I read this story long ago. I ‘found’ it again today. It has touched me then and it still touches me now. A Chinese pastor called Pastor Wu, was arrested because he was preaching the Gospel. He was sent to one of the worst prisons in China. He continued to share the Word even in the prison. The prison guards flogged him each time they found him praying or singing Christian songs. But he remained faithful to God. One day, to punish him more, the guards put him in charge of cleaning the toilets. Using a metal bucket, he was to collect the excreta of all the prisoners. He will carry it outside the prison, onto an open field. He did not complain. He thanked God for this ‘promotion’. He soon became very happy. Why? Because of the terrible smell, the guards refused to come with him. He did this work alone. He used the excreta as a fertilizer. He planted flowers on that field. Each morning, after carrying the excreta, he was free to stay alone in his garden for hours. He never took advantage of this ‘freedom’ to run away. With time, the smell of the flowers he planted overpowered the smell of the excreta. He said that each morning, as he went to his little garden, he will sing:

“I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known!”

With time, some of the prisoners and even the guards became convicted of sin and surrendered their live to Jesus! After five years, Pastor Wu was released. By this time there was more freedom of religion. He went back to his village church to continue his ministry as a pastor. Praise the Lord!

What are some of the lessons? All things work together for good for the children of God! Be faithful! Be persistent! Don’t complain! Pray that you understand God’s mysterious ways! God can use any means (even difficult circumstances) to help you come closer to Him and to establish your testimony among men! To God alone be all the glory!

(Bellow, some years ago, my husband took me a picture at the flower market in Amsterdam)

Yesterday it was sunshine and blue skies. Today is rain and more rain. I took this picture from our balcony. Time: 5:45pm. The light is grey. It was still raining. The picture is not so pretty. But it is still beautiful! The plants are happy and the birds are happy. A group of doves were taking their bath in the rain. This is how life is: Sometimes hot and sometimes cold. But thru it all, life goes on…and hope survives… I still love Nigeria… Please give thanks to God that you are alive! That is enough for me!

I love Nigeria! I took this picture from my garden in Effurun, Nigeria, at 5:10PM. Is nature not beautiful? For as long as the skies are blue, the clouds are white, the trees are green… so I have hope that God will kill this yeye COVID19 virus! I tried hope before! It is always a winner! Hope never disappoints! Let’s rejoice! Jesus is Lord!

“As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find a convenient season, I will send for you… When I get a better opportunity I will call for you…When I find the time, I will send for you…” (Ac 24:25)

God commands us to do the work of an evangelist (2Tim 4:5). I want to obey His command this evening! Child of God, please do the same! Tell somebody to give his (her) life to Christ!

Apostle Paul was in chains preaching to the Governor Felix. He preached Christ crucified and resurrected. The big man Felix trembled, and answered: ‘I will talk to you later…’ He said that he will call him later. He thought that he is in charge of ‘later’. But tomorrow may never come. When it comes to making decisions for Christ, now is the holy moment! Now is the day of salvation! Now is what we have available! Many hoped to go the heaven but the demon called ‘later’ came in, and they ended in hell. These things are painful! But they have to be spoken as they are! The warnings of God are all signs of His love! Do not play with your soul! Do not ignore your destiny! Life on earth has an end. Heaven or hell are eternal! Please, think of what I am saying…

As for Felix, he liked to listen to Paul. He also hoped to be bribed by Paul, ‘to cooperate’ with the man of God. How foolish! Bribe has never bought anyone a visa to heaven! The conscience of Felix, at that time, was not really dead; but its voice was silenced by the stubborn will which would not listen. Felix treats St. Paul as Herod Antipas had treated John the Baptist (Mark 6:20). He does not resent his plainness of speech; he shows a certain measure of respect for him, but he postpones acting “till a more convenient season,” and so becomes the type of the millions whose spiritual life is ruined by procrastination. From the books of history, from what we know about Governor Felix, nothing gives us any ground for thinking that the “convenient season” ever came…

My friend, my son, my daughter, my neighbor… Please, Give your life to Christ! I beg you! God bless you!

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved psalms in the Bible. It is written by King David, when he was a young man, when he was taking care of his father’s flock. The first thing he says is that he is a sheep who has a shepherd. He is not alone in this world. All the great leaders in the Bible were shepherds at heart (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David, and others). In Hebrew, the word ‘Shepherd’ is ‘El Rohi’. Jesus is my El Rohi! I belong to God! Because I am a child of God, ‘I shall not want’. This describes total contentment. To be content it means that you are happy, you are satisfied at this present moment. You may pray for bigger and better things, but if they come or not, you are happy now! This mysterious peace, to be happy at this present moment, is a secret and a special wonderful blessing (Phil 4:11-13). The sheep of El Rohi is satisfied. The shepherd makes her to lie down in green pastures. Sheep refuse to sleep if wild animals make noises around. They are shy and easily scared. They can run and stampede one another. The shepherd kills the enemies so that the sheep can rest. They cannot lie down and rest if parasites itch them or if they are hungry or thirsty. The Shepherd makes sure that his sheep is free from all sicknesses. He uses expensive chemicals to wash the sheep so that they are clean and happy. He will not rest until the sheep are able to rest. The reward of the shepherd is to see his sheep well fed and resting happily. When the sheep is thirsty, he leads them to ‘still waters’. Thirst is a powerful force. If the shepherd does not lead them to drink water from clean wells or clean water springs, the sheep will go astray and will drink dirty water from polluted lakes. Spiritually, our thirst is satisfied only by God’s Word. In the absence of that, people go to the world to satisfy their lusts thru sexual immorality or wild living. The sheep wake up very early in the morning to eat grass covered with the dew. The shepherd must wake up with them, to open the door for them. Spiritual lesson: Any pastor, husband or father who is lazy, who loves sleep, will not be a good leader. A Christian leader must have the heart of a shepherd. He must be a servant king. He must be sensitive to the needs of the people he leads. He must wake up early morning to have his quiet time, to be able to lead his flock.
The Shepherd ‘restores my soul’. Some sheep, they get too fat or they have too much wool. Then they get into trouble. They fall under the weight and go upside down. They are called ‘cast sheep’. Without help, they will die. The shepherd must always count his sheep. If anyone is missing, he will leave the ninety-nine, to look for the one hundredth cast down sheep, to restore her back on her feet. A fat sheep or one with too much wool stands for pride. Be careful and humble yourself! The shepherd leads the flock thru the valley of the shadow of death. Generally, the sheep love their comfort zones. If the shepherd does not lead them to new places, they will eat all the grass in that one spot and later, die of hunger. This valley is to lead the flock up, towards the mountains. It is not a valley of death but there is a shadow of danger on it. Wild animals can attack; stones can fall in the valley and injure the sheep. This valley is not a place to settle. You are going thru it. On the mountain tops you see glory. In the valley, there is pain, delays, disasters, disappointments and loss. But the shepherd leads on! At the end of this valley, the flock arrives at a cool place up on the mountain. That is where there is ‘a table set in the presence of the enemies’. It is ‘mountain a tableland’ of cool fresh grass, clean water springs, colorful flowers, and clean air. This is like a ‘holiday resort’ for the sheep. That is the time when they fall in love and get pregnant. It is a time of fruitfulness and harvest. The cup of anointing oil runs over. There is overflow of blessing! Spiritually, right now, we are passing thru the valley towards the place of blessing! We have done more than half of the road. Be encouraged! Finally, we declare: ‘Surely your goodness and mercy will follow us, all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever!’ In the presence of Jesus, my El Rohi, I say: “I am saved! I am safe! I am healed! I am loved! I am blessed! I am free! I am fruitful! I have found peace, protection, satisfaction, and destiny fulfilled!’ Halleluiah!

Tomorrow is mother’s day! Matthew and Jemine (our daughter) have prepared plants at the door for the customers who ordered them as gifts for their mothers. Are these not beautiful? If you live in Houston, Tx, please go and buy from them! The name of the shop is Flora Culture! Thank you and God bless! (I am their mother rejoicing with them from afar)

“And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter” (Est 2:7)

My husband and I studied medicine in Romania, the country of my birth. Unfortunately, during the communist regime, Romania was known for having many orphans and abandoned children. I still remember the practical tests we did in that particular orphanage in Timisoara. The building was imposing and beautiful from the outside. But inside, in between its walls, there was spiritual darkness, depression, palpable sadness, hopelessness and hardness of hearts. The nurses and the caregivers tried their best but they were not enough to care for all the children there. I remember that the children will cry and cry until they get tired. They told us not to carry them in our arms because we ‘spoil them’. They have learned to keep silent for nobody had time for them. Many became adults carrying psychological scars for life.

Take note: There is a spiritual bondage called ‘Spirit orphan’. People like these ‘feel’ like orphans. Their parents may be alive, or they are dead, but they feel disconnected from their care. This is a stronghold in your mind built by an demon called ‘Spirit orphan’. You need the revelation and the power of the Holy Spirit to see this bondage and to deliver yourself! Bellow, see some of the patterns of behavior of those who grew up and orphans and those who have an ‘orphan spirit’.

*Orphans have problems with their appetites for food! They never eat a normal meal. They do not have a healthy appetite. They usually eat too much or they eat less than what is considered normal. They eat quickly so that nobody will take their food. They do not enjoy their food. They either put on weigh and become obese or they look too skinny!
*Orphans have problems with sleeping. They have a tendency to sleep too much or too little. When they wake up in the morning, they are anxious. They just stare at the ceiling. They do not cry to call the adults because they have learned that nobody comes.
*They never say ‘Sorry or Thank you’. They feel that there is no time for good manners which they consider a luxury.
*They have problems in making friends. They get easily provoked and quarrel. They prefer to stay alone. They blame people for being bad and rude.
*They do not do well in school. They fear failure. Because of that they refuse to do any assignment that they think it is too difficult. They hate to be taught. They do not know that growing and learning means that you are free to make mistakes and learn from them. They hate to ask for help from others. They hate to take risks or to walk into unknown territories. They ‘move in circles’, repeating the same thing again and again. They hate ‘fun’.
*They are too emotional. They have mixed feelings. Sometimes they are high (they talk too much) and other times are low (they keep quiet and grudging). Because in the orphanage they do not have personal toys or personal space they don’t know how to make long term plans for their lives. They do not have a vision of how their lives will be in the future. They survive just ‘one day at a time’ in constant fear of ‘what tomorrow may bring’. Because they want to establish their authority, the boys learn early to be aggressive and pushy. The girls learn to seduce the adult males so that they gain favors.
*They work to please the adults. They do not work well without supervision. They do not have a goal in mind. What they want is that the adult, the adoptive parent or the spouse will be happy with them. Once they receive their approval, they stop working. They are crazy for gifts, for material things. Because of that, if they do not receive them, they learn how to steal. Often, they become over friendly with strangers trying to make new friends. They are always restless and anxious looking for the most expensive gift of all: LOVE. But they rarely find it! That is why they rarely are able to settle or have peace in the marriage.

Now, let’s look at Queen Esther in the Bible. Esther was an orphan. She was raised by her uncle in a strange pagan land. She could have been psychologically scarred for life unable to be a normal wife, how much more to be a successful wife and a queen! But the grace of God changed her to be a role model for all people in general and all women in particular, everywhere to the end of time. First of all, she was a child of God! She was beautiful inside and out. She was wise, humble, discerning, patient, loving and spiritual. She won the favor of the eunuch in charge of the royal protocol. She won the favor of everyone who saw her. Finally, she won the favor of the king who placed Vashti’s gold crown on her head. She was an original woman of God. She knew how to be poor and how to be rich! She knew when to speak and when to keep quiet! She knew how to live in a hut and how to live in a palace. She knew how to submit and how to take charge! She was spiritually mature, wise and emotionally balanced. At that time, men did not expect much from a woman. She was to be only a sex object, lost in a hated faceless, loveless, orphanage-style harem. But by the grace of God she stood in the power of God’s might! She became a ray of light in a dark world, a messenger of Jehovah among the priests serving useless Persian gods. She was not a politician but she saved her people’s lives. The credit also goes to her uncle Mordecai, for adopting her and for training her to be a woman of God. But the total glory goes to God, who alone can save a sinner, turn an orphan into a queen, an outcast into a hero! Only God is able to pick a rejected stone and make it to be the jewel of His crown! Glory to God!

(In the picture, a happy Moroccan couple on their wedding day. I imagine that they look like King Xerxes and Queen Esther on their wedding day)

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” (Is 40:31)
The eagle is a royal bird. One of the cherubs around the throne of God in heaven has the face of an eagle. Eagles inspire us! Eagles know how to be lonely and they know how to rejoice as families. These are some of their attributes:
*Eagles flock together. They never mix with other birds. Lesson: We pray for discernment to be careful with the people we call friends. Just as light cannot mix with darkness so a believer should not be emotionally and physically intimate with an unbeliever!
*Eagles do not eat dead things; only the vultures do. Lesson: Only the children of God should take the Holy Communion, to partake in the Body and the Blood of Christ!
*Eagles mate for life. During their ‘dating’, they test each other before commitment. The female takes a twig up in the air and drops it. The interested male will go and catch it and return it to her. Then she flies higher and drops it again. The male is to go and faithfully catch it each time. Any male that gets tired of cooperating, of ‘sacrificing himself’ for her, of working and playing with her, will be rejected. He is not worthy of her commitment! Lesson: A righteous person is prudent and prayerful when choosing his (hers) life partner. Be friends with other Christians without emotional involvement! Labor together in God’s vineyard! Study each other’s ministry before you even consider a marriage candidate. Can you pray together? Can you repent together? Can you rejoice together? Test the spirits before you commit into marriage!
*During winter, some eagles have to migrate to other places that are warmer. If they have to leave the nest, the eagles migrate alone, for safety purposes. In spring time, they come back from different places to the same nest. They openly rejoice to find each other again. They fly together, hunt together, just for the pure pleasure to reconciliation. Lesson: both husband and wife need to be strong individually, to withstand the pressures of loneliness in ministry and life in general. The period of separation may be hours or days, but there is always a rejoicing, a coming back together, which is ever sweeter.
*In old age, the eagle goes away to a lonely spot and plucks up all his feathers by himself. Then he patiently waits for new feathers to grow back again. That is a lonely and vulnerable place to be. Without feathers, the eagle cannot fly. This waiting for new strength to be restored is difficult! It is a form of death and waiting for resurrection. But the new feathers are stronger than the old ones and he comes back to his nest with renewed power and zeal for life. Lesson: The Cross is not just history. Unbelievers totally ignore its call. As a believer, you are supposed to know its power intimately, to trust God for seasons of hiding and for the power to push you higher than even before. This power of resurrection is the sure and unique stamp of the true child of God!
In the scripture above, all the words are in plural. You have to imagine many eagles helping one another to fly higher than ever before. This is the power of the encouragement in the Body of Christ. If you are discouraged, look at another believer, get inspired by his strength and patience, and rise from your self-pity! If you are bored with the Bible, admire the hunger for righteousness in another brother or sister! Be an inspiration to many! Get up to pay the price for it! If you are afraid of your environment, see other believers who face worst temptations than you and still stand strong to confront the enemy! If you are in doubt, imitate other believers who persevere unto the end, focused and faithful! You are an eagle! You are not a chicken! Look for other eagles! God’s eagles!
The marathon race is hard. Many start but few finish it. The true champions will tell you that it is easy to start. It is hardest in the middle of it. But if you persevere, then suddenly, the joy of receiving the crown will ignite a new, strange power in you. It is the secret deposit of the Holy Spirit within. I have experienced it. I witness to the glory and to the never ending reserves of Christ in me, the hope of Glory! There is a point in the journey of life when you can confidently say: No more weariness, no more fainting! So, on the wings of prayer and praise, just like the eagles, rise up my friend! I’ll see you up there!

“The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:5-7)
By the grace of God I am a medical doctor by profession and a pastor by calling! Please read, meditate and pray about this information! During this lockdown many people battle with anxiety. My desire is to help you! Anxiety is a common feeling. it is an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. When anxious, you see the future as dangerous! Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear about what’s to come. These are some examples of situations that can make you anxious: the first day of school, going to a job interview, giving a speech in public, being alone in a crowd, flying, your boss or pastor is calling you, you lose your job, going to see the doctor or the dentist…

Anxiety disorders are characterized by a variety of symptoms.
One of the most common is excessive worrying that disrupts daily functioning. You cannot be calm and you cannot stay focused! Because of worrying, you can’t work well! Other signs include agitation, restlessness (you feel like getting up and leaving the room), fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, tense muscles, trouble sleeping, social situations.

Don’t ignore anxiety! It is normal to be anxious but not over-anxious. When anxiety interferes with your prayer life, you reading the Bible or your worship, then it may be empowered by a demon. Fast three days! Pray asking God for mercy and deliverance! Pray for the courage and faith to confront that demon! Pray that the Holy Spirit reveals to you the entrance of this demon! You must ‘see’ the past door of entrance because the demon must leave thru exactly the same door! Pray in tongues! Be ready for freedom! God is with you! This is the time for your deliverance and victory! I testify that for more than 20 years I am ‘anxiety free’! This is the truth! God has delivered me from this spiritual poison! God can also do it for you! The Lord is near!!! Jesus Christ is Lord!!!!

After more than a month of lockdown, our daughter, Jemine and her husband, Matthew Oakes will re-open their shop tomorrow, 1st of May. They have a plant and flowers shop in Houston, Tx. It is called ‘The Flora Culture’. For the soon coming ‘mother’s day’, they named some plants using different mothers’ names. This one is called ‘The Malia’! That is my name-oh!!! (See me in the picture, with blue ribbon around… Am I not fine?). If you live in Houston, please ‘patronize’ them and go and buy ‘me’! I am only $37,50!!! The rest of you who live outside Houston, please pray for them! I use our children’s shop as a point of contact to pray for all of you who, after the lockdown, you re-open your businesses! As children of God, we can never lose! This is my work, to loudly unashamedly boast about my children! ‘A beg, helep my children-oh!!!’ Praise the Lord somebody!

https://www.thefloraculture.com/product-page/the-lia?fbclid=IwAR2MbcaA2IAwnZ6gVaSuRN0npnq4Kpx3Q9fJvFaH7F59s7Yh4PQh_UJS-Yg

This is a wonderful testimony from a daughter in Christ! She is married with two children. She comes from a wealthy family. After marriage, she had problems on how to adjust to a more humble life. She has tried many types of businesses but she could not achieve her heart’s desire. She is a committed Christian, wonderful wife and mother. I am a witness that over the years, she never gave up trying to improve her life! This morning, she sent me this joyful testimony! It is to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of others! Praise the Lord!
“Good afternoon Malia!
How are you Malia! I pray good by the grace of God.
I testify to God’s goodness and favor, in this period of Lockdown, I know and hear of complaints about this period, but for me I want to give glory and thanks to Papa God. This this period people have placed orders for nosemask, from 2, 5, 7, 10,24, to over 60, I felt joyful like a little child whose Father just gave the best gift a child could want. Malia this is my first time doing business, I am just happy, excited and grateful, yes I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the orders increased as they increased, but all I see is the grace of God upon me, cause I don’t have a shop or the manpower for it, or major skills, but God’s grace is more than sufficient for me.
Ma even I did a video on how to make a nosemask. To God alone be the glory I uploaded on youtube. The Lord truly has brought me a long way, by myself I wouldn’t have attempted it ( would have made some excuses as to why it’s not such a good idea), but thank God for grace to be bold and courageous ( Joshua 1:9).
I am still in the learning process and I know that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me . I hope you like it, all comments and corrections are most welcome Ma.
Thank you Jesus. In all things I give thanks to Papa God for he is good and his mercies endures forever.
Have a lovely day Ma. Your daughter…”

“The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you!” (Ex 34:10)
This evening I received a wonderful testimony from a Christian sister I respect so much. Read and be encouraged! Please, encourage her too! (She will read your comments!)

“Dear Malia, I have always desired a higher walk of faith in my Christian journey for some years now. Though l believed God’s word to be true, it appeared l was not really dependent on it. I trusted God for prayers on certain challenges but I did not follow through, definitely l allowed fear and doubt… But last year l made up my mind and prayed that God will help me take His word for what it says. I began to confess that l need His Power from on high to quicken my mind and for His word to renew my mind. I took the promises of God for myself and ask God go teach me to rely on His word. Whatever happened, l deliberately chose to dwell and received God’s promises. As long as it is His word, l believed it, not minding what l feel, see or hear. God’s word settles it. When I got challenges with my health and finances, God taught me how to trust Him. He has made my faith strong by allowing me to pass through difficulties. He always shows up at my wit’s end. He specializes in impossibilities with men. He always makes a way when l trust Him to the end. I have enjoyed this experience during this season. Nothing is impossible with God. His word is full of Power and fulfilment. I only need to trust Him!

l now realize that the Lord has brought me into a new season of Supernatural experiences. I believe that from now on l need not live a life of struggles anymore, but bask in Supernatural pleasant surprises . Ex 34:10, Hab 1:5, Is a 41: 8-20, Mk 11 23-24, Mk 9: 23. Jn. 11: 34-40. These and some other Scriptures God has imprinted on my heart in this season. And so l am full of Hope and divine aspirations in this my new age. Rm 15: 13. I am overflowing with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Dear Malia! I have to thank you and Tali so much for always challenging us to let our faith rise. I can not fail depending on God. When l shall take a leap of faith, l can either fall into His hand, the most secure place, or He will give me wings to fly! Thanks again mum for your love!”

I had a wonderful childhood. This picture is about 60 years old. It was taken at the end of the school year. I just finished primary one and I took first in my class. The teachers gave me a certificate of honor. My parents gave me a big bouquet of flowers, you see that I carry in my arms! My father was the principal of the school and my mother was my teacher. This picture was taken in the old train station of Orsova, Romania. The old city is now under the water (The Government built a big dam on the River Danube. The waters rose and covered the whole town. We all moved to another town also called Orsova). My father, Prof. Albai Ion, is now in heaven. All I have left are priceless memories. I still remember how safe and strong I felt by his side. He was holding my hair because the wind was blowing and wanted to cover my face. I still remember how proud he was of my sister and I. He openly praised us and told us that we can achieve anything we want in this world if we work hard and stay focused. Before he died he gave his life to Christ. He prayed to ‘Jesus, the God of his daughter Lia in Nigeria’. When I told him that I want to marry Richmond, a Nigerian, he was very concerned. Initially he refused my request. But with time, he accepted my husband with so much love, like his son he never had. What joy it is for me to remember my father this morning…

TO DO YOU GOOD IN THE END
Do not forget God “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions (COVID19), and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end” (Deut 8:15, 16)
This present lockdown is a form of wilderness. As the people of God needed to pass thru the desert, to arrive at the Promised Land, so we need to pass, thru some spiritual dryness. May we see God’s purpose in this season of our lives! May we cooperate with the purpose of God! To the children of God, I am saying that the faster we obey God, the earlier we shall be out of the wilderness. Many people complain when passing thru hard times. This I a question: What is wilderness good for? Wilderness is a place where you wander about waiting for God, you feel wasted and forgotten by God. It is a place where God teaches you humility. God appreciates humility in people. Read Deuteronomy 8.
In the wilderness God does two things:
*God teaches us the value of humility and the value of the Word of God (Deut 8:2, 3)! Never forget that! God appreciates humility in people. He gives ‘more grace’ (unmerited favor) but only to the humble (Jam 4:6). The evil spirit of religion produces false humility, which is an inverted pride! God never accepts that! The fruit of the Holy Spirit is genuine humility. You become humble like Jesus! God appreciates and rewards the one who is humble and who ‘trembles at His Word’ (Is 66:2)!
How do you know that you are genuinely humble? This is just one test: you totally trust God to provide for you everything you need (spiritually and physically)! You do not trust in your wisdom or in your strength! You trust only in Jehovah Jireh!
How do you identify false humility and the fact that you do not trust Jehovah Jireh as your total Provider? You complain and you boast about yourself!
1-You complain about His provision! You are not content with what you have right now! You are not dying of hunger, but you complain that you do! You lust after ‘the cucumbers of Egypt’ and you complain that you do not have them. You tend to focus on what you lack and not on what you already have!
2-You boast about the things you have (food, clothes, opportunities…) like you are the one who provided them on the table!
In other words, a humble person does not complain when he does not have and does not boast when he has! He lives by faith in God, with a grateful heart, giving thanks to God always!
*God allows us to pass thru the wilderness to prepare us for future blessings (Deut 8:16)! God wants ‘to do us good in the end’. In Hebrew, the word ‘good’ means to become better and to live in prosperity! This promise is for you and your children!
Think about this: What makes you complain? The food on the table ‘is not sweet’; the attitude of the Government; the weather is too hot; the words you hear, the circumstances… Never forget! Everything we have is from God! God does not owe us anything! Child of God, you must not complain! What about pride; the boast of life? Do you think in your heart: I am more beautiful than others… my job is better… Stop boasting! All you have is a gift from God! The wilderness reveals the deep things in your heart! The way you behave in the wilderness this is how you will behave in times of plenty!
As you can see, this lockdown has put a stop to fleshly attitudes. God is guiding us thru this spiritual wilderness so that He will bless us at the end. Do you feel His guiding hand? Did you thank Him that you are not alone? That even now, you are making progress. When we shall come out from this ‘prison’ we shall not go back to the way ‘life used to be’! No! We shall enter a better place of peace and prosperity! Do you believe that your future is better than your past? Then say so! Boast not about yourself but boast about God! He ‘does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. He gives rain for the earth and water for the fields. He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer’. These are the promises of God: “From six disasters He will rescue you; even in the seventh, He will keep you from evil. He will save you from death in time of famine, from the power of the sword in time of war. You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you. You will be at peace with the stones of the field, and its wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing. You will have many children; your descendants will be as plentiful as grass! You will go to the grave at a ripe old age, like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time! “We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel and apply it to yourself” (Job 5:8-13; 17-27; NLT)
Let’s pray: Dear Abba Father, I thank You, for who You are to me! You are my God, my Provider, my Guide in this life, my best Friend, my Doctor, my Lawyer, my Helper, my Peace and my Joy! You are my Life! Thank You for Your Word, for teaching me humility and wisdom! Thank You Lord that You are my Hope! My future is better than my past and present! I give You alone all the glory! I worship You! In Jesus’ name, amen!

This morning I saw a little light, at the media stand, shining in the dark sanctuary. I went closer and I saw brother Shammah at the laptop. He came to do some ‘editing’. Can you imagine this type of faithfulness? Nobody called him. It must be the Holy Spirit! People worry about C-virus and complain about the politicians. But this brother came from home to do ‘editing’ for our messages. When all things are well, people like him pass unnoticed. But now, this humble brother was the only star I saw in the darkness. I was blessed! God surprises me every day. His work and His worship can never stop. Even in the middle of this ‘lockdown’, even if it is done by little men, rejected or ignored, in hidden corners, God’s work and worship must continue. God is changes things. The hypocrites are scattering… But God’s remnant will surely be gathered! I have seen it again and again! The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot quench it! Brothers and sisters, may your little line shine! Lift up the name of Jesus! God will reward you! God bless Brother Shammah and many others like him! Praise the Lord!

This morning I received a letter from a brother in the church. He is about 40. He is married with children. In the past, he struggled with his walk in Christ. He comes from a ‘rough’ background. He fell sometimes. But thru it all, he got up and started all over again. That is why I like him. Read his letter and be blessed. He will read your encouraging comments. God bless you all!

“Good Morning Ma’am! Greetings in the name of Jesus my Lord and God, I send you this message to give Glory to The Father of our Lord . Through the power of the Holy Spirit, my wife and children are all fine… a lot to say about but God’s goodness to me and my house, God has surrounded my house on every side
Deep inside me I desire most above these blessings is to be Holy, desperately want be clean and faithful to God in life , each day I make a mess of it and fall on my kneels to ask for forgiveness, desperately cry and feeling better filled with the Holy Spirit vowing never to fall again, whenever the day ends again I find myself unworthy to even call His Name or for Him to fellowship with me,I cry over this in worship and prayers but still needs to be filled at the end , I want to overflow with His presence, being unable to live continuously on that level of anointing of His presence, I get so empty desiring to be filled with the Holy Spirit…. I am miserable in this pursuit… counsel me Ma’am… Please counsel me, Ma! Scold me; rebuke me… I respect you so much in Jesus… Other than that, we are safe to the best of our knowledge, my faith in the Lord to keep us safe from the C19 increases faster than the fear . I do go to work daily to look after my poultry and come back before 1pm everyday. I ensure to keep safe distance, washing my hands as much as I can. It is in the Lord I put my trust because I believe Jesus is the answer for the world today. I also believe that you are safe, and I trust Tali is on top of things being safe I enjoy our radio station a lot… God bless you Ma’am! Shalom! I am your son… “

This is my answer to him:
I want to say that your letter made me happy. You sound like a man who is truly seeking God. You have made mistakes in the past, but you are not a fake. You are genuine. That is good! This seeking God is not easy at all. Most people do not want to enter that road because it is so difficult, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. But once you enter, you sense the power of the Holy Spirit pushing you on, in a way that, even when it is hard, you cannot stop seeking God. The grace of God shall be revealed to you. With time you shall discover that it is not you who lives, but Christ who lives in you, who does the work inside your heart. Keep this in mind: Our Lord said this! If you seek Him, you shall find Him and His fullness. Meditate on these scriptures: Matthew 7: 7-11 and Jeremiah 29: 11-14). God bless you and your family! Love in Christ alone, Malia!

Since this lockdown, I have been praying for a deeper spiritual understanding of this present situation. I am praying for myself, my husband, our children (natural and spiritual). This word applies to all believers but especially us, the members of Father’s House Bible Church, Warri/Effurun, Nigeria (and it’s ‘branches’). The truth is that the Holy Spirit has been rather quiet to me. I have been waiting in silence… This week, the Holy Spirit gave me a word: ‘You are on time out!’ At the beginning I did not understand this word. But soon, the revelation came with it. I remembered my time as a mother to our three children. I will teach them what is good and what is bad. I will correct them when necessary. If our children disobey my command, I correct them. If they continue in disobedience, I warn them to obey it, if not, there shall be consequences. If they ignore my warnings, then I must discipline them. Sometimes, words are not enough. I have two options: 1-Active punishment (to flog them) and 2-Passive punishment (going on Time out!). I believe that in this season, God has put us on ‘Time out!’. The virus is not in charge! God is!
What is ‘time out’? It is a form of parental discipline that ‘works’ very well. When your child loves his toys more than you, the parents; when he becomes rude to you for the sake of playing, then your child must be disciplined. When two children fight over a toy, then the toy is removed from them and they both must go on a time out (in different corners of the room, not together in the same place). Time out applies to younger children. The older the children get, the more they understand words of counsel. Time out is a period of two to five minutes when the child is forcefully removed from the middle of his toys and entertainment and put on a chair facing the wall. At the beginning, he will cry and complain. But he must learn to ‘cool down’. He must learn to stay still. As parent, what do you do? You ignore his cries, you continue your work, but keeping an eye on the child, so that in anger, he will not hurt himself. If your child says that he needs to go to the toilet, you can take him there, and you bring him back to face the wall. The child must learn that his cries and lies do not have the power to manipulate you, the parent. The purpose for this ‘time out’ is for the child to learn wisdom, self-control, to stop being selfish and spoiled. When he has nobody to talk to and nothing to play with, he will learn to love and appreciate his parents and his siblings more than his toys. In other words, the child will learn wisdom and true love!
Spiritually, this forced lockdown is a time out! God is teaching us wisdom and love during this season of ‘time out’. The earlier we cooperate with His loving discipline, the faster we shall come back to ‘normal’. We cannot deceive or manipulate God! We shall discover that God the Father is in charge! We must do His will, not ours! This is one of the spiritual purposes of this painful lockdown. Children must behave as their parents. God’s children must behave and talk like Jesus! I heard it said that during storms of life, God’s children run to their Father. They miss their Father. They want to see their Father’s face. They want to feel their Father’s presence. They want to hear their Father’s voice! But the children of the devil, behave like slaves. They take advantage of the storm and run away from home. Remember that God chastises only His children. It is a sign of love. Sometimes we need ‘tough love’. The chastisement is not ‘sweet’ now. It is in fact painful. But it will produce the good fruit of spiritual maturity, wisdom, and true love! God wants us to share in His holiness not in the world’s lusts (Heb 12:1-11). We are God’s children! Let us run back to God the Father’s everlasting arms!
Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for forgiveness and for mercy. You are right! You are always right! For a long time, we have ignored Your warnings. We fell in love with this world. We started loving Your gifts more than we loved You, the Giver. We stopped being grateful… We complained against You and became careless with Your Word, with prayer and with the worship. We started quarreling with our brothers and sisters in the church. We lost our testimonies as children of God… Thank You Abba Father for taking us to ‘a time out’! Since we have been in this lock down, facing the wall, not able to go to Your sanctuary, not being able to serve You in your house, we are now humbled. We thank You for Your loving discipline. We thank You for this ‘time out’ away from Your blessings. We thank You for teaching us how to love You! We thank You for helping us to be like Jesus! We trust You to bring us, stubborn sheep, and foolish lambs, back to the fold. We miss the fellowship of Your Spirit and the assembly of our brethren. Have mercy on us, Father! You are our first love! To serve You is a privilege! We vow that by Your grace, we shall obey You always and worship You in humility, faithfulness, and truth! We love You, Father, Son and Holy Ghost! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!

My Garden has many surprises. God is using the plants, the butterflies and the birds to talk to me. This lockdown, with its quietness, has only helped me to better hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. When we moved to this house, my husband and I planted a beautiful garden in the backyard. Everything in it, including the plants and the decorations, are ‘made in Nigeria’. As you can see, I love my garden. My husband designed some hanging baskets. They were welded on the ‘street lights’. We decided to fill the baskets with artificial plants. This is because I was not sure that I will be able ‘to climb’ every day to water them. It has been like that for the past four years. This evening I observed that on top of our artificial (dead) plants, a fresh living plant is growing!!! Nobody has planted it there. Nobody has watered it there. There is no soil there… God really surprised me today! All my fears of not being able to care for the living plants have disappeared in a minute. Is this not wonderful?

This is a lesson for all: Don’t limit God! In the midst of dry tears, unspoken fears, lost hopes, timid limitations and even death itself, the power of resurrection pushes thru, reminding us all that God is in charge! That morning dawn when Jesus rose from the grace, death itself feared! (In Warri we say: ‘Death shocked in’).

This is my prayer for you: May the God of miracles visit you in your lockdown! May the barren women become pregnant! May the singles get married! May the sick be healed! May the oppressed be free! I don’t know how and I don’t know when! But I believe God can do it! In the name of Jesus! The cloud of darkness, poverty, loneliness and pain is moving away. Soon, we shall gather again, and worship our God! Jesus is Lord!

“I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for Me? (Jer 32:27)

“O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” (Ps 8:1)

This is a picture I took from my balcony, in Effurun/ Warri, Nigeria. It is now raining season. Can you see the beauty of God’s creation? Can you see the sky? It is like a painting! Glory!

Nigeria is my adopted country. I live here since 1980. This is my observation… Many Nigerians hate their country and want to go abroad, anywhere… so far is ‘abroad’… to find ‘greener pastures’. They think that God has forgotten Nigeria. They have lost hope for a change. Look at this picture… what do you see? This glimpse of the sky over us here in Effurun is a reminder that God is everywhere. He is the Omnipotent God! This is not ‘a second hand’ sky! This is not ‘a faded’ glory!!! This is not ‘okrika’ beauty! I know that there are many problems in Nigeria. But I also know that God is bigger than all our problems! Therefore, I have hope!

This picture is a reminder that God is in Nigeria and that God loves this country, I live here and I am a witness to His presence and to His love for the people. I am a pastor in Nigeria, at Father’s House Bible Church! My flock is made of Nigerian sheep and lambs. I am the only ‘oyinbo’ in our church but that does not matter. I am their ‘mummy’. We are one in Christ alone! Let’s praise the only Living God! Let’s acknowledge His presence in our midst! Make some noise my dear Nigerian brethren! Let’s hala! Shout: Oluwa! Jesus! Jesu!!! Sing unto the Lord a new song! Praise His holy name!!!!!!!! God bless Nigeria!!!!!

MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS!
“And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19)

This testimony is to the glory of God, to the shame of satan and for the encouragement to the brethren! This is a time of trial for all people but especially for the children of God. We must trust in God! We must trust in our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! If we say that we trust Jesus for the salvation of our souls, then we should trust the same Jesus for the keeping of our bodies. If your faith works only in good times and not in ‘bad’ times, then your faith is dead. Child of God, examine yourself, if your faith is the living miracle working faith! Bellow, you see part of a conversation I had with a sister in Christ, thru the inbox. She is a born again sister, faithful wife and mother. But because of the lockdown, her faith was shaking recently. She became afraid that she and her children will die of hunger. Of course, that is the devil’s attack thru the evil spirit of fear. You must identify the enemy and reject him in the name of Jesus! Thank God this sister obeyed and believed my word of rebuke! That was three days ago. This morning she sent me this note that God has answered our prayers. Thank God! I use this conversation as a point of contact to rebuke every child of God for doubt and to be filled with the Holy Spirit again! Fear not! Jehovah Jireh is in charge! Praise the Lord somebody!!!!

Sister: Good evening Ma, We just prayed that this extra two weeks hungry will not be able to kill us mostly our kids I pray in Jesus mighty name amen

Me: Look to the future… do you see you and the kids dead because of hunger, buried in the cemetery? Is that what you see? Let’s say in August, are you dead or alive?

Sister: Alive Ma!

Me: Then stop talking foolish talk that hunger will kill you… that is a lie! God provides food for His children! Speak faith, not fear! In Jesus’ name!

Sister: Amen thanks ma you have given me the food of the Holy Spirit

Me: Be strong! come back with the testimony how God has helped you! Fear not! Only believe

THREE DAYS LATER…
Sister: Gud afternoon ma praise the Lord , God has answers my prayers oooooo I was just sitting down with my husband thinking of what do so that the children can eat,to God be the glory my sister in law just call that she have send money into my account and she said l should use the money for food, just this efternoon I saw an alart in my phone it was about 30,000 mum God has done it again oooo I love you Jesus oooo!!!! God is always faithful to his children him alone is worthy of my praiise… Thank you Ma for your encouragement! Jesus!!!!