“Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:9, 10)

The devil uses her tongue to attack Job’s integrity. She loses all hope of healing and restoration and suggests suicide. It seems that the evil spirit of fear and doubt has taken control of her heart. In Hebrew, the word ‘integrity’ means: to be innocent, perfect, accomplished, prosperous and complete. In other words, the devil was attacking Job’s assurance of standing before God. He was trying to shake the assurance of his salvation. But Job rejected and resisted that attack. He rebukes his wife. He told her that she speaks like ‘one of the foolish women’. Please observe that he did not insult her, he did not call her a foolish woman. Job was referring to that particular ‘foolish’ speech. From this we deduce that she was not like that before. In the past, she was a wise, patient and loving wife and mother. He tells her that something is wrong; that she does not behave like herself, but she speaks ‘like a foolish woman’.  In Hebrew, the word ‘foolish’ means to be stupid and wicked and soon to be disgraced. It was clearly the devil who put these foolish words in her mouth.

According to the Bible, who is a foolish woman?

“The fool says in his heart: “There is no God” (PS 14:1)

“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down” (PV 14:1)

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (PV 18:2)

“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless” (PV 14:16)

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools” (Ecc 7:9)

“For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak (silly, foolish) women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 3: 6, 7)

Wisely and lovingly, even in his pain, Job does the work of a good godly husband. He rebukes his wife in love. He covers her foolish behavior with words of wisdom. This is a great encouragement for all who marry well. You must marry a believer, for in time of troubles he will stand by you. If one falls (like Mrs. Job) the other one will be able to lift the wounded soul (Ecc 4:9, 10). Praise God for Job! He is a great inspiration to godly husbands!  He truly loves his wife as Christ loves the church!

Please note that the restoration of Job included his wife’s too. Their marriage was redeemed too. There is no record that Job divorced the wife of his youth and married another. We conclude that she is the same wife to the end. God gave them ten more wonderful and beautiful children. They were also blessed with even more wealth. God keeps the best for the last (Jn 2: 10). Like water that supernaturally became wine, their later years were ‘sweeter’ than their youth.

Lastly, this is a story that reveals the Cross of Christ. There is pain and suffering but restoration, blessings and glory at last. Jesus died so that even women like Job’s wife can change and give God the glory. May you be encouraged today! God is good and faithful too. To Him alone be all the glory! Amen

We just finished our women’ fellowship. We praised God with songs. Seven sisters shared testimonies. Some were healed, some were blessed with children and others had financial breakthroughs. The common thread was their humble gratitude and acknowledgment that God did it all! That God should take all the glory! It is very refreshing to listen to Spirit filled women and their stories of redemption! Then the message came. It was titled: JOB’S WIFE. Lastly we prayed for the fire of the Holy Spirit to come down.

“Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:9, 10)

Many people know the story of Job; how he had suffered unjustly and how God later rewarded him. Few consider Mrs. Job. Most regard her to be a trouble maker and a bad wife. They are not ready to extend any drop of grace to her. From what we read, Job had only one wife. This was rare in those days. The only explanation may be that he loved his wife very much. The Bible does not talk much about her. Her personal name is not on record. This is her story: she was a wife and a mother; she suffered with her husband and at last, she rejoices with him. Let the Holy Spirit guide us in the whole truth.

Job was a great man by any standards. He was ‘blameless and upright’ with God. He lived before Abraham. He was the richest and wisest man in the east. There is a popular saying: ‘behind every successful man there is a woman, or better said, a wife’. This is probably inspired from the Bible. A virtuous wife will stand behind her husband who becomes a man of God and a leader of men. If you think of it, Mrs. Job was possibly a virtuous wife. Read this: “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land” (PV 31:23)

From this we deduce that Mrs. Job was a successful strong woman, helping her husband succeed in life. Then what went wrong? In Chapter one, we see what happens in the Spirit’s realm ‘behind the scenes’. The devil provokes God. He is allowed to attack Job. Suddenly, the great man loses his ten children and all his wealth. This is a sudden tragedy few men had to endure. We forget that the pain was felt not only by Job, but by his wife as well. She too lost all her children and their wealth. Job speaks but his wife is quiet during this tragedy. Her silence speaks volumes. She did not curse God. We do not hear any complain from her during this time of trial. Her silence proves she was a mature woman of God. Then the husband becomes very sick. Painful boils cover all his body. There is no cure for his sickness. That is her breaking point. She cannot endure in silence and she speaks out from the pain stored in her heart. When she lost her children and her wealth, she could still trust God for a solution. But seeing her husband dying, she lost her faith completely. Her reaction tells us that she loves her husband very much.

Can you see the grace of God upon this woman? Can you see that in the past you have judged her too harshly, with me mercy at all? Can you see the work of the Cross in Job’s life, in his wife and marriage? The God who is able to cover our sins, because of the Blood of Jesus, He is my God! Forever! All glory to God!

This is a letter from a young brother in Christ who needed a counsel some time ago. Read, pray and be blessed:
“Good afternoon Ma,
About a year ago I wrote to you about the challenges am having. I had no job, no house i was squatting about from one city to another. I can remember the last word u told me. That i should not write to you until i have a testimony. You spoke to me about things to expect from God. You ask me to stop chasing after kobo (pennies, cents…)
This is my testimony: After that day my mentality changed. I realized that God wanted to give me more than just a job so my faith grew and my spirit was lifted. Today I just paid for my own 2 bedroom flat in Abuja. It is a miracle. God remembered me… He gave me a special job that brought the best out of me and in few months I became a sort of ‘professional’.
I took your advice. The truth was that I actually stop wasting my prayer asking for a job. I just drew closer to God and worship Him daily. And in His own time He answered me.
Thank you Ma for your wise words of tough love and of encouragement! God strengthen and increase your wisdom! I give all the glory to God!”

“I called on the Lord in distress;

The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

The Lord is on my side;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

The Lord is for me among those who help me;

Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.

It is better to trust in the Lord

Than to put confidence in man

It is better to trust in the Lord

Than to put confidence in princes

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever…” (Psalm 118)

This is my prayer for you today:

May the faith you see in this brother work in you as well! May you give God room to do a new thing in your life! Never limit God! May God increase your vision! May God change your circumstances to display His glory!  May God intervene and give you a good, fulfilling job! May God bless you financially! In Jesus name Amen!

“Ask, and it will be given to you…”

This is the command of Jesus. To ask it means to pray to God. How long do you pray? Until the answer is given to you! In Greek, the word ‘given’ also means ‘to minister adventure to you’.

Adventure is defines as an exciting experience involving some risk. Cowards will never desire adventure. Their lives are stale and boring. They can never inspire anybody. For fear of danger, they chose to die a slow death, without songs and without dances. But a believer in Christ has seen the end of the story, to glory ahead. So, for him, danger with God is just a training school. If God is with you, you can never lose! What an adventure to be born again and Spirit filled!!! Do you know what I am talking about?

When in need, asking men and asking God is totally different. When you pray to God and the answer comes, it is much more than ‘an answer’.  For example, if you ask a man to give you $100, if he has the money and if he desires to be generous, he will give it to you. But he cannot give you more than that. Often, because of their attitude, when you receive money or gifts from men, you feel bad, ashamed and humiliated.

With God this is so different. When you ask, when you pray for something, the answer comes in a most wonderful way. The prayer strengthens your relationship with God. Even if the answer is different than what you expected, you can never regret God’s ‘giving’. It builds faith and a sweet expectation. God retains the right to be ‘mysterious’. It is part of ‘the game’. You will never know how God will bless you by answering your prayer. But one thing is clear:  God never gives cheap gifts. All His blessings come from the royal store. All gifts from God come without sorrow. They come wrapped in inexpressible joy and a mysterious peace. They open doors of holy adventure. Men will wonder and angels rejoice with you. What do you lose if you believe? This is the promise of God…
“For EVERYONE who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Mt 7:8)

Are you among ‘everyone’? Then pray…and let the adventure begin…In Jesus name Amen!

When we started this church the choir was made of teenagers and young adults. Fourteen years later, almost all are married with children. Last Friday, Pastor and I we joined them in their all-night rehearsal. It was about 2am. They were all singing with all their hearts.
Then we saw a strange sight… In between the chairs we saw many mosquito nets. Under them were their children sleeping. We were impressed. It is not easy to come to church with babies and do all-night. This is a sacrifice of praise. But the worship must go on…
To You Oh Lord be all the glory for this wonderful harvest of faithful souls…from generation to generation, indeed, You are God!

Recent picture of the sanctuary of our church, almost ready. The work continues at the altar.

The place is bright and colorful. Even the children love it.

Praise God!

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:3, 4)

Jude’s letter warns the believers of the danger of ungodly men coming (better said ‘creeping’) into the church. This was a problem even in the early church. It is more so now. We are commanded to jealously guard the revelation of salvation by grace alone and thru faith in Jesus Christ. This is the true Gospel of Christ. In one word it is called ‘The Faith once delivered to the saints’. God has entrusted the revelation of this faith to His children.  This faith is our best treasure. The religious unbelievers have received nothing from God. They come closer pretending they have the same treasure. But these are enemies of the Cross, of the peace in the church, of the unity of the Spirit and of the revelation of grace and faith. It is our duty to protect the faith entrusted by God to us, His children. We are to be watchful against these men who are agents of the devil, spies who come to gain information about our true treasure, our wonderful liberty and inheritance in Christ (Gal 2:4, 5). They come deceitfully to gain control over silly and weak willed women (and men too) (2Tim 6-9). They are dangerous because of their proximity to us and our ignorance of their true identity. They use occult magic, witchcraft, evil power and manipulation to place spells upon the ignorant careless believers.

These men come in a special way: They ‘creep unnoticed’. In Greek, the word means to quietly settle alongside you. The word ‘creep’ means to move slowly, timidly, with the body close to the ground. They may come as humble or needy people. They do not look dangerous at all, especially at the beginning. They are experts is flattery and (over) familiarity. They have a Gibeonites spirit (Josh 9). Have you seen ‘a professional beggar’? They are like that. Before you know, it is too late. You always regret being ‘sorry’ for them. They attack thru the friendship you have foolishly permitted. Their flattery is a snare for your feet (PV 29:5). The price you pay for allowing such religious spirits to become close to you is slowing your progress with God.

What is the solution? Prayer!!! Pray before you make any decision! May God open your eyes to see! May God give you the courage to separate from all false brethren! May God give you the desire and strength to fight the good fight of faith! May God have mercy on you and release your feet from the flattery snare! Be free in Jesus name!

Lastly, I declare with my brother Jonah:

“But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.” (Jonah 2:9)

“He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions” (Ps 107:20)

This is my testimony: two months ago I got very sick. I have never been so sick in my life. We were travelling so it made it even more difficult. We came back home and I went to the hospital and did some tests, x-ray and all. The doctor thought it was TB but all tests proved negative. I told him that I completely reject the diagnosis. I also told him that God will heal me. This became a challenge for me. It is a good place to be when men cannot help and the doctors even add to your anxiety. God and I alone! Wonderful place!

Another word God sent to me in this time of trial was from the Bible:

“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Is 53:3)

This describes the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Men rejected Him until they nailed Him to the Cross. The Son of God is also a Man ‘of sorrows and acquainted with grief’.  In Hebrew the word sorrows means to grieve, to feel the pain of others. The word acquainted means to intimately know, to feel, to understand another. Lastly, the word grief also means anxiety or sickness. This was a great revelation for me.

It means that Jesus knows, He understands and feels my pains, my anxiety and sickness. He is not a stranger to it. He does not need to do any tests to discover what is wrong with me. To Him as my Healer, there is no secret or mystery about my fever, cough of body pains. The doctors sounded so mysterious when they told me it can be this or that. They were not sure of the diagnosis, but were trained to sound confident. I know for I was once like them… They could not enter my heart to understand my anxiety and they could not help me have faith or peace. But Jesus understands my body for He is my Creator. He does not need to worry about my future, for I am in His hands and He knows it all. He does not need to give me ten different tablets for ten different sicknesses. With one touch, every cell in my body shall become whole. All problems shall disappear in the same time. This is not something I read in a book. This is my testimony. So, I decided to talk to myself: “You my soul have faith in God! There is hope! You my body, Jesus understand your sickness! God is with you! Fight for yourself, my body!”

The Word of God was sent to Warri, to me in particular and I received it, believed and that settled it! This is how healing came! By the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit!    Be encouraged today! May the Word of God locate you today! There is hope for you! In Jesus name Amen!

“He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions” (Ps 107:20)

This is my testimony: two months ago I got very sick. I have never been so sick in my life. We were travelling so it made it even more difficult. We came back home and I went to the hospital and did some tests, x-ray and all. The doctor thought it was TB but all tests proved negative. I told him that I completely reject the diagnosis. I also told him that God will heal me. This became a challenge for me. It is a good place to be when men cannot help and the doctors even add to your anxiety. God and I alone! Wonderful place!

I am a doctor so I remember being guilty of the same sin. Quoting only from my medical books, using only my head and not my spirit, speaking confidently but without prayer I was trying to instill doubt in my patients. Thank God I got saved but I remember my foolish sinful past. But this time I was at the other end. I was the patient and the doctor was telling me that I have TB. He recommended some antibiotics to be taken three times a day. I did not want to argue with him but at home I made up my mind to exchange the tablets for prayer.

I prayed for wisdom like never before. My testimony as a believer was at stake. Then God gave me this word: “Pray the same prayer three times a day just the way you could have taking your drugs”. Really I believed it was God’s Word. I believed that I will be healed. It sounds foolish, especially for me as a doctor, but ‘the foolishness of God is wiser than men’s wisdom’ (1Cor 1:25)  I started praying the same prayer three times a day. I anointed myself with olive oil daily speaking health and life to my body. I quoted the scriptures daily and with faith. At the beginning there was no improvement. Some days it appeared that my sickness was even becoming worse. But I persevered in faith and slowly, the cough, the fever, the weakness…they all subsided. This week I just discovered that I am healed, strong and happy. This is indeed a miracle!

I want to encourage you by sharing some of the lessons I had to (re-) learn during this time of trial. You can apply these to any situation not only sickness.

*God is alive! God hears and answers the prayer of His children! God is good! God is faithful!

*Sometimes just one prayer is ‘not enough’. Just like with medicines, you need to pray the same prayer for a long time until the problem is solved. This method will teach you faith, patience and perseverance.  I testify that it works! This was my inspiration: The widow who did not give up and continued to ask the judge for an answer. See what Jesus said:

“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:7, 8)

It is clear that God does not always answer our prayers immediately. He wants us to persevere in prayer and faith ‘day and night’. But delay is not denial. After praying the same prayer three times a day for about two weeks, the healing came ‘speedily’. God is faithful! To God be all the glory!

May the Word of God and my testimony encourage you today! In Jesus name Amen!

There is a brother in our church who has sickle cell anemia. He is 32 years old. His name is Fidelis. As you know, most people with SS do not survive so long. This brother is one of the most gentle and spiritual sensitive men I know. He can’t sing at all, but when he tries to do so, the anointing of the Holy Spirit falls on the whole church.

He is a tailor by profession and a very good one at that. His wedding will be on the first Saturday next month. The girl he wants to marry has genotype AA, so technically, there is no problem (none of their children shall be SS).

Theirs is a true love story. They were class mates in Secondary school. Then they lost contact. She went to University and he learned tailoring. They met again ‘by mistake’ last year. It was love ‘at first sight’. Both of them are born again and serious believers. For his sake, the sister changed churches and now attends Father’s House.

I saw him yesterday. He is so excited…’We were like those who dream…’ This wedding is a miracle. He proposed marriage since January but the girl’s father refused to agree. This is because of the sickness that can take his life any time. But she insisted that she wants to marry Fidelis and no other. Last month the father has agreed.

He told me that 60% of the preparations are complete. That he needs some word of encouragement to go on because his money now got finished. I said thank God! For now God can take control! He told me that he loves his future wife very much, that he is not worthy of her. She is beautiful inside out. She has faith that God will heal him completely and both will live long and happy lives. She also believes that they will have children and all the blessings of God. He has some chronic sores on his feet. That is why he only uses slippers. But he has faith that he will have black new shoes on his wedding day. Right now he limps because of the damage done to the hip but he has faith that on his wedding day he will work straight. I agreed with him and said Amen!

Please pray for a true brother and a true sister in Christ! Pray the way you pray for your family! Pray that God will supply all that they needed: joy, peace, health, strength, finances and favor with men. Pray that their wedding day will be glorious and many will give their lives to Christ. For him that they say will die is now the bridegroom ready for his bride! All glory to God!

God bless all faithful humble intercessors!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

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

(I will post their wedding pictures that day!)

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…” (Eph 4:30)

The Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit is a Person, who sees, listens, thinks and feels. Many people, even the believers, think of Him as an influence, as the power of God. The Holy Spirit is more than ‘a power’. He is a Person. You must cultivate a relationship with Him, as Friend to friend. Pray that your ears will be more sensitive to hear His voice, for He speaks to the churches and He speaks to you. Pray that your eyes will be sensitive to see Jesus on the throne by the revelation of the same Holy Spirit. Pray that your heart will be more sensitive to sense the presence and especially the move of the Holy Spirit. Pray that you may know how to invite and host the Person of God the Holy Spirit in your heart, your marriage, your home, your church and during times of worship. Your relationship with Him must grow, must mature. He has many things to share with you. I know for sure…

The danger with any relationships between lovers and friends is to take one another for granted, to grieve one another. In particular, we are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit, or better said, to stop grieving the Holy Spirit.  The word ‘grieve’ means to make another sad. The offended friend feels a sense of loss, pain, regret and deep disappointment. A wise man said that ‘grief’ is a love word. You can only grieve your lover. You cannot grieve your enemy.

The best example I know is this: I heard of a story…there was a single mother who had a daughter. They were poor. Her hands had deep scars and some of the fingers were lost. Because of her disability she could not have good jobs, so they ‘managed’ their lives like that. They both loved one another very much. When the daughter became 18 they decided to organize a birthday party. The daughter was very excited. She invited all her school friends. The mother baked and decorated the birthday cake. All was ready. Then just before the guests started coming, the daughter brought a pair of fancy gloves. She told the mother that she bought them so that she can put them on during the party. She was afraid that her friends will see the mother’s ugly hands and run away.

This is what I called grieving. The mother just discovered that her loving daughter was ashamed of her hands; that she valued the opinions of her friends more than her feelings. Please think of this story…and feel what the mother felt…then you shall understand that in this way we can grieve the Holy Spirit, our Lover, our Best Friend Forever, our Peace, our Joy and our God. Selah!

The story is not yet finished…the mother did not say anything. She planned to put on the gloves but at the last minute she forgot them in the kitchen. She came in carrying the beautiful cake, candles on and all. She was so happy for her daughter…Suddenly the party went cold…the laughter stopped…they cut the cake in a hurry and soon, all her friends found excuses and left. The daughter was heartbroken. Alone, mother and daughter cried. The daughter asked the mother, why did she forget the gloves? That her friends ran away when they saw her hands. That is when the mother told her the truth: She was a baby when the house went on fire. Her father died in that fire. They rescued her, the mother, but she ran back into the burning house to save her baby. That is how her hands got burnt. That is how she became a single mother. Knowing the truth, the daughter wept for her selfishness and kissed the scarred hands that saved her life.

How do you grieve the Holy Spirit? By ignoring Him…by not studying His Word…by taking glory for things He has done for you…by living in sin without any desire to repent… by being proud and rebellious…God forbid!

What you read is just a story, but it reveals the love of God and the sacrifice of the Cross. Jesus died that I may live. His hands still have the scars, even in heaven, as a reminder for the price paid for my soul. To grieve His Spirit is a wicked crime against true eternal love. May God help us to be more sensitive to the feelings of the Holy Spirit! This is my prayer today! In Jesus name, Amen!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (2Cor 5:17)
This evening I remember the time when I became born again. I came from a Communist Country and we were thought that God does not exist. I took it for granted that it was so. I did not know any human being who believe otherwise. This lie was planted in my soul and grew to become a tree of doubt and unbelief. Who can uproot such a giant tree?

This testimony is given for the glory of God, to shame the devil and to encourage the brethren!

There is a girl in our church. She is 12 years old. I know her and her parents since she was born. Translated in English, her name translated means ‘The Gift of God’. She has a very gentle and sensitive spirit and loves God very much, a true worshipper. Spiritually and mentally, she is more mature than her age. She is an inspiration to many. She is very faithful to all church activities. She is a very good student and an obedient child.

This is the story: About six months ago she started fainting for no good reason. Once she was found in the church’s toilet during the service. The parents will find her down, unconscious.  At the beginning, these episodes were about once a week. Later, they became daily. Because of this strange sickness she could not go to school. The doctor examined her and said that she does not have feeling in her left arm. He thought it was a mass in the brain and suggested many tests. I can say that the parents love God and had faith that God will grant a miracle. But it was not easy to witness this strange sickness in their daughter.

During one of our services, the parents literarily carried their daughter to the sanctuary. The mother told me that in the afternoon she fainted during her sleep. They tried to wake her up to go to church and she did not respond. But they came anyway. Gift looked pale and very weak. Suddenly I got very angry with the devil in my spirit. I cannot manufacture this anger ‘at will’. It is the work of the Holy Spirit and very necessary in warfare prayer. It is an anger that increases faith in God and His miracles.

I lead the brethren in prayer for deliverance and healing. Gift came to the altar and weeping she prayed for herself too. As young as she is, she is a member of the Saturday class choir and she wanted to be healed to go back and sing. She promised God that if He heals her, she will serve Him more and give Him all the glory. The anointing was there to heal the sick. O, blessed anointing…wonderful power released in time of need…no manipulations, no gimmick…just the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in our midst…O, sweet comfort and victory…

Then I told Gift that by faith she should go back to the choir. There was no liberty for me to preach, so I decided that all of us should praise God for the miracle of God. We did so with songs in English and Nigerian languages…we did so with dancing round and round the sanctuary…we praised God with instruments, with clapping of hands and shouts of “Jesus, Jesus…” I forgot about Gift. Praising God was now more important than any other thing. But just before closing, I saw that Gift looked so much better, singing in the choir, praising God like she used to do in the past. Her face was no longer pale. She looked alive, that is the best way to describe the change on her countenance. Joy flooded my soul!

This story happened exactly four weeks ago. All the brethren who attended that prayer meeting can testify to it. She was healed that evening. She never had a fainting attack since then. Four days later, the father went with her to do ‘brain x-ray and scan’ because they already had booked for that. The doctor saw no abnormality. She was sent home without a diagnosis. Glory to God!

All the glory goes to God! Let your faith rise! Believe in the God of miracles! What do you lose if you believe? For nothing is impossible with God!

“One day Jesus was teaching… And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick” (Lk 5:17)

The meeting was very good. The Holy Spirit was moving in our midst making it easy to pray, praise, preach and prophesy. There is nothing better than the anointing of the Holy Spirit. There was also the desire to pray for the sick. We did so. I have attended prayer meetings and church services without the liberty of the Holy Spirit. Men did their best to serve God with prayer, singing and talking. But at the end of the service, there was something like a bitter taste in the mouth, a feeling of sadness and regret, a missing of the mark, a sense of failure in the midst of plenty, a wish that things could be better…That is why we so appreciate the Holy Spirit. He is the difference in our life and ministry. In His presence we feel free and strong, happy and wise. Faith rises and miracles follow. We are so grateful Lord…

Then the message followed:

“Then the Lord said to Jacob: “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you… Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother…” (Gen 31; 35)

Twenty years have passed since Jacob had an encounter with God at Bethel. He worked for Laban, his uncle: 14 years labor to get married to his two wives and 6 more years to gather his wealth. The time in his uncle house was not an easy one, for Laban was a cheat and a rough man. But Jacob has discovered that the God of Bethel has been with him all this time, quietly directing his life. Against all odds, at the end of twenty years he was a married man with children and also a wealthy man. This is the moment when God speaks to him: “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you…”

The voice of God announces a change of direction. As it was with the children of God in Egypt, God sends His Word of freedom thru Moses. The same happened in Babylon, when God thru the prophet Jeremiah announced that at the end of 70 years of exile, they shall go back home. It is the same with Jacob. God has spoken and God shall lead the long way home.

What are the signs that God changes direction in your life? There are two main ways God does it. The first is the pressure of circumstances and the second is by His Word. Jacob discovers that Laban does not treat well like in the past. His uncle’s sons are suddenly getting jealous because of his wealth. Jacob’s wives have a new desire to go away, leaving behind their wicked father. All these circumstances put pressure on Jacob’s mind to remember home. In Haran God blessed Jacob with marriage and children and great wealth. But there was no spiritual fruit. Now is time to go to Bethel, to become a man of God, a worshipper of God, to fulfill destiny proclaimed.

If things seem rough and you lose favor with men, then fast and pray, for God may be ready to change the direction of your life. I am not saying a physical change but a spiritual change. God wants to re-direct your life to a place where you become spiritually fruitful, where you do more ministry than business, more worship than office meetings. This is more than what the world calls promotion. This is destiny fulfilled!

This is a great encouragement to all believers, especially to the backsliders. God may be silent for years, but God is not dead. Suddenly, His voice will sound upon the waters of your troubles and announces the change of direction, a new life to begin. This is a spiritual U-turn that will bring you back to the place of pure vision and power.

Then we sang: “Yes, Lord…From the bottom of my heart and from the depth of my soul, I say Yes, completely yes, my soul says yes!”

 
This is a family I know personally. Edafe (not his real name) was born in 1988 in Yola, Nigeria. He was born with a heart condition called Transposition of the Great Arteries. He had his first open heart surgery in Nigeria at just 6 months old, which was a palliative surgery. His family then moved to the United States to continue his treatment. He had a heart transplant over there. He felt much better after that. He finished his high school and got entrance in the university and started strong. He was in his second year (2014) when the transplanted heart started to fail. He became very weak. He had to stop going to school. He has been in the hospital for some months now, waiting for a second heart transplant. He is born again and has faith that God will do a miracle. It is the same thing with his parents who pray day and night for God to intervene.

“For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body…” (Ps 139:13-16)

This is my confidence, therefore I declare:

The God who knew me before I was created in my mother’s womb…

The God who created my inmost being (my organs, my mind, my emotions…)…

The God who protected me from fatal diseases…

The God who knit me together in my mother’s womb (who joined all the bones in their right places and all the organs to function well)…

The God who made me fearful (that sickness and enemies will run away from me)

The God who made me wonderful (unique, with a special destiny to be fulfilled)…

The God who decided that I am His own personal and wonderful work…

The God whose eyes are constantly on me (even when I was just a mass of flesh in my mother’s womb)…

The God who planed my salvation from the beginning of creation…

The God that does all these wonderful things without the help of any other…

The God who loves me like no other…

This God is able and more than able to take care of me even now, to heal my body from all diseases, to deliver me from all the attacks of the enemy, to strengthen me, comfort me and guide me in the way everlasting!

“I trust You Lord with all my heart, now and forever!

I shall praise You with all my heart!

In Jesus name,

Amen!”

This is a letter from a young man who is my son in Christ. He is 16 years old and has just being elected as the president of his school’s Christian fellowship. He is the youngest real pastor I know. I told him that if he needs prayer, help or counsel he should write me. This is one of his letters. Please pray for him as he learns to do ministry among the students there. Please also pray for Sister Ayo who is his convert. I rejoice with what God does with the next generation! Jesus is indeed ‘the everlasting pride and the joy to all generations’ (Is 60:15).

This is his letter:

Good evening Malia,

God has been doing great things here. I feel He has a plan for this school.  Today I talked with one of my classmates who told me her friend was a lesbian. She really wanted to help her friend, but didn’t know how to do so. As we talked I asked her a simple question, ‘are you born again’. Although she hesitated, she eventually said ‘no’…I then explained to her what it really means to be saved.

We talked about her life for a while and she admitted to having a whole in her life that couldn’t be filled. She told me that she didn’t want to become a Christian because she was scared she would have to stop all the ‘fun ‘ things she was doing. But the Lord opened a door, and although she was really scared of what would happen next, she gave her life to Jesus, there in our class room.

I was really blessed by what happened and I thank God for what He did. However, I know that this is not the end but the beginning for her. Please, I want you to pray for her. Her name is Ayo (not her real name) and she is 16years old, lost her father at 3 and is almost always alone at home. Her mom is always traveling. From what she told me she seems to be in a lot of trouble with sin. I thank God because I know he will complete the work in her life.

Your son in Christ

‘’’’’’’’’

“I am confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6)

“Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion” (PV 11:22)

In Hebrew, the word ‘beautiful’ describes someone very attractive, bright, educated and well dressed. So what can be wrong with that? Nothing, if the woman is also ‘discreet’. In the absence of discretion, the beauty will be useless and even dangerous. The word ‘discretion’ means to be wise, to be spiritual, to discern between good and evil, to understand the spiritual root of life’s problems, to have good judgment and to avoid danger or deception. To be discreet it means to be reasonable, to be a good listener, attentive and sensitive to other people’s rights and feelings. It means to make responsible decisions when she is alone alone, but still submitting to the boundaries set by her husband. It means to be humble, modest in speech and appearance, with no desire to be the ‘center of attraction’. It means to be decent, not loud, rude of aggressive. It means to be wise and not foolish.

So, this beautiful woman without discretion, how will she behave? How ca you identify her, so that you can wisely reject her as a marriage proposal? She may be beautiful outwardly. She may be skilled in fashion and hair does. She may be educated, gifted, singing, dancing and talking. But she has no fruit of the Holy Spirit in her! She is extravagant and wasteful. Any woman who cannot ‘manage small money’ cannot be a good wife and mother. She is selfish and does not care about the rights or feelings of others. She makes enemies easily. She is not attentive. She forgets the good lessons you teach her, making unnecessary mistakes. You never know what to expect from her. She has a great potential of disappointing your trust in her. She is hard working in things that do not matter, even to the point of becoming a busy body. But she is lazy and negligent with the eternal spiritual things and the serious things of life. A woman without discretion is foolish. No matter how much you love her and invest in her, she will disappoint your hopes at last.

Not all that glitter is gold, they say…Not all women are wives…Not all beautiful women are mothers…Not all religious women are saved…Marriage is too important to make a decision based on appearances. Do not marry a woman who cannot function successfully without your direct supervision. For she is not a daughter you train and you cannot be with her always. Please do not ever consider to marry a foolish woman! Do not marry a woman that you cannot trust with your secret heart and destiny. It is better to wait and pray. The right one shall come. You need to pray and seek to marry a woman approved by God, spiritually mature, your very rib and the friend of your soul. Do not compromise in the area of marriage! If in doubt, do not proceed. Pray until all hindrances are removed and God gives you total peace. Then, and only then, let the wedding bells ring…

“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents but a prudent wife is (surely) from the Lord” (PV 19:14)

“They stripped Jesus and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him” (Mt 27:28-31)

The above passage describes what happened to our Lord just hours before His crucifixion. The Roman soldiers mock Him. They naked Him and dress Him like a ‘puppet’ king. The word ‘to mock’ means to laugh at, to use someone as entertainment, to look at something as fake. In other words, the soldiers did not believe that Jesus was a real king. That is why they dressed Him like that and mocked Him. They bowed down before Him in fake worship. They even spit on His face. This is the highest level of insult. A man may endure slander or even a slap on his face. But to be spat upon is the highest insult. It means that you are less than an animal. The soldiers who did that were close enough to Jesus, so that they can ‘successfully’ spit on Him. Oh, what sin does to a man…They could not see any kindness, any grace, any glory on the face of my Lord…what a terrible blindness that is…

But with all their jokes and insults, they could not change the truth: Jesus is indeed the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Soon the truth was revealed! All men must give an account of what they did on this earth.

But there is another revelation in this passage. Jesus suffers and dies in our place. Imagine that you are the one standing there with others insulting, beating, spitting and mocking you. The devil that motivated the Roman soldiers to insult Jesus is the same devil today. Demons will come and attack you like hungry wolves. The devil is merciless. They will mock your standing with God, your calling to be a royal priesthood and your ministry to be a worshipper. You have to learn to stay close to the Cross, to be dead to lies and to reject all attacks coming from hell. You need to stand firm in the day of evil. You need to be jealous over your blessings and calling in Christ.

Eventually the truth will be revealed. The devil cannot hide it forever! And this is the truth! Since you became born again you are a child of God, a servant of God, a king and a priest unto God to declare the praises of Him who translated you from the kingdom of darkness to the marvelous light and glory of the kingdom of God!  Let all lies and inferiority complexes be rebuked to go away! Let God be glorified in your life! In Jesus name, Amen!

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him” (Ps 127:3)
There is a couple in our church who could not have a baby. They went to many hospitals, did many tests, spent a lot of money. The doctors declared the wife hopelessly barren. Just like Hannah, she wept many times at the altar…
We told them to just trust God for a miracle! We also told them to serve God even more. That children are God’s reward for faithful service to Him.
After five years of marriage, without any treatment and against all odds, the wife got pregnant. This morning they just called to say that they have a baby boy. To God be all the glory!