“The Lord is my Shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake” (Ps 23:1-3)

“Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings… who refuses all advice” (Ecc 4:13)

The story of King Saul is a sad story but there are many lessons for us to learn. King Saul was once the king of Israel. The people of God asked for a king to be like the other nations. Before then, God was their King, but they wanted a visible human leader. They rejected Jesus as the King of kings. That is how Saul became their king. God was grieved by their request but He was fair to Saul. God gave him the gift of a good start. Saul was humble (at the beginning) and handsome. He looked like a king. He had favor with men. People gathered around him and supported him. He had some success as a military leader. He was religious. He knew the power of the Holy Spirit and the prophetic anointing that can change a man’s heart. He had a wife (or wives) and children. He had a good relationship with the great Prophet Samuel, at least at the beginning of his reign. But he failed the basic tests of spiritual leadership. He disobeyed Samuel’s command to wait, taking upon himself the mantle of a priest. Even then, God gave him a second chance. This time he was to destroy God’s enemies. But he failed again. Disgraced, he declared himself to be a fool at last. He finally lost his peace, joy, authority, crown, testimony, his sons and his life. David replaced him as the king of Israel! What a story!

Saul has died long ago but his spirit is still on earth influencing many. What can we learn from this? These are just some lessons for us:
To be alive is a gift from God! Thank God that you are alive!
To be a leader (president, king, governor, pastor or husband) is a gift from God! Thank God for your office!
We should remain humble, faithful, submissive and obedient to God in all situations! Reject foolish pride!
We should be wise and take advice from others who are godlier than us! Thank God for your godly friends!
There are many losers, cowards and mad fools in position of leadership! Be not surprised that your leader is a fool!
If you lose favor with God, you shall lose favor with men! God gives grace only to the humble! Humble yourself!
If you grieve the Holy Spirit there is no hope for you! No matter what, do not grieve the Holy Spirit!
It is possible to take God’s gifts for granted! Always thank God for everything He has given to you!
It is possible to be handsome and in the same time a jealous, wicked coward! Do not judge people by the outward appearance! Look at their hearts! Test the spirits for they are not all from God!
It is possible to be promoted and still end in disgrace! Refuse any promotion if you are not ready to obey God!
It is possible to start well and end up badly! Finish your Christian race!
It is possible to be religious and not a child of God! Be sure that you are born again! Examine your faith!
It is possible to be a good and faithful follower even to a bad leader! Pray for wisdom!
It is possible to be a good friend to a bad man! Pray for more anointing!
Betrayal will destroy a man!
If you are unrepentant, unfaithful and disobedient to God, God will raise another in your place!
God’s plans cannot be frustrated. God is the final judge and He sees everything!
Take encouragement in your trials for suffering is not forever. Saul failed to defeat David! Your enemy shall fail to defeat you! This is God’s promise: In His time you shall be promoted and rewarded! In Jesus name, amen!
Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

 
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions… Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes… But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Lk 12:15, 22, 23, 31)

The topic of money is very important to God. Jesus speaks a lot about money and wealth in general. The god of money, Mammon, is a direct enemy to the worship of God. The Bible offers clear principle for money management. It is our duty to read, study, meditate and apply these principles. Our success in life, our testimony as believers depends on how well we manage money. No school of economics is good enough for a born again believer. The necessary wisdom is found in the Word!

*Covetousness, greed, these are sins. Jesus says that we should watch out for their entrance in the heart. We should be on guard at the door of the soul. Covetousness is a peculiar sin, for it is very deceptive. It is forbidden by the Ten Commandments.
Covetousness is defined as the desire to have more that we need; the desire to have what belongs to another and to use any means to get that (illegal power, intimidation, deception, arguments or even force).

Covetousness is hard to detect because money is a moving target. I may not start with greed, but the seed of it can be planted along the way, as wealth and the desire for personal comfort slowly increases. We have to pray, from time to time: ’Lord, am I getting greedy?’ The Holy Spirit who searched all things will bring light unto our understanding. The only way to fight crippling materialism is to give more money away, not to hoard them. There was a man who said that he was always worried he will lose his expensive clothes; that thieves will break in and steal them all. Then one day, led by the Spirit, he gave them away to some poor neighbors. Immediately he sensed a new joy, a freedom he did not expect. No more fear of losing, after you have lost!

*Unrepentant covetousness becomes anxiety and worry. The Lord Jesus has only one solution concerning the sin of worry: ‘Stop it! Do not do it!’ If you continue to worry after reading the Word of God, it means that you doubt it! Worry and doubt are twins. What is the solution? How can I be free from worry concerning my life, my finances, my children…?

The first thing to remember is God. He gave His Son for me to save my soul. He will surely give me food and clothes for the needs of my body! The second thing to remember is that God has placed an infinite value upon my soul. I am more expensive than the birds of the air. God feeds the birds, therefore He will feed me. My value does not depend on my performance in the office. It is God who tells my boss to pay me! I am created for beauty and glory! I should not lower God’s standard concerning the value of my person. I am God’s property! He will take care of His own!

*My money belongs to God. My time, my energy, my gifts, my family and all I have, these all belong to God. My money is not my money. He has made me a steward over the money in my account. This should bring great relief to me, that my money is not my own. It should also bring great fear of God for the awesome responsibility give to me. God monitors my spending. He rewards and chastises according to my investments. I should invest in Kingdom projects. I should tithe faithfully and should trust God for Hid Word of blessings. I should bring generous offerings to the church. I should help the brethren. The reason why we are not more generous with our giving is because of fear. We are afraid of poverty. We are afraid that God has forgotten about us.

*Money reveals the heart. My shopping list says much about the type of person I am. My treasure is where my wealth is. The way I spend my money is a sign: I am a fool or not!

*Money reveals the level of spiritual maturity. Children cannot be trusted with money and that is why do not give it to them.

Finally, it is God’s will to bless you, to make your life a blessing! You should indeed prosper in all things, spiritually and materially. The reason is so that we can invest in the Kingdom of God. Ministry needs anointing but it also needs money, to spread the Gospel of Christ. We cannot do ministry without the generous support of brethren whom God has blessed financially. In this, we share in the reward. God will also bless you so that you can bless others who are in need, so that thru the ministry of helps, Christ is revealed.

‘Father, You are so generous with me, so good always! Make me like You! In Jesus name I pray, amen!”

“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh 24:15)

This evening we had our prophetic prayer meeting. It was not easy. Outside was raining heavily and many could not come to church. But there is always a faithful remnant, thank God for them.

The best way to describe the atmosphere was like a mother trying to wake up the children early in the morning on a cold winter day. They just do not want to wake up, to brush their teeth or to go to school. In the past, their crying made me angry and then I will shout at them or feel sorry for myself and complain. But today, the grace of God was enough for me to remain calm and grateful. I said: “Ok, if you don’t want to go outside that is ok. I understand your feelings. I will not force you. I will phone your teacher and tell her the weather is too bad. But you cannot stay inside and just sleep the whole day. We shall stand up and praise the Lord. You have no excuse not to praise the Lord…” Dressed in pajamas my children praised God today until the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came down…What a change…

Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Thank You for everything! For Your Spirit, for Your presence, for Your grace upon our lives… It is not easy to be a mother in Christ…but this I say: ‘It is well with our souls…’

We saw the angels with video camera and heavenly studio equipment recording us ‘life’. I am sure that we shall appear on the ‘breaking news’ in heaven: ‘Miracle! Warri worships God! Father’s House Bible Church praises God!’ The devil was totally disappointed tonight. Jesus can never lose!  Praise the Lord!

We then sang:

“You are the Lord, You are the Lord…

You are the Eyes I use to see

You are the Key that opens the door

You are the Owner of my soul

The Bush that burneth but never consumes

What shall I render to You Oh, Lord?

I will bow down and worship Your name

For You are my God”

It is only a tiny rosebud – A flower of God’s
design; But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I –
The flower God opens so sweetly
In my hands would fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud This flower
of God’s design, Think how can
I think I have wisdom To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day, And I’ll look to
Him for His guidance Each step of the pilgrim way.

For the pathway that lies before me
My heavenly Father knows –
I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments
Just as He unfolds the rose.

 
“For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED” (Rom 10:11)
In Greek, the word ‘disappointed’ means to be ashamed, disgraced, confounded, dishonored and bitter. Saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only cure for these terrible emotions. In other words, you are either in bondage to bitterness unto death or you are free to be eternally fulfilled in life.

I know that many people do not want to think or speak about death. I am a medical doctor by profession and I have seen people of ages die. The act of death is a part of the experience of life on earth. Some men live and die well. Others, they live and die badly. Life on earth is a testing and training ground. You have to choose your destiny! Christ and a life in Him, makes the difference. A Christian is a man or a woman who is ready to die without regrets. A Christian is one who lives life to the fullest to the glory of God. Without Christ, all old people become bitter, regretting their wasteful choices in life. You do not have to end bitter! Give your life to Christ! Now! Do not postpone the good thing you can do today! You need to plant godly seeds of satisfaction now, so that you can reap a harvest of mature satisfaction later in life. Use your youth to invest in God’s kingdom so that old age will be happy and fulfilled. This is wisdom talking!!!

Most dying people have regrets. This is according to Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who spent several years working with the terminally ill patients. She recorded their last wishes in a book. These are their top five regrets:
1. I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard
3. I wish I had the courage to express my feelings
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. I wish I had let myself be happier

Regret means to have great sorrow and disappointment about things you should have done (or not done) in the past. It is the unhealed tormented pain of bitterness. It means to be disappointed with yourself about choices you made in life. The opposite of regret it means to have peace, joy, satisfaction and fulfilment. These are the colors of the rainbow at the end of all storms in life. These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the child of God. In Christ alone you can be a delight to God. Did you know that you can bring pleasure to Your Father in Heaven? It is possible to live and die free of regrets. In Christ alone you can live life to the fullest! Be a blessing and an inspiration to many!

From the list above you see that, above all things, the dying man regrets that he was afraid to live well! He is sorry that he lacked the courage to be real and true to his destiny, to the life God has called him to live on earth. In other words he wishes that he could have died to this world of sin! He wishes that he could have lived and served the Lord. It is true that it is never too late to give your life to Christ. The thief on the cross next to Jesus repented and surrendered his life to the Lord just hours before his death. But it is so much better to yield to the Spirit of God and give your life to Christ as soon as possible. This will give you enough time to have a godly testimony as a servant of God among men. To be used by God Almighty in His Kingdom and for His glory is the greatest work given to men and has the greatest reward. If you serve God your life will be full of joy that none can take away.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world” (Jn 11:25-27)

In Christ I declare:
I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God!
Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Lord! Because He lives, I shall live also!
The Resurrection and Life is my Lord and Savior! I shall never die!
I am a child of God! I am a servant of God!
I no longer live but it is Christ who lives in me!
To my last breath on earth, I shall not be disappointed or ashamed of my life!
I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!
I rejoice always for I am blessed and highly favored!
With long life God shall satisfy me and show me His salvation!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you” (1Jn 2:15)

I heard of an interesting little old story. There was a dog following two men. For a long time these three went along the road together. Then they arrived at a junction and the two men separated; one went to the right and the other to the left. The dog followed his master and went to the right. You cannot know the dog’s master until he is alone.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said that you cannot serve both God and Mammon. You love one and hate the other. Many ignore this command and try to serve them both. They shall surely be disappointed. The love of God and the love for this world are opposites. You cannot reconcile them. Just like the dog following the two men, for as long as serving God and this world looks like they go the same direction, you will not know who is a true believer and who the false one is. But when persecution comes and serving God is not fashionable in your world, then you shall know in what direction your soul will go. You cannot know the difference between the true shepherd and the hireling until the wolf attacks. The true shepherd loves his sheep and will fight to protect them, even unto death. But the hireling runs away for he loves money more than anything. Orpah and Ruth followed Naomi together for quite some time. But at the junction of life, when the promise of salvation is by faith alone, Orpah kissed her mother in law and wept. She went back to her people and to her gods.

The Holy Spirit is sifting the churches. Jesus said: “Follow me!” This is a good time to ask, who do you follow? Soon, the confusion will disappear as the morning fog of religion fades away. The bright sun light of God will reveal the true lovers of Jesus!  There shall be some painful kisses and bye byes at some junctions in life when the true hearts of men shall be revealed. After that, the goats shall go to the left and the sheep shall follow their Shepherd to the right. The dog shall follow his master. See me to the right…

“We who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], where Jesus has entered [in advance] as a forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 6:18-20;AMP)

God wants us to have ‘strong encouragement’ by receiving the revelation of Jesus Christ as the forerunner and High priest of our faith.  A forerunner is someone who goes ahead, to prepare the way for others to follow. In the Old Testament there was no such revelation. Each year the high priest Aaron entered the Holy of Holies with the Blood of the sacrifice. No one else could follow him there. If any man entered in that most holy place, that man dies instantly. Aaron was always alone in the presence of God. He had no followers and no fellowship with the brethren inside there. But when Jesus passed thru the heavens and entered the most Holy place, He tore the veil of separation for His children to follow. That is why He is called the ‘Forerunner for us’.

There is another definition for the word ‘forerunner’. In the ancient times, when the big ships came to the Greek islands and the tide was low, they could not enter the port because of sandbars on the floor of the sea. Then they sent a strong little boat carrying their anchor to the shore. The anchor will be securely hooked on the rocky beach so that the big ship will not drift away with the currents. Later, when the tide is high, then the big ship can come inside the port. That little strong ship that carries the anchor is called a forerunner.

In Christ I declare:

By the grace of God I am a child of God. This is my greatest ‘achievement’ in life, to the glory of God!

Jesus is my Savior, my Lord and my Forerunner.

The hope of glory that I have in Him is like an anchor for my soul.

My soul is not connected to this earth. My soul is eternally anchored to the presence of God, inside the Holy of Holies of heaven. I ran away from this world of sin and now I dwell in His presence.

My soul is anchored in His heart. My life is like a ship that can never be lost, no matter the storm and wicked ocean waves of this life. I am safe and secure!

I know where I am going! When my work is done on earth, I am going to heaven! I have no fears and no doubts about my eternal destiny and destination!

Like a sheep follows her shepherd, I follow Jesus, my Shepherd, my Forerunner and High Priest forever!

Glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

I just received a note from a Christian brother who attends our church. Read and be encouraged this morning!

“Good morning Ma,
I don’t feel the pressure the economy of Nigeria is under because of the teachings from the altar of God in Father’s House Bible Church. To God be the glory! And I also want to thank you and TaLeigh for giving yourselves to the true calling of the Lord…”

..

PROPHETIC WORD

“There is a cloud of thick darkness blocking your way, hindering your progress! It seems that nothing is happening… Fear not! Pass through this darkness, to the other side, where the light shines! Over there, light waits for you! Light will not come to you but you have to walk towards it! Seek the light and you shall find it! This is not the time to doubt, to be lazy…Walk on! Put on foot in front of the other! Go on! Do not rest, do not stop! Move on! Are you not seeing it? Surely, there is light at the end of your tunnel! There you shall find your blessing, your healing, your deliverance, your reward! In Jesus name, amen!”

 
“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality… Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (Rev 2:14, 16)

The prayer meeting this evening was very good. We started ‘climbing’ the holy hill, keeping of our eyes on the Lord of the Hill, Jesus Christ. We could hear the encouragement of the angels. The warfare praise was like a marathon race. We prayed and praised, sang, clapped our hands and danced. We finally arrived on a good flat resting place where the presence of God settled our hearts and we could breathe the Oxygen of the Spirit. Thank You Lord!

Then the Word came: we must be aware of the evil spirit of the false prophet Balaam. This attack comes just before the major breakthrough in our lives and ministries. The devil hires his false prophets to try to place a curse of the children of God. But the plan will fail for God is with us. Whoever God has blessed no man or devil can curse. That promise is settled in heaven and on earth!

Who is this Balaam? The name of Balaam means ‘Devourer’. That is clearly the name of the devil. Balaam is the type of a pastor, teacher or leader of the church who tries to advance the cause of God by advocating an unholy alliance with the ungodly. The purpose of Balaam’s spirit is to waken the true believers and to make the church fleshly and worldly. Under the spell of Balaam’s spirit the leaders fall to fornication and lose their testimony and ministry. In Balaam we see that there is much knowledge of the Bible and love of good in a bad man. Balaam was a false prophet: He knew something about God and His promises. He knew something about righteousness and wanted to go to heaven (to die the death of the righteous). He failed to openly curse the children of God. Because of that, maybe he thought that he is a hero and that God will bless him (deception again!). But for the sake of money, he wanted to curse them indirectly, by making them to sin sexually, so that their God, Jehovah, will be angry and punish them. He is a mixture of good and bad. That is the power of deception. The devil pays and promotes his evil workers to tempt the true believers in the church.

Balaam cursed the people of God. But the plan failed. God turned the curses into blessings. Many people died because of sexual sins with the Moabites. But at last, wounded and limping, Israel entered the Promised Land. Balaam died in the camp of the enemies of God. What a shame! Finally I say that God can use even the devil and the false prophets to glorify Himself! “The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church of Christ!”

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I am a soldier of Christ!
God is with me!
I shall not be disappointed by my faith in Christ!
I take the whole armor of God and I stand against the plans of the devil!
I destroy any sympathy I have with the evil spirit of false prophets called Balaam!
I destroy every occult spell upon me and my family!
I shall enter the Promised Land and into my spiritual inheritance!
I shall do exploits for the Kingdom of God!
I shall no fear any man or devil!
The devil and his troubles must apologize to me saying that they missed the address!
God is my shield and my exceedingly high reward!
Only with my eyes I shall see the fall of the wicked!
God shall turn the curses of my enemies into blessings for me!
Jesus is the Lord of my life!
My faith in Jesus Christ is my victory!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

WORD FOR TODAY
This is a prophetic word received during worship: God’s blessings shall overflow over you like a overflowing bucket! In Jesus name, amen!

“Decree of a man who hears God speak,
who sees what The Strong God shows him,
Who falls on his face in worship,
who sees what’s really going on.
What beautiful tents, Jacob,
oh, your homes, Israel!
Like valleys stretching out in the distance,
like gardens planted by rivers,
Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God,
like red cedars by pools and springs,
Their buckets will brim with water
Their seed will spread life everywhere” (Nu 24: 4-7; TM)

“And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal 2:4, 5)

Today, who are these false believers? They are people in the church who say that they are saved but they are not. They have a form of godliness, they sound like Christians, but they are not born again. They are religious unbelievers. Ignorantly or not, these people are agents of the powers of darkness. They infiltrate the churches to monitor the true believers. Their intent is to make the true Christians backslide. Their purpose is to deceive the true believers to forsake their freedom in Christ, and go back to the bondage of the devil. The false believers work as spies for the devil. A spy is a man or a woman who secretly watches others for hostile purposes. A spy is employed by one nation to get classified information of strategic value from another nation, to be used later against it. The spiritual spy sells information about you to the devil. That is why the false brethren are dangerous.
I now want to make a special application of the warning against the spying of the false believers. I trust the Holy Spirit to help me and you. Looking into your spouse’s activities without permission constitutes spying. Reading emails, viewing text messages, looking into another’s diary, checking your spouse’s pockets or wallet, all these count as spying as well. Some people go as far as to hire a private investigator to follow their spouse and report back on their activities. Listen to this: all spying is dangerous. It is the work of the devil and his agents! It creates more problems than it solves. Dear sister, you who are spying on your husband… it means that your marriage is already in trouble. Your husband has the right to privacy. If you violate this right, the relationship will be damaged because of lack of trust. Know this: like any sin or activity influenced by demons, spying is very addictive. You will become a slave to the devil of spying. It takes a lot of energy to think of new methods to spy on your husband. Idleness and foolishness are the background of these activities. You need to repent and stop that! You can use your mental energies to improve your marriage thru prayer and faith in the Word of God. Another problem with spying is this: what are you going to do with the information you discover? This information is given to you thru evil spirits whose only work is to destroy your peace, your joy and you marriage. I hope you know that spying won’t prevent your husband from cheating. Your efforts are not helping the relationship, only damage it the more.

GODLY STRATEGY
See the strategy of the virtuous woman, the godly wife and mother! She does not spy! She watches and prays!
“She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (PV 31:26, 27)

This is a godly watching done by the leading of the Holy Spirit. This woman is spiritual, faithful, kind, humble, prudent and wise. She is a born again warrior for Christ. She trusts the Holy Spirt to reveal what is needed at the right time. She is not curious or suspicious. She wants to see if there is something to correct so that the family will be better. This is not the watching of a spy, a busy body or a fault finder. The difference is found in her spirit and her attitude. This is my advice: if you love truly your husband and your children, do not spy on them! Pray for them! Counsel them according to the Word of God. Fear God! Trust God for protection and peace! You must watch and pray that you should not fall into temptation (Mk 14:38). Temptation is not a sin. But refusing to be prepared spiritually and falling in the middle of temptation that is sin. The true believer knows how to stay under the cover of God, in the shadow of His wings. Over there, in that secret place of the Most High God there is peace and total protection. The devil will tempt the believer to come out from under the covering, to be rebellious and isolated. Then it becomes an easy prey for the ‘vulture-demons’ waiting outside.

Finally, this is the most important lesson of all: stay and dwell in the presence of God! Do not leave the presence of God! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Do not grieve the Holy Spirit! God will help you! Embraced in the everlasting arms of God there is eternal safety! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!

“I was sound asleep, but in my dreams I was wide awake.

Oh, listen! It’s the sound of my Lover knocking, calling…!” (SS 5:2; TM)

“Beloved… I see that you are tired and have fallen asleep… now it is time to wake up and talk… you have tried to please men…. to impress all men… you have helped all the people around you… you have feared them ,prayed for them, worked for them, served them day and night…

Now it is time to serve Me, your God, your Faithful Eternal Lover! Remember the prayer you prayed to Me long ago, when still a youth… when dreams were real and sweet romance was possible… remember the passion you had for Me, before the cold blanket of this world dampened your spirit… before mistakes brought shame and guilt poisoned your soul… remember the dreams we shared together… when the seeds of undying hope were planted in your tender heart… remember your prayers before the tears came, trying to wash away what was left of pure joy… remember the glimpse of glory before the storm destroyed our poems and our books got burned in the fire…  remember what I showed you on top of the mountain of frankincense, when we were alone, and no one applauded the show, for there was no show…

Know this: when you are awake and even in your sleep, I am still God, your God… All power belongs to me… My love for you can never fail… My passion for you can never fade… I am able to make old things new again… I have the power to change all things just because… My love is ready to surprise you…

I am knocking My Darling… Listen to the sound of My coming back…Feel my excitement as I am waiting outside your door…I wait for you to open it… My dreams, your dreams, our dreams can never die… and even if they died, they shall manifest from now on… Just believe that I am He… It is Me, your Life, your Lover and your Lord… The angels are getting impatient already… Let the music begin…Come out My Beloved… It is time!”

PRAYER POINTS FOR THE ALL –NIGHT SERVICE

Scriptures: 1Tim 2:1-4 and Gen 18:22-26
*We pray for the leaders in authority so that we can live ‘a quiet and peaceable life’, so that we can evangelize the people, so that they are saved.
*We pray for the President, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the State and local Government officials, the military, the police, the Intelligence agencies, the traditional rulers…. We pray that they rule with the fear of God.
*We pray for the religious leaders, pastors, missionaries etc. We pray against the evil spirit of religion, we pray that they become truly born again and that they preach true doctrines.
*We pray like Abraham who interceded for Sodom. The place was terribly sinful. But Abraham interceded until God promised that if He finds ten righteous men, he will not destroy the city. If God was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah because a righteous man interceded, we know that He will honor our petitions when we intercede for our nation, Nigeria. We believe there are more than 10 righteous men in Nigeria today! God will touch Nigeria and grant revival in the land!

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“A friend loves at all times” (PV 17:17)

I am a blessed woman. God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, children and grandchildren (natural and spiritual). I am a full time pastor and a mother in Christ. This is my calling and I love it. My Father in Heaven has also given me wonderful friends, daughters in Christ, godly women who love God with a passion.  They are not afraid to be adventurous, holy bold, romantic, prayerful, passionate and poetic. They challenge me with their letters, words, poems and songs. Our relationship stays on the altar of the Word of God. We chose to die to the flesh. We rebuke and encourage each other as the Spirit leads. There are no manipulations and no fears. The power of resurrection sustains the relationship. That is why it will never die. We shall be friends in heaven too. We discuss spiritual things. Even the ordinary things of life must be bathed in the Word of God. We are ‘iron sharpens iron’ type of friends. We are ‘a friend who sticks close than a brother’ type of friends. We become better for knowing each other. I am always excited to read their letters. They inspire and challenge me. They live in different places all over the world. But we feel so close… From my ‘office’ in my kitchen in Warri, Nigeria, my spirit soars with theirs and we touch the rainbow above the throne of God. I pray for them, my God given family. They have blessed by body, my soul and my spirit. I pray for you too, that God will give you the gift of true, holy and faithful friends! In Jesus name, amen!

This is a letter from Veronica…

“Dear Malia,

I often wonder if we imagine God’s presence, or do we give way to emotional disconnect, or are we so self-absorbed that we think that just because we are in church, that we deserve a touch.

This is what I observed: while dwelling on our emotions we lose control and focus, at this point it becomes impossible to even sense His presence, the connection is lost. But when we come to that place of brokenness (in humility at His feet), then and only then can we stand up and become His servant, one who shares what has been given with others. God’s love must flow out. We were not created to stay on our knees forever. We need to pray and then get up, walk in His power and in His light. So I put pen to paper in an effort to express my heart. Please see the attachment. And as always feel free to share.

Love in Him,

Veronica

IN HIS PRESENCE

Standing tall I felt that I could reach the heavens

Quickly, I bowed my head and began to pray within

The atmosphere was electric

Yeah, I was where I was supposed to be; I was in ‘Church’

People were falling, they were singing, and dancing

Maybe they felt something, but I felt nothing

I wanted a touch, I needed a touch

Why not me?

I deserved such!

But my body was aching, and I could hardly stand

Yet praises went up and blessings came down

But I felt nothing!

So I ask, why no touch for me?

Doesn’t He hear?

I wanted a touch, I needed a touch

Why not me?

I deserved such!

So I sat down…

Suddenly, my voice burst forth and uttered unknown sounds

Then I screamed above the crowd

My spirit was lifted and it knew no bounds!

And then my knees hit the ground…

“Abba, Father, who art in heaven…”

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“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God” (3John 11)

To imitate it means to take another as your mentor or example. It means to speak and behave like your mentor. It is quite easy to imitate. Children imitate their parents. This is a warning; be sure that your mentor is born again, a godly person who imitates Christ. Do not imitate a sinner. Do not share into the sins of another. Do not blindly follow another. Do not follow a person who ‘has not seen God’. Such a person is not born again. Jesus asked: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (Lk 6:39). The answer is ‘yes’! Do not imitate a worldly person, greedy, lustful, over ambitious, deceptive or wicked. It is your responsibility to know the truth about your leaders and mentors. You can’t claim ignorance following a fool. Pray for discernment! Receive good and reject evil!

Almost every Sunday we dedicate babies to the Lord. We pray for them. We prophesy for them. We give all the glory to God for them! Here in the picture is my husband, Pastor Leigh, lifting up baby Joshua unto the Lord! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!