Monthly Archives: January 2019

PEACE GRANTS PETITION

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad” (1Sam 1:17, 18)
 
This revelation of God to Hannah applies to any barren situation in life. There are many people who cry silently on their beds at night because of pain of rejection, broken hearts, disappointments and lost dreams. Life is passing them by and there are no fruits to beautify and enjoy. The devil suggests to them that just weeping is a solution; that God will feel ‘sorry’ for them. Many tears wash a barren face and they remain barren still. But what a mighty change it will be to move in faith to have an encounter with God, to meet the captain of your Salvation and let Him dry your face clean. He is able and He is willing.
 
Hannah discovered Jesus to be faithful and true. The High Priest Eli commanded her: “Go in peace!” As she obeyed, her face was no longer sad. From that moment, she walked on following the beat of an internal drum called ‘Shalom’. No one could hear the holy rhythm, except herself. Lesson: My dear sister, you who pray for the fruit of the womb, once you are able to stop complaining and crying, and you look up unto Jesus, you start walking with a smiling face and a song in your heart, the miracle of pregnancy will happen. The God that shut Hannah’s womb became the God that opened it to overflow. Leave the bed of sorrow, get up and go to the altar of God! By faith, give God a chance to prove Himself to you as the One who opens doors long barricaded. What do you lose if you believe? Nothing! You only lose your sorrow and shame! If you are tempted to say ‘I believed yesterday and nothing happened’, believe again! Command doubt out of your thoughts and believe again! We are called to a ‘living hope’ and ‘inexpressible, glorious joy.’ Never, ever forget that for the true believers, the end of all suffering is glorious joy!
 
In Christ I declare:
I was a sinner; I am now a saint, saved by the Blood of Jesus!
I shall not weep again, for Jesus is my Shepherd! He has led me to His living waters and He has dried all my tears! My past bareness shall become a testimony of fruitfulness and praise! I am healed! All to God’s glory! Glory! Joy! And Glory again!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
Pregnant woman

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end… But for me it is good to be near God…” (Psalm 73)
 
We are climbing the holy mountain of God’s calling. Some pilgrims are already at home resting and enjoying the bounty of the Lord’s house. But there are still many down the slopes, slowly moving up the hill. They struggle with obedience to simple commands. They have difficulty in believing the truth. What is truth? –asked Pilate? The truth is this: GOD IS GOOD! The rich young ruler called Jesus ‘Good Teacher…’ He was rebuked for speaking words without understanding. Jesus said to him: ‘No one is good-except God alone!’ (Lk 18:18-19). Such a simple revelation… But it is still so hard to believe it…
 
Each step up the mountain requires total trust that God is indeed a good Person. We have to believe that He who called us to a higher place is faithful. But when things get hard, the doubt resident in the flesh starts grumbling. In the wilderness the people of God complained again and again doubting the goodness of God. Even Jeremiah thought that God had deceived him into ministry. Why do we struggle so much in believing that God is indeed good? The first reason is that we are not yet mature spiritually. The Bible raises our expectations concerning our blessings from God. As sinners we had no hope of any inheritance from heaven. But now, we are told that we are kings and priests. We start to imagine golden palaces, exotic temples and flowing gowns… This is the result of fleshly, wild, un- sanctified imagination. For a long time we do not know how to control that. So we dream and claim the gold from the streets of heaven and the pearls at the gates. Then we look around and see a cheap apartment we call our home on earth, we feel disappointed and then blame God for giving us ‘false hopes’.
 
Another reason why we struggle to believe that God is good is because we foolishly compare ourselves with others. We see them having a ‘better life’ than ours. It is even more painful when the wicked prosper. The word ‘prosperity’ in Hebrew is ‘Shalom.’ This is one of the personal names of God. We feel jealous and bitter. We end up feeling betrayed by God. Without a good explanation why the ungodly prosper, we start blaming God for partiality and wickedness.
 
The great Oswald Chambers said that ‘we are always suspicious on God.’ We are addicted to doubt about God’s character and motives. This sin is like leprosy; it affects our life, our worship and our commitment. When things get a little bit difficult we quickly jump at the conclusion that God does not care. We forget that behind all this wicked stronghold of doubt is the same devil, the same one that deceived Eve long ago.
 
What is the solution? We have to go back to the Bible! We cannot find the truth outside the Word of God. Pastors preach and elders counsel. But nothing can replace the daily quiet time to study God’s Word, combined with fasting and prayer. Secondly, come to church. Listen to the preaching of the Word. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary. Many have found peace within its walls. Pray about your questions. Confront your doubts! The Christian life is lived by faith alone. There are times in which you have to close your eyes and your ears. Be blind and deaf to all that is not of God. Be honest with God and with yourself! Draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you! Pay the price for intimacy with God. You shall find Jesus to be the best friend you can ever have, kind and faithful, wonderful beyond description and worthy of all your trust!
 
In Christ I declare:
God is good! All the time! God is good to me and to my family! I believe 100 percent! I chose not to doubt God’s goodness!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!

WHEN MY HUSBAND CALLS ME, I COME!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come” (Est 1:17)
 
Please read the Book of Esther, chapter one. King Xerxes is married to Queen Vashti whose name means ‘Beautiful’. The king throws a great banquet to entertain and impress his military leaders, princes and nobles. He later invites all the citizens of Susa to come and enjoy the king’s feast. There is no limit to drinking wine and eating the royal special food. The reason for this party was to give glory to himself. Like Nebuchadnezzar, King Xerxes was a proud foolish man! He loves to drink alcohol. He was also a hot tempered man. Suddenly, becoming tired of the entertainment provided, the drunken king orders his Queen to come to him, dressed in her royal robes. He wanted to boast, before all his guests, of his wife’s beauty. Hating to be embarrassed in front of many drunken men, the Queen refuses to obey his orders. What? Imagine that! The great king is publicly rejected by a woman!!! Suddenly the happy party turns into a mourning gathering. The king is angry mostly because he is embarrassed by his wife’s public rejection. Both husband and wife are angry and embarrassed at each other’s actions. Who will win in this foolish emotional manipulation game? Of course the devil who takes pleasure in division, quarrels and divorce!
 
King Xerxes asks his wise men what to do. They advise him to divorce and disgrace Vashti. In verse 19 she is no longer called Queen Vashti. She is simply called by her name, like any ordinary woman. The poor queen has no credit of grace with anyone. Vashti is sent away from the palace! She loses her marriage, her reputation and her throne! The wise men advise the king to write a new law saying that each man should be ‘the ruler of his household’! It will be on record that all the wives should submit to their husbands. This is a foolish decree for no law can force the wives to submit or the men to love them. Submission and love are spiritual things of the heart!
 
What are the lessons for us? The first thing I see is that without Christ, fame and riches are useless. Without Christ, there is no peace, no wisdom and no joy! Without Christ, even the best marriages scatter. Without Christ the partying, the happiness of the world will suddenly turn to disgrace and depression. The law cannot change the hearts of men. Only the grace of God found in Christ alone can change hearts and circumstances. Anger, lust, foolishness, pride, rebellion, drinking alcohol, having worldly friends… these are all drops of poison able to kill any relationship.
 
As a married woman, I am sorry for Queen Vashti. In this story she had to go away. She vacated her throne for Queen Esther who is an ambassador for Christ. In this world, nothing is permanent. Only God never changes! ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever’ (Heb 13:8). If you marry an unbeliever, you will suffer. Money and fame cannot help a broken heart. Only God can do it! Another lesson is this: once you are married to ‘a famous’ man, or you hold a position of authority, if you like it or not, you become a role model. Others will imitate you, for better or for worst! Visibility requires responsibility! Remember that!
 
MY TESTIMONY
My husband and I are married for almost 44 years. Both of us work full time to make our marriage happy and strong. It is a sacrifice made because of love. We are not ignorant of the attacks of the devil which is able, if given the chance, to destroy any marriage. This is the wisdom I have learned from the Book of Esther chapter one: Each time my husband calls me I will answer and immediately come to him! I promised myself that I will not be like Queen Vashti! This is my pledge to God and to my conscience: If my husband needs me, if he calls me, I will answer! It can be morning, afternoon, evening or night time. I may know or I may not know the reason for his call. I have made a covenant with my feet not to be tired to walk up and down the stairs when my husband calls me. I cannot even imagine ignoring his call. I take it as serious as the call of God. For me, rejecting my husband’s call is a luxury I cannot afford. I want our marriage to continue.
 
If I was Queen Vashti, knowing that I will be embarrassed in a room full of drunken men, I could have still come to see my husband. I will pray in tongues in my heart that before entering that room, my husband (even if he is drunk) will pity me and let me to go back to my room. I believe that God can change the heart of any king! And even if I have to stand there embarrassed, I will ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen me among those foolish drunkards. In difficult times I pray to be able to use my pain for the glory of God! The shame I will experience will bring me closer to Jesus who also suffered shame on the Cross, dying for me. But no matter how, if my husband calls me, if he needs me, I will come at once! So help me, God! Dear Queen Vashti, I am sorry, but you cannot be my friend! I am with Queen Esther, who is my sister and mentor!
 
Now I have to go for my husband is calling me… “Come with Me from Lebanon, My bride, come with Me … My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me…. (SS 4:8; Jn 10:27)
RSL and SLL 3

YOU HAVE COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him” (Est 4:13-17)

This was a spiritual emergency. Like a father to his daughter, Mordecai spoke the word to Queen Esther. He could only speak. He could not force her to fulfill her destiny. Esther knew that she has to stand and speak to the king, not as a wife, not as a mother, but as a woman of God.

Each ‘office’ comes with its own mantle of responsibility. There is a way you dress as a single woman and there is another way you dress as a married woman. There is a way you dress as a wife without children, and there is another way you dress when you are pregnant. In the same way, there is a way you behave and speak when you are on vacation, or when you relax at the end of the day. There is another way you behave and speak when the Word of God is deposited in your heart and comes on your lips. For example, it does not really matter how you say ‘good morning’ to your neighbor. But it matters the way you speak to him saying: ‘you must be born again!!!’. There is fire in the Word of God. It burns the chaff. It polishes the gold. You need to prepare your heart, mind, body and spirit for what God has called you to do. You must be ready to preach the Word in season and without season. It does not matter if you are in a good mood or not. Once the Spirit’ trumpet sounds, as a soldier, you must obey the command. There is a possibility that people will reject you and God’s Word in your mouth. There is a possibility that you will ‘perish’ trying to save the lives of others. If that is the case, it is better to ‘perish’ fighting like a soldier, than to hide under an expensive table, in a palace that cannot protect you from the wickedness of evil men outside.

Child of God, after you have done everything, taking the whole armor of God on you, the royal garments of authority provided by the King of kings, chose to stand!!! Like the way God was Moses, the same Jehovah God will be with you. No man, no woman will be able to stand against you. If anyone fights against you, that one shall fall at your feet, beg for mercy and acknowledge that God is with you and that God loves you. This day, as you enter a new year and a new season of life, I plead with you, re-surrender your heart and mouth to God! Serve God with the fruit of your lips! Offer your mouth to God! To the glory of your King who can never lose a battle! Praise God! Proclaim His name! Pray to God! Preach God’s Word! In Jesus’ name!

(Fasting and prayer day 1)