‘As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible’ (Ac 17:10-15)

My husband and I continued to follow in the footsteps of the great Apostle Paul. Today we went to the city of Berea in Greece. Over here it is called Veria or Veroia. We took a local bus and after one hour journey, we arrived at Berea. We went to the site called ‘The Altar of Apostle Paul’. The Christians here have made a special place to remember Apostle Paul. There is a beautiful bronze statue of the Apostle welcoming you. Both my husband and I greeted our spiritual father and mentor. There are three original marble steps taken from a 1st century synagogue where it is believed that Paul preached. There are also two beautiful mosaics there. The one of the left depicts Paul’s vision when a man from Macedonia (present Greece) begged the Apostle to come and preach to the people here. The second, on the right, shows the Apostle Paul preaching in Berea. We took some pictures there.

We trecked from there to an ancient synagogue believed to be the place where Paul preached. We continued walking down the streets of Berea and visited two other ancient churches. We took pictures in all these places. My husband and I held hands and prayed thanking God for the privilege to visit these places that hold so much spiritual value for us the Christians.

Just as we read in the Bible, the people of Berea were more noble and more spiritual than the people in Thessaloniki. It proved to be so even now, after 2000 years since Dr. Luke wrote the Book of Acts. It is amazing how the Word of God is so true! In Berea, two women in particular showed us great respect, kindness and help. They behaved like we are thier family! They could not speak English very well but they went out of their way to teach us the importance of this place, they walked with us along the road to help us find these ancient places. They gave us maps of Berea and cold bottled water free of charge!!!! I do not know their names but and God knows them and will reward them.

Berea is a middle size city, very clean, very nice and with very friendly people. It is about 2500 years old!!! Life is quiet and slow here. There are flowers in front of each shop. In Nigeria where we live people are restless to become rich ‘overnight’. Coming here, seeing these old places, we are reminded that a good life may be simpler than we have imagined in our teenager’s dreams. Peace is more important than money and spirituality is more important than success.

Today is a good day. Thank God for the favor, health, resources and strength He had given us to complete this journey. As Paul left Berea to go to Athens, we too will go home to Nigeria! Dear readers, brethren and friends, may God bless you all! With love from Greece, Tali and Malia!

(In the pictures you see my husband and I at the ‘altar of the Apostle Paul’ in Berea; in front of a first century old synagogue where it is believed that Paul preached, in front and inside a first century church and flowers on the very clean streets of Berea, Greece)

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country” (Deut 28:1-3)

My husband and I we are missionary pastors in Warri-Effurun (south of) Nigeria. This great country has many social and economical problems. It is easy to complain. But one thing I love about the people here: they love to go to church, to be involved, to volunteer to serve God in any capacity. The Nigerian Christians love to sing and dance unto the Lord! Even if you are old, you feel young again. The parents bring their children regularly to church. Another thing I love here is that The Holy Spirit loves the people of God in Nigeria. In each service, the Holy Spirit comes like a rain of grace and glory. The people are healed and delivered just by praising God.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Ac 2:4)
I always thought of myself to be a strong person, creative, intelligent and optimistic. Thank God that the Holy Spirit humbled me so that he can blessed me. I became born again thru a crisis conversion. I was very happy! For some time I experienced what you call ‘the honey moon’ of Christianity. I thought thatI have arrived on top of the mountain of the world. I thought that I am stronger than the strongest. I thought that I can preach like Billy Graham and sing like Cece Winans… I became proud in my salvation. I did not understand the way of the Cross. Then the painful road of coming down the mountain of holy success started…

‘After Paul and his friends had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went on to Thessalonica. A Jewish meeting place was in that city. So as usual, Paul went there to worship, and on three Sabbaths he spoke to the people. He used the Scriptures to show them that the Messiah had to suffer, but that he would rise from death. Paul also told them that Jesus is the Messiah he was preaching about. Some of them believed what Paul had said, and they became followers with Paul and Silas. Some Gentiles and many important women also believed the message’ (Ac 27:1-4)

My husband and I continued to walk in the footsteps of Apostle Paul. We left Neapolis (Kavala) and are now in Thessalonki. This is the second largest city in Greece, after Athens. It was founded in 300 BC and named after the sister of Alexander the Great. It was an important Roman trading post and an early centre of Christianity. Apostle Paul himself preached here. He was persecuted because of his message. Some of the citizens believed the Word, among them some women of high social status (again, as a woman of God, I feel proud and happy). The Jews living here caused trouble to Paul’s host, Brother Jason. They forced him to drive Paul away accusing him to be a traitor to Caesar. From here, Paul went to the city of Berea.

The believers left behind became very strong. They spread the Word to the whole region of Macedonia. They suffered persecution but they remained faithful (1 Thess 2:14). Later, Paul sent his spiritual son Timothy to encourage them. He gave Paul a very good report about the believers here in Thessalonki. Later, Paul writes two letters to them (1st and 2nd Thessalonians), encouraging them in the faith. Paul’s stay here was short and painful but not a failure.

What is the lesson? A little ministry cannot be destroyed by a great persecution. A little love cannot be drawn by the flood of hatred and envy! The anointing of the Holy Spirit cannot be neutralized by empty religion! Jesus is Lord! Let’s continue to plant the seeds of the Word any place in this world and leave the rest to God. Another great and useful lesson is that we cannot do it all! Some plant the seed, some water it and others reap the harvest. In ministry you cannot be selfish, proud or impatient. Often, things seem unfair. That can be painful! But for as long as your spiritual labor is done to the glory of God, all is well! God rewards His servants! Praise the Lord!

This morning, we took an open roof bus and went round the city. It was very interesting. Most of the city was burnt in a major fire in 1917. Only few ancient buildings were preserved. The city was later rebuild and it is now very nice. There are many markets, shops and restaurants. We saw very few police men. You feel free… The city has many students in the university. The people are friendly and helpful to foreigners. That is good! The general feel is that of an old city with a youthful zeal. Like a man who had suffered a lot, almost died, but survived to tell the story. The journey continues…

In the pictures you see some of the Roman ruins and ancient churches we saw in Thesssloniki. My husband took me a picture on the roof of our hotel as we were eating breakfast. This is from me to you, greetings from Thessalonki… Let me add this … The best cake and ice cream we have ever eating is here… The temptation is great… Vacation is an excuse for me to eat this very good cake!!! But later, I had to ‘manage’ a Greek chicken salad to ‘balance’ the calories… Smile with me…Lastly, the trash cans in the hotel where we stay are transparent… I have to be careful… Let the trash be ‘clean’ a little if not it is seen by everybody… Smile again…

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Lk 22:32)

Yesterday we had a wonderful Holy Communion Service in the church. I read The Book of Luke Chapter 22 to refresh my memory concerning this holy event. The Lord told the disciples to prepare the place so that they will eat the Passover meal. They obeyed not knowing that this is the last time they will eat together. Jesus said that He really wanted to have fellowship with them ‘before I suffer’. Judas has already agreed to betray his Master for religious money. Jesus institutes what we now call ‘The Holy Communion’. He tells them to do it ‘in memory of Me’. I tried to imagine the place and the feelings of our Lord during this ‘good-bye-send-off’ meal. He knew that He will die soon. He also knew that His disciples do not yet understand the gravity of the moment. The atmosphere was tense. Jesus says: ‘I give you my Body… I give you My Blood…’

These are eternal heaven soaked anointed words. They define the perfect love free of all fears. These words should provoke men to worship Jesus! When a man gives you his life, the only acceptable response is to give your life back to him. By laying down His life for His friends, Jesus proves that He is Man and He is God. And God is love. But men do not understand the passion, the pain and the price of Love. The disciples started quarreling among themselves who is the least and who is the greatest among them. Can you imagine that? The Lord was talking about His kingdom, saying that they will seat with Him on thrones, that they will be Kings and Priests with Him. But the disciples quarrel about ordinary things… things that money can buy… earthly things…fading profits… It is like a King telling his son that he will one day be a king ruling from his throne… but the son goes to the servants’ quarters and quarrels with them about the next ‘contract’… who will supply bread to the royal home… How sad…

Here you see the great distance between the way the Spirit thinks and the flesh thinks. Jesus is clearly lonely during that last supper with His friends. Loneliness is a price to pay if you want to be like Jesus and especially if you want to be a pastor. But these lonely moments are holy pregnant with glory moments, when you draw closer to the Lord more than ever before. Nobody likes to be lonely. We all want a group of friends, admirers and followers to be around us. But there are times when God will isolate you from family and friends, so that you can experience His pain, understand His grace and see His glory.

These times of loneliness are times of temptation too. The devil will come and try to flatter you. In these last days I see that the devil has ‘fallen in love’ with the Church. Jesus warns Peter saying: “behold, Satan hath desired to have you” (Lk 22: 31; KJ). Satan wants to have you! To control your mind, emotions and will! This is his plan! Be careful, you who like to complain saying: ‘Nobody loves me… I am lonely…’ Satan, the Accuser, may supply ‘love’ to you… but the price for this fake love is your destiny and your soul. So I say: “Backslider, come back home! Run to Jesus! Run to the Cross! God loves you! Jesus loves you! The Holy Spirit loves you!’

The Lord says: “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” We recognize what Jesus sad done on the Cross two thousand years ago. We also acknowledge and honor His present ministry as our High Priest in heaven, the Author, Finisher and Sustainer of our faith. Your faith in God is supernatural! If not, you could have gone back to sin and to the world! Tell me the truth: how many times you got tired of Christianity and wanted to backslide. But you could not do it! Why? Because Jesus Christ is praying for you right now, that your faith should not fail and should not quench! Give Him glory! Now that your faith is established, now that you are strong in the faith, strengthen the weak Christians as they walk with Jesus!

As for me, this is my testimony, my story and my song: Jesus Christ is My Savior and My Lord!!! Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so! His love is enough for me!!! Because of Jesus Christ, I declare that I am a child of God and my faith in Him is unfailing! Thank You Lord for Your Blood, for Your Body and for Your Spirit! It is well with my soul… Glory!

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ – Says the Lord of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone. With shouts of “Grace, Grace” to it! Moreover the word of the Lord came to me saying: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zech 4:6-10)

This evening the prophetic prayer meeting was very good. In the natural, there were obstacles. Let me explain… This is the season of football (The Word Cup). Many people are tempted to stay at home to watch the games. Also, today we experienced a very heavy rain. For many brethren it was hard to come outside and find a keke or a taxi. Few of us gathered to pray. As we started praying, the electrical power (NEPA) went off. Some brethren put on their phones to provide light. We were in 90% darkness for about 30 minutes, until the generator was finally on. Having all these things against us, we encouraged ourselves by the Holy Spirit! We reminded ourselves that God is with us and for us. Things change. Circumstances change. People change. Seasons change. But God never changes! We stabilized our spirits holding unto the anchor fixed behind the veil. In the spiritual realm, today was declared to be ‘the day of small things’! Can anything good come from Nazareth? But God is faithful! The day of little things surprises and blessed the people who refuse to despise it!

Brother U shared a wonderful testimony. His two years old son called Shalom was very sick but God healed him today, on his birthday. For about two weeks he could not breathe well. When the doctors said that he needed surgery his faith almost failed him. He said that he has experienced firsthand the wickedness of death. He knows the sound of digging a fresh grave. In the past he has buried a brother and a sister. The devil was tempting him that his little boy will be the next one to die. He resisted the devil’s lies! Together with his wife they held on the promises of God and prayed. Today was Shalom’s birthday. By faith, this morning, they went out to buy a cake, toys and food to celebrate his life and healing. Before they left the little boy was still breathing hard. By the time they came they found him sleeping peacefully and totally healed! Hallelujah!

The Holy Spirit said: “I will finish the good thing I started in your life. Fear not! You shall not be ashamed. You shall not be disappointed. You shall praise God and praise God! Take your dancing shoes and dance! Sing a new song! The benefits released at the Cross are your inheritance, your portion. Receive peace and joy! Be healed! Be delivered! Be fruitful! Let prosperity manifest! Your enemies rejoiced at your weakness, at your stumbling… They shall be disappointed. Be strong with supernatural strength! Pursue, overtake and recover ALL!!! Not half, not in part! But ALL that the enemy has stolen. Take it back! There shall be a restoration testimony! There is a turning of the tables! Your future is surely better and much brighter than your past! See your future… Like rivers in the wilderness, so the life power of My Spirit shall overflow into your lives…Joy…Joy…Joy!!! Like the eagle, catch the holy current of My wind and glide… no struggles… just easy and easy…your life will be much easier… glide into glory! Arise and Shine for thy light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you…upon you…I release a finishing touch on you… It is a finishing touch on you!”

“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it…” (Philip 1:6; AMP)

Give thanks for your lives, for your spouses, for your children, for your church, for your pastors! God does not borrow you. God gives and gives again… grace and more grace.  He who has laid the grace foundation shall place glory roof with shouts of ‘God bless you’! Grace has multiplied on your behalf! Favor has increased! Joy is fruitful”

“I see the Lord… I see the Lord… Exalted high above the nations, of the people of the earth…I see the Lord…”

‘From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days’ (Ac 16:12)

Today, is a Sabbath day. We are in Kavala, Greece. This afternoon, my husband and I visited the ruins of the ancient city of Philippi, Greece. The area is filled with massive stones, columns and broken walls. We saw the amphitheater where people came to be entertained with the famous Greek dramas. We saw streets with houses, market places and public baths. We imagined Apostle Paul walking there. But what impressed us the most where the ruins of three churches and the prison where Paul and Silas were detained. It was Sunday afternoon. Before going out we worshipped God watching the church service from our church, Father’s House in Warri, on the Internet. The sound and the pictures were so clear that for a moment we thought we went back to Nigeria. Later, as we sat down on the stony ‘pews’ in the ancient church at Philipi, we tried to feel what the Apostle Paul felt when he came to this town. Many of the stones that littered the grounds had the sign of the Cross on them.

We went to the museum and saw the sculptures of men and women from that era. They placed them on their tombs. Many of them had the sign of the Cross on their foreheads. This was because they wanted to be sure that anybody who saw them, even after thousands of years, they will know that they lived and died as Christians. Very interesting…

We then went to the prison cell where Paul and Silas were thrown into. This was because they delivered a slave girl from an evil spirit of fortune telling. As you know, Paul and Silas sang praises to God until the gates scattered. To me, this was a reminder that in every situation as praises go us to God, deliverance, freedom and breakthrough comes down. Praise the Lord! It was here that the jailer and his family got converted.

We left the ruins and went to the nearby village now called Lydia. We went to the river bank where Paul sat down to pray. It is now called Zigaktis River. It was here that he met some women willing to listen to the Gospel. One of the women, Lydia, got saved there. Even today, the river flows fast and happily. Out of many Biblical sites we have visited all over the world, this was one of the most anointed. The Holy Spirit is clearly here as a witness to this wonderful story of salvation to the Gentiles. As your remember, Paul had a vision. He saw a man pleading with him to come to Macedonia (Greece) to preach the Gospel to the people here. Paul obeyed. Led by the Spirit he came to this spot and he preached the Gospel to this woman, Lydia. The Holy Spirit ‘opened’ her heart and she believed! She was the very first convert in Europe!!! I like this! A man interceded and a woman answered the call! Glory!

The grounds around this very spot are very clean and beautiful. There is a little ‘grotto’ in the memory of Sister Lydia. There is a little church, still functioning, built to the glory of God and to the memory of Lydia’s conversion. This beautiful church garden is the Spirit’s gate to Europe!!! The grass is green. The flowers are bright in color. There are many butterflies and birds singing. (Let me add this… It is a private matter… The public toilets are very, very clean). The walnut trees, the olive trees and the fig trees are heavy with fruit on their branches. To tell you the truth, I was very proud to be a small woman of God visiting the memory park of another great woman of God. The cleanness of the garden, the beauty of the flowers, the fruitfulness, the peace, the palpable anointing and spirituality of this place, is a wonderful memorial to the blessings women (and men) have found in Christ. There is peace and joy here on earth. This was also a hope glimpse of glory we shall have in heaven. Wonderful God I praise You!

Coming back to the hotel in Kavala, I saw the smallest church built by the side of the road. They said it was the place where a Christian man died. They said that it was his dream to build a sanctuary for God before he dies. He died an untimely death and his family built this little church in his memory. It is a reminder that a small dream fulfilled is better than none. It is also a reminder to be humble and trust God to the end. Today is a good day for us! We increased our store of Biblical memories and marriage wine joy. Thank You Lord Jesus!

“A five stars marriage is like a five stars hotel: expensive, but worth it. True love unlocks doors and opens windows that were not even there before. A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person” (Mignon McLaughlin 1913-1983)

(In the picture Mr and Mrs Jacob, members of our church, who are happily married for more than 45 years! Praise the Lord!)

God has just blessed my family in Romania. My only sister’s only son, Mihai Alexandru and his wife Georgiana Alexandru had a baby girl called Iulia. They waited for this baby for years. They are both medical doctors but they had problems to get pregnant. Medical science said that they can never have their own child. But against all odds, Georgiana got pregnant and now they have a beautiful daughter. I am so happy for them! To God alone be all the glory! I use them as a point of contact to pray for other couples who trust God for the fruit of the womb. With God all things are possible! Praise the Lord!

“Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold–Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph…They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” (Jn 1:45; 6:42)

Last Sunday we celebrated ‘Father’s Day’. There is one holy man in the Bible that I admire a lot. My choice may surprise you. I am talking about “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ” (Mt 1:16). He is one of the most neglected characters of the Christmas story. But his life is a treasure of encouragement to me.

What is his story? Humanly speaking, Joseph’s life was not easy. He had to deal with much disappointment. First of all, as a husband, he heard that Mary, the girl he loved and planned to marry, was pregnant!!! Of course the Angel told him that she got pregnant by the Holy Spirit. But in his flesh, it was not easy to accept this ‘good news’. ‘The joy to the world’ meant silent sorrow (at least for some time) in the heart of Joseph. As a father he had his own pains. His sons with Mary did not believe that their older brother is the Messiah. “For even his brothers didn’t believe in Him (Jesus)” (Jn 7:5). Because Joseph was a believer in Christ, to have unbelieving sons, that was not an easy fact to deal with. Until he died, Joseph did not see his sons converted to Christ. Then there was also another painful issue he had to accept: his loss of social status! Joseph descended from the direct lineage of King David. In the history of Israel, the people of God became rebellious against God. They needed to be humbled. God sent them to Babylon for seventy years. When they came back to their land, they came without their royal mantle (read Matthew 1). They ‘lost’ their crown in the wilderness of Babylon. They came back as ordinary men. If it is not for the rebellion of his people, Joseph could have been ‘His Royal Majesty King Joseph’. He could have lived in David’s palace in Zion, married to a Queen and with many servants around him. But that dream died and was buried in Babylon. Instead, Joseph was known as the village ‘carpenter’, too poor to bring a lamb when his Son was dedicated at the temple. He could only bring two doves, the offering of a poor man.

But thru it all, with all these losses and disappointments, I do not see any trace of bitterness in Joseph. He was a man of God! He was a good caring husband to Mary. He was a wonderful father to Jesus and to his other sons. He was a righteous man, a wise, patient and spiritual man. God spoke to him thru dreams and he obeyed God with all his heart. He was led by the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit chose Mary to carry God’s seed in her womb. God also chose Joseph to be a father to Jesus for many years. The greatest achievement of Joseph was that he was called the father of Jesus!!! He lost his crown but his adopted Son was the King of kings!!! What a vindication!

What are the lessons for us today? Be born again! That is the first and most important lesson! As a child of God you can live a life of humility and thanksgiving, no matter the difficult circumstances around you. There is no need to look back, at what could have been. There is no need to compare yourself with others. If you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, then you shall be free from inferiority complexes, depression, doubt and bitterness. Your greatest achievement, your heritage and gain is your relationship with Jesus! In the light of His glory and grace, nothing else matters! Hallelujah!

(In the picture, you see Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, wonderfully played by Mr and Mrs Joseph Alika (and baby) who are part of the drama organized by our church every Christmas and called ‘The Nativity’)

‘Wisdom is more powerful
than weapons,
yet one mistake can destroy
all the good you have done’ (Ecc 9:18)

‘From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis’ (Ac 16:10)

My husband and I we continue to follow the great Apostle Paul. This morning we took a small plane (like our Aryk in Warri) and flew from Athens to Neapolis. Apostle Paul wanted to go to Asia but he was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia to preach the Gospel there (Ac 16:6-11). He saw a man in avision begging him to come to help them in Greece. He left Troas and arrived at the city of Neapolis.

It is not easy for me to read or talk about food. This is because I like it too much. Most of my adult life I struggled with my weight. Even as a born again Christian, it was very hard for me to have victory in this area. I fasted, prayed and cried to God for help, for deliverance. Then one day the Holy Spirit reminded me of this scripture: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1Cor 10:31). He told me that this is the key to conquer the demon of gluttony, guilt in the area of eating and obesity. He said that God looks at the purpose of the action more than at the action itself. He said that the purpose of my eating was wrong. I was eating because I was hungry, because I liked to eat food, because I like to cook, because I can afford to buy any food I like, because I do not want to waste food or because everybody is eating…. Ok! What is wrong with that? The Holy Spirit said: ‘Everything! This type of eating is like food dedicated to idols. The purpose of my eating must be ‘to the glory of God’. ‘But how do I eat to the glory of God?’ – I asked the Holy Spirit. He said to me: ‘See yourself as God’s creation. You are not your own! You belong to God! Your appetite is given to you by God. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You need to eat to ‘maintain’ the temple of God. Losing or gaining too much weight, or neglecting your body is not your personal business, but is damaging the property of God’.

“Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah Nissi!
Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah El Shaddai!
You sent Your Son, You gave Your all!
You shed His Blood on the Cross of Calvary!
You gave Your Spirit, to us, who are called by Your name!
That we might become like You!”

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex 20:12)

Today we celebrate Father’s Day! It is a good thing to remember our fathers. A father is a man who has children, natural or spiritual. He has a relationship with them. He invests his life in them. He prays for them. Fatherhood is a gift of God. It is not by might or by power that you become a father. It is a grace gift from God. Give Him praise!

Honoring your father and mother is a command. It releases great blessings upon you, upon your descendants and upon the land God is giving you. You cannot be a happy father or landowner if you disrespect, dishonor or ignore your parents. Honoring them breaks the bondage of the fear of untimely death. In your heart, honor your fathers! These men were not perfect. They were sinners saved by grace. If they are dead, think of a little personal detail that you remember, so that you make this day special and holy. God bless you, sons! God bless you, daughters!

Today, it is my desire to honor three fathers. The first one is my dear husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh. He is a wonderful father to our children and their spouses and a great grandfather to our grandchildren. He is also a great man of God, a pastor, a mentor and a spiritual father to many. Pastor and I we are now happily married for 44 years. If Pastor Richmond Leigh has influenced your life for better, please acknowledge that and pray for him! To God alone be all the glory!

The second father I want to honor is my natural father: Prof. Albai Ion. He has gone to heaven about 15 years ago. He was a wonderful father to my younger sister, Adica and I. He was the principal of the school we attended. He was openly proud of his love for our mother and us, his daughters. Each time we went to an exam or an interview, he went with us to encourage us that we can pass it. We grew up feeling protected and loved. He encouraged us to be the best we can be, without any inferiority complex that we are girls and not boys. He was very worried when I told him that I want to marry a man from Africa. I told him that he should meet with the one I love. My husband and himself met and they discussed things about life and future. Immediately he trusted my future husband and ‘adopted’ him as the son he never had. He gave his life to Christ before he died. To God be all the glory!

The third father I want to honor is my father in law, Engr. Fredrick Mene Leigh. He was a wonderful father to his children and even to me. Initially, when his son told him that he married an ‘oyinbo’ girl he too was worried. He was afraid that I will run away from Nigeria and break his son’s heart. With time, he learned to trust me. The last two years of his life he was very sick. I became his personal doctor and pastor. By the grace of God I lead him to Christ and he after he made peace with God. Six months before he died, he called me to ask for forgiveness that he doubted his son’s marriage to me. He said that he does not want to die with the burden of un-forgiveness in his heart. I was very surprised because I did not expect an old man to ask for forgiveness. I knew then that his conversion was genuine. He then told me something very wonderful. He said: ‘Lia, from today, you are not my daughter in law. You are my daughter. Anything you see my children do, do like them. Where they walk, you too feel free to walk…” I was touched. He destroyed my inferiority complex of being a foreigner. Since then I feel at home in Nigeria, both spiritually and emotionally. To God alone be all the glory!

(In the pictures, you see my husband, Pastor Leigh, holding our grandson Oliver; my father, Prof Albai Ion, holding me as a child, and my father in law, Eng. Fredrick Mene Leigh)

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The Lord Jesus Christ says: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close” (Rev 3:8)

The prophetic prayer meeting this evening was very good. The Holy Spirit came ‘quickly’ and stirred our spirits to pray with faith and holy zeal. The Lifter of our heads did just that! We prayed for a clear and pure vision, singleness of hearts and minds! ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus! Look full on His wonderful face! And the things of this world, will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!’ Look up to Jesus! Do not look right, left, or back! Look up to Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith! Be healed! Be strong! Be delivered! Let the poor say: “I am rich!’

‘While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols’ (Ac 17:16)

Today, my husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh, our daughter, Alina and I, went to see the ruins of the ancient city of Athens. This area has been inhabited since 4000 BC, making it the oldest capital in Europe. About 500 BC, Athens became the ‘golden city’. It became the leading naval city of the day, the bastion of democracy and the centre of cultural and intellectual activity of the times. It produced the greatest poets, writers, philosophers and thinkers of men. Later, Athens fell under the Roman empire. The rich Romans came to study in the universities of Athens. The Greek education was the pride of all scholars.

Apostle Paul said that ‘Geeks seek for wisdom…’ (1Cor 1:22). They considered Christianity as foolishness. The rising of Christianity was the downfall of the city’s famous schools. They are now all in ruins. Interestingly, the Bible authors used the Greek language to write the New Testament.

We went to the high hill in Athens to see the ruins of the Acropolis, the theater where they played the famous Greek dramas, the temples dedicated to the goddess Athena and to the other gods. I saw an ancient canon in a stony box lying there. It was broken in pieces. I also saw some doves resting near it. To me it was a prophetic sign that the Greek proud gods fought their foolish fight but lost it. The Prince of Peace is King overall. Apostle Paul said it well: ‘the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God’. God said: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise! I will frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent’ (1Cor 1:19). In Athens today I saw a lot of destruction and frustration of what is called worldly wisdom!

We went to the very place where Apostle Paul argued with the educated Athenians. It is called Areopagus. The truth is that it was not easy for Paul to go to this missionary trip to Athens. In fact, it was the hardest trip of all. He had to go alone, leaving Silas and Timothy behind in Macedonia. He was provoked in his spirit by the many idols and gods worshipped in great temples. He argued with the educated religious pagan men who looked down on Christians. Paul stood and fearlessly told them about the God they called ‘the Unknown God’. He said that he knows this ‘unknown God’. Can you imagine Paul’s boldness? Some believed and some mocked, but the Gospel’s seed had been planted on this beautiful but spiritually dry land.

There are many churches now but few people attend them. Most of them are museums. You pay a fee to enter and see past glories. Greece is struggling with economic recession. Many beautiful houses have the ‘For sale’ sign on them. Many Greeks have abandoned their home land and have gone abroad to ‘greener pastures’. There are also illegal immigrants here trying to survive. We saw a number of Nigerians selling little gifts. They were speaking ‘pigging English’ among themselves, arguing about some money. One came to me asking me: ‘hey, lady! Do you want to come to a party this evening?’ I did not answer him. I felt sorry for him… He was the age of my son… In Nigeria he would have respectfully called me ‘Mama’ but here I am ‘Lady’. I almost shouted on him, rebuking him saying: ‘You no get mama? You no get Papa? You miss road my son…’ But the heat was too much to exercise my Naija language on him. I passed by leaving him behind to search for things money can buy. It was his dream to live in Athens, in the shadow of ruins that failed the best of men. My dream is to go back to Nigeria, to serve the King of kings and that my dream, money can never buy it!

What are the lessons in all these things? Pride and idolatrous worship trouble any land, no matter how famous, rich or educated its citizens may be. If you are a ‘big man’ or ‘small man’, humble yourself and give your life to Christ! It is only in Christ alone that there is peace and fulfillment in this life and hope of glory in the next! If you are saved, if Christ lives in you, then you are wiser than the wisest and richer than the richest. Serve the Lord Jesus Christ wherever you are right now! Child of God, be encouraged today! Jesus is Lord!