“In many separate revelations (each of which set forth a portion of the Truth) and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,

[But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in (the person of His) Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].

He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power…” (Heb 1:1-3, AMP)

For centuries, God Jehovah has spoken to men of old thru His messengers, His prophets, whom He has sent. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos…each one was given a piece of the puzzle. Each one had a page from the Book of God, a note of His song or a picture of His face. No one knew everything. No one had the final word. They spoke about Christ, the Messiah, whom they saw faintly, like thru shadows. They had a glimpse of His suffering and glory. They opened their hearts to the people of God, calling them closer to their Creator. But the prophets were rejected and their messages ignored.

At last, in these last days, God the Father sent God the Son to become a man. In case you do not know, His name is Jesus Christ. He came to earth and took our humanity upon His shoulders. He lived among people, worked and taught. He did miracles and many good deeds to reveal to them the love of the Father. At last, He took their sins upon Himself and died on the Cross on their behalf. He gave them in exchange His own Righteousness so that they may live and dwell in the presence of His Father.  On the third day Jesus rose from the dead and then He went back to heaven. From there, according to His promise, He sent the Holy Spirit to them who believed in Him.

This is His story, His testimony and His Gospel. This is the truth:

If you believe it, you are saved.

If you reject it, you are lost!

Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh. We believe that Jehovah Elohim created the universe. But now, we come face to face with Jesus Christ who is also the Creator. The eternal Trinity, each One does His Work and together they rule this universe, the visible and the invisible realm. Jesus Christ is the Creator and the Messiah of His people. He came to die so that they can be saved. His Word of power created the world and now the same Word upholds it, sustains it. Each cloud in the sky, each butterfly on the flower, each sparrow and each cricket, they all have their being in Jesus Christ!

In a more special way, the Word of God was sent to save sinful men. The Word of God has the power to produce faith, to give life and salvation to them who believe. After salvation, the same Word has the power to uphold, to fulfill to the end the purpose of His creation.

In Greek, the word ‘made’ means to perform,  to provide all that is necessary for life, to purge the foreign elements, to raise up, to secure and to fulfill destiny.

The word ‘power’ in this scripture means God’s violence, a miracle of force and abundance that creates a wonderful, unique work of God. It is like a waterfall down the mountain that floods the valley. Nothing can stop it. It gives water to the thirsty land bellow. Any hindrance is destroyed from its path.

The word ‘uphold’ means to endure to the end, to bear and carry the responsibility of His creation until the purpose is fulfilled. To uphold also means to give strength and support to someone weak who is under attack; it means to promote the interests of the victim against the oppressor; to actively favor the one who is falling or failing and to bring him to an expected, purposeful end.

Let me make it more personal…

The Word of God and the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin. I could fight and oppose the words of men. I could find fault with the words of teachers and journalists. But once the Rhema Word of Christ met with me, I could not defeat its power, beauty and grace. I tried to ignore it, I tried to fight it…but the more I did it, the more I lost any self-confidence I had in myself, any ideas of comfort as an educated and intelligent unbeliever. From the first time I heard the Word of God telling me I am a sinner in need of mercy, until I finally surrendered to Christ, I lost my sleep, my appetite, my happiness and my courage to live. My defeat was total and His victory was more than total. I did not give my life to Christ because I was smart or that ‘I knew better’. I gave my life to Christ because His Word of Power arrested my soul and defeated all my worldly arguments that I stored for a life time in my corrupt memory. My imaginary castle of success, protected by ignorant greed and foolish pride fell with a great crash. The Word of God showed me no mercy until I totally surrendered to the Crucified. The Holy Spirit did not accept any emotional bribe and refused to bargain with me. I tried to offer some money to the church I once mocked. But nothing worked for me…God wanted my soul or nothing. God hunted me, chased me, blocked my path and isolated me.

I hated God and His Word for so many years. I did not believe that He is interested in my life. I mocked and joked at His people. Their faith looked like foolishness and their prayer looked like incurable mental disease to me. I was too intelligent for them. I defeated their ‘stupid religious’ arguments. They could only pray for my soul. I laughed and mocked…until one day my laughter got frozen like the lips of a painted corpse. I still remember the feeling, the way my body trembled when the fear of God descended upon me. The Word of God condemned me and nailed me to the Cross. I tried to escape but the nails where too sharp, the hammer too strong. Finally, with my dying breath I surrendered to Him who was crucified by my side…The men bellow still rejoicing at my death…my soul hanging between hell and earth…I finally surrendered…and for the first time in my life, I prayed: ”Lord Jesus, You are right! I am a sinner! I need Your mercy and grace! Please come into my heart and stay…Forgive me all my sins…Be my Lord and my Savior…now and forever…”

Then, from the Cross next to mine, I heard Him say: “It is finished!”

Peace came into my heart as I’ve never known before. I forgot about my death…I forgot about my shame…The only word I could say was: ‘JESUS…JESUS …’

Joy and life came like a river into my soul. I was waiting for death when life invaded my soul. Death lost its sting to me. Death had a stroke and died…

What a story…None could have invented it except my wonderful Prince of Peace who is now settled comfortably and forever in every cell of my body, soul and spirit!

The Word of His power saved me and delivered me. He now upholds me daily by the power of the same Word. The more I study the Bible, the more I feel strong in my weakness and confident in the middle of my fears. This peace, this strength that comes from His Word will carry me to the end, for this is His Promise. Jesus amazes me daily with the sustaining power of His Word.

“I worship You Lord Jesus Christ, for who You are to me: Wonderful Creator, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Burden Carrier to the end and my Lord.

All glory to the Lamb who was slain!

Halleluiah!”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Mt 13:44)

A treasure means great wealth. It can be money, jewels or gold. Simply said, he that has the treasure is rich and he who fails to find it or loses it, is poor.

In the past, people hid their wealth in the ground because they did not have safes and banks like today. Some of these people forgot the place where they buried their treasure. Others died and did not leave a note for their children to find the buried riches. So buried treasures got lost for generations…

The law is this: he that buys the land will have all things on that land, buried or built on the surface.

Jesus tells us that His Kingdom is like a treasure buried in a field. This parable tells us that the promises of God in Christ are very great and their value is beyond words. These are first of all spiritual blessings. But Jesus tells us that first of all we have to pay the price to find these blessings. Secondly, we need to secure these promises found in Christ before we can claim their possession.

Let’s open now the trunk of this treasure:

In Christ we find a completely new life. It is eternal and fruitful. It is the gift of God, the work of His grace. It is God’s crown for man. The jewels are too many to count them all. We find the forgiveness of sins and peace with God. We find imputed righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. We find the beauty of holiness, salvation, healing and deliverance. We find the reality of a new spiritual home and family: brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. We find the hope of glory and the promise that our future is better than our past. We find strength in weakness, comfort in sorrow and friends in loneliness. We find the gold of faith and pearls of anointing for ministry. We find identity for the confused, vision for the blind and maturity for the young. The trunk is bottomless filled with the fulfillment of dreams and prayers beyond all description.

This treasure is real but it is not left hanging on a tree or abandoned on a dead end alley. It is buried in the ground.  God does not reveal Himself to the casual seekers. The desire to seek God and His promises must be given first by the same God. It starts as a hunger for greater things, for a destiny that earth cannot provide. It starts like a ‘crazy’ longing that life needs fulfillment, if not, it is an empty burden.

Slowly, I feel the need to start seeking God, to pay the price for greater things.  At the beginning it is not easy, for I may lose the sense of direction and the passion to push forward. But after sometime, I sense that I am not alone in this mysterious journey…That there is a pull coming from a field of hope, a new desire that if I just persist in this holy seeking, I shall find the treasure at last. The enemy may attack telling me that the effort of seeking and the hope of finding shall be disappointed for the lack of treasure.  I may stumble here, for no man wants greater pain than he already has…But then I ask myself, what I lose if I just continue the seeking…so I get up and keep moving, keep praying…Then the enemy says that even if I find the treasure its value is less than all my efforts and all my goods…that I will be disappointed by my find, that the treasure is a child’s play, not for adults like me…That is the point when I picked courage, for if God indeed  has a treasure for me, it has to be greater than my boredom, my guilt and my the burden of my sins. So I keep moving…now it is too late to draw back…

When I fail, I fear a little, but then I see the wisdom of it all: I learn to lose what I see – to gain the things I cannot see…. so I make up my mind: By faith, I sell my things to buy that piece of land…I want to come to the place where I have nothing to lose anymore…

Now at last…my greed dead… my fears gone…my last tear dried from my face…suddenly I touch the thing I have been looking for…under the ground, beneath the rubbish dumped by the careless, restless world, which was once my home…I touch the jewels…the golden altar…I see the smile of Jesus, no longer a dream…now it is mine…at last…it is mine forever! Hallelujah!

For me, the journey to find the treasure of God, up on the mountain of frankincense, started with a simple prayer…

“God, if You exists…if You really know me…them help me to find You…direct my heart and my vision towards things eternal, towards You…separate me from the bondage to live an ordinary life…deliver me from the duty to please men…pull me towards You with cords that cannot be broken, stronger than any sin of mine…lift me up into Your everlasting arms that I may see Your face, Your smile, Your approval…

I hear Your voice faintly….Even in the midst of many loud voices calling me down to this earth, Help me to respond to Your whisper… For I sense that I am more than I see, more than I can imagine…Help me to find You and myself in You…

Help me Lord to make You happy…I want to work for You, to serve You…I don’t know how but I am willing to submit and follow You, Lord Jesus…

Help me not to waste this precious moment, too good to be true, but true nevertheless…

If You answer this prayer, Lord, I promise to be Your friend all the days of my life on earth, and then enjoy You in heaven forever…

I wait Lord, please come, Here I am…

In Jesus name,

Amen!”

Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Thank You!

For all You have done, for who You are to me…I say thank You!

The Volucella is an insect that has a strong resemblance to the humble bee. They too eat the nectar of flowers. They abuse this resemblance to introduce themselves fraudulently into the bee nests, and they deposit their eggs there. The bees do not seem to identify the foreign insect. It looks like they trust them, for they meet on top of flowers, eating the same nectar and making friends there. When these eggs have hatched, their larvae, which have two mandibles, devour the larvae of their hosts, the bees.
This is the return they make for the hospitality they have received!
Be careful with false brethren, false prophets and deceivers! They take advantage of your hospitality and come to parasite your home, changing its atmosphere and bringing strange, poisonous ideas.
“Test all spirits for not are from God!” (1Jn 4:1)

“If people are loud in the praise of a physician who has cured them of some deadly malady — recommending others to trust and seek his skill, why should not Christ’s people crown Him with equal honors, commend Him to a dying world and proclaim what He has done for them?”
(Dr. Thomas Guthrie 1808-1873)

 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth?

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber…

The Lord is your Keeper…

No harm…both now and forevermore” (Ps 121)

THE DANGERS ON THE MOUNTAIN

Mountaineering is considered to be one of the most dangerous activities in the world. Loss of life is not uncommon. Dangers are divided in two groups:

*Outside dangers come from bad weather, falling of stones, avalanches in the winter, wild animals….

*Dangers that depend on the climber are equipment failure and falls, due to inattention, fatigue or faulty technique.

The most difficult climbs are when the mountain is vertical or covered with ice.

The climbers use a system of ropes and skillfully they tie themselves to the mountain. They use ice axes in both hands to grip the ice. Their shoes are special with spikes on the soles.

Along the paths there are special Shelters. The tired pilgrims can stop for a time to rest. There are people who supply food, blankets and medicines in these isolated cabins. The leader of the group knows where these shelters are located and take advantage of their blessings.

These are some injuries common among mountain climbers: falls (end in bone fractures or death): heart failure (from lack of oxygen and too much effort); frostbites (from ice); blindness (from snow and sunshine); hunger and thirst; depression and mental disturbance from altitude sickness, and others.

The Rock and the climber are intimately close one to the other. The mountain must be his friend. He has to trust the Rock he climbs, if not, he shall fall to his death.

A rock climber needs strength and wisdom. His maturity and experience is shown by his choice of handhold and foothold. He has to be sure that the rock he holds on is secure and strong enough to carry his weight. Many rocks look strong but are loose and not connected with the mountain itself. They can betray the climber and can fall with him to his death.

Mountaineering is basically team work. The colleagues have to trust and help one another. They tie themselves with ropes so that if one makes a mistake, the others can prevent his fall. The great principle is that of co-operation. When one moves, the others must know. Each is to know what the one ahead and the one below is doing. The unity of the Spirit is life.  All arguments and quarrels are fatal. All climbers must submit and trust their leader and one another, if not they all perish.

These are true facts and information I collected from books of mountain climbing as a sport. All these have a spiritual application. Pray that the Holy Spirit may open your eyes to see the truth as we continue to climb the mountain of spices!

THE ETERNAL CLIMB

Psalm 121 in the next step we shall take to climbing higher on the mountain of God. This is the second Psalm in the series called The Songs of ascent. Each year, the Jews were commanded to go to the Temple in Jerusalem to meet with God. The city is on a hill called Zion. Going to the Temple was never easy for it meant going up the mountain.

Please read this Psalm some few times and pray about it. Let the Holy Spirit give you a picture to inspire you in your Christian pilgrimage. God is revealed as my Strength, my Support, my Shade and as my Savior. It is called ‘the traveler’s psalm’. There is a sense of expectation of greater things and the desire to go to a higher place, trusting God to help in the ascent.

Let’s identify with this pilgrim of hope and glory…

The first thing we see is that the traveller recognizes his need of God, to help him in his journey. He starts from the lower ground. Looking up, He openly acknowledges that he needs help. He knows that God alone is the Helper to the helpless. His perceived needs during the climb, the many dangers along the way, they remind him that God alone is his Keeper to the end.

This is the first important lesson: Help comes from outside (God) not from inside (my wisdom or experience)! The devil attacks trying to convince us that ‘God helps them who help themselves: That is a lie! This deception reveals the loss of true vision!

I read somewhere that the female mountain deer comes down to the lower slopes to have her babies. The weather is more gentle and the grass more fresh. But as soon as her children are strong enough to climb, she hurries them to go higher up the mountain. This is because the danger below is greater; the wild animals are many roaming around in the valley.

The call to go higher spiritually is there because of the need for protection from the enemy’s attacks. The higher we go, the safer we shall be, the greater the peace and hope we shall experience. Monitor your spiritual ‘pulse’ and see…the proof that you are maturing…less anxiety, less confusion coming from the world ‘below’ and more assurance and peace with each step. .

The pilgrim has a vision of God and of his destiny. He lifts his eyes to the top of hills. But he does not stop there. He continues to gaze in faith to the sky above the hills, searching for the face of God. He is Jehovah Elohim, the Maker of heaven and earth. This is a journey on the ladder that Jacob saw. Each step will put a distance between the earth, our temporary home and heaven, our eternal and glorious abode. This is a journey of faith and hope, confident that our future shall be better than our past.

If you lose the vision of the One calling you heavenward, your foot may slip and you shall be in danger of falling ‘back to earth’.

God is the Creator of the Universe but He is also my personal guide and strength in this vertical journey. For some time, you shall still hear the voice of the world calling you back to the valley. The religious unbelievers who were your friends down yonder do not want you to move on. These are jealous on your progress but unwilling to pay the price and follow you.

The answer to this temptation is this: Be not like Lot’s wife! Do not look back! Look up! Keep climbing! Helper is coming soon!

Six times God is described as my keeper in this Psalm. The word in Hebrew means a Person who is personally interested in my protection and success. He is a watchman who never sleeps nor slumbers. God never yawns!!! This is a picture that has helped me many times. God knows my weaknesses and the dangers from outside. He teaches me and surrounds me with care. He totally protects me from anything that will make me fall or fail. He strengthens me and encourages me within. He also defends me from ‘smites’ coming from outside. It is His hand that blocks the hand of the enemy who wants to slap me or to pull me down. The word ‘hand’ means power, sense of direction, resources, fellowship and ministry. Practically, the closer I get to God, the more I get involved in serving Him in any ministry, the more I am covered and protected from the attacks from evil people.

The sun and the moon cannot ‘smite’ me as I climb. What does it mean?

During the forty years of wandering in the desert, the ‘shekinah’ pillar of glory directed the people of God towards the Promised Land. It also protected them from the deadly heat during the day. In the night, the cloud of fire provided enough light so that the journey towards the Promised Land can continue. They did not directly depend on the sun and the moon.  But the same cloud of glory that protected and guided the people of God, the same was deadly against their enemies. In this Psalm, God assures me of His total protection and blessings coming from His Glorious presence. I have no excuse wasting time. I should pay the price for sanctification unto spiritual maturity! But just like with the Egyptians who pursued the people of God, my enemies shall be smitten, fall and die if they try to pull me down the slopes, to backslide to the world.

The mountain of God is safe only for the true climbers, for the children of God in pilgrimage to a higher ground of maturity! The same is a deadly trap for the religious unbelievers, for false brethren and magicians.

Read this:

“On the third day God will come down on Mount Sinai and make His presence known to all the people. Post boundaries for the people all around, telling them: ‘Warning! Don’t climb the mountain. Don’t even touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain dies—a certain death. And no one is to touch that person, he’s to be stoned. That’s right—stoned. Or shot with arrows, shot to death… Animal or man, whichever—put to death!’

A long blast from the horn will signal that it’s safe to climb the mountain” (Ex 19:11-13, TM)

The sun and the moon were created by God and given as a gift to the earth for two basic reasons: for light (heat) and to mark the seasons (Gen 1:14). In the valley, I depended on the natural created things, for guidance, encouragement and strength during the transitions in life. But as I climb the mountain, I shall depend less on visible or natural things. My strength and vision shall change and become more spiritual. From now on, I shall depend on God who is my Shepherd and my Eternal Keeper.

‘Going out’ of my home, far from my comfort zone, to work or to war, when taking risk with strange encounters, all these shall be under the loving faithful, watching eye of my God. I shall not fear ‘going out’, travelling to see new things, far from my home.

The ‘coming in’ to my home, back to my routine, quietly abiding in His presence, this shall also be with joy, for God is here.

This is my testimony: In the different seasons of life, in all my transitions, in all my travels and in the long season of home dwelling… God is my peace, strength and joy! Inside and outside, God is my Keeper! I am safe and confident, sure of His salvation and hope!

God is my strength, my support, my shade and my salvation!

Who shall I fear? None!

Looking above the hills, I keep climbing!

This evening we had our women’s fellowship. Most of the women were absent because of heavy traffic, sicknesses and other things. The ones who could come look weak, strangely distracted and anxious. It is a very long time that we have experienced such mysterious weakness in our fellowship. The remnant of them who could find God’s strength perfected even in weakness tried to revive their sisters, but to no avail. Like the foolish Galatians, the women look ‘bewitched’ for lack of spiritual vision. It was a clear attack coming from the evil spirit of religion who blinds the eyes of the believers to the power of the Gospel, which is Christ crucified for our sins! Jesus Christ died that we may live!

This went on for more than an hour…Then we remembered the CROSS…we reminded ourselves of the price Jesus paid and the powerful promises proceeding from there. We directed our gaze to the Crucified!

Suddenly, the Spirit of Grace and Supplication fell on us. In a second, the tired feet started dancing, the weak bodies stood up to pray. The prayer was with faith, in unity of the Spirit, passionate and in earnest. The atmosphere changed! One by one, we called the names of the lies and the sicknesses that have influenced our bodies and minds in the past: malaria, sickle cell, depression, un-forgiveness…Each time a name was called, we shouted even louder: ‘Go out, in the name of Jesus!’

This went on and on for a time…then the place got quiet…there was no more sin to call, no more sickness that clamored for recognition…all the women jumped and sang for joy, like prisoners set free…the only option left was to praise God for His mercy and grace, healing and deliverance granted in time of need. I saw such a difference on these women’s faces and body language…so much change between their coming in to service and their going out to their homes…

The devil lost another battle! God is strong on our behalf! What can I say…

It was so wonderful!

How can I be a pastor without the Holy Spirit?

How can I mother all these women without the Holy Spirit?

It is truly impossible, for Jesus said: ‘Without Me you can do nothing!’

Yes, Lord, thank You for the loving reminder!

Only God knows the hearts of all people!

Only The Holy Spirit can truly empower for ministry!

To God be all the glory!

In Jesus name, amen!

(Gal 3:1-5; Zech 12:10; 2Cor 12:9; Jn 15:5)

“I call on You, my God, for You will answer me;

turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer.

Show me the wonders of Your great love…

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings…

from my mortal enemies who surround me” (Ps 17:6-9)

If you desire to learn how to pray, go to the Psalms and pray along the scriptures. The Psalms are the best teacher when it comes to prayer! Make friends with King David in particular!

David was often in trouble, like many of us. Some troubles come because we sin. Other troubles come because of the persecution of the wicked against the children of God.

David prays with faith, boldness and confidence that God will hear him. He wants, once more, that God reveals to him that special, wonderful, supernatural love given only to a child of God. The wicked, the unbelievers know God only from afar. They experience the general grace of God manifested in natural blessings. But they can never experience ‘the wonders of God’s great love’, as David calls it.

All the wealth and fame of unbelievers cannot bring them to their knees to worship God! Their success makes them proud and ‘God is none of their thoughts’. It is the peculiar work of God the Holy Spirit that convicts a man of sin against God! He alone can humble a man to the point of conversion!

David prays for protection from his deadly, persistent enemies. He wants God to ‘keep him like the apple of God’s eye’, to be as the pupil of His eyes. What does he mean?

The pupil is a black hole located in the center of the iris in the eye. It allows the light to enter the retina. The iris reacts to light. The pupil gets wider in the dark and narrower in the light.

The cornea is the transparent membrane that covers the eye. It can be affected by different medical conditions, allergies, infections or injuries. These cause serious pain or itching and they can harm the vision. A deep injury to the eye leads to incurable blindness.

The eye is the most sensitive organ of the body. The pupil is the most sensitive part of the eye. Any wound is extremely painful.

These are the medical facts.

Spiritually speaking, the pupil of the eye is the gate of ‘the light to the body’. The condition of the eye affects the whole body! All blind men are sick men…

This ‘gate’ can be open, and then the body is filled with the blessings of light. There is no sickness that can hide in a body full of light. The doctors detect it and easily treat it. The same gate can be closed, thru injury to the eye. Then the whole body suffers with strange ailments hidden in the darkness of ignorance and fear. You are sick and you do not know it…you imagine the worst about the condition of your body…you fear your sickness and the doctors are unable to detect it thru medical means…

The enemy of the eye is not the big stone but the little splints, the motes and the dust (Mt 6:22, 23; 7:3)

It is not the big sins that harm my vision, but the little ones, the careless attitude, the foolish mistakes, the speaking too much, the keeping silent when I should have spoken, the missing of the mark, the religious hypocrisy borrowed from the world…

Surely God values His eyes!  Jesus Christ is God’s Beloved! Jesus is the Apple of God’s eye!

In Christ, we the believers have the same value! God loves us! What a revelation!!!

IN CHRIST I DECLARE:

“I am the apple of God’s eye; therefore I forsake all my fears and my inferiority complex!

From today, I will see myself only thru God’s eyes and not mine!

Dear God, please help me!

Wash me and I shall be clean!

I repent from any ‘little’ sins that harms my vision!

May God purify my vision and my prayer!

God protects His eyes, therefore He will protect me too!

To be God’s toe is good, but to be His eye is better… I am the apple of God’s eye!

As God cannot endure pain when His eye is touched, He will also help me quickly!

My pain will touch God’s heart always! My tears will wet His face!

I fear no sickness, no bullet and no harm from any man, for my wound shall be God’s wound!

I believe that God cares for me!

I believe that He is mindful of me!

As God protects His eyes, detecting danger from afar, He will cover and protect me from wicked words, jealous stares and fowler’s snares set by enemies!

Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Your eye!

This is my prayer tonight!

No more, no less…

In Jesus name,

Amen!”

This is one of my best stories I remember from Romania. It is called ‘Sarea in bucate’ by Petre Ispirescu. The impact it had upon my soul beyond words. I did not know God, but thru children’ stories like these I became hungry for truth and love, for a life greater than my communist teachers described it to me.  God used stories to draw me closer to Him, long before I knew that He even exists. This is how I discovered that pursuing just material wealth or social status is not good enough. Nothing can compare with a life of purpose, destiny and sacrificial love…Much later I met the Lord Jesus and all my dreams and stories are now fulfilled in Him!

This is the story:

There was once a king. His wife died so he lavished all his love on his three daughters. He gave them gifts and all what they desired. Soon, the girls became young women. One day their father wanted to test his daughters’ love for him. He called the oldest and asked her:

‘How much do you love me, my daughter?’

She quickly answered him: ‘I love you like honey in the honeycomb…’

‘Well done my daughter! I am pleased with you…’ – he said.

Then the king asked the middle daughter:

‘How much do you love me, my daughter?’

Immediately she answered him:

‘Daddy, I love you as sugar in the cake!’

‘Well done, my daughter! I am happy with you…’ – he said.

Both girls wanted to flatter their father, for they knew that he wanted to hear sweet words.

Lastly, the king called the youngest. She loved him very much but she was quieter, gentler than her sisters. He asked her the same question:

‘Daughter, how much do you love me?’

The young princess paused for a moment…she said a quick prayer and then she answered:

‘I love you daddy, like the salt in the soup…’

Immediately the king got angry. ‘Salt… What salt? Is this answer the best you can give me? With all my gifts and love for you?’ –he shouted?

He did not expect this type of answer. He was not prepared to hear such a word.

Afraid that she made a mistake, the daughter fell on her knees and asked for forgiveness and mercy. But the king was too upset to listen. He disowned her and sent her away from his palace.

She left her childhood home. She prayed that God will lead her. She has never gone outside the gate of her father’s house. So she wondered alone, cold and afraid for many days. She arrived at the gate of a great city that also had a king. She decided to conceal her identity as a princess.  She got employment with the house keeper of the palace. She was so good, humble and faithful at her job that the queen heard about it. She called this mysterious girl to be her personal assistant. Her son, the prince saw the girl and fell in love with her. They decided to marry and all were very happy.

The king sent many invitations to the wedding. Her father was invited as a royal guest. At the wedding reception she made sure that her father will receive a different food than the rest of the guests. In all his dishes, the salt was replaced by sugar and honey. Her father tested the food and got angry. He thought that they mocked him in public. Suddenly he got up and in the presence of all he complained about his food. The host did not know what to answer. Then, to everybody’s surprise, the bride spoke. She told everybody about her story of love, pain, misunderstanding and rejection. Her father was sorry and asked for forgiveness having learnt the great lesson of life that salt is more needful for life than sugar and truth is always greater than lies.

What is the lesson for us?

Truth may be painful, especially in its first appearance. But truth is like salt, it preserves life and love from becoming just a soft copy of an empty romantic dream.

‘Speak the truth in love…’ we are commanded (Eph 4:15)

Jesus said: ‘You are the salt of the earth!’ (Mt 5:13)

Dear brethren, for Christ sake, I love you like the salt in the soup!

May you say: Amen!

“Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

“He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here!

He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it!

By the way that he came he will return!

He will not enter this city!” – declares the Lord.

“I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!”

Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp…” (Is 37:33-38)

This is the historical background: Assyria was the strongest kingdom at that time. They had total success against all opposition. They has even defeated the northern Kingdom of Israel and carried them into exile. They have advanced into the Kingdom of Judah, demanding that Jerusalem will totally surrender.

Sennacherib, the Assyrian commander openly boasts about his past successes, trying to intimidate King Hezekiah and the people of God. The enemy is confident of success. He even insults the name of Jehovah, the God who is ‘in charge’ of Zion.

Hezekiah knows that humanly speaking his case is lost. He needs a miracle, nothing less will do! He knows that this trouble is too much for him to solve it. He cannot trust in himself or in his people for they were not much better than their northern defeated ‘brethren’.

What is the secret of this victory?

Hezekiah prayed to God and called Him down from heaven to earth! He had faith that God hears and answers the prayers of His servants, especially the desperate ones.

He prays and then He waits for God to say something… to do something…

Suddenly God answers! God gives him a word of assurance, the promise that the enemy will be defeated and destroyed. In less than 24 hours, it happened exactly the way God said it! The angel of God killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. They all had heart attack at the same time. This is what I call victory!

Why did God intervene? These are the reasons: God defends His name, His glory and His people!

We observe ‘the chemistry’ of true miracles:  the attack, the insult, the slander of the enemy against His name and the repentant, humble prayer of faith of His people. Once these two factors collide, the dynamite of God’s presence will manifest! Let your faith increase! This is the truth!

Now, let’s apply the lesson…How do you react when great pressure is on?

Some people fight it, some people run away, some deny it, some compromise or surrender to the enemy, some ask for help from men, some ‘bury’ themselves in work, some ‘drown’ their sorrow in alcohol and drugs…

Some of these things may have some value, sometimes, but when your back is to the wall, when all things fall and break to pieces, when all hope is gone, when my testimony hangs in the balance…when I find myself between  life and death…I come to God Almighty, the only Living God, for whom NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE! I re-remember the privilege of prayer! For as far I still have breath in me, I don’t just waste it on useless weeping and cheap mourning…I use my breath to PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Dear Child of God,

Call the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior, Brother and King! God is in charge of the angels who are sent to protect you! God is not dead! God is not deaf! Pray! Pray! Pray! God will answer you and the answer can only be good!

All the glory goes to God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

This evening, in ‘Saturday class’ I shared a testimony as an example of how hard it is to leave the valley of the comfort zone for the promotion and blessing found on top of the mountain.

This is the testimony: A young brother came to me for counsel. He was very angry. He lives in the boys-quarter of his uncle, a rich man. He has been there for more than 5 years. Then last week, the uncle sent somebody to knock of his window telling him that he has just 48 hours to vacate the BQ and come and live in the main house, at the first floor rooms with his sons. This brother was angry that the uncle was calling him to live in the main house. He said that he got used to the BQ and that there is more space there. I reminded him about our prayer to live the valley and to go up the mountain. It took him some time to get the revelation that God answered his prayer for promotion.

Trade ‘the comfort zone’ for the ‘inconvenience’ of the promotion!

I just received a testimony from another brother:

To the Glory of God, I remembered when you gave the testimony this evening of the boy who was invited to the main house from the boys -quarter. Here is how mine happened, after last week Saturday class when we started the series of this is ‘the time to climb up the mountain’, i got home…

Then on Tuesday Morning I was called for an interview for a very good job, I went for the written interview unprepared because the invitation came that same morning…while i was writing the interview, thoughts ran through my mind that, now i want to start working in a bigger company than my very small company i was running; which means i won’t have the free times i used to have again, the leisure time i use to run around the town and so on.. i was with the attitude that i will lose the free time…But when you made mention of the boy’s encounter of moving upstairs into the main house, it clicked in my mind that I was being invited to a very new opportunity, i did not even know this was one of the steps upward God has invited me into… I love this God! HE walks in way I cannot see…

My answer to him:

That is why His blessings always surprise us to the point of worship! Let go of ‘the valley’ mentality. You may lose some things but you shall gain greater things. At last, when you sit and count your blessings, you shall be surprised at what the Lord has done! I will reprint your testimony on my wall without mentioning your name. The first step is the most difficult in any journey! From now on, it should be easier for you to follow…Let’s go, up the mountain!

“I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me….

‘For too long I lived among them that hate peace. I am a man of peace! But when I speak, they are for war” (Ps 120)

Psalm 120 is the first out of fifteen Psalms called as ‘Songs of ascents’.  The word ‘ascent’ in Hebrew means a set of stairs, the beginning of a journey. This is the story of climbing the mountain of blessings. We shall take the first step to a higher ground at the sound of heavenly music. It will be a good climb. On the mount of Transfiguration Peter said: ‘Lord, it is good for us here…’ May it be good for you there! We shall go to a higher level of worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. We declare that, by the grace of God, we shall defeat all the enemies and we shall demolish all the hindrances in our way. Jehovah God leads the way and we shall follow!

In any journey, the first step is the most difficult. The valley bellow has been our home for so long that we have forgotten the glory revealed on top of the mountain. The attack here is against prayer and peace! In Jesus name we shall defeat and prevail! Our prayer- life and our peace – life shall be established!

The first thing that we shall do is to pray. Prayer is the oxygen of the spirit. The higher we go, the easier will be to pray. Take this as a sign that you are making progress. The word distress means to be in a tight and crowded place, pushed to the wall by a female enemy. Spiritually speaking, this trouble is the effect of the oppression of demons, in particular the seducing spirit of jezebel. Like Elijah, we shall run towards the mountain of God where we shall surely find a fresh word of wisdom in time of need and new anointing for the coming days (1Kg 19).

The enemy attacks the faith in prayer. We remind ourselves that no matter how old we are as believers, prayer is still the way to communicate with God. We need faith that God answers our prayers. The enemy in the valley shall attack with arrows of doubts and fears. These are all lies and fake deceptions. Please remember this: with the exception of the holy fear of God, all other fears are lies; they are the seeds of deceptions and failure. You should resist and reject all so called prophetic utterances that aim to intimidate and confuse you to draw back. Often, these lies come as slander and accusing words. They are designed to bring inferiority complex in you. They tell you that you are not good enough for God to answer your prayers. They force you to accept doubt as a way of escape from trouble.

Nobody likes trouble but I will not doubt His Word and promises just to stop the attack of slander on my testimony. I will not fear death climbing on the mountain of peace! I will not go back! Even if the stones of lies are falling on my head, like Steven’s own, I will still not draw back! I will not fear death!  I will continue my climbing!  Like Steven, at last, I will rejoice seeing Jesus!

This is my testimony: ‘I prayed and God answered!’ let the whole world go to pieces, with anger and jealousy; I will not lie and deny my God!  I will not sell my birthright and my testimony as a child of God who prays!

As I prepare to take my first step up the mountain, I just realize that I stayed far too long in the valley of depression and deception. Like Lot in Sodom and like Noah, I preach righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. But the world in the valley does not accept my Gospel of Hope.

See the damage the valley has done to me…For so long I was rejected and mocked that I stared doubting my identity and my calling as a servant of the Most High God. Little by little, doubt crept in my spirit and I became tired of doing good deeds. I prayed less, I preached less…I started making business with the enemy, yoking myself with unbelievers, thinking that things will never change…

The devil attacks me again with his lies. He tells me that I will always be sick, weak, poor, depressed, barren, lonely and afraid. The enemy calls my sickness ‘incurable’. For a moment I believe the lie…but the taste of lies is like gravel in my mouth…I spit it out…and stretch my hand for the cup filled with the fresh water of life…

I dwelled too long in the valley of Meshech and Kedar. I started to believe the deception of those wicked fellows below.

The word Meshech means sowing seeds. The word Kedar is another word for Kidron Valley, in between the Mount of Olives and the Golden gate of Jerusalem. It is in this valley that they dumped the trash and corpses of men and animals. The fire and the smoke bellow always rises to remind people of hell. The word in Hebrew means mourning, ashes and hopelessness.

The enemy mocks me that all my seeds, all my ministry have been rejected, that I have no salvation and no reward at the end of my journey on earth. The accuser of the brethren tells me that Kidron valley and hell is my destination. I can see now that this is an arrow of lies.

This evening, I just reminded myself that I am a man of prayer and peace! Shalom is my God! Peace is stronger than war!

The word ‘peace’ in Hebrew is one of the most powerful names of God: Jehovah Shalom. It means the best God has for you: His peace and joy, His happiness, wealth and health; His safety and favor with men.

I declare that the blessings found in the name Shalom are mine forever! The overflow will be deposited in my children!

This evening, by faith in the living God who can never lie, trusting Him unto my last breath, I forsake the valley of death and I take my first step on the Shalom Mountain…my ears, tired from all the lies, are revived also…they hungrily receive the new sound of grateful singing…this is the hour of my deliverance and my victory.

My enemy who hates peace is now below, under my feet. I stop his arrows with the shield of faith. The same arrows shall go back and pierce his heart. My enemy will taste from the grief has caused me for all these years.

This is my hour! This is my moment! It is time for me to climb up the mountain! May the angels rejoice! May the people of God rejoice with me!

This time I shall not disappoint You, Lord! My right foot has touched the higher ground! This is my first step! But not the last! I shall follow You until I can see Your glory revealed on the mountain! This is my promise! This is my song! This is my pledge!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Beloved, my whole concern was to write to you in regard to our common salvation. [But] I found it necessary and was impelled to write you and urgently appeal to and exhort [you] to contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints…

For certain men (and women) have crept in stealthily, gaining entrance secretly by a side door. Their doom was predicted long ago, ungodly (impious, profane) persons who pervert the grace of God…

Nevertheless in like manner, these (filthy) dreamers also corrupt the body, scorn and reject authority and government, and revile and libel and scoff at [heavenly] glories (the glorious ones)…

These are hidden reefs (elements of danger) in your love feasts…

Woe to them!” (Jude, AMP)

Recently, it was brought to my attention that there are some CDs circulating in Warri that have become ‘viral’. In them there are three women who claim to have dreamed and that they have gone to heaven and back. They each have their own stories about meeting a person called ‘jesus christ’, angels and past saints. These women came back saying that ‘jesus’ said we should change our dress code, if not we shall go to hell. In particular they said that the most dangerous items on their ‘holy list’ are these: make up, lipstick, wigs and attachments (weave-ons) and trousers. They said other things but basically they imply that salvation depends on ‘works’, on the wardrobe or other outward things. That alone is an error, a sin and a blasphemy from hell.

My concern is with the believers, especially with the young ones who may fall from their secure position of faith in Christ alone.

This is the Gospel! This is the Truth!

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, came to earth, became man, lived and died on the Cross to give glory to God the Father and to atone for our sins. He was buried in a tomb in Jerusalem. He rose from the dead on the third day. He revealed Himself to His disciples in His glorified body. After some days, He bodily rose to heaven. Forty days after He died, according to His promise, He sent the Holy Spirit from Heaven. The Holy Spirit was sent to form and seal the Body of Christ on earth.

If you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and if you freely confess it with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, then you are born again, you are saved.

Salvation is of God’s work alone. Christ alone takes the glory for your going to heaven! No man, no angel, not any material item of fashion has a say in this glorious and great salvation!

Read the Book of Jude! The danger of false brethren has always been there. If you are truly born again, you have no excuse to be deceived by silly and gullible men and women who masquerade as servants of God! The Holy Spirit leads into all truth and His influence in you is greater than the foolishness and the deception outside.

These false teachers are called ‘filthy dreamers’. Because they do not have another Bible to preach from, they deceive people with other fake sources of revelation: their dreams of heaven and hell. Dreams are chaff (nonsense, useless stories) compared with the preaching of the Word of God (Jer 23:25-29). Their dreams are called filthy because these are the product of their filthy, unsanctified, unholy, unclean, unspiritual minds, imaginations and emotions.

Wrong doctrines always end in immorality! Only truth leads to purity in behavior, motives and speech.

These false teachers are spiritual terrorists. They are deceitful, dangerous and deadly! They hide and come deceitfully that you should not know their true purpose. But this is the danger: they are deadly. Like suicide bombers, they do not mind to blow themselves off and take along as many souls to hell. That is why we are warned to be watchful and actively resist and expose them.

We are told that they are ‘spots’ in our love feasts (KJ). The word ‘spot’ in Greek means that they are hidden reefs, planted dangers below the sea, set to cause shipwreck to your faith. These are pirates and robbers. In the ancient warfare, the enemy was creating artificial blockage under the sea so that the propeller of the ship will be entangled and the ship taken.

That is the danger, my brethren! I blow my trumpet! Let him that ears, let him hear!

Do not pilot your ship in the murky waters, close to the coast of men, without the compass of the Holy Ghost! Be sober! Be vigilant!

These are agents of the devil, of the accuser of the brethren! They are agents of the wicked spirit of jezebel, the fake ‘queen of heaven’ (Jer 44:25). They are sent to destroy you, or at least to slow you down, to hinder your progress as a believer and to make you backslide from the holy faith entrusted once and for all to the saints!

The Word of God condemns them: ‘Woe to them!’

I condemn them too! Their so called ministries will fall and end in disgrace! They shall be exposed as charlatans and thieves of souls! Their so called ‘charisma’ that attracts many to listen to their lies shall fail completely! The money they make from donations and from selling their CDs will not be beneficial to them. Their magic will fail! Their end shall be sorrow, pain, troubles and torment, except they openly and publicly repent of their wickedness!

These people who want to wound your conscience and to shipwreck your faith, I hand them over to Satan, their master, to be thought a lesson not to blaspheme again (1Tim 1:18-20)

Do not be sorry for the devil! He is a loser without pardon!

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see the truth that sets you free from bondage to sin, to religion and to legalism!

May the Blood of Jesus cover you and your family!

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen!

When I a poor lost sinner before the Lord did fall
And in the name of Jesus for pardon loud did call
He heard my supplication and soon the weak was strong
For Jesus took my burden and left with me a song

Chorus
Yes Jesus took my burden I could no longer bear
Yes Jesus took my burden in answer to my prayer
My anxious fears subsided my spirit was made strong
For Jesus took my burden and left me with a song

Oft-times the way is dreary and rugged seems the road
Oft-times I’m weak and weary when bent beneath some load
But when I cry in weakness how long O Lord how long
Jesus takes the burden and leaves me with a song

When I was crushed with sorrow I bowed in deep despair
My load of grief and heartache seemed more than I could bear
Twas then I heard a whisper you to the Lord belong
Then Jesus took my burden and left me with a song

I’ll trust Him for the future He knoweth all the way
For with His eye He’ll guide me along life’s pilgrim way
And I will tell in heaven while ages roll along
How Jesus took my burden and left me with a song

This song was written by Rev. Johnston Oatman (1856-1922). He worked as a businessman most of his life, primarily in the insurance business. Although he never influenced the world via a pastorate in a church, his hymns have influenced many generations by their powerful, yet simple, messages. Songs like “No Not One” and “Count your blessings” contain great spiritual truths, but are also simple enough that a child can understand and relate to them.
Mr. Oatman was never paid more than $1.00 for any hymn that he ever wrote even though they were extremely popular and are found in many hymnals today. Rev. Oatman gave God at least 5000 burdens, pains and sorrows, for he wrote the same number of hymns. He may not have been wealthy in money but His account in heaven still overflows.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Pet 5:6, 7)

I pray today that if you have a burden you are bearing, that you will take that burden to the Lord and ask Him to exchange it for a song!
In Jesus name,
Amen!

 “Say to God: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to the work of our hands; for in You the fatherless find compassion.”

God says to you: “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily…”

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hos 14)

This is the last chapter in the Book of Hosea, the prophet. The whole Book is sad and painful but at last we see the hope for the future. Hosea is a true prophet, his ministry is unique. God commands him to do a strange thing: to marry a prostitute and to have wayward children. His family life will be ‘hell on earth’. His pain is great; none can understand, except God who called him. His pain forces him to come closer to God. Hosea is God’s man, a true prophet to the nations!

These are the lessons for us:

1. REPENT AND RETURN – Stop and change direction in life. New strategy will be revealed, success assured! This is a period of transition in your life. It is the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. Have hope! Have faith! Your latter part of life will be better than the first.
2. COME WITH YOUR WORDS – Pray continually! Pray more; in English and in the Spirit! God wants to hear your voice! Access is granted to you in His presence. Do not complain to men anymore. They can’t help you because God wants to talk to you. Reject the evil spirit of religion. Forgive all and forgive yourself. Bring to God all your questions, all your arguments, all pains and joys, your secret poems and buried songs, silent dreams, prophetic utterances and all. God wants to answer you Himself! You have been found faithful in little things – so you will have authority over greater things. This is God’s decree 
3. FRUITFULNESS AND INCREASE IS APPROVED – GOD LOVES YOUR FAMILY– You can only plant the seed. God alone gives the increase, the multiplication, the harvest. Your God is the God of your wife and the God of your children. God is with them as He is with you. They are not ‘second hand’ citizens. God has forgiven them from backsliding, rebellion and foolishness. They will change and serve God. You will never regret having children. They are God’s gift and reward. Give your children to God. You can never be their God. Only God is God! Let the Cross kill your natural emotions for your family. See them as God’s property. You have done your best as a parent. Now is time for God to take over your burden. Trust Him!
4. WISDOM WILL REWARD YOU WITH LONG LIFE –Foolishness and ignorance is shameful and a hindrance to progress. Wisdom comes from God and He will give you the power to live successfully, no regrets, no sorrow. Your life is not in the doctor’s hands. Your life belongs to God! God rewards you as you diligently seek Him! God will make your paths straight, simple and easy. You will be a sign and a wonder to people. They will be surprised at your new strength and joy to serve God. You will work less and you will make greater spiritual and eternal impact. Just promise to give all the glory to God!

You are forgiven, healed, made wise and loved freely!

To You O Lord be all the glory, now and forever!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

“Thanksgiving is good but thanks-living is better”
(Matthew Henry)

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…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.
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but THEY WILL PROGRESS NO FURTHER FOR THEIR FOLLY WILL BE MANIFEST TO ALL as theirs also was” (2Tim 3:1-9)

As we see in the scriptures above, there is a peculiar danger coming against the women in the church. In the Bible, the man is the symbol of Christ and the woman is a symbol of the church. In other words, there is an attack coming from the evil spirit of religion upon the living churches!
These religious hypocrites are also cowards. Their victims of choice are the weak willed, doubting, religious women in the church. These are described as silly, foolish or gullible. The attack is also against the homes, for if the mothers are deceived, the children will also fall. That is the plan of the devil: The spiritual decline of the next generation!
We are told that these agents of the devil come ‘creeping’ into the homes. This word means to move slowly, close to the ground, on hands and knees, trying to escape notice. In Greek the word means to dress up, to wrap around with clothes. It is the picture of creeping plants around a tree. These people embrace you with open arms of fake love, which soon become the steel chains of bondage. Their friendship will weaken your spirit, your prayer life, your commitment to the way of the Cross and holiness. The proof that the relationship is demonic is this: If you try to break the relationship you shall experience fear of loneliness and unnecessary guilt.
‘I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God shall escape her but the sinner she will ensnare’ (Ecc 7:26)
These religious agents are trained in spiritual ‘creeping’. They look humble, timid, quiet, but they are extremely persistent and stubborn in evil doing. These are skillful, silent thieves. They come to steal your peace and joy or to damage your faith. They come to settle in your house as friends or prayer partners. They are smart enough to avoid confrontation at the beginning of the relationship. They look nice and spiritual. But their primary assignment is to establish a foothold for the devil to monitor and weaken your spiritual life. If you suspect them of evil they are ready to apologize, but after the apology, they still do not retreat their steps.
Lesson: Be careful with anyone who apologizes without producing fruits of true repentance for all to see!

‘From such turn away’ -we are commanded! ‘Turn away’ in Greek means to deflect, to avoid danger. It is like driving a car. You go on a straight path, but you do not sleep at the wheel. You are watchful to see any danger coming from the opposite direction. You are aware that on the same road there are drunk drivers or suicidal crazy people. You should not be ignorant of their plan to kill themselves, dragging you along in their destruction. Defensive driving is prudent driving. You have to be ready to quickly avoid a head on collision with these mad people.
Maturity means to be balanced in all things, strong when you need to be strong and flexible when you need to be flexible. This prudence proves your holy identity. ‘A prudent wife is from the Lord’ (PV 19:14)

Dear daughter, Come to the Cross! ‘There is room at the Cross for you…’ Come to Jesus! He alone is the Truth!
Truth is a Person. Truth is not a crowd. Truth is Jesus Christ. Truth is scarce. There are many liars but very few faithful and honest people in this world. Be such a one! Always fellowship with the Truth, no matter how painful it is, for the result is fruitfulness, freedom and glory. If you live by the truth you will never be lonely, for Truth is a Person. ‘Speak the truth in love…’ and lies can never kidnap your soul!
Dear Daughter, This attack is wicked and cowardly. But do not draw back! Be blind to what the devil shows to you! Open your eyes and see this season with the eyes of Christ! There is no need to weep! There is no need to fear! Strengthen yourself in the Lord! All the preparation in the past, all the fasting and prayers, all the prophetic utterances…these point to Jesus, your Lord! This is the time to stand for Jesus! We are not alone! Are you not seeing it? This is our moment to shine for Jesus! There is an open door of faith and ministry for the women of God at this very hour! May your eyes see the Cross and the glory that follow! Your reward shall be a greater anointing in ministry, spiritual maturity, the blessing of marriage and the heritage of godly children.
I plead the Blood of Jesus over your body, soul, spirit, marriage, work, ministry and children! I trust the speaking ‘of better things’, the preaching and pleading of the Blood of Jesus over you!
Even right now, I rejoice! The victory is ours,
In Jesus name,
Amen!

“Don’t tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They’re a lot of hot air, that’s all they are. They’re completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.

So, then, if with Christ you’ve put all that pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and ascetic. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important” (Col 2:18-23; TM)

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
(2Tim 3:1-5)

The scriptures above give us a sad picture of humanity on earth. Basically, the people become worst; their hearts more corrupted and wicked as time passes by.
Since Pentecost, we are living in ‘the last days’. The second coming of Christ is imminent. We can see that the influence of evil, the spiritual darkness and ignorance increases day by day. It is more and more difficult to keep a strong and pure testimony as a child of God. The weapons of the devil are becoming more subtle. You need to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit to triumph in all temptations. That is why your primary desire is to know the Person of God the Holy Spirit! He is the key to success in all spiritual warfare. It is not as important to know who the devil is, as to know the One who defeated the devil. You need to fight all battles from a position of victory. That is the revelation of Calvary. Go to the Cross! Study it, and you shall be saved!

The greatest danger against the people of God comes from within, from men who claim to be saved but they are agents of the devil. You need the discernment of the Holy Spirit to identify such people. There is nothing in the natural to differentiate them from you and me. They quote the scriptures; they pray in tongues, they sing in the choir. They do much work in the church…
They claim to be born again and Spirit filled, but this is the danger: they are not! These are religious unbelievers!
The church is a mixed multitude. We do not drive people away just because they are unbelievers. We pray that more people should come to church, to listen to the Word of God, so that they may repent and be saved. But we are not ignorant of the possibility that active agents of the powers of darkness are on a mission to infiltrate the church and plant evil seeds of false doctrines and other deceptive ideas.
It is the prophetic responsibility of the leaders to sound the alarm, to call people to stand and pray. The pastors should call the attention of their congregations about attacks against the Body of Christ. The husband is to call his wife and children to warn and expose the attack of the devil upon their home. The wife is his helper in this holy work. In the absence of the husband, it is the wife’s responsibility to call the children to prayer and Bible studies. They should expose ‘the fruitless deeds of darkness’ for the Bible condemns ignorance, carelessness and false security, especially in time of war (Eph 5:11)

Who are these dangerous people? These are religious men and women who claim to be saved but are totally deceived. This is the truth: ignorantly or not, they work for the devil. They read the Bible and quote scriptures. They know the weakness of the children of God because of past familiarity with them. They direct their ‘ministries’ especially towards the immature, weak willed believers who have not paid the price for a spiritual established heart. They betray the interests of the Kingdom of God. It is said that the damage a traitor does from within is a thousand times greater than that of an army coming from outside.

Child of God, FEAR NOT!

It is time to sound your trumpet for Jesus Christ!

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

We are building our new church sanctuary in Warri, Nigeria. Our church is called Father’s House Bible Church. The main sanctuary shall accommodate at least ten thousand people. Almost all the work is done by the brethren in the church. The senior pastor, Dr. Leigh (fondly called TaLeigh) supervises the building like ‘a spiritual engineer’. We have made a vow to  God that we shall not borrow money to build God’s house. He has promised to supply all that is necessary. God is faithful. Since we have started the construction there has been no accident, to theft, no fight. That is indeed a miracle. All the glory goes to God!

(bellow are some pictures as we continue to build)

‘He brings the clouds (of rain) to punish people, to water His earth and show His love’ (Job 37:13)

We just came from a trip to Israel.  Over there the land is dry, painfully longing for water. Just few hours of flight, and we arrived at Lagos airport. Since we came home, for the past one week, the rain has been pouring on and on. These are two different countries; these are two different seasons.  But this is the same earth and this is the same God.

Have you ever asked yourself, why does it rain? The scientists’ have their own answer. But for me, God’s truth reigns over all else. I see in the Bible that God sends the rain. No drop on my umbrella is there by mistake. God sends the rain for three main reasons:

The first is to punish, to chastise the people for their sins. During the time of Noah, the rain became a mighty flood of judgment. Only Noah and his family escaped the watery grave. During the time of Elijah, the withdrawal of rain was a sign of God’s anger, for the people gave themselves to wicked idolatry.

The second reason why there is rain, it is to water the earth for the plants to grow. God promised His people, that if they obey His Word, he will send rain from heaven. If they rebel against His Word, the drought will be the judgment of death (Deut 28)

The third reason is that rain is God’s sign of love and mercy to men. Even the unbelievers partake from this mysterious blessing (Mt 5:45). I look thru the window and see water covering my neighbor’s compound… I see some people with yellow rain-coats trying to find a way to cross…suddenly I get it: This is not just water! This rain is a sign from heaven! Warri, God loves you so much! His mercy is flooding your streets and your homes…other cities will envy you for the blessing of revival at last!

“There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above…”

I hear the rain drops falling on the garage roof. Suddenly, it is not just the same repetitive, meaningless sound, coming from ‘the ordinary’ rain water.  Slowly…I start to hear a long forgotten tune I once knew as a child…then the words fill the gaps in between the drops and here is a poem…This is not just water falling…it is my Father’s cleansing embrace; His greeting and love song from afar…

’Look, He is coming with clouds…’ (Rev 1:7)

Suddenly I hear my name…I run outside and stand in the rain in my garden. I look up!  I throw away the umbrella. It has become my enemy now.  Drenched under the showers of blessings, mercy welcomes me in this new raining season. For such a long time I felt like a foreigner in Nigeria. But now, the rain has welcomed me home. This is my Father’s House! This is my Father’s Rain! This is my Father’s Love!

“Lord, I believe!”