“Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength” (Ecc 9:10)

Some time ago, a young sister in Christ, has told me that she is learning how to paint. She is a graduate waiting for a job. But she decided to learn how to paint as a hobby. She bought some water and oil colors just before the lockdown. For the past three weeks she has done two paintings (as you see in the picture).

What is the lesson? This is an idea, to invest your time and your hidden talents in something you always wanted to do. Don’t say that you cant do it. That is a lie! You can never know until you try it! Do not waste your time, even if you have to stay indoors from morning till night. Don’t sleep too much; don’t eat too much! Be creative! Try something new! Do not listen to what negative people say! Don’t do it just to sell it. Do it for your pleasure alone. Make yourself happy! Trust God to help you learn a new skill. You can do it! May God bless the work of your hands!

I will appreciate prayer and a word of encouragement for this sister. She will read your comments. God bless you all!

“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished…” (Phil 1:6)
One of our daughters in Christ sent me this note. Long ago, she decided to learn how to make a rug. She started it and then, she abandoned the work. Before now, she was too busy to finish her project. But now, with this lockdown, she went back to it and finished the rug today (see it in the picture). She is very happy!!! Me too, I am happy with her.
“Dear Malia, I just completed the rug I started some months back. I actually left it for sometime but I had to go back to it during this lock down. Thank God for helping me press on even when it looked like it wasn’t going to finish. grace to finish projects. I am happy and grateful. Thank you Malia for always encouraging me to move on! Your daughter… ”
This is a reminder to us all that God does not have ‘unfinished projects’. On the Cross, Jesus said: “It is finished!” When God starts something, He always finishes it, to His glory and for our own encouragement! As children of God, we must do the same.
What is the lesson? You have now enough time to go back and finish abandoned projects: that prayer, that work, that song. No more excuses! You cannot stay indoors just for the fear of C-virus. The evil spirit of fear is worse than any virus! It weakens the body and the mind and damages your faith in God. We reject that! In the name of Jesus! You must keep busy by reading the Bible, praying, exercising your body and working with your hands. God is still in the business of blessing the work of your hands!!! This lockdown does not stop God in blessing you! The angels are still around you to protect you! The Holy Spirit’ realm has not changed. There is still ‘peace’ in the air! God will give you creative ideas on how to use your hands during this unconventional season. Send me more testimonies! I say to you: be strong! Be happy! Be healthy! God will surprise you with fresh blessing from heaven! Peace to you all!

“The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people” (Lev 9:23)

I just took these pictures from my garden. It is 18:24. Beautiful sunset over Warri/Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria! Is this not wonderful? I take this picture of golden blanket as the Holy Spirit covering His people! Fear not! God is in control! The sun is not too early in the morning and not too late in the evening! From the rising of the sun until the going down of the same, Ley everything that has breath praise the Lord!!! Jesus!!!!!

(I am not a professional photographer. I took these pictures with my phone. I can’t take any credit. The beauty of the sky is God’s)

“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (Jn 20:19, 20)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecc 4:9, 10).
“Pay everyone what you owe him… respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due” (Rom 13:7)
I recently wrote my testimony as a wife and a mother, living in Nigeria for the past 40 years. Somebody commented: “Malia, thanks for the admonition through your testimonies. Apart from the Holy Spirit leadership, I perceive you being transparent, flexible to adjust to any situation and truthful”. Others told me that it is a miracle how I adapted so well to the Nigerian culture and still retaining my identity as a ‘Naija wife’ (meaning an Oyinbo or foreigner wife). I thought about it… I often learn from people’s comments. If the comments are positive, I give glory to God. This is because if people see something good in me, it is not a natural gift. It is Christ in me, the hope of glory, the work of the Holy Spirit. That is why I cannot take any credit for any qualities you admire in me. God takes all the glory! If the comments are ‘negative’, I do not just delete them, or insult them. I always pray about things people say about me that I do not like. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit says that I should ignore them. Other times He tells me to pray for that ‘negative’ person, that he has a problem with misdirected anger. In other cases, I gain wisdom by correcting my behavior or at least my attitude. I’ve learned to use everything around me. I do not waste spiritual or natural resources. I have learned that from the Holy Spirit! Little is much when God is in it! I have often found diamonds in the trash can. My hands may become dirty, and my nose filled with some bad odor. But this is a small price to pay for redeeming a pearl of great value found in a most unexpected place.
Lastly, I want to add that marriage is a teamwork. I am sure you know that! Next to God, my husband (Pastor Richmond Leigh) must take the credit for my testimony as a happy wife living in Nigeria. The Holy Spirit has empowered my husband to be a true leader and teacher to me. He is the one who thought me 99% of what I know about the Nigerian culture and how to respond to it. He is also my pastor and my spiritual leader. When I came to Nigeria in 1980, I could not speak English. My husband speaks Romanian fluently. He helped me to learn English and ‘broken English’. He is always challenging me to improve my language. He is the one who advised me to write books and letters on Facebook. I am shy by nature. My husband encourages me to stand in public (in the church) and preach to Word with confidence! We talk about the Bible and how best to apply the lessons so that many will benefit from them. We try to practice what we preach. My husband has never manipulated me, and he has never forced me to bow to the Nigerian culture (or any culture). He patiently explained to me again and again, what is expected of me, not just as his wife, but as a ‘our wife’ living in Nigeria. He gave me the guidelines and then, he trusted me to apply them as I think best. He is the most wonderful teacher as many other people in our church can testify. He trusted me to behave well within the boundaries of Nigerian culture. He also trusted me to retain my originality and creativity; in other words, to still be myself. For that, I will be eternally grateful to him, as my husband, the father of our children, as my pastor and my teacher. This story is a work in process. I made many mistakes. Sometimes I will be tired of ‘Naija ohala’. So many times, my husband will encourage me to keep going, saying that ‘I am trying’ and I can do better next time. You see, my testimony is in fact, OUR TESTIIMONY! I use our testimony as a pint of contact to pray for the happiness and success of your marriages! I also pray that the singles marry well, led by the Holy Spirit. As you can see, a true marriage is ‘made in heaven and enjoyed on earth’.
This morning, I give honor to my husband, because this honor is due to him! Please pray for him and ‘greet him for me’ when you talk to him! Glory to God! Thank you! God bless you all!
(In the picture, my husband and I as newly weds, In Romania, about 1975 and as we are now (2020). To God be all the glory!)

The older women should ‘teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God” (Tit 2:4, 5)
My husband and I are married for 46 years. We have three adult children and seven grandchildren. I live in Nigeria without any interruption (except for short vacations) since 1980. I worked as a medical doctor for twenty years. My husband and I are the founders of Lily Clinic, Warri. I work as a pastor for the past twenty years. My husband and I started Father’s House Bible Church, Warri/ Effurun. All these are the achievements of God’s grace and not mine! To God be all the glory!
My testimony as a wife and a mother is based on my understanding of the Word of God. It is also influenced by the Nigerian culture. My husband is a Nigerian and I have lived here in Nigeria for the past forty years. Because I lived here more than I lived in Romania, I understand the Nigerian culture and ‘flow’ with it more than any other. To God be all the glory!
This testimony is just a part of the bigger picture. In Nigeria, the responsibilities of a wife and a mother, as the ‘manager’ of the household, are bigger than in Europe. I had to adjust to that mind set. During all these years, I needed help in the house, especially when the children were still little. On and off, as needed, we hired nannies, gardeners, drivers, cooks, ‘house-boys’ and ‘house-girls’. We treated all of them with dignity and respect, as members of the household. Some were faithful to us and some were not. That is not important now… God always gave us the grace to move on no matter the challenges we had encountered. As a wife and a mother, one thing was clear to me: this is my work and responsibility given by God! I am a steward and a servant of Jesus Christ, and He is my Boss! I must give account for the choices I make and the things I do. I have always seen my work at home as a ministry. Because of that vision, God has promoted me and blessed me in so many ways! Another thing I have decided: to be jealous over my home ministry. I pray daily for wisdom and strength to do it ‘as unto the Lord’. I do spiritual warfare as the Spirit leads. Please listen! I’ve never abandoned my home to any man or woman from outside. These people worked as our helpers, not as our leaders. In the kitchen, I never stopped deciding what we shall eat or how to prepare the food. I can learn how to cook new dishes but at the end, it is my recipe that stands, not the cook’s. The nanny can help but it is my ideas of how to bring up children that stand, not the her own. I can listen to advice about the traffic and danger in different parts of the town, but it is where I want to go that matters, not where the driver wants to go to. When it comes to cooking for my husband, I never delegate that ‘holy work’ to nobody. (There was a time of transition, when I came to Nigeria. I had to learn how to cook the Nigerian dishes. God bless my mother in law, now late, Mama Apopo Leigh, who thought me the basics (and the spices) of how to cook Nigerian Itsekiri dishes, especially how my husband likes them! Since then, I took control over the matter. Thank God for His grace!)
It was my decision that I should never ‘retire’ from doing household chores. I have never abandoned my skill to clean the house, cook for my husband and wash his clothes. This keeps me busy and it is a good exercise for the body and for the mind. I can handle a broom and a mop with as ease as I can teach Bible studies. You may laugh now… but it is the truth… It is my privilege and my pleasure to be ‘a full-time housewife’. This title is not related to time only. It is a spiritual position that it’s mine alone. God has entrusted me with the well being of my husband, spiritually and physically. I must answer to God for all my decisions and actions, including the little details like what we shall eat for dinner. Now, with this lockdown, I need to be wiser, to always have a plan B in mind. But the principle remains the same! In this way, we are both safe and happy.
Finally, let me say this: It is true, that some women are incapacitated one way or the other and cannot do what I recommend here. I understand! God gives different levels of grace to each one of us. Obedience, even to a good advice, must not be legalistic. But try to apply these ideas in your own home. This advice is spiritual and general. Be flexible! Be encouraged too! God rewards our work in the home. Don’t look down on yourself or on your work. Let it be a labor of love! I mean love for God, for your husband and for your children! For example, I can wash the dishes with a frown on my face. The dishes do not mind. But the Holy Spirit minds. So, I do the dishes with a smile on my face, listening to praise and worship music in the kitchen. It is so much better! Frustration has no place in my home! Holy Spirit, You alone are welcomed! Dear daughters, natural and spiritual, may God bless you, your families and the work of your hands! In Jesus’ name! Amen!
(In the picture, I and our older daughter, Alina, ‘gisting’ happily about life in general)

SATURDAY PRAYER MEETING

For almost two years, as we gathered for our Saturday prayer meeting in the church, we declared that we are living in the season called ‘Shalom’. In Hebrew, this is a great word. It means peace, coming alive at the end of a war. But this word means more than just peace. It is the benefits that come with living in peace. War time requires a particular mind set. You are ready to fight every day. But peace, is different. During peace people fall in love and marry. They have children. They go to church to serve God. They buy lands and build houses. The word Shalom means supernatural health, supernatural wealth, friends, favor with God and man. We declared that we live in this season of supernatural prophetic peace and prosperity! No man, no demon, no virus or parasite can change that! You brethren who believe in these prophetic declarations, even now, in these challenging times, you must be healthy, wealthy, make many good godly friends and be favored above others, by God and by man! Selah!

The very last time we came for Saturday class, we declared that we have entered in our season of vindication. Jesus Christ was betrayed, suffered, died on the Cross and He was buried. He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven as the glorious Son of God and Son of Man! We are one with Him! We too died and rose with Christ! In Him, we share in His sufferings and in His glories! “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (1Tim 3:16). Halleluiah!

We defined vindication as God’s proof that what we said and did in the past, in His name, was right and true. After people said that we are wrong, God, the Holy Spirit, shows that we are free, cleared from all guilt, accusation or blame. We said that vindication is a very powerful spiritual reality. For example: a student has been blamed of cheating by his classmates. They are jealous of his progress. They falsely accuse him to their teacher. The next day, when the teacher comes and declares publicly that he did not cheat, that is true vindication! Please note that if the teacher says he is not guilty in private, that is not enough vindication. His reputation must be cleared in the presence of all his colleagues who accused him of cheating. Open offense must be cleared in the open court! Any innocent man who is said to be guilty of a crime longs (from the bottom of his heart) to be vindicated!

We said that Almighty God is the Great vindicator! “For the Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free” (Deut 32:36). Sooner or later, you shall be vindicated! You have suffered much injustice from devils and men. But God speaks at last. God will vindicate you and promote you. In Christ we declare that “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Is 54:17). God has answered your prayers! If the devil likes it or not, your God given dreams will still come true! To the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of the brethren! In Jesus’ name, amen!

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus! You commanded us to give You thanks always and in all situations. With a grateful Spirit filled heart we say Father, thank You! For who you are; for who you are to us! There is none like You! No one compares with You! You are the eternal fountain of all wisdom. You need no counselor! For You alone are God! We worship You! We thank You for taking notice of us. We have suffered much injustice in this world. We trusted in You alone to judge all people and all circumstances. Thank You Lord for assuring us that this is our season of Shalom (peace, health, wealth, friends and favor). Thank you also that You have granted us the special grace of vindication. When people accused us wrongfully, You have made all things right. Help us to see it! Thank you for restoring back to us our testimonies, that we are Your children and Your servants. Thank You Abba Father for restoring to us what we have lost in the past. Like the way you blessed our brother Job, thank You Father for blessing us now, more than ever before. We command every evil spirit of doubt, depression, debt, divorce, lies, poverty, sickness and the fear of untimely death, to go away, in the name of Jesus! We command you evil spirit of Jezebel, Ogbanje, Mammy water, false prophets and empty religion, to pack your load and go away from us! In the name of Jesus! Holy Spirit please come afresh! Revive our bodies, souls and spirits! We cover ourselves, our families, our church (Father’s House Bible Church) the people in Warri/ Effurun, Delta state and Nigeria, with the Blood of Jesus! No demon, no virus can penetrate the blanket of the Blood of Jesus, ‘that speaks better things’ of faith, love, comfort, courage and hope! We declare that during this time of quarantine and staying indoors, no one will die untimely, and no property will be lost! Father, God, You have done it many times in the past! We testify to Your mercy, grace and to Your power to do miracles! You will do it again! We long to come back to the sanctuary and to praise Your name! See our hearts! We have faith 100% in the power of the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord! We vow to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus’ name we pray! Amen!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:9)

God never imitates anyone! He is the uncreated eternal Original! He always behaves like Himself! He is always faithful to His own self! God reveals Himself to man only through Jesus Christ! It is my privilege to know God’s name and His higher ways!

In Christ I declare:
I shall pay the price to know God as a Person and to understand His ways! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

“For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me; my worst fears have all come true and have overtaken me” (Job 3:25)
These are challenging times. We need to go to the Word of God, for answers and encouragement! The main attack is not physical; it is not done by the coronavirus. This is a spiritual attack coming especially from the evil spirit of fear. You cannot fight fear with common sense or medicines. You need spiritual weapons, the Word of God, fasting and prayer! Do not cover up your fears. Do not pretend that they are not there. Face them! Confront them! Expose them! Little fears or big fears; do not tolerate them in your soul! They are the enemies of faith! Fight them until they go away! Then be filled with the Holy Spirit!

This is the story of a man of God called Job. There is much we can learn from him. Job was a righteous man who worshipped the true God. But he harbored silent fears in his heart. He was afraid that God may disappoint him one day and stop blessing him. He was afraid that one day, the devil will be stronger than God and he will lose everything he has: his reputation as a believer, his health, his marriage, his children and his property. These silent fears did not manifest when everything was good. But once the tragedy fell, the fears were exposed. At last, Job repented of all his hidden sins: fears, doubts and foolishness. Like gold that passes thru fire, his faith in God was purified and he became an established man of God. His story is an inspiration to all believers. This is the truth: God has the last say in all human affairs. The devil may attack but God sets boundaries, in space and time. Please repent of every hidden and cherished sin. Trust God, not 99% but with all your heart and with all your strength! Fear not! In Christ, there is no loss, no defeat and no disgrace!

Coronavirus or not, God is above all in every storm of life! God decided when the pain starts and when the pain will end. “He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire” (Ps 46:9). This is our God! This is how He will destroy this virus! Shout halleluiah! “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5). God limits our weeping. He wipes away all tears! The eternal victorious King Jesus, who gave us His own personal joy, must come in the morning! This is His promise! “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20). Soon, we shall meet again in the sanctuary. That place can never be quiet! We will shout and sing and dance! To the glory of our King! Have faith in God! With eyes of faith, you must see this joy even now, from the midnight hour! You must rejoice at the break of the day! Be encouraged my brethren! God bless you all! The worship must continue! In Jesus’ name! Amen!

This morning I was so blessed!!! Each Saturday morning many brethren come to the house of God to clean the chairs and mop the floors. But with the many restrictions we shut down the church until further notice. This morning I went to the sanctuary to ‘greet’ the Holy Spirit. The drums were silent. The piano and the loudspeakers were covered. No sound at all… Then, to my surprise, I saw two young men cleaning the chairs. I asked them, why did they come? They said that they could not stay at home and they came to do their work for God, even if nobody comes to church tomorrow. They said that they have faith that soon, the worship will start again in the sanctuary. Two young men trying to clean thousands of chairs, moping wide floors… Working silently, not for thank you, just for God… I was touched…
I could have given you their names but that is not important. They represent our hearts! We all want to come back to worship God in the sanctuary. I know that the church is not the building, but we dedicated this building to God and the Holy Spirit has been here since. Because of the situation in town, I don’t know how long these brethren can come.. The future belongs to God! But for today, these two young men, coming as living sacrifices unto God, representing our hearts, please bless them! They are men of faith! For cleaning the sanctuary no evil shall come near them! God bless them, their families and the work of their hearts! They are right! The worship must continue!
(Now you know why I love Nigeria! The Holy Spirit moves upon this land. I can see His mighty fruits. God bless Nigeria!)

I received am inbox note from a brother. He represents many today. You can read my answer. Read and be blessed!
“Greetings Mama; Please help me Ma! Many confusion in the body of Christ today, some claims the devil is behind the Corona virus while others believe is God what is your take? Thank you for your time…”
This is my answer to him:
“My personal opinion is not important. My only opinion is based on the Word of God. The believers and the religious unbelievers will never agree on any subject. It does not matter what the crowd says. You fast three days and pray for personal revelation. Because you are His child, God will talk to you directly and personally. The Word you shall hear will clear all fears and confusion. Remember to thank God for that is all that matters!”

There are times in life when you feel trapped and there is no way ahead! It is a prison like experience. You can’t break the invisible but real iron bars and you cannot climb the oppresing walls. Then you need to pray with faith like never before! God hears the prayers of His children! Especially the desperate prayers of pain energized by faith. You need to receive the grace of a new beginning! Only God can grant that! May this grace be your portion!

This morning start a good new path of life. Pray to Abba Father! He will hear your cries, not matter how feeble! Change your mind set! Reject fear! Desire a holy life! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! That is the eternal powerful success story of all the children of God! Go to the Cross of Christ! Desire to die to the flesh, to refuse its begging deceitful cries and turn to God Almighty! Say NO to the devil! Do not be sorry for the devil! He is your enemy and can never become your friend! Read the Bible and pray daily! Chose to know God the Father, to love and serve Him. That is why Jesus died, to save your soul, that you may live eternally! Look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith! Then you shall live!

This is my prayer for you:
May the devil suffer, starve and shrink because of you!
May the Kingdom of God benefit, increase, shine, become richer and stronger because of you!
May God smile over you because of the godly choices you shall make starting from today!
Give God all the glory for this new beginning of grace!
You can do it! In Jesus’ name,
Amen!

Some people asked me what to do in times like these. First of all, trust God! Look unto Jesus! He is your Helper in times of need! That is the KEY! Read your Bible daily and pray! Worship God (play worship music on your phone or radio). Stay calm and be joyful! Be wise! Encourage others! Listen to your pastors. Obey their counsel! Fear not! This plague has come TO PASS! Have hope! The future is better than the present!

These are some medical and common sense guidelines: Wash your hands with (Dettol) soap and water as often as possible. Keep a little container with bleach by your sink. Dip your hands there often. Bleach kills this C-virus instantly. Do not shake hands with others and do not hug. Avoid going close to people (2 meters in between). Do not visit people and do not allow others to visit you inside your house. If anybody comes to visit you (friends or relatives) go and meet the person outside where there is fresh air blowing. Talk as little as possible. The rest of the discussion is on the phone. Tell them that for now, they cannot come inside your house. That is your doctor’s advice. (Call my name if you need to. I am a medical Doctor: Dr (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh). Safety first! Do not spend money for non-essential things. For now, buy only food, medicine and credit for your phone. Live a simple life! Humble yourself! You will discover the blessings of a simpler life! If you buy stuff thru the internet, or somebody brings things to you, leave these gifts outside the door for at least one hour. The virus will die outside. Use bleach on your door handles and on anything like plastic, metal etc. You can also use the hot air from a hair dryer on any material or fabrics you buy and where you cannot use bleach.

Keep this in mind: This C-virus is very sensitive to heat. Do not complain about the heat outside. I believe it is a blanket of grace upon Nigeria. Every evening do ‘steam inhalation’. Breathe thru your nose and thru your mouth! The hot air kills the virus on your face, in your mouth, throat and nose. To the hot water you can add mentholatum, ginger roots, mint leaves (or tea bags), lemon grass or ‘dogoyaro’ leaves (the best of all). Any one of these is good. You can also combine them. You do it once a day, every evening before you go to sleep. No virus will be able to survive on your face! It is a simple and not expensive method but very efficient! This is my advice to you as a doctor and mother! God bless you all! It is well!

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus… Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained” (2Tim 2:1, 8, 9)
My desire is to encourage you thru the Word of God. This encouragement never fails. As believers in Christ, we focus not on the outward circumstances, we focus not on ourselves, but on The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God ‘made flesh and dwelling among us’ (Jn 1:14). The Word of God is profitable always, but especially now, when there is so much anxiety in the world, because of this epidemy with C-Virus. My advice is that you read and retain the Word of God. Read your Bible daily. Pray for understanding. The Word of God is food for the soul and living water for the spirit. It will make you strong, wise and happy.
Listen to this story: Apostle Paul was in chains, in prison. He could not come out and preach. Writing from his cell, he said that the Word of God can never be chained by men or demons. He who was in prison was encouraging others who were free! This is the truth: The Word of God has no limitation; no barrier and it bows to none. “God’s word is not chained (bound or imprisoned)” (2Tim 2:9). Just think of this: Paul was in prison in Rome, on the death row. He was waiting to be called anytime to be put to death. Why? Because he was preaching the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. He was telling the people of Rome that the Caesar (their king) is not God, as he claimed to be, he is only a mortal man. He was telling the people that Jesus Christ is God. Paul said: ‘stop worshiping Caesar and worship only Jesus!’. He told them that Jesus died for their sins. Jesus died once and for all. Jesus will never die but He will come back again to judge all men! In Him, we become a new creation, we have eternal life! In Him we lose all our fears and all our guilt. In Him we find peace with God and our real identity. Because he was preaching these words, the Romans decided to put him to death. Preaching truth was his offence. That is why they said that he is ‘an evildoer, a criminal’. Afraid that he will lose his worshippers, in 64 AD, Emperor Nero condemned him to death!
(Three years later, the city of Rome burnt down, and thousands of people died in the fire. I am not saying there is any connection between these two events, but this is confirmed history).
It is said that they did not want to kill him in the city so that the Christians will not revolt. So, the Roman soldiers took him from his cell in Rome and carried him outside the city, to a place along the road that goes to Ostia (the city used as the port of Rome). It was a busy road. Because he was a Roman citizen, they did not disgrace him, by killing him thru crucifixion. By law, a Roman citizen was to be beheaded for a quick and painless death. Tradition says that they tied Paul to a pillar and a soldier beheaded him. They said that his head fell of his body and bounced three times on the ground. On each spot, a spring of water came out. A rich Christian woman called Lucina, took his body and buried him on her land at that very place. Later, a church was built on top of the place where Paul was martyred. It is called “The Church of Saint Paul at the Three Fountains” (Chiesa del martirio di San Paolo alle Tre Fontane, in Italian). It is one of the oldest churches in Rome. The three springs of water flow till today.
On a busy road, without any brethren around, this is how the great Apostle Paul died. But his life is not a tragedy. He wrote more than three quarters of the New Testament. These are the Books that Apostle Paul wrote: The Books of Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and possibly Hebrews. Two thousand years have passed since the great Apostle died. But his words can never die. Millions of people got saved by reading these books. His words can never be chained. Who remembers the words of Emperor Nero, the proud and coward king? But we all read the words of Paul and get encouraged by them. Even today! I encourage you to read, memorize and quote the Word of God. Because of circumstances, you may have to stay inside your house. But the Word of God is like a dove than no hunter can trap, and no king can kill. May the Word of God set you free! Praise the Living God!
(My husband and I visited the cell, of The Mamertine Prison in Rome, where Apostle Paul was imprisoned before he was killed. In the first picture: I took this picture myself: The prison cell where Apostle Paul stayed in Rome. It is from this place underground that he wrote many of his epistles. On the floor there is a hole from where water springs forth supernaturally (it is said that God provided water for the baptism of many of the poisoners who became saved there. The second picture shows “The Church of Saint Paul at the Three Fountains”, outside Rome, built on the place where Paul was martyred. In the third picture, inside the church you see the pillar where they tied Paul to be beheaded)

I hope that you are not tired of celebrations. We pray for more reasons to rejoice, especially in times like these. Ok, this is a good reason to praise God once more: Our youngest daughter, Jemine Leigh Oakes was born this day, some years ago… (I will not tell you her age). She was born at a time when we had a lot of financial problems. We were young, just coming from Europe. We worked as medical doctors in Nigeria. We trusted some bad people and we lost all our money. When Jemine was born, we were living in Warri, Nigeria. In fact, we could not afford to go to a private clinic. I delivered her at home, in the living room. Her dad, who is a doctor, delivered me that early morning at about 5 am. Her arrival into this world came with a flood of blessings. People came to visit us and gave us gifts and money. They encouraged us to start afresh. That is how we started Lily Clinic!

From her first breath, Jemine had a melody in her voice. She was beautiful, bold and confident. She was a ‘Warri Girl’. She loved singing and dramatizing. I still remember one day, a musician told us: ‘do you know that your daughter can sing? Really sing?’ Her father and I were surprised. We did not take her seriously. But it was true. She had a good voice and a good musical ear. She also had a good memory (she could remember the words of many songs and the exact key to play the tunes).

She became born again as a teenager. She is a woman of faith! She prayed to marry a man of God and she did! She married dear Matthew Oakes. They have two sons: Olver and Emory.

In the past, I had some inferiority complexes about my work and ministry as a mother. But today, looking at our children and grandchildren, I have to admit that God blessed us beyond any dream I ever had. I am a proud mother! God bless you, Jemine! With the blessings of Christ! You are a child of Covenant! Whoever blesses you is blessed!

(I use Jemine as a godly point of contact to bless all of your children! In Jesus’ name!)

(In this video clip, Jemine worshipping God at her church in Woodlands, near Houston, Tx).

Today is my birthday. To God be all the glory! This is how @66 looks like. When I was young this age looked like an eternity. I had no imagination for myself, of how I will be and what will I do at 66. But here I am, stepping into the mystery called ‘old age’. Like with any age, there are challenges and there are blessings. I lost some of my physical strength but I gained much more patience and wisdom! My heart is now established! Heaven is sure! I lost my fears, I abandoned my desire to prove something to any man! I killed all my inferiority complexes concerning my looks. I have stopped competing with people for positions or visibility credits! By the grace of God, I am who God made me to be! I love God’s creation and art work in me!
As a woman of God, wife, mother, grandmother and pastor, I love who God made me to be! I am God’s work, beautifully made for His glory! I used to be shy in public, but not anymore! This is my secret: I am filled to overflow with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Resurrection Power that scatters cages of limitations and graves of shame. I am a wonder to myself! Praise the Lord! Seasons come and seasons go but God never changes! The love and the presence of Jesus Christ, my Savior, is more precious to me as I get older. And that is all that matter! Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. God bless you all!
(My husband took this photo recently in our garden in Warri/ Effurun, Nigeria where we live).

It is not enough to have the knowledge; it is not enough to say that you believe; you need to prove your faith with works following! Like an orange tree produces oranges by itself, so faith and life produce the fruit of the Spirit that none can deny!
Souls are hungry for the reality found in Christ alone! Not religion and fake smiles, but true love that never fails!

Do you feel the hunger of people around you? Then supply the hope of the Gospel to them and lives will change, nations will change… to the glory of God!

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them!” (Jn 13:17)

“Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him… Do not be misled (deceived), my beloved brethren” (Jam 1:12, 16 AMP)

The greatest danger for a believer is to ‘fall in the middle of temptation’, to fail the test of true love, to become infatuated with lust for the world and to betray God and His purpose for your life. Do not ignore the danger to compromise your faith during difficult times! The devil wants you to replace love with lust. That is a spiritual demotion of destiny. Love is a champion. Like a lion, love is a leader and fears nothing. True love never fails any test to remain faithful to its lover. But lust is a loser and a coward. Lust deceives many, pretending to be love. Lust is ‘fake love’ and can only succeed in the heart of them that betray the best. Lust fails all tests to prove its worth. Lust is destroyed in the trial. All who indulged in lust end up regretting it! Lust is a criminal that comes to you with a rose in the hand and a gun in the pocket. Do not be deceived dear brethren! The word ‘deceive’ means to be misled, to wander, to go astray, far from truth, virtue and safety. Lust is an impostor, a wicked unmerciful leader of the blind, taking them into the pit of shame. Indulging in lust is already backsliding.

Child of God! Repent and come back to the Cross, to the God of the Bible! Even if you have failed the test, you are still alive, so there is hope for restoration! Do not be deceived and chose to dwell in sin! Do not settle in the mud of shame! Remember Jesus Christ Crucified! Come home! Are you hearing me?

“Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever” (Dan 12:3)

I live in Nigeria. I am a pastor here. Our children live in Texas. So, I am involved in two worlds. Over here, people ‘worry’ about so many little things (food, paying rent, school fees …) that they have no more time or energy to worry about the big things (like coronavirus, crashing markets…). Both small and big worries are like poisonous weeds trying to choke the Word to make it barren. I have learned to jealously guard my ‘quiet moments’ with God and His Word. I willingly and joyfully pay a great price to be able to build up my intimacy with the Holy Spirit. I cut off anything that does not give glory to God or does not edify my spirit. I am out of touch with ‘the breaking news’ of the world. I am out of fashion with the latest political tweet or the ‘gist’ of any Hollywood star.
I furiously uprooted the evil spirit called ‘busybody’. I chose to be filled with the Holy Spirit! This radical attitude has become my safe heaven. No fears! No worries! I am not in touch with so many fancy things in the world. The things of God give me so much pleasure and strength that I can never trade them for anything. As the sky gets darker, so the stars shine brighter. I want to be a star men see and acknowledge that there is a God! Praise the Lord

“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand…” (Ps 31:14, 15)

The Bible is filled with examples of delay. Abraham waited 25 years for the son he was promised by God. Sold into slavery, Joseph spent over 20 years in Egypt before being reunited with his brothers. The Israelites waited 400 years for liberation from bondage, then spent 40 more years wandering in the desert. Anointed by Samuel, David had to wait another 20 years or so before ascending to the throne.

For me, waiting was a very hard lesson to learn. I never knew that I was so impatient until I was told to wait. This impatience manifested as a turning of my ‘belly’… I will become easily distracted.. and even rude when I was waiting… The Holy Spirit had to do deep surgery in my heart. The result is wonderful. I now ‘love’ to wait. “Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end…” (Dan 12:12). The word ‘blessed’ in Hebrew and in Greek means to be happy, worthy to be congratulated. These days I don’t wait for men to acknowledge my spiritual efforts… I congratulate myself for being happy as I wait for God to move on my behalf. When I was impatient, my life became very short. I will jump over so many precious moments, desiring to see only the success at the end of a waiting boring fearful tunnel. But since I have been delivered from this demon of impatience I now love to wait…It is a miracle! I gladly number my days to gain a heart of wisdom.. I have time to admire the color of the grass (it is of different shades of green)… I give myself space to look around and see peoples’ eyes… I find ways to help the helpless… In between cooking the soup and washing the dishes, I am able to squeeze a freshly baked poem… even the salad is sweeter… Tomorrow smiles at me (it used to bully me with anxious things unknown)… My English is getting better… My heart is softer…

Waiting has increased my faith for I know that the Holy Spirit is with me… when things seem stagnant, I am not alone… I stand still I know that He who waits with me, is the Lord! And that is all that matters! Praise the Lord!