FAITH INSIDE THE BOAT

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Mt 14:31-33)

We are traveling on a cruise ship. It is Sunday morning and we are having church. Pastor Leigh preached from the Book of Matthew 14. He said that the Lord interacts with the crowds differently than with His disciples. He heals the sick and He provides food for the hungry. Satisfied that their temporal needs were met, most people go home. They do not remember to worship The Lord.

Then The Lord ‘constrains’ His disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee ahead of Him. A great storm comes over the Sea and the disciples fear for their lives. Then they see somebody walking on the waters, coming towards them. They panic the more, thinking that they’ve seen a ghost. The Lord calls them but they still doubt. Then Peter tells The Lord to call him to walk on the water. The Lord simply commands Peter: ‘Come!’ Peter walks few steps but when he removes his gaze from Jesus, he starts sinking. He cries for help and Jesus saves him. The Lord rebukes them for their little faith because it was mixed with doubt. Suddenly the wind dies down. They fall at the feet of Jesus and they worship Him. In that moment they believe that Jesus is the Son of the Living God.

What are the lessons? Any miracle of healing or provision that does not bring us to the place of worshipping The Lord, is a wasted opportunity to give glory to God. Peter made the mistake to remove his gaze from Jesus. He looked at the wind and the waves. That is why he started sinking. The lesson is that we must cultivate the long abiding gaze of faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ who is the creator of all things. Then we can walk on top of problems and any challenging circumstances with no fear of failure. We make progress where others draw back and run. Faith in Jesus is the key to holy success and spiritual progress!

The service ended with prayers and more praise. Glory to God!

ocean

(I took this picture from the window of our ship)

ARM YOURSELF

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” (1Pet 4:1-2)

Today is 13 weeks since I broke my ankle. I am felling much better. My bone is healed. I am still limping because of the weakness of the ligaments and muscles. But the improvement is clear and I am so grateful to God! There so many wonderful lessons that I had to learn during this trial of faith. The Holy Spirit helped me to simplify and clarify my mind. I was ignorant that there was a lot of unholy, unnecessary ‘dust’ settled on my mind, making it dull and slow. The pain in my leg and the limitation in my body helped me to rearrange my priorities. I had to think thru all these things, what is important and what is not.

Read the scripture above. Your mind is not just for thinking. It is designed by God to be a weapon against the attacks of the devil. ‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he’. The mind purified by approved suffering in the will of God becomes one of the greatest weapons in spiritual warfare. As a child of God, you are commanded to ‘arm yourself’ with the mind of Christ! Your thoughts, your attitude to life will protect you from sin! The helmet of salvation protects your mind from anxieties, fears, confusion and useless distractions. You need to cultivate the same ‘attitude’ with our Lord Jesus Christ! He was humble and obedient to His Father unto death! As a Man, He learned obedience thru the things He suffered! He was tempted at all points as we are, yet without sin! He became the source of eternal salvation to all others who are obedient to Him! He is the Lion and the Lamb of God! His mind is my mind! His attitude is my attitude! That is what I pray for! That is what I desire!

Yesterday, My husband and I went to a beautiful mall in Miami called The Falls. There was a river gently flowing in between the shops. We entered a shop selling beautiful shoes. In the past, I will admire the shoes and even try some. This time I chose to sit down quietly by the water admiring God’s beauty. There was no need to try the fancy shoes I could have liked in the past. I still cannot wear high heals. I have to ‘manage canvas flat shoes’ because of my balance as I learn to walk again. But that is ok. The battle has been fought over my mind. The devil has lost it! Jesus is Lord!

I have peace in my heart as I know that God allowed this trial for my good. I lost the feverish restlessness to compete with the world! I le go of the anxiety to please men! I shook off the fears growing from the dirty soil of inferiority complexes! My life is simpler now, but more focused. My worship is free! I now love God with a purer love. I celebrate Him who loves me forever. To my amazement, I discover that shoes are not the most important things in the universe. I smile… There is so much more to life…

“Father, I adore You… May my life please You… In Jesus name, amen!”

miami

(in the picture, the river flowing at the Falls Mall in Miami, Fl)

DEFINED BY GRACE

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I but the grace of God that was with me” ( 1Cor 15:10)

I received a note from somebody saying: ‘Ma, who are you? Are you a doctor or a pastor? Is there no confusion between these two professions? I am just curious… Please explain…’

This was my answer:
“Dear… By the grace of God I am who I am. It is the grace of God that defines me. It is not what people say, but what the unmerited favor of God says about me that matters. First of all I am a child of God. I am also a wife (for 42 years), a mother of three adult children and a grandmother of six. I am a medical doctor by profession. I am a pastor by His grace and by His calling. It is the same with my husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh. We both worked as doctors for about 20 years. My husband and I we founded Lily Clinic in Warri, Nigeria. We sold the medical equipment and the name of the clinic when we started the church. Since 2000, we are in full time ministry, as the founding pastors of Father’s House Bible Church, Warri, Nigeria.

As you see, there is no confusion. But, the way a believer and an unbeliever thinks is totally different. I am sinner saved by grace. I was an atheist, a complete unbeliever until I met The Lord in 1986. Since then, God has helped me change my view of life, death, sickness, the trials of life and eternity in general. In the medical school they teach you what they know: the science of medicine. They cannot give you what they do not have. As a doctor, I did not believe in God, devil, heaven, hell, prayer or the Bible. I practiced medicine the way I was thought in school. Pure science!

But after I became born again things changed radically as they should! God took center stage in my thinking. I started asking each patient who came to my office: ‘what do you want: prayer or medicine?’ The wealthy ones always say ‘medicine’. So I did what they requested. I examined them and gave them their medicine. I charged them high, I might add… But the poor ones who could not afford to pay for treatment, they usually said: ‘Doctor, I do not have money, please pray for me…’ I usually tell them: ‘God bless you! You are very wise! You have chosen the best I have…’ Then I prayed for them and did not charge money at all. Most of them will come back with a testimony of supernatural healing. This is how I have discovered the power of God available in Christ alone and the Holy Spirit in action, ready and able to save, heal and deliver. This revelation changed me and my practice! Along the way, I have learned so many wonderful lessons from others. The humble, generous and willing believers thought me faith, patience, divine wisdom and the value of prayer.

In particular, I loved the terminal cases, the ones given up by other doctors… When a doctor tells his patient: ‘I have done everything I know. I cannot help you anymore. You will die in few weeks…’ A person like this has no other options except what God provides. I always appreciated when these hopeless cases came to me at their ’11th hour’. They suddenly wanted prayer. Their faith will increase. In this way I had more freedom to ‘experiment’ with prayers and the ministry of the Word. Many dying people were brought to Lily Clinic by their families just so that they can die ‘in peace’. I witnessed how a man’s face changes according to his spiritual ‘status’. From an angry face he will have a peaceful countenance and die smiling. Others, against all medical odds, received their healing miracles. I am a witness to all these things… I know that God is good!

Like I said, there is no confusion. In heaven there is no sickness, suffering or death. It is only eternal pure holy worship. Even now as a pastor, my priority is not physical healing but spiritual healing. If a man gives his life to Christ, that is the best thing he can do in this life. If a man is sick or is well, rich or poor, educated or not, he still needs Christ, first of all! I always point people to The Lord Jesus! He is the only Savior, the only Healer and the only Lord! I am just a servant to my Lord! If you see anything good in me, please give all the glory to God who has made it possible to have some good inside. I hope this answer will help… God bless you!”

I AM ABLE TO BEAR IT

“No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it” (1Cor 10:13)

This scripture is safely stored in my heart and I have used it many times to strengthen myself in The Lord. More than twelve weeks ago I fell and broke my ankle. I am now recovering from that fracture. My cast has been removed. I started walking with two crutches, then one crutch and now, with ‘just’ a walking stick (which I intend to throw away as soon as possible). We are now on a vacation, planned since last year. I had to strengthen my faith to go even though I still have pain, a swollen leg and I am limping. Two times in one day I was tempted to ‘backslide’ from my healing faith. This is my story…

At Lagos airport we had to wait for a time. I saw a place where they had comfortable chairs. They said that the place is designed for ‘the pregnant women, the elderly and the sick’ to rest. My husband and I went there to ask if can seat for a while. The young man (about 30 years old) in charge of the place saw me limping with a crutch. He said that I cannot seat. He said I should go to my airline and bring a note from them that I am ‘qualified’ to use a wheel chair. My husband told him that my leg was broken, that is why I am using a crutch but that by faith, I refuse to seat in a wheelchair and be pushed around by another. He stubbornly insisted that without that ‘wheelchair note’ I cannot seat there even though almost all the seats were empty. We did not want to argue and decided to just stand there, next to their sign board. (I was happy in my heart that at least he did not ‘qualify’ us as ‘elderly’).

I was really surprised at the un-welcoming attitude of this man, especially as we prayed before the trip, that we may find favor with strangers. Suddenly, a Nigerian woman of about my age who was seated there came to my ‘rescue’. She begged and begged that man who was in charge saying that ‘you never know who you reject in this life in the day of visitation’ and that my husband looked like a pastor… Anyway, suddenly the man left and another came to start the shift. This one was very nice and begged us not to be offended and told us to seat down thee for as long as we want. Thank God that my need for rest did not made me to ask for the ‘wheelchair note’.

When we arrived in Houston, as usual, there were many wheel chairs waiting for any passengers who needed them. They were almost calling my name to ‘enjoy’ the comfort they provided. Thank God that I did not even ‘greet’ these wheelchairs and limping on my crutch went ahead like that.

The desire for an ‘easy life’ is a strong temptation. But my desire for a spiritual victory is always greater than my need for temporary comfort. So, this is my testimony: I rejected the wheelchairs for the glory of God, for the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of others. I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me! Praise The Lord!

FAST TRACK VACATION

 
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2Cor 12:9)

We are on a vacation trip that we planned since last year. Because of my injured ankle, for a moment, I was afraid that we cannot make it. But God has been so faithful and good to us… I limp a little… I have some pain…but I can walk by myself... Thank God! I decided to take one of my crutches so that i can support the weight of my body when we have to wait for a long time. My husband and I also decided that I shall not use a wheelchair. By faith, I have graduated from that level.

At the Lagos airport we were waiting on a long line to check in… Suddenly, the immigration officer, seeing my crutch, he said that we should go to the fast track. It has red carpet… This is what I call favor… We went along with the VIPs and the Business class people. I was surprised at the authority connected with that crutch. Let me say it is God! Thank You Holy Spirit… When my two legs were strong I always had to take the long road and wasted so much time. With this injury (plus my crutch), I made it faster than when I was strong by my power.

Please my children, let me encourage you… I am not planning to use this crutch longer than necessary. But this incident reminded me that when I am weak, when I depend on God alone for His strength, I make faster progress spiritually. I had to learn not to be ashamed of my weakness. I had also learned to boast of my weakness. So that my weakness will point men to Jesus! This is my testimony: if there is any strength you see in me, you should know that it belongs to My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! To Him alone be all the glory!

fast-track

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT (2)

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And 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, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:17-21)

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is God’s command to His children! It is not just His ‘suggestion’. We cannot afford to be passive, to ignore or to rebel against God’s Word! This is the truth: No unbeliever can receive or be filled with the Holy Spirit. They may receive a religious evil spirit, a fake ‘holy spirit’ but never the real Spirit of the Living God that comes with the power of resurrection!

What are the signs that you, child of God, are filled daily with the Holy Spirit? Please read and meditate on the scripture above! There are for signs that identify the Spirit filled believer:
*Speaking spiritually (not just quoting scriptures but actually imparting life the hearers) to always bless others!
*Singing spiritually (there is a melody in your heart that makes your voice gracious and sweet when you speak) to always encourage others!
*Submitting one to another out of respect for Christ who lived a life of submission to God the Father! The Spirit filled believer is the only consistently and honestly humble person on earth!
*Always giving thanks to God for everything! The Spirit filled believer is genuinely grateful to God for his life! This gratitude is seen in him always.

The main word here is the word ‘always’! All believers give thanks to God when things are good. The difference with the Spirit filled Christian is that he gives thanks to God ALWAYS and FOR EVERYTHING! If you say that you are a Christian, but you grumble or become bitter during difficult times, there are only two options: you are either not saved or you are saved but not Spirit filled! This blessed revelation, this necessary wisdom, can only come during painful times. That is why God allows trials to come from time to time, to bring us in touch with the truth! Because only truth sets us free from the bondage of lies and deception!

Le me say this: Facebook may not attract the most spiritual men and women on earth. It may not be the best way to speak deep things to others. But for me, I am ready to use any means to reach your spirit to point you to my Lord, Jesus Christ! I pray that you receive the Word of God deep into your heart until it changes you to become more and more like Him! Amen!

BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (1)

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And 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, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:17-21)

We are commanded to be wise and have spiritually understanding. Foolishness is not a virtue. We are to know and to do the will of God. What does God want from us, His children? God wants us to be like His Son, Jesus Christ and to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Selah!

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Just like a drunkard is ‘filled’ with alcohol, is under the influence of alcohol, so also the child of God should be filled with the Spirit of God. When you become saved, you receive a deposit of the Holy Spirit. As a child of God you know who the Holy Spirit is. The challenge now is to yield to God, to open your heart and to allow the Holy Spirit to fill every ‘room’ inside. Then you shall receive supernatural power to obey the Word of God and you shall make great progress as a Christian.

In Greek, the word translated ‘filled’ is ‘pleroo’. It is a very interesting word. Basically, it means three things:

*Pressure! Just like the wind blows and pushes a sail boat, this is how the believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit is propelled forward. The ‘wind’ of the Spirit gives you the power to walk like Jesus walked and to run the race to the end. The same Holy Spirit keeps you from backsliding or going astray! With just a little effort, you shall feel this wind gently blowing from behind and you shall move on in life from one testimony to another! Hallelujah!

*Permeation! If you put a drop of color in a glass of water, soon, it will spread to the whole liquid. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit you shall have a new attitude and a new heavenly fragrance. You will change and become like Jesus! Your mind will change! Your words will change! Love will become the way of life for you. Others will notice this change and this will be your testimony to the glory of God.

*Control! The Person of God the Holy Spirit will control your thinking, your emotions and your behavior. Each person is controlled by one dominant emotion. For example, a man can be controlled by greed; another by anger or by depression, by fear or by sexual lust. All his decisions bow to the this internal invisible idol. In the same way, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit all your thoughts, emotions and choices are under the control of the Spirit of life. Doubt, fear, confusion, selfishness have no place in your heart anymore. They disappear because of the new controlling power working in you. You now live a life pleasing unto God! Think about these words! Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Fast! Pray! Worship The Lord! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! And you shall receive power once the Holy Ghost comes upon you!

boat

JOYFUL RESTORATION

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

“David inquired of the LORD, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all.” (1Sam 30:8)

The prayer meeting was very good. Today is 12 weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I missed ‘my sheep and my lambs’. They missed me too… By the grace of God we rejoiced seeing each other in the presence of God. Physically I was limping and shaking a little, but my spirit was ready and strong. I saw that many of our sheep ran away to hide in the ‘bushes’ of religion. I know that the intent of the devil was to ‘strike the shepherd so that the flock will be scattered’. But The Holy Spirit is so faithful… As we started praising God and praying, The Holy Spirit came down to embrace us in His everlasting arms. We all felt His presence, calling us back to Him, to where we belong. The anointing was that of a joyful family restoration.

The word given was this: ‘Pursue, overtake and without fail, recover all’. We prayed against the evil spirits of religion, backsliding, poverty, fear, depression, oppression, intimidation, rejection, divorce, demotion, sickness and untimely death! We received power and joy as the Holy Ghost came upon us. We were like the prodigal sons coming back to Father’s house were we truly belong. There were shouts of victory in the tents of the righteous. The joyful party continues… To God be all the glory!

You too, dear reader, receive peace, joy and healing coming from this evening overflow! I prophesy that God will turn your life around and many wonderful gifts and surprises will come you way! In Jesus name, amen!

PRAYER REQUEST

This is a letter from a young woman who is a born again Christian. She is a young loving wife. She became sick for about a month. She has fever, her feet are cold and she cannot sleep well. Please pray for her, for healing, deliverance and a great testimony! God bless you as you pray for one another!
 
‘Good afternoon ma!
Malia when I receive your message my body was free n light,
Malia this is the medical report the Doctor told me because i called him this afternoon coz under my feet is cold them he explained this is the cause: Enteric fever effect the gastrointestinal trace cause sleep disorders”-
Malia immediately I reject it. IThank you ma for your prayers!
 
I also Thank you ma for those powerful massage am truly blessed by is grace I will come before God people to testify for is miracle working power in my life. Malia if not for God I did not sleep for more than a month feel week under feet cool was even told that with what happened to me in some cast make the person to have high fever believe me. Malia when I say ur messages you post have made me alive again. Because even with the oh drug the Doctor gave me sleeping drugs did not work on me my hubby have to carry me to his mother place where she is taking care of me I bless God coz each morning I have to wait n look through Facebook to see your word for encouragement.
Thankkkkkkkkkkkk you ma. I believe so much in your ministry. Amen
Your daughter in Christ,
N…”
 
Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus! Please heal Your daughter who is sick! We take authority in the name of Jesus and we command you wicked evil spirits of infirmity and poison, to leave God’s daughter and servant and go away right now in the name of Jesus! At the mention of the name of Jesus, you must bow! Jesussssssss!!!!!!! Every evil covenant made by demons or wicked men against you, we destroy in the name of Jesus! Holy Spirit please take control! We vow to testify for Your glory! In Jesus name we pray! Amen!”
 
This is the Word of God: “He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions” (Ps 107:20)

THE ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYER HAS COME

“Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer” (Dan 10:12)

Intercession is a blessed work. The greatest favor and love you can show to someone is to pray for him or her. The devil hates it! But keep on praying! When you pray for someone, learn to keep your eyes on Jesus! Stay focused! Be patient, loving and faithful! The devil attacks with doubts and distractions. Do not get lost in details. Persevere in prayer and you shall be rewarded with God’s presence and a testimony.

The following examples are taken from my ministry as an intercessor and pastor. These are to encourage you to persevere in prayer. The first example: your husband is passive spiritually. You pray for him to be a man of God. Then one day he buys a religious book that is not a Christian book. Or he starts praying in a way that is not good, or he wants to attend a ‘dead’ church. Do not panic! Encourage him in his efforts. After many ups and downs he will arrive at Jesus and become born again. The second example: your husband is not loving or romantic but you want him to be. You pray for him! One day he invites you to the wrong restaurant or buys for you a gift you hate, trying to be romantic. Do not complain! Encourage him. It takes great effort to improve in life. This is the third example: your husband is lazy and you pray that he will become more responsible. He needs to work so that he can provide for the home. Suddenly, he accepts a wrong job (according to you). Do not be discouraged! God is working in mysterious ways! He may have to learn from a wrong job with a wicked boss. But the wrong job will force him to wake up in the morning and go to work. That is already a gain. It may be a little gain, but the little gain will increase when God is inside.

These are just few examples to increase your faith and patience. Trust God that once you start praying, an answer shall be released in your favor. The devil will try to stop the work of God but he will surely fail! Do not be afraid! God has heard your prayer! The answer to your prayer has come! Faith 100%! Doubt 0%! God is never too early! God is never too late! ‘The Galilean’ can never lose! Be ready to testify openly before the congregation! Glory to God! In Jesus name, amen!

TIME FOR DELIVERANCE

 

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn 8:36)

As a mature believer, you need to do spiritual warfare. The devil is a real enemy and he has some power. But the power of God is supreme. God limits his activity when he is attacking God’s children. These are some basic revelation facts: The devil is a thief who comes only ‘to steal, kill and destroy’ (Jn 10:10). He is a liar and a deceiver. The devil is a religious spirit saying that he ‘believes in God’. He attacks the believers mostly with sickness, poverty, discouragement, fear, confusion and depression. There are different ranks of evil spirits, just like a wicked army of terrorists. Some are attacking people and some are against nations. When God promotes you, the higher levels demon powers will attack you. You need to be spiritually ready! You need to resist the devil and he will flee from you! We do not fight ‘against flesh and blood’. We do not focus and fight against human beings. These are only the pitiable slaves of the devil. We fight against the demons who manipulate these men and women. So, you cannot afford to be ignorant or passive! Put on the whole armor of God and fight back! You shall have the victory! Believe it!

 

Please note this: the devil steals not just material prosperity but spiritual blessings too. For example, he can steal part of your joy. You wake up happy in the morning. Then you hear a word and suddenly you plunge down into an ocean of sadness. This is a spiritual thing. If you are not aware of this spiritual battle, you may blame the person who troubled you. You need to see these spiritual realities and fight a spiritual battle. Victory is very sweet!

 

Let’s talk about JOY. According to the Bible: The Joy of the Lord is strength; joy is medicine to the soul; joy is a sign of hope for the future; joy is a proof that you live in the presence of God; joy is a sign that your troubles are over; joy is a sign that you have faith in God; joy is a proof that you have swallowed and believed the Word of God (Neh 8:9-18; PV 17:22; 10:28;   Ps 16:11; 30:5; 33:21; Jer 15:16). From these scriptures you see that the devil wants to steal or damage your joy as a Christian. If he succeeds, you shall be spiritually and physically weak, you will feel hopeless; suddenly your future looks dark; you feel like a backslider, outside the presence of God, you feel like your troubles will never end, you start to doubt the Word of God; your faith goes down; your prayer life does down; you lose your testimony as a child of God and you become afraid of the future.

 

This is the good news: If you are a child of God, rejoice! And I say again: REJOICE!!! I command you to rejoice!!! There is nothing to fear! In Christ the victory is sure. We fight from a position of rest and victory achieved for us by the Lord Jesus Christ at the Cross of Calvary! Praise the Lord!

 

Now let’s pray with faith and with a loud voice: “Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name that is above every other name, Jesus Christ, the Son of God! I am sorry for being careless with my spiritual blessings. I pray for total restoration of my body, soul and spirit, of my marriage, my children, my job and my ministry. I take authority in the name of Jesus and I command every evil spirit from the pit of hell to leave me and mine and to go away right now! I completely destroy every sympathy or agreement I have done, knowingly or un-knowingly, with evil spirits or their human agents! Holy Spirit please come and fill me afresh! Use me for God’s work! I vow to give You God all the glory! In Jesus name I pray, amen!”

 

After praying this prayer you must feel better. You must feel happier! You must feel stronger! It is the work of the Holy Spirit! Give Him glory! Praise His Holy Name!  Come back with a great testimony of freedom and deliverance!

Power-in-the-Name-of-Jesus

WHAT THE WIFE DESIRES FROM HER HUSBAND?

 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph 5:25-28)

 

The answer to this question is found in the Word of God. I also confirm it from my experience as a wife of more than 42 years and also from my experience as a Pastor. One thing is clear: the devil hates successful godly and happy marriages! To have a successful marriage it takes a lot of effort. That is why the spiritually lazy are all unhappily married. Any woman, but especially if she is born again, has her own expectations concerning marriage. This is because she reads the Bible and she sees God’s standard concerning the men. She is not happy if her dreams do not come true.

 

What does a Christian woman desires from her husband?

*Love! The husband must love her in a particular way: ‘even as Christ loves the Church’. This is the greatest love of all. It is not just a seasonal emotion, but a forever sacrificial love.

*Prayer! The husband must pray with and for his wife. Before praying for children, for friends and the extended family, the husband must regularly pray for his wife.

*Cleansing! A godly husband must ‘wash’ his wife with the Word of God. He must study the Bible to have enough ‘water and soap’ to do it.

*Providing! A husband must provide for the wife. He must be an ambassador of Jehovah Jireh in the home.

*Trustworthy! A godly husband must keep his word. He should not lie or give false hopes. He should not promise things he cannot perform. Breaking a promise to the wife means breaking her heart. And that breaking takes a long time to repair. He must be sexually faithful to his wife.

*Communicate! The husband must speak the truth in love! He should be a lover and a leader using good words! They should talk ‘heart to heart’, about everything. Silence is not a good communicator. You may misinterpret the absence of words. My husband and I we talk about everything. We are friends, lovers and co-laborers in ministry.

*Spiritual covering! The husband must take responsibility for the mistakes of his wife. He should not blame her harshly. He must correct the wife in love. This correction is an art. Do not correct in anger, but always in love. Be patient and expect improvement. Rejoice when the good changes come.

*A good father! The husband must be a good father to their children.

*Co-laborer! The husband must help carry the wife’s burdens. He must pray to understand his wife. This is not an easy task but with the help of the Holy Spirit he will succeed.

*Rejoice with her! He must make her laugh for laughter is like medicine. He should discuss their finances with her. They should not be greedy or wasteful. They should pay their tithes and offerings in the church.

*An encourager! He must encourage her to be all that God wants her to be. He should not expect perfection for no one is perfect. But they should mature spiritually and rejoice in the journey of life. Each season of life is beautiful in the presence of God!

 

This is our testimony. My husband loves me and I know it because he has proved it to me numerous times.  He loves me with words and action. He prays for me. One of the sweetest times for me it is when my husband calls me and says: “My wife, let me pray for you…” To me this is the highest form of love in action. I so appreciate it! Recently, having some health issues, my husband’s prayers carried me on. My husband studies the Bible daily. I love it! We discuss the wonderful things we find in the Word of God. He provides for the financial needs of the home. He is not a lazy man at all! I trust him when he promises me things. He does not lie to me. He encourages me and he corrects me when I need both. He is happy when I improve in my character. We rejoice together. He is a good father to our children and a good grandfather. We share in the burden of the ministry. We laugh together, we work together. My marriage was not perfect from the beginning for we were both sinners when we fell in love. But after we became saved, the spiritual fruit started to appear and now our marriage is a garden of the Lord.

 

This is a prayer I often pray. It has worked for me. If you have faith, it will work for you! “Lord Jesus, please help me to see You in my husband’s eyes…help me to feel Your touch thru my husband’s hands. Bless our marriage. Bless our home with Your presence. Let the water be changed into wine in our marriage, In Jesus name, amen!”

MOVING ON TOGETHER

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road” (Lk 10:1-4)
 
The Lord appoints and sends forth seventy two of His disciples, to do the work of ministry. He pairs them ‘two by two’. He sends them with a clear vision. They are to go to specific places where He will arrive later. They are to prepare the way for Him. He tells them that His trained workers are few. He also tells them that as they walk on the way, they should not be idle minded, but always pray to God, the Lord of the Harvest, to multiply His servants. They shall preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, forgiveness of sins, victory, healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus! He warns them that there is an enemy and that the work is dangerous. They shall have no other protection or provision than their faith in God and the Holy Spirit with them. This will be enough to save and sustain them to the end. They should not greet anyone on the road, not to be distracted from the original vision.
 
From these simple instructions we can deduce that the devil attacks the servants of God in specific ways:
*You will be tempted to reject the companion the Lord has chosen for you! The flesh will tell you that you know better. I have seen many examples of believers who marry under fleshly impulse and destroy their ministries. Even the choice of a life partner must be done by the Lord Jesus and not by yourself. That is why you should not marry and unbeliever. There is nothing sweeter than for husband and wife to have the same vision and to walk along the way of life together, hand in hand and heart with heart, in the unity of the Spirit!
*The devil will tell you that the places the Lord sends you are not good. Lot chose Sodom and lost it all. Abraham chose the wilderness and became a blessing to all nations. My testimony: The truth is that I did not choose to marry a Nigerian or come and live in Nigeria. My husband of 42 years now was the first ‘black’ man I ever talked to. The Lord over-ruled my selfish desires and (Thank God!) I submitted to His will. I have no regrets at all. I am blessed with a wonderful husband and a wonderful ministry in Warri, Nigeria! Praise the Lord!
*The devil will distract you from prayer. You will forget that there is a harvest in the future. You just grumble that there are no good friends around and that the road of ministry is too lonely. Do not complain! Use your energy to pray! Do you know that you can ‘pray a husband into existence’? God will answer your prayer so that both of you will work together in the Lord’s vineyard. Pray in English! Pray in tongues! There is nothing impossible with God!
*Preach the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected! The devil will tempt you to talk nonsense or to gossip with strangers along the way. Do not go below to their level! Challenge them to come higher to your level! Tell them the story of Jesus or just keep quiet and pray!
*The devil will distract you with different things, even good things, so that you forget your vision and your purpose. Jesus says: ‘Do not greet people along the way’. It means not to be emotionally over-involved with people even as you do ministry. You help and do what you can and then move on. Do not settle in any man’s spiritual backyard! You must run the race to the end!
*The devil will try to put fear that serving God will make you poor! That you will die of hunger or violence. He is a liar! Nobody can kill you until you fulfill God’s purpose for your life! Jesus is the invisible friend walking with you! Be encouraged today!
 
I know these things, because as a pastor, I made mistakes. Remember that whatever the Lord says to you, His words are His express commands. Ignorance of His Word or rebellion against His commands will end in painful loss of opportunities to do ministry and to win the price! And now get up! You have rested enough! It is time to move on!!! In Jesus name, amen!
 
Tali and Malia 4
(In the picture, my husband and I, moving on…)

FROM SIFTING TO VICTORY

 

“Simon, Simon, satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:31, 32)

 

After 11 weeks of not being able to attend church services, today I came back to the fellowship of the saints. I told them that my accident was an evil attack. God permitted it for His glory and for my good. The devil could only break my leg but he could not break my spirit, our marriage or our ministry. Glory to God! I publicly declare the devil is a liar and a loser! I told the brethren: ‘I am back to strengthen you, children of God! Holy Spirit, help us!’

 

What happens to Peter is similar to what happened to Job. Satan requested from God for the permission to attack Job, a righteous man. Interestingly, his desire was granted. Satan attacked his family, his property and his health. But thru it all, Job held to the integrity of his faith in God. This faithfulness in times of trouble defined his character. What are the lessons? God permits His children to be attacked by the devil, for a season. Satan is real and he has some power. But his power is limited and controlled by God, who has the ultimate sovereign power! “God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God” (Ps 62:11)

 

Many believers struggle with this question: Why does God allow satan to attack His children? The answer is this: for God’s glory and for their good! Something supernaturally wonderful happens when we enter the sufferings of Christ, when we share in His pain! When the Bride suffers together with her Bridegroom they shall both rise to a higher level of intimacy unknown in times of prosperity! Together they arrive to a greater unity of the Spirit! They suffer together and they shall rejoice together! They share together in their reward which is always greater than past their sufferings! “If we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with Him” (2Tim 2:12)

 

God is glorified by using the weakness of men to defeat satan. At the Cross of Calvary, satan was totally defeated. The Cross is God’s weakness which is stronger than the power of men (1Cor 1:24, 25). We preach that Cross! We carry that Cross! God allows us to be weak and ‘defeated’ for a season, so that satan will foolishly attack us. We are ‘bait’ for satan! Oh… the unsearchable wisdom of God! What is the good that comes out of these peculiar afflictions? Passing thru fire, our faith increases and becomes purified! This is great gain! Faith is more precious than silver and gold. Like in the case of Job, God will reward patient humble faithfulness with many blessings! If you want to be a man of God, a woman of God, your faith must be tested, for you to be approved for ministry!

 

In the scripture above Jesus describes satan as a farmer who uses a sifter to sift wheat. He violently shakes the grains up and down and right to left. The intent is to separate the grains from the chaff, which is the cover of the seeds. If he succeeds, the ‘naked’ grains are smaller in size, pass thru the holes of the sifter and they fall into his lap. But the grain covered with the chaff is too big to pass thru. Spiritually, we are the seeds. The chaff is a symbol of the shield of faith, our spiritual covering. The sifting of satan’s is intended to separate us from our faith.

 

This is the lesson: If we hold on to our faith, we are ‘too big’ for satan! We shall survive the fire! This tested faith is great victory! (1Jn 5:4). This is a great encouragement that even when our faith shakes, we are sur that it will not be destroyed. Peter’s faith failed him temporarily but not completely. What is the secret of this faithfulness? The prayers of Jesus! He is our Great High Priest who prays for us! God the Father and God the Son are not passive during your trials! They are actively interested in your condition, especially in the status of your faith! God allows you to pass thru trials so that at last, He can use you to strengthen others. Dear brethren! For better for worse, we are in it together! We shall rejoice together! Glory to God! Be encouraged today! Be strong in your faith today! In Jesus name, amen!

sifted

I AM HEALED!

PRAISE REPORT

After 11 weeks of not being able to attend services, I was in the church today worshiping God and strengthening the brethren! To God alone be all the glory!

Malia 5

I GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS!

PRAISE REPORT

Today it is 11 weeks since I fell I broke my ankle. This has been quite a journey! The devil intended it for evil, but the Holy Spirit turned it for my good, better said, for our good! So many blessings came on our children (natural and spiritual) at this same time. That is how I know that God is in control. This is just one testimony:
Our older daughter celebrates her birthday today! She is a woman of God, a wonderful daughter to us and a amazing mother to her three children. “I pray that God will bless you with the blessings of Christ! Your dad and I, we love you, dearest Alina! In Jesus name, amen!” To God alone be all the glory for the successful lives of our children!

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:8-9)

(In the pictures, Alina and I, past and present)

Alina and me 1Alina and me 2

I GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS!!!

PRAISE REPORT

Today it is 11 weeks since I fell I broke my ankle. This has been quite a journey! The devil intended it for evil, but the Holy Spirit turned it for my good, better said, for our good! So many blessings came on our children (natural and spiritual) at this same time. That is how I know that God is in control. This is just one testimony:

In just one month, our daughter Jemine Leigh Oakes and her husband Matthew Oakes have sold their little two bedrooms town house. With the money they were able to buy a much more beautiful and bigger house, a four bedroom bungalow, and still have money to spare. They moved in today. In the picture see their sweet son Oliver, ‘helping’ with moving the furniture… This is purely a financial miracle, a gift by the grace of God!

Even if I wanted to feel sorry for myself, God did not allow me to do it. For the overflow blessings are more than I can tell! You too receive your financial miracle! Trust in God alone and not in man! Just promise God that you will testify of His goodness in your life and you will give Him all the glory! He will do it!

To God alone be all the glory for all the blessings bestowed on me, my husband and our children! In Jesus name, amen!

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107:8-9)

Oliver 2

THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

 

“I returned and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,

Nor the battle to the strong,

Nor bread to the wise,

Nor riches to men of understanding,

Nor favor to men of skill;

But time and chance happen to them all” (Ecc 9:11)

 

This expression is attributed to Charles Darwin who brought the idea of ‘Evolution of the species’. He believed that the animal species develop from one another, from the inferior to the superior. He also believed that the weaker species die and the strong ones survive. He said that the fittest survive because they can better adapt to the environment and because they have stronger ‘genes’ to multiply faster. It is Darwin that said that men came out of monkeys. This theory was later applied to the human behavior in general. Even today people believe that the leaders, the champions and the heroes are the strongest men. They are the ones who are physically fit; who eat well and daily train in a gym. It has affected many intellectuals all over the world. It is the basis of racism, discrimination of all kinds and the culture of abortion. The people who believe in this theory say that those who are eliminated in the struggle for existence are unfit to live anyway. They are not sorry for the weak, the handicap, the ugly, the poor and the humble.

 

This is a worldly theory. The world is the system of men that works without God. The devil is called ‘the god of this world’ (2Cor 4:4). The theory of evolution totally ignores Elohim- God, who is the Creator of all that is created. The survival of the fittest ignores God who is in charge of His creation, who decides who lives and who dies. God promotes and demotes any man He wants. In fact who the world calls ‘strength’ is nothing to God. “That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (Jam 4:6)

 

When Jesus Christ came to this world He did not seem ‘fit’ as the world describes its heroes. He died on the Cross in weakness. Men and devils thought that is the end of Him. But Jesus ‘survived’ over them all. His descendants are like the stars of the sky and the sea on the seashore. We are His children and we are like Him. We may look weak and foolish but we live forever! In Christ, we overcome the world! The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.

 

This is my testimony: I grew up in Romania, a communist country at that time. We studied Darwin and his theory in school and we believed in it. I did not believe in God. I really thought that monkeys were my ancestors. Thank God for Jesus! After I got saved, I repented of all my foolish and dangerous worldly ideas! I now believe and know without any shadow of doubt that God has created me, saved me and sustains me. God loves me! I have no business with Darwin and his world. My business now is to serve and worship my Savior and Hero forever! He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God! Halleluiah!

THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

 

“I returned and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,

Nor the battle to the strong,

Nor bread to the wise,

Nor riches to men of understanding,

Nor favor to men of skill;

But time and chance happen to them all” (Ecc 9:11)

 

This expression is attributed to Charles Darwin who brought the idea of ‘Evolution of the species’. He believed that the animal species develop from one another, from the inferior to the superior. He also believed that the weaker species die and the strong ones survive. He said that the fittest survive because they can better adapt to the environment and because they have stronger ‘genes’ to multiply faster. It is Darwin that said that men came out of monkeys. This theory was later applied to the human behavior in general. Even today people believe that the leaders, the champions and the heroes are the strongest men. They are the ones who are physically fit; who eat well and daily train in a gym. It has affected many intellectuals all over the world. It is the basis of racism, discrimination of all kinds and the culture of abortion. The people who believe in this theory say that those who are eliminated in the struggle for existence are unfit to live anyway. They are not sorry for the weak, the handicap, the ugly, the poor and the humble.

 

This is a worldly theory. The world is the system of men that works without God. The devil is called ‘the god of this world’ (2Cor 4:4). The theory of evolution totally ignores Elohim- God, who is the Creator of all that is created. The survival of the fittest ignores God who is in charge of His creation, who decides who lives and who dies. God promotes and demotes any man He wants. In fact who the world calls ‘strength’ is nothing to God. “That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (Jam 4:6)

 

When Jesus Christ came to this world He did not seem ‘fit’ as the world describes its heroes. He died on the Cross in weakness. Men and devils thought that is the end of Him. But Jesus ‘survived’ over them all. His descendants are like the stars of the sky and the sea on the seashore. We are His children and we are like Him. We may look weak and foolish but we live forever! In Christ, we overcome the world! The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.

 

This is my testimony: I grew up in Romania, a communist country at that time. We studied Darwin and his theory in school and we believed in it. I did not believe in God. I really thought that monkeys were my ancestors. Thank God for Jesus! After I got saved, I repented of all my foolish and dangerous worldly ideas! I now believe and know without any shadow of doubt that God has created me, saved me and sustains me. God loves me! I have no business with Darwin and his world. My business now is to serve and worship my Savior and Hero forever! He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God! Halleluiah!