Today is the last day of a wonderful year. Since morning I have experienced fullness of peace and joy, the guiding hand of the Lord covering me… A strange burden of doubt that I have been carrying for some time is suddenly gone… I feel lighter in my spirit… I have no fears and no regrets moving on… It is well with my soul… I am now ready to cross over into the new year…with a heart filled of thanksgiving, hungering for God’s presence like never before… The holy adventure of seeking God is revived in my heart… This I can say: it is only God who is worthy to take all the glory for the abundance of the blessings and the overflow of anointing paving my way… My cup runneth over…”Jesus, You are beautiful! Jesus, You are Lord!”
My verse for today: Psalm 65:11

 
“And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony…” (Rev 12:11)

The devil is called by many names. One of them is the ‘Accuser of the brethren’. One of his works is to slander or to mock the Christians. This is one of his most common strategies: he reminds the believers of their past of sin. He charges them with faults, true or imaginary, trying to weaken their faith. The devil is very skillful at that! He uses his human agents or he speaks directly to your mind. As a believer in Christ, you cannot fight him with your personal strength. He is stronger and more experienced than you. Your only defense is to plead the Blood of Jesus shed for you on the Cross of Calvary. Simply said: under attack, remember the Blood!!! The second weapon is the confidence that the Word of God works in your life. If the Bible is just ‘a book’ to you, you will fall under the attack of the devil. You need to have a personal testimony of sanctification to use it as a weapon against the accusing tongue of the enemy. The deeper the level of sanctification, the more you have the strength to achieve victory against any form of evil attack, coming as doubt, intimidation, foolish pride or mockery. Sanctification, practical godliness, destroys all inferiority complexes. You need to be confident of the grace and love of God in your life! The argument of the devil is that no one has the right to go to heaven. He is right- if it is not for the grace of God!

If attacked by the accuser of the brethren, what is the solution?
The solution is not to deny the past of sins! You can never have peace like that!
The solution is not in arguing that we are not as bad a sinner as the devil says!
The solution is not in punishing yourself for past sins!
The only solution to stop the accusation of the devil is this “Holy formula”: the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross and your testimony that the Word of God works in your life! The Blood of Jesus must be powerful, for it defeats satan! Christ died for you! The Lord receives no accusation against the believer in Jesus Christ! This is the eternal Word of God! Read it again and again until you believe it!

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom 5:6-9)

In other words this is the solution: bring the accusation of the devil to the Cross! Preach the Cross to yourself! Bring to the Cross every deed, every thought, everything! Even if I repent, I mourn, my cry cannot stop the devil! It is the Blood of Jesus that stops it! Plead the Blood in your praying! Ask the Lord to give you the victory! The crazy noise of accusation must stop! Peace must prevail! You can see that there is no mention of an army or swords!!! The Blood of Jesus is the only sure weapon to destroy all lies against you!

In Christ I declare:
I bear testimony that the Word of God is true and works for me! I believe the Word! The Word becomes part of my very soul! I am one with Christ! The Blood shed on the Cross releases the free abundant grace to make me free!
I am an overcomer!
All slanders, mockery and lies are destroyed by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of my testimony!
I am free! I am happy! I fulfill destiny!
I am who God says I am!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name, amen!

Glory to the Lamb who seats on the Throne forever! May your faith increase! Jesus is Lord!

..

Pastor Leigh preached from the Book of Hebrews, chapter 12 and verses 18 to 24. He said that most commentators believe that the Book of Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul. No one else had the height of understanding of the doctrines of the faith as he. Pastor Leigh reminded us that the general theme of the Book of Hebrews is the supremacy of Christ as a priest, prophet and sacrifice. The Jews who became born again were confused and could not distinguish between the Jewish form of worship and the spiritual one introduced by Christ.  The New Covenant replaced the Old one. The priests of the order of Aaron died and could not continue to serve God. But Jesus came as an eternal High Priest of the order of Melchizedek, the priest and king who lives forever. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed to atone for sins. The sacrifice was superficial and could not cleanse the conscience of the worshippers. They could not atone for the sins of the spirit. But now, Jesus died and His Blood is able to wash away all sins. Jesus is our sinless, holy and eternal High Priest. We need no other. Christ is enough for us! He is the Son of Man and the Son of God. That is why, as children of God, there is no need for us to panic. No weapon fashioned against us can ever prosper because Jesus makes intercession forever! At the name of Jesus every knee must and will bow! Jesus Christ is the Man amongst men! This is the supremacy of spiritual warfare and worship in Zion.

In the past, the people of God gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses told them to prepare to meet God. They thought that will appear as ‘an old man’. To their surprise, the mountain started shaking; fire and smoke were seen on top of the mountain, with thundering and lightening. The trumpet was blowing louder and louder. Then God spoke. The people of God ran away and told Moses that they cannot endure to hear such a fearful voice. Let Moses speak and not God. But we are not called to that mountain of fire and fear. When God wants to speak to you, He will call you out of the world, into the desert. That is Mount Zion.  The difference between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion is the difference between law and grace. I cannot obey all the commandments. But on Mount Zion, I can believe in Jesus. My faith in Jesus is the same as obeying the law. That is one reason why Zion is superior to Sinai.

There are two places called Zion: the first one is the city of Jerusalem. The second is the spiritual place of worship, according to the Davidic Covenant which is based on grace (Ps 9:11; Ps 76:2).   Symbolically, Zion stands for the place where God dwells; it is the seat of God’s Throne; it is the spiritual birth place of all the children of God; it is the object of all divine promises; it is the place where you will hear the call of God to ministry; It is the place where the Blood of Jesus speaks mercy, forgiveness and freedom for you. Finally, it is the place where you kneel down and you simply worship the Lover of your soul!

This is a wonderful letter from Eng. Chris Ekpekurede, a long time friend of the ministry. He is a civil engineer by profession and an author of many books on building churches.

On Saturday the 19th of December, 2015, I was in a glorious service to dedicate Warri’s newest and definitely the most modern auditorium built by the Father’s House Bible Church pastored by Pastor Dr. Richmond Leigh. Now, by the way, Pastor Leigh did not purchase his doctoral title like many title-hungry Nigerian pastors. His is a genuine doctoral acqusition with performance and laudable landmarks to prove it.The burgeoning Lily Clinic in Warri bears testimony to that.

 
This was the message preached by the guest preacher, Pastor Greg Atiyota, on the day of the dedication of our new auditorium. He had a prophetic word from the Lord: “Father’s House Bible Church Warri, Nigeria is a House of Worship, a House of God’s glory and a Mission House!”

Father’s House is a House of God’s glory. Here in Father’s House, the worship in heaven shall be reflected on earth. God is looking for men, women and children who will understand, flow and join in the worship in Heaven. God is searching for worshippers who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God does not look for wealthy men, because all silver and all gold are His. God is looking for humble, holy, faithful and dedicated men. Most people come to church seeking for miracles, for wealth. But God is seeking to bless men with His presence. God is seeking for true worshippers, true lovers. They give God all the glory! This is their anthem:
“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.” (Rev 4:11)

The world was created by God to give glory to God. But the world became rebellious against God. The devil is the prince of this world. The whole world lies in his power. The devil is the author of confusion. He deceives men to worship him. Men worship other men or their money. Money is good. It took a lot of money to build this church. But you should never worship money. You can use money to buy a house but money cannot buy a home. Money can buy a bed but cannot buy sleep. Money can buy a woman but cannot buy a wife. There is much idolatry going on in many churches. They worship mammon thru empty religion. But there is a remnant that will worship God faithfully, in Spirit and in Truth. These are the true children of God. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to seek and save that which was lost. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance and to reconcile men back to their Creator. That is why we worship Jesus!

Father’s House is a Mission House. Men will come here to receive a greater vision. From here they shall go forth carrying the anointing to all the nations to give glory to God. The impact of Father’s House will be felt in many nations!

It is of utmost importance that men dedicate their gifts back to God. If not, the same blessings can kill. Once you dedicate your gift back to God, you are safe. Then He gives more grace. I hear God saying: ‘I want to bless you with the blessing that shall be dedicated to Me!’ It is not just the building that shall be dedicated. It is the builders and the ministers that need to be dedicated to God. When men humble themselves God’s grace come on them and blessings follow. When there is a casting down there shall be a lifting up.

This is a House of worship. God seeks for worshippers. When we praise God, we honor God. A humble heart and a right willing spirit will receive God’s revelation of the Savior Jesus Christ. “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” (Ps 50:23). When it comes to His glory, God is very militant. Jesus is the King of glory mighty in battle. God does not share His glory with anyone. The easiest way for any man to look for ‘God’s trouble’ is to touch His glory. If you see any proud man who is also a worshiper, that one is a son of Lucifer.

It is a dangerous thing to be proud in the presence of God. It is a terrible thing to use the things dedicated to God for unholy purposes. The Babylonian King, Belshazzar, used the holy vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem for drinking wine in a dinner party with his wives and concubines. The hand of God wrote judgment on the wall saying that his kingdom has ended. Daniel rebuked the king saying that he refused to humble himself before the Lord of Heaven who holds his breath in His hands. The wicked king mocked Jehovah God by using His dedicated vessels for unholy purposes. Belshazzar praised the gods of silver and gold and refused to give glory to God Almighty. His doom was sealed. The king died that night and his kingdom was divided (Daniel 5)

In the Book of Acts Chapter 5, there is another example of God’s judgment on those who refuse to honor Him. There is this couple, Ananias and Saphira. They lied to the Holy Spirit and they fell down dead. This is a danger that shall be manifested in these last days. For many, to be born again is just a spiritual fashion. In the world, you find fiction. But in the Holy Spirit you find truth. We are the sons of light! God has called us to praise and worship Him. It is a duty and a privilege! “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pet 2:9). Let’s praise the Lord!

Finally, this is the time to humble ourselves, to come back to God. Without the Cross there is no resurrection. Without the Cross there are no miracles! A great man of God, Jim Elliot, said long ago: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”. Today, we are gathered to dedicate this beautiful House of God to God. But this is also the best time to humble ourselves. This is the best time to re-dedicate ourselves to God! May God have His way! Glory to God!

ON THE 19^TH DECEOMBER 2015

Today, we are gathered together in the sight of God to dedicate this building to God Almighty. The scripture says that when the Temple was built, in the days of Ezra, “the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of captivity, kept the dedication of this House of God with joy” (Ezra 6:16)

We are grateful for the opportunity which God has given to us to build, for our own generation and for the generations yet to come, a House, which is the House of God. We rejoice that the work of building has being carried to its completion, and that this House is now ready for worship and for the ministries to which it shall be dedicated. Therefore it is with great joy that:

*We dedicate to Thee, O Lord, this House of God! To the glory of the Father who has called us by His grace; to the honor of Jesus Christ, His Son, who loved us and gave Himself for us; to the praise of the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter and Guide!

*We dedicate this House for the worship of God, in praise and in prayer; for the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; for the observance of the Holy ordinances commanded by Him and for the ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit!

*We dedicate this House of God for the comfort of those who are in sorrow; for the strengthening of those who are weak; for the encouragement of those who are facing trials and temptations!

*We dedicate this House of God for the blessings of God upon marriages which shall be consummated amongst us; for the sanctification and the protection of the family; for guidance in establishing of Christian homes!

*We dedicate this House for the teaching of the eternal truths of God’s Word; for the shaping of life to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ; for the directing of Christian action to every day fulfilment of God’s purpose in man.

*We dedicate this  House of God, in loving memory of all who, with heart and hand, have served this church; with deep gratitude to these whose gifts and ministries have made this present construction possible; with prayer in faith for those who shall worship and minister in this place in days and years to come!

*We dedicate this House of God, as members of this household of God, in unity of Spirit, in the love of Christ and in gratitude for this House to be an habitation of God through the Spirit!

*We now dedicate ourselves to Christ, to the worship of God, to the work to which He has appointed us, now and forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we now dedicate this House to be set apart forever from profane and common uses; and that it shall be set apart for worship and service of Almighty, to whom belong “power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessings”

And the people said: “AMEN!”

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord” (PV 21:31)

Today is the first day of ceremonies for the dedication of our new sanctuary. Everything was done in the presence of the Lord and for His glory!  Jesus, You are beautiful! There is victory in Jesus! The background of life is active spiritual warfare. If you believe in warfare or not, if you believe in the existence of the devil or not, this is the truth: there is war in the heavenly realms. The horses represent the power of men aided by the devils. They stand for the most sophisticated technology and strategy of the wisest men on earth. But all the horses in the world cannot defeat the smallest child of God whose faith is rooted in Jehovah. God is not intimidated by galaxies of demonic horses, by powerful bombs or by the latest deadly weapons invented by men. Salvation, freedom and victory are gifts of grace, coming from the Lord! Even for the youngest believer in Christ, the victory is sure, deliverance is established and freedom is confirmed.

Examine yourself: You are either on the side of the devil and his horses or on the side of Jehovah! You are either on the side of human strength or on the side of Christ Crucified! In Christ you can never lose! Today, I have seen tired, confused and disappointed horses, fainting because of thirst, in the middle of the battle. There was no river around and no rain forecasted for them. I have also seen today the banner of Jehovah lifted high above His children. God poured strength into the weak, healing unto the sick and joy to the broken hearted. I have seen all these wonderful things today. His banner over us is LOVE! He who is with God is in majority! What a wonderful day to be alive and to worship God! Jesus is Lord!

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:15, 16)

The disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus. They were depressed. Four days ago, Jesus, their Master, was crucified. Their hopes were crushed. Then suddenly a stranger came from the side of the road and drew near them. He started walking with them. They told him about the pain of losing their best friend. They did not know that the ‘stranger’ was in fact Jesus.  They did not call on Jesus, thinking He is dead. Nevertheless, He came close to them… This is what Jesus does… He comes close to the hurting souls…

This is a great lesson: Jesus is able to come close to you any time He likes. Even when you do not pray, He still comes close to you. He will encourage you to talk about your pain, giving you answers to impossible questions. Jesus gives hope to the hopeless; joy to the depressed; strength to the weak.  Jesus heals the sick and delivers the oppressed. At last, when the miracle has happened and the problem solved, you shall look back and see that it was Jesus! The same yesterday, today and forever! O, How I love Jesus, for He first loved me!

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer…” (Ac 3:1)

In the past, Peter and John worked together as fishermen. Jesus called both of them to salvation and ministry. We see them here going together to ‘the prayer meeting of the church’. They were instruments in the hands of the resurrected Christ to miraculously heal a man who was born lame. In the natural, they had very different temperaments. Peter was hot tempered and talked a lot. John was gentler and quieter. But in Christ, they were brothers, friends, co laborers united in purpose and zeal.

This is a question: who are your friends? ‘There is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother’ (PV 18:24). His name is Jesus! His family in heaven and on earth is very big! Jesus has many brethren that may come your way.  Blessed are you if the love of God comes to you thru people! Blessed are you if your friends invite you to church! Blessed are you if your friends pray for you, encouraging you to read your Bible or to think about Jesus! Blessed are you if your spouse is spiritually mature and is a true worshipper with a servant’s heart! Today, when you pray, please thank God for your family and friends in Christ! They are the brethren of Jesus, ‘the angels’ that God uses to bless you! Even if you have no money, you are blessed and rich beyond words! To God be the glory!

This was the last prayer meeting called “Saturday Class” for this year. We started strong and we finished even stronger.  This evening we prayed for a sister from our church that lost her husband. Her in-laws want her to worship the river goddess, to appease it so that she and her daughter will not die. But this is a lie! We know that she is a child of God. We prayed for strength to stand for Jesus, for wisdom to speak or to keep silent and also for peace. Secondly, we also prayed for all the activities in our church this month: The dedication of the new sanctuary, the Christmas programs and the end of the year Jesus Mega Party. We prayed that all our guests will travel safely. There shall be no trouble, loss, lack, quarrels, anxiety or confusion. Everything we shall say and do will give glory to God!  We invited the Holy Spirit in our midst.  He came ‘as usual’ in His own ‘special way’. We rejected the evil spirit of religion, the fake ‘holy spirit’. We rejected the fear of sickness, the fear of bad news, untimely death, poverty, pride and ‘bad luck’. The Holy Spirit brought joy to us as we yielded to Him. We then praised God for His goodness and faithfulness towards us. To God be all the glory!

The idea of being ‘a career woman’ is more common in the western world than in Nigeria where I live. But the advice is universal and we can all learn from it. I write this with a new compassion for the single women. A ‘career woman’ is a woman whose main priority in life is achieving success in her career or profession. It may specifically refer to a higher interest in career than in marriage and having children. In other words, her job is her husband and children. It can thereby be used in contrast to what is called ‘a housewife’. Interestingly, there is no male equivalent. Have you ever heard of a “career man?” No!

The truth is that not all working and successful women CHOSE to be ‘career women’. They just ‘become old’ while working in their offices. They postpone marriage and having children until it is ‘too late’ for that. But some women do choose to pursue their careers in place of being working wives and mothers. Some others delay motherhood for years because they feel they need to stay competitive in their businesses. Later they regret that decision. Some women believe that their dedication to their career, and the good that they are building through their work, is their ultimate legacy. Oprah Winfrey is the best example of that. Finally, some women have absolutely no interest in becoming mothers, their careers notwithstanding. Their identity is rooted in their business.

I am a wife and a mother. I am also a pastor. From the Word of God I find that the majority of women want to ‘settle’, to marry and have children. They want to have time to enjoy their home and the gift of motherhood. Most of the scriptures encourage the women to marry and have children. Marriage and motherhood is work and ministry. The sacrifice is great but the reward is greater.

But there is hope even for them who did not marry. They are called spiritual ‘eunuchs’. These women should serve God in their local church. They should become spiritually fruitful. They should mentor younger women. In this way they can have spiritual children. They can be mothers in Christ to many needy daughters. This ministry of mentoring the next generation of women is very fulfilling. I know it by experience. God can bless you too.

This is the Word of God: “Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (Is 56:3-5)

This is what our Lord said: “But He (Jesus) said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” (Mt 19:11, 12)

The worst thing is to live a life of regret. The truth is that a business career cannot satisfy your soul. The money you make and the fame you get do not give you peace and joy forever. Even your husband or your child cannot satisfy your soul. Only Jesus can do that. But this is the truth: To be a wife and a mother is more rewarding than any promotion in any office in any country. Wives and mothers be encouraged today! And you, if you are single and ‘too old’ to have children, then consider adoption. A baby somewhere in this world needs your love.

May the Holy Spirit direct your path! May the Holy Spirit help you to choose the right thing at the right time! Be blessed! In Jesus name!

My husband and I. Forty one years of marriage! Love never fails!To God be all the glory!
Sotul si eu. 41 de ani de casatorie! Dragostea nu va pieri niciodată! Slava Domnului! (Romanian)

But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. So David inquired of the Lord, saying: “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And God answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all” (1Samuel 30:6-8)

This is one of the most difficult times for David, the future king of Israel. He was rejected by the Philistines as a soldier. He came home to Ziklag to discover that he has lost everything. The wicked Amalekites took away his wives, his children and his property. Also, everything belonging to his soldiers was all gone. The people were so grieved and angry that they wanted to stone David, their leader. The word ‘grieved’ in Hebrew means to become bitter and rebellious. May God help you not to become bitter and rebellious during the trials of life!

What does David do in this situation? What will you do?

The Bible says that he wept until he had no more tears. After that, he gets up and he ‘strengthens himself in the Lord his God’. In Hebrew, this word means to be encouraged, to help, to play the man, to prevail, to be courageous, to lean on another who is stronger and become strong again. This is David’s secret. This is the secret of the saints in the history of Christianity. When difficult times come, they run towards God and pray! They do not backslide; they do not run to the world for false encouragement. They run to God, they worship and pray and so, they are saved!  David runs towards ‘The Lord his God’. The names of God here are: Jehovah and Elohim. The meaning of ‘Jehovah’ is ‘I AM’. He is the self-existing One; the covenant God of Israel, the personal God of His people.  Elohim is the God of Genesis, the God who created all things. Elohim has to power to change the circumstances, to grant a new beginning and to make all things new.

David believes that God loves him, that He cares! Alone, rejected, and in trouble, David ran to God! Be careful: in difficult times the devil will attack you with doubt and confusion. He will point you to the wrong direction. The devil wants you to doubt the love and faithfulness of God. He will push you to run and run without any vision or destination. You shall be attacked with fear and discouragement! But do like David: run to God and pray. Ask for wisdom. God will answer you. His Word is final. It is not what your doctor, your bank manager, your boss or any other man says to you. It is what God says! That is final!  Defeat discouragement! Pick up the broken pieces! Is there fresh trial? God supplies fresh, more abundant, grace! There is a difference between a strong man and a strengthened man! Even if you are weak, lean on Jesus and receive strength. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and so you shall become strong!

This is the lowest point for David, just before the ascending to the throne! The true king David emerges!  Sorrow and pain do not last forever. Labor is not forever. Soon, the baby shall be born and the mother shall rejoice!! This is the royal way of the Cross. Embracing the pain of brokenness, accepting the risk of humility, thru the tears of holiness, God will lead you from tragedy to triumph. This is His Word for you today: “Pursue the enemy, overtake those losers and, without fail, recover all! God is with you! You can do it! For the glory of God! In Jesus name,  amen!”

Pastor Leigh, my husband, blowing the shofar, announcing the beginning of the worship in our church this morning! Worship the Lord!!!!!!

My hands are filled with God’s Harvest!  The parents attend our church. They waited for 8 years for children. These are our blessed twin grandchildren (a boy and a girl): Michael and Michaia! This is God’s promise fulfilled: ‘You shall live to see your children’s children…” (Ps 128:6). May the blessing of fruitfulness be your portion too! In Jesus name, amen! Glory to God!

Eu cu nepoteii mei spirituali. Mama lor (fata mea an Hristos) a asteptat 8 ani de casatorie ca sa aibe copii. Sant gemeni: un baiat si o fata. Slava Lui! “Să te binecuvînteze Domnul din Sion, să vezi fericirea Ierusalimului, în toate zilele vieţii tale, şi să vezi pe copiii copiilor tăi!” (Psalm 128:5, 6)
(Romanian)

The evening service started strong. Each time we are real and hungry for more of God, our weakness is overtaken by strength. The faith and anointing increased. We prayed for the Holy Spirit to ‘come down’ in our midst. We prayed in English and in tongues. There was a great longing for an encounter with the Living God. We prayed and we worshiped Jesus with a ‘new song’ directly from the heart. We poured our best at His feet. ‘Awesome God how great thou art…’

Then the message followed: HOW DOES CHRIST BUILD HIS CHURCH?

Jesus said: ‘I will build My church…’ (Mt 16:18). But how does He build it? He uses ‘spiritual tools’ to build up His people, His church. The first two ‘tools’ are called ‘Grace’ and ‘Prayer’ (Ac 20:32; Jude 1:20). The third one is called the ‘Gifts of the Resurrected Christ’ also called the ‘fivefold ministry’. “So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-13)

This is the Gospel: Jesus Christ died for sinners. He was buried; He resurrected and went back to heaven. From over there He sent the Holy Spirit and the ‘maturing gifts’. These gifts are the offices of ‘apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers’. Their function is to mature all the believers.  These gifts are given for the benefit of the whole church; not only to some isolated ‘perfect’ Christians but to all the believers so that they all become strong and mature.

This is the desire of Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Church! He wants to build you up so that you can worship God and be strong enough to work for Him! It is not the Bible school that makes you a worker for God. It is the grace of God, the power of prayer and the impartation of the fivefold ministry in your church! If you ignore or reject those, you can never be strong, fruitful or mature.

How do you know that a church is growing? There are two basic elements: The Unity of the Spirit and the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. The unity of the Spirit is between the parts of the body. Each part needs to become ‘perfect’ and mature. Then they can come together to work together. The Body is not perfect until every cell, every member is perfect. The cults produce a false unity where all members are the same, like clones. But the Holy Spirit is creative and produces unity and diversity in the same time.  The glory of the church is manifested by the extraordinary variety and creativity of its members, mixed with loving humble submission, thus creating a beautiful unique unity. This mature church is able to create the right atmosphere for true worship! Carnal believers and immature church leaders mix worship with entertainment or business. That is very sad!

The knowledge of the Son of God means to know Him intimately and experientially. You need to study who the Lord Jesus is. You need to meditate upon the doctrines of Christ: the virgin birth, the fact that He is Man and God in the same time. Jesus is Prophet, Priest and King. This knowledge will increase the faith of each member and together the body is building. Let’s pray with Paul: “That I may know Him (Jesus Christ)…” (Philip 3:10)

“God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecc 3:11)

All the Word of God is good for me. But there are scriptures in the Bible that immediately encourage me and without fail. I am sure that you know the story of how Haman was disappointed when he was told that Mordecai, the man he was planning to kill, has been promoted by the king. It is found in the Book of Esther, chapter 6. What amazed me recently is the timing of these events. It is wonderful to see how God orchestrated the events.

*God’s time is always perfect
We often pray: “Lord, how long?” We hate to wait. But waiting on God is not a waste; it is blessed by Him.
Timing is very important in sports, in finances, in medicine and other things.
God’s name is not mentioned in the Book of Esther. In the first five chapters, the wicked Haman is promoted and things go well for him. Mordecai is suffering and he is in danger to die. In chapter 6 there is a change coming. This is a new beginning.
Things can really happen in the night when men sleep but God moves. We are told that the king could not sleep that night. He asked for the chronicles of the Kingdom. That is a boring thing to listen to. Maybe he thought that will make him sleepy. But no! He was reminded of how, five years previously, Mordecai, the Jew, saved his life. He quickly asks: What has been done for this man? Nothing- was the answer. There was no reward given. The king was afraid that he is found to be an ungrateful man. He them planned to greatly reward Mordecai.
That same night Haman slept well with a false sense of security and enjoying success. In no night was Mordecai in such a danger. Up until this moment Mordecai was persecuted, not appreciated and not rewarded. But that early morning the tables were changed. Haman was disappointed to discover that his enemy was promoted. If God was few hours to late, Mordecai could have been dead. What a story! See God’s perfect timing! Remember, even if no man remembers you, God knows about you. He will reward and bless you. In His Time!

We see God’s perfect timing with Joseph. His brothers wanted to kill him. But just then, there came a caravan of Ishmaelite. They bought Joseph with money. He became a slave but that slavery saved his life. If the caravan came few hours too late, Joseph could have died. God comes at the right time.
Another example is the Pharaoh’s daughter who came to the River at just the right time. She heard the cry of baby Moses. The baby cried at just the right time and so he was saved.

God’s time is always beautiful. We praise God for the timing of things! God’s time is always for His glory and for our good God is never too early and never too late. Do you believe that? Then praise God as you continue to wait on Him! No one who trusts in God to the end shall be disappointed! Halleluiah!

“Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face”
(William Cowper, 1774)

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
My testimony is sure!
My future is better than my past!
As I trust in God and patiently wait for Him, I shall not be disappointed!
To God be all the glory for His work in my life!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

“God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecc 3:11)

This is a lesson I had to learn: If you say that you trust God, then you need to trust not only God’s power but also God’s timing. Many Christians believe the promises of God but do not trust His timing. They believe that God can do miracles. But they become impatient as they wait for the miracle to come. They never think that God is too fast. But they complain that God is ‘too slow’. What lessons can we learn about God’s timing?

“The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him [My heavenly Father] who sent Me” (Luke 10:16)

I am a servant of Christ. I am an ambassador of Christ. He sends me to speak His Words. These are not my words but His. Along the way, as I do ministry, I know that I will meet two types of people. Some will listen to me and some will close their ears. Some will reject me and some will accept me. There is no other group. This is a simple instruction from the Master. I shall not be confused or deceived by men.

The Lord has sent me into a good and great field. It is an abundant harvest.  It is also a dangerous field. I am a sheep sent to save other sheep that are lost in the forest of the wolves. I do not have physical weapons. I do not have strong teeth to bite. I cannot run faster than the wolves. But the wisdom, the power and the grace of God given by my Shepherd are always sufficient. My life is a miracle. I lose nothing even when I pour out daily. The supply, both spiritual and material, never stops. God’s mercy and encouragement is new and creative every morning. My spiritual engine is fueled by the agape love of God that never fails. I carry with me in my heart and mouth words of peace, healing and life. If any receive them, the seal of the Holy Spirit will become visible upon that one. He will be blessed with all types of riches. The spiritual connection between me and him (or her) endures forever. In heaven we shall remember the holy testimony that started on earth.  But if anyone politely ignores or rejects my words, that person does not need me. He will answer to the God who sent me.  When someone rejects me, I never feel sorry for myself. I feel sorry for that person. I count that one as a foolish man or woman. I know that person has lost an opportunity to enjoy a treasure that could have been his. My work for God comes with a very high responsibility. But it carries the greatest reward. I give God all the glory for my salvation and my ministry!