A LIVE DOG IS BETTER THAN A DEAD LION (Ecc 9:4)

by Silvia Leigh

 

Apart from the Lord, King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. He gives us good advice on how ‘to enjoy’ the only life we have to live on this earth.

‘Life no get duplicate’ –says a Nigerian Proverb. So true!

These are some lessons I’ve found in the Book of Ecclesiastics, Chapter 9:

*Everything is in God’s hands. He has the last say in all human affairs. Do not worry about men for God is sovereign over all things that pertain to you, good or bad, mistakes or failures. Nothing happens ‘by mistake’ for God is actively in charge of the universe He has created! So relax and trust God! You are not god! Be more grateful for your blessings! Do not compare your lot with another’s. God is in control!

*Death is part of life. All men die. Death is sure. Life on earth is unique. It is also limited. You have a limited amount of opportunities to fulfill your destiny and be happy. Why not happy then?

* There are only two types of men: righteous or evil, saved or unsaved, born again or lost. Humble yourself and make sure you belong to the people of Jesus. There is no repentance after death. Do not waste any opportunity to draw closer to God, to go to church, to be part of the Body of Christ, to worship God in Spirit and in Truth! Seek spiritual fruit in all situations! Life is not just ‘buying and selling’! ‘To me life is Christ! I seek Him always and rest not unto I can plug into His grace! Not religion, but life!

*God saves some people by His grace, in Christ alone, by faith alone. The rest are condemned and lost forever! Be sure of your standing before God! Pray not only for the salvation of your soul, but for the assurance of your salvation. This assurance is an added gift, by the Holy Spirit. It comes only to the obedient believers. It gives them enough’ room’ to be free! Only then you can serve God without anxiety of life. The assurance of salvation is rest for the soul and happiness for the body; it is blessing to the marriage and family! Seek for it as for silver and gold! Believer, do not be lazy!

*Do all things in God’s presence and for His glory. Eat and drink ‘before the throne of mercy and grace’. Did you eat bread this morning? Then be grateful! Many people did not have bread to eat! Be sure you do not take food for granted! There should be no complaining at the dinner table! Jesus said to all His servants: ‘Eat whatever is given to you…’

*’Enjoy life with your wife’…Marriage is a gift of God. Some are married and some are not. You are to trust God for the gift of marriage. It does not depend on beauty of money. It is God’s gift. You have to humble yourself to receive the gift of marriage. Also, you MUST be happily married! This is God’s command! Any disobedience to God’s command is called witchcraft (1Sam 15:23). Any unhappy marriage is connected with the occult. You have to choose between your wife and a witch. You can’t have both! Chose marriage! Be happy! Tell your wife (your husband) that you are grateful for coming into your life, for sharing all things together! I am sure you are not blind…you see other women more beautiful than you…you see other men richer than you…but God said that you shall be married and it was so! Be grateful!

*Be sexually and morally pure!

*Be anointed with the Holy Spirit and ready for ministry, anytime, anywhere! Be a Living Bible walking on two feet!

*Enjoy all things every day! Enjoy every minute for there is no another. Enjoy your marriage, your children and your family! Enjoy your church, driving to church, parking in front of your church…Enjoy the church activities, the choir rehearsals, the waiting for the service to start, the prayer times, the preaching of the Word, the worship, the offerings, the assembly of the brethren…Stop wishing for a better wife, a better church, a better opportunity to serve God and people…another opportunity may never come! Be at peace with all men!

* A personal touch: My husband and I we travel a lot. Traveling is not easy. It adds stress that comes with changing your environment and meeting strange people. We always pray that wherever we go we shall be ambassadors of Christ and messengers of peace. We pray that people will remember us for good and not for trouble. We pray that the Holy Spirit will use our words and actions to minister life to the people we meet, long after we have forgotten their names.

We have discovered the sweet secret of successful fulfilled life in Christ! The older we get, the sweeter it is! We are happy and enjoy our lives in all circumstances. It is a wonder for our traveling companions but also a challenge to them to be the same.

I write these words on my laptop in a hotel room, far away from home… in a country where 98% of the people are Muslims. I look outside the window and I see only mosques…But I also see the sun and the sea, the birds and the sky, the same everywhere…and I bow my head in worship… things may change, but God is forever the same…and that is enough for me!

May the Holy Spirit anoint this letter to touch your hearts and draw you closer to the God we serve!

In Jesus name

Amen!

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE!!!

by Silvia Leigh

 

‘A city on a hill cannot be hidden…Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven!’ (Mt 5:16)

We went today at the Mount of the Beatitudes. Pastor Leigh read some scriptures. It was real, like Jesus was there…

The Lord commands us to ‘shine our lights’ in this world. In this way, the unbelievers will see something they have never seen before. They will be attracted and come closer to behold something new, something that has the light of heaven and the eternal life at its source.

Our salvation was never meant to be private. Our ministry is not to be used for personal gains only. The Gospel is not a book you read and mediate only in your quiet time. Christianity is a public ‘enterprise’.  It is designed to shine, to attract, to expose, to confront and to bless.

Do you know that you have to be ‘a famous actor’ for Jesus? Do you think about this? Are you making up your mind that you are on a stage, with the lights on, with the microphone of angels at your mouth? To be shy in a moment like this, ‘to forget your lines’ because you claim to have anxiety… that is criminal. Souls perish while you still waste time in your dressing room powdering your shiny cheeks…

Come as you are…your profile may not be perfect for ‘the role’ but use whatever you have… right now! Invest in holy moments and you will be surprised at what God will do with your ‘presentation’…

Reject the fear of men!

Reject the vanity of your beauty!

Reject your perfectionism!

Just have faith!

Step forward…the curtains lifted…with all that is in you, say:

‘I love you!’

Let the world ask you:

‘Why do you do this?’

Tell them:

‘Because I love you’

Then one day they shall ask you ‘the million’ question:

‘Why do you love me?’

That is the moment you have been waiting for! Now you can pass thru the open door of faith and tell them the truth:

‘Because I belong to Jesus and He sent me to you. Give your life to Christ!’

Shine! Shine! Shine!

THE BEST PRAYER

by Silvia Leigh

Let us pray:

‘Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to say thank You for such a beautiful gift, the salvation of my wretched soul. Thank you for sending Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins. By His death on the cross, I believe that He has redeemed me from the curse and punishment of sin. I am now free in Christ to live in Your presence to serve and to worship you forever. King of Glory, come into my heart and stay. Thank you for coming in.

In Jesus mighty name I pray,

Amen’

THE DANGERS OF LIVING IN THE PAST

by Silvia Leigh
After seventy years of captivity in Babylon, God makes a way and brings back to Jerusalem a remnant of people to rebuild the Temple and the city. Jeremiah prophesied that God will send them into exile to humble them for their sins of rebellion and disobedience. But the prophet also said that after seventy years they shall come back, to start afresh the public wors…hip. Millions were sent away and now only about fifty thousand return.
In the Book of Ezra chapter 3, we see that the people and the priests prepare to build the Temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians. Before laying its foundation, they wisely chose to re-start the public worship. They rebuild the brazen altar and offer on it burnt sacrifices. Then they begin to praise God saying: ‘He is good! His love endures forever’ Then they lay down the Temple foundation. The reaction to this work of God was mixed. The young people were clapping their hands, shouting, dancing and singing with joy. But the old people, who have seen the mighty temple that Solomon has built, they wept with sorrow. The reason is that this foundation looks so little compared with the one in the past. So the young people were rejoicing, praising God and the old people were weeping, grieving for the past glories.
What are the dangers of such attitude? If you live in the past, you shall lose your joy and your strength, your praise, your leadership influence and ministry. The old people should have encouraged the younger ones to look unto God and to rejoice. Circumstances change, resources change, but God never changes.  They should have led the younger generation in showing gratitude to God for His mercy in their rebellion, for His constant presence with them even in Babylon. They should have encouraged the young ones to praise God even more for a new open door when all hope was lost and for the fulfillment of prophetic utterances.
The past is there for us to learn wisdom, to draw strength, to learn thanksgiving. But the past is not the place to dwell. It is too dangerous. It will make you older before your time. It will kill the hope for the future. It will make you bitter, angry and depressed. Apostle Paul did not stop doing ministry even in prison. He wrote almost all his letters from there. ‘For me to live is Christ…’ For as long as I live I shall continue to praise God, give Him thanks, encourage the brethren and do ministry.
Amen!

BLESSED THORN, I WELCOME YOU…

by Silvia Leigh

 

What was the Apostle’s ‘thorn in the flesh’? Nobody knows. It could have been a chronic sickness, constant persecutions, hardships, insults…all for the sake of Christ…Not all ‘thorns’ are the same. Each person has a different problem that repeats itself and is not ready to go away even if he prays against it.

Apostle Paul prayed, he begged God to take it away, but the Lord ignored his request. But the same God gave him great revelations of His Word and of His Spirit. Paul wrote half of the New Testament. The thorn apparently did not kill him, just made him more effective in his ministry.

The question is this: Who does not want such ‘a thorn’? What is its torment compared to the glory revealed? Nothing!

The most important lesson is this:

God ‘designs’ and ‘sends a thorn’ to each child He wants to use and bless!

Each thorn has a purpose. If you are sick and no doctor can help, please remember that nothing is random in a believer’s life. The main reason for such a chronic problem is to keep you humble. Pride is an enemy, a deceptive enemy. We need help from God to remain humble and to be a vessel for His honor and grace. Pride can destroy a testimony, a ministry. Do you remember Nebuchadnezzar? Pride almost destroyed him, if not for the grace of God who gave him a second chance.

The thorn is painful but necessary to keep you humble. Do not be discouraged when the pain does not go away. Don’t you see that in other areas God is blessing you? As you accept the blessings, accept the occasional pain too.   Is the same God that gives them to you! Both are depended on one another.

For example, if you know that for each occasional headache you will receive a million dollars, you will not be worried about your headaches anymore. You will not pray against them anymore.

If from time to time your boss insults you, for no good reason, but each time he pays you a million dollars, you will not be so upset about his nasty words. The process is still painful but you can boast about the effect it has on you and the blessings that follow!

It is because you do not see the connection between suffering and blessings… that is why you cry and complain. God weakens our flesh; He kills it in fact. The process is necessary to prepare the way for grace to enter. This pain is peculiar. It can be very painful one minute, and disappears in the ocean of prosperity the next day.

May God open your heart to His way of inflicting pain and adding grace and glory to you! That is what you need: opened eyes and open hearts to God’s way of love, to the royal way of the Cross!

Amen!

FRUITFUL AMAZING ETERNAL LOVE

by Silvia Leigh

 

‘Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends…I have called you friends…’ (Jn 15:13-15)

If I am a friend of Jesus Christ, then I lay down my life for Him. Simple! It does not mean that I go through the big crisis of death. It means that I lay down my life deliberately, just as I would lay out a pound note (naira note) on the counter. For example, I have a day before me, twenty hours in all. I am going to lay it out in devotion and obedience to Jesus all through. I will remember Jesus every second of that day.

Love in action is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God does expect a man to be a man.

God saves a man and endues him with His Holy Spirit and says in effect:

‘My son, now it is up to you to prove your salvation. Work it out! Let the invisible work I have done in you become visible to others. Be loyal to Me while the nature of things round about you try to make you disloyal. I have called you ‘friend’. Now stand loyal and faithful to your greatest Friend. My honor is at stake in your bodily life!’

 

(Oswald Chambers, 1874-1917)

LETTER FROM A YOUNG ANXIOUS MAN

by Silvia Leigh

 

‘Good morning Malia… I’m worried about something; I hear this from a lot of people. So I want to hear God’s opinion… it’s true that as man or woman we are not destined for a particular man or woman in marriage…I am a child of God’

 

Why are you worried?

‘God has not given us the evil spirit of fear (worry) but of power, love and sound mind’ (2Tim 1:7).

This is a spiritual law: Any topic, any discussion, any book, any idea…that attacks your peace (with God, with yourself, with others) is of the devil and it should be rejected 100%.

Marriage is not essential for salvation so it is not as important as being pre-destined to be saved. After salvation, we are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in a process called sanctification. By obeying the truth the flesh dies and the spirit rises to live. It is a painful process but necessary to spiritual maturity. Along the way, the believer may choose to marry. His motives may still be carnal in the choice of a wife. But no matter what, all things shall still work together for good for them that love God and are called according to His greater purpose to know and serve Him forever.

The choice of a life partner is connected with the level of faith too. Some people are ‘barely’ saved and have a very low view of marriage. Leave them alone. Connect with wise people who cultivate a spirit of excellency, are wise, patient and loving.

‘Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you your very heart desire (not another’s)’ (Ps 37:4).

My personal testimony is this: I have no doubt at all that my husband and me, we were destined to be saved, to get married and together to work for the Lord in full time ministry.

To God be all the glory!

I wish you well!

Have faith in God!

May God’s perfect will be done in your life, in Jesus name, amen!

Edible flowers

by Silvia Leigh

 

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133:1)

The fellowship of the brethren, the unity of the Spirit in the Body of Christ is both good and pleasant. It is good to the taste and pleasant to the eyes. It challenges the mind and the imagination. But it also fires up the heart with its deepest passions.

One easy way to describe this mysterious combination is study the edible flowers. God created beautiful flowers of many colors. Some are not just attractive, they are also nutritious. They can be eaten with salad, deep fried, with meat dishes, with pasta or deserts. God is so creative and artistic. He is never boring. Please think of Jesus…mediate on His Holy Person…

When last you wrote a letter to God?

When last you tried your pen for a poem of romance and passion for Jesus?

When last you sang a new song titled ‘For my First Love’?

When was it that your words failed you and your knees too…and you fell down in adoration to your Maker?

If your walk with God is just a boring routine of restless motions, no feelings, no longings, no desire to touch the height of an excellent spirit, no interest in new pursuits to improve your worship…then stop!!!

Come back to the Cross! Look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith! Let the baptism of His fire purge your inmost being and cleanse the secret sin of doubt!

Fall in love with Jesus!

After all, He loved you from the foundation of the world!

May my words be fire and may your heart be dry wood!

The fire of revival will destroy the darkness of this land and add to His eternal glory!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

(in the pictures are edible flowers: Yellow Daylilies, Purple Chrysanthemum,  Yellow and Purple Pansies and Roses)

chrysanthemumdaylilies

pansiesrose

Wisdom controls the tongue and the life!

by Silvia Leigh

Trish
“She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” (PV 31:26)
God created the tongue especially as an organ for speech. It is a little organ, compared with others. But it has great spiritual power, for good or for evil, according to the speech. The tongue is a slave to the words proceeding from the heart. That is why no man can control its tongue. The change for good starts in the heart. Then the speech and the life shall improve.
Practically, a wise woman is known by her few words seasoned with grace. This is not an easy accomplishment. You have to pray for peace and order to rule in your heart. Totally reject any form of confusion! The heart is like a house, clean or dirty. As a wife and mother you should know where each item is, where to find the things you need. You are even supposed to find things that are ‘lost’ by your husband and children. Your family will say about you: ‘Ask mummy, she knows where that thing is…’ Just like with your house, your heart must be in order. Each thought, each imagination, each emotion should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. When you speak, you should easily remember the best words to apply in each circumstance. You will not improvise with words of common sense. You do not need many words, going in circles, repeating ideas endlessly. Your speech is orderly, clean and easy to understand by the hearer. Reduce the quantity of your words and improve on their spiritual quality. Any word that proceeds from natural common sense is of low value. Any word spoken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is power and is life. Your words should be ‘edited’ by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. No conversation should leave you tired, frustrated, ashamed, guilty or with a feeling of regret. Each word should be a gift of life to your listeners.
When speaking, you should never lose your temper, start sweating, pour insults, gesticulate unnecessarily or create division and anger among your hearers. You should aim to live a life that has no regrets; no mistakes in your speech or your deeds. This ideal is possible only thru the power and the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Speak like Jesus more and more often!

(In the picture, Pastor Trish Eresanara)

Wisdom rewards its owner!

by Silvia Leigh

IMG_4228
(from our women’s fellowship)
‘Blessed is the man (the woman) who finds wisdom!’ (PV 3:13)
Divine wisdom is not available on earth. You have to desire it; you need to seek for it like ‘for a hidden treasure’ buried in the ground. God has promised to always answer the prayer for wisdom. Once that wisdom comes, you shall know ‘every good path’ to take. You will not go astray into the trap of the wicked and violent men. You will not be deceived by the worldly religious women who kidnap the hearts of their victims thru seducing words and painted lips. Wisdom helps you to identify and ‘shun evil’. This life style becomes health to your body and strength to your soul. You will not die untimely death. Your paths shall be simple, straight and bright. Wisdom is profitable for all things in life and it is pleasant and sweet. Wisdom is protection. Wisdom is generous, kind to its neighbor. It never says: ‘Come back later; I’ll give it to you tomorrow…’ when you have it with you.
The path of wisdom is not easy. Fools mock wisdom, thinking that its labor or love is too costly. Loneliness is a price to pay if you want to be wise. You need to love the Word of God and its study needs time. Other women may go shopping when you stay at home reading your Bible and praying. Of course they will think that you are not ‘normal’. But the beauty of a life of wisdom is that it gets better as time goes by. Your worldly friends will panic as they get older. The wrinkles on their faces will torment them ignoring the truth that natural ‘beauty is fleeting’. But wisdom in the heart becomes the mysterious beauty of holiness. Your face becomes softer and your words become sweeter. No cosmetic surgery can compete with that!
Just in case you read these words and you mock them, I am sorry for you dear sister. You can tear this paper, but you cannot change the word of God and the blessings that come on them who chose to be wise. Wisdom starts like a seed planted in the heart by Him who loved you first. Then the Holy Spirit and your tears shall water this holy plantation. At last, when you think that God has forgotten your pains, wisdom shall bloom like the rose in the desert and shall become your harvest of righteousness. Your words will bring light into the darkness, healing into sick bodies, peace into confusion and freedom from bondage.
‘He (she) who wins souls is wise!’ (PV 11:30)

(in the picture, sister Tina praying during Sunday service)

WISDOM IS A STRONG FOUNDATION THAT WILL NEVER FAIL!

by Silvia Leigh

“As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built” (Lk 6:47-48)

manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy
Wisdom is the foundation built on the Rock called Christ. On top of it, tall and visible to all, shall stand the building of character, glory, honor and praise. Any project that doesn’t start with prayer or seeking God for its success shall fall! We need wisdom always, but especially at the beginning of a new season in life. For example, we need wisdom to find the right school, the right job, the right man to marry… We need wisdom for the wedding day and for ‘the honey moon’… We need wisdom during the pregnancy and the delivery of the baby. We need wisdom for the children, when they are young and when they leave the house to start their life journey as adults. We need wisdom to live a fruitful life during the menopause and the old age.
‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (PV 9:10)
We are fools until we start to take God seriously; until we take the Bible and read it, study it and apply its words to our practical life. The fear of God comes as we mediate on the Person of Christ, His power, His promises, His glory. The fear of God humbles us and makes us teachable. The more we study God’s Word, the more we get the revelation of His majesty and His grace, in calling us the sinners into His presence. This is a wonder that no words can describe. Grace is love in action. God the Father sent His Son to die for me and you. His love is more than I can imagine, more than I can describe with words. This failure of human expression is miraculously transformed into the pure fear of God that makes me His wise servant and humble worshipper.
Foolishness is also a foundation but it is not stable and it is not strong, for it is ‘built on sand’. The house built on top of it shall not be able to withstand the floods of trials of life and it shall fall ‘with a great crash’. Each blessing, each breakthrough, each promotion given to a fool will increase the manifestation of his selfish and wicked behavior. With time, the wise get wiser and stronger and the foolish ones get more disgraced and hated by all.
Be wise!

(In the picture: the city of Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy, built on the rock)

PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

by Silvia Leigh

 

THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY, THAN TO PRAY!

THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO APPRECIATE PRAYER, THAN YO PRAY!

THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO ENJOY THE EFFECTS OF PRAYER, THAN TO PRAY!

“PRAY ALWAYS!” (1Thess 5:17)

THE SWORD OF THE LORD

by Silvia Leigh

 

We did spiritual warfare covering our families, our children, our businesses and our church with prayer. We had praise in our mouth and the sword of judgment in our hands, to execute punishment over the wicked enemies who have trespassed into our territories.

Queen Athaliah ruled the land for six years (2Kg 11). She was the daughter of Jezebel. Like mother, like daughter, both were wicked, criminal women. When she discovered that her son is dead, she went ahead to destroy all the royal seed. She then crowned herself as queen. She did not know that the youngest of her husband’s children was still alive, hidden in the temple. This is how Joash survived. He was seven years old when the high priest brought him out from hiding and crowned him as king. The high priest commanded the solders to take their swords and surround the boy king. The command was this:

“Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.” (2Kg 11:8)

Athaliah came to fight and claim her throne. She was killed with the sword instantly.

The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God spoken under anointing represents the Divine Judgment. It is a symbol of God’s power and authority.

Gideon went to war saying: ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ That prophetic proclamation was enough to created confusion in the midst of the enemies and they destroyed one another.

David knocked down Goliath with a stone but perfected its defeat with the sword.

The sword passed thru Mary’s heart. The pain was a revelation of the thoughts of other people’s hearts.

Jesus is our High Priest and His Word is a double edged sword in His mouth. None can defeat it!

The sword of the enemy is slander, wicked words and false witnesses. But the sword of the Lord in our mouth destroys their lesser swords, for God’s judgment on evil is always true and just!

“All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword…” (2Kg 11:20)

We claimed this victory for Warri, Nigeria!

(Ex 32:27; Jdg 7:20; 1Sam 15:33, 31:4; Ps 64:3; 149; Lk 2:35; 12:49-53; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16)

MOTHERLY COUNSEL

by Silvia Leigh

 

Please do not ‘over-edit’ the Word of God, the name of Jesus Christ, until it loses its anointing and power! The name of Jesus is not a chemical formula of magic! You may simplify other sentences but not the name of your Lord!

“IJN” is not the same as “IN JESUS NAME”!

It is a privilege to call and write The Name above all other names: JESUS!

This is God’s Word:

“You shall not take My Name in vain!” (Ex 20:7)

“Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to me by whom we must be saved!” (Ac 4:12)

“Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name- the name You gave Me…” (Jn 17:11)

“May God open your eyes to the danger and give you wisdom and strength to please Him,

In Jesus name, amen!”

WISE SAYINGS

by Silvia Leigh

 

“Give not thy tongue too great a liberty, lest it take thee prisoner.

He that has no cross will have no crown.

In all thine actions think that God sees thee, and in all His actions labor to see Him.—That will make thee fear Him, and this will move thee to love Him.—The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, and the knowledge of God is the perfection of love”

(Francis Quarles; 1592-1644)

LETTER TO A SISTER WHO IS DEPRESSED AND REFUSES TO TALK

by Silvia Leigh

 

“Dear…

I pray that this letter finds you well. I also pray that I can find favor with you, that you encourage me with a word…If I was living in the US, I could have come at your door and ring the bell…then we can see face to face, smile, hug…then ‘the ice’ will break… then the words will flow easier…but I am far away from you…so I depend on God to bind our hearts together with invisible but unbreakable cords of love that never dies…

Maybe you ask yourself why do I bother you…why don’t I just forget your name…Maybe I ask myself the same question…it is so much easier to forget, to ignore someone… than to try to come closer, to love…But I have learned this from the Holy Spirit: that I should not take the easy road, the crowd road…that I should trust God for the impossible things…

As I continue to pray for you, one thing is clear to me: You are a very special girl and Jesus loves you! I believe this 100%! Please let’s believe it together!

Love in Christ alone,

Malia”

 

(This girl is a teenager. Her mum died in an accident six months ago. Her dad is a family friend and asked me to stand in the gap for her. She needs a miracle of healing and love. Please pray for her, that she can open her heart to God and to me, as her grand-mother in Christ…)

ARE YOU A WISE OR A FOOLISH WOMAN? (2)

by Silvia Leigh

 

“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands” (PV 14:1)

We shall continue to study the scriptures concerning the great subject of wisdom. Like we said, wisdom is the skill to apply the knowledge of the scriptures in daily, practical living. It is not enough to be intelligent, educated or knowledgeable in Bible verses. Wisdom is a gift given only by God and applied by you with fruits proving its worth. Please pray for wisdom until you receive the vision of its power and the desire to be a wise woman of God. Nobody is born wise. Wisdom comes only as an answer to this specific prayer of need: ‘Lord, I need wisdom from You!’ God has promised to answer this prayer

WISDOM MAKES YOU A FRIEND OF GOD!

There are only two types of people in this world. The wise ones are the friends of God. The foolish ones are the friends of the world and the enemies of God. Please read the Book of James especially Chapters 3 and 4. We find there two types of wisdom. The divine wisdom comes from God. It is pure, peace loving, humble, submissive and fruitful. As wives we are commanded to submit to our husbands ‘’as unto the Lord’ (Eph 5:22). This submission has its root in humble and fruitful wisdom. It is not just passivity, weakness of character or foolishness. It is done wisely and beautifully!

The worldly wisdom is provided by the devil. It is available on this earth and it is called unspiritual. You do not need to seek God to be wise in a worldly way. It comes thru ‘old wives tales’, men’s traditions or books. Often it is called ‘common sense’. This wisdom is rebellious, proud, manipulative and shrewd. Jesus says that the worldly religious unbelievers are often wiser in their own dealings, make more profit with the resources they have than the children of light (Lk 16:8).  This revelation is a warning for us, knowing that we have an enemy who takes pleasure in deception and destruction. We are to be ‘wise as serpents and innocent as doves’ (Mt 10:16). True wisdom detects and destroys the deception of the devil’s agents. Some men chose to marry foolish ‘village girls’. Please do not envy such! A foolish, ignorant woman is in bondage and unhappy with herself. The devil is her master and he uses her as a bait to deceive foolish men. Do not join that worldly ‘club’ for it is sinful and shameful.

What is the main description of a worldly person? According to the book of James a worldly person is one who has a hidden selfish ambition, a secret desire for power and strives with others in order to get it. A worldly person is not someone who dresses in a fashionable way, uses make up or likes expensive things. These are just fleshly manifestations of sin.

A worldly person is an enemy of God who manipulates his way to the top of the social ladder, by destroying all others in his path. That is the devil’s main strategy. You can see it manifested in politics where they call it ‘dog eat dog’; in the churches where the younger pastors, motivated by the spirit of Absalom, desire their promotion ahead of God’s time. You can also see it in marriages where the wife, led by the spirit of Jezebel, competes with her husband for leadership. This is worldliness!

Please take notice: God is not their God, the love of the Father is not motivating them and Jesus is not their Savior. This style of life, this strategy of the world is very attractive to the flesh and many have fallen prey to it. But this is the truth: if you become a friend of the world, then you have declared war against God and the Body of Christ. Jesus said: ‘I do not pray for the world!’ (Jn 17:9). God opposes the proud worldly person! No man, no woman can war against the Living God and win! The solution is simple: ‘Come back to God, humble yourself! Repent and reject the spirit of the world! Worship and serve God! Love the brethren! Lastly, trust God that in His own way and His own time He ‘will lift you up’ to the glory of His name!

Wisdom and anointing are foundational in ministry. Woman of God, do not be intimidated by a beautiful face but whose mouth speaks foolishness and empty words; by the sound of expensive bangles of gold, by the shine of diamonds on the neck, by wide hats or tall head ties. These are all deceptions and cover up to hide vanity and cheap fame. Pay the price to study your Bible and pray always. It is not she who boasts at the beginning of the battle who wins the war! God in Christ will prove to be your wisdom, righteousness and strength! Let the worldly woman boast of her wealth! You boast about your God! Invest in your inner beauty! Desire to be a holy mature woman of God! And you shall win the battle for God is with you! For Hagar can never stand where Sarah is speaking! Her son Ishmael can never stand where your son Isaac is speaking! This is the eternal decree of God! No man, no woman and no devil can ever change that! All the glory goes to God! Amen!

BEWARE OF WOLVES IN SHEEP CLOTHES!!!

by Silvia Leigh

 

 

The prophetic word we received last Saturday class was Is 54:15.

“I will never send anyone to attack your city, and you will make prisoners of those who do attack.

If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you” (Is 54:15)

We were told that attacks will come but we should reject them totally. We should not even be curious to ask questions or converse with such evil agents of the enemy. We should just say “NO!!!!  Go away in the name of Jesus!”

Young people, you especially, be careful! Pray for wisdom! Pray for discernment! Pray that you should be invisible to the enemy! Pray for the strength to hate sin and to reject evil!

Do not give your phone number! Do not volunteer information! Do not be deceived! Even if you pray for a marriage partner, he will not drive beside you while you trek along the road! He will not ask you for money from behind his fancy wheel!

This is a letter I received today from a young sister. She is a committed Christian, single, about 22. Her family is not rich. She works hard to pay for her school fees at the College of Education in Warri.

 

“Good evening Ma,

The day before yesterday i was going to work in the morning when I noticed that a car actually drove pass me and was waiting for me… reaching there were two men in the car and the one on the steering was a pastor so, He said he wants to speak to me for few minutes…  I told him I’m already late for work and then he said so I cannot give him few minutes of my time… so I agreed to wait and hear from him… he was asking me about myself… I told him… then he said I should give him my number, so i did…more also I reminded him that I am in a hurry to work… he said that he will give me a call and tell me all that he wants to say to me….so i said ‘ok’ (in my mind was that he wants to prophesy to me and i already knew people like that)… as i was about to go he said that I should give him money to fuel his car, that he’s going for a program… but i didn’t….so yesterday he called me and said that he wants to see me so we can discuss, that i should come to meet him in an hotel at Bendel Estate… i then told him that i will come… but i didn’t….please pray for me, Malia…”

 

“Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you” (Mt 7:15)

THE TESTIMONY OF PECULIAR

by Silvia Leigh

 

I was at the church site today. A boy of about eight was brought in. He was dressed in a school uniform, blue and white with a yellow school bag. He looked afraid and confused. He said that he had missed his way. His school had closed at 2 pm. His house is close by. He was supposed to go straight home. He has gone that road every day for the past one year. But today, mysteriously, he went into the opposite direction and trekked for two hours. His school was near PTI area and he was found at Enerrhen Junction, a distance of more than three miles. He only remembered his name: Peculiar. He forgot his mum’s phone number, his dad’s place of work and their home address.

On his uniform shirt there was a tag with the name of his school. One of the brethren working at the site said he knows where that school is. We gave Peculiar biscuits and water. Two of the brethren and our Mopol (police man) went with him to the school. The parents were looking for him, desperate already. It was a very happy reunion. They were surprised that he did not remember any information. They said that the boy knows all the phone numbers of the family members.

Only God knows what has happened to him. It may be that Peculiar was under a spell of witchcraft. That is why he did not remember anything and he was willing to follow any instruction from strangers. He got lost and the story could have ended badly. There are many wicked people in this world. If any person is wicked enough to place spells on children, the wrath of God is upon that one! Any witch that desires evil against our children shall have no peace until he (she) repents of sin and publicly renounce it!

This is what Jesus says:

“Anyone who welcomes one child like this for My sake is welcoming Me. But if anyone leads astray one of these little children who believe in Me he would be better off thrown into the depths of the sea with a mill-stone hung round his neck!” (Mt 18:5, 6)

Thank God that the Holy Spirit directed this little boy to our church and that we could find his family!

Parents pray daily for your children!

We plead the Blood of Jesus over our children!

In Jesus name, amen!

LEAD BY LOVE

by Silvia Leigh

“Ephesians 5:25-27 exhorts, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Do you know what the word “love” means? It is the agape form of love that Christ has for the church. It is a non‑conditional love. Did you know that God loves you unconditionally and that’s the way you’re to love your mate? Unconditionally.
If your wife feels like you are loving conditionally, the first attitude that is going to develop is one of fear. “I must keep up the conditions that produce love.” She’ll say to herself, “If I don’t do these things, I’m going to be rejected.”
Don’t get the idea because you are the head of the home, you are to make your wife do something. Has Jesus Christ ever made you do anything? Has He ever made you pray? Has He ever made you give? Has he ever made you witness? He’s never made you do one thing. Yet who is the head of the church? Jesus Christ.
It is not the husband’s job to force his wife into submission. It is his job to lead and love her in such a way that he assumes responsibility. A godly husband leads by love”
(Adrian Rogers)