THE VIRTUOUS WIFE (1)

“The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him… Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies” (Pv 31:1, 10)

This evening the women’ fellowship was very good. We shared many testimonies to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of the sisters. We praised God and we prayed. The presence of the Holy Spirit was strong over us. The number of women attending has increased this year like never before. We need more wisdom and more anointing to fill all the seeking hungry and empty vessels. There is a great responsibility on me to carry the burden of God for them, to pray that the women here fulfill their destiny. Please pray for me…Pray for us… God has great plans for us. God loves us. It is our duty to seek God and to trust in His plan and purpose for our lives.

Then the message followed…

The Book of Proverbs 31 is written by King Lemuel, which is another name for King Solomon. In Hebrew, the word Lemuel means ‘Belonging to God’. He quotes the words that his ‘mother thought him’. In other words, the description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 is done by a mother to her son. She wants her son to know what a true woman of God looks like, so that when he is ready to marry, he will not make mistakes. The mother tells her royal son to avoid two things: wine and (bad) women. These are addictive and poisonous. They intoxicate the mind and emotions of a leader leading him to disgrace and destruction.

This is an interesting point. Men in general make mistakes when assessing women. The lust of the eyes is a common danger. They admire the superficial, choosing a wife based on their fleshly desires. To avoid this terrible mistake, the mother teaches her son who a true godly woman is, making it easy for him to reject the fake and marry well. This is the truth: Men, young and old, need help. Our sons need help to know what to look for in a woman. No man should be deceived when looking for a wife. The classical description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 is done by a woman so that men may know the truth about women.

The mother taught her son, Lemuel, preparing him to be a king and a successful man. In Hebrew, the word ‘thought’ means to chastise, to discipline when teaching. The mother uses some level of force when teaching her son. She wants him to know what is good and what is bad in life, especially the truth about the women. Lemuel’s mother is what we call ‘a hard teacher.’ She is drumming wisdom into his head. She does not spare the rod, even when her son is not a child anymore.

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. We repent of ignorance, foolishness and all evil behavior in the past. As wives, we repent of taken our marriages for granted. As mothers, we repent of not teaching our sons the truth about life in general and women in particular. We come back to You Father. We come back to the BIble. We need help. Please help us…We vow to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus name, Amen!”

STAND THEREFORE STAND

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore” (Eph 6:13, 14)

In Greek the word ‘stand’ means to abide, to continue, to be established, to stand up and to stand still. The same word translated ‘resist’ appears in this scripture:  ‘Resist the devil and he will flee from you’ (Jam ).

To stand is a soldier attitude, a battlefield command. To stand your ground means not only to occupy a place but fight to defend that position of victory. It means to be strong and courageous not only in winning but in guarding and preserving your crown. It means to perform your duty to the end, waiting for the Lord of Hosts to come and take over your responsibility. When you successfully stand in faith, you shall encounter the Lord of Hosts. He shall greet you with these wonderful words of life: ‘Well done good and faithful servant! Enter the joy of your Lord!’

You need to stand ‘tall’; to be strong and calm in the face of adversity. You need to believe in God who helps you to stand. This is an active exercise of spiritual warfare. Just the way the trees die standing, so the true champions ‘stand therefore’. The opposite of standing means to fall, to fail, to faint, to be weak, to be spiritually passive, to be a coward, to compromise, to submit to the enemy and to lose the crown. If you do not stand in faith, you become a traitor to your Commander. In the name of Jesus, I forbid all these!

David faced Goliath, a young man, standing alone in the battlefield. Older brothers, uncles, soldiers and generals could not stand and take the challenge to fight for Jehovah. The king was hiding in his richly decorated tent of shame. David had no human encouragement or helper. His armor was his faith in God. His experience as a boy shepherd in the forgotten bush was his only recommendation for the post of the new leader in Israel. He was too young to become a regular soldier, so in his invisible application he went straight for the coveted position of an eternal champion. His destiny was written in the dusty valley of Elah, to be an inspiration for people of all ages and forever. So the stars shine…

Dear Child of God, you are a servant and a soldier of Christ. After you have done everything God has told you to do, you still cannot lie down. You cannot take a break. You cannot drop your armor. Your back may ache, your feet may hurt, your arms may tremble with tiredness, and still, you cannot lie down. You need to stand on your two feet, waiting for your crown. Your Lord has promised to ‘come quickly’. You cannot relax for now. You cannot dis-engage. You cannot afford to become passive. There is a particular moment when you shall know in your spirit that, beyond any shadow of doubt, you have done everything that was expected. You have passed the test. You have endured to the end. You have walked alongside your oppressor that extra mile, and even more than that. God, who gives you breath and who measures the number of your steps, He knows you have done your best. You have labored and ministered and prayed without complain. This has been a long road…You have finished your task and normally, it should be a time to rest… I know…and yet, no rest! For the standing continues!

Men without visions, cowards without dreams, exiled kings without crowns, these may be lazy, may lie down, for that is all they’ve done. They have nothing to lose for they’ve lost everything of value. But we are not losers! Not me and not you! We need to establish the gain and the territory. The devil is persistent. He hates your standing. He waits even for the eleventh hour to come and steal your joy, your crown. Resist him in faith! Do not be tired to do the right thing! Do not fret, fear, doubt or shake! Watch, stand and defeat the plans of your enemy. Disappoint the foe! Defend your position of victory! God is on your side! Your reward is already decreed.  Your crown has been newly polished. The angels happily anticipate your coronation. Be supernaturally strong! Jesus is Lord!

Stand therefore…STAND!!!

GENERAL GUIDELINESS TO MINISTRY OF HELPS

“I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ (Mt 25:35, 36)

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8)

The church as a Body has a responsibility to help people in need, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM!

The first responsibility for financial help belongs to the FAMILY (immediate and extended)

You can show compassion to all and PRAY for them who have needs without giving them money!

The needy people to be helped by the church are these: old men and women who are poor, alone, sick or widows!

Financial help may NOT be given to the younger able people who can work!

There is a difference between one EMERGENCY help and a LONG TIME program!

If it is an emergency help, any person who is truly in evident need can receive it, if he is a believer or not!

If it is a long-time program (like in Acts 6) of commitment to meet financial needs, there must be an interview to asses if that person ‘qualifies’ for that help. The need itself is not enough criteria for help! This is very important! The person who may be helped financially must be a true believer, a clearly godly person with fruit to prove over the years, who has worked in ministry and many people ‘recommend’ him!

Pray for wisdom and discernment of spirits!

Do all things to the glory of God!

For helping the poor and for blessing His children, God will surely reward you!

ISABELLA BIRD BISHOP

Isabella Bird Bishop

One of the most famous travelers of modern times was Isabella Bird Bishop (1831-1904). She was born in England. Her father was an Anglican Pastor. As a young girl she was very sick, She has tumors in a spine that made her very weak. The doctors did not give her much chance to survive. She decided to do physical exercise daily. At the age of 26 she could rarely rise from her bed before noon. Yet, she did much of her work lying in bed. She wrote many articles to many magazines and publications. She answered many letters from all over the world. She wrote propped by many pillows with a writing board upon her knees.

She had an operation to remove a tumor from her spine. The operation was only partially successful, and after that she suffered from insomnia and depression. Her doctor recommended that she travel. She decided to do that. With a lot of difficulty, she traveled to North America, Australia, Hawaii, Japan, India, Middle East and Korea. She wrote many books and took many pictures from all over the world. She was the first woman fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

She accepted all invitations to talk to people. She attended many meetings and parties were she will pray and counsel many. She had the power to forget herself entirely in the presence of the person seeking help. At the age of 36 her spinal injuries progressed so much that her head had to be supported by a steal net. She continued her life like that. She never complained and considered her life to be happy and fruitful to the glory of God.

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:10)

GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART

‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’ (Mt 11:28-30).

Do you desire to be gentle? That is a great holy desire God will grant to you!

This is the definition of Gentleness:

* To be lovely and gracious; a sign of true royalty

* To be humble, not costly to maintain

* To be teachable, submissive and obedient; calm and sweet

* To be a good listener and counselor, sensitive and wise to the leading of the Spirit

* To be moderate, mild, modest and pleasant, avoiding extremes of speech and action

* To be merciful and compassionate to others

* To patiently endure injury without grudge or lust for vengeance

There is no higher ambition for the believer on earth than to be like Jesus. He is ‘gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love’ (Ps 145:8). We may admire His wisdom and power. But one of the Lord’s qualities that we least understand is His genuine humility, His meekness and gentle heart. Sin has made us hard and harsh. Our words and actions have an irritating ugliness about them that we can’t hide for long behind beautiful clothes or a pretty face. Sinners are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit or to the feelings of others around them. Most of our words hurt and wound the spirit of other people. We pass by ignorant of others pain. Under provocation, we lose our temper and fight back in anger. We may repent later, but damage has been done in other hearts that may take years to heal.

Our Lord is strong but also gentle. We need to be the same. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit who alone produces holy spiritual fruits. Gentleness is having God’s type of heart and the mind of Christ. It cannot be achieved by human strength, education, learning good manners or diplomatic skills. It is the unique exotic fruit of the Holy Spirit dwelling and abiding, un-interrupted and un-grieved in the believer. Gentleness leads to peace and rest of mind. May these words trigger a fresh passion in your heart to be like Jesus!

‘Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near’ (Phil 4:5).

PASSION AND PURITY

 

 

 

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality” (1Thess 4:3)

Our church is increasing with wonderful people. Recently a young man came to see me. He and his fiancée are new members of Father’s House. They want to marry in our church May or June. He met his wife-to-be abroad, were both of them went to medical school. They are both born again and Spirit filled. They both attended a good church over there and were actively involved in youth ministry. When they knew that God’s will for them is to marry, they informed their pastor over there. He prayed with them and counseled them to honor God and each other by staying sexually pure. They agreed. They also told him that once they finish school and they will go back to Nigeria.

 

They are now in Warri. They are both young medical doctors. They were led to come to Father’s House. They have peace that this is their church from now on. He confirmed to me that they made a pledge to each other in the presence of God to stay sexually pure. He came to say that on behalf of his fiancée and himself, they want to ‘officially’ submit to the leadership of our church. They do not ask for any recognition or titles. They just want to ‘plug into’ the flow of the Spirit here. They are so happy to come to Father’s House. We give God all the glory for their testimony and lives! God will never leave Himself without a holy remnant of grace!

 

Please pray for them. We need more shining lights, more living signs to point to Jesus! In a world were purity is so rare to find, where true passion in marriage is almost a lost ideal, the young people in our midst need our prayers, counsel and encouragement. ‘Overcome evil with good!’ (Rom 12:21). We need more good examples and testimonies like these! This is also a reminder of the power of a strong foundation. There is power in a godly testimony. There is great reward for the pastors of good living churches. God bless their former pastor in Russia!

 

As for you dear young brethren, we gladly, welcome you in our midst. Continue to shine for Jesus! God bless you!

FRUITFUL VINES

‘Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion’ (Is 8: 18).
The word ‘sign’ means something that advertises a place, a business; it is also a warning to them that walk along the way. For example, if you ignore the ‘traffic signs’ you are in danger of having an accident. .
A sign can also be a gesture from a commander or a coach to his team, telling them to obey his commands. By ignoring the sign of the coach, the team will lose the game. It is also a sign language for them that are deaf.
Generally speaking, a sign is something visible that stands for something invisible or hidden. God uses godly, fruitful families as signs and symbols, pointing others to Christ who is the invisible Source of all their blessings.
Do not ignore the Word of God!
Do not ignore godly families or fruitful believers! Follow them as they follow Christ! In This way, it shall be well with you!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I am a fruitful vine!
I and the children the Lord has given to me, we are signs and symbols pointing to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!
We lift Jesus higher!
To the glory of God the Father!
In Jesus name
Amen!

SHREWD LIKE THE SHREW

 

 

The prayer meeting was very good. We started it slowly, but the Holy Spirit came and increased our pace. We had no other option than to follow. We shared a wonderful testimony of supernatural provision in time of need. God is never too early or too late. We praised God! We prayed two by two, one for another. Our prophetic season is to climb higher in the mountain of God. We shall meet with Jehovah Jireh, God the Provider. This is our confession of faith!
Then the message came:
“So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly…” (Lk 16:8)
This is the parable of the shrewd servant (Luke 16). A rich man had a steward who was in charge of his goods. It is a position of trust. He was possibly a former slave who was set free and now he works for his master One day, the master calls him to give an account for his job is terminated. Immediately the steward thinks of a plan so that he can benefit even in the absence of his job. He knows that his present situation is terrible. But he can do something to secure his future. He calls his master’s debtors and he reduces the amount they owe to the master. He knows that they will be grateful and will remain his friends for life. Favor is repaid with favor. He cheats his master to gain favor with men. He knows that he can end homeless. By blessing his master’s debtors, he secures for himself a place to stay in the future, a home, a family and the fellowship of friends.

There are some things in common we have with this steward. First of all, as believers we are stewards over things God has given in our care and also over the Gospel we preach. Secondly, we all need to deal with money. Thirdly, we need to make the best with the limited resources we have, especially in times of crisis. The steward represents us. We have a limited time to live on earth. The choices we make in investing our present resources will determine our future. We are to think of the future, of heaven and the account there.

Why does Jesus commend this deceitful man? Not because he was cheating his master. But because he uses what he got at the present to invest in a better future. Jesus said that this man was shrewd. He knew that he has a limited time to use the master’s resources. The wealth and position will eventually ‘fail’ him. He could have wasted his few hours at the office in weeping for his loss, or begging to stay. Even in the crisis he did not give up. He found a plan to gain something for the future. He sponsored his future dreams. He invested in his hope.

Please take note: the shrewd servant is not worried in a negative way about his future. We are commanded ‘not to worry about tomorrow’ (Mt 6:34). This is the definition of Worry: a mental nervous tension, to be over anxious and uneasy about the future, which potentially can be dangerous; to disturb your peace of mind; to struggle mentally and be choked emotionally. To worry is a very negative emotion that destroys any desire to plan ahead. You cannot be worried and shrewd in the same time.

To be shrewd means to be prudent and wise; to apply common sense to spiritual things. In Greek the word shrewd means to be intelligent, thoughtful, to be wise and, to be diplomatic and to have practical skill in life. It also means to be discerning, seeing the depth and the difference between things. A shrewd man is discreet, showing good sense in action and especially in speech. He knows when to start and when to stop doing something, when to talk and when to keep silent.the shrew

The root of the word ‘shrewd’ comes from ‘the shrew’. There is an animal called ‘the shrew’. It looks like a long nose mouse and lives in the forest. He has an extremely high metabolism. So it is always hungry. He eats its body weight of food every day. So it needs to be very creative looking for food without being detected by the enemies. If the shrew is lazy careless or a coward he will surely die. Either hunger or external enemies will kill him. The God who created the shrew and who feeds the shrew is your God. He knows that your needs have increased. Marriage, children, ministry, old age…these and many more challenges put a pressure on your faith. Be like the shrew and trust God to supply for all your needs. Let your faith increase! Jehovah Jireh is greater than all your (increasing) needs! He is God the Provide, from your childhood until the last hour on earth! Do not worry! Trust God!

PROPHETIC WORD

 

 

GOD HAS OPENED A NEW DOOR FOR YOU! IT IS A MIRACULOUS DOOR! NO MAN OR DEVIL CAN SHUT IT! YOUR TESTIMONY IS SURE! YOU SHALL REJOICE! YOU SHALL PRAISE GOD LIKE NEVER BEFORE! IN JESUS NAME! AMEN!
“But the Lord says:
“Do not cling to events of the past
or dwell on what happened long ago.
Watch for the new thing I am going to do.
It is happening already—you can see it now!River in Negev desert
I will make a road through the wilderness
and give you streams of water there.
Even the wild animals will honor me;
jackals and ostriches will praise me
when I make rivers flow in the desert
to give water to my chosen people.
They are the people I made for myself,
and they will sing my praises!” (Is 43:18-21)

(in the picture: a river flowing in the Negev desert in Israel)

TO THE END

 

 

“Obey the Lord, be humble, and you will get riches, honor, and a long life” (PV 22:4)
This is God’s way, always perfect! God never makes mistakes!
If you are His child, you must first suffer pain, rejection and persecution. Ask other saints older than you. They will confirm that God is always faithful to His methods of blessing. God humbles you before He promotes and rewards you.
To become humble is never easy. It is the deep work of the Cross, drying off the lusts of the flesh and killing the pride or life.
God alone knows how long that ‘surgery’ must go on. Once God is satisfied with your spiritual progress, once He sees humility’s bloom in the desert, He will immediately change your circumstances and rewards you openly. He will give you your heart’s desires and even more than that! This is your harvest: riches, honor and long life! And even more…So, trust God to the end!

NO MORE CREEPING MOLES

‘These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole…’ (Lev 11:29)

Reading the Old Testament you shall find that God forbids His people, the Jews, to eat or touch some animals. They are called ‘unclean’. Among them is the Mole.

The mole is a small animal resembling a field mouse. It lives mostly underground. Its body is adapted to live below the earth. Its eyes and ears are extremely small, for there is no use for them underground. The front paws are very big and strong. With them the mole digs even the stony ground. The back feet are smaller and with them it throws the earth away. Moles tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide, more than the other mammals. Their blood cells have a unique haemoglobin protein. Moles are even able to re-use the oxygen inhaled when above the ground.

MOLE

A mole’s diet primarily consists of earthworms and a variety of nuts. The mole’s underground tunnels are in reality ‘worm traps’. When a worm falls into the tunnel the mole quickly kills it and eats it. Because their saliva contains a toxin that can paralyze earthworms, moles are able to store their still-living prey for later consumption. They construct special underground stores for just this purpose; researchers have discovered such with over a thousand earthworms in them. Moles are not friendly animals. They are solitary creatures, coming together only to mate. They damage the fields, by destroying the roots of the plants underground. The farmers hate them and consider them dangerous pests. They have many methods how to kill these troubling creatures: traps, smoke their underground tunnels etc. The people who eat moles say that their taste is extremely unpleasant. God forbid!

Mole-Hills

Spiritually speaking the moles represent men who ‘creep’ underground into homes, to spiritually arrest foolish, easily deceived religious women and men. Their words (just like the mole’s saliva) may be sweet but poisonous, having the ability to weaken the victim, who is the listener. The moles are called ‘unclean’. In Hebrew this word means a foreign substance mixed with the real, which produces a corrupt, impure, inferior material. The word also means adultery. These men who creep into the homes are like the unclean moles. Do not trust their friendship!   With eyes full of adultery they never stop sinning. We are commanded to ‘turn away’ from such evil people!

‘Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (2Tim 3:5-7)

“We come against the evil spirit of creepers, of destroyers of marriages, seducing unclean spirits! We reject you in the name of Jesus! Go away in the name of Jesus! We plead the Blood of Jesus over our lives, homes, marriages, children, ministries and the work of our hands! We vow to give God all the glory to revival, restoration and deliverance! In Jesus name we pray! Amen!”

(in the pictures: a mole coming out its tunnel and a field damaged by mole hills)

OVERFLOW

“My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Ps 45:1)

Must believers are satisfied to stay in the shadows. They are happy with just a little increase. There are very few believers that are truly filled with the Holy Spirit. Prophet Ezekiel saw a river cascading from under the throne of God. Many walk along the River of Life afraid to be wet; to some the water reaches to the knees, to others, to the waist. But very few know how to swim in that River, how to ‘get lost’ in the mystery of the Gospel. The tongue must be ready to speak the unsearchable things of Christ. God loves the artistic expression of our worship. You can sing a new song; you can write a new poem or draw a rainbow on the wall. If you do it for Jesus, He will appreciate it. ‘My heart overflows with a good theme…’ In Hebrew, to overflow it means to gush out, to experience a sudden violent outpouring of free flow of life from within. Your words will run freely out from you, like a water-fall, like a cascade, like a flood. Your breath will be like a breeze of life, refreshing others around you. You will become excited, dancing, jumping, clapping hands and shouting “Jesus!!!” All that wicked passivity, laziness, sickness and weakness shall disappear. The Holy Spirit will fill you. It will be suddenly… You shall become strong and courageous; romantic and holy; fruitful and joyful; attractive and generous! People will not be able to reject you, because you contain the very words of life. Yes, it is a good theme! I love You, King Jesus!

When is the last time that your heart has experienced this supernatural spiritual overflow? When last was your heart bubbling with the very excitement of life eternal? When last you heart became a volcano of passion and love for Jesus? When last were you free indeed?

PRAISE REPORT

This is a wonderful testimony from a young man who attends our church. To God be all the glory! May your faith increase! God is not a respecter of persons! Faith is a extremely strong spiritual chemistry! Read and be blessed!

“Good Evening Malia,
I am writing you this letter to testify to the glory of God, the Owner and Creator of all things. I am so blessed since this season to meet with Jehovah Jireh. I have thought having to feed the family and being prosperous is what you were talking about under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but not until yesterday…
I had a misunderstanding with my wife because she used up all the money we had in the house and both in the bank for irrelevant things, I was sore bitter angry with her , and to top it all she came home late with the baby sick and having temperature, and now no single dime with me!! I became numb in my feelings to her and fear came to my mind that something might happen to our baby. I began praying in the spirit. Then the Lord whispered to me to take the baby to the hospital, I replied Lord, I have no money at all! , and moreover it was very late , so I promised the Lord I will take the baby to the hospital in Morning, and told my wife that we will go to the hospital in the morning while they are in the hospital I will go and look for money.

Morning came… with faith we left for the hospital. On our way, I got a message on my phone from a colleague who used our equipment and ran away because of marine police who ceased the equipment. I was surprised at his message and told him “how far u don get my money ready?” He told me to call him. I was very ready to quarrel. I called him and before I could say “where you” he asked me to bring my account, immediately I heard the soft whisper of the Lord ‘send it to him’…. Which I did … As we got to the hospital, I didn’t tell my wife what my communication was with the man, I dropped them with the doctor and told them to carry on that I will be back. Confidently I drove off, with my head full of thoughts. Then I got an alert on my phone, and behold, 1million was paid into my bank account.

At the end of today as I type this message me and my wife are happy and smiling as usual and baby have taken his medication and we have more than enough…. God’s providence covers all our needs. We have a Better understanding of Jehovah Jireh, He shows up when you know you have no other option but to trust HIM.

God bless you Ma,
You son in Christ
…………………….”

GOD IS GOOD AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER

 

 

“Indeed, it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:

“For He is good,

For His mercy endures forever”

that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (2Chron 5:13. 14)

 

This is the story of how Solomon and the people of Israel brought in the Ark of God to its final resting place, inside the Temple. This is part of their history. But there are many lessons for us today, for the Word of God is forever fresh and powerful. King David prepared all things necessary for the house of God. Solomon, his son built the Temple exactly as his father said it.

First lesson: parents should prepare a spiritual inheritance for their children, who should build and improve on that foundation. Pray for your children! Read the Bible to them! Bring them to church! Children obey your parents, pray for them; listen to their wisdom!

 

The temple Solomon built in Jerusalem was magnificent; it was one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was a copy of the Tabernacle that Moses built in the wilderness. But it was much bigger and more luxurious. It was built with silver and gold. But one thing remained the same, for it could not be improved upon: the Ark of God. Inside, it contained the two tablets with the Ten Commandments, written by the finger of God. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

Second lesson: We build great cathedrals or we can worship in a little room. But the presence of God is the same. They may have different buildings, but the same Holy Spirit dwells inside them all.  It is the same Word of God that is preached. The rich and the poor believer are the same before God. God is not a respecter of men or buildings! The presence of the Holy Spirit abiding inside is vital for a church to be called a true living church!

 

The priests brought the Ark of God from Zion, from under the tabernacle originally prepared by David. They ‘brought up’ the Ark and carried it on their shoulders. Then they ‘brought in’ the Ark, placing it inside the Holy of Holies. In Hebrew, the word ‘brought up’ means to exalt, to honor, to excel unto perfection. The word ‘brought in’ means to lead inside and follow, to enter and abide, rest there.

Third lesson: If you are born again, then you are a priest of God and a preacher of the Word. You need to practice how to ‘bring up and bring in’ the presence of God and the Word of God! You need to be spiritually strong to lift Jesus high so that He will draw men’s hearts after Him.  Your light must shine in His name destroying the darkness of sin in men’s hearts. The Word must penetrate their spirits as an arrow of life bringing eternal abiding salvation.

 

To bring the Ark of God into the Temple, the priests sacrificed countless sheep and oxen. The road was ‘bloody red’ where the Presence of God passed.

Fourth lesson: You need to trust the power of the Blood of Jesus to host the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

 

The priests, the singers and all worshipers sang praises to God in one accord. This unity of the Spirit is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come and move in the midst of the congregation. In particular they praised God’s goodness and mercy, His eternal attributes as God, His glory and power, His favor and the beauty of His holiness. As all men praised God with loud voice and grateful hearts, suddenly, the cloud of the Shekinah glory of God came and filled the Temple. The priests fell on their faces and could stand to do their work. For who needs men when Jehovah takes possession of His house?

Fifth lesson: We pray for revival to come. If we meet the conditions, God will come down and fill His house and our lives! It does not matter if the church is expensive or simple! It does not matter if the choir has robes or not! It does not matter if men carry theological titles of not! What matter is that we should humble ourselves before the Almighty God! We should seek Him with abiding passion, hunger and thirst for His presence.  We need to have faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ! We need to worship God in Spirit and in truth! We need to maintain the unity of the Spirit, between the pastors and the congregation, between adults and children! Finally, we need to praise God (loud) with all our hearts until He comes down!

 

Oh, how I love it when I am ‘replaced’ by God…when the congregation forgets about me…when I am ‘marginalized’ by God so that He takes the center place… when the Holy Wind blows and revival is in the air! I love it! I love it! More, Lord, more……To You be all the glory! In Jesus name, Amen!

 

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I am a priest of the Most High God!

I am a preacher of the Gospel!

God is good and His mercy endures forever to me and my family!

Goodness and mercy shall follow me and my family all the days of our lives!

We shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

LEANING ON JESUS

 

leaning-on-jesus

“When gathering clouds around I view
And days are dark and friends are few
On Him I lean, who, not in vain
Experienced every human pain
He sees my wants, allays my fears
And counts and treasures up my tears”

(By Robert Grant 1779-1838)

PRAISE REPORT

 

 

“Dear Malia
Greetings in the name of our Lord. How are you and Tali?
Thank you for all the messages on face book, I look forward to them everyday, thank you for availing yourself to be used so mightily by God.
I also want to thank God for my sister… she has totally changed, the joy of the Lord is so much in her. She said the amount of knowledge, revelation and understanding the Holy Spirit has given her through the word of God between last August and this January is more than she can tell. There so much excitement in her about the word of God. She is really happy.

I also want to share this testimony with you, a friend of mine wanted to get married after many years of tears and disappointment. A man finally found her and proposed to her. After the traditional wedding, she told me she can’t afford a wedding reception because she is from a very poor family and had no one to go to, so she decided they will just go to church and be joined with no reception. So I encouraged her to go to The Lord and ask Him ( she is born again). I also told her about my mother in The Lord and how a brother came to you and told you that his money had finished and he could not go with his wedding plans and how you told him something strange… You told him to thank God his money had finished so that he can now look up to God, Jehovah Jireh for provision.

As soon as I shared the testimony, her eyes literally sparkled, it was as if I had given her a key she lost which she had been looking for. She started planing for a reception, she wrote a list and the amount was so high, there is no way she could have gotten that amount by herself. As soon as she stepped out in faith The Lord took over, He provided everything, she didn’t have to meet any body for help, every thing she needed God provided even up to her bouquet which was beautiful fresh flowers. In fact, I am amazed at how God took over. There was more than enough food. Even the people who came very late after the couple had left the hall had food to eat. In fact when I shared the testimony with her I believed in my heart that God is able but honestly I never thought God can provide this much. The wedding was today and it was a beautiful wedding.
Thank you Malia! May The Lord continue to give you the strength to do His work, In Jesus name, Amen!
Your daughter in Christ…”

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philip 4:19)

DEAR SON,

 

 

Dear son,

Forty years ago this day you came into our world. Your arrival made us a true family. Your dad and I we were young and romantic. You added to that romance…

This day I remember how I felt as a young mother, having you in my arms for the first time…I cannot explain how I felt…All I remember now is joy, adventure, hope, pride, singing, calling your name aloud… l was not a Christian, yet I saw the light of God on your face…Maybe what Jochebed felt when she saw her baby Moses…a special child…heaven sent…

 

For many years I could not relax when looking and later thinking of you…I wanted the best for my baby…What I had to offer seem so small… So I struggled as a mother… Yet I loved you the best way I could… You were almost grown up when I became a believer in Christ. From that moment on I understood the grace of God, His unmerited favor to me, a simple girl from Romania coming to Nigeria, God saved my soul and gave me an extraordinary child…From that time on I started praying for you, that you become a man of God…

Yes, God loves you John…from heaven to earth and back to heaven, Jesus loves you…

Your dad and I, we pray for you daily…for your wife and for your children…

 

This is my prayer song for you today:IMG_3338

“Surround him Oh, Lord

Surround him Oh, Lord

Surround John Oh Lord

Let Your Spirit fill his heart”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN LEIGH!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

 

 
“The band and chorus united as one to praise and thank the Lord; their selections were interspersed with trumpet obbligatos, the clashing of cymbals, and the loud playing of other musical instruments—all praising and thanking the Lord. Their theme was “He is so good! His loving-kindness lasts forever!”
And at that moment the glory of the Lord, coming as a bright cloud, filled the Temple so that the priests could not continue their work” (2Chr 5:13, 14; LB)

PRAISE REPORT
This was Sister U’s testimony: Last year she almost got married. A young man she met thru fb proposed to her. They fixed a date and plans were on the way. They were to marry last November in our church. One day her fiancée’s friend called her and said: ‘I am sorry for you. I see that you are a child of God. My friend who wants to marry you is deceiving you. He is a liar and a cheat. He is a jobless man and a fake. U did not believe at the beginning. Later she discovered the painful truth. The young man who wanted to marry her was a deceiver. She broke the relationship. For months after that she was seriously depressed. She looked sad and old. But she continued to do her work in the church (she is an usher and she cleans the toilets). For ten years she worked in the market. This is so that she can pay her school fees. She comes from a broken poor home. Two years ago she graduated from the College of Education with a bachelor degree in Education. But she got so used to selling in the market that she could not resign that work. She was afraid to stand and trust God for a new beginning. Eventually she resigned on the last day of last year.
In the month of January she decided to fast and pray every day, for an encounter with God. On the 5th day the miracle happened. She was holding her CV in her hands, knelt down in the church’ toilet and she prayed and cried to God. After that, she stood up and by faith she went to a big private school to look a job as a teacher. She had no experience and she knew nobody. The first person she met was a woman she had never met before. This woman was the owner of the school. The interview was done on the spot. The principal asked her some questions and she answered. When God is in charge no interview is ‘normal’. The discussion went like this…
“Are you looking for a job? Yes Ma! Do you have experience as a teacher? No Ma! Are you born again? Yes Ma! Do you speak in tongues? Yes Ma! What church do you attend? Father’s House Bible Church Ma! Are you from Father’s House where Dr. Leigh is the pastor? Yes Ma! Wonderful! I love this man’s preaching on the TV…I saw the Nativity Drama…I made a covenant with God that if anybody comes here from Father’s House I will hire the person, no matter the qualification…you are hired my dear…Just thank your God!”
I have never seen U so happy. She was glowing with the glory of God. The old depression has disappeared. We prophesied that she will marry 2015. This word is settled in heaven and on earth! In Jesus name, amen!

THE GLORY CLOUD
The prayer meeting was indeed wonderful. We shared testimonies about the goodness and the power of God. The testimonies (like tehone above) only added fuel to the fire. Then, we praised God with all our strength and with all our heart. The anointing was so strong that people could not sit down on their seats. We could not have a regular, business as usual service. O, how I love it when the Holy Ghost comes down. The very atmosphere is charged with the glory of the eternal. Faith increases like never before. Nothing and nobody looks the same. Ugly people look beautiful! Foolish people look so wise! The praise went on and on… the adults sang…the children sang… the congregation sang and danced… In the God’s presence there are eternal indescribable holy pleasures…Yes, God was happy with us tonight! All the glory to the Most High God!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
My testimony shall be fruitful!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name
Amen!

ESTHER’S BANQUET

 

 

‘The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti’ (Est. 2:17, NKJ).

We studied the story of Queen Esther. Against all odds, the little girl became the queen; the orphan became the mother of the nation. This is the grace of God in action. The enemies of the Jews failed completely. Vashti is gone forever and Esther is the Queen. It is the decree of the Lord. We praised God and we prayed.

Next week we shall have a romantic coming together. The wives have invited their husbands to come to a party called “The Esther’s banquet”. We shall not hire caterers or any professional party planners. We the women in Father’s House shall cook and arrange the hall. We shall do everything by ourselves trusting God to bless our efforts. Please pray for us… We shall dress with Nigerian traditional dresses. By faith we decree that our husbands shall be impressed (in a good way). The single sisters, who trust God for marriage in 2015, shall do the serving and the baby-sitting. We shall rejoice! We shall share testimonies! The victory of godliness and truth must be celebrated, if the devil likes it or not! By faith, the water in the marriages shall be turned into wine. Holy romance, so rare in this part of the world, shall overflow to all the participants. Holy Spirit, have Your way…

‘On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them’ (Est. 9:2)

There is a time of reckoning. There is ‘a day of the Lord’, when His judgment is revealed. At last, the thief is caught and he has to restore many times over, all that he stole. The oppressed becomes free and promoted above the oppressor. The silent can finally speak and sing. Sin, sickness, bondage of fear, all is destroyed and replaced with life and joy.

God ‘delights in judgment’ (Jer 9:24). This is a spiritual law and it is a great encouragement for the victims during times of oppression and persecution. The devil tries to make us to forget it. We have the impression that God has abandoned us and that He is not fair to our situation. We see the wicked prosper and we feel bad. This period may be longer than we expected. God is training us thru the fire to mature our faith. Every tear that falls is counted by God, be sure of that! The training unto godliness seems so painful and lonely. But God is the One who supervises it. There is a moment when the labor is over and the child is born. That moment, we are released from the pain of waiting and hoping. The body has no memory. Immediately, it forgets the pain and comes into rest, victory and joy.

God alone knows the moment of transition. Suddenly, the tables are turned upside down, the innocent victim is released and she becomes the judge of the oppressor. The glory of the power of resurrection replaces the shame of sin, defeat and death. There is no fairy tale as beautiful and exciting as the story of redemption in Christ Jesus. The perfect picture is in Him alone and we are invited to partake from the same glory.

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I sit with Christ in heavenly places!
I shall rejoice forever!
My testimony is fruitful!
To the glory of God!
In Jesus name
Amen!