“And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Mk 14:3-9)

How do people define success, or greatness? Generally, the world appreciates wealthy men, beautiful women, philosophers, poets, musicians or humanitarian people. But according to the Bible, greatness is always connected with life in Christ, with true spirituality. A great man or woman in the Bible is a child of God who pays the price for spiritual maturity and fruitfulness. The Bible calls such a one ‘a saint’. Jesus Christ is the greatest Man who ever lived on this earth. He is also God, the Second Person of the Trinity. As a Man, He walked on this earth two thousand years ago. He showed us how a Man should be. Jesus is not only our Savior, but our Teacher, our perfect Example and Standard on how we should live on earth. The main purpose of our lives, why we live, is to glorify God and to become like Jesus! That’s the most important thing! If we can do that, we have fulfilled our destinies! We have achieved eternal greatness, on earth and in heaven! Halleluiah!

How does the power of becoming great comes to you? It is because of the mystical spiritual unity with Christ! Once you become saved, you become one with the greatest Hero, Champion and Savior of all. As you can see, your greatness is not the product of human gifts, your wealth, education or social status. It is because you are now one with the King of kings. His righteousness, greatness and glory are now imputed to you. This salvation is a great mystery but thank God, it is also a reality to be experienced. Many testify to it! May you be among those blessed ones!

Let’s look at the passage above. Jesus is ready to go to the Cross. In few days He will die so that we can live. He became sin so that we can become right with God. Jesus came to the house of Simon the leper, at Bethany. Then a woman comes in and goes straight to Jesus. She is not named in this story. Maybe she was Mary, the sister of Martha. Or maybe she was another woman. She can be you or me. She brought a bottle containing a very expensive perfume. She suddenly breaks the seal of the bottle and poures the perfume on the head of the Lord. That is all she did. She did not speak any words. But clearly this is an act of deep worship. This is a very simple act. The whole thing lasted less than a minute. Even a child can do that. She gave her all to the Man who won her heart. Please observe that she did not pour her perfume on Simon the leper who was the landlord. She did not pour it on Peter or John. Her heart, her love and her sacrifice were for Christ alone! That’s worship!

The men in the room complained calling it a waste. According to men, her love was ‘a waste’. But Jesus appreciated it! This Jesus is a strange Man… He told His disciples to gather the pieces of left-over bread, scattered at the end of the miracle when feeding the crowd. He said that there should be no waste. Natural food can always be eaten later (Jn 6:12). But now, Jesus receives this so called ‘waste’. This is a reminder that without the Holy Spirit you can never understand the Son of Man. He rebuked the men who criticized the woman. Why was this simple act so important to Jesus? Because it was truly a loving and sacrificial act. It was a picture of the Cross. The value of this perfume was a worker’s annual salary. Like the widow’s mite, it is possible that this was all that she had, her life savings, her treasure. Like King David, she was a true worshipper. She knew the price of worship. She refused to give Jesus a gift that cost her nothing (2Sam 24:24). I don’t think that she planned to do this for a long time. It was more on the spur of the moment. She somehow knew that Jesus will die soon. In her mind, this was the last time she will see Him alive, as a Man on earth. She decided to sacrifice her best to mark this holy moment, to turn it into a sweet memory, able to warm her heart forever. She did not know that her act of worship will make her great. Love does not seek its own reward. Jesus said: “She has done what she could, when she could” (Mk 14:8; TM). She did this love act for Christ alone. The other people in the house, the disciples, her relatives, they enjoyed the fragrance of the perfume. But the perfume itself was for Christ alone. She did not know how great her worship was. Love is not for sale! She put no price on it. It was Christ that made her gift look great, who truly appreciated her sacrifice. Wonderful Jesus!

This is a lesson for us all: do what you can do as you love and serve God! Redeem the time thru worship! Let Jesus evaluate and reward your labor of love. He attached to her act a greater significance than any man on earth could ever do. Jesus looks at the heart. He appreciates love from the heart. For example, when you help humble Christians, Jesus sees that work as it is done unto Him. ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’ (Mt 25:40). The people grumbled against her. But Christ honored her. Trust God to honor and reward you amid the rejection of ignorant and ungrateful people. So long Christ is happy, don’t care about what men say. Be a Christ pleaser, not a man pleaser. Jesus said that this simple sacrificial act of love for Him, will be part of the preaching of the Gospel. This is another great lesson for us all: the root of evangelism is watered by worship! This woman’s simple act of worship shows us what God loves! Making God happy, this is true greatness. It is greatness seen thru the eyes of God! When God commends you, His promotion is sure. No man or devil can stop it! God sees and God apricates your labor of love! One day you shall hear from His blessed lips: “Wonderful! You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in My happiness! Enter you the joy of your Lord!” (Mt 25: 23; CEV).

Dear Sister, I don’t know what you can do for Jesus. But I know that you can do something. No matter how little! Do it now. Do it for Christ alone. Forget what men say! For Christ is worthy of your sacrifice! Worship the Lord! Glory to the Lamb upon the Throne!

During the midweek service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon called ‘The Wonder of Faith’. Her main scriptures were taken from the Book of Romans: ‘For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: The just shall live by faith’ …God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom 1:17; 12:3,b). She said that faith is the gift of God. There is a faith that comes by grace and it is unto salvation. After the point of salvation the believer must grow spiritually. Christianity is also called ‘living by faith’. Faith must be invested daily, trusting God in big or small challenges, in situations concerning us or interceding for others. Faith is not passive. True Biblical Faith is a living faith. God will give us enough opportunities to stretch out faith. You need to go to ‘the spiritual gym’ to exercise your faith. This exercise is done by studying the Word of God, prayer and active participation in your local church. You need to pay the price for faith to mature and to become fruitful. Oh, the joy of an ever increasing faith! It is more than gaining silver or gold! God is pleased when we exercise faith. Believing in Jesus is called the work of God! He rewards His children who seek Him diligently, as they walk by faith and not by sight. Mature faith enters the rest of victory. Unbelief and doubt never rest. Faith seats! Doubts stands! Faith ends in joy!

The Lord Jesus wants us to trust His word even before we ‘see the miracle’ with our eyes. The Nobleman whose son was sick trusted the bare word of Jesus and that was the moment when the miracle of healing happened. “Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way” (Jn 4:50). May our faith increase and become fruitful! To the glory of the Lord! Trusting the Word of God alone, we declare that every ‘dying’ hopeless situation in our lives (natural or spiritual, marital, health challenges or financial) shall live! May our faith be revived! May the miracle happen! May we never lose the wonder or faith in Jesus! To the glory of God! In Jesus’ name! Amen!

(Rom 12:3; Eph 2:8; Jn 6:29; Heb 4:3, 11; 11;6; John 4:46-53)

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (Heb 2:1)

Dear child of God, did you know that you can drift away from God, from your spouse or from close friends? This is how drifting apart (away) is defined in general: Moving away from something slowly (like floating on air or on water, as a result of outside forces, with no control over direction). It means to gradually become distant from someone after a period of closeness; to begin to be less of a friend and more like a stranger; to move from place to place aimlessly; to alienate; to arouse hostility or indifference where formerly has been love, affection or friendliness.

When drifting away happens spiritually, the believer slowly goes away from the passion he once had for God for His Word. He slowly forsakes His first Love, Jesus Christ. Secondly, he loses interest is the fellowship with other brethren. This is called backsliding. It comes thru neglecting the basic requirements of growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, he neglects the study of the Bible and prayer meetings. Selah!

The following are signs of drifting apart in marriage (You can spiritualize these sings and apply them to your relationship with Jesus, your heavenly Bridegroom). The intimate holy romantic relationship between husband and wife can become rigid, cold, mechanical and unfulfilling. Marriage becomes boring. Remember that drifting away is a slow process. You may not realize it until the emotional coldness is visible to others.

What is the cause and cure? The Bible says that ‘we must give more earnest heed to the good things we once heard’! Go back to the Bible! Fast and pray! You need to listen and listen well to the Word of God and to the counsel of mature Christians! Child of God, open your ears and your heart! Do it now!

Signs of drifting apart in marriage:
*You purposely avoid one another
*You don’t do things you used to love to do together anymore
*You stop talking about the future. You live in the past. You think of the future as ‘me’, not as ‘we’. You see the future of your marriage as blank, hopeless
*No more sweet intimacy (mechanical unfulfilling sexual relations)
*You stop showing affection to one another (smiling, touching, saying ‘I love you’).
*You look for attention, for emotional (sexual) gratification from others. You are excited and inspired by others more than your spouse
*You feel better when you are not together (you are happier when your spouse is travelling, when he (she) is not at home
*You don’t laugh much with one another when alone
*You talk less with one another (you only talk about money or children. You do not talk like friend to friend anymore)
*You ignore, complain, argue, mock or get easily irritated with the other
*You feel that something is missing but you don’t know what!

As a child of God you should know that drifting away is a spiritual matter. This coldness coming between you and God, between you and your spouse is the evil work of the devil. He hates all good things. He wants to corrupt the gifts God has given to you. He will love it if you separate or divorce. The devil hates your love for Jesus. He hates the testimony of a godly marriage. You need ‘to wake up’ from slumber and do spiritual warfare. Fast and pray! Your soul and your marriage is worth it. Your testimony as a believer in Christ demands it! For Christ’s sake, come back home! It is not too late! I pray for you this morning! God is with you! You can do it!

‘This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength!’ But you would have none of it. You said: ‘No, we will flee on horses’…Therefore pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one…till you are left…like a banner on a hill’ Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him’ (Is 30:15-18)
This is the royal road of salvation. Many holy pilgrims testify to it. From time to time, I am troubled in my soul but I do not know why. I pray and ask God to come to me. I wait for God quietly and patiently. I know that God does not tempt me. I am confident He knows that I wait. I know that He will not give me more than I can bear. I know that He is Almighty and He is kind. It is not His fault that I find myself so troubled. I know that it is sin living in me. My problem is that I do not know what sin plagues me. I do not want to assume anything. I want God to come, to expose the very sin that troubles me. I am willing to repent. I want to repent. Just to know the truth, that is all I need…
This waiting is hard. Waiting for God to come is never easy. There is a false hope called ‘fleeing on horses’. I become impatient with God and just go away, abandoning my position of waiting. The horses look attractive; they look strong. The horses that call me are money and fame. They invite me to a life of activity, of ‘ministry’ far away from this ‘demanding’ God. My hope is that I become a master rider. I can teach others to ride them too. I can enroll in horse races and become a champion of the world. On top of a horse I look taller and more impressive with my achievements. I will surely look more ‘cooperate’, more ‘posh’ than others who can only afford lowly donkeys or walk on foot…
A sinner always imagines himself a champion, far away from the restrains of his Father’s House. But this ambitious life of sin has no rest and no peace. There is no oasis in the desert of the world. There is no cup and no well to drink water when thirsty… just a continual lust for more medals and more trophies. A sinner is a lonely champion. He kills all to climb the mountain of fame. Along the path, he makes only enemies. He has no friends. He fights to win. He has forgotten the power of love and life. Salvation and rest are strange dreams killed to feed the horses. At last, forsaken and guilty, he plants the flag of sin on top of the Everest of his own childhood ambition…
Success without God will surely damage your soul.
Money without God will surely dry your heart.
Marriage without God will surely destroy your vision.
Child of God, Come back to your Father! Have you forgotten the taste of mercy? Do you still remember how it feels to be loved? Wait for God, even if you think that it is ‘too late’! You need God’s mercy much more than money, fame or miracles.
This is God’s promise:
‘Even now, I rise to show you compassion!’
‘Amen, Lord!
Show me compassion, according to Your promise!’

(In the picture, people coming to the altar, during last Sunday service, in our church, praying and worshipping God)

This is a wonderful sermon my husband preached today. Please read and you shall surely be blessed!
POWER FROM ON HIGH
During the Sunday service, Pastor Richmond Leigh continued preaching on the theme ‘Power from on high’. His main text was taken from the Book of Revelation: “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen” (Rev 1:17, 18). He said that as a church, we are entering a new season, into a higher level of anointing. We need to be Baptized and Filled with the Holy Spirit. Nobody knows all the functions of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The major work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ! He reveals Him to us; opens our eyes to His Majesty so that we can worship Him. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and helps us believe and understand the Word of God.
Pastor Richmond Leigh said that it is possible to be born again and not be baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is true that no one can be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit in his soul (Rom 8:9). One of the secret works of the Holy Spirit is that of convicting a man of his sins, of enlighten him about his spiritual state and his need for the Savior. The Holy Spirit does the work of regeneration; therefore, the sinner becomes born again. As you can see, salvation is always a miracle. Without this deep and secret work of the Holy Spirit, a man may become religious, he may go to church, but he is not saved. The Holy Spirit does not force anyone to be saved. He is a gentle but powerful influence on the soul. Thank God for the humility of the Holy Spirit, willing to do this secret work in the heart of man without apparently coercing him! Glory to God for our salvation!
One of the symbols of The Holy Spirit is the water. The effect of the water is that it wets you or it quenches your thirst. There are degrees of these effects. For example, the rain drizzling outside. A man goes in the rain. After some time, he will get wet. But if the rain is torrential, he will get wet faster. If a man drinks a cup of water, he will be filled (gets wet) in the inside. But if a man is dipped into the ocean, he will become ‘wet’ instantly both outside and inside. He will be overwhelmed by the water. All these illustrations show degrees of ‘wetness’ from the same water.
In Greek, the Word ‘baptism’ means to submerge, to immerse or to overwhelm. (It is a pity that in many churches, they have lost the true meaning of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They call it a ceremony by which the Christian becomes an official member of the church). The true Baptism of the Holy Spirit is when a child of God is suddenly ‘immersed in the ocean of the Holy Spirit’ by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire! It is a unique, specific and powerful experience! The baptism with the Holy Spirit is always a definite experience, something clear and unmistakable. It is recognized by the person to whom it happens and to others who look at him. Regeneration is something unconscious, the secret work of the Holy Spirit in the spirit of man. It is non-experiential. Nobody knows exactly the moment when he became born again. It takes time to discover the fruits of the Holy Spirit ‘growing’ in your spirit. But the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is different. It is conscious, experiential, definite and clear. It will literarily ‘shake’ you! Once you experience this baptism you can describe the experience with words. Your life will never be the same again. You shall receive ‘power from on high’! You shall receive boldness to preach the Word of God, to witness for Jesus! You receive an unshakable assurance that you are saved forever!
On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples ‘were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance’ (Ac 2:4). What was the purpose of the tongues? Was it to brag that they were so spiritual? No! The purpose of the tongues was to witness about the Lord to those who could not understand their languages. The visitors to Jerusalem said: ‘we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God’ (Ac 2:11). Boldly, Peter stood up and preached Christ Crucified and Resurrected. We conclude that when a man is baptized with the Holy Spirit, he will inevitably bear witness to the testimony of Jesus! The reverse is also true. Is a man is filled with an unholy spirit, he will preach another ‘gospel’ and he will never exalt Jesus! Later, Peter healed a crippled man in the name of Jesus (Acts 4). The religious leaders rebuked him. Again, Peter answered boldly telling them about Jesus and the power of His name. He did not defend himself and did not talk about the miracle. He kept focused and praised Jesus! He preached to them salvation in the name of Jesus! Later, in the house of Cornelius, as Peter was preaching, the people were baptized with the Holy Spirit. It was the same reaction: ‘For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God’ (Ac 10:46). Some argue that all these events expressed a form of moral change, the manifestation of sanctification. But you can see that it is different than sanctification. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an extraordinary work of God and results in witnessing for Jesus, having the power to stand for Him and boldly preach His Gospel!
Apostle Paul speaks to the Believers in Corinth. He knows that they have been Baptized with the Holy Spirit because they had many spiritual gifts (1Cor 1:1- 13; 12: 1-11). In the same time, they had been involved in matters of moral deficiencies. What do we make of this? We say that a man may have one of more gifts of the Holy Spirit and still lack the fruits of the Holy Spirit. He may be gifted and still lack moral character. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, prophecy, speaking in tongues, does not guarantee spiritual maturity. The great Apostle Paul said that if I have many gifts to serve God, but I lack the Agape Love, which is s fruit of the Holy Spirit, ‘I am nothing’ (1Cor 13:2). What shall we choose? We need both! We need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for power, for witnessing for Jesus, for preaching God’s Word, for ministry in general. But we also need to mature spiritually, to produce fruits! We need to study the Word of God and to apply it to our daily lives. By the power of the Holy Spirit, and prayer, we need to grow in the grace and the in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Fruits manifest thru the process of sanctification. By applying the Word of God to your daily life, and by prayer, you shall become mature. This is a slow but sure growth to spiritual maturity. To overcome sinful tendencies is not a one-day thing. The Holy Spirit in you will help you to mortify the misdeeds of the body. Even Jesus, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb 5:8). In the same way, sanctification is a painful process but necessary to produce the exquisite fruits of the Holy Spirit: “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5: 22, 23). To produce these fruits, it takes a lifetime. But to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and His gifts it takes just a moment in time.
You can manipulate men, but you cannot manipulate the Holy Spirit! It is better to speak in a human language and clearly say that ‘Jesus is Lord’ than to pray in tongues without any interpretation. If you are baptized with the Holy Spirit you can never be an ‘ordinary’ ‘gentle’ Christian. If you are baptized with the Holy Spirit, a type of supernatural passion will burn in your heart. Your words will be ‘hot’ like fire and the people who listen to you shall be like wood that burns. People will not be able to resist your words. They will bow to the Jesus you preach! Like Queen Esther, you become bold, ready to go before the King and take the risk ‘to perish’. You become like Shadrach, Meshach Abednego who were ready to burn than to bow to the idols. These were ordinary people like you and me, but thru the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, they became exceptional people who God used mightily. Like the believers in Corinth, you do not have to become ‘a perfect Christian’ before you pray for the Baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The only thing you need is to have faith that God answers prayers and to be hungry and thirsty for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit! A man Baptized with the Holy Spirit will testify about His Lord, Jesus Christ in an exceptional way! He will make men worship God! “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10).
This is the command of God: “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:17, 18; NKJ). What does it mean ‘to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs’? It does not mean to attend a church where they only sing hymns, or they chant psalms without musical instruments. The answer to this question is found in the book of 1 Corinthians. Apostle Paul describes the type of church service they had in the first century. “Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification” (1 Cor 14:26). The Apostle Paul says that ‘each of you’ should contribute spiritually to the service singing a psalm, a spiritual song, sharing a revelation, speaking in tongues or interpreting tongues. Everybody must keep the unity and the order of the Spirit. Everything must be done to the glory of God and for the edification of the Body. Apostle Paul warned them of the danger of becoming proud and rebellious. It was possible that as they manifested the gifts of the Holy Spirit the service will become disorderly. Paul makes a correction concerning the excesses in the church. These manifestations are identical in character but vary in degrees of expression. Some people are more passionate than others. It is not wise to compare two people who each has been baptized with the Holy Spirit. The Baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit can create a wonderful energy, a passion, a holy zeal and ‘a fire’ in the church. This is called revival. We should pray for it. We should desire it. But we should be careful that the fire will not do damage to the name of God as we manifest the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The other extreme is to act in fear and to quench the move of the Holy Spirit. That is wrong. We need godly wisdom to welcome the Holy Spirit, to host Him in our services and to allow Him to move freely in our midst.
What are the signs, the marks and the manifestation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? There are two types of experiences: Subjective and Objective. The subjective manifestation is what the believer says about his experience. When a child of God is baptized with the Holy Spirit the first inevitable sign to him is a sense of the glory of God, an unusual sense of the presence of God. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit makes real to him the things he has previously believed by faith. Things difficult to explain, the mystery of the union with Christ, heavenly things, these become so real to him. It is an immediate awareness of the glory of God. Generally, we walk by faith and not by sight. But at the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, the spiritual sight becomes so clear in an immediate way. Suddenly, doubt vanishes, and faith becomes very strong. The assurance of salvation is established, and none can shake it. Apostle John was a disciple of Jesus for three years. He was the closest to Him. But when he saw the Lord in glory this is how he expressed it: “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead!’ It is almost impossible to describe these things with words. If you have experienced them, you will know them. If you have not experienced them, you cannot understand them. If a Christian grieves the Holy Spirit and backslides, he will lose some of his spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and his faith will become weaker. He will still believe that he is a Christian, but he will not be able to be confident in his witness to others. These glorious things he once delighted in become pale in his mind. His faith and joy decrease.
Finally, this is a good question: Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit? Do you understand these things? The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a wonderful supernatural experience granted to them who are already born again and who pray for it. Jesus Christ, our High Priest in heaven, is the Baptizer. Child of God, you must seek this experience, until you receive it. It may be accompanied with speaking in other tongues or not. But one thing is clear, ‘power from on high’ is granted to the believer, to preach and to pray. Educated or not, the believer will be able to witness to his Savior and Lord with great assurance and conviction. He will fear God more than he will fear men! Signs, wonders and miracles will follow the spoken Word. This is the basis for true ministry. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is needed by all believers but especially by them who evangelize. This baptism is the explanation of revival, when the move of the Holy Spirit changes nations. Oh, how much we need that! We need revival in Nigeria! ‘Holy Spirit please come and fill our hungry hearts! Revive us again! Baptize us with power from on high! In Jesus’ name we pray!’. Worship the Lord!

The Lord Jesus said to Ananias about Apostle Paul at the beginning of his ministry: “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim My name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Ac 9:15, 16)

This applies to all who desire to follow Jesus. The word ‘suffer’ here is experiential pain, not just imagination. There is a cross that kills the flesh; not all at once, but little by little, daily… For every drop of the revelation of God’s name, I had to suffer; so that I should desire to know it desperately…The knowledge of God’s name is for them that pay the price. The door of God’s intimate treasures is never found by them that just pass by…
I had to be sick, really sick, with no desire to go to see a doctor…for me to press on to know who Jehovah Rapha is, how He operates and delivers and heals…in the quietness of my spirit, there came a knowing…that my sickness is not ‘a sickness’, not a dead end… but a pathway, a road…who could have believed that…a pain that could not go away, forcing me to come closer to the throne and receive a testimony, not just healing, but so much more…

The healing baptized me…never the same, much more hungry to know the Healer and not just His touch of the moment…I became the apprentice to Jehovah Rapha…what a privilege…how can I ever describe in words the class rooms in the clouds…the surgery on top of the mountain…all my friends dwell in the same atmosphere and they too have lost the desire to be ordinary…

The first test expected by Jehovah Rapha is to praise Him in all situations, not because I feel like praising, not because my pain is gone, not because I know not what else to do…but just because the praise belongs to Him and can never be retained by men or idols…so if you look for healing, praise God with all the strength you have…do not imitate others, do not compare with others…just go on and think of God, think of His power and glory and willingness to touch and heal you… the presence of the infirmity, of the sickness, of the pain, is just the pulpit from where the praise must go up to the Owner…

Like a miracle flower in the desert, no water, no shade, but still blooms by the power within, I will rejoice and praise God, my Savior, my Lord and yes, my Healer!

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines; though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food; though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls… Yet! I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in God my Savior!” (Habakkuk 3:17, 18)

(In the picture, red poopy flowers growing from under the ruins of ‘the dead church in Sardis’ -Rev 3:1- They look like the blood of the martyrs. I took this picture during a trip to Turkey)

In Australia there is the Nardoo plant, an edible beautiful water clover fern that’s made into cakes. It grows all over the place, in the lakes and swamps. The native people used to eat it when they are very hungry. The nardoo is very tasty and sweet but it contains no vitamins, no nutrients and no carbohydrates. It is a fake food! It has an enzyme that destroys the Vitamin B1 in the body. The result is a sickness called Beri-Beri. It manifests as weakness of the legs, palpitations, heart failure and death. The people who eat the Nardoo plant like it and feel filled, but eventually, if that is all they eat and depend on it, they will die. It does not kill immediately but with time, it is fatal.
Dear Friend, in the same way, religion alone may be interesting. Church going may be ‘sweet’ to your emotions. But if you feed your mind with worldly religious ideas, you create a fake spirituality. It has no power. It cannot help in times of need. It will make you proud and foolish. It will eventually kill your soul. You need to come to Jesus! You need to become born again! Do not settle for anything fake! The true original salvation bought by Jesus Christ with His Blood is what you need! Study the Bible! Pray daily! Start attending a good living church! Ask serious Christians to help you, teach you and pray for you! Seek until you find eternal life! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! God bless you!
(In the picture, the beautiful water plant called Nardoo)

“The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace” (Dan 3:17)

This is a glimpse from the American History. During the summer of 1787, the American Constitutional Convention was at gridlock. For five weeks there had been a debate and a division concerning how each state should be represented. Should larger states with larger populations have more votes, or should each state have one vote, regardless of their size? Tempers flared and the division grew wider as each side strongly defended its position. Then one day, Benjamin Franklin addressed President Washington with these words – “Mr. President… I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?” Though Franklin was not what we might call an ‘evangelical believer’, he did recognize and understand that God is in control.

God is in control of all events, as evidenced by the fact that he is sovereign over the future. God doesn’t just know what’s going to happen in the future, but actually controls future events. This counters, among other things, the false teaching known as deism. Deists believe that God has merely created the world and established certain laws by which his world works. He is like the clockmaker whose hands build the clock but are then removed from its regular operation. That is not the Bible’s view of God’s role. If it were, how could he know the future with any certainty? Instead, the Bible teaches that every event that takes place in the universe comes at the direct command of God. Consider that amazing story when Jesus tells Peter how to acquire the temple tax for the two of them. “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself” (Matt. 17:27). Jesus didn’t just create the fish and let it swim wherever it wanted. The only way Jesus could have done this is to direct the actions of the fish in a place that was unseen by human eyes. God directs the fish of the sea and He directs the birds of the air. Every single one of the thousands of birds that you sometimes see flying together, in a form that seems chaotic to our eyes, is directed by the command of God.

Today, our nation (Nigeria) looks like it is out of control, yet God is still on the throne. Only He knows what will eventually happen to America. As Franklin said, “God governs in the affairs of men.” This does not mean that everything that happens is according to His will. What it does mean is that even when men are living outside of the will of God, they are never beyond His control. Someone has said that history is ‘His-story.’

Child of God, remember that you are not alone. No matter the problems you are passing thru, Jesus is with you. He is the Fourth Man in the Fire! He is the God that saved Daniel from the lions. He is the God who gave old Abraham and old Sarah the son of promise, Isaac. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Heavenly Father too. Tell yourself this morning! ‘I am no longer a slave to fear! I am a child of God! God is in control of my life!’ Say it until you believe it! Faith and hope shall rise in your soul. The peace of Jesus will cover you as a soft blanket. Love will manifest. You are a fruitful vine! Keep praying! Endure to the end! Jesus is Lord! God is in control!

I TESTIFY ABOUT THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

‘After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:1-10)
It is my observation that most Christians are too shy when testifying about their Lord. Even when they share their testimonies, it is mostly about God’s provision for their needs on earth. Very few have the courage to declare the testimony of Jesus; what He has done for them in heaven and not only on earth. To testify about Jesus is a mighty weapon. Your testimony about Jesus and your faith in Him, is your victory crown! As you tell others how He shed His Blood for you and how He saved your soul, you defeat the devil, the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10, 11). But if you keep silent about Jesus, fearing men’s words, you give room to the devil to accuse you, to condemn you. He will bring guilt, doubts and inferiority complex in your heart. God forbid!

The testimony of Jesus spoken out is the manifestation of the spirit of prophesy, which is the power of the Holy Spirit! In Greek, the word ‘testimony’ is ‘martyria’. It means a martyr, a witness, reputation, an evidence given before the court. What does this mean? What is your responsibility as a believer? Before men and angels, you testify that Jesus is your Savior and your Lord; that He died for you. Your testimony will give glory to God and cause many to worship Him. The word ‘spirit’ is ‘pneuma’. Translated it means the wind or the breath of God. Prophesy means to declare the mind of God! It is the gift of hearing the voice of God, of communicating and enforcing revealed truth. As you declare who Jesus is in heaven and on earth, you facilitate worship. People will hear not just your words, but the voice of God, speaking thru you, telling them about the glories of His Son in heaven! As you can see, worship is more than a song. It is telling men about the glories of the Son of God!

The Book of Revelation shows us mostly things about the future, about heaven. In particular, it revels to us the Lord Jesus Christ who designed and holds our future! ‘Prophecy is not given primarily to tell you what the future holds. It is given to tell you Who holds the future—Jesus!’ (Adrian Rodgers). This is the story of two women, two brides. There is a competition among them because they desire to marry the same man. He is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The fake bride is called ‘Babylon’. She is wicked. She is an harlot. She shall be judged and punished. With all her evil seductions, she will not be able to marry the Prince of Peace. She is made of fake religious brethren who go to church but are not born again. Their ambitious hopes and unholy dreams shall be cut off. They shall be disappointed. The righteous Bride is called ‘The Church of the living God’. She shall marry Christ. Why? Because she is already one with Him! We, the true believers, born again by the Holy Spirit, are one with Christ! Our future has been preordained before the foundation of the world. The wedding invitations between Christ and His Bride have been written with the ink of His Blood long before the earth was formed. This holy romance, our destiny, wrapped in His eternal love, have been decreed and prophesied long before man was made by God.

Our God is The judge of all. He avenges His servants. Our God is worshipped in heaven and on earth. He is the Omnipotent One. He reigns forever! People must fear our God! He has prepared a party feast for the wedding between His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and His Bride, the Church. He has judged Babylon, the great harlot, the fake bride. God has exposed her to be a prostitute and not an innocent woman. Her power, her success as a queen and businesswoman comes thru fornication with the kings of the earth. But our God is a consuming fire! God’s judgment manifests as burning, as smoke rising eternally. Her judgment cannot be hidden. It is a true and righteous judgment. The true Bride, the Wife of Christ, is God’s choice for His Son. She is made clean thru the Blood of the Son. Christ loves her! He has openly declared His love on the Cross of Calvary! The Bride has made herself ready. Her righteous acts have become her wedding dress, made for royal beauty, reward and honor. The wedding and union between the Bride and Christ will result in great joy in heaven, expressed in loud songs of praise, bowing down in worship and by the word of our testimony!

We must testify that Jesus Christ is our Lord! We must testify that He has died for us and changed our hearts. We must testify that we are one with Christ; that we were crucified with Him, died with Him, buried with Him and resurrected with Him (Rom 6:1-10). We are now seated in heavenly places with Christ (Eph 2:6). This unity is eternal and cannot be destroyed. We are sure of our salvation and of the hope of our glory! We are sure of our wedding day! We openly testify to this unbroken eternal glorious love and unity! We are not ashamed to testify to the manifestation of God’s grace!

Someone may ask, “If verse 7 says that the Bride made herself ready, why does heaven cry, ‘Give God the glory’?” The answer is given in verse 8: “It was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” So how did the Bride make herself ready? By putting on fine linen, bright and pure. And what is the fine linen? The righteous deeds of the saints. But how did the saints come to do these deeds? By what power or means did the Bride of Christ clothe herself with fine linen? Answer (v. 8): “It was granted her to be clothed with fine linen.” By whom? By God. Did you hear that? God has ‘granted’ us our wedding dress! God has designed and granted to you your wedding dress! You do your righteous deeds, and therefore it is fitting that heaven cry out: “The Bride has made herself ready.” But we do not do them in our own strength. They are a gift from God—prepared before the foundation of the world that we might walk in them. ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them’ (Eph 2:10). And therefore, it is even more fitting that heaven cry out, “Give God the glory.” Just imagine yourself, the Bride of Christ, saved by your Bridegroom’s Blood, and dressed in the good works you have done in His name, and for His glory, entering the celestial wedding hall! Your Groom is waiting… Oh, the Hope of glory! Can you testify to this revelation? Your Groom says that if you openly acknowledge now that He is your Husband, He too will testify in heaven that you are His Bride (Mt 10:32).

Finally, In Christ, I boldly declare:
*I will speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame’ (Ps 119:46)
*In my heart, I honor You, Christ my Lord! You are holy! I will testify about You and tell people what You have done for me, how You have given me this hope of glory! (1Pet 3:15)
*My God, You have given me eternal life! I found this life in God’s Son, Jesus Christ!’ (1Jn 5:11)
*I let my light shine before men so that they see my good works and give glory to You, my heavenly Father’ (Mt 5: 16)
*I am baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit! Therefore, I have the power to testify about You, my Lord! I bear witness, because I have been with Christ from the beginning (Ac 1:5, 8; Jn 15:27)
*My Lord has called me and taken me into the heavenly Banqueting Hall and His banner over me is love unfailing! (SS 2:4).

This is my Pledge! This is my Vow! This is my Testimony, Oh, my Lord and my God! I worship You now and forever!
“Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!”

“I know all the birds…” (Ps 50:11)
We lived in our former home for thirty years. Last Sunday we re-located. There was a silent wish in my heart. I did not want to share it with anyone for, among so many more important things to do, it seems like nothing. But this is a true story. Our children can confirm it. Since they were small, there is a bird who always sings a very complicated song on the roof of our house. She was our ‘clock’ in the morning. Her song starts at 6:10 and ends at 6:15. It is the same song, perfect each time, never missing a beat. It is something like that: DO-LA-SOL-FA-MI-RE D0…. She repeats that many times. Then she ends with SOL-LA-SOL-LAA-SOOOOL-LAAAA…LAAAAAAA….

I read somewhere that birds sing in the morning to find a mate and to declare their territory. The scientists said that early morning, when the air is fresh, and before the humans come with their loud noises, the sound of the birds travels faster. This is science. But for me, the birds belong to God and they praise Him early in the morning. They challenge us to remember our Maker and ‘from the rising of the sun, until the going down of the same’, to praise God!

My sadness was that I left my birds (sorry, God’s birds) behind. I only told my husband that I wish the birds come here. He encouraged me that God can do it! Thank God for believing and encouraging husbands!

The first three mornings in our new house we woke up without their songs. Can you imagine? I really missed them! But this night we slept with the windows open so that we can hear if there is even a whisper of praise at dawn, from the little birds. I am too excited to write well this morning. Yes, you guessed right! The birds are here!!! I do not know if the same family of birds followed us or God sent their relatives to our new home. But the birds, singing exactly the same tune, at exactly the same time, the birds are here!!! Is God not wonderful? He is sooo wonderful to me!!! God answers our most secret prayers!

Little birds, let’s sing the love songs of Jesus! Let’s declare that this territory belongs to Jesus! God’s name must be praised! We declare that Jesus is Lord over Warri and Effurun, Nigeria! We declare that Jesus is the Lover of our souls! The praise must continue!

“Father, I thank You! From my heart, I thank You! For caring for us, for knowing our silent pains and unspoken wishes, I thank You! For answering our prayers, more than we can imagine, I thank You! For the many blessings that come from You, always without sorrow, big or small, I thank You! For the flowers and the birds, I thank You! For the privilege to know and praise Your Name, I Thank You! For sending Your Love to us, I thank You! Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I thank You! We vow to always give You alone all the glory! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!”

(This article was written in October 2015, as we moved to our present house)

This is the story of the richest man in the world, the very first person to reach the status of billionaire.
By age 25 John D. Rockefeller controlled one of the largest oil refineries in the nation.
By age 31 he had become the world’s largest oil refiner.
By age 38 he commanded 90% of the oil refined in the U.S.
By the time of his retirement at age 58, he was the richest man in the country.
By the time he died, he had become the richest man in the world.

As a young man, every decision, attitude, and relationship was tailored to create his personal power and wealth. But at the age of 53 he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain and he lost all of his hair. In complete agony, the world’s only billionaire could buy anything he wanted, but he could only digest milk and crackers. An associate wrote, “He could not sleep, would not smile and nothing in life meant anything to him.” His personal, highly skilled physicians predicted he would die within a year. That year passed agonizingly slow. As he approached death he awoke one morning with the vague remembrances of a dream about not being able to take any of his successes with him into the next world. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his own life. He was left with a choice. He called his attorneys, accountants, and managers and announced that he wanted to channel his assets to hospitals, research, and mission work. He attended the Baptist Church. He was faithful working for God in the church, a humble man, cleaning the house of God, until he died!

On that day John D. Rockefeller established his foundation. This new direction eventually led to the discovery of penicillin, cures for malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria. But perhaps the most amazing part of Rockefeller’s story is that the moment he began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, his body’s chemistry was altered so significantly that he got better. It looked as if he would die at 53 but he lived to be 98. Rockefeller learned gratitude and gave back the vast majority of his wealth. Doing so made him whole. It is one thing to be healed. It is another to be made whole. Before his died he wrote this in his dairy:

‘I was early taught to work as well as play,
My life has been one long, happy holiday;
Full of work and full of play—
I dropped the worry on the way—
And God was good to me everyday!

(In the picture, John D Rockefeller as an old man)

“And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ (Deut 20:3, 4)
The greatest enemy is internal. It is called fear! Cowards betray the vision of victory. Fear is a plaque; it is highly infectious. If tolerated, it spreads quickly to the whole army. Fear is like leaven in the flour, it corrupts the whole lump. The only Word that gives courage to fight to the end is this: ‘God is with you!’ If God is with us, we are the majority. It is the presence of God that decrees the victory. A. W. Tozer said: “It is not the praying or fighting sheep that the wolf fears. It is the presence of the Shepherd in their midst”
In Christ I declare:
I reject the fear of battle and the doubt of victory! I am led from triumph to triumph! I conquer more and more territories for my King! The truth is marching on! I dedicate all my spoils of war to my King. Let Christ use them all for His glory! I rejoice in the leading of Jesus Christ my Lord! The anointing of the Holy Spirit on me teaches me all things and destroys all yokes of bondage in my life! The truth of the Bible has set me free! My Commander has never lost any battle! Me too, I will never lose following Him!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
(From The Doe of the morning by Silvia Lia Leigh)

“By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned” (Heb 11:29)

Faith has the power to get you to the other side; from prayer to praise; from prison to palace; from weeping to worship; from trials to testimonies! Faith is a shield. Faith separates you from your enemies. Faith quenches the fiery arrows of the enemy. Faith covers and protects the heart! Faith pleases God! Faith is rewarded by God! Faith believes in the God of miracles! Even when you don’t see the victory, faith is working ‘behind the scenes’! Faith 100%! Doubt 0%!

Whatever is your problem today, let’s pray with faith that God will answer: “Dear Heavenly Father, when the way is blocked before me and an army of circumstances closes in behind me, help me to stand by faith, looking to You to open a way where there seems to be no way. Abba Father, You have done it in the past! Do it again! Lord Jesus, I want to follow You, asking You to lead me where my enemies cannot go! Holy Spirit, lead the way! I follow You! I Thank You Father God for this miracle, for the mighty breakthrough, for the healing and for the provision! in Jesus’ name, Amen”

“A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long…
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear… She always faces tomorrow with a smile…” (PV 31:10-31; TM)
There are many stones all over the place but ‘diamonds’ are few, buried in the ground and hard to find. In the same way, there are many women in this world, but a genuine godly, faithful woman is ‘hard to find’. This is not my opinion, but it is the Word of God. It is not enough to be a woman. It is not enough to be called a Christian woman. It is not enough to go to church. To be a godly woman it takes the grace of God. You need to be born again and Spirit filled. You need to study the Word of God and apply it daily. You need to serve God in any capacity. What are some of the qualities of this woman of God?
*She is trustworthy! To be trustworthy it means that she is worthy of your trust. You can open your heart to her, tell her your secrets and she will help you solve your problems. She will pray for you. She has passed thru many trials herself and has come out shining like gold. She is a spiritual leader pointing you to Jesus. She is dependable. She is a solid honest trusted friend. She will not betray your confidence. She is not fake. She will not lie to you. She will not cheat, deceive, exploit or manipulate you.
She is trustworthy in small and big things. Jesus said: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Lk 16:10). People in general trust her. But her husband trusts her in particular! For a married woman, this is the greatest human approval. Friends and relatives can trust you, but none knows you better than your husband. If the whole world says that you are a good woman. but your husband says that you are not-submissive, greedy, stubborn, lazy and proud, take it that he may be right. Truth is painful but truth sets free! Pray that you may humble yourself and change!
*Secondly, the godly woman has faith in God, especially during the trials of life. During winter it is very cold. If you are not well dressed and do not have a house, you die of cold. This woman does not worry during the cold of winter. This is because her husband and her children are well dressed, covered with the clothes she has provided for them during the summer (the hot season). She has a strategy how to face the hard times in the future. She is wise and prudent. She is not afraid of the future because Jesus is with her and ‘He is the same yesterday, today and forever’! (Heb 13:8).
This is a practical question: as women of God how do we face the trials of life?
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (Jam 1:2-8)
According to the Word of God, trials will come to us. No matter how much you pray, you cannot avoid all the troubles, trials and temptations. Thru applying the Word of God and prayer, you must be prepared for them in advance. The first thing James tells us is that ‘we should count it all joy when you fall into various trials’. This is a hard command. This is not the natural response when somebody insults you. The natural reaction is to insult back or to curse the enemy. But we are commanded to count it all joy. What does it mean? It means that we must face trials having God in mind. We must see the trial thru the eyes of God! This ‘joy’ is not a natural happiness. It is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your heart. Why count it all joy? Because Jesus is with you right now, in the middle of your pain. His presence comes with ‘fullness of joy’. This joy is a reaction of faith! By faith I trust that, thru this trial, God works something for His glory and for my good! I do not trust myself or my enemy. But I trust Jesus, the Forth Man in the furnace! We are in it together! Testimonies must follow the trial! That alone is enough for me to count this pain as joy! I see that thru this trial God is changing me. He makes me ‘perfect lacking nothing’. He makes me spiritually strong and fruitful. You cannot be a woman of God without passing thru these trials. You learn patience. You learn the value of wisdom. You learn that God’s grace with you is enough. The fire of the trial will burn the doubts and the fears. You will learn that the great scripture that says: ‘all things work together for good’ (Rom 8:28) is true not just in the Bible but ‘works’ in your experience. You learn to walk by faith and not by sight! You learn to walk with God. You learn to be a Friend of God! Glory! May God bless you as you obey His Word! In Jesus’ name! Amen!

“Do not neglect the gift that is in you!” (1Tim 4:14)
The Stradivarius Society of Chicago performs an important role in the music world. The society entrusts expensive violins into the hands of world-class violin players who could never afford them on their own. Stradivarius violins produce an incomparably rich sound and sell for millions of dollars and are highly sought after by investors. These violins were made by the Italian Antonius Stradivarius and his family, during the 17th and 18th centuries. Since then, nobody could make violins with a better sound. His secret of making violins cannot be explained till today. With all the present technology no one has made a violin who sounds better than a Stradivarius. The price for one is more than $15 million U.S. dollars.
“But great violins are not like works of art”, writes music critic John von Rhein. “They were never meant to be hung on a wall or locked up under glass. Any instrument will lose its tone if it isn’t played regularly; conversely, an instrument gains its value the more it us used.” And so it is that those who own the world’s greatest violins are looking for first-rate violin players to use them. The Stradivarius Society brings them together, making sure the instruments are preserved and cared for. One further requirement made by these investors is that the musician will give the owner at least two command performances a year.
Like the Stradivarius Society, God entrusts exquisite “violins” into the care of others. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts of great value, which remain His property. He wants them to be used. They’re doing no good if they’re hanging on a wall somewhere. God delights to hear beautiful music coming from them. He wants us to play for him. Are you using the gifts He’s given you to use?

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high [and defend you]; send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh, and strengthen you from Zion” (Ps 20:1; 2; AMP)
This is the promise of Jehovah, the Self-Existent One. He is the only Living God who needs nothing from outside His Person to exist eternally! This is His pledge: to be with you when you are in in trouble; when you are under attack, alone and sick, abandoned or in pain….when lawyers abandon your case for ‘lack of evidence’… when doctors cannot find the source of your fever… when friends forsake you and the neighbors mock you… when you are ‘too old’ to marry and ‘too barren’ to have a child… when your need is greater than the supply… when hell has found your address and is ready to pay to kill… when prayer ‘does not work’ and the inspiration for singing has dried…
“Holy Spirit, please, come down!!!”
May God who wrote your name in the Book of Life remember you, help you, support, refresh and strengthen you! May God disappoint your fears, melt your doubts, arrest your sickness, fight against your oppressors and overturn the tables! May the power of praise in worship in Zion locate you and ignite a fresh holy fire in you! May the hand of God lift you up, far above the reach of all your enemies! May the increase of God’s kingdom include your home! May you see your children’ children! May you rejoice always, for God is with you! To the Glory of God who can never fail!
In Christ I declare:
I have seen the downfall of satan!
My trouble shall become my testimony!
I shall always praise and worship the God of my salvation, healing and deliverance!
God is my ever present Help in times of need!
Zion is my hometown forever!
Revival is my portion!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!

Thomas Jefferson (1743- 1826) was the third president of the United Sates of America. Thomas Jefferson was a rich, educated American politician. He penned the Declaration of Independence and is widely considered one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States of America.

Some modern scholarship has been critical of Jefferson’s private life, finding a contradiction between his ownership of the large numbers of slaves that worked his plantations and his famous declaration that “all men are created equal”. Although the matter remains a subject of debate, most historians believe that Jefferson had a sexual relationship with his slave Sally Hemings, a mixed-race woman who was a half-sister to his late wife, and that he fathered at least one of her children. Presidential scholars and historians generally praise Jefferson’s public achievements, including his advocacy of religious freedom and tolerance in Virginia. Jefferson continues to rank highly among U.S. presidents.

What many do not know is that he wrote his own Bible. Jefferson viewed Jesus as strictly human. He said that he is a Christian but he did not believe in miracles or in the supernatural. He said that Jesus Christ was a true teacher from God but not the Son of God. Jefferson viewed Jesus as a great moral teacher but believed that His claims to deity and the stories of His miracles were later agenda-driven additions by Jesus’ followers. He cut off from the Bible any passage about the miracles of Christ, His resurrection, His prophecies or passages about angels. He published the Bible without all these words. His original copy can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC (see below). Historically, Thomas Jefferson was a great man. But according the original Bible, he is a fool! “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps 14:1)… How sad…

What is the truth? The Truth is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity! Jehovah in the Old Testament is Jesus Christ in the New Testament! Listen to Peter!  “Jesus asked Peter: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”… “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 16:13-17)

Jefferson died deeply in debt, unable to pass on his estate freely to his heirs. He gave instructions in his will for disposal of his assets, including the freeing of his female slave Sally Hemings’s children. But his estate, possessions, and slaves were sold at public auctions. How sad…

J. Paul Getty, the oil man, was a billionaire–and proud of it. He was at one time considered the world’s richest man, but during the most active years in his business, he lived alone in a 72-room mansion outside London. Over a 25-year period, he had married and divorced five women. “I hate to be a failure,” he said. “I would gladly give all my millions for just one, lasting marital success.”
He lived a lonely life. One of his ex wives said that he loved his business too much and had no time for family or people. How sad…
Proud men hate humility. Did you know that? The proud men hate and fear the humble people. Why? Because they hate to be seen as low, needy and empty. Proud people are ambitious. They are never satisfied with what they have. They always want something more, something else. Humble people are real. Proud men live in a fantasy world boasting to others that they are rich and great. Humble men love to serve others. They make good friends. They are good listeners. They make wonderful leaders. They love to learn and are not ashamed to ask questions to improve their knowledge. Proud men hide their ignorance and pretend to be great. Humble men are never worried about what others say. They need to prove nothing to nobody. Proud men are restless and worried; never at peace and never truly happy! What type of person are you?
The best example of humility we have is of course, our Lord Jesus Christ, who left heaven’s glory to live on earth and die as a Man on the Cross. He wants to be your Savior and your Teacher. Listen to Him: ‘Take My yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls!’ (Mt 11:29)… Oh, that you hear these blessed words! Oh, that you might believe! I pray for you …

“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” (Deut 20:4)
The battle was fierce but the victory is mine. O…sweet peace…
If you are a born again believer, in whatever situation, you are always the winner. This is not just my wish for you… It is God’s Word! Victory manifests in many ways, but all these ways have something in common. They spread the sweet powerful fragrance of Christ, the Eternal Victor. In times of trials the devil attacks with lies, mostly the idea that the battle will rage on forever and there shall be no clear winner. These are all lies!! The weeping may endure for the night, but morning is faithful to displace the power of darkness, with the songs of joy leading the transition.
At the Cross, the devil rejoiced to see the Son of Man defeated and humiliated. What he did not know was that ‘the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength’. Who said that? God says so! (Read 1 Cor 1:25). Jesus died for our sins, that we may be forgiven, healed and changed, to become the sons of God. If the devil knew that the death of Christ will become the tree of life for so many, he would not have killed the King of glory. But now it is too late, for the power of resurrection has destroyed even the memory of the evil power and shame of failure and death. Too late for the devil…
Child of God, Yes, there is a battle you have to fight. You can’t avoid it. For every spiritual gain, there must be a confrontation with ‘the strong man’ who keeps men in slavery. Do not beg the devil. He will not listen to your begging! Put on the whole armor of God and confront him! Engage him in battle and in the name of Jesus you shall win. God is on your side! Heaven backs you up. You have nothing to fear! You have nothing to lose! The victory is clear and sure. You shall not suffer indefinitely, you shall not weep unto the end. Sickness, failure, poverty, shame, rejection, slander… these evils do not last forever. God will not allow the power of the devil to continue in your life. It is morning time, victory time…the flag of the Cross is raised on the royal castle…the prisoners are free… the worship continues… The sound of revival is heard in this land! Be encouraged by the Holy Spirit! It is well with you!

During the Sunday service, Pastor Richmond Leigh preached on the theme ‘Power from on high’. His main text was taken from the Book of Luke: “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased”… “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high… (Lk 3:21, 22; Lk 24:49; NKJ).

He said that as a church, we are entering a new season, into a higher level of anointing. We need to be Baptized and Filled with the Holy Spirit. Nobody knows all the functions of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The major work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ! He reveals Him to us; opens our eyes to His Majesty so that we can worship Him. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and helps us believe and understand the Word of God.

Pastor Richmond Leigh said that it is possible to be born again and not be baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is true that no one can be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit in his soul (Rom 8:9). One of the secret works of the Holy Spirit is that of convicting a man of his sins, of enlighten him about his spiritual state and his need for the Savior. The Holy Spirit does the work of regeneration; therefore, the sinner becomes born again. As you can see, salvation is always a miracle. Without this deep and secret work of the Holy Spirit, a man may become religious, he may go to church, but he is not saved. The Holy Spirit does not force anyone to be saved. He is a gentle but powerful influence on the soul. Thank God for the humility of the Holy Spirit, willing to do this secret work in the heart of man without apparently coercing him! Glory to God for our salvation!

This is a fact: a man can be born again and not be filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is only a child of God that can be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The sinner must repent and come to Jesus, for salvation. This is the first step in God’s wonderful work called salvation! The natural man cannot receive the Holy Spirit, he cannot please God because his mind is enmity against God. For the unbeliever, the spiritual things are foolishness. He cannot understand or appreciate them. He cannot worship God! But to us, the children of God, we hunger and thirst for more of the Holy Spirit. We want to know the ‘deep things of God’ revealed thru the Holy Spirit!

One of the symbols of The Holy Spirit is the water. The effect of the water is that it wets you or it quenches your thirst. There are degrees of these effects. For example, the rain drizzling outside. A man goes in the rain. After some time, he will get wet. But if the rain is torrential, he will get wet faster. If a man drinks a cup of water, he will be filled (gets wet) in the inside. But if a man is dipped into the ocean, he will become ‘wet’ instantly both outside and inside. He will be overwhelmed by the water. All these illustrations, show degrees of ‘wetness’ from the same water. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is when a child of God is suddenly immersed in the ocean of the Holy Spirit by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire! It is a unique, specific and powerful experience! Your life will never be the same again. You shall receive ‘power from on high’! You shall receive boldness to preach the Word of God, to witness for Jesus! You shall receive an unshakable assurance that you are saved forever! Once again, it is done by the resurrected Christ, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire!

These are vital questions we all must answer: ‘Are you born again? Are you baptized in water? Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit?’ As we are seeking to be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, the best example and perfect model we have is that of our Lord. The first thing we see is that He humbly submitted to the Baptism in water performed by John the Baptist. Jesus was sinless. He did not need to repent and be baptized but He said that ‘it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness’. He did it to identify with us, the sinners He came to save. During His baptism the voice of the Father confirmed His pleasure in His Son. The Holy Spirit came on Him in a bodily form as a dove. We see here the Trinity revealed on earth (Mt 3:15-17). After His water baptism, and filed with the Holy Spirit, the Lord was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He overcame all the temptations as a Man filled with the Holy Spirit. The devil failed to distract the Lord from God’s purpose for His life. He did it on our behalf that we may share in His victory. At the end of forty days He came out from the wilderness in the power of the Spirit (Lk 4:1-13).

Immediately after His victory over the devil’s temptation, The Lord Jesus Christ started His public ministry among men. He thought the Word of God in the synagogues. He preached the Gospel of salvation. He delivered the ones possessed by demons. He healed the sick. But what amazed everybody was His words! ‘All bore witness to Him and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth… they were astonished at His teaching for His word was with authority’ (Lk 4:22, 32). The people were amazed especially at the power, authority and boldness in His words. This power is surely the result of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is our Lord’s command: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (Jn 6:27). This seal He is talking about is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Lord was baptized with the Holy Spirit so that He can baptize others who believe in Him!

Apostle Paul commands us to ‘walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh’ He said that the flesh fights against the filling of the Holy Spirit. The flesh does not want to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. We must mortify the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul says that ‘if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law’. In the presence of the Holy Spirit there is liberty, peace and fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11; Gal 5:16-18; 2Cor 3:17). Praise the Lord!

In the same way, we must seek to be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit! The power of the Holy Spirit is necessary to do ministry. In fact, without the Holy Spirit ministry is not possible! Preaching is intimately connected with the Power of the Holy Spirit. ’Preaching’ without the Holy Spirit is called ‘lecturing’. It does not have the power to touch and change men’s hearts. More than money and happiness on earth, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will lead you to places you have never been before. He will give you favor among men! The Holy Spirit will embolden you to preach and teach the Word of God with authority. Your words will be like arrows piercing men’s consciences. They will not be able to forget your words. They will repent and be saved. The Holy Spirit will help you to walk in the plan and the purpose of God. You will be able to resist and overcome the devil’s temptations. The Holy Spirit will give you divine wisdom. You will walk in victory! You will grow from grace to grace and from strength to strength. May the Holy Spirit move you! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Worship the Lord!