“Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other. Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.” And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice” (1Kg 3:24-28)
Divine wisdom will establish you as a man (woman) of God! People will fear your God and gladly submit to you. This is true leadership; not thru manipulation or display of wealth. But by the power of the Holy Spirit! This is a wonderful story! Two women fighting over a baby. Try to imagine that! Solomon was faced with a major dilemma. His decision would affect not only these two mothers but the child as well. What if he made the wrong decision and gave the child to the wrong mother? How could he possibly know what to do? God gave Solomon the wisdom he had asked for and with this wisdom, Solomon did an amazing thing.
Imagine the tenseness of the moment. A newborn child laid before Solomon and he calls for a sword. Who in their right mind would bring a sword near a baby? Then he commanded one of his soldiers to cut the child in half and divide it between the two mothers. Why did Solomon do this? Was he out of his mind? He knew the women’s response would reveal the child’s identity. In the presence of life and death, all men drop their hypocrisy. Before the hour of death, men may deceive themselves and others. The power of ‘419’ works when death is not around. But once death looks you face to face, truth comes out. I am a doctor and I have seen this again and again. Dying people become honest and are ready to repent and change. This is the truth!
Solomon never intended to kill the child. He only wanted to see how the women would respond. He knew that there was no way the true mother would let her child be killed. Though giving up her son was painful, she was willing to do so if it meant saving his life. But the mother whose child had died responded differently. “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” Her insensitivity to the child’s well-being revealed that she was not the real mother.
As I consider this story about Solomon’s wisdom, I see something else that is very important. The wisdom he received from God gave him great confidence and courage. He needed that to be a king. He was a young man and inexperienced in the politics of the royal chambers. But he prayed for wisdom and God granted him that. It was wisdom that he used to rule as a king among men. Wisdom is not sold in the market. Wisdom comes from God!
What is the lesson for us? Pray that God will give you His wisdom so that you see all things thru His perspective. Then, you will never be intimidated by the strength of others. Human eyes and ears can easily deceive. No school on earth teaches you how to overcome all fears and obstacles. It has to be the Holy Spirit! Remember that wisdom is applied knowledge. You need to know the Word of God so that the Holy Spirit helps you to apply it in practical living! All efforts invested in the study of the Bible and prayer shall be rewarded with a higher level of authority, faith, confidence and courage! May it be so to you! In Jesus’ name! This is my prayer for you this morning!

This is one of the thrones of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. This throne is more than 4000 years old. It was made of acacia wood covered with gold. I took this picture inside the Egypt Museum of History in Cairo.

“Like Joseph, in Christ, I declare that I am fruitful vine. My enemies have failed to destroy me. Their poisonous envy, criminal anger and wicked bitterness have failed to uproot me. My roots are too deep for them, holding to the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ, my Lord! I drink daily from the well of life. It is the secret of my ever-growing strength. No matter the seasons of life, during rain or drought, I continue to grow in knowledge and in grace. I never stop producing sweet fragrant blooms of joy and mature fruitful faith of the Holy Spirit. The branches of my influence run over the wall of limitation and oppression. My enemies surrounded me with their hatred. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, I overflow with wisdom and strength. Victory is mine! My children will be stronger than me. We shall bless nations!
According to the blueprint in heaven, I am a success story. Angels in training come closer to me to study the miracle change, from an earth crawling worm called ‘A nobody’ to a free colored butterfly of resurrection life. I serve the God called “Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Light shining in the darkness!” My boasting is not imitation. It is not a man invented song! It is grace speaking! I have been commanded to do it! For the glory of the King of kings! The Blessings of heaven above and of the deep of the earth are mine! The name Joseph means “Divine Multiplication”. The blessings of the breasts and the womb are mine. I am a mother in Zion! My children, natural and spiritual shall possess the gates of their enemies! When they open a door, no enemy can shut it. When they shut a door, none can push it open! The blessings of the everlasting hills are mine. The gold and the diamonds inside the hills, the riches stored in secret places, are hidden from the eyes of common man. But not from my eyes. That wealth is mine to find and use! I can never fail! hearing the trumpet of triumph, I can only move forward! From faith to faith I follow! From grace to grace I grow! I have done everything required! Therefore, I stand! This is my story! This is my song! In Jesus’ name! Amen!” (Gen 49:22-26)

The geographical centre of London is called ‘The Charing Cross’. It is a major junction where six roads meet. From that junction you can find your way to any place in London. Originally, there was a humble stone cross there. In the 17th century, the Parliament gave an order for the humble cross to be destroyed and be replaced with a much more artistic monument befitting the great city of London. But the name ‘The Charing Cross’ could not be erased.
This is a true story: A little boy was once lost and a policeman, wiping away his tears, asked if he can take him home. The boy replied: ‘Oh, no, Sir! Take me to the cross and from there, I will find my way home!’
Like this boy, let this be our prayer: ‘Holy Spirit, take me to the Cross! Help me to see Christ Crucified and Resurrected!’ For that is the way home to God!
(In the picture: The Charing Cross junction in London, UK)

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:1-8)

Some prayers are answered immediately. Some are answered after a long time. As a general rule, we have a tendency to think that God is too slow in responding to our requests. It takes spiritual maturity to trust God without complaining for the timing and the modality of answer to our prayer. The cross has done its deep work and the heart has been circumcised by Christ for the man to remain joyful and grateful under the burden of yet unanswered prayers. The danger is that we get impatient, restless, lazy or passive spiritually; become deceived about the value of prayer and decide to stop it. This is called spiritual ‘fainting’, a major hindrance to a successful prayer life. Once you chose to give up prayer, what is left is just wishful thinking that things may change one day. You lose the active faith to push forward and expect an answer to your request made long ago.
Let’s look at the word ‘to give up’. What does it mean? In Greek the word means to fail, to faint in the heart, to become weak and wicked, to harm yourself and others thru doubt and rebellion. The same word is defined to abandon an action because of despair of success. The man becomes a coward; he fails and betrays his destiny when he estimates that the miracle has become impossible even for God to perform. For example, he chooses to believe that the sickness is incurable, and God is not available or able to heal his body. He accepts and declares defeat without waiting for the final hour when God judges and rewards according to each man’s work. This spiritual fainting is worldly sorrow and a symbol of death. By choosing to stop prayer, a man abandons the desire to see a miraculous change in his circumstances and he aborts his dream. The choice to stop prayer is the silent but sure signal of backsliding. Selah! Prayer keeps faith burning! Faith keeps prayer burning!

We see that ‘to give up’ means to surrender to failure, to discontinue a good work or to resign. It is a matter of control. Like the man who commits suicide just to prove that he is in charge of his life. Spiritually speaking it means to deliberate chose to allow the enemy to take over your position of standing before the throne. You surrender your blessing of communion with God to another with no possibility of resuming it in the future. What a tragedy to stop the prayer of faith! What a great loss!
The opposite is to hold on, to abide, to dwell in the same place of waiting without interruptions. In other words, pray until something happens (‘PUSH’). It is a great dishonor to God to give up prayer because of circumstances that look contrary to the expected miracle. This is a great revelation! The devil does not care if we start a prayer request; he does not care if we join the line of waiting before the throne. But later he comes to persuade that we have waited too long and he offers himself to stand in our place. Satan is a thief and a fake ‘intercessor’. He desires to take over your place of blessings! Be careful! The pressure from the enemy will increase as you get closer to the moment when the prayer will be manifested in the natural realm. Then pray like the widow: ‘Lord – grant me justice against my adversary!’ Pray for the justice of your cause as you continue to give glory to God! Jesus is giving us a warning here not to be fools. Do not abandon the place of waiting which will eventually become the place of testimony, blessing and miracles!

Our Lord urges restless continued prayer! What then, is the position of the Church? That of a widow whose only weapon is incessant prayer. It is only by means of this intense concentration that faith will be preserved.

‘Dear Lord Jesus, please strengthen me today, by Your Spirit, to continue to pray, until I see results, or I see Your face…Amen!’

This is the story of a godly man named Francis. He was born in Assisi, a small city near Rome. His father was a rich business man. He had a store selling silk fabrics. Francis was handsome and spoiled. He loved beautiful clothes and parties. He has many friends. One day he became very sick and he almost died. He said that a voice told him to go and ‘repair My church’. He said it was Jesus who talked to him. He pledged to God that if he was healed, he will obey. God healed him. He went to a small church that was falling down. He sold his horse and his expensive clothes to raise money to repair the church. He made a vow to live a poor life and use all his wealth to serve God. This is how he got converted! His father dragged him to his house and beat him to forget his vow. He refused. His father then threw him on the streets and dis-inherited him as a son. He went to live in the church that he repaired. He dressed with a rough garment and lived by the mercy of others. Many people believed in his ministry and became his disciples. Francis’s humility was such that he never became a priest. Coming from someone whose order attracted thousands of people within its first ten years, this is humility indeed!
After renouncing his wealth, St. Francis founded one of the most famous religious orders, the Franciscans. The Franciscans lived an austere life of poverty in service to others following Jesus’s example, and preached the Gospel message all over Italy and other parts of Europe. He died at the age of 44, sick in his body but rejoicing in his spirit. After his death, he was made ‘a saint’ by the Pope. He is the Patron saint of Italy.
The Prayer of St. Francis is one of the best known and best loved prayers in the world today.
“Lord Jesus, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
In Jesus’ name! Amen!”
(This is a painting of Francis of Assis, done by Lodovico Cardi)

This is a story of grace. It is about a man called Louis Zamperini (1917-2014). He was an angry criminal youth who grew up in Torrance, California. He loved sports. He was freed from the life of crime and poverty by his success in athletics. In 1936 he competed in the Olympic games, finishing 8th in the 5000 meters race. He was looking forward to the 1940 Games where he hoped to win the gold medal. Then, the II World War started and stopped those dreams. Soon, he was flying bomber planes over the Pacific Ocean. After many dangerous missions as a war pilot, his plane went down off the Marshall Islands in 1943. Adrift on a raft for seven weeks, Louis and two of his colleagues barely survived. When one of them died, Louis prayed and asked God for mercy, to rescue him, promising to serve Him is he got home alive. He did survive. He was rescued by the Japanese, who were the enemies. For two years he was tortured in a Japanese prison, subject to near starvation and savage brutality. But Louis was set free again, this time by the US troops. He returned home to California as a hero. The city airport was named after him, in his honor. Soon, he married the girl of his dreams. He received a lot of money as compensation. But he was haunted by the memory of his suffering in the Japan prison. He hated all the Japanese. He wasted all his money on get rich schemes. He drowned his pain with alcohol. His marriage was almost ruined. Bitterness was holding him captive. His freedom was only an illusion.
In 1949 a neighbor invited him to a Billy Graham crusade. Louis refused to attend. But his wife went and came back saying that she is now born again. She begged him to come the next day. He promised her to come just once. When Billy Graham preached that ‘all have sinned and come short of the glory of God’ (Rom 3:3) he got angry and ran away from the crusade. But he could not sleep. He became restless. The Holy Spirit convicted him of sin. He saw that all his achievements as an athlete or as a soldier cannot save him from hell. He could not buy peace of mind with money. At last, he humbled himself before God and surrendered his life to Christ. In 1950 he finally went back to Japan to face his former tormentors. Preaching at the very prison where he suffered so much, Louis told them that only Christ sets free from sin, emptiness, folly, anger, hatred and bitterness. He told them that because of Jesus who died on the Cross for him, he forgave all his enemies. Some of the Japanese officials believed and became saved.
Louis, his wife and their children became members of the First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California. He started a ministry for troubled youths, helping them to live good lives. Many found Christ thru his ministry. He told them that he could have died many times, but God kept him for His purpose. He lived a long blessed life. From sin to grace, torment to joy, anger to forgiveness, hatred to love, wasted talents to an abundant fruitful life, Jesus has set him free indeed! “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (Jn 8:36)
(In the pictures, you see Louis Zamperini, when he was young and when he was old)

My husband and I, together with some brethren from the church, visited Egypt. It is a country that lives in ‘past glory’. Millions of people from all over the world come to see the pyramids and other things left behind for thousands of years. We hired a minivan and went to see the ruins of the ancient city called ‘Memphis’. We traveled about an hour outside Cairo, thru humble dusty villages irrigated from the River Nile. We finally arrived at Memphis. It is a big ‘open air museum’. Golden colored sand, dust and fallen stones littered the place. We saw the great pyramid of Saqqara, the oldest structure built by men on earth that still survives. We saw the temple they built to worship their idols. We took pictures on the ‘throne’ where Pharaoh stands during these sacrifices. We saw the statue of Ramses II lying down. We entered the temple where they buried their kings. To see all these historical ancient marvels, we paid just some few coins. Tourism is a big industry in Egypt.
This is some information about Memphis: The name ‘Memphis’ means ‘The good haven’. It was a city of ancient Egypt, situated on that western bank of the Nile, about nine miles south of Cairo and five from the great pyramids and the sphinx of Giza. In the Bible, it is mentioned by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Ezekiel, under the name of Noph. For a long time, Memphis (Noph) was a great and proud city. It seems that nobody could break it’s boast. But the city’s overthrow was distinctly predicted by the Word of God. The latest of these predictions was uttered nearly 600 years before Christ, and a half a century before the invasion of Egypt by Cambyses (525 BC). The Cambyses, engaged at the opposition they encountered at Memphis, committed many outrages upon the city and destroyed her idols. The city never recovered from that blow. The rise of the city of Alexandria hastened its decline. The caliph conquerors founded Fostat (present day Cairo) upon the opposite bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis. They brought the stones and building materials from Memphis to build Cairo, their new capital (638 AD). At length so complete was the ruin of Memphis that for a long time its very site was lost, covered by the desert sand. Memphis, the so called ‘good heaven’ promised by its proud idols, vanished from the earth. Recent explorations have brought to light many of its antiquities. Looking at the fallen city of Memphis, we were reminded that on earth, nothing lasts forever. God always judges sin and especially, proud organized idolatry. The rise and fall of Memphis are another proof of that. According to the Bible, pride always ends in destruction. This is the Word of God concerning the city of Memphis, also called Noph. Give glory to the only Living God who alone knows the end from the beginning! Praise the Almighty God, the Judge of all the earth! Fear Jehovah, the Jealous God, who forbids the worship of idols! Jesus is Lord!
“Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give foolish counsel.
How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise; The son of ancient kings?”
Where are they? Where are your wise men?
Let them tell you now and let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.
The princes of Zoan have become fools; The princes of NOPH are deceived.
They have also deluded Egypt, those who are the mainstay of its tribes.
The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst.
And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
Neither will there be any work for Egypt” (Is 19:11-15)
“Oh, you daughter dwelling in Egypt,
Prepare yourself to go into captivity!
For NOPH shall be waste and desolate, without inhabitant” (Jer 46:19)
“Thus says the Lord God:
“I will also destroy the idols,
And cause the images to cease from NOPH
There shall no longer be princes from the land of Egypt.
I will put fear in the land of Egypt” (Ez 30:13)

This is a wonderful sermon preached by my husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh!

During this Sunday service, Pastor Richmond Leigh preached from the Book of 2 Corinthians: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2Cor 10:3-6)

Recently, church leaders advised that the Christians should carry guns and defend themselves against their enemies. For some years, Nigeria has experienced a lot of troubles. The Muslim extremists have attacked the Christians especially in the North of the country. Tragically, many people have died during these attacks, not only Christians, but many Muslims and even unbelievers. People are divided on how to approach the issue of warfare. In case of an attack, as children of God, how do we defend ourselves? What is the Bible’s answer to this question? Pastor Richmond Leigh said that the answer is found in the Word of God. He said that this is a hard matter to consider and a difficult sermon to preach. But truth must be told for truth sets free! When attacked by armed terrorists, what shall we do? Common sense tells us to retaliate; get armed and fight back. But Christianity is not based on ‘common sense’ or tribal culture. Christianity is Christ and it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Christianity is supernatural and as children of God we must use spiritual weapons to fight our battles. When confronted by evil, we take our inspiration from the Bible.

The story of Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is very instructive (Daniel 3). They refused to bow to the king’s idol knowing that they may be killed for that. They told the king that their God, Jehovah, is able to deliver them from death. But just in case He wants to glorify Himself thru their deaths, they are ready to die for their faith. King Nebuchadnezzar got furious, bound them with ropes and threw them in the fire. The Babylonian men who pushed them into the fire got burnt and died. But the three Hebrews did not die. Inside the furnace they were met and welcomed by ‘The Forth Man’ who is the Lord Jesus Christ. Their clothes and bodies did not burn. It was only their ropes, that got burnt. They were sent into the fire in bondage and they came out alive and free. The King and everybody bowed down to the God of the Hebrews who alone can save from death. “Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!” (Dan 3:28). What is the lesson? In times of trials, persecution and religious wars, it is good to renew our faith in our God who alone saves His people from death, those who trust in Him to the end!

Geographically, during the months of December to March, Nigeria experiences two different winds. There is a wind that comes from the North, blowing from the Sahara Desert. It brings a season called ‘The Harmattan’. It brings cold weather and much dust. The atmosphere is hazy, and planes cannot fly. This North wind stands for the power of flesh and worldliness. The unbelievers are the people who do not wait for God. They worship God in the flesh. They are like King Saul who offered unacceptable sacrifices to God (1Sam 13). From time to time, this wind of intimidation and persecution seems so strong. But remember, it is not forever! Later, another wind, called ‘the South wind’ coming from the Atlantic Ocean overpowers the North wind and pushes it back. The South wind clears the air, brings warmth, rain and refreshing to the plants. In the same, prophetically, there are ‘two winds’, better said, ‘two spirits’. The North ‘wind’, with its coldness, dust and death will not blow forever. The season of fear and religious fanaticism will be replaced by another, the season of peace and revival of the Holy Spirit. The South wind people are like King David, true worshippers of the Living God who know how to wait on Him. They worship God in Spirit and in truth! The South wind stands for the power of the Spirit and of much needed revival. This is what we pray for! Revival of the Holy Spirit is our desire for Nigeria! God will do it!

This is a spiritual law: The people of the flesh hate the people of the Spirit. The worldly people hate the born-again believers because Christ is in them. They want to kill them thinking that they offer God a service. Before He died on the Cross, our Lord warned and in the same time encouraged His disciples concerning these things. He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me” (Jn 16:1-3). No matter how many prayers they pray and how much they fast, the religious extremists do not know the only true God! Knowing the truth will prepare us to face all persecutions, and even death, standing for Jesus to the end. The news of wars and rumors of wars should not make us ‘stumble’ in our faith! We are called to live and die for Jesus. Some of us will be martyred. But even if not, we must be ready to stand faithful to the end declaring: “Jesus is Lord!”

What is the reason why many Christians stumble and backslide from the faith? The main reason is the fear of death! If they believe that heaven is their destination, then why are Christians afraid to die? These are some of the answers: Many who call themselves Christians, are not truly born-again. They are Christians only by birth. Others, who are born-again, are not baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit. Their spiritual eyes are closed. They have not seen the reality of the Kingdom of God. But the true believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit is free from all fears, including the fear of death. This is the Word of God: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2Tim 1:7). Apostle Paul wan not afraid of death because he ‘died daily’. He says: “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Cor 15:31). This is Paul’s testimony: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2Cor 4:8-11). The Christian ‘carries’ in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus. But the power of resurrection also works inside him, to ‘quicken his mortal body’.

In life or death, this is the testimony of all true believers: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom 8:11). This is our confidence that life in Christ is stronger than death. We do not fear those who can only kill the body and after that they can do nothing more. We fear only God, who alone can destroy body and soul in hell (Mt 10:28). At the Cross, Jesus removed the ‘sting’ of death and silenced the boasting of the grave! Praise His Holy Name! Our weapons are not ‘carnal’. We do not fight with guns and spears. We see the battle as spiritual and we use spiritual weapons against the devil, the enemy of our souls. Our weapons are faith in the Word of God, fasting and prayers! These ones can never fail! In all situations, let’s make this confession: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain!” (Phil 1:21).

This is a partial list of the Christian martyrs in the first century: Stephen (Ac 7:54-60), James, son of Zebedee (Ac 12:1, 2), James, brother of Jesus, Apostle Peter, Apostle Paul, Mark, Philip, Apostle Jude, Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna and so many others. Since then, even up till today, many others died for their faith, killed by those who did not know the true God.

We are living in what the Bible calls ‘the last days.’ Perilous times shall come. Persecution shall come! We shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. Many shall be deceived and distracted from the way of faith. But the Lord commands us to stand firm and not to fear. We are soldiers of Christ! No matter how dark it may be, we shall lift the banner of Jesus! Unbelievers may seem stronger. False religions may seem to succeed. But remember, no unbeliever shall be found in heaven! Come what may, heaven is our eternal home!

Our Lord warned us that during persecutions we should not be deceived, and we should not be troubled with fear (Mt 24:4-14). We should be prepared spiritually and mentally in event of attacks on our faith. These are difficult times. He said that “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake”. This is a prophetic statement! The world will hate us all and kill some of us. This is the truth! The love of many will ‘grow cold’. ‘But he who endures to the end, shall be saved’. During the fire of persecutions, the true Christians alone will be able to ‘stand to the end’ proving to be Christ’ disciples. They shall shine like the stars in the dark night! During these periods of trials, one thing will remain constant: against all odds, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel will be preached! Nothing and nobody can stop the advance of the Kingdom of God! Our Lord promised that “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it!” (Mt 16:18).

Finally, we remind ourselves that Christianity is always associated with the Cross. We die with Christ! We die to self, to sin, to the world and to the devil. Paul said that: “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Phil 1:20). This should be our desire too! Remember that you cannot stop people hating you and planning to kill you. If you can run, the run to safety. God will help you. If you cannot run, then stand firm and faithful to the end. God will help you too. May these words strengthen your faith and encourage you, soldiers of Christ! His banner over us is Love! Worship the Lord!

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord… Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies” (PV 18:22; 31:10)

My husband and I are happily married for almost 46 years. From the many lessons gleaned in the journey of life, as a wife and mother and as a pastor, I share this word with you:

There are many women in this world, but very few godly wives. A virtuous wife’s worth is above rubies. This is not my idea, it is God’s estimation. It means that her price is very expensive. Rubies are red colored precious stones, in the same category with the diamonds. Historically, rubies have also been mined in Thailand, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Namibia, Japan and Myanmar. The only countries in Europe that have rubies are Scotland and Macedonia. In the US, the only states where rubies have been found are Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wyoming. That is all! You can see, that this precious beautiful stone is very rare to find. Kings and queens use them as their jewelry. For example, the so called ‘Sunrise Ruby’ is the world’s most expensive gemstone. It was originally mined in Myanmar. It was recently sold for 30 millions US dollars.

Why this information? We are close to ‘Valentine’s day’. Singles pray to ‘fall in love’ with someone special. That is good. God created men and women for His glory. God invented marriage. Out of Adam’s rib God made his wife, Eve. She was created as ‘a helpmeet’ for him. Adam was created perfect and even then, God said that ‘it is not good for man to be alone’ (Gen 2:18). Adam needed a companion like him; having the same desire to know God and to serve Him. Eve was a holy ‘clone’ of Adam! Eve was created to help Adam becoming the man of God he was destined to be. Without a wife, it takes much longer for a husband to fulfil destiny. God made Eve as Adam’s Helper. Many look down on the word ‘helper’. It is a pity, for to be a helper is a great calling much rewarded by God. The Holy Spirit is our Heavenly Helper. In the same way, the godly wife is man’s earthly helper. The wife needs to love her husband, to understand him, believe in him, comfort him, support him, encourage him, rebuke him when necessary, guide him and cover him with prayers and the Word of God. They have children and together, they learn how to be parents before God. What a blessing! Thru helping her husband, by doing this magnificent work, she will find God, her identity and her fulfilment in life. God created the woman for the man. They can never be alone! Who can do all these holy works, except her who is born again, washed by the Blood, sanctified by the Spirit?

Dear brother, Adam did not need to look for Eve. God brought her ‘ready made’ to him. But now, a man must look for his wife, to find her. Remember the rubies? They are buried deep in the ground. They are hard to find. So, man must pray and spiritually sweat to find his treasure. A godly wife is not found on the surface of this earth. She is hidden. She does not advertise herself to marry well. She does not try to impress men thru her fashion style or by speaking many fancy words. You do not go to the fish market to find rubies. You do not go to the latest party in town to find your future wife. You go to the mountains and dig deep. You go to a good Bible church and find her who works behind the scenes so that others may shine! A woman of a quiet humble spirit is very precious in the sight of God. No man should choose his wife based on looks alone. They do not last! I am old enough to say that to you! Man must look for God Himself, for Christ, the hope of glory, located in a female body. That is his wife. Seek and you shall find. Get ready for a marathon of love. Have faith in God! He will shut all the wrong doors (of plastic cheap pearls) and keep open just one door for you. Behind that door, tired from a long journey of finding true love, against all odds, your bride is waiting for you! As for me, I rejoice in your dreams come true! Happy Wedding! Happy Anniversary! Happy Valentine! Love is the greatest!

(In the picture, ‘The Sunrise Ruby’)

“By the anointing Jesus breaks the yoke,
By the Holy Ghost and power just as the prophets spoke!
This is the day of the latter rain,
God is moving in His power again,
By the anointing Jesus breaks the yoke!”
“It’s not by might! It’s not by power!
But by My Spirit”- says the Lord!
“This mountain, has been removed!
This mountain, has been removed!
(In Jesus’ name!)
By My Spirit” – says the Lord!
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Is 10:27)

Through scripture we know that God wants us to succeed in life. By growing and using our faith & trust in the Lord we can be strengthened to fulfill His will for our lives- this is true success.

The general definition of success:
Success is wanting what you already have. It’s enjoying what you do, every day, and being able to make a difference to the people in your community and beyond. I believe that true success comes after a journey of discovery with lessons to be learnt and struggles on the way of life. It cannot be given by men or bought with money. True Success is a gift you give yourself. It can only be awarded to yourself and measured by yourself against personal goals. Success is much more than attainment, it’s about a realization of what makes you happy. Not until you are completely at ease with your life, how it works, and the people in it, can you truly be successful. For me, it means being challenged every day with something new and exciting that I alone, or working with those around me, can overcome. It means leaving the office satisfied, feeling like I’ve made a difference, but able to relax and enjoy my free time with friends and family. To me, success means being the best version of yourself that you can be. Whether that’s helping others around you, striving to PURSUE a meaningful career or conquering your fears, there are lots of different ways in which you can be successful. Success means being proud of what you did, proud of where you are and most importantly proud of what you have become. But success is also about other people and our influence on them.

WHAT IS BIBLICAL SUCCESS?
Principles of Success as defined in the Bible: Only a child of God can be truly successful! You must be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit! Success means to discover and accomplish God’s purpose and will in your life; having spiritual (and natural) prosperity and fruitfulness; becoming a blessing to your generation! If you pursue happiness, you will never find it! Seek and pursue the God of the Bible! God loves that! By making God happy, you will become happy and therefore, successful!

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Ps 1:1-3).

The successful man (woman) is one who loves the Bible! He studies and applies the Word of God in his life! He lives spiritually separated from the unbelievers, the rebellious and the religious hypocrites. He is wise! He meditates on God’s Word day and night. The word ‘meditates’ is related to the word ‘medicine’. His mind, his imagination is a source of healing for his soul and body. He is fruitful. He multiplies himself spiritually in the lives of others. He influences them for good. His life draws many to Jesus! He has leaves (healing) and fruits (life) to give to others (Rev 22:1, 2). He is a sample of God’s glory! He is a man of hope and faith! He is strong spiritually! He encourages others to become strong! He is a blessing to many! May your life be a success story, to the glory of God!

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul… Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me! You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands” (Psalm 138)

For the children of God Psalm 138 is a song of confidence that no matter the trials and temptations, in Christ, we have the victory. We declare that God is with us always, even in the midst of trouble. By the grace of God pain should not lead us to depression, doubt and backsliding but closer to God. As the pain increases, so the faith will increase! Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more! We are determined to pray even more. If we do not know what to pray about, we shall pray in tongues. God will give us a wonderful testimony that we are His children! God shall hear and answer our prayer! This is His promise!
You shall rejoice not only at the answer, but that God has vindicated you. Your enemies who slander your name shall see that you are not a sinner, but a child of God! For a child of God the pain is not forever. The trial will end in praise! The trouble will end in revival. Like a woman in labor, pain will open the womb and the baby is born. So the pain inflicted by your enemies will open your spiritual womb and inexpressibly joy shall be born. Looking back you shall say: ‘Thank You Jesus! It was all worth it!’ That is why I say: ‘No matter the circumstances, don’t ever give up on God! His mercy is eternal! Don’t even give up on yourself! God has not finished His work in you!’

This is my declaration and my confidence: ‘I am a Child of God! The Lord works in me of His good pleasure! God’s purpose must be fulfilled in my life! God will perfect His work in me! My perfection is not from men on earth but from God in heaven! I am a work in progress to the glory of God! I am not perfect now, just justified by God’s grace! Jesus died for me on the Cross. My perfection is in the future! My future is better than my present! Jesus sent me as a sheep in the midst of wolves to witness for Him! The enemies shall not consume me, for God’s hand is my shield! My shield is not ‘a dead thing’. My shield is alive. If you try to wound me, you shall wound the hand of the Living God. That is why I am not afraid of trouble. For who can fight God and win? Nobody!

This is my prayer: ‘Father, do not forsake the works of Your hands… (The word ‘forsake’ means to drop down)… Father, if You drop me, I will fall and be scattered. Please perfect Your work in me. I appreciate Your work in me. Do not put me on hold. I trust in You! Let Your gracious work in me make some advance today! I vow to give You alone all the glory! I love You Lord! In Jesus’ name, amen!’