“Woe to them! For they…have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit…they will do anything for money” (Jude 11)

Balak, the Moabite king, hired the false prophet Balaam to curse Israel. He had no good reason to go against the children of God. He did not attack them from a defensive position. The truth is that God did not give his land to the Jews, so there was no danger to his territory (Judg 11:18). So why did he plan evil against the children of God? This is the answer: He attacked Israel out of pure wickedness and greed. This may explain his plans to destroy them: Israel won the battle against king Sihon, a former enemy to Moab. They took over his land (Nu 21:23-26). Balak thought that by defeating Israel he can recover his lost territory. Both Balak and Balaam are covetous people, helping each other in evil and greed.

The first time the princes of Moab come to tempt Balaam, he refused to follow them. In his heart he really wanted to go because of the promise of a reward, but God restrained him. His refusal was not because he loved God, but because he was ‘forced’ to stay home.  The second time the elders came, they offered more money to Balaam.  He knew God’s answer but he prayed again. The love of money made him restless. Surprisingly, this second time, God answers him according to his secret heart’s desire. God says that he can go to Balak, but he will not be able to curse His people and he can only speak His word. Balaam is too stubborn to let go of such ‘a golden opportunity’ to make money. Even with all these restrictions on his ministry, he goes to meet Balak, hoping against all odds that God will change His mind.

Balaam willingly chooses to enter the path of temptation. This is a reckless sinful road that always ends in sorrow and death. Even the donkey tries to restrain him because he is blind to any danger. In the struggle, his foot is injured. He gets very angry. When confronted by the Lord Jesus Christ, who appears in the form of an Angel, he partially repents but still insists to go on. Eventually Balaam is killed by Israel in a battle ordained by God. He envied God’s people, wishing to die like them, a glorious death (Nu 23:10). But his life ends as it began, shamefully. This is the tragic story of a low class hireling; a false prophet who sold his inheritance, an enemy, a traitor to God and to His people.

“Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death…The wages of sin is death” (Jam 1:15; Rom 6:23)

Dear Heavenly Father: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

In Christ I declare:

I reject all false prophets, no matter who they are!

By God’s grace, I shall never willingly enter the shameful path of temptation, lust, sin and death!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Nu 22:12)

Balaam is a strange character. Some say that he was a true prophet of God who was backsliding. But the best way to describe him is that he was a religious unbeliever and not a true child of God. But he is still a mysterious person. He has a prophetic gift, no doubt about that. But he cannot be described as a true prophet of God. He is a prophetic hireling.  He has a covetous heart. He loves money more than God; especially money made thru evil occult means. There is no record that he ever repented of his wickedness. He knows enough about God and some of his prophesies about the Messiah are wonderful. But in the same time he refuses to obey God. He does not fear God. He is ready to exploit God and to make money out of ministry. He does not care that thousands died as a result of his wicked advice to Balak. Money is his god. The love of this world propelled him to do evil and to sell his prophetic gift to satan’s agents.

The princes of Moab traveled a distance of about 200 miles to see Balaam. That means Balak, the devil’s agent, is ready to pay much to defeat and destroy the children of God. He is afraid of the number and power of Israel as a nation. He knows that he cannot defeat them thru a direct military attack. His strategy is to attack them thru occult means. He wants a spell placed upon them so that they become weak spiritually and physically. Then they shall be defeated.

The first time the elders of Moab came with a gift to tempt Balaam, he did not sin. He did the right thing by praying to God. Then God answered: “No! You should not go and curse these people for they are blessed by Me!” A true prophet of God will accept any word from God, even if the answer is ‘No!’ Balaam grudgingly refuses but he blames God for not allowing him to come with them. Then Balak sends more men with even a greater gift. Balaam already knows God’s answer concerning this issue but he is not willing to accept ‘No’ as the answer. So he goes to pray again. Surprisingly, God says ‘Yes’ this time. In other words, God says to him: “I know that it is in your heart to go there and make money as a prophet. I permit you to go and make money because this is your wish. But this is my condition: your mouth remains under My control. You will only speak My words to them. Now…you can go…”

The lessons here are many. The devil is very persistent and patient. If he is interested in your ‘services’ he is willing to increase the price. Temptation is not just once. For as long as we live on earth, it is an ongoing process. If you have defeated the devil once, he may come back again with a similar proposal.

Also, it is a dangerous thing to allow an idol to dwell in your heart when you go to God and pray. If you ask for guidance, God may allow that idol to direct you in a reckless path that you shall regret.

But the greater lesson is that God is ultimately in control. He can use even evil men for His own purposes and glory. This is a great mystery that should give us much comfort. God is the Father of the believers but He is the God and Judge of all men. Never forget, God is totally in charge of His creation!

In Christ I declare:

I hate the devil!

I repent and reject all idols, visible and invisible!

I love God! All my life, I shall serve God with a pure heart!

God is in charge of my life and my circumstances; even right now!

All things work together for good for me because I love God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

THE BEST FOR THE LAST
“This, the first of His signs (miracles, wonder-works), Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly], and His disciples believed in Him [adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him]” (Jn 2:11; AMP)

How did Jesus perform this miracle? Let’s see what He did not do: He did not touch the water; He did not fill the pots Himself; He did not pray or prophesy over the water.
What was the method Jesus used to perform this mysterious miracle?
Simply said, Jesus changed the water into wine by the power of His will. He just wanted it to happen. God can do anything He wants. All power belongs to God (Ps 62:11). This is very important to believe that God, who is the creator, is able to will anything into existence.
We need to believe that Jesus is God and He can perform any miracle just by willing it to happen. A good example is the healing story of a leprous man who had the revelation of the power of God’s will (Mt 8:1-5). Jesus said: ‘I am willing! Be clean!’ This is how the miracle happened and the man was healed!
Another example of the power of the will of Jesus is found in His high priestly prayer. He said this to God:
‘Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am and to see My glory!’ (Jn 17:24)
In other words, we shall go to heaven and we shall worship the King of Glory forever just because Jesus wants it! This is His desire! That desire is enough! And the Father granted it!

The miracle at Cana was ‘the beginning of His miracles…He thus revealed His glory and His disciples put their faith in Him’. In Greek, the word miracle is also the word for ‘sign’. The definition of ‘a sign’ is something that points away from itself to something else. When you see a sign, you don’t just stop there; you look ahead to your destination. In other words, Jesus does miracles as a sign to point our attention to His person, His glory, His power and His will to bless all who believe in Him!

Finally…Mary was one of the few people at the foot of the Cross, staying with Jesus until He died. She was also among the brethren who waited for the Holy Spirit in prayer. This is a wonderful testimony about Mary, the mother of Jesus! Her prophetic prayer was answered and for the past two thousand years, ‘all generations have called her blessed!’
There is no better way to end it than with Mary’s wonderful words:
“God has been mindful of the humble estate of His servant…for the Mighty One has done great things for me! Holy is His name! His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation!” (Lk 1:48-50)

In Christ I declare:
My future is better than my past!
I am a sign post pointing to Jesus!
My testimony as a servant of God shall increase!
As I humble myself, God shall grant me His favor!
I fear and I worship God!
God’s mercy is on my family!
God has done great things for me and my family!
I am blessed!
In Jesus name
Amen!

TO THE BRIM!
“Jesus said to them, Fill the water-pots with water. So they filled them up to the brim” (Jn 2:7)

The next thing Mary does is a wonderful step of faith. This is indeed to her credit, that she was a woman of God. When rebuked, she did not draw back in self-pity or wounded pride. Mary trusted Jesus as the faithful, powerful, loving and the only Living God. Like Job of old she possibly said to herself:
‘Though He slays me, yet will I trust in Him!’ (Job 13:15)
Mary goes ahead and by faith, she counsels the servants: “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it!” This counsel for total obedience with the Word of Jesus shows her faith that the miracle will happen. She knows that Jesus is so different than the ordinary men, that His words may sound weird to their natural ears. By faith, she goes ahead to prepare the minds of the servants for their complete obedience. She removes any hindrance of fear or doubt, in preparation for the miracle of God. She facilitates the miracle just like John the Baptist went ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for Him. Mary’s faith is now pure, trusting Jesus, not as her son, but as God! Once Mary prayed to Jesus, she had peace. She did not interfere with God’s methods but she had faith that the miracle will manifest.
That is ‘the hour’ when Jesus ordered the servants: “Fill the water-pots with water.” These were huge vessels, each containing about forty gallons of water, used for religious purification. The house servants, their mind prepared by Mary, obeyed. They filled the pots ‘to the brim’. This little detail indirectly describes complete obedience. Then Jesus commanded: ‘Draw some out now, and bear it unto the governor of the feast’
Jesus does not pronounce the word ‘wine’ at all. He only talks about water. When the master of ceremonies ‘tasted the water that became wine’, he complimented the host for keeping and bringing ‘the best for the last’.
Lastly, it is not clear when the water becomes wine. It looks like the miracle happened right on the table, when all the commands of Jesus had been fully obeyed. The lesson we should remember is this: If I diligently and completely obey God’s commands, then ‘I have the right’ to expect a miracle! May God help me to passionately desire total obedience to God’s Word!

In Christ I declare:
I shall obey God’s Word to the end and to the best of my knowledge!
I shall obey ‘to the brim’!
I am filled with God’s Word and His Spirit ‘to the brim’!
I expect a miracle right now!
I believe in God’s promises!
In Jesus name
Amen!

EVEN IF YOUR PRAYER IS NOT PERFECT, STILL TRUST GOD TO ANSWER IT!

“Jesus said to her, [Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? [What do we have in common? Leave it to Me.] My time (hour to act) has not yet come” (Jn 2:4; AMP)

To be fair to Mary, she did not insist on her own way. She did not tell Jesus what means to use to solve the problem. She prayed and when rebuked she kept silent. She humbled herself and continued to trust in Him.
‘My hour has not yet come’ -Jesus said.
The word ‘hour’ in Greek means the particular season when things are ordained to happen; the moment, sometimes in the evening, when the ocean reaches the highest tide. In other words, Jesus is telling Mary something like this: ‘Dear Lady, Thank you for telling me, but I already know about the need. I knew about it even before I came here. That is why I came. I will supply the need in My own way and in My own time. Quietly trust Me!’
This is another lesson: When God sounds ‘harsh’ it may be that He purifies the motives of our prayers!
For example, the Canaanite woman was rebuked by Jesus and even insulted. He called her a dog. But she did not take offence knowing that He alone is King. He has the key to her heart and to her life. This humble attitude of accepting rebuke from God and not be offended by His words is called ‘great faith’ and it pleases God. If you have made up your mind never to withdraw from God’s words of rebuke, but remain in quiet expectation of a miracle, you are blessed indeed. And the miracle shall come. ‘Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me’ (Mt 11:6; 15:21-28).

In Christ I declare:
I deny myself, I take up my cross and follow Jesus!
By the grace of God, I shall not be offended by anything my Lord does to me!
No matter what, in all circumstances, I shall continue to pray and trust God!
I believe that God has heard my prayer!
God shall answer me in His own way and in His own time!
I rebuke any evil spirit of the world!
God shall perfect all that concerns me!
In Jesus name
Amen!

NO MATTER YOUR NEED, WHEN YOU PRAY, DESIRE GOD’S GLORY ABOVE ALL THINGS!
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2:4)

Jesus mildly rebukes Mary. His response to her request sounds harsh to our natural ears, but it may not be so. Jesus addresses her as ‘woman’. That is not an insult as some people say. In today’s conversation, it can be translated as ‘dear lady’ or ‘Madam’. It seems as Jesus desires to restrain her emotions, to allow some space between the two of them. The Holy Spirit has to take control of the situation. Only then a miracle that glorifies God can happen!

Please observe that Jesus did not say to her: ‘I will never do it!’
Mary knew that Jesus was not ‘an ordinary’ man. We are told that ‘she pondered in her heart’ about the words of God and about other prophetic confirmations about her son. As a child, Jesus grew up ‘in strength and grace’ in her presence. She had enough time to study Him, His words and His actions. She also heard that recently, Jesus was publicly declared to be ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. She knew that Jesus has already started His ministry as a man of God. His disciples following Him were an added proof that her son was a leader of men. She knew His potential. But now, for a moment, she forgot all these things and tried ‘to push’ Him a little to perform a miracle.

The truth is that Mary had faith in Jesus, but the motives in her heart were not totally pure. She addressed Him as a natural loving mother. The response of Jesus shows that He detected her fleshly manipulation. She talks to Him as a mother talks to a son. Jesus addresses her as God speaking to His creation. She was worried about a natural need and about men’s opinions. Jesus was ‘worried’ about God’s glory! That is why there was a friction and a clash of spirits!

In Christ I declare:
In all I do, during my prayers and worship, at home or in ministry, I shall not be concerned about men’s opinions or how to please them, but I shall always ‘be worried’ about giving glory to God!
So help me God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

ALWAYS GO TO JESUS!

“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3)
The wedding feasts in ancient Israel lasted for days, with food and wine in abundance. For example, when Samson got married, his own wedding feast lasted seven days (Jdg. 14:12). The host has to be prepared to entertain the guests, supplying all that they need. Failure to do so meant public embarrassment and a bad omen for the couple. For whatever reason, in this wedding in Cana, ‘the wine was gone’. The word ‘gone’ in Greek means that there is a lack, a genuine need. This failure of the host to provide wine for the guests can end in public disgrace.
It is possible that Mary was a relation to the couple, or a close family friend. Mary decides to intervene in this crisis and help to solve it. Let’s see what she does and let’s learn from her. Once she is aware of the need for wine, she goes straight to Jesus and simply tells him about it: ‘They have no more wine…’
Spiritually speaking, this sentence is a prayer. Mary could have gone to other people trying to solve the problem. She could have gone to the Bridegroom seated at the table with his bride and could have whispered in his ear about the need for wine. She could have gone to the parents of the couple and involve them in solving the problem. She could have gone herself to buy the wine if she had the money. She did not do all these things. Mary knew where to go in her hour of need. Just like Mary of Bethany who went straight to Jesus to anoint Him with oil, this Mary does the same thing. She knows Him who is God in flesh, and for whom nothing is impossible. She knew what man can do and what only God can do. She approached Jesus as He is Jehovah Jireh, and indeed He is.

In Christ I declare:
Jesus Christ my Lord is Jehovah Jireh!
In every need, both spiritual and physical, I shall go to Jesus!
My Lord Jesus shall supply all that I need according to His riches in glory, much more than I ever can imagine!
I shall be lead by the Holy Spirit!
I reject the evil spirit of distractions, doubt and poverty!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (Nu 22:5, 6)

Balaam was a false prophet hired by a Moabite king called Balak. The name Balaam means ‘Foreigner’. It speaks of a false brother. The name Balak means ‘Waste’. The Moabites were distant relations of the Jews, children of incest coming from Lot. The name Moab means ‘Father’. Lot followed Abraham for many years but he learned nothing of eternal value.  Like his ancestor Lot, Balak was a worldly man, a prodigal and a compromiser. He knew something about Jehovah God but he did not fear or trust Him enough. He believed in false prophets and paid them to destroy others thru the occult.  Balaam was famous at the time as a successful prophet ‘of God’. He could place a spell on anyone and deceive his victim into destruction. He succeeded with unbelievers and he assumed that he can do the same with the children of God. That became his downfall.

In the previous chapter (Nu 21) we see that the people of God experienced great victories in war against their enemies. Then the devil thru Balak and Balaam attacks. This is a good reminder that we should never be proud after successful campaigns but always remain humble, giving all the glory to God.

Balak was afraid when he saw the children of God coming towards him. He knew that he could not fight them directly. So he thought that a curse can be placed on them to destroy them indirectly. So he hired Balaam to do that. Balak wanted ‘to defeat and drive away’ the children of God thru occult means. These words in Hebrew mean to strike, to wound, to divorce, to drive away from a legitimate possession. This is an important revelation. Many ignorant believers lost their blessings, got fired from their jobs or divorced their spouses as a result of occult spells from false prophets of the order of Balaam. Your blessings and the successes attract the jealousy of wicked men who pretend to be believers and friends. These are agents of the power of darkness ready ‘to kill, steal and destroy’. They have no pity. They hearts are hard like stone. Your ignorance and foolishness is their ‘luck, success and promotion’! God warns His children of invisible traps so we have no excuse if we fall!

O, how I hate to see the believer deceived and backsliding…

O, how I hate to see the wicked rewarded for their evil by stealing your crown…

Please, make me happy, and pray for discernment of spirits! You cannot avoid temptation but you can overcome the devil and his agents by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony!

You can do it!

In Christ I declare:

I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!

My eyes are open to see the strategy of the devil and his agents!

I plead the Blood of Jesus over my life and my family!

I place my life, my marriage, my ministry and my job at the foot of the Cross!

Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!

I shall overcome!

All glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19:14)

Our three grandchildren (who live in Houston, Tx) are here with us for two weeks holiday in Nigeria. Mimi is 10 and Angel is 7. Today we had an open air crusade in Warri. Pastor Leigh (their grandpa’) preached the Gospel and made an altar call. Quite a number of people came forward to give their lives to Christ. Then Angel, our grand-daughter asked me: ‘Malia, can children go forward?’ I said ‘Yes, of course…’ Then to my greatest surprise our two grand- daughters went forward too.
This is one of the best days of my life, to see Mimi and Angel surrendering their lives to Christ.
Thank You Jesus!
All the glory to God!

In Christ I declare:
I am a fruitful vine!
I shall see the salvation of my children’s children!
My descendants are children of covenant and they shall all be saved!
Because I obey God, according to His promise, He shall bless the fruit of my body!
As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mk 9:29)

Jesus, Peter James and John came down from the Mountain of Transfiguration. Down in the valley there was a crisis. A man brought his son to the remaining disciples for deliverance from an unclean, suicidal spirit. They prayed but ‘nothing happened’. The disciples did exploits in the past and rejoiced in the glory of the ministry. But now, the demon did not budge. Embarrassed, they waited for the Lord to come. The crowds were gathered for free entertainment. If you are not in need, prayers for others are just a show.

When the people saw Jesus they ran to Him with expectation that some miracle will happened. The Lord was grieved at their unbelief. The only one who was also truly grieved was the boy’s father. He expected a miracle and nothing yet…He repeated the story of his son’s sickness…He begged Jesus to do something…Then the Lord rebuked the demon and suddenly, the boy was free. Later, the disciples wanted to know the reason for their failure in ministry; why power was not released from above at their request. Then Jesus directed their attention to an often ignored spiritual warfare strategy: fasting and prayer! What can we learn from this?

The first thing we notice is that ministry is not always ‘successful’ especially when done in public. It is possible that the disciples became over-confident of their ‘skill’ as ‘men of God’. In the past, their faith was simply in the person of Jesus Christ. But now, their faith became complicated, stained with doubt, entangled in visible things of this world. True faith is total trust God! Religious ‘failing’ faith trusts God and other things: skill, wisdom or even past experiences of faith. Faith in faith is a snare. Many have been trapped in this disappointing religious strategy.

Jesus is grieved by their unbelief, He rebukes them but gratefully, He does not withdraw from their needs. He patiently allows the father to repeat the story of his son’s illness. It helps to allow people talk about their pains. Then the father quickly discovers that he needs more faith; not only for the present deliverance of his son, but for his life in general, from now on. May we do the same! When we come to Jesus praying to solve our particular problem, may we glean any blessing that comes with the solution! May we repent of doubt and change! May we ask for more faith, for power, for anointing, not just for today but for the future needs!

We also discover that not all demons are the same. This particular one did not go away easily. It is like he is used to ‘religious jargon’. Calling the name of Jesus without honoring Jesus will not help! Then we are reminded that fasting and prayer helps us to focus, to repent of any worldly tendency to use the ministry as entertainment, to gain money or fame. When the Spirit is grieved, nothing’ works’. Miracles seize and confusion increases. Lastly, it is good to be reminded that no case is too difficult for Jesus!

I counsel that you fast some days at the beginning of this year. The flesh does not like it. The devil will tell you that fasting and prayer is ‘useless’. But the Word of God abides forever. You know yourself! Do not compare with others! If your situation is more of less desperate, then you need radical measures ‘to attract’ God’s attention for your case. Fasting will not kill you. It can only help you, physically and spiritually. May God grant healing, deliverance and breakthrough to you! This is my wish and this is my prayer! Happy New Year!

In Christ I declare:
I fast and pray! God shall answer me!

Nothing shall be impossible for me, because I believe!

Nothing is impossible for God!

My faith has increased!

I am free!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16)

We just ended our church’ program called ‘Jesus Mega Party 2013’. This is the greatest open air Christian event in our state. Thousands came. Multitudes answered the altar call to surrender their lives to our Lord Jesus Christ. The theme for this year was ‘Limitless God’. We started by 9 pm and ended it at 2 am in the New Year. There was praise, worship and Kingdom dances; both adults and children were involved.  Pastor Leigh preached the Gospel, bringing the good news to all. Just before we started, at about 6 pm, dark clouds gathered threatening to bring storm and rain. The month of December is not in the raining season, so the clouds look strangely intimidating. Everybody prayed with all their hearts…  A little shower, just enough to wet the ground, to avoid dust… that was all the dark clouds could do. We had to wet the grounds with water from the buckets, so God simplified our labor. The storm that threatened to scatter everything quietly went away. We praised God and our faith rose in anticipation!

Then the program started. All, went well until about 11 pm. As Pastor Leigh started to preach the Gospel, suddenly all the power went off. Ordinarily, this could have been a disaster. There were thousands of ‘sinners’ all waiting to hear the plan of salvation.  But all the lights went off and all the loudspeakers suddenly became silent.  As the mechanics tried to re-start the generator, all I could hear from all over the field, was prayer and praise. Nobody showed any sign of impatience or frustration. Nobody moved. Then somebody in the crowd lifted a chorus and it spread like wild fire. Thousands sang in the dark: ‘Let God’s light shine! The devil can do what he wants to do, but he can never stop the light of God to shine…’  I never heard this song before but it was just the right thing to sing. This is how ‘the congregation’ took over and sang on and on for about five minutes, until the power came back. There was no pushing and no whistling of disapproval the way you hear in secular concerts when the music fails. At the microphone Pastor Leigh said ‘The devil is a liar!’ and all said Amen!

Then he continued from where he stopped. Christ crucified for sinners was preached with anointing and power. Then as he prepared to make the altar call, suddenly, at about 11:30, the power went off again. The crowd responded exactly the same. To hear thousands of ‘strangers’ singing God’s praises in the darkness, that was awesome indeed! The power came back for the third time, the ‘altar call’ was made and thousands came to the front in surrender. As by an invisible hand, they all knelt down before God. There was no pushing and no confusion at all. All repeated the sinner’s prayer and quietly went back.

Then we all lifted our hands to give thanks to God for everything! It is with thanks giving in our hearts and lips that we transition into the New Year. The fireworks blasted upwards, as a symbol of joy and praise to God. People greeted and embraced one another.  The praise continued. Some people came closer to be prayed for. Hands were laid on the sick and oppressed. The mechanics said that they could not discover any fault in the generator. Each time they just waited a little and re-started it again without any problem. The mobile police searched all the ‘suspicious young men’ for weapons as they entered the field. Out of more than ten thousands of them, they only found one young man who had a knife in his pocket. He was arrested. That was all they could report.

It was a wonderful night to the glory of God!

Happy New Year!

In Christ I declare:

This year, the Limitless God will reveal Himself and bless me abundantly!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you” (Dan 6:16)

Daniel was a Jewish captive in Babylon. He was a man ‘of excellent spirit’ and got a high position in the Government of that country. Then Darius, the King of the Medes took over. He was also impressed with Daniel’s character and planned to promote him to be over all his governors and officials. These people got jealous and made a counter plan to destroy Daniel. They knew that he is a faithful servant who cannot be bribed or corrupted. The only way to destroy him and his reputation will be thru Daniel’s religion. They manipulated the King with flattery into signing a foolish law that said: any man, who prays to any other god than him, shall be thrown into the lion’s den.

When Daniel heard about how his master was deceived to ignorantly sign his death warrant, he got ready to meet God. In life or death, he knew that God was near. He went to his house, opened the windows towards Jerusalem, knelt down and, as usual, he prayed to God. The wicked men caught him breaking the law of his master. It is true that the law was foolish but the signature of the king was there on it. Daniel was reported and found guilty. The king tried to save his most faithful servant, but could not. The law has no mercy. If the king releases Daniel after breaking the law, he will lose his respect and his throne.

So Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den to die. The king felt guilty for betraying his best friend and could not sleep the whole night. Early in the morning he found that Daniel was not only alive, but not hurt at all for the Angel of Jehovah shut the mouths of the lions the whole night. The king was very happy and brought Daniel out. The king then judges the wicked false accusers of Daniel.  Together with their wives and children, they are sent to the same lion’s den. But there is no Angel to save them and they all perish. And yes, Daniel still got his promotion at last.

This is a story even the children can tell. A whole chapter in the Bible is dedicated to it. What are the lessons here? What is God telling you? The first thing we learn is that it pays to serve the Living God, continually and faithfully. Most people do not believe in purity of character. It is true that this world is corrupted and religion is even worse. It is said that if a man was not a thief before entering an office, he will become one after he leaves. But God is telling us that like Daniel, as a Christian, you do not have to be corrupted to be successful in this world. Faithfulness to God’s Word brings success!

Do you believe that?

Another lesson is that payer is a most powerful weapon. Your faithfulness as a prayer warrior shall be tried in fire. Daniel was ready to break the law of his earthly master, and even to die, for the privilege of prayer. Is prayer a matter of life and death to you? Are you ready to die than to stop praying?

The name Daniel means God’s judgment. God is a God of justice and He surely punishes the wicked. It is a terrible thing to falsely accuse a true servant of God, to oppose his ministry and anointing or to desire his death. The persecutors of true believers shall suffer, together with their families. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the Living God!

Lastly, when God wants to promote you, men and devils shall become jealous and persecute you even unto death. Do you know that? When face to face with the lions of death, are you ready to stand trusting God alone? For at that time even your parents, spouse, boss or best friend shall betray you. The Angel who shut the mouth of the lions was our Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the Cross to shut the mouth of the devil. Your enemies shall be speechless and disgraced. It is faith in God alone that will save you. Can you stand alone, having only God as defense?  Do you trust God for your total vindication? Is God enough for you? Is your faith in God working for you? Are you saved? For in the times of trials all men shall abandon you to your fate and even kings cannot save you. You shall either die or live to declare God’s mercy and His wonders. But once you successfully pass thru this fire, no devil and no man can ever destroy your testimony or stop your promotion for you shall be called the friend of God!

In Christ I declare:

The God of Daniel is my God!

I serve God continually!

God shall save and deliver me from all trials!

My unrepentant enemies shall fall for my sake!

Even in the grave Jesus is Lord!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Attend… Serve, the Lord without distraction… Live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1Cor 7:35)

We are commanded to examine ourselves if we are still in the center of God’s will. One of the most common hindrances to true worship is a divided, cluttered, distracted heart. The word ‘distraction’ in Greek means to drag heavy things around the house; to be full of domestic cares that have the ability to draw you out from God’s presence. To be distracted it means to have your attention diverted from the right object to another, to lose your focus, to mix your priorities, to become complicated emotionally, to get confused with conflicting motives. This warning against dangerous spiritual distraction applies only to the true believers for the unsaved cannot worship God. It is a sign of internal backsliding. If uncorrected, it becomes a sin leading to bondage that may require deliverance.

The main cause for spiritual distraction is the devil. He is able to attack the mind bringing confusion, division and distraction. The devil deceives you by offering confusion in place of the pure simplicity of Christ, which he calls ‘boredom’. He tempts you to ignore the true Gospel of Christ Crucified and to grieve the Holy Spirit and trade it for ‘other gospels, saviors or spirits’ (2Cor 11:3, 4). You may think that no true believer will fall for its tricks, but many mighty men joined the world thru this old deception.

Other sources of spiritual distraction are business and worldliness. The mind is too preoccupied with things about jobs, promotion, money, marriage, children, worries about life and death in general. All these thoughts cause doubt or anxiety. These are able to hinder the flow of worship.

The best example of a distracted worshiper is Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus. She was busy with cooking for Jesus until she became too frustrated to worship Him. She became jealous on her sister who just sat at His feet, listening to His Word. She was lovingly rebuked by the Lord who said that Mary has chosen the best place in the universe: an undivided attention to God’s Word and worship (Lk 10:38-42)

The solution is to come back to Jesus, back to your First Love! Come back to the Cross and remind yourself of the price of true Love! You have to identify these hindrances as sins. Repent! Purify your heart and motives for ministry! Your love for the Savior should be the only reason for your sacrifice of worship! You should need nothing else! Nobody should beg you to worship God, to pay your tithe or to come to church! Desire to worship God from your heart! Be jealous and protect your quiet times with the Lord! Be faithful in the study of the Word and prayer! It is better to read less scriptures but with an undivided attention and honoring God, than to read much and retain nothing. Make sure that you read the Bible more than the newspaper, Christian books more than novels, listen to worship music more than the secular radio, watch spiritual movies more than the news on the TV…

Even lady Delilah, as wicked as she was, complained about Samson being distracted and in the same time confessing love to her…

“How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me?” (Jdg 16:15)

MY TESTIMONY

Spiritual distraction is a sin I had to fight often. I am much better now, but not completely healed. From time to time my mind wanders and I just forget God’s presence. Slowly, my worship becomes mechanical and my devotion reduces to a mere routine. It becomes hard to think of Jesus in a loving way. I start to worry about many little things. My mind ‘scatters’ in different directions. My heart becomes cold. I read the Bible but I lose the excitement of searching for a fresh revelation. I feel sleepy when I should not sleep. I remember some gossip I should not have listened to in the first place. I cannot compose a song; poetry looks crazy and prophetic utterance a burdensome weight. The flow of inspiration gets dry… The river of life becomes a poodle…Things do not make sense…

This down spiral mind can last for minutes, hours or days…

Then I wake up as from sleep. I rebuke myself, I feel bad, I cry, I repent and run back to the mercy seat…I painfully long for God’s sweet voice and for His embrace once more…I look at the Cross and I see the price Love had to pay to save my soul…I weep and kiss His feet…God is so merciful…His Spirit draws me back to Him…

O, how I hate the devil and any distraction that will drag me away from the Lover of my soul…

O, how I love Jesus…

“With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearning for You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from Your commandments” (Ps 119;10, AMP)

In Christ I declare:

I reject any distraction, doubt or confusion of mind!

I look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith!

I worship God in Spirit and in Truth!

In Jesus name

Amen!

Dear Malia,

I ask that you pray for me. My relationship with my father is not good. The way he treats me and my siblings and even my nieces is not the way it should be. I pray for him but my heart is turning cold towards him. I ask God to remove bitterness and un-forgiveness out of my heart but I still feel the same. He’s always treated me the worst although I was always the best child from their ‘standards’.

I understand it’s a spiritual warfare, but I am human and it’s difficult not having a biological parent that I’m close to…

MY ANSWER:

Dear…

I pray that your eyes be opened to see the root of this problem. Not just a superficial solution but a deep work of the Holy Spirit, when Christ is glorified. It is possible that you want him to be somebody he can never be…for example, he can never be your best friend, your encourager or your mentor…etc. God can choose other people to fulfill these positions of blessings for you. For a born again, the natural relationships are the least fulfilling of all.

It is also possible that you have to look for another church, for a spiritual mentor, a pastor who truly loves you personally, inspires you with a living vision of success and covers you spiritually so that you can grow without fear. Then you will be free from this pain of having an uncaring natural dad. Lastly, draw closer to God, thru His Word and prayer. He is the best Father you can ever have!

“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,

Is God in His holy habitation…

God sets the solitary in families;

He brings out those who are bound into prosperity…” (Ps 68:5, 6)

Love in Christ alone

Malia

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you!”  (Ex 15:26)

If the medical treatment is not working and the pain is increasing, then you need a miracle of healing from God. You have to also ask God for mercy and forgiveness for doubting His power, willingness to heal and love towards you. Most people just say that they believe God but in reality they do not believe as they should. For healing, you need more faith than ‘the regular’ faith of just surviving. Even as you pray for healing, there are different levels of faith. For example you need more faith to trust God for healing from AIDS than from a headache. Doubt is an enemy to faith. Fear of failure is also an enemy to faith. Bitterness is an enemy to faith! Religious pride is ‘a cancer’ to faith. Identify the hindrances and deal with them ruthlessly. Uproot any ‘convenient lie’ of the devil! Examine your heart for any compromise with the thinking of the world! Do not be sorry for the devil! Most people deceive themselves about the reality of their level of faith. The eternal truth remains: God has commanded us to pray and He has promised to hear our prayers, to be concerned about our weaknesses and our infirmities. God cares for us. Stop and think of this ‘simple’ revelation. Say to yourself again and again until every cell in your body and soul believes it: ‘God cares for me! God loves me!’ God can use the doctors and the medical treatment. But God is not bound by them. God is limitless in His creative methods of healing.

Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary to save your soul and to heal your body. Some people say that healing is not part of the gain at the Cross. Why do you believe the doubters? What do you lose if you believe the whole truth? Why not join the ranks of them who have greater overcoming faith?

‘By His (Christ’s) stripes you are healed’ (Is 53:5)

O…that you may completely trust God today! O…that you may desire to have a fresh testimony of God’s healing power towards you! You do not need money, but you need faith! May God grant it to you! This is God’s word for you today!

In Christ I declare:

I am saved!

By His stripes I am healed!

I believe 100%!

Doubt is 0%!

All glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Though the sheep pens are sheepless

 and the cattle barns empty,

I’m singing joyful praise to God.

Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,

I take heart and gain strength.

I run like a deer.

I feel like I’m king of the mountain!” (Habakkuk 3:17-19; TM)

This is the wonderful faith declaration of Prophet Habakkuk. His name in Hebrew means ‘Embrace’. Habakkuk is longing for an Embrace from God but God seems distant and uninterested with the state of His people… He complains to God that things are hard and nothing makes sense anymore. Sin prevails in the land and the prophets are ignored or disgraced. The enemy gains ground and none can oppose his advances. The wicked men look happy and successful. Then God speaks…Please take note…God will always speak at last!!! He assures His lonely and frustrated servant that He is still in control of His universe. In the midst of much negative complains God embraces him with clear words of hope.

First, God commands the prophet to write down the revelation of this hope of glory. This is a decree to continue to preach the Gospel of Christ. Even if things seems slow, sooner or later, the visible results shall follow. Holy seeds shall produce a holy harvest! Eternal Life shall win the battle against sin and death in the land. This is God’s decree and the revelation that shall surely ‘speak at the appointed time’. There is no fear of failure or fear of the future in the ministry of preaching Christ. Let all men be liars, if that is what they want, but God shall prove Himself to be true at last. Men may receive or reject the Word of God. But one thing is sure: God loves them and He has proved His love by sending His only Begotten Son to die for their sins. The sinful and proud man may boast of his strength and success. But the humble righteous man shall live by faith in His Savior. That shall be his strength, his righteousness and boast! This is the Gospel we preach: Christ Crucified; Raised from the dead and Lord of lords forever!

This is the eternal truth: Sin can never prevail for it has been defeated on the Cross of Calvary. It is the glory of God that wins at last. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge and the revelation of the power, beauty and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘as the waters cover the sea’. Nothing can stop that! Nothing can change that!

Another thing is sure: the Almighty God exists! He dwells in Heaven, in His Holy Temple. Let all men stop complaining and keep quiet!  Let all creation bow down and worship God! In the middle of trials, sickness, poverty, persecution, opposition and much peril of life, let all men rejoice in the hope of the glory of Jesus Christ! For as long as you breathe there is still hope that things will change! Dear Child, God has not forgotten you! God is faithful to all His promises! Has He said something to you in the past? Then He shall surely bring it to pass! For God owes no man!

May God strengthen and revive your heart today!

This should be your prayer:

 “Lord, I have heard of your fame;

    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.

Repeat them in our day,

    in our time make them known;

    in wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3:2, NIV)

In Christ I declare:

Jesus is Lord!

God shall fulfill His good will towards me!

All God’s promises in the Bible are yes and amen!

I trust God!

In all circumstances I shall worship God forever!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him…the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matt 2:1-10).  

The story of Christmas is two thousand years old. Generations of young and old rejoiced in its mystery and beauty. Among the best loved ‘characters’ of the drama are the wise men. They could have been three or more. They saw a bright star in the East and they followed its path. They rejoiced when the star lead them to see Baby Jesus. We don’t know much about them. But surely, these are educated men who could read the sign of times. They are wealthy men too, for they sponsored themselves on such a long journey, bringing expensive gifts. They were spiritual men, for their desire was to find the King of glory and to worship Him. They were just not looking for a baby. They were looking for the King of glory in charge of their destinies and One who is worthy of their devotion. In the natural, it’s not easy to bow down to ‘a foreign’ king. Except that King is so special that all the money and time spent in seeking Him is worth it. That is why they are called wise, for they found Him, the best Treasure man can ever have.

These were not ignorant travelers or adventure seekers. They surely prayed before they decided to bring their special prophetic gifts to the King. They brought gold, fit for a king’s crown; frankincense, an offering for a priest and myrrh, to embalm the body of the dead. They believed that the King of glory is a Royal Priest and that He will mysteriously die one day. This is so strange… God revealed so much to strangers who paid the price to come and worship the King of the Jews. Their sacrifice of worship is even greater knowing that the Jews refused to welcome or worship Christ. Herod wanted Jesus dead. But these wise men from the East are an example to us; spiritual, bold, faithful and wise men indeed. I believe that heaven will be full with great surprises, for the last shall be first and the first shall be left behind.

Jesus said: “whoever seeks shall find” (Mt 7:8). This is God’s law. Worship is very expensive. It is not for the fainthearted, casual and superficially curious entertainers. You may have to leave your comfort zone and follow a star…you may have to trust the wind… or the fragrance of incense blowing in the air…men may laugh or they may plan to kill… but keep asking… keep moving with the leading of the Spirit…the star may stop over a humble lonely abode, but if God is there, you shall become an established worshipper in the courts of heaven. God rewards diligent, patient and humble seekers. He rewards them with His very presence and personal blessings. The story of Christmas is going on even today. Wise men still seek Jesus. God Himself is seeking worshippers too (Jn 4:23). There is a place in the Spirit realm where the holy seekers shall gather, from east and west, they shall come and meet and rejoice together.

Do you seek Jesus? Do you desire to worship Him? Are you ready to lose all things you purchased with money, for the joy of finding the Excellency of knowing Jesus Christ? Then God will reward you and you shall rejoice! I know it for sure! This is your wisdom indeed!

Merry Christmas to you all!

In Christ I declare:

I continue to seek Jesus until I shall find Him!

Jesus is my very own eternal treasure!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“O Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are but a small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from everlasting ages past!” God will abandon his people to their enemies until she who is to give birth has her son… And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God, and His people shall remain there undisturbed, for He will be greatly honored all around the world. He will be our Peace. ..
He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land. Then the nation of Israel will refresh the world like gentle dew or the welcome showers of rain, and Israel will be as strong as a lion. The nations will be like helpless sheep before her! She will stand up to her foes; all her enemies will be wiped out” (Micah 5:2-9, LB)

Prophet Micah lived in the 8th Century BC. He saw the coming of the Messiah who was to be born in the small village of Bethlehem Judea. In Hebrew, Bethlehem means the ‘House of Bread’. The word Ephrathah means ‘Fruitfulness’. It describes the spiritual blessings coming to such a humble location, chosen by God to have His Son to be born there. What a mystery…The Living Bread came to its House.
Even today Bethlehem is still a small town. The population is only about 25 000 people. More than half are Muslims and the rest are Christian Palestinians. The main industry is tourism. Most of the inhabitants manufacture and sell little crosses made of olive wood. The church that houses the manger where Jesus was born is one of the oldest in the world.
God could have chosen any other city for the birthplace of His Son. But according to Micah’s prophecy, the little town of Bethlehem became that unique and blessed spot on earth. God loves to use things of insignificance to create great things of wonder. We have a tendency to despise little things or little beginnings. We assume that for great things to happen, we need to start with big ‘capital’ and much fanfare. But God is different. He uses things that men reject to create wonders men admire. This is the pleasure of God, to use the weak to confound the strong and foolish people to shame the worldly wise.

Micah prophesied that the King born in Bethlehem shall destroy the Assyrian army. This prophecy can only be applied to what happened when Sennacherib wanted to destroy Jerusalem. It means that the Angel who killed 185000 Assyrians that night was in fact Christ (2Kg 19). That was the end of the enemy’s attack upon Jerusalem. He who was born in a manger is able to destroy all His enemies with only His breath! Like in Egypt, during the Passover Night, the ‘silent night, holy night’ became a time of horror and judgment to all His enemies. He who brought peace on earth to the men who have His favor, He is able to destroy all opposition to His Kingdom. Is this how you imagine Baby Jesus?

From such a humble beginning, in the little town of Bethlehem, the King of Glory was born. The Baby in the Manger is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was born as a little baby. He lived and died as a Man, became a substitute for sinners that they may be forgiven. He was buried in Jerusalem and rose again after three days. He then sent the Holy Spirit on His Church. He is our strong Shepherd to protect and feed us with His Word. He is our Prince of Peace and our eternal prosperity. Like long awaited showers during the dry season and like the mysterious dew covering the desert in the morning, He is the only hope of revival for the nations. Christ is the Sovereign Ruler of all the earth. All creation shall bow down to Him. All His enemies shall be defeated.

This beautiful picture is what Micah saw eight centuries before the birth of Jesus. Do you see the King of Glory, undefeated and eternal? There was no room for Him to be born in a palace. A stable and an animal’s manger was the best humanity could offer to His Creator. But this is the strange true Story of Redemption, the Romance of God who chose to dwell among men.
I wish you Merry Christmas!

This is our prayer…
“O Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel”
(by Philips Brooks)

In Christ I declare:
Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Lord!
In Jesus name
Amen!

““I am a Jew; I worship Jehovah, the God of heaven, who made the earth and sea.” Then he told them he was running away from the Lord…Then they picked up Jonah and threw him overboard into the raging sea—and the storm stopped! The men stood there in awe before Jehovah, and they sacrificed to Him and vowed to serve Him” (Jon 1:9-16; LB)

The boat looked like any ordinary boat. The seamen on duty did not know that soon they shall have an encounter with God, that their lives will be changed forever. The trip looked like any other. The route was the old Jewish port of Joppa, across the Great Sea and unto far away Tarshish in Spain. The passenger called Jonah stood in line with others bought his ticket. He then quietly went bellow, to the darkest part of the cabins. That third class cabin ticket was all his money could purchase. Anyway, this was not a pleasure trip he thought to himself. He was not ready to spend more money running away from the Lord. He went to his bunker and straight to sleep, trying to ignore this anxiety that Jehovah may locate him, in the belly of this old ship. But of one thing he was sure: he was not ready to go to that wicked city Nineveh and waste all his compassion on some stupid, idolatrous people for whom nobody cares. So he exchanged the anointing for ministry for a cheap cruise on the Mediterranean Sea.

Maybe God will forget… Maybe God will have mercy on him…Maybe God will forget saving the pagans…After all, Jehovah is his God, not theirs…Comforting himself, the prophet fell asleep…

For some time all things were quiet. Jonah slept on and off. He even indulged in a half smile, thinking that he outran God…Then suddenly, the ship started shaking…the wind started blowing like mad…the waves went up and down with a vengeance…No stars, no moon, no light at all…

The seamen tried to steady the ship. They did all they can to balance it on the angry waves. But nothing worked…Suddenly they knew that this storm was different than all others they’ve witnessed in the past. This was a strange storm…this was so unexpected…this was not even the season for storms- they said…something is wrong… the gods are angry, the gods are after them…

These were strong and hardened men, but the wind brought them to their knees. When all hope was gone, to their surprise, they found themselves praying… pleading with any god to have mercy on them all…They never prayed like this in all of their lives…Then one had an idea to cast lots, to find the guilty one, the one who offended the gods…and the lot fell on passenger number…Jonah Amittai….Who is this Jonah?… Anxiously, the Captain and all the rest went down below and found Jonah sleeping…This was a careless sleep of death…They asked him why sleep at such a time as this…he said that he was running from the God of Heaven, who created the land and the sea…the sea?…this was the man who had the boldness to enter a ship and ignore the call of God who made the sea…This is the call of the sea…Jonah has to go and meet the God of the sea…To save the rest of men, Jonah must die… then Jonah was thrown overboard…and suddenly the sea became quiet, satisfied with its offering…

The seamen fell down in awe, and worshiped Jehovah, the God of Jonah, the Creator God, the God who calls men to His service, the Jealous God, the God who purses His backsliding servants, the God who seeks and finds His own worshippers, the God who none can defeat, the God who accepts the death of one man, so that others may live…the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our God forever! Among crew and passengers, brought together by an invisible hand and a strange call, revival has started on that old ship…

As you know, Jonah did not really die. The same God who provided the storm, also provided a big fish who swallowed and carried him free of charge to his primary place of ministry. This is not just the prophet’s testimony of repentance and restoration. It is also the story of how revival can come suddenly on a people who never dreamt of God before. It is the story of God’s compassion on pagans, on sinners, who need a Savior too.

This is a great lesson for us all, even as we pray for revival to come… When all things seem ‘normal’, in the midst of business as usual…suddenly, the power of God may hit your comfort zone and shake your boat. It may be losing a job, a sickness, pain, divorce…or it may look like death. But the storm is intended to humble you, to bring you to your knees before your Creator. Trapped between darkness and rough seas, in the midst of loneliness, loss and the anxiety of a million unanswered questions… you will meet with God. You will discover the power of prayer and the fragrance of worship to be the only Balm for your thirsty soul. The grace of God shall be your portion and revival your reward! Amen!

In Christ I declare:

I shall not die, but live and declare the wonderful things of God!

I am saved by the Blood of the Lamb!

I have answered the call to worship and serve God, forever!

The grace of God is upon me!

God has revived my heart!

I am healed and restored!

Revival shall come to this land!

In Jesus name

Amen!