HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT        

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen 1:28)

The women’ fellowship was very good. We are in a season of fasting, prayer and waiting on God. We expect great things to happen, miracles, wonderful breakthroughs in all areas of our lives. According to the scripture above, God has blessed us. The blessings of God rest upon us, our husbands, marriages, children, grandchildren, the work of our hands and our testimonies. The blessings of God come full of joy and without sorrow. We reject every contrary lying voice of curses in the name of Jesus!

God speaks to us. We trust God that before now and the end of the first week in February, God the Holy Spirit shall call your name and speak a word of life into you that will propel you into a higher level, spiritually and naturally. God’s word shall push you into His plan for you. God has approved your holy promotion. The blessing of God surrounds you like a wall round about. The devil has no space to enter.

God commands us to be fruitful and to increase in number. To be fruitful it means to have children, naturally and spiritually. Like an orange tree produces oranges, so your life shall produce fruits that will resemble you. But to be fruitful it is not enough. You fruits shall increase in number by the power of God. This is the command of God. For example a woman who has ten children is called fruitful. But if all her children die premature death, she loses that ‘title’ of fruitfulness. The true blessing of fruitfulness from God is designed to increase the number of the fruits by the power God has deposited in them.

This is my confession: my children shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord! My children shall be fruitful themselves and produce grandchildren. In the same way, I cannot work until I am old for every naira in my account (naira is the Nigerian currency).  My naira shall start producing ‘grand-naira’. My business shall produce ‘grand-business’. My profit shall produce its own profit, in the name of Jesus!

In the name of Jesus I declare that you shall work less and produce more. Your blessings shall not reduce but increase to the glory of God. You shall rule over the fish, birds and things that ‘move on the ground’. These are the microbes, viruses and parasites living in the dust. You have the authority of heaven to restrict their movement into your body, into your children’s bodies.   No sickness should invade you or your family without your ‘permission’. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. I command all sicknesses to bow and go away! In Jesus name, amen! Poverty bow and run away! In Jesus name, amen!

We ended the meeting giving thanks to God! We vowed to give God alone all the glory! In Jesus name, amen! We sang: “Doh, Doh, Doh, Oghene Doh…” (Thank You Lord!)

“Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat” (1Sam 1:6, 7)

“There are those who rebel against the light,

who do not know its ways

or stay in its paths…

They prey on the barren and childless woman,

and to the widow they show no kindness.

But God drags away the mighty by his power;

though they become established, they have no assurance of life” (Job 24:13, 21, 22)

As I said yesterday, a number of Christian women asked me to pray for them, that they marry and have children. Some are young and some are not so young. I feel compassion for them because I am a mother and a grandmother. For their sake I decided to study again the scriptures that promise natural and spiritual fruitfulness. I recommend that you fast and pray. Meditate upon the revelation of the Word of God. It is the will of God for you to marry and have children. But the devil hates that. I join my faith with yours. I believe that God will answer your prayers! I believe that your dream will come true! In Christ, the victory and the testimony is sure!

As you pray to have a baby, you may be in Hannah’s position. She was a woman of God, married, but she had no children. In Hebrew, her name means grace, favor, mercy and humility (she bows down and helps others, even those who are inferior to her). It also means prayer and supplications. Her husband, Elkanah loves her but possibly under pressure from his family he marries a second wife called Penninah with whom he has children. Penninah is a wicked woman. She is jealous on the love their husband has for Hannah. She takes advantage of the fact that Hannah is barren because ‘the Lord has closed her womb’. The wicked woman takes pleasure in continuously provoking and irritating Hannah. The effect of these actions is that Hannah weeps and cannot eat. She loses weight and she looks depressed. Even in the church she is sad. In Hebrew, the verbs ‘to provoke and to irritate’ describe a female enemy who pushes another woman to the wall causing anger and exasperation. It means to greatly oppress another, to cause violent anxiety as the wicked woman cages her helpless victim. God closed Hannah’s womb so that she can come to God for the answer to the problem! She became desperate to pray not just for an ordinary child (like her mate’s) but for a special extraordinary child, a boy in particular. Once she totally surrendered to God’s plan and purpose for her ‘womb’ Samuel, the great man of God was conceived. Later more children came.

In the Book of Job 24 you see that there are wicked people who rebel against the light of God. They hate the truth. They are murderers and thieves. They attack or seduce the weak, the (emotionally) needy, the helpless, the lonely, the widows, the barren and the childless women. For long time it seems that they are successful in their evil deeds. It looks like God is ‘sleeping’. But you should know that God sees and knows everything. Continue to pray!  Have faith in God! This is the truth: God will judge them at last. Don’t be sorry for the devil! God loves you! Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You by the Blood of the Lamb. I thank You for hearing my prayers and supplications. I know that all power belongs to you. You can open any door. You can open any womb. I pray that You grant me the gift of motherhood. Like Hannah, I vow to give You back the children You give to me. I shall train them in Your ways the best way I can. I take authority in the name of Jesus and I reject every evil spirit of wickedness of the order of Penninah! You evil spirit of darkness, of rebellion, of evil provocation, inferiority complex, jealousy, worldly ambition, seduction, ‘Mammy Water’, Jezebel, Ogbanje, hot temper and depression… I command you all to go away from me in the name of Jesus! Every evil covenant done by wicked people, in the shrine, in the coven, in the trees, in the sea or under the earth, so that I will not marry, or I should divorce, or not enjoy my marriage, or be barren, or miscarry… I destroy them all in the name of Jesus! I decree confusion in the camp of my enemies! You my enemies come against me one way but you shall split and run away in seven ways! I plead the Blood of Jesus over my life, my marriage, my children and my destiny! Holy Spirit please come and fill me afresh! I vow to give God alone all the glory for the breakthrough this day! I declare that it is well! It is done! Let peace reign! In Jesus name, amen!”

“The Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them” (Ex 1:7)

As I said yesterday, a number of Christian women asked me to pray for them, that they marry and have children. Some are young and some are not so young. I feel compassion for them because I am a mother and a grandmother. For their sake I decided to study again the scriptures that promise natural and spiritual fruitfulness. I recommend that you fast and pray. Meditate upon the revelation of the Word of God. It is the will of God for you to marry and have children. But the devil hates that. I join my faith with yours. I believe that God will answer your prayers! I believe that your dream will come true! In Christ, the victory and the testimony is sure!

In Genesis 1:28 God blesses the first couple on earth and He commands them to be fruitful and increase in number. Satan deceived them to rebel against God. But even after the fall of man, God’s command of fruitfulness was obeyed. Men increased in number on the earth. In the Book of Exodus 1, we see that this blessed commanded fruitfulness belongs especially to the people of God. They multiplied so much that Pharaoh and the Egyptians became afraid of them and made plans to reduce their number. Their evil plan was three fold.

*The first thing they did was to increase the burden of labor upon God’s people.

“So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor… But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly” (Ex 1:11-14)

*The second thing the Egyptians did was to intimidate and bribe the midwives to be negligent in their work so that the male new born babies will die. The midwives wisely refused to obey the wicked decree.  Because of that, Jehovah, the God of Israel, blessed them with families of their own.

*Finally, when Pharaoh discovered that both these methods failed to reduce the numbers of God’s people, he gave a decree that all new born baby boys should be thrown into River Nile. In Exodus 2 we see how Jochebed, the mother of Moses, by faith, she saves her son’s life thru the same river of death. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace but later, he becomes the deliverer of Israel and leads them out of the land of bondage. This is a wonderful story!

Spiritually speaking, Egypt stands for the world. The Pharaoh ‘who did not know Joseph’ represents the devil who is the god of this world. The plan of the devil is to stop the natural and spiritual fruitfulness of God’s children. In other words, the devil does not want you to have children. The devil will attack with bareness and confusion. “Do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even expose them” (Eph 5:11). Pray for discernment when you make friends and pray for God’s light! Darkness is a symbol of evil. The children of darkness are unfruitful and they want you to be unfruitful too, so that you can be ‘friends’. God forbid! You are to discern their wickedness and confront them with the Word of God. Dwell in the light of God! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!

Now this is a very important question: how do you know that you are getting closer to your exodus, to your breakthrough? What are the signs that you will soon marry. Be pregnant and have children?  According to the Book of Exodus 1 things will become rougher become they become better!!! The first thing you will experience is that your work in your office is more difficult. Your business will be under attack. Also, the medical staff will not be able to help you. They may proclaim that you are barren and that there is no solution for your infertility. As you try to come to the light, at the end of the tunnel, you will be attacked by evil powers of darkness, by demons of fear, doubt, depression and total discouragement. These attacks are unpleasant but they are not the end of your story! I am saying this because I know that God will fight on your behalf and rescue you from all these troubles. Light always kills the darkness! If the devil likes it or not, you shall marry and have children!!! In Jesus name!

Children of God be encouraged today! As Pharaoh could not stop God’s blessings upon Israel the devil cannot stop God’s blessings on you! Dear sisters, by faith in God and in His Word, I decree that you shall marry, be happy and have as many children as you desire (surely more than one!). Your life, your marriage, your womb, your future, your finances, your destiny is not with the devil but in God’s hands. The hands of Jesus pierced by the nails of judgment are the very hands holding you close and lovingly blessing you even right now! Your marriage is decreed and approved by God! You shall be a happy mother of children! Have faith in God! Your children shall be many and brilliant like the stars in the sky! Now I am saying this: by faith in God, buy your wedding shoes and some baby shoes (send me some pictures in my inbox, please…). You shall use them soon! I am very happy as I write these words, because I believe that they are true! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!

.

We are married for 43 years. To God be all the glory!

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Gen 1:28)

A number of Christian women asked me to pray for them, that they marry and have children. Some are young and some are not so young. I feel for them because I am a mother and a grandmother. For their sake I decided to study again the scriptures that promise natural and spiritual fruitfulness. I recommend that you fast and pray. Meditate upon the revelation of the Word of God. It is clear that God wants us to marry and have children. The devil hates that. I believe that God will answer your prayers! I believe that your dream will come true! In Christ, the victory and the testimony is sure!

God is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible. His name is Jehovah Elohim. God created the earth and all the living things on it. The word ‘create’ means to produce something out of nothing; to bring something into existence; to mentally conceive, design and execute something for the glory of God. Man recycles but only God creates!

After creating all other things in the nature, lastly, God created the human race. He created Adam from the soil and gave him His own Spirit. Then the man became a living being. Out of his rib God created a woman. The first couple was called Adam and Eve. Man-kind was created ‘in the image of God’. The word ‘image’ means a resemblance like a shadow. It means that each time I see a man, a woman or a child I see the shadow of God, their Creator. God blessed the first couple. At the beginning He commanded them to do two things: to be fruitful and to rule over the nature. In other words, man was to have many strong children so that God’s ‘shadow’ (or glory) will fill the whole earth.

We and our many strong children are supposed to subdue the earth and rule over all the rest created things, big (like the whale) and small (like the viruses). God has given us and our children the authority to rule the earth. The more children we have, the greater the authority to rule. This revelation taken by faith applies to natural children and spiritual children in Christ Jesus. To subdue it means to subjugate, to positively conquer the enemy and bring him into bondage. To rule it means to have dominion, to overtake and prevail against the enemy. Both words imply that there is a spiritual war. After the fall of man, God has decreed that the woman and her children shall fight against the devil and his children (Gen 3:15). Jesus Christ, the Son of God born of a woman has won total victory against the devil and his demons.

From these scriptures we see that the devil hates children, in particular, God’s children. He hates to see the image, the glory-shadow of God spreading on the earth. The devil hates to see that God’s babies are conceived and born to defeat him and his followers. To conceive an ordinary child is easy (Ask Hagar and she will tell you…). But to conceive a man or a woman of God is not easy (Ask Sarah and she will tell you…). There must be warfare prayer that ends in praise. You need to fast and pray focusing on God’s Word! But the God of Genesis is stronger than all opposition. The devil will deceive you saying that you do not have enough money to take care of your children. That is a lie! For God who provides the children will also provide the resources to take care of them. The devil will deceive you that you are too old to marry and become a mother. That is a lie! Sarah was ninety when she became a mother!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God! I am a woman of God! I am a godly wife and a godly mother of children! By the grace of God I am a fruitful vine! My husband and I shall have many children, natural and spiritual. Our children shall surround our table with testimonies, blessings and gifts. Our wonderful beautiful children are spiritual, straight and strong arrows to defeat the enemies of God! Our children are men and women of God. They shall serve God. They shall worship God in Spirit and in truth! To the glory of God and for the increase of His Kingdom! “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mt 19:14). By faith, I believe that in Christ, my children will come to me!  In Jesus name, amen!

Let’s Pray:

“Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You by the Blood of Jesus. We thank You for the revelation that it is Your will for us to have many naturally and spiritually strong children. We thank You for the hope we have in Christ. We pray that You grant us the desire of our hearts. We want to marry and have godly children. We promise that we shall teach the children to know You and to love You. By faith, we dedicate our unborn children to You. We are like ‘Abraham who believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing’ (Rom 4:17). Abraham was not too old and Sarah was not too old to have children. By faith, our bodies are not too old, sick or weak to have children. We believe in miracles because we believe in You. We command every evil spirit that blocks the conception and delivery of our children, to go away in the name of Jesus! We destroy every covenant we have made, ignorantly or not, with the demons of doubt, barrenness and fear of poverty. Holy Spirit please seal and approve this request! Fill our bodies, souls and spirits! Prepare us to be mothers! We vow to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus name we pray, amen!”

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

Our prayer meeting was very good. We laid the foundation for this year. Of course, no foundation can any man lay except that which has been laid: Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected; Savior and Lord! But we needed to come back to the altar, entering this year with a fresh, purer and larger vision. There was a prophetic word calling men and women to total unconditional surrender to the Lord. We presented our bodies as living sacrifices for the pleasure of the Lord. The worship must continue…The Holy Spirit was calling believers to work for God, to do ministry. We started praying in the Spirit… Initially there was some resistance in the room. The religious spirits were fighting back refusing to let go of their slaves. But the anointing was breaking the yokes! Some people were hiding in the shadows, excusing themselves, saying in their hearts that a little religion is good enough for heaven’ approval. They became skillful in the art of ‘playing church’. Because of that, their hearts became dry, hard and cold. But the Holy Spirit was calling and calling, and will not let go… (I love the patience and persistence of God). We could not proceed further with the service until this matter of repentance and surrender was done. The Holy Wind was blowing spreading the fragrance of Christ in the room. The stony hearts became soft and none could stop the melting. Christ arrested the prodigals. Coming home was the only way for many tonight. The lost got found. The blind could finally ‘see the King in His beauty’. We bowed in adoration proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord! Finally, we worshipped God with thanksgiving for He alone is worthy! Glory to God!

This is a word for a Christian sister who is praying for marriage: Fast and pray this month of January! Read the book of Esther. Identify with Queen Esther! The first wife, Queen Vashti had to leave the marriage, the throne and the palace before Esther could become the new wife and Queen. You may marry a man who is now divorced and who has suffered in his first marriage. Esther was by far more spiritual than King Xerxes. Your husband may be less spiritual than you but he is surely a child of God. He may not be a pastor but a business man. Remember the Word of God: The wife is the spiritual helper of the husband (Gen 2:18). Your future husband needs you to fulfill his destiny. Without you he cannot do it. Marriage is more work than pleasure. Pleasure comes, but not immediately. It comes like the harvest, after much planting and caring. You must learn the principle of delayed satisfaction! You invest in your husband the very things you want to enjoy later. You cannot expect to marry a ‘ready-made’ man. Even if his mother, sisters or former wife planted seeds (good or bad) in him, you need a new plantation in your marriage. You shall patiently uproot those old plants and plant new good seeds. What is important is that his heart is a good ‘soil’ heart. He must be a child of God! You cannot marry an unbeliever. But you can marry a ‘baby Christian’. Basically, your husband loves God; is a kind, loving, hardworking and generous man. Have faith that the miracle of a godly God glorifying wedding will happen this year, 2017! You too shall leave the rank of single women and become a married woman to the glory of God! In Jesus name, amen!

“If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1Pet 4:11)

“Dear Malia, I am a born again Christian woman. I am happily married with three kids. I often feel sad and neglected by my husband. I know he is a good man and he works hard to provide for us. But I feel lonely in the daily routine of life. Every day I feel tired of life. I keep things in my heart because I do not trust people to share my pain with them. But today I feel free to talk to you. Please advise me…”

“Dear… Life is not easy! Even as a Christian you may feel tired and discouraged. You do all the ‘right things’ but you still feel ‘left behind’. You pray, you go to church but you still feel tired, spiritually and physically. As a wife, as a mother, as a worker in the church, in your office or doing business, you feel depressed. You forgot that to live a successful Christian life with a constant testimony of overflow, you need to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Never forget this: God supplies the strength for you to live and to do His work. The devil will try to deceive you that you can live your life using your own wisdom, love and strength. This is a very common sin. Fast and pray for God will open your eyes to see that you are cheating yourself. And you also grieve the Holy Spirit! The Bible commands us to do God’s work with the strength He provides. This is the power of resurrection that raised Jesus from the dead, available to God’s children to live as witnesses to the Lord. If you use your strength to live, you shall desire to take the glory for your success in life. But God is jealous! He will not allow you to use your resources and become successful. But if you use God’s strength, the success is sure, you will be happy and the glory goes to God alone!

You need to pray for forgiveness that in the past, you have ignorantly refused to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Joy of the Lord is your strength! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Come back to me with a great testimony of change! You shall discover the secret of enjoying life even in the midst of troubles! I wish you well….”

“From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2Tim 3:15-17)

Dear children, today is the last day of 2016. As a pastor and as a mother, I was thinking, what is the best advice I can give to you, to help you enter the New Year with a new hope and a revived heart? I had some good options in mind but then, after prayer, I decided to go back to basics and simply tell you this: READ YOUR BIBLES! You cannot complain that I am too hard on you. This is my counsel: Read your Bibles daily! Read both the Old and the New Testament! Read your Bibles with faith, believing that God, who is your Father in heaven, shall speak to you thru His Word! As you well know, the Bible is not an ordinary book. There is no book that can compete with the Bible in value, beauty and power! Books are written by men inspired by their own spirits and imaginations. I agree with you: some books are very good and interesting. But the Bible is unique! The Bible is a HOLY BOOK! It is written by God the Holy Spirit. It is true that men wrote the words on paper but these men were completely under the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When you read other books, you can predict the story; you become bored and tired after some time. But when you read the Bible you will be challenged, surprised, revived and encouraged by the very God who keeps you alive. Reading the Bible you shall discover and participate in the most beautiful and romantic love story of all times: how Jesus loves you and wants to make you one with Him! He died on the Cross so that you become a child of God! There is no greater love than this! Read about Jesus! Read until you know Him well! Worship Jesus Christ, your Savior and Lord!

The Word of God is truth and truth will set you free. By reading your Bible, shall experience the power of salvation, deliverance from bondages, spiritual freedom, peace and joy. In the Bible you shall find guidance from God in all situations, healing for your body and soul, help in time of need, joy when you are sad and wisdom when you make decisions in life. God speaks thru His Word! As the body needs food and water to live, so your soul needs the Bread of life and the Water of Life, all found in the Word of God. As you read the Bible you shall have holy living words in your mouth to preach to others. You become a blessing to many! You shall be known as a man or a woman of God! There is no greater title than that! Doing God’s work is the best and most profitable work! Starting now, make a clear decision that in 2017 you shall pay the price to be a good student of the Bible. The very reading of the Word will pay you for all your effort. Wake up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and have your quality quiet time. Read the Word with your voice. Listen to your voice. Then pray that the Holy Spirit will interpret what you have read.  Meditate on that Word throughout the day. You will see that you feel stronger, wiser and healthier! The devil hates this counsel… But, dear son, dear daughter… I promise that I will continue to pray for you! The Lord is your Helper and mine! Let’s do it! Happy New Year!

“He thwarts the plans of the crafty so that their hands achieve no success” (Job 5:20)

A sister who attends our church sent me this letter:
“Good Morning Malia! Compliments of the season! How are you and Taleigh doing? Indeed our God is ever faithful. Malia, I have been in prayer mood for about a week before the last women’s meeting and your message from the book of Esther was exactly what I had been praying on. (For my marriage, husband, children, home, etc) It’s like the Holy Spirit kept prodding me to pray in that line & read about Esther’s ordeal and what she did. I honestly feel I’m just managing my marriage and the sweet wine is not as sweet as in the past. But I’m grateful to God and glorify Him for what he is doing in my home. After the last women’s meeting, I was fully charged and continued with the prayer points you gave us. Then something strange happened. I dreamt about the young lady who helps me, my ‘house-maid’. She is 28 years old. In the dream I saw her breastfeeding my son and immediately asked her why? In the dream, she said she wanted to take my place because she had nothing and I have everything. I was shocked. I immediately rejected her words in the name of Jesus. (I am happy that in the dream I was a woman of God). I then saw her crying and walking away. I woke up and was shocked. I prayed and asked God to please reveal the true situation of things because physically speaking, she has been good to me and I have also been good to her. This dream is a shock to me. I did not suspect her and was not praying in her direction at all.

Few days later, my 5 year old son told me at night that he wanted her. (He specifically mentioned her name). I was surprised and explained to him not to want her again as she was not family. Last night, about 3am he woke up and told me he was hungry. While making food for him, he told me again that he wants her (he doesn’t say it causally; you would know he really means what he’s saying). I immediately started praying for him, breaking any soul tie, conscious or unconscious and evil influence she has over him or my home. I pleaded the Blood of Jesus, prayed in tongues etc… Later, I explained to him why he should not want her. We went back to bed after he ate around 4am. I know I did not sleep deep because I had to wake up b4 5am. I had another dream about her where I decreed the word of God Job 5:12 to her cos she threatened me. I woke up praying that verse of scripture. For now, I have decided to let her go and I told her nicely to take the day off. I will keep praying over my kids, hubby, marriage, etc. This whole thing is a mystery to me Malia. Please advise me Malia, it is well…”

This is my answer to her:
“Dear… I am very happy for you! I thank God for your life! You are not just a wife and mother. You are a woman of God! Praise the Lord! This is a good example how faith in the Word of God combined with prayer achieves results. The devil and his agents are successful only in the darkness. In the natural these people seem innocent. They may be hard working, humble and faithful to their employers. Not all show signs of demonic wickedness. Not all serve juju openly, are seducing, rude or lazy. This deception is a weapon to blind them who pay their salaries. As the devil, their plan is to ‘kill steal and destroy’, physically and spiritually. But according to the Word of God you just quoted, no witch can be successful in the home of a child of God. The spell is broken when the child of God prays in faith trusting God for deliverance. Once truth is revealed, it sets the captives free. About your situation right now…This matter is too sensitive to ignore. We are talking about the spiritual safety of your little children. You cannot ignore these two dreams. This particular woman must go away. Do not be emotional. You have to choose between her tears and your children’ tears. I know that you are a good woman and very generous. There are others who look for jobs. Some are good and some are bad. Pray for discernment when you interview the next one. God will help you make the right choice. This lesson you must apply in other situations for we do not walk by sight but by faith! Thank God for everything! I have placed your letter in my wall on fb. Some people will comment. Learn from others who have more experience in matters like these. We must help and pray for one another. I wish you well! God bless you and your family! In Jesus name, amen!”

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Cor 9:11)

This evening I received this note from a sister in the church:

“Merry Christmas, Malia! For a long time now I have been praying to God for financial blessings in my home. I became tired thinking my prayers were not heard. But when I read your article ‘Talk to Jesus” it brought hope to me. I was encouraged to still trust God and to continue to pray. I am trusting God for supernatural breakthrough in 2017. As I was praying for finances I thought the Holy Spirit said to me to be generous to others who have greater needs. Initially it was hard for me to think about giving to others from the little I have. But then, I decided to obey the voice in my heart. I sent for a lady to come so I can give her a message. When she came I decided on the spot to surprise her. I give her one shirt that someone bought for my son (but my son already has one like that). Malia you need to see the happiness on her face. Then I also gave her small rice, some tomato and very small cash. She left thanking God and me. I told her to just thank God who provided the gifts and the joy. Me too I am thanking God because in this state I am now He has helped me to put smiles on some people’s faces. I started the day sad thinking that this Christmas is poor. But now, at evening time, I am grateful to be alive and to be called a Christian. I feel so much better. In fact, I feel rich! Like you used to say: ‘My liver is smiling…’ Love you Ma”

This is a good example of the way the Holy Spirit breaks the bondage of greed, self-pity and fear. To be generous is not a natural gift. We are born stingy and selfish. True generosity is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a lesson we need to learn again and again. You do not need to be rich to enroll in the school of practicing generosity. Any time is good enough, even when you think that you are too poor. When you pray for a financial breakthrough, the Holy Spirit may tell you to invest in the work of God, in your church or in the lives of others who are needier than you. It is like Isaac planting seeds during famine. God blessed his faith and he reaped a hundredfold that same year. That was a miraculous great and quick harvest (Gen 26). God encourages faith and generosity! You take risk with God, and He will bless you more than you imagine!

I want to encourage you, child of God! You have been praying for greater finances, a better job or business. Then God sends you someone that you should help. Do not be afraid to share. Break the hold Mammon has on your mind! Fear not! You shall not die poor! The devil is a liar! God is in control of your life and your finances! Once you are a child of God, you can never lose! Learn to be content and generous in all situations! Give God all the glory! Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning! Let your faith increase! Be a blessing to God and to His people! God is a God of miracles! Things change from day to day (sorry, from moment to moment)! Little is much when God is inside! May your liver smile! In Jesus name, amen!

There was a humble family who unconditionally opened their home and hearts to Jesus: Martha, Mary and their younger brother, Lazarus. Jesus loved the three of them and called them friends. He often visited them with His disciples. Each time it was a celebration of sorts. Maratha was the oldest for she is ‘in charge’. She is a practical woman. She goes straight to the kitchen and prepares the dinner for everybody. Mary helps her but soon, she leaves her alone. She goes to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen at His words. Martha becomes worried and upset. She criticizes Mary for abandoning her ‘female’ duties. Mary does not defend herself. She keeps quiet and Jesus defends her.  The Lord declares that what Martha is doing is good but what Mary has chosen is the best. That position Mary has found, at the feet of Jesus and listening to His words, is the best place in the universe. Nobody will be able to take it away from her. The place at the feet of Jesus is a place of worship, peace and spiritual service. The greatest gift you give to a teacher is to sit down and listen to his words. Mary sees the Lord as her Lover, her Master and her Teacher. Martha sees Jesus as ‘a baby’ who needs to be fed. For her, Christmas is forever.  She was more concerned with the natural needs of Jesus than His spiritual needs.

Martha was serving Jesus by cooking for Him and His disciples. Jesus said that in the process of serving Him she became ‘cumbered’ (KJ). The word means to be distracted with care, drag things all around or to hinder the movement by clutter. Martha is anxious to perform well so that Jesus and the others appreciation her.  Anxiety is a work of the flesh; a painful, abnormal uneasiness of mind, over an anticipated problem. An anxious person doubts the miraculous power of God. Martha becomes easily upset because when she is not appreciated for his labor. This is the story of Martha. But Mary choses the best! She knows that there is food to cook and dishes to wash. But she appreciates the Word of God so much that she will abandon the kitchen work for a moment at the feet of Jesus. Both sisters love Jesus. Both serve Him well. But Mary’s choice is the best and it will not be taken away from her.

From this story I have learned great revelations that I apply in my walk with God. The most important ‘work’ for me is to find the feet of Jesus!!!! It is only at the feet of Jesus that miracles happen. It is only there that I can hear the Word of God directly from the mouth of God! It is only there that I can truly worship in Spirit and in Truth! Do you remember the woman who wept (Lk 7:36-50)? She poured out her tears and her love at the feet of Jesus. No other feet on earth are the same! Can you imagine if Ruth made a mistake and went to lie down at the feet of another man instead of Boaz? She could have been raped and killed trying to get married…

From this story I also learned that I don’t need to be ‘a great man of God’ to be able to worship my Lord. I am a woman like Mary; no problem with that. I should not desire a complicated religious life ‘cumbered’ with robes, caps, titles and ceremonies! I desire the simplicity of Christ! Free in Him! When I enter a house or a church, I spiritually ‘scan’ the atmosphere searching for my Lord.  I do not look for men, no matter how rich or famous they are. My soul is attracted only by my Lord. Most of the time, I find Him in humble places and among humble people. I find the place where my soul can rest and listen to His Word. Gossip makes me tired. The Word of God makes me happy. I go to the place where I am happy. I do not pretend to just please people. If Jesus is not in that ‘inn’ I go out. The presence of God the Holy Spirit is like spiritual oxygen for me. In its absence I gasp for air like a fish outside water. I have learned that if I sit down at the feet of Jesus ‘big religious people’ will look down on me. They will criticize and intimidate me. I have learned to keep quiet. How can I argue with a blind man? My Lover will defend my choice and my Lord will fight my battles. It has happened again and again. I have learned that my choice to locate the feet of Jesus is blessed by Him. I become like a landlady of that little ‘holy ground’. Once I locate my place of worship I lose the fear a tenant has. It is the spot under which my treasure lies forever. I cannot be fired, sacked, divorced or rejected out of my destiny! I learned to be confident of my calling. I know that no tenant can evict the landlady and no maid can replace the mistress who is faithful to God and to her husband. I have discovered the power of humility, the freedom of worship and the grace of His glory revealed in me. The effort and the pain necessary to find that holy safe and happy place cannot be compared with the joy of resting in His embrace. This is my Lover, this is my Friend! My Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ! Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

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“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mt 5:14)

Nigeria is in economic recession. This year our city Warri-Effurun did not have Christmas lights on the streets. The leaders of our church decided to buy some and connect them from pole to pole for a distance of about a mile on Warri- Sapele road, by Urhobo College. We also bought a long cable to connect everything to our generator. We thought that the effort and expenses were justified. These beautiful lights and stars were a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world. We too, the born again Christians are also called ‘the lights of the world’. We reflect the light of Christ! We cannot be hidden! In the general darkness and depression, the streets lights were blinking hope and joy, especially at this Christmas time. They have been on for about a week. But this evening something bad happened… we discovered that somebody climbed the pole and badly damaged the cable ripping off the connections. That is why this Christmas evening the lights are off.

Just in case the person who destroyed the lights reads this note… this is what I want to say to you:

“Dear Friend, I don’t know who you are but God knows you! First of all I want you to know that God loves you. This is the truth! We put on these lights on the street to bring hope to the people of Warri and Effurun. These lights are a symbol of the True Ever Shining Light of the World, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was born two thousand years ago in a poor family. His mother was a virgin called Mary. At Christmas we cerebrate His birth! Jesus is both God and Man. He came on earth from heaven. He lived about 33 years doing only good, healing people from diseases and setting the captives free. He died on the Cross for my sins and yours. Jesus is calling you. He wants to save your soul to give a new beginning in life, to give you peace and joy.

You have damaged the lights our church hung there. This is very bad. If you live this life of secret wickedness and destruction you can never be happy on earth. And if you die in sins you shall go to hell, where there is terrible eternal punishment. I beg you: Come to Jesus! We forgive you! You can repent of your sins and become born again by the power of the Holy Spirit! Tomorrow our electrician will repair the damage you have done. The lights will be on again. You can only spoil the lights on the streets but you cannot quench the light in our hearts. Light is stronger than darkness. Love is stronger than hatred and envy. This is a very good opportunity for you to change your life. Become a child of God! Turn this bad thing into a good thing. Jesus, the Light of the world cannot be quenched!!!

I pray for you in the name of Jesus! You will feel very restless and you will not be able to sleep. This is because the Holy Spirit will arrest you and will convict you of sin. You cannot have peace until you make peace with God. I say it again: Friend, God loves you! Come to Jesus! Come home!”

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21)

“But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite His wonders, they refused to trust Him… and did not believe in His wonderful works” (Ps 78:32)

This is a word for parents and pastors. Christmas is a season when our Lord was born. It is also the time to remember that Joseph and Mary became parents to baby Jesus! Please read Psalm 78. We know that the people of Israel had witnessed the miracle power of God again and again. For example, God sent ten plagues on Egypt so that His people will be free. God split the Red Sea so that His people may cross over. God defeated their enemies and protected them by His power. God provided food in the desert and during times of famine. God healed them from all their diseases. God showed His love and care for them as a Father loves His children. The relationship between God and us is the story of grace found in Christ Jesus!!! But we are told that the people kept on sinning because they forgot about what God has done. This is a question: how can the people of God forget what He has done? How is it possible that the children of God should forget what their Father in heaven has done for them?

The first reason why the people of God forgot what He has done is because they disobeyed the command to teach the younger generation the Word and the Work of God. The people of God failed as parents and as teachers. Please meditate upon these words! Selah!!! In particular, they failed to teach the children about the supernatural power of God and His miracles. This failure is very serious and it affected the next generation. The children did not grow up as total unbelievers. They believed in God but only in general. They knew that if you go to church and read the Bible you will find God. But the young men and women grew up as ‘ordinary religious’ people, doubting God’s miracles. A religious evil spirit affected a whole generation!

But it is not only the children who were hurt by this failure. It was the parents too. They forgot who God really is and what He can do. In spite of experiencing uncountable miracles of healing, provision and protection, they did not acknowledge God openly or praised Him in the presence of the children. I hope you know that the best method to remember a lesson is to confess it openly and to teach same to others. The more you teach your children (natural and spiritual) the wonders of God, the more you are able to remember them and to worship God more. As you faithfully teach your children who God is and what He is doing in your midst, God will multiply the miracles to you and to your family. This word is confirmed by generations of parents and pastors who obeyed God’s commands to teach their children the Word of God and to testify about the miracles they have experienced.

“Give ear, O my people, to my law;

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth…

Which we have heard and known,

And our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,

And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done …

That they should make them known to their children;

That the generation to come might know them,

The children who would be born,

That they may arise and declare them to their children,

That they may set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God” (Ps 78:1-7)

Dear parents and children, pastors and congregations, together as family in Christ, we must obey God’s Word! The Holy Spirit ignites the fire but we must keep it burning. This is God’s plan and purpose for us. Failing to teach the next generation about God shall be judged by the same God we have ignored. Selah!!! As a servant of God I fear God and therefore I chose to obey His commands! My work as a pastor, as a mother and a grandmother requires me to diligently study the Word of God and to teach it to my children. This teaching ministry is not easy. Children hate discipline. There is price to pay, both for the teacher and the student. It takes time, effort, concentration and determination to study the Word and to pray for understanding. Because English is not my first language, I also pray that God will help me to communicate well, so that my children, my students (in Nigeria) will be able to understand and receive the Word of God. The Word matures them spiritually. It creates faith and hope in them. This is God’s amazing work. God has given me children and a public platform to declare His Word. I have a responsibility to God. He will judge my work and my motives with His fire. I care about the spiritual progress of (my) God’s children. They must become men and women of God. They must believe in the supernatural God who saved and called their parents to ministry. They must intimately know the Person of God the Holy Spirit. They must believe in miracles the way we do. They must worship God in Spirit and in truth! Finally, ‘as for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord’!

Something strange happened today, which is the second day, during the Nativity drama. The brethren from our church acting the crowd are about 200. They have done weekly rehearsals since September. But today, the number of the ‘actors’ playing the crowd in the Nativity drama suddenly increased to about 250. We did not what was the ‘problem’. We had some challenges accommodating the overflow. It was at the end of the performance we were told that some young people who came to watch it yesterday decided to go and sew Jewish costumes for themselves and quietly joined the cast today. By the time Pastor was informed that some of the ‘actors’ are not members of our church, it was too late. The drama has started. Even so, all went on very well and nobody observed anything wrong.

“Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (Jn 15;23-25)

It is Christmas season again. Thank God! We are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. During this time people visit each other, exchange gifts and good wishes. All these are good. I am grateful for the many gifts and cards we have received. Thank you! God bless you! But for me, the Word of God is the only “Gift” that satisfies my heart. In particular, the Words of Jesus are Manna from heaven for my soul; they feed my faith, they give me hope and make me strong. In the passage above I am reminded once again that not everybody loves Jesus. How do I know that? Because He said so! Therefore it must be so! Our Lord said that the world hates Him. The world is the system by which men live ‘a normal life’ without needing God. On the contrary, the Kingdom of God is made by all believers, the born again children of God, who live eternally with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said that the people of the world hate Him. He warns us that because of Him, this hatred shall be extended to us the believers. This warning is a sign of love. This is the truth: I am not ‘better’ than my Master. It is a privilege for me to share in the hatred and persecution my Lord has suffered on earth. As a child of God I have to get used to the idea that all unbelievers around me, even the nice and religious ones, shall hate me for Christ’s sake. Sharing in this ‘second hand’ hatred is painful. But the pain produces the sweet passion love for Jesus, knowing that both of us suffer exactly the same. This identification with the Cross of Christ is the true mysterious fountain of worship. If you call yourself a Christian but you have not suffered persecution, hatred and rejection for no other reason than the fact that the glory of God rests on you, then you are deceived. You are either not born again or you are backsliding. All true born again Christians share in this peculiar pain of persecution and spiritual discrimination. If you desire to avoid this pain, you betray your Best Friend, Jesus Christ. God forbid!

The word ‘hate’ appears four times in these verses. To hate it means to violently dislike another. It also means to love less than you are supposed to love. Idolaters hate Jesus! For as long as you hold to an imaginary idol in your heart, you shall love that idol and you shall hate Jesus! Chronic un-repented hatred becomes a spiritual stronghold occupied by the demons of fear, anger and malice. People who hate others love to make them suffer. In particular, they persecute the believers looking for ways to cause them pain. Dear child of God, the men of this world desire to humiliate you, to oppress you and to make you cry. Then they become happy. Your weeping excites them. They rejoice at your pain. These haters have no good reason for their hate, no excuse at all why they do these wicked things. The devil is their lord. They cannot help themselves. They go on creating misery everywhere. They break people’s hearts and joke about it. Their only friends are wicked people like themselves.

What should you do? Have faith in God! As a born again Christian you should not fear the unbelievers’ hatred. You should not desire their company. You should not be jealous of their power or wealth. You should not hate them back. The best thing is to trust God in all situations and to remain calm under un-explainable persecution. Pray for your ignorant enemies that they may repent. Overcome evil with good! Remember: God blesses His children who suffer for His sake! Pray for the grace and the strength of God to sustain you during these attacks. This suffering is not forever and at the end of it, the crown of life is given to His faithful servants! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Finally I say to you: Merry Christmas!

(These toys belong to our children. This year they could not come for Christmas. I have arranged the scene of the Nativity on my table as in ‘the days of old’)

PRAISE REPORT

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Is 43:19)

Not too long ago we received a prophetic word in the church. “There shall be rivers in the desert’. I did not know how this word will manifest but I believed it 100%. This is our testimony as a church: Today, for the first time since we started the church, Father’s House Bible Church, we transmitted the Sunday Service live thru the internet. I am told it is called ‘streaming’!!!