HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

This evening was our last prophetic prayer meeting called ‘Saturday Class’ for this year. The anointing was strong. We praised the Living God! “Praise awaits You Lord in Zion”. We used praise to weave a ‘red carpet’ as entrance to the King of kings. “God is fearful in praises”. We are grateful for knowing God, for knowing His name, His Word and His Spirit. We are grateful for all the privileges and gifts we have in Christ! We sang: “How beautiful You are! How marvelous You are! In all the earth, there is no one else like You…” Tonight, the praise ‘brought God down’. It is a wonderful feeling to praise God as a Spiritual Body. It lifted us up to have a glimpse of heaven. Let everything that has breathe, praise the Lord!

Then the Word came (from Gen 21 and 26). There shall be rivers of water in the wilderness. God shall bless His people even now, during national recession. We shall not just survive, but blessings shall over flow from us to others. Isaac dug his father’s well. During famine he planted and reaped that same year a hundredfold. (We shall continue to serve God sacrificially. This time is not like in the past. Our blessings shall come quickly and mightily). God confirmed to Isaac the oath Abraham made when he dug the well. Isaac submitted to the vision and the anointing of his Father Abraham. He re-opened the same well that Abraham dug. The water of life was found under the rubbish the enemies have dumped in the well. Life is stronger than death. Prosperity is stronger than poverty! Healing is stronger than sickness!

Abraham dug the well and sacrificed six lambs by its side. This is to confirm ownership in the midst of the enemies. He then planted a tamarisk tree by the well, a symbol of Jehovah God. Then he raised an altar and prayed to God. He called the God of that well of the water of life in the desert by a new name: Jehovah El Olam, which means the Eternal God. This evening we received a new revelation of God’s name. It was ‘fresh water in the old well of our father’. Jehovah means the covenant keeping God. El is the short form of Elohim, the uncreated Creator. Olam means Eternity! The tamarisk tree grows in the desert or salty soil. Its leaves contain salt. It is an ever green tree. It has very hard wood. It lives very long. It has beautiful flowers at the end of spikes. You can only admire it from afar. It is called ‘an invader’ tree because it spreads fast and destroy other native trees around. It stores all the salt and the water of the desert in its leaves. The tamarisk tree is a symbol of El Olam. That is why Abraham planted it by the well of water. Abraham raised an altar and prayed to El Olam. God answers his prayers and helps Isaac to reclaim the wells.

JEHOVAH EL OLAM is ‘The God who slowly but surely accomplishes His covenantal promises’. He guarantees the fulfillment of His promises. He is the God of all generations. He promises to be the God of your descendants. He is the Eternal God, the uncreated Creator of the Universe; the God who has no beginning and no end; the God outside time and its effects; the God of always and forever! El Olam is the God of the history of mankind. He never gets old and never gets tired. All His attributes are eternal (love, patience, power, wisdom, word, promises…). He is self-existent and needs nothing. His power is eternal. He is the perfect God. Because He is eternal, God is a comfort to saints and a terror to sinners. He is also called The Ancient of Days (Dan 7:9, 10, 13, 22). Jesus is the El Olam, the Resurrection and the Life, the Beginning and the End (Jn 11:25, 26; Rev 22:13). Knowing El Olam delivers you from the fear of death; gives you the confidence that God will be with your children and their children. He is the source of all faithfulness and patience in all generations.

Soon we shall celebrate Christmas. When she knew that she was pregnant with Jesus (The Eternal Well of the Water of Life), Mary praised Jehovah El Olam, the covenant God off all generations:
“And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth ALL GENERATIONS will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name!!!
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
He has helped His servant Israel…
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever” (Lk 1:46-55)
May the revelation of God’s name Jehovah El Olam be a blessing to you and to your seed forever!

(In the picture you see Abraham’s well, 4000 years old, still in function, with a small tamarisk tree by its side in Beersheba, Israel)

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

THE STORY OF GRACE

The women’s fellowship was very good. It was well attended; there was great expectation and feeling of thanksgiving ‘in the air’.  This was our last fellowship this year. We gratitude in our hearts, we all knelt down to thank God for keeping us and our families alive from January to December.  We sang: ‘Eshe, Baba-o…’ (Thank You Lord…). The sisters testified of supernatural healings and God’s protections. We all thanked God for Father’s House, for being a church where the Word of God is preached and nobody is manipulated to give money. We all agreed that our church is like an oasis in the desert. Thank You Lord!

Then the Word of God came. It is the story of Queen Esther.

This is the story of Hadassah Esther. When Vashti was in the palace, Esther was ‘a Nobody’. She was a simple Jewish girl, an orphan living in the house of her uncle Mordecai. She could not have imagined that in less than a year, Vashti will be on the streets and she will be crowned as the new Queen of the Persian Empire. Her husband shall be King Xerxes, the richest and most powerful man in the world at that time. But the honey moon was short. Trouble came but by the grace of God the enemy is defeated.

We shall identify with Queen Esther. All of us we shall fast daily in the Month of January. We want to enter the New Year with a strong spiritual foundation. In the first week of February we shall invite our husbands to a dinner and cook the food ourselves. Everybody shall contribute. The rich and the poor, the young and the old, everybody shall do something so that the dinner will be a holy success. The single sisters shall serve the food with faith that next year they shall be married and join us at the table.

Esther was surely not the most beautiful face Susa. But it is on record that she had favor with the eunuch. Just like that, the eunuch in charge of the harem liked her. He stands for the Holy Spirit. He knows what the king loves and hates. He was the one who advised Esther what perfume, what jewelry, what clothes, manners or language to use, to impress the king. That is how Esther ‘received favor with the king’ and became his queen. If you have favor with the Holy Spirit, you will surely have favor with King Jesus. Grace upon grace is already been given… With the crown on her head, Queen Esther ‘received favor with all men who saw her’. The hidden grace became the foundation of visible grace of promotion.

The story of Esther is a story of grace. There are levels of grace, increasing the influence of ministry. When grace is given, it has the potential to increase its own power, to multiply its reach. Men who’ve ignored you, they will soon observe you and come closer to help and minster to you. Grace changes the flow of men and circumstances. Holy success follows… Grace is more attractive than natural beauty. It cannot be bought with money or gold. It is reserved as a unique divine gift for the humble in Christ. It is not easy to kill your pride, but the Cross is able to do it. There is a fear that becoming humble men will take you for granted. This is true…but by the time the sunshine of grace will rise on you, the same men will have no other choice than to come back to you and declare that God loves you!

This is a question…what do you make of these words? Are you interested in them? Do you covet the best gifts from God? May your heart desire this exquisite jewel of all ages called the grace of God! Your life will never be the same again, I promise you…

Prayer points: Father God, help me to appreciate Your grace in my life! Holy Spirit, please give me favor with my husband! Lord Jesus, help me to be a woman of God! In Jesus name we pray, amen!

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (PV 22:6)

God is a Father. He ‘trained’ His only Begotten Son with love and wisdom. The result was that Jesus never disobeyed His Father until His last breath on earth. God the Father is our perfect pattern as parents. Jesus is our perfect pattern as a child. We are called by the special names of ‘mothers and fathers’. God gives us children so that He can share with us the beauty of being a parent; to teach us the responsibility of being a mentor. We are to care for our children with the love, gentleness, patience and strength of God. Our children are not our ‘property’. We are not free to sell them or ignore them. We have to give an account to God for our work as parents. ‘Our’ children are God’s property. They belong to Him. God expects us the parents to train the children to be holy; to love God, His Word and the Body of Christ! As parents we also need to study the Word of God to live by it!

One thing is clear: we cannot save our children’s souls. Only God is able to do that, by His grace. But we should prepare our children to walk with God. We train the children in the ‘way they should go’ not in the way they want to go. The Bible is the standard for this training. It is not enough to provide material things for the children. Spiritual training is even more important than the latest electronics in the market.

This training is not easy. The child will resist the training. We need to start as soon as possible. Even a toddler can learn to stay quiet when we pray and can learn to say ‘Amen!’ Once the child is out of the home, going to boarding house or to the university, he starts to become ‘old’. It is more and more difficult to train him after a certain age. As parents we should know that the time of training our children is limited and it passes away so quickly. The teachers in the schools and the pastors in the churches cannot replace the effort the parents need to invest in the destiny of their children.

The Hebrew word ‘to train’ means to walk on a narrow road. It also means to initiate, to dedicate and to disciple a child.  To initiate it means to bring a person into a secret group or to start an action. We need to teach our children the mysteries of Christ, to baptize them into the invisible spiritual life of God. The earlier they know the Person of God the Holy Spirit, the better! We should bring the children to church services. We need to ignite that holy passion, to start the fire of the Spirit in the child’s heart so that he is able to love Jesus with an undying love. We need to teach our children to be spiritually free and truly creative. We also need to discipline the child. We need to set boundaries of love. We need to enforce these boundaries and rules. When a child is stubborn and rebellious punishment must be applied, never in anger and always with love. As parents we need to pray that all these methods will work. This is the standing rule in the home: Parents must pray!  Their lives will mold the character of the child. We need to live by the Word of God as practical holiness is very important for the children to imitate.

This is good news: God promises to bless our efforts. Our little children will soon be adults. By the grace of God they shall be responsible, generous, loving and godly people. They are the best rewards for all those long hours of prayer and teaching at home. The promise is that when the child is ‘old’ he will not depart from the narrow and safe road of God. Our children and even grandchildren shall be safe, happy, faithful and spiritually mature. No parent needs to be ashamed of his work at home. God promotes the faithful parents with everlasting joy! May God bless all the mothers and the fathers; all the grandmothers and the grandfathers who love Jesus and His Word! Your labor of love shall be rewarded! I speak as a mother! I speak as a pastor! I know it! I believe it! Amen!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony” (Heb 11:1, 2)

Christianity is a walk of faith. No matter what I tell you, if you do not believe the Word of God, I will speak in vain. Faith is ‘the baby conceived’ when the spirit of man becomes one with the Word of God. Faith is the fruit of the Holy Spirit produced in the spirit of the believer. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, which is the truth. Examine your life if your faith is growing! That is why you need to attend a living church and listen to the preaching of the Word of God. You need to study and meditate on the Word! Pray for understanding. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! This is how faith grows ‘organically’. God shall reward you more than you can tell!

Try to imagine this: Faith has strong hands. Faith grabs and holds the promises of God knowing that they are real. When doubt tries to hold the Word of God, it slips thru its fingers like water. Doubt is always empty handed and frustrated. But faith holds and holds the Word of God until it manifests as a visible testimony. Christianity is a life style that starts with faith and ends with sight. This ever maturing faith, tried and tested in the furnace of fire, is acknowledged and rewarded by God. By this blessing, your position shall change from a ‘baby Christian’ to an ‘elder’ in the Kingdom. From a prince you shall become a king! These are spiritual ‘titles’. No man can give them or take them away from you. No mater your natural age, if you are a child of God, you are either a baby or an elder. A baby trusts God. But an elder is more than that. He trusts God and God trusts him! Selah!

May this be your heart’s desire and prayer this morning: “Father God, please help me to be an elder in your courts! Please increase my faith! Help me to pay the price for a mature faith! Help me to trust You always! Give me the testimony of a true servant of God! For Your glory alone and for my own good! In Jesus name I pray, amen!”

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The prophetic prayer meeting was good. We all praised God and bowed at His feet singing: “Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! For Him alone is worthy, Christ the Lord!” Then the Word came. The Holy Spirit said that we have been faithful and obedient during this long season of spiritual warfare. The enemies have been pushed behind and the damage done to them is so great that it will take a long time for them to recover. Until then, there shall be a season of peace when we shall buy land and build houses. God will bless us with supernatural extraordinary blessings, spiritual and material. Divine healing, fruitfulness and financial prosperity shall be our portion. Nigeria is a country in recession. It is a form of Biblical famine. We believe the promises of God that during this famine He will bless, protect, increase, heal and deliver us abundantly. We declared that in Christ, even during national trouble and famine, we shall not be ashamed of our testimony, we shall not become spiritually dry and we shall not be disappointed in our God! Many people may suffer hunger and frustration in life. But we shall ride on with God and shall have abundance of provision and supernatural blessings (Ps 37:18, 19). Amen!

Read Genesis 26. Isaac planted seeds during the time of famine. God blessed him and gave him a hundredfold harvest. His wealth was not stagnant but continued to increase. He was a man of peace. He enjoyed the blessings of peace. He was not a famous man, a warrior like his father Abraham. He was not a good business man like his son Jacob. Isaac was a man known for only one thing: he was a digger of wells. The wells represent deep hidden blessings, the water of life. He knew where to find life even in a hopeless dead place. He believed in God of miracles.  He obeyed God’s Word. He was greatly tempted to go ‘abroad’ and find ‘greener pastures’. But God told him to stay and dwell in Gerar, in the country of the Philistines. The word Gerar means ‘Rough land’.  This is his testimony: in the midst of his enemies, during drought and famine, Isaac became extremely wealthy because he obeyed God. We identify with his testimony!

What was in Isaac’s mind to be able to trust God, that He will prosper him during famine? Who is the God he served? Who is our God? God is a God of miracles! God is able to make the blind to see; the deaf and dumb to hear and speak; the cripple to walk and dance. God created all things and His hand is not short during trying times. God said that He will make rivers to flow in the desert, in the deep valleys of troubles and on the barren heights of difficult situations. God says that we should forget the past troubles and the former lack of good things. We should see this ‘new thing’ God is doing, right now, in our midst. Jehovah Jireh promises to provide impossible things. Rivers shall flow in the wilderness and many shall come to see the wonder of our supernatural prosperity (Is 41:17-20); 43:18-21). These blessings are spiritual and natural. This miracle is done by God so that His worship will continue for the praise of His glorious name. Nothing and nobody can stop it. God has decided to bestow His favor on us. It is the amazing grace of God. This is big! Thank You Lord Jesus! We chose to believe the Word of the Lord!

“And they overcame him (Satan the Adversary, the Accuser of the Brethren) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death” (Rev 12:11)

A mature believer in Christ is known for walking in constant victory. He does exploits continually. He has learned to apply the Cross daily, to kill the lusts of the flesh and to reject satan’s lies. He has learned to trust in the Lord with all his heart. His faith in God is applied daily in practical life. That is called divine wisdom!

The truth is that the devil cannot be defeated in your own power. First of all you need to be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, to gain the victory over the weakness of the flesh and over the power of the devil, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This testimony of victory cannot be borrowed or bought from another. It is a personal victory flag with your name on it!  For as long as you trust in men, in pastors, in prophets or even in yourself, you cannot have victory in spiritual warfare. The devil works thru deception. He will direct your attention to men or to yourself. He will try to deceive saying that your faith is in God but in reality you are trusting in men. But God knows the truth. God will not give you the victory for as long as deception still works in your mind.

Before praying for victory in any area of your life (marriage, children, fruitfulness, finances…) you should pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the possibility of a stronghold of deception still standing in your mind. Once you see it clearly, you can attack and destroy it. It takes just a simple prayer of faith and the deliverance is done. It will fall like the Jericho wall. After that, the victory will manifest quickly. But if you are deceived, I mean you are spiritually blind, a thousand long prayers will accomplish nothing.

I testify that the Word of God is true. It has worked for me. If the devil likes it or not I declare that in Christ, I AM AN OVEROMER!!! In Christ alone, having faith in the power of the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross, the enemy of my soul has been overcome, defeated and disarmed. My weapons are not worldly (bitter ambition, envy, seduction, manipulation, bribe…) but might thru God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I have trampled over serpents and scorpions and they are now dead. They mocked and insulted me. But hissing, they died. Christ in me, the Hope of Glory, is greater than the prince of this world. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places and in His name I have authority over all the power of the enemy! I know how to lose. For many years I was deceived by the devil! He accused me and I believed him. He gave me sickness and I accepted it. He intimidated me and I trembled. But his power over me is finished! This is the miracle I proclaim: I know how to win! I have experienced the sweet fragrance of victory over my former master, the one who accused me before God day and night. By the Blood of Jesus, I have overcome! I am healed, delivered, fruitful, spiritual, strong and wise! I can shout my victory from the rooftops and the devil cannot shut my mouth. I am a child of God! I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I boast that Jesus loves me! This testimony is true! Glory to God!

Child of God, stop going in circles! Be encouraged to fast and pray for a deeper revelation of what it means to be a true hero of faith! May your testimony come! May your strength increase! May your faith be strong! May your joy be full! In Jesus name, amen!

 
One of the greatest revelations for me was to find out that I it is possible to live on this earth totally fulfilled, completely free from all wicked fears and terrorizing inferiority complexes. When I gave my life to Christ, I was so happy to know that my sins have been forgiven. “Oh, Happy day…When Jesus washed my sins away…” It was a great surprise for me to discover that forgiveness of sins is just the beginning of the blessed Spirit filled life. The Holy Spirit gave me a glimpse of uncountable moments of pure joy that paved the narrow way leading to heaven!

As a baby Christian seeking God I was surprised to discover that many Christians are too easily satisfied. They just pick a church, join in the activities and that is all for them. No more fasting and prayers. No more longing for a deeper experience with the Lord. In particular, it is a sad thing for me to know that so few Christians desire to know the power of the Cross. They run away from Calvary not knowing that they cheat themselves by ‘denying the power thereof’. But as for me, I made up my mind long ago that I will go closer to the Cross and see it by myself. There was a magnetic attraction for me to go there… to see… to touch… to listen, to any drop of revelation found at the foot of the Cross. Just the way many people here in Nigeria are desperate to go ‘abroad’ so was I to go to the Cross of Christ. But the closer I went there, the fewer people I met on that royal way.

For a long time I was considered crazy…’why go there… the cross is too negative’ – they said. I lost friends along the way. I was often lonely and confused. No pastor I knew could help… But still I could not stop looking up. Against all odds I slowly started climbing that hill, not really knowing what is there to find at the top. It was not easy. But the price I paid cannot compare with the glory revealed. What I found at the Cross changed me forever! It’s so called ugliness and terror hides the greatest treasure man can ever know on earth. This I can tell you: If you have not had a personal encounter with the Crucified, you do not know Him well.

This letter is an invitation to all who want to taste that the Lord is good; to all who long for deeper waters of knowing God; to all who have a melody in their hearts but they lack the words to match the tune; to all whose dreams have expired and they hope to start afresh; to all who feel rejected, abused, ignored, mocked, forgotten, disappointed and in pain… I invite you, friend… Let’s go to Calvary and hear the triumphant voice of God: ‘It is finished!’

Come… Clinging to the Cross I beg you come… take your heart in your hand and knock…knock… Suddenly, the gate of life eternal shall open and together, we can step in… the angels, the pearls, the rainbow and the glory will welcome you inside… Behold! The Lamb of God who died once and rose again for all… His name is Jesus! He came so that love may have a face and life may have a voice! I saw the King of kings! I testify that He loves you! This is a royal invitation! Bride of Christ… Friends… Children… Come…

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil 4:4)

This is a simple command: Rejoice always! And yet, it is one of the most difficult commands to obey. Why? We all want to be happy; nobody choses to be sad. It took me many years to learn how to rejoice in such a way that it becomes a life style of glorious, ever increasing and faithful joy. What is the problem?

Most people depend of their circumstances to create and maintain a life of happiness. This is a serious mistake because you cannot control your environment. There are too many factors that influence the things around you. In this life things go ‘up and down’. It is the same for all people, no matter where you live.  A good job can be lost. A dear husband can leave his wife for another woman. Children fail exams and may choose to be wayward for a season.  A sickness can wipe away all your savings. And many things like these…

For joy to be stable its source must be internal, spiritual. The fountain of joy must be the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. Please note that it is only a born again child of God who is able to obey the command to ‘rejoice always, again and again’. According to the Bible all unbelievers are basically depressed and frustrated with their lives. They may hide their feelings behind fashion or a good make up but the heart is bleeding inside. Nobody can change his own heart! It is only God who created it that can touch it and change it!

This constant powerful rejoicing has to be ‘in the Lord’. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the child of God. It is possible for a believer to grieve the Holy Spirit. Then the joy becomes less but it is never completely wiped out. Thru repentance the ‘joy of salvation’ can be restored.

I had to learn and practice the holy habit of living joyfully. I had to learn to ignore my feelings. By the power of the Holy Spirit I had to learn how to kill my tendency to doubt the Word of God. My flesh had to be crucified with Christ so that my bent towards rebellion will die. With time, I learned to trust the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth and strengthen me to obey it. Once thru the Cross I mastered my flesh, joy became a part of me. Always!

There is another mistake I made in the past. This is a common mistake with many young believers. I depended too much on my emotions to be happy. I forgot that spiritual joy is deeper than my emotions, which are superficial, an expression of the flesh. That is why my life was like a ‘roller coaster’. For example: yesterday I was very happy because my children behaved well. But today things changed.  Because they forgot to clean their rooms I became angry and sad again. My sadness of today had the power to cancel the happiness of yesterday. I was like a man who never has any savings. That added to my anxiety for I felt that I can never be truly and permanently happy. This wrong pattern of thinking went on for many years. The devil cheated me often, stealing my peace and joy.

I got angry with myself. Then I one day my faith rose and I asked God for ‘Holy Ghost wisdom and strength’! (By the way, this is always a ‘dynamite’ prayer!).  The Lord answered immediately! He said that I should ask for my ‘daily bread’. As the Cross I carry is a daily cross, so the bread must be a daily bread!!! This is a daily expectation of spiritual and natural food. It is not an hourly request and not a weekly request. Just daily and that is enough! Also, the Lord Jesus reminded me of His Word: Troubles come in daily doses too! “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mt 6:34). Light shone in my spirit!

Praise the Lord! By His grace I had learned over the years to have separate ‘spiritual compartments’ for daily needs and daily prayers. My days are full with new mercies, new wisdom and prayers. This is my ‘daily secret’. My joy started flowing like a river connecting my days! In this way, my joy of yesterday cannot be damaged, polluted or spoiled by the ‘trouble’ that may come today. Each ‘item’ is separate and do not touch one another. I may have some anxiety today. I will pray to God about the matter. But my ‘yesterday’ joy has become part of me, for it has already been eternally saved in my heavenly account. That is why I can now testify that my joy is stable and strong as the Rock of Ages who gave it to me! The lusts of the flesh and the difficult circumstances around me are not able to destroy what God is building in me. To His glory and for my good!  So, my children, I say rejoice! For Jesus is Lord over your lives! And I say again, rejoice!

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you”  (Joel 2:25)

This is the testimony of a family who came to our church not too long ago. They say that they have been serving God for a long time but there was a mysterious stagnation in their home since last year, both spiritually and financially. We told them to fast and pray and seek God’s face. The husband and his wife did it with faith and in the unity of the Spirit. God answered them speedily. Their testimonies shall multiply. But for now, this report is given to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of other believers who struggle with stagnancy in any form. This is the truth: God humbles us for a season. But the same God is able to restore all what was lost and so much more. There is no ‘short cut’ with God! Fast and pray, with faith, expecting God to speak to you and act. I assure you that God will prove Himself to you! Your testimony is waiting! In Jesus name, amen!

“Good day ma, God indeed has been faithful. Firstly I thank God for coming to Father’s House Church. Secondly, thanks for your time to counsel me and pray with me, I did the fasting and prayers alongside my wife and have been expectant, I thank God for His mercies and Speedy answers! Last week, I received a letter from my Office for 1 week training (this I have been denied for more than two years). The personnel in charge of learning/career administration saw me and said ‘what happened that your name have been omitted from training all these while?’ I told him I didn’t know. He said he has restructured my training program and henceforth, every month I will attend at least a one week training to cover the lost grounds. Secondly, one of my tenants owing me in my property for long called me saying that he is sorry for the long delay that unfailingly this week he will pay me all the rents owed and even up to 1year. I thank God because He answered speedily and I know He is not done with me yet. More testimonies will come before the end of the year and beyond. That’s why I believe what Ta Leigh said yesterday: Thanksgiving to God is every day, every hour and every minute! May His name be praised forever!”

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (Heb 10:35)

Child of God, the Bible promises a great reward if you keep and protect your confidence in God. Confidence is mature tried faith. The word in Greek describes confident speech.  This bold speech comes from the bold heart of a lion trained by the Lion of Judah. A true believer must testify about His Savior thru open, direct speech, bold and sure, free and clear. Just saying to somebody: “Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Lord” with the confidence produced by the Holy Spirit, you shall be ‘richly rewarded’ by God the Father.

Take note: It is possible to lose this confidence! We are warned not to throw it away, not to forsake it. This warning is to be taken seriously especially during difficult times of persecution or need. The devil will try to deceive you that your faith in God is useless, that it does not work, therefore you should discard it. This is a serious mistake and a great loss. This will be the beginning of backsliding. You will lose the joy of your salvation; you will be shy among the brethren and timid about your testimony. Like we say in Nigeria: “your mouth will shake…” What a pity… It is better to lose friends, jobs or money, than to abandon the faith you have in your God. For faith is more valuable than gold and useful for all situations. I am not talking about self-confidence, for that is sin. I am talking about the true living Biblical God approved faith, tested in fire; the confidence that God exists and His Word is true.

Faith in God is your crown as a worshiper. Your faith is the key that opens the door of salvation; the pipe thru which the blessings of Christ flow to you, the link to your miracle and the cup that God fills with His grace.  How can you throw away such a treasure? Please go back and look for it. Plant it in your heart once more. Confidently go and tell people that you are saved by the Blood of the Lamb. Never be ashamed of your Lord for He died to set you free! Shout with a loud voice: “Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!”  The devil will have a headache! Good! But one thing is sure: God will richly reward you! You will hear a divine ‘alert’ on your ‘heart-set’ that a gift has been paid in your heavenly account! These things are all true if you believe! As for me, I believe therefore I have spoken!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance” (Ps 37:18, 19)

Our prophetic prayer was very good. The anointing was strong and heavy, like a glory blanket on our shoulders. I hope you feel it… We imagined that the Prince of Peace has entered in the room. We welcomed His Majesty, the King of kings with worship, adoration, shouting, clapping of hands, prostrating, prayers, songs in English, Nigerian dialects and Tongues. It is always a holy adventure to be in the presence of the Living God. There is eternal life pulsating from the throne in heaven, filled with power, peace and joy no words can describe.

FRUITFULNESS
There is a couple in our church that has been praying for the fruit of the womb for quite some time. Once a month the wife brings us fruits as a gift of faith. They are not wealthy in the natural. But both serve God with passion and faithfulness.

They trust the Word of God that says: “You shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I (Jehovah God) will remove sickness from your midst. There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I (Jehovah God) will fulfill the number of your days” (Ex 23:25, 26). They trust the Almighty God who promises blessings upon the food and water, divine health and fruitfulness. Please pray for them that they will have children.

“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them” (Is 41:17)

To belong to a living church is a wonderful thing. To be part of the Body of Christ is a great blessing. This is the testimony of Bro. Samson. He is in his early thirties. He is one of the ‘men of valor’ who helped during the building of this sanctuary. After we moved in he offered to continue to work for the church. We needed a gardener. He agreed. We did not know that he has that gift but the plants grow well and are very happy under his care.

Last December we had an event in the church. The men invited their wives to a banquet. Many of the couples in the church came, all dressed beautifully. Then I saw Bro. Samson seated in the garden, in his jeans, looking very sad. I asked him why he is not dressed with his wife ready to go to the dinner. He said that he is not properly married to her. He has not done the traditional marriage. He has not paid the bride price and he has not married in the court or in the church. They have been living together and have five children. One baby died last year for they did not have money to carry him to the hospital. I was touched. This is the first time I heard his story. We prayed that next December they will be able to attend the couples’ banquet for they shall be properly married by then.

For the past one year we have prayed almost once a week for God’s favor on Samson and his wife. It has not been easy. He had deep inferiority complex that he is a failure. He told me “Malia, I be poor man… I no get money… I be a nobody…” I rebuked him telling him that a child of God does not talk like that. At the beginning his faith was very little. Later he told me that the reason why he is afraid to dream that proper marriage is possible is because of his family. His three elder brothers are also not married properly. They mocked him for trying to do what they could not do. They told him that they shall not support or help him in any way at all. In Nigeria, this is a very serious matter. To become a light in your unbelieving family attracts a lot of persecution. But I assured him that with God all things are possible. I also told him that God will use him as a light for the rest of the family. The wife also had issues. She was ‘ashamed’ to attend our church because she was not properly married. I encouraged her to come to Father’s House and even attend the women’s fellowship. She did. Eventually, the light of God started shining on their way. When the news came that they want to marry, the brethren helped and encouraged them.

Today is their traditional marriage day. The wife is already in her village waiting for him to come like a prince. I saw him last night and he was very excited. This morning he came to the door dressed in his traditional outfit. He knew that I cannot go to the village. He said that he could not go there without coming to show appreciation. He said that he is very happy. He is generally shy but this morning he was shaking with joy. He could not hide it. We prayed one more prayer before he went. I took him a picture in front of our Christmas tree. I hope you see how happy and proud he looks in his princely dress, hat and all. On Sunday they shall do a blessed marriage ceremony in our church. More pictures shall follow.

This testimony is given to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of all who are afraid to dream because they think they are poor. This is a reminder that faith in God is more than money and that God answers prayers! This is also a reminder that a child of God should belong to a Living and Loving Church that is a true spiritual family, where he can grow in faith, in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Today the plants in the garden shall ‘pray’ for their gardener, wishing him God’s blessings! Please pray for Samson and Mercy! God bless you! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!

(The last two pictures are taken at the Blessed Marriage Ceremony in our church)

“When he (Boaz) gets ready to go to sleep, take careful notice of the place where he lies down. Then go, uncover his legs, and lie down beside him. He will tell you what you should do. Ruth replied to Naomi, “I will do everything you have told me to do” (Ru 3:4, 5)

Naomi came back to Bethlehem as a bitter and disappointed woman. Ruth, her Moabite daughter in law followed her back home. Behind the scenes, God directs Ruth to glean grains on the field of Boaz, a relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s late husband. When Ruth comes back with a sack of grains telling Naomi about Boaz, Naomi suddenly becomes hopeful. This is the first time that she utters godly words of blessings: ‘The Lord bless him!” (Ru 2:20). The mercy of God is greater than the anger. The spell of bitterness starts to tear away from her soul. She acknowledges the long time kindness of Boaz. She forgot about this man and the authority he has to change their lives. Ruth also tells Naomi that Boaz counseled her to work only in his field. Naomi confirms the wisdom of Boaz in telling Ruth to stay only in his field where she can be protected from sexual predators. “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” (Ru 2:22). The command to stay in a particular place will test Ruth if she obeys his word or not. Going away from his field will mean sin, trespass and rebellion. We know that Ruth obeyed the counsel of both Boaz and Naomi and stayed in that field until the end of the harvest. This submission was a great point scored with Boaz when he decided to marry her. (This is a great lesson for them who plan to marry: if a single sister submits to her spiritual mother or other godly sisters, she will easily submit later to her husband. A rebellious single woman will not make a good wife)

The story continues. Suddenly Naomi is happy and she thinks of a way to bless her faithful daughter in law. She prepares Ruth for a possible marriage with Boaz. She tells her to dress well, to perfume herself and to go in the night to meet with Boaz, who sleeps in the open air in his field guarding his harvest. Naomi tells Ruth to go and to propose marriage to Boaz. This proposal is not a lustful manipulating act. It is based on a Jewish law. Naomi warns her to ‘take careful notice of the place where he lies down’. She should go there. She was to lift the blanket that covers his feet and lie down there waiting for him to wake up. Then he will tell her what to do.

This was a very dangerous assignment for a single woman, even a Moabite. It was dark and there were other workers sleeping on the field. If she went to lie down at the feet of another man, tragedy could have happened. Naomi tells her to mark the place where Boaz sleeps. She should lie down at the very spot where he lies down. The word ‘lie down’ appears two times in that sentence. In Hebrew it means to lie down to rest, to sleep, for sexual activity or death. The risk Ruth is taking is great. If Boaz was not a man of God, he could have taken advantage of Ruth who was alone, ‘available’, lying at his feet. Ruth is a woman of God. Ruth has faith in the word of Naomi. She promised to do ‘everything’ Naomi told her to do. As you know, Boaz too was a man of God and he decides to cover her with his ‘blanket’ of authority in marriage. The story ends well, thank God!

What are the lessons for those who plan to marry, especially for the single sisters? To marry well is risky. The devil will fight ‘a haven made marriage’. You need faith, wisdom, love and courage. Dear sister, to identify the very man who shall be your husband is risky. To submit to that man alone is hard. To be ready ‘to lie down’ were ‘he lies down’ is not easy. To agree to rest with him, to sleep with him, to be sexually intimate only with him, ‘until death do you part’, that is hard work. You need God to help you! No woman can submit to her husband unto death except she is born again and Spirit filled. No man is able to love and protect his wife unto death except he is born again and Spirit filled! Selah!

Boaz stands for our Lord Jesus Christ. Ruth stands for us the worshippers, the Church and the Bride of Christ. Mary of Bethany sat down at the feet of Jesus to listen to His Word. Her sister rebuked her for that. The former prostitute came to sit down at the feet of Jesus to anoint them with oil. If she made the mistake to do the same at the feet of another man in the room, she could have been insulted and rejected. John saw the resurrected Christ and fell down at His feet. He was afraid but Jesus laid His hands on him, encouraged him and lifted him up.

The place at the feet of Jesus is a special, holy and unique place. It is a place where you hear God’s Word free from the anxieties of life. It is a place of intimate worship. It is a place where you die to the world so that you live for Christ alone! It is a place where Jesus Himself will protect you from the insults, intimidation and rejection of men. It is a place where His love covers you. It is a place of revelation, of service and of strength to do ministry. It is a place where two become one. It is a place of prophetic new beginning. It is the place where God’s promises come true. Boaz proposed marriage to Ruth at mid night. The place at the feet of Jesus is the place of mid night mystery and romance. Your marriage to Jesus and to your Boaz starts at that very place. Mark that place well! Refuse any other voice to go astray! Seek the place thru fasting, prayers, tears and worship. Go there! Stay there!  And you shall find your greatest treasure your soul shall desire. Marry well! And worship the Lord!

‘I will answer them before they even call to Me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!’ (Is 65:24)

We are living in our new beautiful pastor’s house for more than a year. We are very grateful to God. When we moved in last year my husband explained to me that the plumber made a mistake and there shall be no hot water in the kitchen. There was a heater in the store next to the kitchen but no pipe to connect it to the tap. He said that to connect the pipe it means breaking the wall and that will not be nice. Of course I could have liked hot water in the kitchen but I told him ‘no problem’. This is my general strategy: I pray for my needs and I wait for God to answer in His own time and His own way. Once I pray, I never complain or worry. Since then I only use the tap for cold water. I have a kettle by the side and if I need to wash the dishes I boil the water with it. No problem, really. I got used to I. I even forgot about the hot water. (Let me say this… I live in Nigeria since 1980 and I have learned many good things from the people here who are very creative in times of need. As we say in Nigeria ‘dis na small tin… No wahala!)

“I see the Lord, I see the Lord
Exalted high upon the worship
Of the people of the earth
I see the Lord, I see the Lord
My eyes have seen the King
The Lamb upon the throne
Who reigns forever more

The love story between Boaz and Ruth is worth studying and imitating. This is my testimony: I am a child of God, a woman of God, a wife, a mother of three and a grandmother of six. My husband and I are happily married for 42 years. He is very much like Boaz. Each time I read of a true godly love story my heart beats faster with joy and gratitude because God makes ‘all things beautiful in His own time’. Boaz is a wonderful example of a prince, a godly gentleman, a man most single girls dream to marry one day.

2. A GODLY HUSBAND IS SENSITIVE TO THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF HIS WIFE

Let’s see how a man must treat a woman to win her heart. Early in the morning Boaz comes to his field and he greets his workers in the name of the Jehovah. He says: ‘The Lord (Jehovah) be with you’. They answered back: ‘The Lord (Jehovah) bless you’. This must have impressed Ruth. In her native country Moab all the ‘big men’ are too big to personally come to their fields to supervise the work. The unbelievers make a practice to ignore poor people. They do not greet or bless their workers in the name of the Lord. They are too ‘big’ for that. All wealthy unbelievers are bossy. Jesus said this: “You know that the rulers of the unbelievers lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them” (Mt 20:25; ISV). Here Boaz proves to be a man of God. He knows his workers well and has a good relationship with them. They appreciate and respect him and are happy with their ‘conditions of labor’. Boaz is a wealthy man ‘of standing’ but also godly humble man. He is friendly with his workers but he is still their boss. Ruth discovers that she was working for a man who fears God, who is humble and kind enough to care for his laborers but secure in himself to know that he is in charge.

Boaz came to the field to supervise his workers. It was ‘a business trip’. As he scanned the field with his eyes he quickly saw a new worker, a foreign looking woman who was gleaning at the back of the field. He immediately asked his foreman: ‘Whose young woman is that?’ He was informed that she was the Moabites who followed Naomi back home. Apparently he heard of her. He was told how ‘Aunty Naomi’ came back from Moab as a poor sad widow. She was followed by her Moabite daughter in law, also a widow. The news was all over the city of Bethlehem. He must have pondered on their fate before that morning when he discovers Ruth gleaning in his field.

Boaz knows that as a close relative he has some responsibility in helping them. For others, the responsibility to help a poor relative is seen as a seriously unwelcomed burden. But not so for Boaz! He is a truly fearless, kind and generous man. He does not waste time at all. He approaches Ruth and instructs her to stay in his field, following his servant girls. He tells her that he has commanded his men not to ‘touch’ her inappropriately. He tells her that she can come to his shade and drink water freely. We see that Boaz is very sensitive to her needs. He imagines that as a single woman, as a poor foreigner looking for food, she must be scared of ‘sexual harassment’. The truth is that Ruth is in a very vulnerable position, alone in the fields. The only person who knows her is Naomi, who is old and poor. She knows that the Jews hate the Moabites because of a long troubled history between them.

What Ruth needs is protection, food, water and shelter. She also needs encouragement. Boaz knows her fears and he openly and lovingly encourages her at their first encounter. He does not ‘play safe’. He is not afraid that his kindness may be taken for granted. He is not afraid of what men may say about him. As a rich man he could have ignored her. But he does not ignore, oppress, manipulate or take advantage of Ruth. Boaz is a symbol of Christ. He is straightforward, confident, wise, gentle, encouraging and friendly from the very beginning. He is kind. He is responsible. He is godly. He is a good communicator. It looks that for Boaz, it was love at first sight. But he patiently waits praying to know the will of God. As you know, he eventually marries her.  This is truly impressive!

Any single sister will fall in love with a man who is truly born again, whose identity in rooted Christ, who is hard working, strong and friendly, romantic, kind and happy in the same time… (And a little wealth is not bad too…)… May God provide a Boaz for each Ruth in this world who prays for her dream marriage! In Jesus name, amen!

Today, Pastor (Mrs) S L Leigh preached a sermon titled ‘How to deal with your Jericho’. The scriptures were taken from the Book of Hebrews 11 and Joshua 6.  “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days” (Heb 11:30). The story of how the wall of Jericho fell is not just history. The spiritual lessons can be applied in spiritual warfare as you trust God for victory and for a great testimony. The city was shut because of the people of God. Faith is the instrument of victory! Faith is the fruit that comes from trusting God’s Word with all your heart. If you ‘marry’ the Bible, if you become one with the Word of God, your spirit shall produce ‘a baby’ called ‘Faith’. Any faith that is not based on the Word of God is fake and it shall fail in times of need. God promised the victory at the very beginning (Josh 6:2). God commanded Joshua that His people have to walk round Jericho a total of 13 times in seven days. This command seems foolish but they needed to obey it by faith. Everybody was involved in the work of God: the soldiers, the priests and the rest people. The priests lifted up and carry the ark on their shoulders. The ark is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faith needs to be tested. True faith needs to be accompanied by works (Jam 2:14-26). God blesses faith and obedience.

To walk round the city for one week is not easy. Please observe that there was no change in the wall, no crack at all until that final moment when the shout of faith went up to heaven. This is a great lesson: delay is not denial! Waiting time is not wasted time! You continue to read the Bible, pray, go to church and serve God the best way you can. Nothing may change in your circumstances until God’s moment! Keep your faith! The victory came suddenly! It was a unique miraculous total victory! “When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city” (Josh 6:20). In Hebrew, the word ‘collapsed’ means to fall down flat, to go down to the bottom, to go underground.  It means that the wall was ‘swallowed’ by the earth. There was no rubble to climb on top. It was like the God’s judgment upon Korah when the ground opened its mouth to swallow the enemies of God (Nu 16:31). The only house which remained standing was the house of Rehab, a pagan woman who became a hero of faith. The enemies laughed and mocked the people of God as they went round and round Jericho. But their end was destruction. Nobody could save them.

Child of God, be encouraged today! Jericho represents a long standing problem that has been blocking your way. It is a gate of hell that cannot prevail in stopping your progress. The wait may be long and the work may be hard. Trust God who, in Christ Jesus, has promised to lead you from victory to victory. God has opened a door of healing, of deliverance and of prosperity that no one can shut! Shout, for the Lord has given you the long waited blessing! Give Him all the glory! Worship the Lord!