that place of trust, no enemy can penetrate. This description applies for them who trust in God. But for them who trust in idols, in gods made by human hands or imaginations, the place they run to will disappoint them. It is a shaky place surrounded by anxiety, filled with confusion and despair. All sinners know it very well; the tragedy of a hopeless situation where no prayer works and no man can help.

The Ten Commandments clearly forbid idolatry. God is jealous. He punishes the idol worshippers to the fourth generation.

“And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex 20:1-3)

The Psalmist helps us to better understand the disappointment, the deception and the tragedy of idolatry. The man made gods promise great things but are not able to deliver. There are totally deaf, dumb, blind and paralyzed. Their worshippers become as their idols. The meaning of the words in Hebrew describes perfectly the utter uselessness of idols.

The idols cannot do the following actions:

*They cannot speak, study, command, answer, teach, promise or subdue circumstances

*They cannot see, prophesy, experience joy or provide

*They cannot hear intelligently, understand, obey, be a witness or be attentive, focused or diligent

*They cannot smell, enjoy life, breathe or anticipate happiness

*They cannot feel, touch, make contact or make friends

*They cannot walk, behave well, make progress, go forward, be successful, lead, grow spiritually or travel.

If you worship idols you shall become dumb, blind, deaf, unhappy, isolated and poor. God forbid! God forbid!

An idol is anything that competes with the worship of God in your secret heart. Anything that you love too much, that you spend too much time thinking of, that you feel dying if you lose it. Search your heart and pray. Is there any secret idol in your heart? Do you get easily sidetracked by negative words and difficult circumstances? Self is the greatest idol. Are there things you think you can accomplish by your own power?

A young man came to my office recently. He said to me: “Pastor, I want to marry. I did not find the lady who will be my wife, but that is not my problem. To marry is easy for me. My only problem is that I do not have money to prepare for the wedding”. I told him that he worships idols. That he worships self. Because of that, God will not give him the money he so much desires.

May God open your mouth to pray!

May God open your eyes to see King Jesus!

May God open your ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!

May God help to smell the fragrance of Christ and to enjoy life!

May God help you to touch the helm of His garments and the hand of a needy friend!

May God help you to grow spiritually and to make progress in life!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“But he (Jesus) was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Is 53:5)

“Dear Heavenly Father, please answer this prayer!

Holy Spirit, please touch and heal Your child!

Nothing is too hard for You!

I command every evil spirit of infirmity to leave you now!

I destroy every occult spell on you now!

I quench that fever now!

I speak life and strength into your body now!

Every organ shall function well now!

This healing shall bring glory to God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!”

Now open your mouth and say it every day:

“BY YOUR STRIPES, I AM HEALED!”

“BY YOUR STRIPES, I AM HEALED!”

“BY YOUR STRIPES, I AM HEALED!”

You are healed!

Glory to God!

“But God said to him: ‘…Listen to whatever Sarah tells you…” (Gen 21:12)

“The man is the head of the home. This is true! But any man who makes serious life changing decisions without consulting his wife, is a fool” (S. Marquedant)

‘Two are better than one. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up…

Take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go” (Ecc 4:9, 10; Jam 3:4; NIV)

As we have seen, the tongue is compared with the rudder of a ship. It is small but has the power to direct the path and destiny of the man. Without the rudder, the pilot cannot control or steer the vessel. The rudder does not push the ship to any side. But it influences the current of water that eventually changes the ship’s direction.

In marriage the use of the tongue is very important. Ideally, it directs ‘the marriage ship’ towards God’s plan for the couple. But an irresponsible or immature pilot may end up having a shipwreck. It is easy to end in divorce. Just be careless with your tongue. That is the natural path of man. It takes God to make it work! The couple has to learn how to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God has decreed in His Word that the husband is the captain and the wife is the co-pilot. There are no two captains. Only one! But both need to be equally trained and qualified as ‘naval pilots’. The husband and the wife take turns in piloting the ship. These shifts are necessary so that when one works, the other can rest. This is divine wisdom, to conserve energy for the long journey called marriage. In case of emergency, they are both awake and alert, exchanging ideas how to overcome the problem. The wife proposes the most useful strategies, with their pros and cons. The husband makes the final decision. The wife then submits and totally co-operates with his choice of method. There should be no competition and no strife between the two of them. Both the role of the husband as the leader of the home, and the wife in active intelligent submissive and co-operation, is for the common good.

This is a possible scenario of a marriage crisis:

The marriage ship is quietly going ahead. The husband rests and the wife is on duty, piloting the ship. Suddenly she sees a fancy boat coming towards them.  It is the devil, coming from the left side of the ship with a private speed boat. He calls her for an exciting cruise of only an hour.  As the pilot in charge, she knows her duty: she is to warn the strange boat with a loud horn sound. But for a moment, she forgets her responsibility. Suddenly the sea looks bluer and the young captain with his designer shiny boat seems so friendly. She starts thinking that her work in the ship is too tedious and boring. ‘A cruise will be good’…she finds herself thinking. She decides to go to the stranger. While her husband is sleeping, she drops the ladder on the left side of the ship. Shaking with excitement she starts going down. But her foot slips and she falls into the sea. The stranger laughs and runs away, leaving her there struggling for her life. The ship is too high for her to go back unnoticed. Without help, she may die.

Her husband wakes up from sleep and looking at the camera, discovers that the ship is abandoned. He runs to look for his wife. She is now just a dot on the sea, still fighting for her life. He now turns the rudder towards her direction. The ship called marriage now becomes her salvation. At just the right time, he leaves the ship on the automatic pilot and jumps into the wild sea. He grabs his wife just in time. He brings her back to their ship. The worship continues….

.

This is my testimony:

As a wife and co-pilot, I had to learn to apply daily the spiritual principles of life I found in the Bible. I also had to learn to try new creative things, under the training of Elohim, God the Creator. Marriage and ministry cannot succeed using only ‘common sense’. In our case, we come from very different backgrounds, from different cultures and continents. My husband ‘common sense’ is different one than mine. What seem normal to him are things I dislike, and the other way round. Using the path of common sense, we could have shipwrecked our marriage long ago. Thank God for Jesus and His Salvation. We are now both saved and mature believers. We are both trained and lead by the Holy Spirit. Each of us carries the responsibility and the burden for the success of our lives, marriage, children and ministry. If one falls into the sea, the other knows how to move the rudder in his (her) direction and come closer to save the victim. We both do this work as it is necessary. Each successful intercession strengthens our desire to continue the journey and the give glory to God.

This is one of our ‘secrets’ as a married couple, why we are successful: we have indeed discovered Christ in each other. Our spiritual foundation is strong! If I can give you one advice it is this: Marriage is work! Marriage cannot survive with a just a beautiful parlor, a pretty face and relaxing instrumentals in the background. Marriage has enemies! The devil targets the marriage and like a wicked pirate, he is ready to kidnap and kill. Both my husband and I we are trained in the art of spiritual warfare. We trust one another because we have found Christ in one another. We have learned our lessons in a painful way and none wants to repeat the mistakes again. There is no room for betrayal anymore.

Lessons from Hosea and Gomer

Captain Prophet Hosea has much to teach us when it comes to bring back a wayward co-pilot. Read his book in the Bible. He has learned to use kind but honest words that can save the most wretched wife. He knows that using the tongue to injure the stubborn beloved will only increase the overall damage. God kept Gomer alive in the raging sea; he will not ‘shoot’ her with his tongue. After all, as captain, he has to give an account for his staff, dead or alive.

Hosea prepared his speech to meet his runaway wife: “I will speak tenderly to her…” (Hos 2:14)

The word ‘tenderly’ means to speak from the point of pain, from a broken heart that even God honors. It means to speak words that are easy to ‘digest’. No PHD oratory and no grammar here!  Just pure love found at the foot of Calvary Cross. Kind words in time of provocation can bring peace to the restless and save a drowning soul. The Holy Spirit shall supply them. You have to speak them.

This is my encouragement to you: Marriage is a good thing indeed!

In Christ I declare:

In all crises, I speak kind words of life supplied by the Holy Spirit!

My life is good, but it will become better!

My marriage is good, but it will become better!

My ministry is good, but it will become better!

I am healed! I am delivered! I am free!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Just as water is turned into irrigation ditches, so the Lord directs the king’s thoughts. He turns them wherever he wants to…If anyone can control his tongue it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way… And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong” (PV 21:1; Jam 3:2-4; LB)

The tongue is compared with the rudder of a ship. It is small but has the power to direct the path and destiny of the man. I am not a naval engineer. So, I’ve gathered some technical information how the rudder guides the ship. This is what I’ve found: The rudder is a very small vertical blade located underwater, at the back end of the ship. However, it can swing a huge ship around with relative ease. Without it, the pilot cannot control or steer the vessel. For example, when the pilot turns the rudder to the right, the flow of the water on the same side of the ship becomes slower. This slower movement of the water will exert less pressure on the ship compared with the fast moving current on the other side of the ship (this is called the Bernoulli’s principle of fluid dynamics). The lower pressure now works like a vacuum. It attracts the ship to move towards it. In other words, the rudder does not push the ship to any side. But it influences the currents that change the ship’s direction. The lower current pulls the ship. To better understand the power of such small equipment, listen to this: If a ship loses its rudder, it takes three or four powerful tug boats to turn a large ship.

The tongue is compared with the rudder of a great ship. This little muscle between your cheeks has the power of life and death (PV18:21). The words spoken by you will direct your whole body, or even your marriage towards life or death. No man can ‘push’ another man to change direction in life. No man can change the heart of another. No physical force, beating, shouting, manipulation or temper tantrum can truly change another man. His tongue has to be renewed and then the change will be immediate, easy and enjoyable.

In marriage relationships the tongue is very efficient, for good or for bad, to build or destroy. Most couples who come to me for counselling, they get angry at the words of one another. They respond in kind. If the husband shouts, the wife feels that is her ‘duty’ to shout back. This is the natural human response. You need supernatural methods to win the victory! If the Holy Spirit takes control of the tongue, the shout, the abusive words are met in the power of the same Spirit. Then the hearts and circumstances change.
Let’s take this scenario: the husband is an unbeliever, married to a believing wife. All is well, for some time. Nobody knows that the storm is coming. Then one evening, the husband comes home after a long day in the office, tired and frustrated with his job. His level of patience in his ‘tank’ is below ‘reserve’. He cannot control his tongue. He is not able to be kind to his wife. Something pushes him to be rude. He misplaces his anger towards the wife. Suddenly, the devil takes control of the home. The husband will find fault with his wife just because she is the most available person around. The words he wanted to say to his boss will come to her like fiery darts from hell. His anger makes no sense. Sin is not reasonable. For a minute, the husband will vent his frustration on the poor woman. His words are like a flood of water. If the wife is not a mature believer, she will panic and the sudden wave will destabilize her ‘ship’ (her heart). But if she is an experienced spiritual ‘pilot’, she will manage the crisis well. She will remain calm, praying in the Spirit, hand on the steering that turns the rudder and eyes fixed on Jesus. She will be able to turn her ship in such a way that the flood will not damage her heart. She will be able to prudently overlook his sin, forgive him and still continue to love him, ‘like nothing has happened’. Not only that but she will take advantage of the speed of the tsunami wave and make fast progress ahead. After the storm dies down, the (foolish) husband will have no other option than to give glory to God for his loving wife. He has to admire her grace, poise, patience and love and repent of his sin. He sees Christ in her. He will now desire to change.

I said that I am not a naval engineer. But maybe I am one. I am also a pilot and a weather consultant. Of course, spiritually! I have applied this principles many times. They work! He that controls his tongue in times of provocation will escape spiritual personal damage and will direct the marriage to better ‘waters’. After the ‘rough weather’ in the home, the Master of the Sea speaks: ‘Peace, be still!’ His word never fails! I have spoken this Word so many times that all my walls and even my ceiling are witnesses to it. No devil can resist God’s Word! Then the sun shines again! The danger is averted! Progress in marriage is sure! The worship continues! True love never fails!

Dear Brethren, this is my word to you: Do not be afraid of difficult circumstances of poisonous words! The sea changes from season to season! You cannot expect to be a mature pilot that other will trust, without passing thru some rough waters in life! But you don’t have to sink! No matter the attack, you don’t have to do mistakes that will damage your ship! You do not have to end up with a broken heart before 12 midnight! The Word of God and His Spirit have enough power to make you a champion! In Christ, you are able to make the best out of every negative situation. That is why I do not fear men or their words! I do not fear the devil, slander, divorce, sickness or untimely death! That is why I fear God! That is why I enjoy God and my marriage! That is why I have peace!
Praise His Holy Name!

In Christ I declare:
All things work together for good for me and my marriage!
I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!
I forbid divorce!
With my words, I direct my marriage towards righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost!
I am a mature believer!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1Thess 5:9-11)

Yesterday two wonderful men of God and pastors went to heaven. One was living here in Warri and the other one in Houston. Both were about 50. Both were married with children. My daughters wrote to me about their pain. They needed comfort as such a time as this. This is part of my answer to them:
“See his death as a transition to a higher glory and all will be well! We do not mourn like the pagans who have no hope! In life and in death Jesus is Lord! This death is another reminder that we should not waste any day, but we should do our best for as long as we breathe. For no one knows tomorrow except God and He will not tell…

As for me, I live my life in such a way, as each day is my last on earth. I do not postpone kindness! I do not store anointing! I am generous with my desire to show goodness! I let go of the past. I live in the present with the future in mind! I give all that I have so that I don’t take my grace to heaven, but invest it here on earth, to the hungry and needing souls. The peace that passes all understanding surrounds my mind and my heart. I am a pilgrim on this earth and I travel light. My salvation is sure. My destination is beyond any doubt! I do not fear and I do not worry about tomorrow! My life is in God’s hands!
Do not waste your pain! Use it for prayer and worship! It is well with your soul! God loves you! I love you too!”

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul”

(by Horatio G. Spafford, 1873)

In Christ I declare:
It is well with my soul!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“God places the solitary in families and gives the desolate a home in which to dwell; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Ps 68:6, AMP)

All sins are bad. But some are worse than others. Rebellion is the top of that list. It was pride that led Lucifer to rebel against God. We are born with the tendency to be proud, stubborn and rebellious. There is no other way to change the heart except by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rebellion is defined as open, armed and usually unsuccessful defiance or resistance against the established authority. It is not easy to spot a rebellious person. This is a heavily guarded secret sin. For many years it hides behind words and gestures of false religious humility. But it cannot be hidden for too long. One day, the demon of rebellion will be tired to be ‘humble’ and it will manifest. Its tongue is like that of the cobra. Its venom will be spat in the eyes of the victim or injected in his veins. Death comes and nothing but a miracle will save such a man.

In marriage, the demon of rebellion is most successful. It influences the husband and his wife to reject the authority of the Bible. The Word of God is simple:
‘Wives, submit to your husbands, as unto the Lord…Husbands, love your wives as Christ loves the church” (Eph 5)
When rebellion comes, both commands are disobeyed. The wife insists to be the leader of the home. She feels that she knows best. She chooses what to buy, what not to buy. She sees her husband just as a roommate. She is not able to honor him as the head of the home. She alone decides how to take care of the children.
The husband, for the sake of ‘love’, submits to her manipulations. He has to accept her moods and tempers. He is afraid that others will hear and he tries to cover up his wife. He knows that this is manipulation but is powerless to react. When he reacts, he loses his temper and later has to apologies to the wife. Adultery may not be committed physically. But the home is a war zone and all are victims of the evil one who was once ‘the darling’ of heaven. Many married people suffer in silence, thinking that there is no way of escape. For them, a happy marriage does not exist; it is only in the movies. They may go to church, intercede for the nations and do other great projects. But their marriage is only a shadow. Their prayers for the home are feeble, lost in the desert of sadness from ‘a parched land’.

Please listen! This is the truth: God wants you to enjoy Him and your marriage partner! Loving God and loving your spouse are twin actions. Do not separate them. Thru the Word of God and also by experience, I have learned that God loves marriages. He invented them! As a wife, I had to pray hard over the years for the understanding of God’s purpose for us as a couple. To my surprise, God’s vision for us was much better and bigger than what I had in my mind the day I said ‘I do’ to my husband. I underestimated the need for godly wisdom, the practical skill of living successfully, in a dangerous and difficult world. I also underestimated the power of peace and the profit of godliness. For many years I prayed for the courage to obey God’s Word. I prayed that I may be able to joyfully submit to my husband and not feel inferior or foolish. This is not an easy path. The devil fought like mad. There are so many distractions, dangers and enemies along that road of obedience and faith. Often, it felt that it was much easier to divorce and live alone. That was the snare of easy success in life.
The greatest breakthrough was when I discovered that it was indeed God’s will for us to marry. I needed that assurance for when we got married, forty years ago, there was no prayer said and no God invited. We got married based on emotions. But God was working behind the scenes, even when we did not know that He exists. Once that mighty precious, assurance ‘landed’ in my heart, I became bold as a lion. I saw my marriage certificate signed with the Blood of Jesus! This time I was ready to obey all God’s commands for the sake of Christ. I started praying for our marriage with the confidence of a heaven-approved-Blood-bought- Spirit- sealed wife. I joyfully anticipated the day when our union will become an overflowing transparent ministry, giving all glory to God and encouragement to many. This letter is a drop of a drop from that deep holy well that never runs dry. I desire to encourage you all married people, and you who desire to marry… that you may know God’s purpose for your lives… that you may desire to host Jesus in your home, always…For His yoke is easy and His burden light…
May the water become wine, in Jesus name!

In Christ I declare:
My marriage is heaven approved and earthly useful!
My marriage is fruitful!
My marriage is blessed!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (PV 11:30)

Today I went to visit our new church site. I went to see my future prayer counselling office. There was dust everywhere and the workers were busy. For a moment I wish that there was an opportunity to do ministry even before the official dedication of the church. Surely, we are standing on holy ground…Surely, there is a soul needing a Savior…

Then I saw a man coming in. He is not a member of our church. He lives in another city. But he heard about God’s house and he came to see it for himself. He was surprised to see me there. I quickly prayed in the Spirit. Clearly, he needed Christ and he did not know it. I could see it in his eyes. He is about sixty, married, with five small children. Both he and his wife attend different churches. But there is ‘no prayer at home’, he said. His father was one of the richest men in Nigeria. The last time I met him, more than twenty years ago, he was driving expensive cars and talking vanity like rich men usually talk. He used to travel abroad often. He always smelled expensive cologne. That is how I remembered him.

Today he looked frail, sickly, his clothes faded. I saw that his chest pocket was torn. After the ‘normal’ greetings I asked him about his life. Automatically, he said ‘Fine…’ I knew it was a lie. I was not satisfied. I can smell a broken heart or a wounded thirsty soul. I then asked him ‘what is your greatest challenge now?’ He looked at me curiously not sure if I can handle the answer. Then he said that his family they barely eat; that he has difficulty in paying the children school fees and the normal bills. He said that nobody wants to give him any ‘contract’. His answer did not surprise me. God can do anything to bring a soul to Him. I did not shake, my eyes looking behind his plastic, business-man smile. I also saw that his hands were shaking…he looked so hungry for a word of encouragement, for a drop of hope. It seems that all his rich friends have abandoned him for he could not climb their ladder anymore.

As firmly and gently as I could, I told him that he needs God. More than money, more than contracts, more than friends…he needs a Savior. Standing there, with the noise of hammers around us, dust everywhere I shared with him the Blood Soaked Good News of God! I gave him the best I have in my heart, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, my only hope of glory. Generally, I feel shy when talking to a strange. But not when I share the Word of God! The boldness of the Lion of Judah empowers my voice. I always feel responsible for the way I use my tongue. The power of life has a chance!  I always think that this Word might save his life! This may be the last chance! I cannot afford to be shy or well mannered…Like a surgeon with the knife in his hand, it may be ‘now or never’. I could feel my words hot with the fire of Pentecost. I could also feel his heart opened; there was no resistance, no arguments and no excuses left in him. Some years ago, he could not have listened at all. But now, to my surprise, he did…

I prayed for him. He said Amen. Immediately his face brightened. Oh, I love You Holy Spirit! He promised to come back with a testimony. As he was going out I heard him telling another man: ‘That woman read my heart and told me all about my life. This must be God…’

Yes, this is God! No man can read the heart of another man except by the power of the Holy Spirit! This is the work of God! This is wisdom from above! His name is Wonderful! His name is Jesus Christ!

I pray that the anointing of Spirit-lead evangelism may fall on you! That you shall not miss any opportunity to share the Gospel with the lost souls! Do not look at the outward appearances for they always deceive! Redeem the time for the days are evil! May God will revive your heart and your love for souls! Your reward is more than you can imagine! Your joy will overflow!

In Christ I declare:

I win souls!

I am wise!

My reward is great!

To God’s glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

WHY I LOVE NIGERIA

“For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD” (Hab 2:14; NLT)

To many people I sound strange… I am an expatriate living in Nigeria since 1980. I am an ‘oyinbo’ (that is how white people are called in Nigeria). I came here as an unbeliever. I worked as a doctor for almost twenty years. I am now born again and in full time ministry with my husband of forty years, Pastor Richmond Leigh.  We have started a church in our hospital building. God has surprised us with His mercies and grace beyond our wildest dreams. We are very happy as a couple, as parents and grandparents. Most of all we are blessed to be the leaders of a living church filled with the most wonderful people on the planet. If you do not believe these words, it is easy, come and see…

One of the things I love about the Holy Spirit is that when He ‘comes down’ and moves in our church, everybody knows that it is HIM! All doubts flee! This is the testimony of our church: Each Sunday visitors come. They are from different denominations and many ideas about the doctrines of the Bible. But one thing is sure, once the Wind of the Holy Spirit begins to blow, they all, in one accord, bow their heads and knees in worship and adoration. In the presence of the Holy Spirit each one searches his heart to look for sins hidden from the eyes of men.

You feel the need to confess and repent. You feel this strong desire to repent and change your life. You feel the need to come to know Jesus, to come closer and serve God. Stingy people suddenly become generous and make pledges that sound crazy an hour before.  The weak becomes strong! The shy ones receive courage to propose marriage. And other wonderful things like that…

As pastors, our main purpose is to acknowledge, honor and host the person of God the Holy Spirit. Once that is done, the rest is easy and all things fall into place. I have not seen any man too strong for the Holy Spirit to bend. This is the secret of our lives, ministries and church. If you are a tourist and you want to visit Warri Nigeria, there is no much help I can give to you. Even after more than 34 years living here, I still find it hard to recommend a particular place, park, restaurant or hotel. But one thing is sure, God loves this place and the people here are wonderful. In the US, where our children live, if you want to watch a movie you go to the movie house. If you want some entertainment, you go to the down-town where some action is taking place. If you want to hear about God then you have to drive to a church, during their service (not too early and not too late). But in Warri, things are much simpler.  You go and visit your friends (and you area always welcome) or just go along the streets. Do not be intimidated by the noise and the crowds. You will see action and you will hear prayers from morning till night. It is true that not all things are edifying, but one thing is sure, you will never be bored in Nigeria. CNN may not quote my letter, but this is the truth, I love Nigeria!

Revival’s wind is blowing in Father’s House Bible Church Warri Nigeria. As one of the senior pastors and as one who lives in the building I confirm that God loves Warri Nigeria! I confirm that all is not a tragedy here! That there is light at the end of the tunnel! That against all odds, the hope of glory has taken abode in this strange and beautiful land called Nigeria! Amen!

In Christ I declare:

God loves Nigeria!

There is hope for Nigeria!

Nigeria shall be filled with the awareness of the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“So he (Abraham) went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes” (Gen 16:4)

God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah. Thru that son, like the stars in the sky, many descendants will come. Many years have passed and there was no answer. For a short time, the old couple fell into doubt and this is how Hagar the house maid had a son for the master. From the moment she got pregnant, she despised her barren old mistress. She became proud. God’s blessing of a child did not make her humble or grateful, but arrogant. Foolishly, Hagar forgot that Sarah bought her with money as a slave. The word ‘despise’ in Hebrew means to curse, to hate, to look at another as too small for notice, as if that person has no value as a human being. This is a very important lesson. The religious men persecute the true believers!!! They despise, look down and mock ‘the stars’.

We do not know how long Sarah kept silent under the hateful stares of Hagar. We do not know how long she contemplated if she should confront this issue or not. She wanted a baby so much that she was ready to endure every shameful behavior from Hagar. Like Hannah who endured so much painful persecution from her mate Peninah, she probably kept quiet for some time and just prayed. For as long as they remain barren, these women cannot talk. But once Isaac was born, Sarah’s courage revived and she took her place of authority in the home. She brought the matter to Abraham and boldly suggested the ‘casting out of the slave woman and her son’. The tables were overturned. God’s miracle of grace gave the victim the courage to confront and defeat the bully. Abraham was confused for a time and grieved for the loss of his first son Ishmael. He probably thought that Sarah is too harsh with ‘the poor maid’. But God confirms Sarah’s stand. Painfully, Abraham has to obey God. He sends Hagar and has son away. They wander in the wilderness for a time but they settle there at last. Ishmael becomes an archer. In Hebrew, the word means to be harsh, tough, cruel and stubborn. According to the prophecy, Ishmael shall be ‘a wild man’. He shall obey no one. He shall be over emotional, a man of the flesh, having the natural wisdom of this world, religious but unspiritual, a child of the devil. Hagar’s children represent men outside Christ. Their strength is in their numbers. They may intimidate with their profane words, well-built muscles and man-made weapons of war. By forsaking the God of the Bible, they become losers and reprobates. Their shout is empty and their victories a passing boast. God forbid!

Do you know how it feels to be despised and mocked, to be a victim of proud hateful religious evil spirits?
Are you a victim of oppression? Do you silently suffer in your marriage, in your home, in your church? That is not the best strategy! God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind (2Tim 1:7). Come out of depression! Come out from darkness to light! For the sake of your soul, for the sake of your children, do not be cowards! Expose the wicked forces of darkness! The fear of man is a snare (PV 29:25). Fear only God! At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow! Come and talk to someone you trust! Go and meet your pastor and confess your pain! Do not suffer in silence! If you do not trust your pastor, then go to another church! Seek and until you find the way of escape for God will do it!

I separate myself from the spirit of the slave Hagar and her son!
Like Sarah, I will get married and I will have children!
My marriage is blessed!
My children are stars!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

“While the King is at His table, my perfume fills the air with its fragrance” (SS 1:12; GWT)
The Beloved Bride is invited to come to the King’s table. This moment has been in her mind for so long. She tried to imagine, how it will be, when she will see Jesus face to face. For many years she loved Him from afar but, secretly, she has always desired intimacy, a closer walk with Him…this desire she kept it hidden in her heart, for in her village on earth, love was only for sale…There was a time when she thought that the King’s fragrance is all that she needs. She prayed and from heaven, He sent her a drop of perfumed oil… men call it ‘anointing’… she perfumed her old faded clothes…suddenly, at the touch of this oil, her rags became a beautiful dress of embroidered silk, the color of the rainbow…The whole village was shocked for no one among them received any such gift from abroad…They mocked her and her Lover… But it is too late…Dressed like a princess she will never be ashamed of her love for Him! Never!

The welcoming hall is so big, so many people, all happy, all loving Him and all serving Him. She looks at herself and she feels so small, so lonely…is this s dream or what? Suddenly nothing and nobody matters… She sees Him, the Lover of her soul. King Jesus is seated on His throne and is surrounded by a big round table covered with all types of fruits. This is His table. It is not her own. He offers her food that will heal her soul. The fruits of the Spirit look so fresh….She feels good, clean, special, accepted, loved and safe. Like a child, she starts to dance round the table, round and round, until exhausted and free, she falls at His feet… He lifts her up…He smiles…Suddenly, she feels hungry for what even the angels desire to eat…

In Hebrew, the word translated ‘table’ in this verse, means a circular piece of furniture that goes round about the room. Just imagine a great round table surrounding King Jesus who sits on the throne in the middle of the circle. I read that the owners of the restaurants (on earth) prefer square tables, so that the guests have ‘elbow room’. The corners of the table separate the people. They eat together but each feels the need to have its own ‘private space’. A round table symbolizes intimacy. There are no sharp corners, no fences to divide the people. The road to each other’s heart is simple. No time to waste in sharp turns that can lead astray. My space became our space. In heaven, at the wedding of the Lamb, all the tables shall be round and smooth. No fear of separation! What God has joined together, let no man (or any square table) put asunder! What can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Nothing and nobody!

Spiritual intimacy is the holy passion and desire to be one with Jesus, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Many men go to church but few desire such passion. It is the same in marriage. Many chose their life partner out of business calculations, profit making, traditions of men, religious decrees or convenience. They take the easy path prescribe by successful cowards. They fear adventure and romance. They hate true love, with its hills and its valleys. Intimacy in marriage is more than sleeping together in the same bed. It is the desire to be one in the Spirit, to feel the same, to have the same vision, to help each other to fulfill destiny. This unity of the Spirit is a gift of grace and makes the marriage true and wonderful. God gives it to us but it is our responsibility to maintain the seal intact, to keep it free from damage and division. We are promised to Christ as His virgin Bride! The marriage grows when both the husband and wife value this holy invisible bond of peace in the home. Each quarrel should be seen as poison. Each harsh word is a merciless bomb. This holy work to protect true love is the secret of success and happiness in marriage. May your eyes open to see the beauty of holiness and the power of love!

Even if my words sound strange sometimes, I encourage you to follow me, even as I follow Christ! I promise you, there shall be no regrets and no loss! We can only be better!

In Christ I declare:
I pay the price for holy intimacy, to be one with Christ!
I pay the price for holy intimacy in my marriage!
I trust God! Therefore I shall not be disappointed in my search for true love!
There is no room for selfishness and division!
My table of blessings in marriage is round and filled with the fruits of love!
In Jesus name,
Amen!