Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh continued preaching the series The Early Church. The title for the sermon today was: ‘Strength in the storm’ . Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts, chapters 27 and 28.

PAUL’S JOURNEY TO ROME

We shall study Paul’s journey to the great city of Rome. We learn from him how to behave during a big storm that caused a shipwreck. This is the story… He was arrested in Jerusalem for causing a riot. The Religious leaders accused him of telling other Jews not to obey the Law of Moses; that they should not circumcise their sons. They also said that Paul brought Gentiles into the Temple to defile it. These accusations were false, but the Jews attacked him and almost killed him. The Roman soldiers arrested him to save his life. When they heard that Paul was a Roman citizen, they removed his chains but kept him with them in the barracks. They called the Sanhedrin, the religious supreme court, to decide Paul’s case. Paul made his defense, and the religious rulers were divided in their verdict about him. “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Ac 23:11). Paul now knows that he must arrive in Rome to testify about Jesus. Hearing that some Jews want to kill him, the commander of the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem sends Paul with an escort to Caesarea. In that city, Paul boldly testified before two governors, Felix, and Festus and before two royal figures, King Agrippa, and Bernice. This is according to God’s Word: “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed” (Ps 119:46). It is also according to the promise of Jesus: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” (Matt 10:16-20).

*Lesson: God will open doors where we shall testify before ‘great men’ of the world. God the Holy Spirit shall help us to be strong, bold, wise, not shy, not worried, or foolish. God will supply the necessary words that will minister life to them. Paul witnessed to them about Jesus. He shared with them his testimony, how the resurrected Christ appeared to him on the way to Damascus and changed his life completely. None of these rulers could free him. Paul then uses his right as a Roman citizen. He asked to go to Rome to see Caesar who shall decide his case. From Caesarea, Paul goes by sea to Rome. The story is described in the last two chapters of the Book of Acts.   

The trip starts from Caesarea and ends in Rome. Paul is now a prisoner of the Roman empire. He is handed over to Julius, a Roman Centurion from the elite group of soldiers called the Augustan Regimen, under the direct authority of Caesar. Together with Paul, there were other prisoners who were sent to Rome. It is possible, that these prisoners were violent men. But Julius treated Paul with special kindness. This is God’s favor on Paul and according to His promise: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (PV 16:7). Paul is accompanied by two close friends. This is a miracle. Prisoners were not allowed to invite others on the ship. It is possible that Festus, the governor, was touched by Paul’s testimony and told Julius, the centurion, to allow Paul to have two helpers. One is Dr Luke who has been Paul’s physician and co-laborer since they met in Troas during Paul’s second missionary trip. The other friend is Aristarchus, a convert from Thessalonica, who followed Paul as a disciple and a servant, to help him. At that time, the only way for Luke and Aristarchus to follow Paul on a ship is to agree to be his slaves. Paul calls Aristarchus ‘my fellow prisoner’ (Col 4:10). Both Luke and Aristarchus served Paul in Rome, until the end of his life. They were “not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but shared with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God” (2Tim 1:8). See how devoted they were to their leader! Paul nurtured close friendships among the brethren. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24).

*Lesson: A Christian leader is not proud, lonely, or selfish. He is humble, accessible, and friendly. He invests his life in godly friendships. By doing that, Jesus, the true ‘Friend that sticks closer than brother’, will always be his companion.

From Caesarea they take a ship and stop the next day at the port of Sidon. Julius trusts Paul and gives him the freedom to go into the town to visit some Christian friends. This is another great favor. It is possible that Julius was a witness to Paul’s trial and saw that Paul was innocent of the charges. Paul has fellowship with the brethren. They encourage each other. Never underestimate the power of Christian fellowship, the power of prayer and of agreement. This is another way to encounter the Lord Jesus Christ. “Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt 18:19, 20). Please observe that Paul is a man of honor. He could have taken advantage of this freedom and run away. But he did not. At the end of the day, he came back to his imprisonment in the ship. Paul proved to be trustworthy. This honesty was a seed planted in the heart of Julius and the others in the ship. Later, when Paul becomes the pastor of the ship, they trust him and his words. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Lk 16:10).

*Lesson: Trust in men is not forced, it is not demanded. It is earned over time. From showing himself trustworthy ‘in least’, Paul prepared his platform to be trusted ‘in much’. In all things, Paul proved himself as a true ambassador of Jesus Christ who alone is ‘worthy’ of all our trust!

From Sidon they sailed close to the Island of Cyprus, and landed at the port of Myra, in present day Turkey. Here, they take another ship that was coming from Alexandria. At that time, Alexandria was the biggest city in Egypt. Ships loaded with corn and wheat go to Rome. From Myra they go towards the island of Crete. They arrive at a place called Fair Heavens, on the Southern part of Crete. This is a naturally beautiful harbor. The journey to this point was simple but slow. They wasted too much time along the way. The owner of the ship was in a hurry to go to Rome to discharge his load and to make money. The time was now ‘after the fast’ (Ac 27:9). The fast refers to the Day of Atonement, the only time in the year when the Jews fast. That tells us that it is the beginning of October. From now on, the weather is bad for ships in the Mediterranean Sea. When Paul saw that they wasted time he advised that they should not proceed further. That they should wait. This was not a prophesy. It was a wise advice based on experience. He said: “three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea” (2 Cor 11:25; NIV). Paul has been to Crete Island and preached the Gospel there (Tit 1:5). He knew the weather well. He knew that after the middle of September, no ship can sail safely because of the strong winds coming from the north. He advised the owner and Julius, the centurion, that they should stop the trip and wait for the springtime when the winds cease. But the centurion did not listen to Paul. He respected him but did not want to submit to his advice. He listened to the Captain and the Owner of the ship, and they decided to sail on. That was a mistake!

Paul experienced rejection like the prophet Ezekiel: “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezekiel 33:30-33).

*Lesson: we preach the Word of God. If people listen to it or not, that is not our responsibility. God will judge each man according to his response to God’s Word. Also, God will justify His servant even when men reject his words.

The captain decided to continue the journey trying to go to Phenix, which is a bigger safer harbor in Crete, only 12 miles away. But they never arrived there. Initially, the wind was gentle, and they thought that they got what they wanted. Many people assume that God is with them even when they walk in disobedience. But soon, a hurricane wind from the northeast called Euroclydon started blowing. They lost control of the ship. The seamen could not use neither sails nor oars. From this Fair Heavens the hurricane wind drove them 600 miles to the Island of Malta. Selah!

*Lesson: human strength always fails in the trials of life. Trying to be ‘wiser’ than God, you fall into bigger problems!

This storm was sent by God. It was like the one that Jonah encountered when he was running away from God. But here, Paul was not running from God. He was in the middle of God’s plan for him to go and preach the Gospel in Rome. Why then did God send the storm? To prove that Paul was a true prophet! God, thru Paul, revealed to him the danger ahead. But the people did not listen to him. Julius trusted the words of the captain more than the words of the man of God. He trusted human wisdom more than God’s wisdom. They almost had a shipwreck into a small island. They had to raise the sails so that they go away from the island. They could not ‘land’ safely. They had to continue in the storm.

*Lesson: If God has not opened the door of safety for you, then pray for grace in the midst of the trial.

In the storm, they apply emergency measures. The seamen ‘undergirded’ the ship. This is a dangerous and difficult operation called ‘frapping’. They carry long cables under the belly of the ship so that it will not scatter under pressure. Then, they all threw the grain overboard. That was a great loss. Then, they threw overboard ‘the ship’s tackle’. This word describes furniture and equipment. Apostle Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus helped throwing the things in the sea. They threw their beds, their personal possessions, and the ship navigational equipment but not the anchors. This is human wisdom. But it did not work for the storm continued to batter the ship.

*Lesson: No man can win against God! There are men who love money more than they love God. They make a shipwreck of their faith and their conscience, and they backslide. “Having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck” (1 Tim 1:19).  For the love of money, they perish with their material goods. Lesson: if you have to lose something to save your life, then do it! Chose to live poor than to die rich! It is better to shipwreck your finances than to shipwreck your faith in God and your conscience!

We see that even with all that sacrifice and loss, the storm did not stop. The ship ‘was caught’ in the wind. The word describes something seized and dragged by force. This proves that God sent the wind and arrested the ship. The word ‘wind’ describes a stormy powerful movement of air. In Greek, the word also refers to false doctrines. Jesus sent His Word, His Spirit, and His Gifts to men to protect them against the storm of false doctrines and to help them grow in peace. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph 4:11-16).

*Lesson: Preaching truth is safety! Preaching falsehood is trouble! Be careful to attend a living church where the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected is preached. Doctrine determines behavior! Be careful about what you hear and who leads you spiritually!

With all their efforts, the ship was still led by the storm. They did not see the sun or the stars for many days. It was dark and cold. They could not read the directions using the sun or the stars. They were completely lost at the sea. They worked without rest. All this time, they did not even eat. The fear of death came in. They finally lost all hope to survive and gave up the courage to live. At this time, Paul stands and speaks again. He has been praying for a word form God. He knew that he has to arrive at Rome. But the situation was hopeless. He knew that only Jesus can them. In the middle of despair, God sent an angel with a great message of hope to Paul.  “But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island” (Ac 27:21-26). God sent the storm and God sent the Angel to Paul. This is the effect of the storms of life. The wicked become silent and the children of God speak with resurrection power. “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever” (PV 10:25).

*Lesson: Fear not! Pray! Wait for God’s Word in the middle of the storm. His Word is your strength and courage to stand as a servant of God!

From this moment on, Paul takes charge of the ship. He is now the leader and the pastor of the ship. Julius, the captain, the owner of the ship, and all the seamen have lost hope to survive this storm. They also lost their pride. They cannot argue with Paul, who alone has the Word of Life! Defeated, they are all humbled, like fishes in Paul’s net of ministry. At the point of total surrender, God intervenes and saves man!

*Lesson: The preparation work of the Holy Spirit to bring a sinner to the point of salvation is difficult and painful. Godly sorrow is a real spiritual emotion. God is the Helper not of them who can help themselves, but to the weak and the helpless. “For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper. He will spare the poor and needy and will save the souls of the needy” (Psalm 72:12, 13). God allows a sinner to come to the point of despair before He will save him.

Just imagine the scenes. The storm goes on and on. There are 276 souls in that battered ship. These are the owner and the captain, the seamen, businessmen, Julius, the centurion and other Roman soldiers, the prisoners, including Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus. They need a miracle to survive. We do not know if all these people had time to pray to their gods like the seamen traveling with Jonah. But we know that Jesus was there in that boat in the middle of the storm. At this point in time, these people did not know that God has granted a miracle. God has given Paul all these souls as a reward for his intercession. The angel could have saved Paul alone and let these stubborn unbelievers perish in the watery grave. But God decided to save all these souls for the sake of Paul who prayed for them. Paul declares that he has complete faith in the promise of God. He encourages them to eat something, as a prophetic sign that they will all live.

*Lesson: The world does not appreciate the believers. They persecute them. They do not know that as salt preserves the meat, God blesses the unbelievers for the sake of His children. God told Abraham: “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes” (Gen 18:26).  “Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake” (Gen 30:27). God blessed Potiphar and the Keeper of the prison in Egypt, because of Joseph. “So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field” (Gen 39:5). “The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper” (Gen 39:23). God rewards our intercession and our faith in Him. God blesses others for our sake. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Never give up praying, no matter the situation in life!

Paul stands and speaks! He brings light in the darkness and hope in despair. It is the power of resurrection thru God’s Word! The tables are overturned. The prisoner becomes the captain and the comforter of the ship. First, he rebukes them for rejecting his God given wise counsel. If they obeyed his word, they could have been spared this stress and loss. Paul then shows compassion. He tells them that God sent an angel who assured him that though the ship will be destroyed, none will die. Paul speaks with faith and boldness. There is no fear in his voice! All will be saved because of Paul. “Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken” (1 Pet 3:14).

*Lesson: Men must repent of their sins so that they can be encouraged. Leadership emerges thru the trials of life. No storm can change God’s will for His people. Grace removes the fear of death from your heart. Grace gives you the strength to stand and preach when all others faint from fear. This supernatural boldness is a great tool for evangelism and gives God all the glory!

Paul introduces himself as a servant of God. In the midst of the storm, among stubborn proud unbelievers, Paul continues to commune with God. Paul never stops praying! The angel came on the ship to encourage Paul. No other man saw the angel, except Paul. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah” (Ps 46:1-3).  

*Lesson: Pray! Nothing stops God from answering your prayer! No storm is too great for God. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). Your life is in God’s hands! For as long as God desires to use you for His work, you cannot die! It is a privilege to serve God! It is possible that Jesus called His apostles from among fishermen because they were used to hard life, to the storms of life. “Endure hardship as discipline!” (Heb 12:7).

Paul tells everybody that they will be cast on an island. At this time, they are totally lost in that great Sea. The captain has abandoned his post. They have no idea if there is any island close by. But Paul’s words come to pass. In the darkness, as the storm is still blowing, by faith in Paul’s words, the sailors measure the depth of the sea and discover that it is getting shallower. They now know that they are getting closer to the shore. At this point they drop four anchors from the stern and pray for daylight to come (Ac 27:29). They now totally surrender to Paul’s God.

*Lesson: Spiritually, what are these four anchors? What can strengthen my soul in the midst of trials? These anchors are Faith, Hope, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost! The first anchor is faith in God’s eternal Word and His promises! “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matt 7:24, 25). The second anchor is the hope of glory! “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Heb 6:19). The third anchor is the peace of God that passes all understanding! “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). The fourth anchor is joy in the midst of trials! “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:6, 7). These anchors never fail! To the glory of God!

Paul encourages the others with the encouragement he has received from God. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor 1:3, 4).

*Lesson: Do not be selfish! Be generous with your hope! Encourage others with the encouragement you have received from the Holy Spirit!

The storm goes on. They are going towards the land. It was the island of Malta. Suddenly, there was another danger: rebellion! The sea men decided to lower the skiff (the lifeboats) and run away leaving the rest to die. They did not believe Paul’s word and wanted to save themselves. Paul said that God granted life to all the passengers but with the condition that they remain in the ship. For example, it was only Noah’s family inside the ark that survived the flood (Gen 6:18). Rahab and her household were saved with the condition that all stay together in her house (Josh 6:17). The rebellion of the seamen may have happened suddenly. Paul was very attentive. This is a mark of a true leader. When Paul told Julius and the soldiers that their deliverance will happen only if they stay together in the ship, the soldiers acted immediately. They cut the ropes of the lifeboats and let them loose. It was a loss to them, but it shows how much faith the soldiers have in Paul’s word now. Paul encourages Julius and the soldiers to continue to do their work, to keep the law and order on the ship, even during the storm.

*Lesson: your salvation depends on another. You cannot be saved by running away from death. You are saved because of the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ who died that you may live, united with Him. In all situations, abide in the center of God’s will and you’ll be safe! Watch and pray!

In the navy, there is a law saying: ‘the captain goes down with his ship’. The captain of a sinking ship has to do his best to save all the passengers and his crew before he can save himself. In a sinking ship, it is the women and the children that are saved first. This is a matter of honor, of helping the weak. This same law applies to the senior pilot of a plane or leaders of military units during war. Desertion is defined as abandonment of a military post without permission and done with no intention of coming back. Decimation was a form of punishment in the Roman Empire army by which, one out of ten soldiers was killed when many rebelled against their commander. The tenth soldier in a unit of ten was selected by lots. His nine colleagues must kill him by stoning or by stabbing. This was done to maintain order and discipline in the army.

The seamen who tried to run away are like the hirelings. They are not faithful friends. “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint” (PV 25:19). You cannot eat with a bad tooth, and you cannot walk with a dislocated foot. The unfaithful friend will disappoint you when you need him the most. Jesus is the good shepherd. He died to protect His sheep. But the false brethren run away during danger and abandon the flock. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep” (Jn 10:11-13).

*Lesson: No matter the trial, the leader cannot abandon his responsibility to his followers. The shepherd cannot abandon his flock. The parents cannot abandon their children. Pray before you make friends. Test them not only when things are good, but especially during the trials of life!

Paul now strongly encourages everybody to eat. For the last 14 days they worked and worked trying to save the ship. But their worked in vain. Now, once God’s Word was spoken, by faith, they should stop all work and eat. They need the strength to survive. Paul leads by example. He took bread and gave thanks to God for it. He then eats in the presence of them all. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam 16:22). To refuse to eat is rebellion. To commit suicide by starving is sin. They all obeyed Paul. They eat by faith. Labor is connected with good appetite. Lazy people should not eat. “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thess 3:10). But a laborer should eat. “Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor; it is the gift of God (Ecc 3:13)”.  The angel told Elijah to eat to have strength for the journey ahead (1Kg 19:5-8).

*Lesson: God is interested in all things about you. Work hard! Eat and sleep taking care of your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit! Give thanks!

Paul speaks by faith that they will not lose even a hair from their head. This is the strong faith and prophetic confidence of a true leader. See how far God has brought Paul, from a prisoner who entered the ship in chains, when none listened to his advice, to this point of true spiritual leadership manifested in the storm. Like the earthquake in Philippi, the storm only broke the chains! Paul is now the pastor of the ship!

*Lesson: There are two storms that reveal the truth in your heart: personal trials and witnessing God’s grace blessing another you think is less worthy than you! It is the danger of discouragement and jealousy! In Christ, your testimony and faith will shine like gold purified in the fire!

Finally, after 14 days of darkness, ‘it was day’. They saw the land. They lifted the anchors and the ship got stuck in the sand. This was the breakthrough they were all hoping for. Then, another danger came. The devil does not rest. The soldiers became afraid that the prisoners will escape, and they wanted to kill them all. But Julius, trying to save Paul, stopped the soldiers from killing them. Clearly, during this difficult journey, Paul has gained his respect. All were free to jump into the sea and swim to the shore. All Roman soldiers were good swimmers. It was part of their training. Maybe Julius told the soldiers to jump first, to go to the shore and wait for the prisoners so that none will escape. As Paul told them, all had survived! This is a miracle indeed! In this hurricane of more than 14 days, during this total shipwreck, all 276 men got saved.

This was their testimony: “Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, They see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So, He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Ps 107:23-31). Halleluiah!  

*Lesson: trust the Lord Jesus, who is the Master of every storm in life! But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matt 8:26, 27). Remember to give thanks to God, before, during, and after the storm! Praise the Lord!

TRUE GODLY LEADERSHIP

In this world there are few good mature godly leaders. It is not easy to be a spiritual leader, a mentor, a pastor, a husband, or a parent. Leaders take responsibility for all things, on behalf of their followers, even if they are good or bad. God delegates His authority to human vessels. God uses people to reveal Himself as the Leader of His people. This is the story of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Deborah, Paul, Peter, and others. Many people take pleasure in criticizing leaders. That is a bad habit.  Pray for all people in authority, for your pastors and leaders in the church!

Based on this story in Acts 27, and observing Apostle Paul, these are some of the godly qualities of a true leader:

A true leader is spiritually strong. He can handle the stress of life more than the others. He solves difficult problems. He can be trusted in crisis.

A leader is loved by the people he leads. “Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen” (Titus 3:15).

A leader is strong and flexible at the same time. He rebukes and he encourages!

A true leader obeys God’s Word, and he always prays!

A true leader is faithful to God who appointed him. He is not a hireling. He does not oppress or manipulate his followers. He leads them to God!

A leader does not give up. He perseveres against all hindrances unto the end. Paul suffered so much in his life yet, he never gave up on Jesus!

A leader is wise, theoretically, and practically. He is not foolish. He preaches the right doctrines and their correct application!

A leader is bold and speaks with authority. He knows that God is backing his words. “Where the word of the King is, there is power” (Ecc 8:4).

A true leader is compassionate and encourages others. Paul ate first. He led by example.

A leader is strengthened by God, and he strengthens others. Paul was encouraged by the angel of God, and he encouraged others.

A true leader has an established faith. Like Abraham, the leader does not stagger in unbelief but gives glory to God (Rom 4:20).

A true leader demands obedience. Paul told the people to stay in the ship so that they can be saved! He was right! His grace covered them!

Finally, let Paul have the last word: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1Cor 11:1; NIV). Worship the Lord!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh continued preaching the series The Early Church. The title for today sermon was ‘Paul’s deliverance from prison’. Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts chapter 16.

This chapter in the Book of Acts describes events during Paul’s second missionary trip. Paul’s first missionary started from Antioch. He was accompanied by Barnabas and his nephew John Mark. They went in Asia Minor, in present day Turkey. They preached the Gospel and started churches. They suffered persecution and Paul was very sick, but the trip was spiritually fruitful. The young man John Mark abandoned them halfway. Because of that, Paul and Barnabas had a heated argument, and both decided to separate at the end of the trip. They later reconciled. The unexpected challenges during this first trip helped Paul to seek God more, to die to the flesh, and to learn to totally depend on the Holy Spirit. He now decided to walk the Royal way of the Cross. His understanding of doctrine and application of doctrine in life, became deeper. He saw that the body is weak and relationships with brethren are fragile. He became more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 16 describes his second missionary journey. God provided two new helpers for him: Silas and Timothy, who in a way, replaced Barnabas and John Mark. During this trip he met Dr Luke who became a close associate and friend for life. There are so many lessons for all of us in this chapter.

THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT

 “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit (of Jesus) did not permit them… Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Ac 16:6, 7, 10)

We see how the Holy Spirit guides Paul and his team during this missionary trip. The plan of God supersedes the plans of men. “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’s counsel, that will stand” (PV 19:21). Man makes plans according to his understanding of events. But it is God’s eternal plan and purpose that stands, that is established and will be carried out.

“When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]” (John 16:13; AMP). The Holy Spirit is God, also called the Spirit of Truth. He guides only the believers. He leads them step by step into the fullness of truth, an unknown territory for them. He does not carry them. He leads them. You can carry loads, but you lead people. The believers need to cooperate with His leading. Because He is God, He speaks eternal truth because He knows the end from the beginning.    

The mistake the believers make is that they see God as passive, who is not really interested in the day-to-day events on earth. That is an error. God is the Creator of the universe. He has not abandoned His creation to men or devils. He rules and overrules all things on earth. He has His plans for men, especially for the believers. Listen to what God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer 29:11; NIV). In Hebrew, the word ‘plans’ also means thoughts, like a machine that works according to God’s will. God certainly has His own plans for us. His plans are always good for the present and for the future. His plans are always better than ours. We should trust God even when we do not understand His plans.

The same word ‘plans’ appears in this passage in Isaiah 55. We are told that God’s thoughts or plans for us are not only different than ours, but much greater and infinitely better. Our thinking is based on what we see on earth. God’s thoughts and plans are heavenly, eternal, and perfect. We are to seek God’s mind in all situations so that we can be led by the Holy Spirit. Seeking God’s will and His leading is vital for a believer. That is the only way we make spiritual progress. In seeking God, we must repent of sin, die to the flesh and to the worldly way of thinking. We go to the throne of mercy and grace to find those in times of need. This is a painful and humbling process, but necessary in finding God’s will and His leading. “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:6-9). From here we see that God does not reveal His plans and does not lead the unbelievers or the backsliders. He only leads the humble believers who desire to know Him more. Selah!

In this missionary journey, it seems that Apostle Paul wanted to go eastward, possibly to Ephesus where there was a big Jewish population. But the Holy Spirit wanted them to go towards west, to Europe. You see here how the will of man clashes with the will of God. The Holy Spirit leads them step by step. First, the Holy Spirit ‘hinders them’ and later He does not ‘permit them’ to go their own way. These are strong words showing that the Holy Spirit leads the way according to God’s plan. What is the lesson? We cannot preach what we want or where we want. Evangelism must be done led by the Holy Spirit and not according to our ideas. How does God lead? It is possible that the Holy Spirit spoke to their minds thru special revelations. They discussed among themselves and prayed. This is how they arrived at Troas (in present day Turkey) where Paul had a vision in the night of a man pleading for help, for them to come to Macedonia. Paul, accompanied by Silas, Timothy, and Dr. Luke went to Macedonia by boat. They stopped at the port of Neapolis (in present day Greece). From there they went to Philippi.

In Greek, the word ‘concluding’ means to unite, to drive together, to teach, to deduce something based on facts. It means that they were in the unity of the Spirit during this trip. Paul combined the internal leading with the vision received and concluded what the Holy Spirit was saying. The feeling is something like ‘This makes sense’.  He now saw the purpose of the trip. It was at Troas that God met Dr. Luke for the first time. He was a disciple of Christ already. He jointed Paul, Silas, and Timothy on the trip. It was Luke who wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. See how he changes from ‘they’ to ‘us’ (Acts 16 verses 8 and 10). Luke was a medical doctor, a scholar, and a great writer. Paul trusted him completely. He became a faithful coworker in the ministry and a close friend for life. If Paul did not go west to Troas, he could not have met Luke. Apostle Paul is an example of how to be led by the Holy Spirit. Be dead to self, sensitive to the Spirit’s guidance, humble and flexible to move where He directs. The unity of the Spirit must be maintained. The sign and seal of God’s peace must be received.   

Practically, to be led by the Spirit it refers mostly to guidance, to make decisions on what road to follow. God’s commands are not to be debated. For example, you do not pray to be led by the Spirit about stealing or not. The leading is necessary when we need to make decisions in life that are not directly revealed in the Bible. For example, you need to be led to choose a city where to live, who to marry, how many children to have, or what job to take. In ministry, you need to be led by the Holy Spirit in choosing what sermon to preach or where to do evangelism. In the Bible there are only two places that speak about the leading of the Spirit: Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:13-16). “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Gal 5:16-18).

We see that the leading of the Holy Spirit is given only to the children of God. The unbelievers are led by their fleshly desires or by demons. The leading of the Holy Spirit is always in accordance with the Word of God and prayer. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, and He alone knows how to interpret them to us. In the Christian, there is a battle between flesh and spirit. Thru the process of sanctification, we die to the flesh and live by the Spirit. The devil works thru the flesh. There are three ‘voices’ that the Christian hears: The impulse (voice) of the flesh, of the devil, or the voice of the Holy Spirit. The devil works thru deception pretending he is God. It takes spiritual maturity to discern, to listen and to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit. His leading comes thru the Word of God, by an impression on your mind, or thru sanctified imagination. When God speaks, there is a special feeling of hearing Him. You hear authority in His voice. You hear your Father, your Shepherd speaking. You feel a strong urge to follow, even if you do not totally understand the way. Often, God uses other people, especially the mature Christians who have a prophetic gift to confirm the leading. Once you hear from the Holy Spirit and you obey, peace comes to you and the strength to move on.  Never forget! As children of God, we are never alone. Like the shepherd leads his flock, the Holy Spirit leads us on ‘besides the still waters… in the paths of righteousness… and for the glory of His name’ (Psalm 23). Halleluiah!

THE ANCIENT CITY OF PHILIPPI

Philippi is an ancient city in Macedonia, in the present-day Greece. It was founded by King Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.  Macedonia, including Philippi, was later conquered by the Romans. In the first century, Philippi was a Roman colony, more like an army post. Because the Romans built many structures similar with those in Rome, Philippi was called ‘The little Rome’. The population was made from retired soldiers in the Roman army and their families. They were given houses to settle there as a reward for being faithful in Caesar’s army. The city was governed by two retired senior soldiers called ‘magistrates’ who were directly under the authority of Caesar. They made sure that there is peace in that area. Because gold was found in the hills around, Philippi was a prosperous city.

Apostle Paul, with his team made of Timothy, Silas, and Dr. Luke, arrived by ship at Neapolis, a port by the Mediterranean Sea (Today, Neapolis is called Kavala, Greece). From there, they walked 10 miles up the hill, to Philippi. The Holy Spirit led on to this very place. Philippi is the first city in Europe where Paul preached the Gospel. When he came to Philippi, he must have felt good because he too was a Roman citizen. Historians say that Alexander the Great used Philippi as his European base to attack and conquer Asia with his mighty army. Now, Apostle Paul, armed with only the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, came from Asia to Philippi, to conquer Europe for Jesus. Halleluiah!

THE FREE WOMAN

In this chapter we see two women, one is free and the other is in bondage; one is a child of God, the other is a child of the devil. Women in the Bible are symbols of churches. There are only two types of churches, the living, and the dead. There is no middle ground. Where do you belong?

“Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So, she persuaded us” (Ac 16:14, 15). The free woman’s name is Lydia. Her name means noble or beautiful. Lydia was a gentile godly woman who ‘feared God’. It means that she has repented of idolatry and now she is a Jewish proselyte who served only Jehovah God. Lydia was a businesswoman originally from the city of Thyatira, a city in the Asia Minor, in the present-day Turkey. She was selling fabrics died in purple. This die was extracted from a type of shellfish, and it was extremely expensive. Purple was considered royal color. Only the princes or the very rich could afford that type of fabric. She had a house in Philippi where she was selling the fabrics. From here we deduce that she was a wealthy hard-working woman. The Holy Spirit has located her and sent Apostle Paul to preach the Gospel to her. Like the Ethiopian eunuch and Cornelius, the centurion, Lydia was genuinely seeking God. She heard the Word preached by Paul with faith in her heart! Lydia had good ears. The ears must be opened for the heart to be opened. She ‘attended’ to what Paul was preaching. It means that she was truly interested. She obeyed the Word! Then God opened her heart! Lydia was baptized with her household. Later, in the same way, the jailer and his household got saved. Here you see the influence of the leader in his household. Lydia’s house became the first church in Philippi. Read the letter of Paul to the Philippians and see how much Paul loved the church there.

God’s ways are mysterious! Jesus chose a woman to be the first convert in Europe. Christianity brought dramatic changes. At that time, both to Jews and to Gentiles, a husband was like a slave master. Polygamy was common. A man could divorce his wife for any reason at all. The wife was almost like a slave to her husband. For example, a wife could not change her religion to be different than her husband. We do not know if Lydia was married, or she was a widow. She was clearly a successful woman on her own. She was like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. This is a good lesson: the Christian wife is to work-hard and become successful in her profession or trade, and at the same time, not neglecting her duties to her husband, children, and members of her household. No Christian woman should be lazy, foolish, or a liability to the people around her. By choosing Lydia as the first convert in Europe, Christ opened the door of faith to all, male and female. This is revolutionary, especially for the women. This revolution affected the men too, and the way they see their wives and daughters. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). The Christian marriage is unique in the world. It is based on submission, understanding, respect, and love, for God and for one another.  

What did Lydia do? She ‘heard’ Paul preaching the Gospel. In Greek, the word ‘heard’ means to listen carefully, to pay attention, to meditate and understand the message. The Lord Jesus opened her heart to heed to the preaching of God’s Word. ‘To open’ it means to remove a hindrance, a covering, or a veil. It means to expose and to allow entrance. “When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor 3:16, 17). In the morning, you wake up and open your eyes. It is the start of a new day. To open the heart is similar. Lydia woke up from the sleep of death by the power of resurrection. An open heart is a saved and living heart. God opened her heart to heed the word of God preached by Paul.  When God opened her heart, He planted the seed of faith. She was now willing to believe, accept, and respond to God’s Word. This beautiful picture describes the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation.

Just like with Lydia, the Resurrected Christ opened the hearts of the disciples to receive the Word and believe in Him. In the past, they trusted Him, but it was only after His death and resurrection that they truly understood Him. When Jesus opened their hearts and minds, they saw the truth that Jesus was the Messiah, that He was indeed the Son of God. They saw the connection between the Old Testament and Jesus, who is the fulfilment of all the law and all prophesies. “Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.  They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?”…  Then He opened their minds to [help them] understand the Scriptures” (Lk 24:31, 32, 45; AMP).

An opened heart is a pure heart. It is the heart of a worshipper who worships God in Spirit and in truth. God alone can purify the heart from sins, fears, doubts, prejudices, and wrong religious ideas of Him. God removes the veil of darkness from the minds of men. He opens and cleanses the heart to be like a child’s, simple, pure, and full of light, trust, and wonder towards God. The fact that God opens man’s heart is the proof that He has direct access to it. It is the work of Grace. God opens the heart of His child thru faith in His Word and by His sovereign power.

This is another godly woman’ story. Her name is Hannah. She was barren because ‘the Lord had closed her womb’ (1 Sam 1:5). She prayed for a son and vowed to dedicate him to God all the days of his life. God answered her prayer. He opened the closed womb and Hannah became pregnant with Samuel. Mother and son were true worshippers of God. In this sense, an open heart is a spiritually pregnant and fruitful heart.

Apostle James also speaks about the power of God’s Word ‘implanted’ in the open heart. The Word should be received deep, like a seed planted in good soil. For that to happen, we must be ‘quick to hear’ and willing to obey God’s Word. The Word planted will germinate in the heart and produce fruits to the glory of God. Sin manifests as talking too much, anger, or being careless with the things of God. These are hindrances to the opening of the heart unto salvation. An open and receptive heart is blessed by God. “Understand this, my beloved brothers, and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us]. So, get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like. But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience]” (James 1:19=25; AMP).

This is a great lesson: The most important thing about evangelism is not how smart, or how emotional you are when you preach. Your duty is to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected with simple words anyone can understand. After that, you trust God to touch the hearts of the listeners. In Lydia’s case, God opened her heart. As preachers, we have work to do. But some things, only God can do. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Cor 3:5-7). Glory to God!

THE GIFT OF HOSPITALITY

After she got saved, Lydia insisted that Paul and his team come to her house. She said that ‘if you judge me to be a true believer, come to my house’! Like the disciples on the way to Emmaus, Lydia ‘constrained’ them to come. She put pressure on them to come to her house. She was a true leader. Her whole household was converted and baptized. Like the jailer, Lydia clearly manifested the gift of Hospitality. This is a gift given by the Holy Spirit. Hospitality means to love, welcome, and help strangers (not only your family and friends). It means to treat people you just met warmly and generously. In the early church, there were no hotels or restaurants the way we have today. People depended on one another for food and shelter. Exercising hospitality to all needy people, but to believers and servants of God in particular, it is a sacrificial spiritual ministry rewarded by Jesus. This is God’s command: “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet 4:9). Grumbling, stinginess, laziness, and bitterness are all hindrances to the ministry of hospitality and to receiving the blessings attached to it. Hospitality is one of the requirements for the position of leadership in the church. “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2). Hospitality is a platform for the manifestation of miracles. “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels” (Heb 13:2). In Genesis 18 we are told that Jesus Himself, accompanied by two angels, went to visit Abraham and Sarah. The old godly couple welcomed them with much joy. Jesus told them that Sarah will have a son in a year time. This is how the promised son Isaac was miraculously conceived and born.

Hospitality has great spiritual rewards. Jesus said: “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward”… “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me” (Matt 10:40-42; 25:34-36).

Socially, the home is the woman’s domain. She is free to use it as ministry. God has blessed many women for exercising the gift of hospitality. For example, the Shunammite woman welcomed the prophet Elisha in her house. This is how she got pregnant and had a son (2 Kings 4). Martha of Bethany opened her house to Jesus and His disciples (Lk 10:38-42). The church in Jerusalem was meeting in the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12). The first church in Europe started at the house of Lydia. Praise the Lord!

After Paul was released from prison, he went to her house to say goodbye and to encourage the brethren there (Ac 16:15, 40). Later, Apostle Paul remembers the sweet time of fellowship he had with the brethren in Philippi, the joy he had what that ‘first day’, when God saved Lydia by the river. He prayed for the church that started in her house. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:3-8).

THE WOMAN IN BONDAGE

“Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days” (Ac 16:16, 17).

This is the story of a young woman who was in bondage to Satan. She has no name. She was a medium. She followed Paul when he was preaching in Philippi. She started shouting saying that Paul and his team are true servants of God. Maybe she went to the river where the women gathered for prayer and she heard Paul telling them about Jesus. What she said was true, but the way she was shouting, it disturbed Paul. He waited for few days, probably praying for discernment and wisdom. Paul hated the idea that the devil is ‘advertising’ his ministry. After few days, he rebuked the demon, and the girl was free. From that moment she could not practice divination again. Here we see that Paul had authority to drive demons even from unbelievers. We are not told what happened to her after that. Her masters got angry because they lost their source of money. They instigated the authorities to beat Paul and Silas and put them in prison. God sent an earthquake on the prison. This miracle saved them. The jailer and his household also believed. The Word of God continued to spread. What is the lesson? When God moves, the devil always attacks. The devil comes as an angel of light causing confusion. In the early church, the devil tried to infiltrate thru Ananias, Saphira, and thru Simon the Sorcerer. The devil used Saul, the religious leaders and King Herod to persecute the church. Infiltration is always more dangerous than persecution. During Paul’s first missionary trip, when the devil saw that the proconsul listened to the Gospel preached by Paul, Elymas the sorcerer tried to hinder the Word. God used Paul to stop him by causing him to be blind for a season (Acts 13:6-12).

This slave girl was a medium who had an evil spirit of divination. What she said about Paul was true. The devil can speak the truth but with an evil intent to deceive men. False prophets and cult leaders speak truth to deceive men. The devil masquerade as an angel of light so that men will follow him. “Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Cor 11:13-15).

What was the plan of the devil? He wanted to use this girl to infiltrate the church in Philippi. People will think that she is saved when she was not. The devil will use her as a spy, giving information from inside the church. The devil wants to bring the Christians into his bondage again by corrupting the Gospel. But Apostle Paul was not deceived. He did not submit or cooperate with these religious evil spirits. “False brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal 2:4, 5). There are many pastors and preachers who married false prophetess thinking that they are women of God. Oh, the need for discernment, spiritual warfare, and moral courage for all preachers of the Gospel! Selah!

Divination is an occult skill by which a person, using supernatural powers, reveals secret things or can predict the future. In Greek, the word ‘divination’ is Phyton. This sad girl was possessed by a Phyton demon. She was working for her masters, making money by fortune-telling, predicting the future and by uttering spells. The word ‘medium’ means to be in the middle, in between states. The medium in a trance is in between the natural and the supernatural realm. A medium is a woman (or a man) who says that she can contact the world of the spirits, even the spirits of dead persons (called familiar spirits) while she is in a trance. These occultic sessions are called seances. The evil spirits use the medium’s voice to speak out. The messages come audibly, visibly or thru body feelings. During the seance people feel, hear, and see the dead person they want to contact. In the Bible, divination, casting spells, and all attempts to contact evil spirits, are seen as demonic activity. God totally condemns this type of practice or even any association with it. This is God’s Word: “You shall not permit a sorceress to live” (Exodus 22:18).  “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God… And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people” (Lev 19:31; 20:6). These demons are spiritual ‘prostitutes.’ Going to them for counsel will result in ‘defilement’. In Hebrew, this word means to become leprous, spiritually raped, polluted, and unclean. An unclean person cannot come to God’s presence. This is a serious matter. The Christian needs to repent and pray for deliverance. Selah!

In 1 Samuel 28 we see that King Saul contacts a medium, a witch. He was fighting the Philistines. God refused to talk to him thru dreams, by Urim or thru His prophets. King Saul wanted to know the future of the battle. When he was younger, he drove all witches from the land. But now, he needed to see one. He went to consult a witch at Endor. The witch herself was surprised when the spirit of Samuel came up. We do not know why God allowed this to happen. Anyway, Samuel told Saul that he and his sons will die the next day. The word came true. Saul, Jonathan and his other two sons died in battle. The reasons why God killed Saul was because he was unfaithful to Him and he consulted a witch for guidance. “Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore, He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse” (1 Chr 10:13, 14). The mediums say that they can bring the spirits of the dead. They are liars and deceivers. They are servants of the devil who is the greatest liar. These spirits are demons (also called familiar spirits) and not the true spirits of the departed persons. When the rich man went to hell, he could not go back to earth again (Luke 16:18-31). In 1 Kings 22, we are given a glimpse into the spirit’ realm. God allowed a lying spirit to go to the earth and to deceive King Ahab to go into battle and die. This is not an easy story to explain but we see that demons influence evil people with God’s permission. Finally, this is God’s Word: Do not go to those who are mediums to ask for prayers or advice. Do not be attracted by them. Do not respect them. Do not submit to them! Selah!

THE PYTHON SPIRIT

The oracle of Delphi was the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. Its role in Greek politics was great as Kings and politicians sent representatives to consult its chief priestess called the Pythia, so named after the Python snake. They wanted to know what the gods are saying so that they make decisions for war or peace. Sometimes, the Pythia could cast spells on the enemies of those who patronize her. These spells manifested as incurable disease, accidents, sudden poverty, madness, or untimely death. The Pythia lived in the temple of Apollo who was the god of the oracle. The Pythia was the mouthpiece of the oracle. Most of the time she was a virgin woman of middle age who dressed in a young girl’s garments and wore her hair loose. The Pythia devoted her life to the oracle. She was a slave to the Python spirit. To have an audience with the Pythia, the person will sacrifice a sheep or a goat. The Pythia will chew some leaves, sit on a three legs stool, enter a trance, and speak ‘words of wisdom’.

The slave girl in Acts 16 was a medium and a false prophetess. She was paraded by her masters. When a customer wanted to know the future, the girl will fall into a trance and speak with a different tone of voice. Her masters will interpret what she is saying for a fee. Because many wanted to know the future, the girl was busy divining making a lot of money for her masters. She was possessed by a python spirit. This demon is the only demon named in the Book of Acts. How does it manifest? In the natural, the python is a big powerful snake. It does not kill by poison. It kills by suffocation. It coils around until the victim stops breathing and dies thru cardiac arrest (‘heart attack’). The victim bones are not crushed. There is almost no sign of violence on the body of the victims before the snake swallows it whole.  It may take weeks to digest it. Pythons can swallow big animals like the antelope. They can also swallow humans. There are cases when men made pythons as pets and the pythons killed their owners. Spiritually, the python demon chocks the victim. Under such a spiritual attack, the victim has difficulty in breathing, or asthma-like symptoms. As the demon slowly coils around, the victim feels gradually getting weaker. Fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) or the fear of untimely death accompanies these attacks. Some experience oppression or sexual attacks in the dreams. The spiritual weakness manifests as loss of interest in the study of the Bible, in prayer or in praising God. The victims feel like leaving the sanctuary saying they suffocate inside. In Nigeria, this python demon is called by strange names as: Mammy-Water, Spirit-Wife or Spirit-Husband, Ogbanje Spirit, One Kind Eye… What is the solution? If the victim is an unbeliever, he must surrender totally to Jesus Christ. If the victim is a Christian under attack, he needs deliverance in the name of Jesus! Start to fast, pray, and praise God with a loud voice. This is what Paul and Silas did in the prison when they were attacked by the python demon. God answered and they became free. Halleluiah!

PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON

This slave girl from Philippi was a false prophetess initiated at the Apollo temple. Initially, Paul ignored her words. Later, he rebuked the demon out from her. She was free from the demon. From that time, the girl refused to fall into a trance and speak. Her masters discovered that the girl could not ‘prophesy’ again. They got angry with Paul because they lost the source of their money.  We do not know why they arrested only Paul and Silas. They beat them and they were thrown into the prison. In the Roman law people should worship Caesar. The Romans allowed some religions, but they had to be approved by Caesar. Christianity was not yet approved by him. They beat Paul and Silas with rods. There was no trial. Just beating. They put them in stocks (they tie the legs to stretched to the maximum to cause painful cramps).

At that time, prison was a terrible place. They were thrown in the inner cell. Just imagine that they were rats and bad smell, no clean air. Paul and Silas could have complained to God. But they did not. They prayed and praised God. They were happy that despite the persecution, God’s work was successful and the first church in Europe was born. They knew that the devil attacked them because they had a great success. At midnight God sent an earthquake. In the Bible, the midnight hour is when Jesus comes again to defeat all enemies. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” (Matt 25:6). Paul and Silas were like the wise virgins. Their prayer and praise were fueled by the Holy Spirit. God sent a miraculous earthquake that affected only the prison. All chains got loosed. The gates got opened. The jailer was terrified and wanted to commit suicide. But Paul encouraged him. He then became saved. Him and his household believed in Jesus and were baptized. He later joined the household of Lydia, the first church in Europe. The next day, the officials discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen. By law, they were not supposed to beat him without trial. Apostle Paul refused to go quietly. He wanted everyone to hear that a Roman citizen preached the Gospel and started the first church in Europe.

THE CONVERSION OF THE JAILER

The story of the jailer is the classic story of salvation. He asked the greatest question of all and he received the greatest answer given to me:  “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 So they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Ac 16:30, 31). I imagine that the jailer was hard man, a rough retired Roman soldier with blood on his hands. His job was the best thing he now has. His job was his god. That is why when the jailhouse collapsed, he wanted to kill himself. Only the Holy Spirit could change this hard sinner unto an humble saint. He invited Paul and Silas in his house, feed them and washed their wounds. Like Lydia, we see the manifestation of the gift of hospitality as a sign of salvation. Finally, let us see how great God is! God is gentle with Lydia and opened her heart. With this jailer, God brought an earthquake. The earthquake was localized only at the prison. All chains get loosed and all gates got opened. God is all-powerful!     

THE POWER OF PRAISE

The word ‘praise’ is used more than 200 times in the Bible. God commands His creation to praise Him. Praising God means to glorify His name, perfection, character, power, and mighty works. It means to give God the glory and the honor He deserves. Praise is spiritual sacrifice and proceeds from a grateful heart. It manifests as singing, playing instruments, dancing, or clapping of hands. Why praising God is so powerful?

First, thru praise, you encounter God. He promised to manifest Himself as King and Judge when His people praise Him. “You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). Problems are solved immediately when praising God with all your heart. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). When Paul and Silas praised God in prison, the miracle of deliverance happen. Praising God humbles you. Praising God removes your attention from yourself and the circumstances around you. When you see how great God is, you also discover how small you are. You now look unto God. You realize how much you need God every moment. God gives grace and help only to the humble. The more you praise God, the more King Grace will bless you. Secondly, when you praise God, He will fight your battles (2 Chr 20:22). Thru praise warfare the victory is sure! Halleluiah! Worship the Lord!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh continued preaching the series The Early Church. Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts 10 and 11.

THE STORY

The beautiful story of the conversion of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10 is a miracle of pure grace. This chapter is filled with supernatural events. Heaven seems so close to the earth. This is the revelation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the early church. Secondly, this is a story of two great men, Peter, and Cornelius. They lived in separate, parallel social realms. In the natural, they could not have met. But the grace of God made a way where there was no way. They met and thru the Gospel, King Grace made them one. They became friends forever. Old divisions and prejudices are falling. Thru their encounter, Cornelius understanding of God became deeper and Peter’s theology got wider. Praise the Lord!

Apostle Peter was staying in the house of Simon, a Christian brother. Simon was a tanner. Tanning was the process by which animal skins were processed to become leather. Because tanning was accompanied by strong unpleasant smells and unattractive sights, the Jews considered tanning as an unclean work. Because the process needs salty water to process the skins, and for the smell to go away by the wind, most tanneries were situated along the Mediterranean Sea. Simon lived in the city of Joppa. By the way, it is from this ancient port that Jonah took a ship and went to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, the people of Nineveh. Because of his ‘dirty’ job, a man like Simon was not allowed to enter the synagogue. But as he became a Christian, the church was opened to him. To encourage him, Peter decided to live in this ‘smelly, unclean’ house, As Peter was fasting and praying, he experienced a trance. In Greek, the word ‘trance’ is the same as ‘ecstasy’. A trance is not a dream. During a trance, the person is awake, but his natural senses are suspended. His consciousness connects only with the spiritual realm. Peter saw heaven open and a sheet coming down with different animals and birds. According to the Mosaic law, some were clean, and others were unclean. A voice told him: “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!” Still having his Jewish religious prejudice, Peter refused to obey. In his self-confidence, he was trying to correct God’s command. Then the voice told him: “What God has cleansed you must not call common!” This vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was taken back to heaven. Eventually, Peter believed that God is doing something new, and he accepted to go and visit a Gentile man. This vision prepared Peter for the work of evangelism among the Gentiles, who were considered ‘common’ by the Jews. Peter forgot that one of the blessings of Abraham, the father of Israel, was that all people on earth will be blessed thru him. God told him: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3).

Cornelius was the first official Gentile convert to Christianity. (The Ethiopian eunuch was considered a Jewish proselyte before he became born again). Cornelius was a centurion in the Roman army. It means that he oversaw 100 soldiers. His name means ‘horn or strength’. He was living at Caesarea, a port along the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans choose Caesarea as their capital in the area because it was free from the political religious strife in Jerusalem. It is possible that Cornelius was a freed slave who became a soldier. There was a famous Roman politician and soldier called Lucius Cornelius Sulla (108-45 BC). This was his strategy: when he conquered a territory, he killed all the rulers and the rich people. He then freed their slaves. He freed about 10,000 slaves and made them soldiers. He gave them the rights to be Roman citizens. The slaves became very grateful. In this way, the army became his strength. All these freed slaves got the name of ‘Cornelius’. It is possible that this centurion called Cornelius was once a freed slave. (It is interesting that all the centurions mentioned in the Bible are good and godly men).

Cornelius was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. He was a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews” (Ac 10:2, 22). Cornelius was a Gentile who possibly got to know about Jehovah God while he stayed in Caesarea. He started reading the Old Testament and tried to serve Jehovah God. He was not a Jewish proselyte like the Ethiopian eunuch because he was not circumcised to become a Jew. He got friendly with the Jews. This was a great achievement knowing that the Jews hated the Romans. He followed the Jewish pattern to pray three times a day. He was a good moral kind religious man, but not born again. He quietly gave up the worship of the Roman idols and choose to serve the only God. He led his household of slaves and soldiers under him to do the same. An angel came to him in a vision at ‘the ninth hour’ which is 3 pm, at the time of the afternoon prayer at the Temple in Jerusalem. The angel said this: “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God… Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering… Your prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God’s attention” (Ac 10:4, NKJ, NLT, TM). The angel told him to send for a man called Peter. It is amazing to see how God knows all things on earth. He told Cornelius the name and the address where to find Peter.

Peter came and preached the Gospel to Cornelius, to his household and friends. Cornelius knew something about Jehovah. But he did not know that God is interested in him personally. This personal living faith in Jesus was activated thru the preaching of God’s Word. He and his household believed the Gospel. The Holy Spirit came on them and baptized them. They spoke in tongues and praised God. They became saved and got baptized in water. Peter and his Jewish friends stayed at the house of Cornelius few more days to have fellowship together. When Peter went back to Jerusalem, the Christian Jews were angry with Peter because he visited a Gentile, which is against the Jewish Law. When Peter explained what happened, they believed God and praised Him for granting repentance and salvation to the Gentiles too.

What are some of the lessons?

*God is sovereign in His choice of saving men. Salvation is God’s work. It is by His grace alone. Both Saul, the Jew and Cornelius, the Gentile, became saved by God’s grace alone. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom 8:29-30). The doctrine of God’s sovereignty in salvation says that God alone elects, choses, and calls those who He wants to save. Salvation is of God alone and by His grace alone. Man is born a sinner. There is nothing in man that impresses God to save him. Because of sin, all the works done by man cannot please God. We are not saved by anything we have done, or we desire to do for God. We are saved by God’s purpose, pleasure and will. If any sinner truly desires to know God, that desire is planted in his heart by God. God grants the gift of repentance from sin to those He wants to save. God gives the gift of faith to those who have repented of their sins. True repentance is always followed by faith in Jesus. The grace of God is sovereign. He is merciful to His elect and He hardens the others. God is under no obligation to save any man. He has the right to give or to withhold His grace according to His will and pleasure. If any sinner is saved, it is because God chose him to be saved. If any sinner is lost, it is because God wills it to be so. Many reject this doctrine, but the Word of God is clear about it (Rom 9:10-18). For us who by God’s grace are saved, we bow and worship Him!

*There is no partiality with God.

Partiality or favoritism is defined as the habit of preferring one person over another according to your own personal likings. The price for favoritism means that you discriminate and reject people you dislike, seeing them as inferior. Favoritism is sin and produces division in the church. Men tend to judge others by their outward appearance. If a man is rich and handsome, or a woman is beautiful, people tend to be attracted by them. Favoritism happens because we do not see man’s true character hidden in the heart. But God, who alone sees the heart, is never deceived by appearances. When we read that ‘there is no partiality with God’ it means that God will not ignore or bend His law or change His standard for anyone. He is faithful to His Law. God’s standard is Jesus!!!! This is good news to the believers and bad news to the unbelievers! This is God’s Word: “The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Deut 10:17). “He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands” (Job 34:19). “God shows personal favoritism to no man” (Gal 2:6). God does not have favorites among rich or poor, masters or slave (Eph 6:5-9; James 2:1-6)

“These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them” (PV 24:23-25). The child of God is wise. Like God, he will not be bribed to acquit the wicked but will rebuke him. In this way the wise man is blessed.

For example, King Saul was a handsome man who looked like royalty. But God rejected him. Judas looked like a faithful disciple, but he was a traitor. We cannot see ‘the heart’ of man. Only God sees it. Therefore, we need to depend on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. We do not evaluate a man based on his outward appearance or level of popularity. Like God, we should not discriminate or show partiality to men. We should not have ‘personal friends’ in the church. We must treat all people kindly as they are all God’s creation. The only people we get close to are not the ones that ‘we like’ in the natural, but the ones God recommends. To know them, you need to pray. Christian friendships should not be based on being from the same tribe, same social status, same level of wealth or education. All close friendships should be approved by the Holy Spirit. It means that you should not enter a relationship based on an impulse. You cannot ‘fall in love at first sight’. “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (PV 12:26). Many have ignored this command and got hurt in the church.

God judges all men by the amount of light they have, by the level of understanding they have about Him. God judges the Jews or the religious people according to their knowledge of God’s Word. God judges the non-religious people according to their conscience. “For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Rom 2:11-16).

Initially, Peter argues with Jesus, just like in the past. That is why the vision had to be repeated three times. Eventually, Peter obeyed and went to visit Cornelius with an open heart. When Peter saw that the Holy Spirit came on Cornelius and his people, he was amazed. He said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Ac 10:34, 35).

*God always prepares His servants before He saves or uses them.

God prepared both Peter and Cornelius for their encounter. Peter still had some Jewish prejudices. A prejudice is a preconceived judgment, an unfair opinion or feelings about others made with only a partial knowledge about them. Prejudice discriminates and hurts others. God delivered Peter from his prejudice against the Gentiles. In the past, Peter surely observed that Jesus did not show favoritism among men. Even His enemies acknowledged that saying: “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth” (Lk 20:21). Peter saw Jesus rebuking the religious rulers but accepting Samaritans, prostitutes and tax collectors who believed in Him. Now, Peter must learn to behave like his Master. This was a difficult lesson for Peter. It is hard for us to understand how much the Jews disliked the non-Jews. Thru that vision of unclean animals, Jesus delivers Peter from all his prejudices against the Gentiles. By God’s law, Peter was forbidden to socialize or to do business with the Gentiles. God is showing him now that he is not under that law anymore. He should not call any man impure whom God calls pure. In Christ, we are one! “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28).

Even before Cornelius became born again, the grace of God was working in his life preparing the way for his salvation in Christ. The prayers of Cornelius and his gifts to the poor were accepted by God. Here we see the sovereignty of God preparing the sinner for salvation. Cornelius was seeking God with all his heart. He had a limited knowledge of the true God. Cornelius believed that Jehovah God is the only true God. He also believed that God is pleased with faith and rewards them who seek Him (Heb 11:6). He expressed his faith in God thru praying like the Jews and helping the needy. He is not saved but he is seeking God. The angel acknowledged both his faith and his generosity to the poor confirming that God has accepted them as ‘a memorial’. God rewards Cornelius by giving him a greater revelation unto salvation. God sends Peter to him to preach the Gospel. Here we see that Cornelius was not a religious hypocrite or a moralist who wanted to impress people. He was no seeking for fame among the Jews. Moralists are proud, they trust their own righteousness or works, but they always reject Jesus. Cornelius was not a proud religious man.  He was a genuine seeker of God. His prayers and gifts to the poor were given from his heart, willingly and faithfully. Cornelius was not saved by works. Like any sinner who became a saint, he was saved by grace and thru faith. When Peter preached Christ to him, he immediately believed the truth, and surrendered to Jesus. The Holy Spirit came on him to confirm the conversion.

Cornelius is a man awaken by the Holy Spirit. He is seeking God. He was fasting and praying regularly. The Jews prayed three times a day like Daniel (Dan 6:10). The Romans worshipped many gods. But Cornelius became a worshipper of the only God, Jehovah. He has repented from his idolatry. He is not yet saved but he is anxious for his soul. He knows he is a sinner. He wants to repent. Anxiety does not save a man but it is a sign that the soul is seeking for God, for eternal life. If any man who has no anxiety about the state of his soul, that man is going to hell. Selah! Cornelius is trying to obey the law of the Jews. He does not know that the law cannot save. The law only convicts a man of sin. The law makes man guilty. The law can only tell a man that he is lawbreaker. “Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20). The law is a teacher directing the sinner to Christ. The law cannot save but trying to obey the law will produce a peculiar frustration that eventually becomes ‘a teacher, a tutor’, who directs us to Christ and His saving faith. “Before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:23-25).

God prepares the other believers. Peter came to the house of Cornelius and met a great number of people. This is the work of the Holy Spirit preparing their hearts to believe in Jesus. Peter preached Jesus. Even before he finished his sermon, the Holy Spirit came on the people. They started praying in tongues and praising God. This was like a second Pentecost but this time, it was for the Gentile. This event surprised Peter and his Jewish friends. But they could not argue with God’s work. The believers were baptized. Peter stayed in the house of Cornelius for few days explaining further who Jesus is. He later came back to Jerusalem. The Jewish believers were angry with him, who did he go to the Gentiles. But after Peter explained everything, they believed and said: “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Ac 11:18).

Repentance and faith are twins, but they are not exactly the same. Repentance from sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a turning around from sin to God. Repentance leads to conversion and to living faith in Christ. It is a gift ‘granted’ by God to His elect. Any sinner who does not receive this gift of repentance remains hardened in his sin. Later Paul said: “testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ac 20:21).

*Prayer and helping the needy are ‘a memorial before God’. God will remember you!  

A memorial is an event, a celebration that keeps the memory alive after the person has died. Partaking in the Holy Communion is a Memorial to honor Jesus. Cornelius honored God by praying and caring for the poor. His good deeds were acknowledged by heaven. They are called ‘a memorial before God’. Thru the angel God said that He will answer his prayers and reward his gifts to the poor. Just the way the Holy Communion is a memorial for us to remember Jesus, so the helps to the poor are a memorial for Jesus to remember us!

One of the offerings commanded by the Law in the Old Testament was the grain offering. This is an offering without blood. It is a symbol of the life of Jesus on earth before the Cross. He was like a grain of wheat in a field of tares. Jesus is the grain crushed and made into flour. This is God’s law: “When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire” (Lev 2:1-3). Thru this offering God confirms that the life of Jesus as a Man on earth was totally pleasing to Him. The oil represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit on Jesus as Man on earth. The Frankincense is a symbol of worship. The offering of flour, with oil and frankincense on top, is a memorial offering made by fire. Jesus served and worshipped God the Father with all His heart, until His last breath.

In other words, Cornelius gave gifts to the poor as a memorial before God. He was telling God: remember me! Selah!

Hannah’s prayers and vow are a form of memorial for God to remember her: “And she was in bitterness of soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” (1 Sam 1:10, 11)

The thief was trusted in Jesus while on the Cross, prayed a memorial prayer. He had nothing to give Jesus except his heart. He rebuked the other thief who was insulting Jesus. He prayed: “Lord, remember me…” Jesus accepted this prayer and saved him (Lk 23:40-43).

This is the lesson: For Christ’ sake, the child of God prays, intercedes for others, and does good deeds to help the poor. These gifts to the poor are pleasing to God who will remember the worshipper. We too, must do the same. We help the needy for the sake of Christ, not for fame or men’s applause. We do it for the glory of God. Doing good ‘in secret’ is rewarded openly by God. “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matt 6:1-4).

*God blesses His generous children in a particular way  

In both the Old and the New Testament, prayer, praising God and providing to the needy are seen as spiritual offerings. God blesses the generous worshipper with divine health, supernatural provision, strength, supernatural protection, favor with men and His intimate fellowship.

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed” (Ps 41:1-3). “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (PV 11:25). “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given” (PV 19:17).   

“Continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Rom 12:12,13).

“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor 9:6).

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal 6:9)

“Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” (Phil 4:18).

“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister… Therefore, by Him (Christ) let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb 6:10; 13:15, 16).  

*God blesses the preaching of His Word! Peter uses the keys of the Kingdom and opens three doors for salvation!

Cornelius got converted and baptized with the Holy Spirit when Peter was preaching the Gospel. His conversion and Baptism with the Holy Spirit happened almost at the same time. This is a good lesson: If there is living faith, conversion and the baptism of the Holy Spirit can happen at the same time. There is no need to wait to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Both Peter and Cornelius learned that the Gentiles could come to Jesus directly, by faith. They do not have to pass thru the Jewish religion. The church is not ‘a branch’ of the synagogue. Jesus died, rose again, and sent the Holy Spirit to make a new creation called the church, His Bride and Body. In this new creation, both Jew and Gentile can become members, by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Keys are made to open doors who are closed or to close open doors in case of danger. When Peter received the revelation from God the Father that Jesus is the Christ, he received a personal promise. Jesus told him that he will use the Keys of the Kingdom. “I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18, 19). This promise applies to all believers, but Peter has the honor to be the first one to use these keys in a special way in the early church.

Before ascending to heaven, the resurrected Christ told His apostles: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Ac 1:8). According to this Word, Jesus gave Peter three keys of privilege, power, and authority, to be the first witness to open the door of salvation to the Jews (Acts 2), to the Samaritans (Acts 8) and to the Gentiles (Acts 10). God chose Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Gal 1:15, 16). But in the encounter with Cornelius, we see Peter using the keys of the Kingdom to open the door to the Gentiles. In all three circumstances the Holy Spirit came to confirm the open door to heaven by baptizing the believers with the Holy Spirit.

What is a Key of God’s Kingdom? The key is God’s Word, the preaching of the Gospel. God does not use angels to preach His Word because no angel has ever been redeemed. God uses men to preach His Word because in Christ men have been saved. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom 10:13-15). Cornelius was God’s elect, but he still needed to hear the Gospel, for the door to the Kingdom to open for him. Cornelius was not there to argue. He was there to listen. He who has the key is in charge! In Samaria, Philip was preaching God’s Word and experienced miracles. But when Peter arrived and prayed the Holy Spirit came on the people. Peter used the same Key of the Kingdom to shut the door to the false prophet Simon the sorcerer. Later, when Peter preached to Cornelius, the door opened even before the end of the sermon. Cornelius is God’s elect, but he still needs to hear the Gospel. He is a wonderful example of a sinner seeking Jesus outside the established church. The Bible says that ‘none seek after God’ (Rom 3:11). Therefore, is any man is seeking after God, it means that God is working in his heart already, He will eventually find God, as His reward (Heb 11:6). God never disappoints true seekers after Him. “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13).

Finally, we see that Peter teaches Cornelius and Cornelius teaches Peter. Meeting Cornelius changed Peter. This encounter is a milestone for Peter. He has learned a new lesson about the power of the Blood of Jesus. The uniqueness of Christianity is the grace of God. Cornelius’ faith challenges Peter and Peter grows in grace. Peter was too much a Jew. He thought that if a Gentile wants to become a Christian he should pass thru the Jewish tradition. He did not imagine that God can save a Gentile directly without passing thru the religious traditions. Observe the weakness of the law and the power of grace to make godly relationships! The law could command Peter to go and preach. But only grace could change Peter’s heart and make him friends with a former enemy. Religion can change your behavior but only the Gospel can change your heart. Grace is amazing. The Gospel does something what the law or religion cannot do. From now on, Peter and Cornelius see each other as brothers for eternity. They start to like one another. They become friends for life! Oh, the blood of Jesus! Worship the Lord!

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life” (PV 31:10-12)

This is our testimony: My husband and I are married for 43 years. All glory to God! One of our greatest achievements is trust in God and in one another. It is easier to trust in God. It is much more difficult to trust in one another. A good marriage foundation is made of hard work. Work comes first. Pleasure is the fruit. Successful marriage is one of the greatest blessings given to men on earth. For both marriage and ministry, we need trust!

“Who is she coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? (SS 8:5). Trust to a relationship is like oxygen to the body. Without trust the relationship will suffocate and die. Here we see this couple coming out from the wilderness. The wilderness is a place of death. There is no water, no flowers and no colors. It stands for the world which is full of trials and temptations. This couple has endured many things in the desert. But they stayed together and they are coming out of it together. The Bride is ‘leaning’ upon her Beloved! This is a position of trust. The Lover is stronger than her. She needs his help. She trusts him to help her. They walk together, trusting each other. The wilderness experience was difficult and painful but it failed to separate the two of them. Divorce died in the heat of the desert of life. They are still together carrying a testimony of loving trust and resurrection power.

Trust is a fighter and a survivor! Trust in God and in one another is not easy to achieve. But it is vital for the success of any relationship. Trust is defined as the unquestioning reliance on the character and strength of another. It is the confident expectation of hope; the assurance that the future of the relationship will be better than the present. Trust gives a feeling of security. Trust is built having faith in the Word of God and from past experiences you had together. When you trust your husband you believe that he will be sexually faithful in the marriage, understand your deepest needs and help you fulfil them. That is why mature trust is always connected with deep understanding and with total satisfaction at all levels, spiritual and physical. Trust is a royal crown to a successful marriage.

Once trust is broken, it is very hard to regain. Trust must be earned. It takes hard work and patience to re-build trust. The first reason for broken trust is money. You both need to build trust in the way you handle finances. If you cannot trust your spouse with your money, you will not be able to trust him (or her) with other things. The second reason is adultery. The opposite of trust is anxiety and doubt. These feelings appear when you think that your spouse exploits you and does not have your best interests at heart.

How do you build trust? By first of all putting all your trust in God and His Word! Out of that faith you can invest your trust in one another. To build trust you need good communication and understanding. Learn how to say ‘yes’ and how to say ‘no’. Do not always say ‘yes’ just to avoid arguments. Be true to your conscience, your feelings and desires. Share your vision for life with your husband. Do not sacrifice your dreams for the sake of ‘peace’. You need to listen to the other’s perspective. Put yourself in ‘his shoes’. Try to understand his fears and pains. Help the other in his weaknesses. The desire to help will build trust. Pray that your marriage will grow, spiritually and emotionally. A stagnant relationship becomes a place where the weeds of doubt will grow. Building your marriage together creates excitement and trust. Try to do something new together, travel together; serve God together! Make new memories together. Have new things to talk about. Don’t overstretch the relationship. Do not provoke one another to jealousy. Don’t keep secrets. Be open and vulnerable with each other. Keeping secrets takes a lot of energy and destroys trust. If you are secretive you will become tired and sad. Be gentle and wise with each other. Each one has a different level of maturity. There are seasons in each relationship. Keep your eyes on Jesus as you grow together! Finally, remember that these are just guidelines. Building loving trust takes a life time. Trust is risky but very rewarding! May God help you to build a happy home! In Jesus’ name, amen!

(Love from Malia! Notes from my diary, 2017. In the picture, my husband, Richmond Sisan Leigh and I, about 2017).

LESSONS OF LIFE TO THE YOUNGER WOMEN

“The older women likewise, should be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things… They should teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Tit 2:3-5)

At 65, I am what the Bible calls ‘an older woman’. I am a wife, a mother or three and a grandmother of seven. I am a woman of God, a pastor. My husband is also a man of God and a pastor. We are married for 45 years. To be a pastor’s wife is not just a title, but my privilege, my ministry, the gift of God! According to the Word of God, I am my husband’s ‘helpmeet’ (Gen 2:18). A helper must be close to the one he helps. I have tried to keep close to my husband, spiritually in particular. It pains me when he quotes a Bible verse or teaches me something new, and I am totally ignorant of that subject. I challenge myself to study the Word of God so that when my husband needs somebody to talk to about the Bible, I am ‘current’ with it.

I have learned many things about subjects that I do not like in particular. Because my husband is a Nigerian, I know much about the current affairs in Nigeria. I am not a politician, but I need to know these things, if they are good or bad. Ignorance has never helped anybody. To listen when my husband talks I need to be informed about the subject.

I need to know my husband’s plans, his vision for the ministry, his dreams and God’s purpose for his life. I need to pray for those. I need to grow as he grows. We are not competing one against each other. But we must complement each other. To complement my husband I need to grow too. As the vision for our lives and ministry increases with time, so we must grow with it. To be left behind spiritually, to be a passive wife, it is sin. If I am lazy or careless with our relationship, and I walk too slowly behind him with nothing new to add to our marriage, that sin is almost like spiritual adultery. My husband will be tempted to be worried, angry, disappointed and bitter against me, his wife, helper and friend. As a wife, I should not be found to be too fast and lead my husband. I should also not be found to be too slow and leave him alone.

Marriage is two people learning to be one. Each one of us must grow in grace towards God and towards one another. I should not take his love for granted. I should be watchful for any virus of disappointment towards me that I sense in my husband. I must be filled with the Holy Spirit so that I will help him be the man God wants him to be. I should cherish his choice of me to be his wife. Like King Solomon, he could have married a thousand other women who are better than me, but he decided to marry me, for better and for worst. I stand in awe of God for the privilege to be called his only wife. In Nigeria with ask: ‘Na small thin be this?’ Of course the answer is no! ‘Na big thin!”

We both work hard at making our marriage a success. It is not easy to be successfully married. Success does not come with time. You need to pray and study the Bible. We both are very serious in applying the Word of God daily to our lives. No one is perfect but as people and as a couple, we aim for perfection in Christ! Many people look up to us. Our victory is theirs too! We plant good seeds of love, caring, forgiveness and we harvest hundredfold of the same! The hard work is bringing a greater than expected harvest of peace, joy, wisdom and ministry to those who call us parents in Christ. The Bible says so and I conform it: Love is stronger than failure! Love has won the battle!

Dear daughters. may these words challenge and inspire you! God loves you! God loves your marriages! God loves your children! Glory be to God!

(In the picture, my husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh, and I. I wrote this letter in 2019. Since then, my husband has gone to heaven. By God’s grace, I continue with our ministry, as the senior pastor of Father’s House Bible Church, Warri/ Effurun/Nigeria. People come and people go, but the principles of marriage found in the Bible are eternal. To God be all the glory!)

Persecution is generally defined as severe harassment and punishment on some people based on their religion, race, or a different political party. In the early church, the devil attacked the early believers by two main strategies: outwardly, thru persecution and inwardly, thru infiltration of false brethren. In the history of Christianity, persecution tended to strengthen the church. The false brethren coming with false teachings are more dangerous. These tend to divide and scatter the church. These evil attacks started almost immediately. But nothing could stop the growth of the church. It is now part of church’ history that the early believers were terribly persecuted, first by the Jewish religious leaders and later by the Roman Empire.

Just the way God’s true prophets were rejected by the people of Israel in the Old Testament, so Jesus was rejected by the religious rulers in Israel. Jesus told His disciples that they too will suffer rejection from the world, especially from the religious world. This rejection is a form of persecution. The early Christians were prepared for persecution and even expected it. Jesus warned them that the world (the unbelievers) will hate and persecute them. He also said that the Holy Spirit will lead them into all truth and will comfort them when they are persecuted. Without the Holy Spirit’s encouragement, the persecution of the Christians was enough to destroy the church. This is a reminder to us of the mighty power released by the coming of the Holy Spirit in the church. Halleluiah!  Listen to our Lord’s warning: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake because they do not know Him who sent Me” (Jn 15:18-21).

Immediately after the killing of Stephen great persecution started against the Church. Like the seeds from the hand of the Sower, most of the disciples ran away from Jerusalem, spreading the Gospel. The Apostles remained in Jerusalem. They stayed there to continue to lead the church from the ‘headquarter’. Godly men buried Stephen. These men may be Jewish silent converts, the way Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were, who buried Jesus. They mourned deeply for him. This is a picture of godly repentance that leads to salvation. This burial is so different than the way Ananias and Saphira were buried when none mourned for them.

Saul of Tarsus, extremely zealous for his Jewish faith, and hating the Christians, became the leader of the persecution. “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Ac 8:3).  The words ‘made havoc’ means to cause great and wide destruction like a tornado. It means to cause great confusion in the church. In Greek, the words ‘made havoc of the church’ mean to destroy, to maltreat, and to insult the believers. He ‘dragged them off’ by force from their houses and put them in prison. The women were strong believers too and were not afraid to stand for Jesus. The Christians were called ‘the followers of the Way’ because Jesus said He is the only Way to God (Jn 14:6).  According to Apostle Paul’s confession later, it seems that in prison the believers were tortured, and many killed. “I persecuted and pursued the followers of this Way to the death, binding them with chains and putting [followers of Jesus] both men and women into prisons” (Ac 22:4; AMP). The devil was behind this persecution, but he failed to destroy the church. Peter encouraged the believers: “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16).

What are some of the effects of persecution?

*Persecution separated the true from the false believers. The unbelievers went back to the world. God allowed it to keep the church pure.

*Persecution increased the faith and the assurance of salvation of all true believers. The believers were sure that they have eternal life and nothing, not even death, can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus! “Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, should not be made perfect apart from us” (Heb 11: 35-40). They learned how to be faithful and patiently endure trials. They lost the fear of death. Like Apostle Paul they were sure that ‘To live is Christ and to die is gain’ (Phil 1:21). This endurance developed spiritual maturity and strong moral character. The effect was great hope for the future. “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom 5:3,4).   

*They understood and trusted Jesus in a new way, especially as their High Priest in heaven who is praying for them. They knew that Jesus feels their pain, and that they are not alone. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). When Stephen was dying, he saw Jesus standing (not sitting on His throne). Stephen was greatly encouraged by this vision. As he lay down dying, he took it as a sign that Jesus is with him preparing to receive him in heaven. “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:55, 56).   

*They were sure that Jesus will reward them for their faithfulness during persecution. “That is why they felt blessed, or happy. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mat 5:10-12)

*Many of the unbelievers who witnessed the killings of the Christians, became saved. They saw that the Christians were faithful to Jesus unto death. They were not afraid to die. That attitude touched many of them. The most famous of these religious unbelievers is Saul who became the Apostle Paul. He approved and witnessed the killing of Stephen. He never forgot his great peace, and his face like an angel, as he was dying. He did not forget that before his death Stephen prayed for forgiveness for his killers, including himself. Later, apostle Paul was persecuted more than others. He saw God working in all his trials. When he was in the prison in Rome, the Roman soldiers who guarded him became saved. “I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14). This is how the church grew! Worship the Lord!

TESTIMONY – FREE INDEED

I just received this letter from one of the young men in our church.

“Good morning, Ma’am,

Recently, I have been gripped with one kind fear , fear of armed robbers coming into our house, fear that something will happen to my family as they are coming home from the market, plenty different fears , fear that when I am driving police will stop me for what I don’t even know, then the most gripping one is fear that Effurun boys will break into our church, just plenty nonsense fears… I became lean spiritually, I sought the face of God , and waited with hope that on the next church service God will give me the solution to conquer this crazy fear.

I came to church with one heart’s desire: “Oh Lord I want to see You and know what is needed to know to conquer this fear”. In the midst of the service, it was like fire, water, oil, and the blood of Jesus, together poured on my clothes the stain stuck and the fear was swallowed … I got a deep understanding of the word of God: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:” I asked myself even if the worst happens, I will not turn back or relent in my chase after God… After this miracle, the blessings and assurance of God overshadowed my senses. I felt free… Ma, I didn’t have the power to not share it with you to the Glory of God and in Jesus’ name Amen.

Your son in Christ…”

My answer to him:

Dear son, Thank God for everything! You can see that all our problems are basically spiritual. If we do not deal with them with spiritual means provided for us in the Bible, we may fall into the natural trials and temptations. The Effurun boys shall come to church, not to steal and rob, but to give their lives to Christ. “There is no fear in Love for perfect love drives away all fears” (1Jn 4:18). You are a child of God! Love God and man! Believe God’s Word which is Truth! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Then you shall be free indeed! God bless you!

Love in Christ alone,

Malia!

MY CHILDREN ARE WALKING IN THE TRUTH

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3Jn 1:4)

I often receive encouraging letters from people I pastor, those who I call ‘my lambs in Christ’. Words cannot express the joy and the holy pride I feel when they testify to their spiritual growth. Today, a dear sister sent me this note. She has joined our church not too long ago. She is married with children. She is a successful businesswoman. She is very faithful in serving God in the house of God. I bless God for her life. The Holy Spirit has humbled her and favored her. Read her words and be blessed:

“Dear Malia, I thank God for the day I came to Father’s House! I realize I have it all!!! Inferiority complexity, poverty mentality and victim mentality. Afraid and shy!!!! Full of mistakes!!!! But yet He calls me His beloved!!!! There are times I wonder if it was a mistake to make me a leader in the Body of Christ???? Do I have what it takes to lead? I have always second guess myself, even at my work, in my marriage. Hmmmmm I am a big work in progress!!!! “Holy Spirit pls help me to be what my Maker created me to be. A vessel of honor, a Spirit control woman, a submissive wife and a Daughter of a Proud Father (God)!!!!!!”

Ma, ur words always give me comfort Ma!!!! The best thing that has ever happened to me is being in my Father’s house. Revealing to me my weaknesses, humbling and breaking me down and pointing to the cross daily!!!! Oh how He loves me!!!! Oh how he loves me!!! Thank u my mother!!! I have wept many tears but now, I am ready!!!! So I desire for Him to cleans me, weed me, burn me, mold me, swallow me, just to be perfect for Him!!!! “This is my desire, to honor You…”

You said that my destiny is to be a woman of God. Yes Ma!!! I am changing… Slow it may seam but definitely not going back to my vomit!!! My path can only continue to shine daily unto the perfect day, Ma. From one glory to another!!! I always say thank you bc if u had not held steadfast, I won’t be in this path!!! Hence I am always saying ‘thank u Ma’ bc ur salvation was not for u alone but for us!!! U needed to pave the way for us and make it lot easier. Be our shoulder, be our Rod we look up to, like Moses Rod. I am so far away!!!! So so far away from my goal but cautiously pressing on, my Mother. And when I look at my tiny growth, I laugh. I give thanks to God! How I am now anxious for nothing. No longer very hot tempered and easily provoked but always smiling knowing someone got my back. Knowing He is working everything together for my good. It gives me great joy, Ma. I love u! I love u the way u will never understand ma. And vow to make u proud. To say one day she is my daughter as I breed her. To be called by my husband “a woman of God”! One day… “

My answer to her:

“Dear daughter, this is the truth: Your future is by far better, more glorious and happier than your past and present! That is why, you should never fear going on in life and getting ‘old’! God is changing you to make you a woman of God! As you change in your heart, your marriage, your husband and children, people around you will also change! You ignite the miracle of passionate life un-ending around you! It will happen! You are already a woman of God. Believe this word! This truth will become clearer with time. One day! Not too far from now! In Jesus’ name!”

THE EARLY CHURCH (7)/ THE MARKS OF THE EARLY CHURCH (1) (Preaching, Baptism, Doctrine, Fellowship, and Holy Communion)

During the Sunday service, Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Early Church (7)/ The Church grows (1). Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts. “Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:36-47).

We continue to study the early church, to discover the perfect pattern God has in mind about the Body of Christ. The Church is One set of branches connected to one Vine, One flock following on Shepperd, One Kingdom having One King, One building having One foundation, One Bride having One Bridegroom, One Body having One Head, Jesus Christ, the Lord!    

The most important verse in the whole Book of Acts, that gives it its general tone, is this: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). These are the last words of the resurrected Christ before ascending to heaven. The book of Acts is a Book of power manifested in the early church. The Book of Acts is one of the happiest books in the world. It is a book of revival.  We see that the first Christians had a great spiritual power and boldness to preach the Gospel and to pray. They loved the Word of God and their fellowship with one another. They were generous with their resources, helping the needy. They loved the name of Jesus and used it with authority. Signs and wonders accompanied their ministry. They were persecuted for their faith, but they were always victorious in all circumstances. They exercised holy discipline so that the church remains pure. They did evangelistic outreaches to spread the Gospel. Their faith and boldness were beautiful. We want to imitate these good ways, for the glory of God! In this passage we see some basic elements of a living church, growing by the power of the Holy Spirit. According to the Book of Acts, these are at least fifteen ways the early church was defined: Preaching the Gospel, Baptism in water, The Apostles’ Doctrine, Fellowship of the brethren, partaking in the Holy Communion, Prayers, Experiencing miracles, Helping the needy among them, Gladness and simplicity of heart, Praising God, Favor with people, Church Discipline, Spiritual warfare, and Missionary evangelistic work. These words describe the early church and any other living church that is experiencing revival. May this be our portion, in Jesus’ name!

In this old-world generations have come and gone. Kings and kingdoms have come and passed away. But one thing is clear: the only good that has ever happened in this world is the hope given to man, salvation thru the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the only good news. Any other idea or philosophy is old, faded, useless news. The Greeks had great poets and philosophers. The Romans had great lawyers, administrators, builders, and soldiers. Other empires brought their own traditions and cultures. There is some beauty in the achievements of men. For example, the idea of hospitals started with the Christians. That is good. But what is the greatest weakness of man’s achievements? It is the failure of man to know God and to save himself from sin and death. Man cannot change the human heart. Man is born a sinner. Since Adam, no tradition, no religion, no civilization, no medical or scientific invention, could give hope and assurance of eternal life. God’s life is found in Christ alone, by faith in His Word. This is the only good news on earth. This is the Gospel. Jesus Christ died and rose again for me! The story of Jesus is a story of Love and Grace. It is found only in the Bible. Please read it for yourself!

The Christians in the early church loved to study the Word of God, in particular, the apostles’ doctrines. People said about the early Christians: “These have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). In every revival, the same pattern we see in the Book of Acts is repeated. That is why we study the early church trying to find the secret of their power, godliness, and joy. The first thing we see in the early church is that their gathering was mostly spiritual. They helped one another materially, but the purpose of their fellowship was spiritual first. They ‘continues steadfastly’ in spiritual exercises. The words ‘continued steadfastly’ can also be translated ‘they persevered, they waited and persisted’. The word ‘steadfast’ means to stay firmly in one place, strong in faith, immovable, and unshakable. A steadfast man is sure of his belief, that he is doing the right thing, refusing to change or give up. This was the attitude of the early Christians concerning their faith in Christ and God’s Word. There is no other way how to make spiritual progress in life and how a church should grow organically.      

1-PREACHING THE GOSPEL

Peter preaches Christ centered sermons on the day of Pentecost and before the Sanhedrin. People were amazed at his faith and boldness, knowing that just few days ago, he betrayed his Lord. The very courage of Peter is a testimony that the resurrected Christ is alive, that He has forgiven him and restored him to his office as an apostle. ‘With many words Peter testified and exhorted’ the listeners to repent from sin. The word ‘testify’ means to solemnly warn them about the reality, power, and consequences of a life of sin. The word ‘exhort’ means to urge, to plead and beg them to give their lives to Christ. There is passion and power in Peter’s preaching. He knows how deceptive sin is. He also knows how great God’s Grace is. His words go straight to the conscience of his listeners, urging them to apply their minds to think about their lives. This preaching is doctrinal and not just an emotional appeal. It is a Spirit filled sermon that ‘cut their hearts’ (Acts 2:37). The words ‘cut the hearts’ means to be suddenly pierced (by an arrow of truth), to be grieved, to become anxious because of guilt. This is the effect of hearing the Word of God, preached with authority and faith. It describes godly sorrow that leads to repentance and to salvation (2Cor 7:10).   

Peter accuses the Jews that they are sinners, guilty of killing Jesus! Peter does not entertain. He challenges the sinners to ‘be saved from this perverse generation’. The word ‘perverse’ means something unjust, crooked, corrupt, wicked, and evil. To be perverse describes a stubborn person, who has left the good path of wisdom and godliness and has identified with the darkness of this world. A perverse man is not an innocent or ignorant man. He stubbornly refuses to repent and opposes what is right, good, and acceptable to godly people. A perverse man is proud, wayward, rebellious, unrepentant, stubbornly opposing all authority. He is a dangerous man. Peter commands his listeners to separate themselves from people who may be religious but are ‘perverse’ in heart and behavior. Our Lord Himself rebuked that generation of Jews for their doubt and unbelief. “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (Mt 17:17). Our Lord’s question does not reveal frustration but pain seeing that His Word and the miracles He performed did not change the hearts of these religious people. The word ‘bear with you’ means to endure, to carry, or to tolerate someone who is extremely antagonistic to you.

Later, Apostle Paul preaches the Gospel of Christ before authorities and all men during His missionary journeys. He repeats the same command. Christians should separate from the world. This is not a superficial separation but a deep spiritual one. A child of God should live a godly life among the unbelievers, like a light shining in the darkness. He should not complain or quarrel. He should be a man of peace and faith. He should accept the providence of God and in all things, he should give thanks to Him. The Word of God received and believed is His light shining in the darkness. Defeating the crooked and perverse generation can only be done by faith in the power of God’s Word and thru His Spirit. “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16). It is your responsibility to shine as light in the darkness. That shine comes from ‘holding fast the word of life’. Holding fast the word means to understand and retain the Word of God so that you can preach it to others. The peaching of God’s Word exposes and defeats and destroys the strongholds of ignorance, unbelief, and crookedness of the world.  

The word ‘church’ in Greek is Ekklesia. It means ‘the assembly of the called ones’. God has called us from the darkness of this world to His marvelous light, from sin to righteousness, from death to life.  Peter said: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Out of a perverse generation of sinners, God’s effective call thru the Gospel of Christ has produced a new nation, a chosen generation, called the church. From the beginning of the church God’s call for separation from the world has been clearly heard. Humanity is divided into two groups: sinners (who belong to the world) and saints (who belong to the Kingdom of God). There is no middle ground. The world is defined as the totality of human beings who live like there is no God. The Bible calls the sinners ‘fools’. God is not in their minds or hearts. Their king is the prince or the ruler of this world, also called the devil. All sinners are under his power. Jesus came and died to save all who believe in Him.

At the Cross, the ruler of the world proved to be the killer of the Son of God. At the Cross you see the sinfulness of sin judged by God thru death. You see the power of evil. You also see that God has judged and punished the devil, the Killer of His Son. There is no forgiveness or redemption for the devil. The Holy Spirit has come to reveal this reality to those who are saved. Without the Holy Spirit man cannot believe that the devil is totally defeated. Jesus said: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (Jn 12:31-33) “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (Jn 14:30). “And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn 16:8-11).

After Stephen was martyred the persecution against the Christians increased. They were scattered like seeds of life. Wherever they went the preached the Word. “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). This is a true saying: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church”. Preaching God’s Word is successful warfare.

Apostle Paul commands his son, Timothy, and all of us to preach the Word of God, the Gospel, the sound doctrines of salvation. Preaching (and teaching) is a holy work done ‘before God and the Lord Jesus Christ’. God judges the preacher and the congregation concerning the word preached and received. We are all responsible before God. Preaching must be done faithfully and patiently. The preacher must be prepared and ready.  Preaching must be done ‘in season and out of season’. In other words, preaching must be done always, when people respond or when they reject your words, by following the worldly religious crowd. “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

Timothy must be an example to others in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and moral purity. He must study the Word by himself. He should read and meditate upon the scriptures. He should be careful with his behavior and the doctrine he believes and preaches. His spiritual progress will be seen by all, and it will influence others for good. His life becomes an open Bible for all, to read and to become saved. This is a spiritual law: doctrine determines behavior. If you believe the right doctrines, you will repent of sin and grow in godliness. If you believe wrong doctrines, you will continue in sin. Your life and the doctrines you believe in, are the most powerful tool of evangelism that you have. “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

2-WATER BAPTISM

The Water Baptism and the Holy Communion are the only two ordinances given by the Lord Jesus to the Church. Both apply only to the believers in Christ. The Water Baptism is done once in a lifetime, but the Holy Communion is done ‘as often’ as possible. No one of these ordinances saves a soul. Salvation is by Grace and thru Faith in Jesus Christ. But both impart strength, increase faith, and give Grace upon Grace to the believers. The Water Baptism is a spiritual ceremony for the believers in Christ. It is the command of Jesus. We must obey His command. The resurrected Christ commanded His disciples: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:18-20). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15, 16).

The early believers got baptized in water as a public declaration that they are now one with Christ. The Baptism in water is a baptism of repentance, forgiveness of sins and a new life in Christ. It symbolizes unity with Christ, in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:5-11). As with the partaking of the Holy Communion, the water baptism is only for believers, for the born-again Christians. The unbeliever has no testimony of salvation; therefore, he should not be baptized. The believer declares publicly thru water baptism that he is a sinner saved by grace. He has totally surrendered his life to Christ, his Savior. From now on, he will faithfully obey God’s Word. Thru baptism in water the believer declares that he becomes a member of the Body of Christ, the Church, and He will love the brethren with the Love of Christ. Water baptism is generally done by immersion. It is done in public and not in secret. It is done in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit! The baptism in water does not save a sinner but it confirms his testimony of salvation, to his conscience and to other people as witnesses. The proof that water baptism is not a prerequisite for salvation as seen in the story of the thief on the cross who believed in Christ in his last moments on earth (Luke 23:39-43).

3-THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE

The early church believers gave great importance to the study of God’s Word. They studied the Apostles’ doctrine. The word ‘doctrine’ means Biblical teaching. The apostles’ doctrine refers to the basic doctrines of salvation in Christ, by Grace and thru Faith. These doctrines are the very Words of Jesus as interpreted by His Apostles. The hunger for the Word of God, the passionate desire to read and study the doctrines of the Bible, is foundational to spiritual life and growth. During times of revival, the believers love the Word of God more than in the past. It is so sad that many pastors have stopped preaching the Word of God, the true Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. They preach inspirational stories, social events, and political topics. That is why many congregations are spiritually malnourished and weak. The unity of the Spirit is based on the unity of faith in the Word of God. Preaching the correct doctrine leads to godly behavior, spiritual growth in the believers and unity of the Spirit in the congregation. Preaching wrong doctrines leads to wayward worldly behavior, spiritual weakness, and division in the congregation. These are spiritual laws. The pulpit gives the tone and the atmosphere in any church. This is reminder of the great responsibility each pastor has before God and man!

Why were the early Christians so interested in the Biblical doctrines? They were baby Christians. They had just believed the Gospel of Christ and got saved. For the first time they discovered that all their lives they were fools and ignorant of God. They had religion but they were spiritually dead. Now, they became children of God. Truth has set them free. Their minds have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit. So, they wanted to know more of the truth, to understand who God is, and how they got saved. They were not tired to listen to God’s Word. They wanted more revelation so that they can grow spiritually and so that they can help others. They were tired of empty religion, entertainment stories, and philosophies. They were hungry for reality. By the way, this is a good question: are you hungry and thirsty for the Word of God? If the answer is yes, then you are saved! If the answer is no, you may only be religious but still dead in your sins. Examine yourselves! Selah!   

As you can see, the teaching and preaching of God’s Word is in the first place among the things the believers did when they gathered. This should be the pattern to all churches. The pulpit is the Throne of the Bible. The Word of God must be thought and preached with all authority, power, and joy. The Word of God gives life to men and makes the churches grow. In the absence of preaching the true doctrines sinners cannot be saved and the church will remain weak and divided. Every other activity in the church should submit to the preaching of God’s Word! Faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17). Salvation is the deepest experience and greatest change that can happen to any man. But Christianity is not just an experience. It is a new life that needs to be fed thru the Word of God. Teaching the Bible is food and water for the soul. The believer needs to learn and understand the basic doctrines of the Bible. Other religions may offer some spiritual experiences. But it is only the true Christian, who after the experience of salvation, desires to be thought the Word of God.

The early believers studied the Apostles’ doctrine. At that time the New Testament was not completely written. The believers listen to what the apostles were teaching them. The Apostles were the only men that had a truly intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. They sat at His feet for three and a half years. There were many disciples following Jesus. Out of them, He chose men whom He named apostles. “He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons” (Mark 3:13-15). His choice of whom should be an apostle is according to God’s sovereign call of grace. Their first duty was to sit at the feet of Jesus, to listen to His teaching and to be His friends. Their second duty was to go and preach the Word, heal, and deliver the oppressed. Here you see that your intimate relationship with Jesus is vital before you can do ministry to men in His name.  

To others, Jesus preached mostly in parables. But He thought His disciples directly, in a special way, so that they understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. These revelations will later become the apostles’ doctrines. As you can see, Jesus did not entrust His teaching to all men. He chose His apostles, and He revealed the truth to them in a particular way, preparing them to be the foundational stones of His Church.

“And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand… But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:10-17).

Just before His ascension, Jesus gave the Apostles perfect understanding of the Scriptures. The risen Christ told His apostles: “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44, 45). They now had a deeper understanding of how the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ. He opened their understanding by Himself. The apostles alone understood the mystery of the Gospel and the plan of salvation. The church is founded on their revelation with Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone. By preaching the Apostles’ doctrines, the church grows spiritually. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

There is a serious warning about truth and error concerning doctrines. If anyone preaches a different gospel, by a different spirit that preacher is ‘accursed’. The word means ‘eternally condemned’. Paul said: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).

The Apostles’ doctrine is a something objective. It is something you can understand. It is not something vague or inspirational. You can separate truth from error. You can differentiate true doctrines from the false ones. Apostle John repeats the warning: “We (the apostles) are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). Apostle John says that anyone who listens to the Apostle’s doctrine hears from God. That is the Spirit of Truth. Anyone who is not of God, a religious unbeliever, that one will not listen and obey the Apostles’ doctrine. He is deceived by an evil spirit of error. These words come with the authority of heaven. The devil has been fighting the Truth, the Bible, the true Gospel, and the true doctrines. He plants seeds of doubt in the mind of people. It is our responsibility to learn the truth and reject deceit.  

To study, preach, and teach God’s Word and the Biblical Doctrines is a difficult spiritual labor. But it has great reward! The congregation is to appreciate the pastor (elder) who pays the price to preach God’s Word. “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Timothy 5:17). Worship the Lord!

4-THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BRETHREN

The brethren loved to gather to study the Word of God and to pray. They loved God and one another. The visible church is the place for the fellowship of the brethren. This fellowship is not a social or political gathering. The fellowship is a deep spiritual connection of love, a unity of souls, thru the Holy Spirit. That is the church, the mystical body of Christ. The apostles’ doctrine controls the fellowship and the breaking of bread. It is never the other way around. Brethren must believe the same doctrines to have fellowship with one another. Meditate about this!

The fellowship is not a show, with a guest preacher or a famous singer coming to entertain people. It is more like ‘an ordinary’ family, growing together in wisdom and love. What made the fellowship special was the feeling that the God was with them, helping and protecting them. It was a spiritual gathering of believers. Because in the church we have a platform for loving and helping one another, we are commanded not to forsake it. “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10;24, 25).  

The easiest way to explain fellowship is the marriage between a man and a woman. Many say that they are Christians. They study the Bible, give offerings to some churches, but do not have fellowship with any other believer. That type of lonely ‘Christianity’ is fake. True Christians connect with one another in the local churches. They feel concern, they help and pray for one another. The local church is a true spiritual family. What makes the connection? It is the same faith, the same Holy Spirit in each of us, connecting us into one Body. When you meet another Christian brother (or sister), even if naturally he is different than you, you will immediately feel a connection with him. There is a magnetic attraction between two souls who are washed by the same Blood of Jesus. This love, this connection, cannot happen between a believer and an unbeliever. That is why we are commanded not to ‘yoke’ with unbelievers.

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:14-18).   

We remind ourselves that the believers are not perfect people. But they have fellowship of love, trust, and freedom more than any natural gathering. They keep the unity of the Spirit because they believe the same doctrines. A lonely Christian is a weak Christian. You must belong to a fellowship. Leave the world and become a member of a good living church. The fellowship among brethren is a sample of heaven on earth.      

5-THE BREAKING OF BREAD

We have seen that the believers loved to gather to study the Word, pray and partake in the Holy Communion. At that time there were not buildings called ‘churches.’ The believers met in one another’s houses to have fellowship. It is more like what today we call ‘home-fellowships’ or ‘lighthouses.’ They come to listen to God’s Word and prayer. They would bring food (something similar with what we call ‘a love feast’). They eat the meal together. At the end, they take a loaf of bread and remembering the last supper with Jesus, they divide the loaf among themselves. After that, they take a big cup of wine or grape juice, and each drank from it. They remember the life and death of their Lord. They encourage themselves by the Holy Spirit. This ceremony became known as the Last Supper or the Holy Communion. Since then, this blessed remembrance of the Lord Jesus has been obeyed without interruptions. It will continue to be so until Jesus comes again.

This is what the Apostle Paul said: “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). It is good to remember that the Holy Communion is a command of Jesus. It is not an emotional remembrance. As Christians, we do it in obedience to His Word, to remember Him. The Holy Communion is a visible silent sermon. As we see and partake of the bread and the wine, our faith increases. Grace is added to our souls. The sermon preached is the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. We remember that Jesus died for our sins, therefore we are healed and saved. We are also reminded that He will come again to punish all evil and to reward His people. On that day, we shall resurrect with new bodies, just like His body. Also, the Lord commanded that we should partake from the Holy Communion so that we remember to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It forces us to examine our lives and repent from sins. Worship the Lord!   

THE EARLY CHURCH (6)/ THE GIFT OF TONGUES

During the Sunday service, Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Early Church (6)/ The gift of tongues. Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts and the Book of 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14.   

We continue to study the early church, to discover the perfect pattern God has in mind about the Body of Christ. We see that the first Christians had a spiritual power and boldness to preach the Gospel and to pray. They loved the Word of God and their fellowship with one another. They were generous with their resources, helping the needy. They loved the name of Jesus and used it with authority. Signs and wonders accompanied their ministry. They were persecuted for their faith, but they were always victorious in all circumstances. Their faith and boldness were beautiful. When the Holy Spirit was poured on the believers on the day of Pentecost, there were visible and audible signs that accompanied it. He came as a Wind and as a Fire. The brethren started speaking in new languages, praising God. This was God’s gift to them that attracted the attention of many people from different countries. Peter preached to the people with authority and power. Three thousand of men got converted that day. We shall study the gift of tongues.

The word ‘tongues’ means languages. The gift of tongues (or Glossolalia, in Greek) is defined as a gift of the Holy Spirit given to believers in Christ and manifested as speaking in a language not previously known to the speaker. The gift also manifests as praying, or singing, usually in an unintelligible ecstatic speech. As with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the gift of tongues is given for the good of the Body of Christ and to encourage the believers. It is received by faith, thru prayer in the name of Jesus!

The Christian life is based on the study of the Word of God and prayer. These are the basics. Gifts are given by God to help the believer become stronger. No gift should replace the study of the Bible and prayer. The truth is that most of the saints of old did not speak in tongues, or at least they did not say that they did. There is much argument among Christians about the value of the gift of tongues. Some denominations, like the Pentecostals and the Charismatics, believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is always manifested thru the gift of tongues. Other evangelicals do not insist on having this gift. There is also argument between the Christians about the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of tongues. They believe that ‘tongues’ were only necessary for the early church and have ceased since then. Others say that the gift of tongues is still manifesting today. Many Christian forbid praying in tongues saying it is a gift from the devil. We shall not join the arguments. We shall simply keep to the Word of God and declare only what we are sure about. May the Holy Spirit lead us on.

This gift did not manifest in the Old Testament or during the time of Jesus. The only place this gift is mentioned in the Gospels is at the end of the Book of Mark and it is a prophecy. Just before His ascension, the resurrected Christ told His disciples: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15-18). Living faith will manifest as successful deliverance and healing ministry, speaking in new tongues, and supernatural protection from deadly attacks. The gift of tongues is described in the Book of Acts 2, 10 and 19 and in the Book of 1 Corinthians, chapters 12, 13 and 14.

As believers, we declare that Jesus Christ is the Savior, Lord, Healer, and Baptizer with the Holy Spirit. When you become saved, the Holy Spirit comes into you, like a sample of greater things. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ. That Baptism is not always ‘felt’ as an experience, but it is real, nevertheless. After that experience of salvation, you need to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Many call the first filling ‘the baptism with the Holy Spirit’. It is a clear experience, a spiritual reality. It is not an imagination to be taken ‘by faith’. As water is poured into a bottle, making a gurgling noise, so the Holy Spirit fills you. You feel it! You can describe it! Often, but not always, it manifests as speaking in tongues. The believer cannot but praise God in the new heavenly language of angels (1 Cor 13:1). The effect of this first filling with the Spirit is power and joy. The believer becomes bold to declare his salvation. He is not afraid of men’s opinions of their persecution. He loves the Bible, prayer and going to church. He desires to publicly declare his stand for Jesus thru water baptism.  

The gift of ‘Tongues’ has two manifestations: ‘speaking in tongues’, and ‘praying in tongues.’

*TONGUES as prophetic speech! The Gift of the Holy Spirit called ‘tongues’ is not given to everybody. It is a prophetic speech, an utterance in another language, spoken in the assembly, as people listen. In the church, that gift needs a secondary gift called ‘the interpretation of tongues,’. It is for the benefit of all the members of the Body. God speaks to His people. Therefore, it is a prophetic gift.  

*TONGUES as prayer! This is a personal gift of prayer in an unknown tongue. Each born again Christian can receive this prayer language, by faith and thru prayer. How does it manifest? The believer prays to God in a new language. His understanding is not active. He prays mysteries. He does not understand what he is praying for, but he believes that he is praying, that God listens, and God understands. He also believed that the devil does not understand his prayer. At the end of the prayer, he feels good, with a peace and a satisfaction that God will answer him. When praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit prays thru him according to the will of God. As he prays in tongues, God may give him some glimpse of His will, a vision for the future, or a word to obey. This personal gift of praying in the Spirit is mostly for the personal encouragement of the believer, so that later, he will encourage the church.     

THE GIFT OF TONGUES IN THE BOOK OF ACTS

During the pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, there were some visible and audible manifestations that were unique for that day. For example, the Holy Spirit filled the house and the disciples, like a ‘rushing mighty wind’. There were visible flames of fire like tongues on the head of each of the disciples. They started speaking in new tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The strangers in Jerusalem heard them speaking in their own languages ‘the wonderful works of God’. They were all amazed and perplexed at what they saw and heard. Some mockers said: ‘They are full of new wine’. The people saw that the disciples were ‘filled’ with something. But like Peter said, these were not drunk with wine. They were ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit. The sound, sights and tongues attracted all people. These were signs and miracles God used to Baptize the disciples into a new Body called the Church. Peter describes these visible and audible signs as miracles from heaven, sent from the resurrected and exalted Christ, to fill the disciples on earth. He said: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Ac 2:32. 33).

Concerning the speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost, we can say this: all the disciples spoke in different human languages of different nations. These tongues were supernatural. The disciples did not learn these new languages. They did not need an interpreter because they spoke in the known human languages. They felt a pressure to manifest this gift. They could not stop speaking these languages as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. The languages were ‘a sign for the unbelievers’ (1 Cor 14:22). It attracted them to hear the sermon of Peter, who preached with unusual power and anointing. Three thousand men believed and were added to the church that day.  

The second time the gift of speaking in tongues was manifested is when Peter preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his household. The Holy Spirit fell on these Gentile believers even before Peter finished his sermon. They started speaking in new tongues. This was a supernatural sign, not to the unbelievers, but to the believers, to Peter and to some Jewish brethren from Joppa who followed him. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God” (Acts 10:44-46).

The third incident of speaking in tongues was in Ephesus. Paul met some disciples who repented and were baptized in water. But they have not heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains to them that Jesus died, rose from the dead, and is now exalted in heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to baptize all the believers. “Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:4-6). This is the first case when the Baptism with the Holy Spirit came thru the laying of Pauls’ hands.   

THE GIFT OF TONGUES IN THE BOOK OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12, 13, and 14

These are the revelations concerning speaking in tongues by believers in the church:

*The Holy Spirit is one! The Body is One! The Holy Spirit is sovereign in giving gifts to each believer. There are many members, many gifts, and many ministries. But the Holy Spirit keeps the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).

*The Holy Spirit gives different gifts for the benefit of the Body and for the profit of all. Gifts are not to be used selfishly for man’s glory!

*The gift of tongues at Pentecost was manifested by all the believers but in the Church, the gift of prophetic tongues is not given to all.

*The gift of tongues appears to be the least of the gifts, considering its value to the Body, and comparing it to the other gifts. The gift of tongues appears at the end of the list of gifts. The gift of the Apostle is always first, and the gift of the Prophet is second. The gift of tongues does not appear in the other lists of spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Peter 4:10, 11).   

*We are commanded to pursue Love as the most excellent way and to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. The word ‘prophesy’ means to speak, preach, or sing totally led by the Holy Spirit. It means to bring a fresh revelation of the Word of God that will strengthen the Church. It means to shine the light of the Word of God in the darkness of unbelief. It is a preaching that is totally Christ honoring. Having gifts and lacking love is useless as a testimony. The gifts of prophesy and tongues shall cease when ‘the perfection’ comes. When we shall see Christ face to face, at His second coming, we do not need intermediary gifts like prophesy or tongues.

*The gift of prophesy (preaching under the anointing of the Holy Spirit) has more value than speaking in tongues, at least in the church. The tongues need the secondary gift of interpretation, so that the people understand what was spoken in tongues. The gift of interpretation is not translation of tongues. The believer ‘interprets’ what the other speaks in tongues. Both these gifts are from the Holy Spirit, and they work together. Without an interpreter, the believer who desire to speak in tongues in the church, should keep silent. Prophetic utterance is faster than tongues because it is spoken in the language of all and does not need interpreter.  

*As believers we should desire gifts that will strengthen the Church, for the benefit of all. Spiritual power for ministry is the greatest gain!  

*The gift of praying in tongues is to strengthen the believer himself. As a believer I pray, or sing, with both my understanding and in my spirit, when my understanding is suspended. The two forms of singing or praying have their own functions. We should balance them to help the church and each one individually. The gift of praying in tongues releases spiritual strength and joy to the believer!!!

*There are false tongues too. The devil can give counterfeit gifts of tongues. What is the test? If the Holy Spirit has given you the tongue, you will encourage and strengthen yourself when you pray in tongues. If you pray in tongues and you are still weak spiritually, it is possible that you are manifesting a fake gift of tongues.  

*There are great dangers connected with speaking in tongues. Many are faking the gift, becoming religious hypocrites. Others have become proud and manipulative, seeing them as proof of God’s blessing and trying to control the assembly. But many Christians see them as genuine gifts and something to be thankful for.

*Passionately desire to prophesy (preach the Word of God under the anointing of the Holy Spirit)! Do not forbid to speak with tongues!

*All things in the church should be done in order, submitting to the Holy Spirit, the authority of the Word, and to the human delegated authority! The gifts of the Spirit do not put you in a trance. Be yourself! Be humble! All gifts should be under the control of the believer’s spirit!

THE SIGNS THAT YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

The first time you get filled with the Holy Spirit, it is a special experience. It is not an imagination. You ‘feel’ the Holy Spirit being poured into your very soul and body. That first filling it is usually called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. After that, you are to obey the command to be refiled always with the same Spirit. “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:18-21).

The filling with the Holy Spirit is similar like being drunk with wine. The effect of the alcohol is that it affects your brain and other organs. Alcohol does not digest. It passes directly into the blood stream. Its effect is fast. Alcohol is a depressant that manifests as a stimulant. It depresses the higher centers in the brain, the part of you that makes you a human being, that gives you self-control and discipline. The effect of the alcohol is that you now behave ‘like an animal’. You feel good, you lose your anxiety and start talking too much. Your speech is slurred, sounding as tongues. You now feel bold and courageous. Embolden, you make wrong decisions that you will regret later. All these symptoms of feeling good are temporary. They soon disappear and you feel worse than before. You become addicted to alcohol because you want to keep feeling high. Alcoholism is ‘dissipation’. In Greek, the word ‘dissipation’ means reckless behavior, rioting, or wastefulness. The man addicted to alcohol is like the prodigal son, unable to save his life, his money or anything good. Alcoholism leads to poverty, loss of reputation and death.

We are commanded to ‘be filled with the Spirit’. In Greek, the word ‘filled’ is at present tense. It shows a continuous present action. You are being filled now! The word means to fill a container, to finish what you have started. These are the effects of being filled with the Holy Spirit:

*Speech! The speech changes. You are now bold to speak to others from the Word of God!

*Sing! You are joyful in all circumstances. This joy manifest as freedom and passion to sing praise and worship songs. You hate secular songs.

*Submit! You become humble and you submit to other brethren in the fear of God!

*Thanksgiving! You become a humble and a deeply grateful person, to the God who saved your soul! Your relationship with your spouse, your children and other people is much better, giving glory to God!

As you can see, the gift of speaking in tongues is not mentioned here as a sign or a proof of being filled with the Spirit. Boldness in preaching, anointing in singing, humility to submit to others, a grateful heart, and a clear testimony of a godly behavior pattern, at home and with others, these are the sure signs of a believer filled and led by the Holy Spirit!  

BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

First, this a necessary reminder: only a true child of God can be filled with the holy Spirit! How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit?

1-Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Not every believer desire to be filled with the Spirit. This is because once the Holy Spirit takes control over your life, you will not be able to do what you want anymore. You need to die to self and live for the glory of God alone! The baby Christians still struggle with these things. They are still selfish. You need to search your heart if you are ready for a total surrender to God!

 2-Present your body as a living sacrifice and a spiritual temple, to be filled with the Holy Spirit! God wants you to be at a particular place, doing His will. Your body should be where God wants you to be. Rebellion about your location and sexual sin hinder the filling with the Holy Spirit!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1). God has been good to you. He has shown you mercy. Your body belongs to Him. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor 6:15-20). “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories” (Ac 17:26; AMP).

3-Pray in faith! Ask God to fill you with His Spirit. Patiently, continue to pray until God fills you! Then give thanks and serve God. “So, I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:9-13). Often, but not always, the filling with the Holy Spirit manifests as praying in tongues and great joy!

THE BENEFITS OF PRAYING IN TONGUES

*Praying in tongues gives a greater spiritual power to speak to God alone. It increases the spiritual intimacy with God. It brings supernatural joy in the believer! It makes you feel comfortable to speak ‘mysteries’, to worship God in Spirit and in Truth! “He who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2).

*Praying in tongues feeds and build your inner man, your spirit! At the end of the prayer, you feel spiritually stronger. Fear and confusion are removed. “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (1 Corinthians 14:4). You feel happy and strong, trusting God for the victory!

*Praying in tongues balances the praying in your human language. Both your mind and your spirit need exercise. Praying only in English can make you proud. Praying in togues humbles you! “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:14, 15).

*Praying in tongues is a way for the Spirit to supply ‘utterance’ to you, that can be used later as a word of Wisdom.  “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4)

*Praying in tongues inspires you to worship God better, to magnify Him, by declaring His wonderful works of God! “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11). “For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God” (Acts 10:46)

*Praying in tongues connects you with the prayer of the Holy Spirit inside your spirit. Even when you do not know what to pray about, or how to pray, the Holy Spirit will help you pray the right prayer. In this way, you never pray amiss. You always pray acceptable prayers. God will always answer you because you pray according to God’s will and purpose. The effect of these spiritual prayers is that suddenly, you see that ‘all things work together for good’ for you and God takes all the glory! “Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:26-28)

*Praying in tongues relaxes your spirit and gives you rest in your mind, your emotions, and your body. It brings healing. “For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing” (Isaiah 28:11, 12). In Hebrew, the word ‘rest’ means to settle down in a permanent peaceful comfortable home. It is the same word with: He leads me beside the still (or quiet) waters (Psalm 23:2).  

MY TESTIMONY

I got saved thru a crisis conversion on the 12th of April 1986. I got filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time. Immediately my life changed. I got a new spirit. I became hungry and thirsty for the Word of God. I started reading the Bible like I have never read a book in my life. This passion for the Word of God and prayer has never left me since then. I lost my fear of death. I had a strong desire to attend a local church and meet other brethren, so that we discuss the things of God. All these are clear signs that I got born again, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit. About ten years later, as I studied the Bible and saw that there is a gift of speaking, singing, or praying in other tongues, with faith 100%, I asked God for it. He gave it to me. Since then, I love praying in tongues. When I pray in the Spirit, I do not feel fake or funny. I feel good, happy, and comfortable with my prayer language. When I feel the ‘push’ to pray, but I do not have a particular thing in my mind, I pray in tongues. At the end, I feel that God understood me, but the devil did not understand me. I feel like I bypassed the strategy of the devil and that I gained the victory, even when I cannot describe the war that I was involved in. When I pray in English, I feel some limitation. Often, I do not feel satisfied with my English prayer. But when I pray in tongues, I feel like an eagle, flying strong and high, with no fear and no limitations. It is the same with worshipping God in song. I sing in English. It is good. But when I sing without words, like an instrumental music in my spirit, I feel different. I enter the presence of God faster. Praying and singing in the Spirit has given me boldness as a preacher, as a worshipper. In Conclusion, we need to balance praying in English and praying in tongues. Each has its own power and purpose. To God be all the glory! Worship the Lord!

THE EARLY CHURCH (5)/ THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The early Church (5)/ The Doctrine of the Unity of the Spirit. Her main text was taken from the Book of Acts.  “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.… he (Peter) testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day, about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Ac 2:1-4; 40-47).

THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT – WITH ONE ACCORD, IN ONE PLACE

The disciples were waiting for the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, in unity of the Spirit. It was a requirement of Jesus for the Spirit to come and ‘weld’ them into a new Body called the Church. We are told that they were ‘all with one accord in one place’ (Ac 2:1). The early church continued the practice this unity of the Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can work in their midst and thru them. The unity of the Spirit is vital for the organic growth of the Church and for experiencing miracles. One of the most difficult things to do is to keep is the unity of the Spirit!!!

Unity is generally defined as the state of being ONE! It is a condition of harmony, peace, joy, balance, and beauty. Unity is a state when the different parts agree with one another and work for the common good. Unity is togetherness. Unity is power. The opposite of unity is division and confusion. These are the basic attitudes of the world, as the result of the Curse of Babel (Genesis 11). “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33). In Greek, the word ‘confusion’ means disorder, tumult (when a group of restless people argue, and talk loud at the same time). The word peace in Greek (irene) means to have a calm sound mind, and to experience prosperity. Peace is unity and confusion is division of mind. The Church of the Living God is the only gathering of people in the world where there is unity of the Spirit. The Church is blessed, and the curse of Babel is destroyed in her midst. The unity of the Spirit manifests as life, power, and growth! This law applies to godly marriages too. The relationship between husband and wife should be in flesh and Spirit. Then the marriage become ‘born again’, it matures, becoming a source of life and ministry to many.

The doctrine of the unity of the Spirit says that the Church, the Body of Christ, is One! It is composed of all the believers in Christ Jesus, but the Body is One! This supernatural unity is the direct effect of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Though One, we are many, collectively following Christ our Head and together fulfilling His purpose and will. “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor 12:12, 13).

The Unity of the Spirit is not a natural desire to stay together, or to try to be friendly to one another. It is said that ‘birds of the same feather flock together’. Christians are ‘birds’ of the same Spirit ‘feather’. It is also said that ‘blood is thicker than water’. It is true. But Spirit is thicker than blood. The unity of the brethren in the Church is the desire of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, and it is maintained by the Holy Spirit.  

The unity of the Spirit is a peculiar atmosphere among believers based on the same faith in Christ and in His Word. Unity cannot be forced. Unity cannot be achieved by obeying some laws. No man can produce it. It is the unity that only the Holy Spirit can produce. Man is not asked to produce this unity, but man must ‘keep’ it. Sin, especially pride, selfish ambition, hatred and competition, divides, damages, and destroys it. “Nothing will avail to divide the Church as love of power” (Chrysostom, died 407 AD).

THE BLOOD OF JESUS WAS SHED FOR THIS UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (Jn 17:20-23). The Unity of the Spirit in the church is the result of God’s work in Christ. The Blood of Jesus was shed on the Cross for this unity to be given to us as a gift! Jesus requested for it from the Father. This unity reflects the Trinity’s glory and perfection on earth. It is a sign to the unbelievers that God is alive and working in the Church. Unity in the Church is one of the greatest tools for evangelism. Praise the Lord!

The unity of the Spirit is always spiritual and never in the flesh. The unity of the Spirit is always related to unity of faith. The believers are one in the Spirit because they believe the same major doctrines. They may disagree in ‘matters of indifference’ but they agree about the great basic doctrines of salvation. This is a spiritual law: before you can have fellowship with others, you must agree with them in the matter of faith and doctrines. Mind has more power than the emotions! These days, churches desire fellowship at any cost. But that assembly is not blessed by the Holy Spirit because they do not believe the same doctrine. Faith in the Word of God, in truth, is more important than fellowship. Selah!

The Church is made of many believers. There is a spiritual unity among them. It is not like a car that has many parts. It is like a human body that has many organs but the same blood flows thru all. Therefore, the unity of the Spirit is organic, not mechanical, not forced. Each believer is connected directly to Christ, who is the Head of the Church. At the same time, each believer connects to other believers thru the Spirit. This is the result of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire done by Christ. This is how the Church is a Living organic growing Body. The world is not united. All unbelievers are scattered and divided. When a sinner becomes saved, the Holy Spirit goes inside him and gives him eternal life. That life starts to manifest thru fruits of the Spirit and unity with other believers. Thru the Holy Spirit that new believer is baptized into the Body of Christ. He is not like an addition. It becomes part of the body. God has predestined that believer and has already prepared work for him to do. He becomes a part of the Body of Christ, receives gifts from the Holy Spirit and a vision of his work on earth for the glory of His Savior.

Unity is not conformity. All parts are not the same as biscuits in a box. In unity there is diversity. Like with the human body, some parts, like the eyes, are seen. Other organs, like ‘the private parts’, are covered. Other parts, like the organs inside the body are invisible. But all these parts are necessary to the life of the body. The parts cooperate and do not compete with one another. Each believer is called to be a disciple and a servant of Jesus. He matures spiritually so that he can work for God, do his part in the Body. No believer can survive on his own. The branches of the vine take their life sap from the vine. Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. Rebellion and division in the church is like deadly poison. For a believer there is nothing like ‘I do what I want and when I want it’. In the Body of Christ there is submission to God and to His delegated human authority. As each part submits, and grows, the Body becomes stronger. Therefore, there are stronger and weaker Christians. There are also stronger and weaker local Churches. Selah!  

THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IS A GIFT AND A GOAL

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all… “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:1-6; 13).

Apostle Paul is talking to the brethren in Ephesus. He knows that they meet in their houses. They are different in race, social status, and economic status. Some are masters and others are slaves. There are men, women, and children. What keeps them together is the unity of the faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit. In our churches today, we face the same challenges. The church is a mixed multitude. There are people of different races, ages, economic and social status. It has always been difficult to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It is not easy for people, even for the believers in the church, to relate well to people who are different than they. Paul wrote this letter as a prisoner in Rome. He is pleading with them to walk worthy of the high calling as a Christian. The Holy Spirit is in each believer and in the Church. The Church is the only Body God can use to change the world. The highest gift from God is to be saved and become a member of His Body on earth!

The purpose for this unity is to give glory to God and for each believer to become like Christ! How is this unity to be maintained? ‘With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love in the bond (or band). The words describe an attitude of love, peace, humility, and gentleness, typical of a true believer. This attitude is not weakness, but strength. It is being like Jesus who said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

The unity of the Spirit is described in two ways: a Gift and a Goal! The unity of the Spirit is first a gift from the resurrected Christ. It must be gratefully received, kept, preserved, and protected, by all the believers. At the same time, the unity of the Spirit is a goal to attain. The unity of the Spirit in the Body of Christ is a Unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God. The aim is to mature all believers, to become ‘perfect’, to become like Jesus! In that way, the Body of Christ becomes spiritually strong, pleasing to Christ. In other words, we protect what we have received, and we walk towards this perfect unity of the Spirit. It is like salvation: it is a gift to be received by faith and, thru the process of sanctification we ‘work it out with fear and trembling’ (Phil 2:12). This unity requires the study of God’s Word and prayer. Humility and love are basic attitudes to keep this unity, both in the Church and the marriage relationship. Faith in God is necessary too. Faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Rom 10:17). The knowledge of the Son of God, His life and work to save sinners, is found in the Word of God. Therefore, we can say that the church where the true Gospel, the true doctrines of salvation are preached, that is a church that will experience spiritual maturity, the unity of the Spirit and revival. Any church that preaches false doctrines will remain divided and will not experience unity or revival! The ’holy glue’ that keeps the unity in the Church is LOVE!

THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IS LIKE THE HUMAN BODY – THE PARTS ARE THE SAME AND ALSO DIFFERENT

1-We are the same! To fulfill our calling we must be lowly, humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love. These are the necessary qualities to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. When pride, selfish ambition, and impatience manifest, the unity and the peace is destroyed. It is Christ, thru His shed Blood on the Cross, and by Holy Spirit, that started this unity of the Spirit. When Jesus died, the wall of hateful separation between Jew and Gentile, between different groups of people, was ‘abolished’ (Eph 2:13-18). All the believers, as One Man, together, we have access to God the Father thru Jesus Christ our Lord! Hallelujah!

Our duty is to ‘keep’ this unity, to maintain it. We are all the same, sinners saved by grace! We may differ in some issues but for as long as we believe the major doctrines of salvation, we can keep the unity of the Spirit. The only people we cannot be united with are the people who are not saved, who believe false doctrines. This is a reminder that the single brethren should not marry unbelievers. They will be united in the flesh but not in the Spirit. That marriage cannot be happy or successful. Selah!

2-We are different! God made us different. We are of different races, gender, nationalities, levels of education or social status. In the world, the rich oppress the poor, the educated mock the illiterate. There is racial and gender discrimination. Just because they are different it is hard for men and women to keep the unity of the Spirit. One of the greatest challenges in marriage is to keep this unity of the Spirit. Sexual lust, adultery, greed, pride, and sin in general, destroys the glue of this Unity. Repentance and restitution are necessary for the unity to be re-established. Another area of pride and competition is the manifestation of spiritual gifts in the church. Christ gave each one of the believers’ different gifts. These gifts are for the unity and blessing of the Body. But these are a source of envy and division in the church. It should not be so. We need to acknowledge Christ’ sovereignty, authority, and generosity in giving gifts to men as He pleases. All gifts are for the benefit of the Body. No gift is to be used selfishly or for monetary gain. Don’t envy or despise other people’s gifts. Love and pray for one another!

UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN MARRIAGE

“The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him. And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’; so, then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.” In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery” (Mark 10:2-12).

God hates divorce (Mal 2:16). Why?  Because God invented marriage. God created each man to have his own wife. In God’s original plan, there were not lonely or single people without a mate. Each man had his wife. Each couple had children. There was no sin, no divorce, and no death. There was not an option for polygamy. When the man and his wife got united in marriage they left their families, joined together, and became ‘one flesh’. Number ‘one’ cannot be divided. The children are the product of that ‘one flesh’. As you cannot cut a child into two and the child will still be alive, so, you cannot divorce two people who are already married. God ‘has joined them together’ means that marriage is God’s work and not man’s work. Divorce means to destroy God’s work. Every marriage, every conception in the womb, every delivery of a baby, these are the work of God! In the Old Testament breaking of marriage, or adultery, was punished with death (Lev 20:10). But if a man has sex with a (slave) single woman, the man shall be ‘scourged’ (beaten with 40 stripes) but not killed (Lev 19:20-22). This is to tell you that adultery because it was the breaking of God’s work, had a greater punishment than fornication!!! The last of the Ten Commandments forbade ‘coveting’. Adultery is ‘heart coveting or lusting’ of another man’s wife. This sexual lust is dangerously close to death punishment. Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:27, 28). Adultery (in the body or in the heart) is a form of dividing and scattering God’s Work on earth. Repent therefore! The unity of the Spirit in marriage is maintained by the husband loving his wife as Christ loved the Church, and by the wife submitting to her own husband, as unto the Lord Jesus! (Eph 5:22-33). Selah!

BEWARE OF THE SIN OF DIVISION!!!

Dividing people is a work of the flesh. “The works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions (strong disagreements), heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-21).

Division in the Church in a sin. Apostle Paul is asking: “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1:13). Obviously, the answer is No! The unity of the Spirit in the church is the result of preaching the truth, the true Gospel. Preaching false doctrines leads to sin, lawlessness, and division. People who believe the same thing, will stay united. We are of the same Body of Christ, the same Blood saved all of us. We have the same Father therefore we are members of the same spiritual family. Based on this truth, we should be flexible and keep the unity of the Spirit.

The strategy of the devil in Church and in marriages, is this: “Divide and conquer!’ Do not be ignorant on this! There are many warnings against false brethren who infiltrate the church like spies, to find a weakness in the Body, to divide it. These deceivers may behave well, looking so much like true Christians. For a moment, stop admiring their works and listen to their words. You will discover that they believe false doctrines. They reject the true Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. They pretend to be humble, but they are proud. They pretend to love you, but, in their hearts, they desire that you should backslide. They want you to lose your reward. In the Old Testament, the spirit of Absalom represents the evil spirit of pride, division, selfish ambition, bitterness and unforgiveness, sexual lust, and love for power. He tried to divide the kingdom. He deceived the people of Israel thru lies and flatteries. In this way, he ‘stole their hearts’ (2 Samuel 15:6). He died an untimely, shameful, death. This was God’s punishment. Selah!   

A homewrecker is someone who has an adulterous affair with a married person and causes that marriage to fail. He (she) is responsible for a couple’s separation or divorce. He is happy that the couple has divorced. He wants to replace one of the married partners with himself. Apart from human beings, there are other evil activities also called ‘homewreckers’: pornography, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction, or domestic violence. The opposite of a homewrecker is called a homebuilder. Generally, love and wisdom build a home. Foolishness and selfishness destroy a family. “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” (PV 14:1). This is a question: If God punishes adultery with death, how much more serious is the sin of church-wrecking? Selah!     

We are commanded to totally separate from false brethren who reject the basic doctrine (or Gospel) of Christ (2 Jn 1:7-11). We are also commanded to note people who divide the body with false teachings, lies and flattery. If they refuse to repent, they will be crushed by the Prince of Peace! Avoid them! “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore, I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly… Amen!” (Rom 16:17-20). Avoid people who are easily offended, over-sensitive, who quarrel, and verbally abuse others, especially the leaders in the church. Divisive people need to be disciplined in the church. “Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Titus 3:9-11). Also, avoid people who gossip and are bitter, unforgiving. “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends” (PV 16:28; NIV). Unforgiveness divides friends. “He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends” (PV 17:9; AMP). Selah!

JESUS IS THE THREE-FOLD CORD

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecc 4:9-12)

The word ‘overpowered’ means to prevail. The word ‘withstand’ means to resist successfully against an attack. The word ‘broken’ means to tear apart, to divide or separate. There is power in unity. This applies to marriage and to church. A lonely Christian is vulnerable specially to attacks. Having another to agree in prayer and encouragement is strength. Two cannot be pushed back. The third cord that binds the other two is Jesus Christ. This is the unity of the Spirit. Two in the unity of the Spirit can be divided only if they damage the unity seal. This is what Jesus said: “Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt 18:19-20).

HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT?

How do we maintain the unity of the Spirit? By being like Jesus! By dying to self and living to Christ! “Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord; of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:1-4).

THE CHURCH IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“Therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:19-22). God builds His Church, like His Holy Temple. God arranges us as living stones, one to support the other. Each believer is a living stone filled with the Holy Spirit. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. But together, as One Body, we become ‘the dwelling place of God’ the Holy Spirit. This Body is alive and growing. This Body changes the world. All things work together for the good of not only individual believers, but for the good of the Church! The Church is The Father’s gift to the Son! The Church is the most expensive thing bought in this universe. Jesus died and shed His Blood to purchase it. The Church is the temple on earth where the Holy Spirit dwells. The Church is God’s greatest treasure. The Church is the foundation and pillar of truth and the best sample of heaven on earth! Worship the Lord!

PRAYER/SONG FOR UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

“Bind Us Together, Lord/ Bind Us Together/ With Cords That Cannot Be Broken

Bind Us Together, Lord/ Bind Us Together/ Bind Us Together In Love!

There Is Only One God/ There Is Only One King/ There Is Only One Body/ That Is Why We Sing” (song by Bob Gillman)

Worship the Lord!

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Is 53:3-5)

This is the description of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit revealed it to the Prophet Isaiah long before the first Christmas. Isaiah saw Him as a suffering servant set to do the will of God. He also saw Him in His glory that followed His sufferings. This is a word for all who are sick at heart, in their mind on in their body. ‘By His stripes we are healed!’ Please meditate upon these words! It is not saying that ‘we shall be healed’ in the future. We are healed now! If you believe that Jesus was punished and died on the Cross for your sins and that He carried away your sicknesses then you are healed NOW! The word ‘stripes’ means permanent marks on the body following severe beating with the whip or with the rod. It is a raised mark on the surface of the body produced by a grievous blow. The Lord acquired these stripes on the Cross. He took the punishment for our sins. In heaven He has a new body but the stripes are still there as a reminder. His hands are still punctured by the nails on earth. Oh, what a Savior…

This is my testimony: When I am sick, I pray and trust God for healing. I repeat these holy words with faith and courage: ‘By Your stripes I am healed!’ I repeat these words again and again; when I am in the kitchen and cooking; when I climb the stairs… I say these words when I take my shower… By the time my mouth is tired of saying them, the sickness is gone! The Word of God is a holy seed. Let it enter into your spirit! It will produce roots and fruits. One of the fruits is called faith! May your faith increase! May your testimony be established! Glory to God!

“My wife, there is no retirement with worshipping God. Even in our old age, we must serve Him to the end. His holy calling to us as pastors does not have a retirement program. God will give us more grace and more wisdom, even as we get older and our bodies get weaker. Fear not! God’s strength shall equal our days!”

(The advice of my husband, Pastor Richmond Sisan Leigh, to me, before he went to heaven. These are precious words to me!)

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” (Ps 139:13-17)

God knows everything about you. God knows everything about your children. You are not a mistake. You were in God’s mind before you came on earth! You are a planned pregnancy! God formed you in the secret place where no human eye can see, and no human hand can touch. Today, take a moment and praise the God who formed your inward parts! He started with one little cell and lovingly multiplies it to become a baby! All your organs function well without asking for your help. God covered you in your mother’s womb! The word ‘covered’ means to place a screen over the baby, to protect and defend him (or her) from enemies. There are so many reasons why a pregnancy can end in a miscarriage: the baby may be sick, the womb or the placenta may have a problem, the mother may be sick too. But even so, at just the right time, you came out alive and well. Praise the Lord!

God made all your organs. He formed the inward parts. These words mean the kidneys, the heart and all the rest organs. Everything inside you, all your organs, visible or invisible, co-operate with the will of God. That is why you live! God made and protected your body. God is jealous over the wellbeing of the organs! From the time of conception, until the very end, God protects your baby’s heart and mind. No heart beats by itself. God counts the beats, the seconds, and the days! Trust God! You will not experience miscarriage. You will not be cheated by untimely death! God knows His job! God is in control! Praise Him! I mean really praise God aloud with singing!

You who pray to have children, may God give you, your heart’s desire! For nothing is impossible for God! Just vow to give God alone all the glory!

Today I praise God for His protection over me, from my conception until the very end! Today I praise God for His continuous personal loving protection over my children and grandchildren! My life and my children we are signs and wonders of the grace of the only Living God! From the bottom of my heart, I praise You, Lord! By God’s grace, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My very body declares the power and the glory of Almighty God! I can never feel ugly! I can never feel too short, too tall, too skinny, or too fat! I am a child of God! I am and I feel beautiful! He who made the stars and placed them in the sky, made me as well! God made me unique and special! His name is Wonderful! God has placed a soul in my body. God breathe His Spirit inside my soul! I am saved! Hallelujah!

(Picture taken from the internet of a 16-week-old baby)

SUNSET FROM MY BALCONY (Effurun/ Warri/ Nigeria)

GOD IS THE GREATEST ARTIST!!!

‘I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth’ (3Jn 1:4)

In these two pictures there is our older daughter, Alina. The distance of time between the two pictures is almost forty years. What a time! So many precious memories come to my mind… Things changed, locations are not the same… Even our faces have changed… But one thing is sure: God has been with us all this time. I also declare that He will be with us unto the end of time.

This morning I am pondering once more, with thanksgiving in my heart, about God’s gift of family, of having children. I still remember how anxious I was when I became a mother 43 years ago. Our children were all fruits of true love. As a young bride I loved my husband with all my heart. We met in Romania and fell in love over a cadaver (in the anatomy class)!!!! Against all odds we got married. At that time, I’ve never traveled out of Romania and I did not know where Nigeria is on the map. We had two children, a boy called Toju John and a girl called Alina Yemi. In 1980, my husband and I came to Nigeria, with our children. I was anxious during this transition, but I trusted my husband to lead and teach me to live here. I was not saved. I did not believe in God. I could not speak English. We got jobs in the Specialist Hospital Benin City. We hired a three bed room flat. We bought basic furniture and a small television set ‘black and white’. I was very happy. I chose to work in the Children’s department knowing that they will not complain about this ‘Oyibo’ who could not speak their language well.

Little by little I settled down. I was a wife, mother of two, and a medical doctor. I learned to eat and cook Nigerian food. It was cheaper to buy than the foreign food. Since then, I love to eat jolof rice, moi moi, acara, beans and dodo, shaki or Kpomo stew, pepper soup with goat meat with boiled tam, eggussi soup and vegetable soup. Later we moved to Warri and opened our private hospital called ‘Lily Clinic’. In 1986 I became born again thru a crisis conversion. My life in Nigeria became not just a story but a testimony! Glory to God!!!

The first picture of Alina is taken in Benin city, on the house we stayed later on Boundary Road. She was selecting discs to play music. She always loved music, to sing and to dance. The second picture is taken this year on a trip we went with her in Greece. We are visiting with her. She is a mother of three children herself. She is a nurse practitioner Her life has not been always easy, but it is good now. I remember my anxiety in the past, how much I wanted to protect my children from the challenges of life in this difficult place called ‘the world’. Later, after I became saved, I will fast and pray that our children will fulfill destiny. Looking back, I can testify that God is a faithful God to me as a wife, mother and now, a grandmother. God is good all the time! What a privilege to witness God’s love in the lives of our children…

I walked with my children hand in hand when they were little and heart in heart now that they are adults. Tears were shared. Joys were exchanged. Wisdom of life was imparted! The Lord Jesus promised never to leave us and never to forsake us. He had kept His precious Word!!! This morning, visiting our children and grandchildren, with gratitude in my heart, I bow my head and I worship God!! I declare that there is no one like God! To help in troubled times and to bring to fulfillment dreams of long ago! He who invented love and family, He who has started it all shall complete it to His glory! Thank You Father, Son and Holy Ghost! In Jesus’ name, amen! To God be all the glory!

(From Malia’s diary, 05-09-2018)

THE EARLY CHURCH (2)/ THE CURSE OF BABEL/ THE POWER OF THE NAME OF JESUS

During the Sunday service, Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled ‘The early church (2)/ The Curse of Babel/ The power of the name of Jesus! Her main text was taken from the Books of Genesis 11 and Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-13; 2:36-47.

THE EARLY CHURCH – INTRODUCTION

We shall study the early church from the Day of Pentecost until the end of the recorded acts in the Bible.  The pattern of the early church is the same as what happens during revivals. This study should ignite revival in our hearts, in our church, and the overflow should bless the city. Doctor Luke wrote both the Books of Luke and Acts. We shall study the early church in the book of Acts learn how the believers behaved at that time. The early church shows us the perfect pattern of the church, what God had in mind when He sent the Holy Ghost to the believers. One thing is clear, it was a church experiencing revival, a supernatural body that influenced the world. The church started with 120 believers. Right now, there are 2.18 billion Christians around the world representing nearly a third of the estimated global population of 6,9 billion. The Christians are so much spread that no geographical area can claim to be the center of Christianity. The early church was growing in numbers and in authority. They sent evangelists and missionaries to preach the Word. We know that they loved the Word of God, they loved their fellowship, they prayed, they preached, and they did miracles. They held the name of Jesus in highest honor. They had supernatural boldness, authority, and power in the name of Jesus. They lived in the unity of the Spirit. They were extremely conscious of who Christ is in heaven and in their midst. They knew their identity as believers, what Christ has done for them. They exercised holy discipline when necessary, so that the church remains pure. They were loving, helpful, and generous with one another. All were not wealthy but there were not needy among them. They were persecuted by the religious leaders, but always victorious. The pattern of the early church is the original pattern. There are many lessons for us. The coming down of the Holy Spirit and the early church is a holy model for revival and evangelism.

In the book of Luke 24 we see that The Resurrected Christ spoke to His disciples about the plan and the purpose of God, concerning the church. He opened their understanding concerning Himself, as the Living Word of God. They now saw it that Christ needed to suffer and die for sinners, so that they can be saved. They also saw that Christ rose from the dead according to the scriptures. Christ commanded them to go and preach Him and His Gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to other nations. But first, they needed the Gift of the Holy Spirit, to be baptized into one Body and so that they can receive power to do ministry. The promised Holy Spirit came on them on the day of Pentecost, exactly 50 days since Christ resurrected and 10 days since He ascended. The believers were baptized together by the Holy Spirit into a new eternal Body called The Church, or the Body of Christ. The Church is not a manmade organization, a social club, or a branch of the Government. It is the Body or Christ. It is a living organic united Body made from all the born-again believers who have died, live presently, and will live in the future.

The only book that describes how the church began is the Bible. This is the truth revealed in the Bible: God created man for Himself. Man rebelled against God and sin entered the world. The punishment for sin is death. God sends His Son Jesus Christ to become a Man and to die on behalf of men. Jesus dies, is buried, and rises on the third day. Forty days later Jesus ascends to heaven as the Lord of all. He promised to send the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit. Ten days later, on the Day of Pentecost, from heaven, He sends the Holy Spirit on the waiting believers. The Holy Spirit unites them like the welding fire. He baptizes them into one Body. He gives them the power to be witnesses unto Him, from Jerusalem, to all Judea, to Samaria, and to the end of the world. This is the Gospel. The Church preaches the Gospel. In this world of sin, the Gospel is the only good news. On the Day of Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter stands and boldly preaches the Gospel. The people were ‘pricked in the heart’ and repent of their sins. That day, God added 3000 souls to the Church.

What is a Christian? The first thing we see that a Christian is a sinner saved by Grace. The early believers changed dramatically. In the past, they believed in Jesus but were afraid of persecution and of death. Now, they suddenly fear nothing and nobody. Their lives bear fruits of godliness. A Christian is someone who has the Holy Spirit inside. The religious unbeliever may attend church but does not have the Holy Spirit inside him. Salvation manifests as a new way of thinking, feeling, and making decisions. For the first time in his life, the Christian begins to think. Sinners do not think. They follow the crowd. But the Christian is spiritually intelligent. He thinks. He understands the Word of God. He can explain his faith. One of the first works of the Holy Spirit is that you begin to think and ask questions about life and death. When Peter preaches people start asking questions: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The moment you start asking questions, you will find the answers. Peter said: “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. When the Holy Spirit provides the answers, the light of God will shine on your soul. For the very first time in your life, you will see how ignorant you have been all your life. You will know that all these years you were dead in sins. But now, you have received life, eternal life. Joy full of glory will fill your soul! Salvation in Christ is a miracle! It is the greatest gift given by God to man! Halleluiah!

THE CURSE OF BABEL (Genesis 11:1-9)

After the ascension of Christ, the believers went back to Jerusalem, to the upper room where they were staying (Ac 1:12-14). They were together, men and women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus. They all ‘continued’ with one accord in prayer and supplication. In Greek, the word ‘continued’ means to persevere, to persist in waiting upon, steadfastly (in a fixed way, faithful, responsible, no distractions). The unity of the Spirit was a miracle. It was something totally different and new in the history of man. For us to understand the vision, the unity, and the power of the Church, we must go back in time and study the false unity of men against God manifested in the building of the Tower of Babel.

God created man for His purpose. In the Garden of Eden, thru disobedience, man fell into sin. The sin of Adam has been transmitted to all humanity. We are all born sinners, hating God and His ways. God announced the Gospel in the Garden. The seed of the woman shall come and crush the head of the serpent. This is the first prophecy concerning the coming Christ as Savior to men. God curses the serpent, limits the unity of marriage, and curses the ground. After that, God kills a lamb and uses the bloody skins to cover Adam and Eve. This is the second prophetic revelation of Christ, the Lamb of God, who will die to save men. Lastly, God drives the couple out of the Garden. Sin and death have entered the world. Soon, all men except for Noah and his family, become exceedingly sinful. God destroys humanity thru the flood. Only eight people, Noah, his wife, their three sons and wives, survive the flood thru the Ark, which is another symbol of salvation in Christ. This was a new beginning for man! It was a second chance for humanity to live according to God’s word. But man failed again. About 100 years after the flood, men come together in rebellion against God. This is the story of the tower of Babel.

God commanded both Adam and Noah to multiply and spread all over the earth. “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” (Gen 1:28). “So, God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gen 9:1). We are told that the men ‘journeyed East’ and gathered on the plain land of Shinar to build a city that will cover the earth and reach heaven. They obeyed God’s command to fill the earth but soon, they stopped. They decided ‘to dwell’ on the Plane of Shinar. That was disobedience to God! Most Bible commentators believe that the land of Shinar is in the present-day Iraq and is the same with Babylon. Shinar is a desert land. There are no stones to build. The men made bricks from mud and water and baked them in the fire, so that they become strong. They wanted the building to last forever. The purpose in building that tower was threefold: They wanted to build a city whose tower can reach the heavens, to compete with God. Secondly, they wanted to make a name for themselves, to become famous all over the earth. Thirdly, they wanted to stay together in an unholy unity of the flesh, directly disobeying God’s command to fill the earth. Three times they addressed one another with the words” ‘Let us.’ In Hebrew, the word ‘city’ means ‘excitement.’  To ‘make a name for yourself’ it means to have a good reputation, to become famous, celebrated and respected by many people; to become successful and well-known. The men building the tower wanted to be successful, excited about their fame. They wanted to be admired by men and not by God. They wanted to become God to themselves. Sinful men wanted to build a city where they can live without God. There is much pride and rebellion in their fleshly unity. God hates that!

The Trinity came down to see what the sinful men are doing. The men said: Let us build ourselves … The Trinity said: Let US go down and confuse their languages.  Sinful men are foolish men. They forget that no man can fight God and win. God could have killed all the men again the way He did it during the flood. This time, He let them live, but He scattered them by confusing their languages. God forced them to obey His Word that said: “Be fruitful and fill the earth!” When they started building the tower, they were united in sin. All spoke only one language. When God sent judgment on that sinful unity, He confused their languages. Men started speaking many languages and none could understand each other. The word Babel (from which the word Babylon comes) means ‘confusion’. Confusion is defined as a situation in which people do not understand what is happening, what they should do or who someone or something is. Confusion is ignorance of the truth. Confusion leads to anxiety and embarrassment. Babylon stands for the world, the system of men living like there is no God! Confused by their languages, they stopped building the city and they scattered all over the world, according to God’s command. The building of Babel shows what men can do, their power in unity of purpose. This sinful unity is a form of witchcraft, which is a work of the flesh (Gal 5:20). God condemns that!

The first man to have an idea to build a city was Cain, who killed his brother Abel (Gen 4:17). The first criminal in the history of humanity is the first architect to build a city. These are some reasons why people leave their villages and gather into cities: They want to make a name for themselves. They think that living in a farm or a village they will die poor, unfulfilled, and unknown. The second reason why men love cities is because they feel protected from wild animals and criminals. In the ancient times, cities have high walls surrounding them. But men are foolish because no walls can stop God inspecting them. You can see the story of Jericho city. Lastly, men build cities because they can get lost in the crowd and commit sins without feeling guilty. Like Babel, the big cities are centers of crime much more than the smaller ones. What is the lesson? God judges sinful men. None can hide from God!

Abraham was born about 300 years after the building of the tower of Babel. He was born in a city called Ur of the Chaldeans, about 200 kilometers south from ancient Babylon. See the difference between these sinful men who built the tower of Babel and Abraham, a man called by God!  The sinful men journeyed by themselves and settled at Shinar. They picked the land. But in the case of Abraham, God picked the Land. Abraham went by faith, led by God not knowing where he was going. His nephew Lot loved the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He lost his testimony, his wife, and his wealth in those cursed cities. Abraham chooses to stay in the desert. God told Abraham that He will give him as a gift, all the things the city people wanted. He will be a blessing to all the nations on the earth and God will make him a name forever. Listen to God’s promise to His friend and servant, Abraham: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:1-3). God will be His Protection, Provision, Fame, and Peace!

The promise to Abraham is ours thru Christ! As you can see there is a great difference between Babel, the city of man, and the city of God! Abraham lived in tents, in the desert, as a pilgrim on earth. “He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:10). God’s curse of confusion in the world manifests since those ancient times. Men have discovered many things. Science has made great progress. Men build great buildings, fly with airplanes and rockets. They even went to the moon. Despite all these discoveries, men still do not know God, and do not understand themselves. Men still quarrel and fight with one another. They are confused about life and relationships. They have no peace. Right now, there are 7151 spoken languages all over the world. Most people speak Mandarin Chinese, followed by Spanish, English and Hindi. You can see that it is not easy to understand each other.

Is there any hope for peace and unity? Yes! The God that confused the languages at Babel, is the same God who sent His Son to die for sinful men, who sent the Holy Spirit to start the church. The curse of confusion and division is reversed into blessing on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down on the waiting disciples, when the church of Christ was born. The unity of the Spirit was born. The curse of confusing languages was removed. Men started to speak in new tongues, praising God. They now understood one another. They became united by the Holy Spirit. The Church of the Christ is not a human organization the way Babel was. It is God’s supernatural eternal work, thru the Holy Spirit sent from God the Father, because of the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ! Now you see why the Church cannot be destroyed. Halleluiah!

The story of the tower of Babel shows not only God’s judgment against sin, but His extraordinary mercy. God could have bombed the tower, destroyed it, killing all the rebellious people. But He did not do that! He confused their languages. What is the lesson? Any time you hear quarrels, confusions, and misunderstandings, remember Babel, and thank God for His mercy to sinful men.  

THE POWER OF THE NAME OF JESUS

The men who were building Babel wanted to make a name for themselves; to become famous, to have a great reputation, to be admired and worshiped by other men. With their pride, they provoked God in heaven! When Jesus became a man, he humbled Himself and let go of any form of human reputation. He died on the Cross. That is why God made Him famous! At the name of Jesus, every knee now bows! The Gospel is the story of The Humbled and Exalted Christ! We must have the same mind and attitude. We serve God not to make a name for ourselves but to lift the name of Jesus! Then God will bless us! The name of a person is his identity. When Jesus went back to heaven, He left special gifts to His disciples: His Word, His peace, His joy, His blessings (at the ascension), His Spirit (at Pentecost), and His name. The name represents the person of Jesus in His absence. It is like His ATM card connected to His account in heaven. Only God’s children have the right to use that ATM card and withdraw money from the eternal bank. There is no limit to the amount you can withdraw. Faith is needed to withdraw money. All the money should be used for the glory of the name of Jesus and not for fleshly purposes. When the unbelievers, proud men try to withdraw money, they are punished by the Holy Spirit. 

*The name of Jesus is supernatural. It was given to the Son of God by God the Father. Mary and Joseph did not choose this name. In Hebrew, He is called Joshua. It means God Saves or The Savior! It was a common name at that time. To identify Him, He was called Jesus of Nazareth.

*The name of Jesus is the only name by which men can be saved from sins or danger! The name of Jesus is the only ‘password’ to heaven and to the heavenly realms. That includes salvation, healings, and miracles!

“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Ac 4:12). “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it and is safe” (PV 18:10). The name of Jesus is a stronger tower than Babel! Ministry in the name of Jesus attracts persecution. “And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:5-12)

*The name of Jesus has authority above all other names! The name of Jesus is above the name of any sickness or disease or situation. Whatever has a name is below the name of Jesus and must give way to it, no matter where it may come from: heaven, earth, or hell.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:5-11).

*The name of Jesus represents the Person of Jesus! Just like Jesus was on earth performing all works and miracles, His name now represents Him! Miracles in His name are signs following the preaching of the true Gospel: Christ crucified and risen for my sins! The preaching of false doctrines will make the name of Jesus powerless! God will judge those people!

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16:17-20)

*The devil knows the power of the name of Jesus! All deliverance is done by faith in the name of Jesus.

“Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour” (Acts 16:16-18)

*The name of Jesus should only be used mixed with faith in God and His Word. Therefore, it is only the born-again Christians that are authorized to use the name of Jesus! The unbelievers are not permitted to use. They can even be punished for it. This is God’s command: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Ex 20:7). See the story of the sons of Sceva. This is a warning: Using the name of Jesus carelessly, or with doubt in your heart, will not work. “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (Acts 19:13-17). Because of this incident, the people feared God and highly honored the name of Jesus! The people discovered that the name of Jesus cannot be manipulated, that it is not an ordinary name.

What is the lesson for us? We receive our identity in Christ alone. His powerful name is an encouragement to desire a good name and a godly testimony for ourselves! This is God’s Word: “A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches; And favor is better than silver and gold” (PV 22:1; AMP). If you are living in sin, you damage your name and testimony. It will then be impossible to have faith in the name of Jesus! Godliness is related to authority! Selah!

Prophetic word: “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door (of opportunity), and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Rev 3:8). Worship the Lord!

“Hello mum!!! God is good at all times!!!

This is my testimony: when you called the sick out for prayer on Sunday I actually didn’t want to come because I wasn’t sick, but something pushed me out. I took my six-month old son from his dad and came out. My husband was surprised because he wasn’t sick either. After the prayer I went back to my seat feeling refreshed. Then came the wonders/ miracle!!! I noticed I now joke with my first son unlike before. For the past five years he has know me as no nonsense mom. I use to get angry with him in any little and given opportunity and even when he is seated calmly he used to come running to me and say mum you called me thinking he hear me called him. I have prayed about it infact each time I said I won’t beat him. I will find him doing something that will make me angry and I hit/beat him seriously.

Today I give God all the glory because who knows what I would have done to him if not for God using you to break me free from spirit of anger and bitterness towards him. Seriously ma if you see me dealing with him before, you will think I didn’t birth him. But since three days now I joke, laugh and play with him. To confirm God’s healing that Sunday after church we went home, I dished food for each member of the family, my son took his plate of food looked at it and said “mum I can’t eat this meal because I want something else”. I didn’t say I word. Before I could turn he pour the food away and I went into the room to bring out Cain but couldn’t pick it up. I just went and sit down. Would you believe he pack the food back into the plate and ate even requested for more indeed what God can’t do does not exist. Lord King Grace I am grateful for healing my body and mind Glory be to GOD!!!

From your daughter… “

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Few days ago, I was attacked by a demon of fear. I defeated it many years ago. This was a new attack. I sensed it immediately. It was the same as catching a thief in my house. With all my strength I started shouting at the thief, at the demon of fear! I rejected it from my house! I prayed in English, and I prayed in tongues until he ran away, and peace was restored in my heart and in my house. Fear is a coward! Fear is a liar! Fear has been disgraced and totally defeated at the Cross! The Blood of Jesus was shed for me to save me! Fear has no place in my heart or in my home! This testimony of victory against the demon of fear is to the glory of God! At last, I asked the Holy Spirit, ‘what was the purpose of this attack and this victory?’ He said that I needed a fresh reminder of how wicked fear is, because many are struggling with it. He also said that now, I can prepare my sermon and I can encourage the brethren even more. His anointing will strengthen me to preach and pray! Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!

In Christ I declare:

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You!” (Ps 56:3).

In Jesus’ name,

Amen!

THE DOCTRINE OF REVIVAL (6)/ PLEASE, SHOW ME YOUR GLORY

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Doctrine of Revival (6)/Please, show me Your Glory. Her main text was taken from the Books of Exodus, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah.  “And he said, “Please, show me Your glory… He said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you” (Exodus 33:18; 34:10). “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chr 7:12-14). “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Is 57:15).

REVIVAL DEFINED

Revival is a miracle; it is a phenomenon! Revival is a visitation of God’s Spirit to the Church. It affects even the unbelievers. Revival is defined as the unique, sovereign move of God, the Holy Spirit, coming down to earth in a dramatic way, changing people and nations. It manifests as a heartfelt return to God and His commandments. Only God can produce revival. The Holy Spirit does two types of works: the regular work (convicting people of sins, the process of sanctification, helping people to understand the Word of God…) and the extraordinary work, which is called ‘Revival’. From time to time, in the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit manifested His power among the believers in a most unusual way. The believers became filled with the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders multiplied among them. The overflow of this move of God affected all people. Many surrendered their lives to Christ and the Church became stronger. During revival the Holy Spirit recovers the basic doctrines of salvation, especially the justification by faith, by Grace, thru Christ alone.  Revival can happen to an individual believer, to a family, to a church, or to a geographical area. True revival changes the history of a city or a nation. Great social changes start to happen. Righteous laws are given and the nation changes for the better. God does more in one day of Revival than in hundred years or ‘regular’ church work! During revival, God shakes our comfort zone and makes it uncomfortable. There is always a preparation for revival. No revival is an accident! Revival is like the risen tide of the ocean. The risen tide lifts all boats, big and small. “Revival is when God gets so sick and tired of being misrepresented that He shows Himself” (Leonard Ravenhill). During Revival, the world stops and watches. Even the unbelievers must agree that God loves His people! Oh, how we need revival!

THE WELSH REVIVAL (1904-1905) – EVAN ROBERTS (1878-1951)

The Welsh revival is one of the greatest revivals in the history of the church at large. It lasted one year. It affected the whole Wales, an area in the UK. The primary language of the people is Welsh. English is their secondary language. Wales is a rural area made of villages and small towns. The capital of Wales is the city of Cardiff. From Wales, the revival spread all over the world. The human instrument God used to ignite it was a young man of 26 called Evans Roberts. Just before the revival, the churches in Wales were getting lukewarm. Most of the pastors were not preaching the Gospel. They were involved in politics and social events. Most people stopped going to church. Between 1899 and 1903 some Christians started praying specifically for revival. Many believers including Evan Roberts were grieved by the situation and were praying to God for mercy. The leaders of the Welsh revival were the young people. Generally, the brothers preached, the sisters sang, and they all prayed.  Evan Roberts was born in Loughor, a village in Wales. He was one of eight children in a close-knit Christian family. At the age of 12, he started working in the mine with his father. This was hard work. He became saved when he was 13. He soon became passionate about the things of God. He said that God appeared to him telling him to pray for revival. He obeyed. He said that often, he would ignore the other boys who were playing outside and go back to his Bible and prayer. He passionately loved God and His Word. Like many others who God used, he separated Himself unto God, even at that young age. He ran away from the miners who used vulgar language. He thought himself to play the violin and the accordion. He used his little pocket money to buy Christian books. He never dated a girl. He was not interested in sports or social things. His family, friends, and neighbors all knew that he was a strange man. He was always reading his Bible and praying. He had visions with God in the night. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, like prophecy, words of knowledge, etc., were common with him.

When Evan Roberts was 26, though a young man, but he has been praying continuously for revival for the past 13 years. He left the work in the mine. He decided to become a pastor. He went to a Bible school to get his certificate. In England, a man cannot preach without a certificate. He wanted to do the right thing. But few months later, troubled in his spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, he left the Bible school. He went back to his village, Loughor, where he immediately organized a prayer meeting with the youths. During a prayer meeting, on the 14^th of February 1903, a teenage sister called Florie Evans stood on the feet and said: “I love Jesus Christ with all my heart.” Everybody was touched and worshipped Jesus. That is when the Holy Spirit came down and the revival started. The first prayer meeting that he organized was increasing in numbers. They were mostly young people. They gathered daily to pray. The language most used was Welsh and only later, English. The Holy Spirit descended on Wales. All people felt a strong desire to repent of sins, to pray and to attend church. This spiritual activity went on for one year. Evan Roberts started traveling all over Wales. Often, he will fall by the pulpit and weep telling people that they should become saved. He ate and slept very little. This was the request all young people made: “God, send the Holy Spirit more powerfully for Jesus Christ’ sake!” Evan Roberts said: “We must firmly believe that the Spirit WILL come, not just hope!” Soon, people started coming to this group of young people on fire for Jesus. All social barriers were broken. Men and women, old and young, from all denominations, they came freely! During prayer meetings, Evan Roberts would jump and say: ‘Stop that! You are grieving the Holy Spirit’. Some people thought that he has some psychiatric problems. He said often: “Revival comes with the knowledge of the Holy Spirit and a way of co-working which enable Him to work in revival power”. Thousands of people became saved. All the ‘pubs’ shut down because nobody wanted to drink alcohol again. There were no police cases. It was the season for political elections, but all elections had to be suspended because nobody was interested in them. Even the football stadiums got closed because nobody bought tickets to go there. People did not want entertainment. They wanted God. They wanted reality, eternal reality. All the conversions were deep and genuine. This was an interesting fact: The donkeys the miners were using refused to listen to the new commands because now the miners stop using foul language.

During revival, the services would often run seven or more hours, with no one wanting to leave. Many parents came because they saw dramatic changes in the behavior of their children who became saved.  Store owners were closing their shops early to obtain a seat in the chapel. The workers from the mines would come to the church still in their working clothes. The grocery shops in Loughor were cleared of food products by those who had come from long distances to attend the revival services. The people lost all consciousness of time and had no desire to return home. The Cardiff police reported a 60% decrease in drunkenness. The people who made money from selling alcohol went bankrupt.  Coal miners crowded into prayer meetings that lasted till 3:00 a.m. and then washed, ate breakfast, and returned to work not being tired. The Judges had no case to try. People paid their debts and settled with one another outside the courts. By December police were out of work. They went with the crowds and formed musical bands to sing during church services. More than 100,000 unbelievers got converted and more than 100,000 backsliders came back to the faith.

The local Newspapers sent journalists to find out about the revival. Initially, the reporters mocked the people. Soon, they all stopped mocking because they felt the presence of God. Evan hated interviews. Once, when the reporters asked him why he and others behave so strange when they pray, he said: “The Spirit is at work. Just accept it!”. They wrote about him: “Each move Evan made was a puzzle to men but was known by God”. The articles made free advert to the revival. More people came to partake from the revival. All were surprised at the energy of Evan. He was never tired to pray, preach, and encourage others to draw closer to God! He said: “It is a wonderful life! I am so blessed that I could walk on air. Tired? Not once! I can face thousands! My body is full of electricity, day, and night…” He started travelling from village to village. At each place he went, the signs of revival will manifest. People will come to listen to him, fall to the ground and repent. Often, he will not preach, but just encourage all to pray. It was said that Evan was like ‘a spiritual catalyst’ to all the meetings. In Chemistry, a catalyst is a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected. A person is counted as a catalyst when he causes activity between people without being affected himself. God gave to Wales Evan as a gift. He was not a great preacher or singer. He was a young compassionate and humble man with a burden for revival, filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Glory to God!             

After one year of this constant ministry, Evan started showing signs of emotional stress. His friends advised him to slow down but he refused.

Evans Roberts was always worried that people should not worship him. In 1906 he had an emotional breakdown that led to depression. He left Wales to live with a wealthy Christian family in England. The wife, Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, was an evangelist also interested in revival. When she saw that Evan Roberts had signs of depression, she offered him an apartment in their mansion. He went to live there. He hid from public view for many years. He now decided that prayer and intercession is his main spiritual gift. He never married. He had no children. When he died, at 72, few people remembered him. He is buried in the family plot, at the cemetery behind Moriah Chapel, at Loughor, Wales, where the revival started. On the column erected later it is written in His handwriting: “Dear Friend, God loves you. Therefore, Seek Him diligently, Pray to Him earnestly. Read His Word constantly. Remember Jesus Christ! Yours in the Gospel, Evan Roberts”. The life of Evans Roberts is the proof that God uses the foolish things to confound the wise. He was an uneducated young man, a miner. He became the human tool God used in the Welsh revival. He had not gone to Bible School. He has no evangelistic or pastoral experience. But what he has was a pure faith for Jesus and love for the souls of men. What is the lesson? Do not look down on young people! It is said that ten years later, during the first world war, many of the people that got saved died in war. If it is not for the revival, they could have died without peace in their souls.

The main prayer for Evan Roberts was “Holy Spirit, bend me! Bend us! Make me what you want me to be!” The four points of his sermons were:

1-Confess all known sin, receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

2-Remove doubt!

3-Be ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly

4-Publicly confess the Lord Jesus Christ.

HERE IS LOVE

“Here is love, vast as the ocean,

Lovingkindness as the flood,

When the Prince of Life, our ransom,

Shed for us His precious blood.

Who His love will not remember?

Who can cease to sing His praise?

He can never be forgotten,

Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,

Fountains opened deep and wide;

Through the floodgates of God’s mercy

Flowed a vast and gracious tide.

Grace and love, like mighty rivers,

Poured incessant from above,

And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice

Kissed a guilty world in love”

(By William Rees, 1802-1883)

This is the Welsh revival main song. It was a Love Song to God who sent His Son to die for us. Multitudes sang this song in Welsh, on and on.

THE EFFECTS OF THE WELSH REVIVAL

From Wales, the revival spread to: Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Korea, Africa, France, Czech, Belgium, India, China, and America. May revival come to us in Nigeria! To God be all the glory!

A young Welsh man named George Jeffrey (1889-1962), together with his brother Stephen, became saved during the Welsh revival. The two Jeffrey brothers became evangelists all over the UK. They preached the Gospel with signs and wonders following. They founded Elim Pentecostal Church that has many branches all over the world. In 1962, another young man of God, Reinhart Bonnke, on a visit to London, met with George Jeffrey, now an older man. Reinhard told him that he is called to preach in Africa. George prayed that ‘his mantle will be passed on Reinhard’. The young German man went to Africa and thru his ministry there, millions of souls were saved. Halleluiah!       

GOD’S SECOND APPEARANCE TO KING SOLOMON

“When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.” (2 Chr 7:1-3)

“Thus, Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually” (2 Chr 7:11-16)

As we pray for revival, we should revisit this passage in the Bible. God promised that if His people humble themselves and pray, He will visit the land and heal it. What a wonderful encouragement! This promise of mercy to God’s people and healing of their land applies primarily to the Jews. As a nation, Israel had a covenant relationship with Jehovah God. They knew that if they obey God’s Word, He will bless them. If they disobey God’s Word, they will suffer (Deuteronomy 28). We cannot change the word Israel with Nigeria because Nigeria as a nation does not have a covenant with God. But we can apply this scripture to our lives. This is a picture of revival in a church. In the first encounter with God, Solomon asked for wisdom. God gave young King Solomon wisdom and an understanding heart. God blessed him in many other ways. God also gave Solomon the responsibility of building His temple in Jerusalem. King David prepared the materials and mentored his son Solomon how to build the temple. Now, Solomon has finished building the temple. He dedicated it to God. The fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the burnt sacrifices. And the glory of God filled the temple. The priests could not enter because of God’s glory. All men worshipped God. This is what happens in revival. God takes over and all men bow. God wants us to be humble, to seek Him, and to pray. No humility, no grace! No prayer, no power! God wants us to repent. To repent it means a turn around in your mind, in your will, with fruits to prove the change. There is great difference between Remorse and Repentance. Both have tears. Remorse has tears but no fruits to prove the change. Repentance has tears too, but there is a radical change in the believer. For example, Both Judas and Peter sinned against Jesus. Later, Judas had remorse, but Peter repented. Judas committed suicide but Peter became a leader in the early church, faithful unto death. True revival is always connected with strong preaching of the Biblical Doctrines, faithful prayer, and desire for personal holiness. “No great spiritual awakening has begun anywhere in the world apart from united prayer” (J. Edwin Orr). We should take sin as serious as God takes it! Are you tired of your sin? You must say no to sin and yes to God!!! May God help us to humble ourselves, seek His face and pray! May revival come to us!

PLEASE, SHOW ME YOUR GLORY! (Exodus 33)

“And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen” (Ex 33:18-23)

We continue to study the life of Moses, the servant of God. He is asking God to please show him His glory. In the past, Moses had encounters with God. He had seen God’s power among men. Moses saw God in the burning bush. God has been with him as he went back to Egypt to free the people of God. God used Moses’ rod to part the Red Sea. God’s people crossed over and their enemies drowned at the same place. Moses and the people were led and covered with God’s cloud by day and by night. God provided mana in the desert. Moses went on the mountain and spoke to God there. God gave him His laws and the plan to build the tabernacle. After the people sinned, Moses carried his tent outside the camp and the Shekinah glory came there. He spoke with God like a man speaks to his friend. God assured him of His personal protection. Even so, Moses wants more. This request of Moses reveals His passion to know God more, his great faith and holy boldness. Moses is grateful but no satisfied. This is a spiritual law: the more you know God’s Word, the greater revelation you shall receive. The more you pray, the more God will talk to you. “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Mt 25:29). Moses is concerned for the glory of God. He wants God to manifest His glory to men, that they may know Him better. This desire to see the glory of God among men is the primary reason why we pray for revival. This desire manifests especially when the enemies of God mock His name and despise us, His people. “Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily” (Ps 74:22). The believer longs for the manifested presence of God as the thirsty deer pants for water in the desert. “As the deer pants (long for) for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” (Ps 42:1-3). Do you know this thirst? Do you desire a closer walk with God? Paul said: “That I may know Him…” (Phil 3:10).  Don’t seek revival! Seek an intimate relationship with God! Revival is falling in love with Jesus again!

Moses prays: “Please, show me Your glory!” Please observe that God is pleased with this prayer of Moses! This is wonderful! God answers Moses but in His own way. Moses is ignorant of God. He does not know that he will die if he sees God. A glimpse of the glory of the resurrected Christ blinded Saul of Tarsus on the spot. God says that no man can see His glory while still living in his body on earth. To see God’s glory, the man will die. The Son of God became a Man on earth. He hid His glory with flesh. Once men killed Him on the Cross, the glory was revealed. That glory on the Cross killed all sinners. That is the power of the Cross. But for all who believe that Jesus died for them, they receive new life! God tells Moses that he will answer his prayer partially. God places Moses ‘in a place by Me’. That cleft in the Rock is called Christ. We are protected from God’s judgment in Christ alone. God places His hand over Moses and passes by. Moses can see God’s ‘back, and not His face’. Many commentators describe revival what Moses saw that day: a passing, a glimpse of God’s glory on earth, a foretaste of heaven. Here you see that revival has a beginning and an end. As the passing by of God’s glory and goodness, so revival is described. Each time God touches you personally, supernaturally, three things happen: you will never forget it, you will never be the same, and you want more of God!!! Revival is supernatural. For revival, you need to experience hunger for more of God. You also need to pray! 

Moses saw the glory of God passing by. The glory of God is manifested mostly as the Proclamation of God’s Name (in the act of preaching) and as the Goodness of God. In Hebrew, the word ‘goodness’ means God’s best, His favor, Beauty, and Prosperity. God is good! His mercy, His justice, His peace, are all good! God tells Moses that He shows mercy and goodness by His Grace. It is a free gift. He gives it to the humble. He gives it to the elect. Nobody has a claim on God’s favor. “God made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel” (Ps 103:7).

Oh, that we may desire to experience God’s goodness in our lives! No man knows God completely. All we know about God is from God self-revelation, that comes by His Grace. The greatest revelation of God is found in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected is the glory of God! What Moses prayed was really this: “Please, show me Christ!” Apostle Paul said: “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:5, 6). The Glory of Christ in the Gospel is revealed: the glory of His Person and the glory of His Word for the salvation of sinners.  When the glory and goodness of God passed before Moses, we see the revealing and the concealing of God. This manifests in Christ. His flesh concealed the glory of His Person. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the glory of the Son of God was revealed for a short time. The hand of God protecting Moses was the Cross. By His death, Jesus covered our sins and made peace between man and God. What a Savior! Worship the Lord!