“She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” (PV 31:26)
God created the tongue especially as an organ for speech. It is a little organ, compared with others. But it has great spiritual power, for good or for evil, according to the speech. The tongue is a slave to the words proceeding from the heart. That is why no man can control its tongue. The change for good starts in the heart. Then the speech and the life shall improve.
Practically, a wise woman is known by her few words seasoned with grace. This is not an easy accomplishment. You have to pray for peace and order to rule in your heart. Totally reject any form of confusion! The heart is like a house, clean or dirty. As a wife and mother you should know where each item is, where to find the things you need. You are even supposed to find things that are ‘lost’ by your husband and children. Your family will say about you: ‘Ask mummy, she knows where that thing is…’ Just like with your house, your heart must be in order. Each thought, each imagination, each emotion should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. When you speak, you should easily remember the best words to apply in each circumstance. You will not improvise with words of common sense. You do not need many words, going in circles, repeating ideas endlessly. Your speech is orderly, clean and easy to understand by the hearer. Reduce the quantity of your words and improve on their spiritual quality. Any word that proceeds from natural common sense is of low value. Any word spoken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is power and is life. Your words should be ‘edited’ by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. No conversation should leave you tired, frustrated, ashamed, guilty or with a feeling of regret. Each word should be a gift of life to your listeners.
When speaking, you should never lose your temper, start sweating, pour insults, gesticulate unnecessarily or create division and anger among your hearers. You should aim to live a life that has no regrets; no mistakes in your speech or your deeds. This ideal is possible only thru the power and the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Speak like Jesus more and more often!

(In the picture, Pastor Trish Eresanara)

“As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built” (Lk 6:47-48)

Wisdom is the foundation built on the Rock called Christ. On top of it, tall and visible to all, shall stand the building of character, glory, honor and praise. Any project that doesn’t start with prayer or seeking God for its success shall fall! We need wisdom always, but especially at the beginning of a new season in life. For example, we need wisdom to find the right school, the right job, the right man to marry… We need wisdom for the wedding day and for ‘the honey moon’… We need wisdom during the pregnancy and the delivery of the baby. We need wisdom for the children, when they are young and when they leave the house to start their life journey as adults. We need wisdom to live a fruitful life during the menopause and the old age.
‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (PV 9:10)
We are fools until we start to take God seriously; until we take the Bible and read it, study it and apply its words to our practical life. The fear of God comes as we mediate on the Person of Christ, His power, His promises, His glory. The fear of God humbles us and makes us teachable. The more we study God’s Word, the more we get the revelation of His majesty and His grace, in calling us the sinners into His presence. This is a wonder that no words can describe. Grace is love in action. God the Father sent His Son to die for me and you. His love is more than I can imagine, more than I can describe with words. This failure of human expression is miraculously transformed into the pure fear of God that makes me His wise servant and humble worshipper.
Foolishness is also a foundation but it is not stable and it is not strong, for it is ‘built on sand’. The house built on top of it shall not be able to withstand the floods of trials of life and it shall fall ‘with a great crash’. Each blessing, each breakthrough, each promotion given to a fool will increase the manifestation of his selfish and wicked behavior. With time, the wise get wiser and stronger and the foolish ones get more disgraced and hated by all.
Be wise!

(In the picture: the city of Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy, built on the rock)

We did spiritual warfare covering our families, our children, our businesses and our church with prayer. We had praise in our mouth and the sword of judgment in our hands, to execute punishment over the wicked enemies who have trespassed into our territories.

Queen Athaliah ruled the land for six years (2Kg 11). She was the daughter of Jezebel. Like mother, like daughter, both were wicked, criminal women. When she discovered that her son is dead, she went ahead to destroy all the royal seed. She then crowned herself as queen. She did not know that the youngest of her husband’s children was still alive, hidden in the temple. This is how Joash survived. He was seven years old when the high priest brought him out from hiding and crowned him as king. The high priest commanded the solders to take their swords and surround the boy king. The command was this:

“Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.” (2Kg 11:8)

Athaliah came to fight and claim her throne. She was killed with the sword instantly.

The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God spoken under anointing represents the Divine Judgment. It is a symbol of God’s power and authority.

Gideon went to war saying: ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ That prophetic proclamation was enough to created confusion in the midst of the enemies and they destroyed one another.

David knocked down Goliath with a stone but perfected its defeat with the sword.

The sword passed thru Mary’s heart. The pain was a revelation of the thoughts of other people’s hearts.

Jesus is our High Priest and His Word is a double edged sword in His mouth. None can defeat it!

The sword of the enemy is slander, wicked words and false witnesses. But the sword of the Lord in our mouth destroys their lesser swords, for God’s judgment on evil is always true and just!

“All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword…” (2Kg 11:20)

We claimed this victory for Warri, Nigeria!

(Ex 32:27; Jdg 7:20; 1Sam 15:33, 31:4; Ps 64:3; 149; Lk 2:35; 12:49-53; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16)

Please do not ‘over-edit’ the Word of God, the name of Jesus Christ, until it loses its anointing and power! The name of Jesus is not a chemical formula of magic! You may simplify other sentences but not the name of your Lord!

“IJN” is not the same as “IN JESUS NAME”!

It is a privilege to call and write The Name above all other names: JESUS!

This is God’s Word:

“You shall not take My Name in vain!” (Ex 20:7)

“Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to me by whom we must be saved!” (Ac 4:12)

“Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name- the name You gave Me…” (Jn 17:11)

“May God open your eyes to the danger and give you wisdom and strength to please Him,

In Jesus name, amen!”

“Give not thy tongue too great a liberty, lest it take thee prisoner.

He that has no cross will have no crown.

In all thine actions think that God sees thee, and in all His actions labor to see Him.—That will make thee fear Him, and this will move thee to love Him.—The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, and the knowledge of God is the perfection of love”

(Francis Quarles; 1592-1644)

“Dear…

I pray that this letter finds you well. I also pray that I can find favor with you, that you encourage me with a word…If I was living in the US, I could have come at your door and ring the bell…then we can see face to face, smile, hug…then ‘the ice’ will break… then the words will flow easier…but I am far away from you…so I depend on God to bind our hearts together with invisible but unbreakable cords of love that never dies…

Maybe you ask yourself why do I bother you…why don’t I just forget your name…Maybe I ask myself the same question…it is so much easier to forget, to ignore someone… than to try to come closer, to love…But I have learned this from the Holy Spirit: that I should not take the easy road, the crowd road…that I should trust God for the impossible things…

As I continue to pray for you, one thing is clear to me: You are a very special girl and Jesus loves you! I believe this 100%! Please let’s believe it together!

Love in Christ alone,

Malia”

(This girl is a teenager. Her mum died in an accident six months ago. Her dad is a family friend and asked me to stand in the gap for her. She needs a miracle of healing and love. Please pray for her, that she can open her heart to God and to me, as her grand-mother in Christ…)

The prophetic word we received last Saturday class was Is 54:15.

“I will never send anyone to attack your city, and you will make prisoners of those who do attack.

If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you” (Is 54:15)

We were told that attacks will come but we should reject them totally. We should not even be curious to ask questions or converse with such evil agents of the enemy. We should just say “NO!!!!  Go away in the name of Jesus!”

Young people, you especially, be careful! Pray for wisdom! Pray for discernment! Pray that you should be invisible to the enemy! Pray for the strength to hate sin and to reject evil!

Do not give your phone number! Do not volunteer information! Do not be deceived! Even if you pray for a marriage partner, he will not drive beside you while you trek along the road! He will not ask you for money from behind his fancy wheel!

This is a letter I received today from a young sister. She is a committed Christian, single, about 22. Her family is not rich. She works hard to pay for her school fees at the College of Education in Warri.

“Good evening Ma,

The day before yesterday i was going to work in the morning when I noticed that a car actually drove pass me and was waiting for me… reaching there were two men in the car and the one on the steering was a pastor so, He said he wants to speak to me for few minutes…  I told him I’m already late for work and then he said so I cannot give him few minutes of my time… so I agreed to wait and hear from him… he was asking me about myself… I told him… then he said I should give him my number, so i did…more also I reminded him that I am in a hurry to work… he said that he will give me a call and tell me all that he wants to say to me….so i said ‘ok’ (in my mind was that he wants to prophesy to me and i already knew people like that)… as i was about to go he said that I should give him money to fuel his car, that he’s going for a program… but i didn’t….so yesterday he called me and said that he wants to see me so we can discuss, that i should come to meet him in an hotel at Bendel Estate… i then told him that i will come… but i didn’t….please pray for me, Malia…”

“Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you” (Mt 7:15)

“Ephesians 5:25-27 exhorts, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Do you know what the word “love” means? It is the agape form of love that Christ has for the church. It is a non‑conditional love. Did you know that God loves you unconditionally and that’s the way you’re to love your mate? Unconditionally.
If your wife feels like you are loving conditionally, the first attitude that is going to develop is one of fear. “I must keep up the conditions that produce love.” She’ll say to herself, “If I don’t do these things, I’m going to be rejected.”
Don’t get the idea because you are the head of the home, you are to make your wife do something. Has Jesus Christ ever made you do anything? Has He ever made you pray? Has He ever made you give? Has he ever made you witness? He’s never made you do one thing. Yet who is the head of the church? Jesus Christ.
It is not the husband’s job to force his wife into submission. It is his job to lead and love her in such a way that he assumes responsibility. A godly husband leads by love”
(Adrian Rogers)

David describes how painful it was for him when he refused to acknowledge, confess and repent of his sin (Ps 32). God was chastising him with sickness, weakness, depression and many other troubles, but he refused to repent. He could not sleep at night; he lost his appetite and even the desire to live. The flood of pain and sorrow almost drown him. He felt like he was dying inside.

This is the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit and can be described as withering, as drying the power of the flesh. The false happiness and the pleasures of sin are slowly destroyed by the breath of the Spirit. The sinner struggles to hide its sin, to minimize its wickedness. Without the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, the natural man will not be able to be free from it. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God preached under anointing to point to your sin. You may fight the preacher, you may kill the prophet, but the Word belongs to God and it will win at last. The deeper the conviction, the greater the repentance and the greater the joy will be. ‘The grass whiter and the flowers fall because the breath of the Lord blows on them…but the Word of our God stands forever’ (Is 40:7, 8)

David’s greatest sin was adultery and murder. He was to confess that openly but he refused. This unwillingness to confess became an added sin that compounded the problem. This was the sin of stubbornness.

The longer you refuse to come to the light and acknowledge your sin, the stronger the bondage shall be. Sin is a slave master. Sin is an offence against God, a betrayal against His love for you. Secondarily, sin an offence against people and against your destiny in Christ. ‘Stubbornness is like witchcraft’ (1Sam 15:23). Refusal to confess your sins will bring you in the realm of the occult; will harden your heart and destroy your conscience. It will make you proud, un-teachable and rebellious. Your stubbornness will grieve the Holy Spirit. Then God will oppose you. He will withdraw His peace, His joy, His guidance and instruction. He will abandon you to a restless life, without purpose and without victory. Your enemies shall prevail and your troubles will increase. There is no escape from this cage of failure and defeat except you make peace with God!

There is no cure for sin except the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross of Calvary. You need to have faith in His Blood!

Once you come back to God, to the Cross of Christ freely confess your sins to Him. God’s Mercy and Grace shall be revealed. Your sins shall be covered and hidden from the eyes of men and demons. Jesus paid the price for your redemption and you shall be free from all condemnation. Peace and joy shall return with a flood of blessings. God will again delight in teaching you, guiding you and fellowshipping with you. Your reconciliation will have a background of music. God shall surround you with mercy, songs of deliverance and victory. Sin combined with God’s grace ends in laughter and joy unspeakable. This man who is justified by the Blood of Jesus is no more called a sinner, but a blessed saint. What a wonder this salvation…

Sinner, backslider, prodigal son…come back home!

Let’s pray: ‘Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for all my sins. I was stubborn and wicked for so long. I took your grace for granted. I despised your love. I ignored your mercy. I ask for forgiveness. Please cleanse me by Your Blood, refresh and revive me. I vow to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus name I pray, amen!’

“Did you know that there are no happy old people living in Satan’s camp? Now, he has some happy young people – those who are living high, wide and handsome right now. They have a certain modicum of fun and what we would call happiness. But Satan has no happy old people. Here’s why. Satan always gives the best first and the worst last.
For example, Proverbs 20:17 says, “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Satan is a counterfeiter and a deceiver. With Satan, the journey always starts sweet, but it does not end that way.
Do you ever see television ads that show the partiers the morning after an all-night drinking spree? Does the camera span to the drunk in the gutter as the closing scrolls “Have a good time with…”? Do the billboards show the blasted lives and the broken homes?
Satan always gives the best first and the worst last. But, Jesus gives the best last”
(Adrian Rogers)

A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.

Nought have I else to do,
I sing the whole day long;
And He whom most I love to please
Doth listen to my song;
He caught and bound my wandering wing;
But still He bends to hear me sing.

Thou hast an ear to hear
A heart to love and bless;
And though my notes were e’er so rude,
Thou wouldst not hear the less;
Because Thou knowest as they fall,
That love, sweet love, inspires them all.

My cage confines me round;
Abroad I cannot fly;
But though my wing is closely bound,
My heart’s at liberty;
For prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.

O it is good to soar
These bolts and bars above!
To Him whose purpose I adore,
Whose providence I love;
And in Thy mighty will to find
The joy, the freedom of the mind.

(This is a poem written by Madam Guyon (1648-1717). She was a French Christian woman who was sent to jail by the leaders of the Catholic church because she became born again and Spirit filled. She found Jesus even in her prison cell and wrote many books there)

CRISTA Ministries was founded by Mike and Vivian Martin in Seattle, in 1949. Their vision was to manifest the love of God while serving people through education, international relief and development, senior care, and media. This is their story:

Mr and Mrs Martin had a burden and vision to open a place for ‘problem’ youths, to feed and accommodate them. It will be a home where there will come to do Bible studies and learn different job skills. Every day Mike walked in the neighborhood, praying that God will intervene. Vivian was praying at home. Suddenly he stopped before an abandoned building. It was a former Tuberculosis Sanatorium, but now it was closed down. Then the Holy Spirit told him to go and tell the owner that he wants to hire the building for 1$ (one dollar!) per year. He trusted God for the command given to Joshua: “I will give you every place where you set your foot!” (Josh 1:3).

Mike removed his shoes and bare feet he went into the compound. He then walked about praying. When he told his friends some laughed at the idea. But he obeyed God and had faith. He went to see the owner and proposed 1$ to pay annually. The board of directors initially rejected Mike’s application to lease the place but Mike was persistent. Eventually, to everybody surprise, they granted him the 56-acre campus for a dollar a year. This is how in 1949 Crista Ministries was born.

As the Martins began working to repair the buildings, other people who shared Mike’s vision to serve came to help them. Over 70 families showed up bringing tools and money. The youth hostel was the first one to open.  Later they added a retirement community where about 80 elderly residents live there permanently. They also built a Christ centered school, a university and a Christian radio station. Their focus is to come and pray, to serve free food to the poor and to organize conferences. It is also a place of retreat for missionaries and pastors. In 1970 two international medical organizations, came to build two hospitals, one for humans and another for veterinary services.

After hiring the place for some years, Mr and Mrs Martin had faith to go ahead and buy the property. They needed a miracle for the property was now worth millions. They prayed and God said that Mike should offer the owner $50,001 exactly. He also prayed that there will be no competition. On the day of bidding, many people came to buy the compound but to everybody’s surprise, none bided. The auctioneer slowly lower the hammer and sold the place to Mike for exactly that amount.

The ministry continues up till today. Their spiritual children are faithful to the initial vision of the founder and are doing much good in the Seattle area. The property is now worth millions of dollars. A little seed of faith produced a great harvest for God’s glory! Little is much when God is inside!

What are the lessons here? God wants to bless any of His children who are willing to take the risk and go and to do ministry in His name. The first thing you must do is to accept the burden of the Lord! It comes as a strange sadness. You look around and see the damage sin has done to humanity. God does not despise a broken hearted man, especially when he is willing to be used by Him to repair or rebuild a situation. Pray and ask God for clarity of vision. Then God’s strength, wisdom and supply shall surely come. God is very rich. God is also very generous with His resources. But He is looking for people like Mike Martin, who are willing to be bold and responsible with His name, with His power, riches and glory.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” (Mt 13:31, 32)

Invest in the Kingdom of God! Your reward shall be great!

In Jesus name, amen!

(in the pictures Mr and Mrs Mike Martin, about 1950; the administrative office of Crista Ministries today)

This story happened during the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. Nehemiah, like Daniel and Esther, was a slave in a foreign land. His master, King Artaxerxes trusted him with his very life. He was his personal steward, pouring the wine at the table and tasted it first, to prove there is no poison. He was a humble and loyal servant. But he was a slave nevertheless.

Then one day he hears that the city of his fathers, Jerusalem was completely abandoned, its walls in ruins and its gates burnt with fire. He was told that the enemies of the Jews live there as parasites. The name of Jehovah was mocked!

Nehemiah’s heart was broken. Jerusalem in ruins was a picture of his own heart, rejected, lonely and ashamed. For the next four months, Nehemiah goes to his ‘office’ trying to hide the pain. Looking sad in the presence of the king meant death penalty.

Then God moved!!! ‘God’s hand rested upon Nehemiah’. The word ‘hand’ in Hebrew means favor, sense of direction, resources and power. The king observed that his trusted slave was not as happy as he was in the past. He asked for an explanation. Nehemiah prays ‘an emergency’ prayer and tells him the truth. God’s burden is revealed upon his servant. He volunteers to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. Humanly speaking that was an impossible request. Nehemiah is a slave. He is asking his master for the permission to be free for some time to do God’s work. What slave can ask for such a thing? Not only that, he is asks the king to sponsor his ‘project oversees’. He wants the king to give him ‘a Babylonian diplomatic passport’; letters of authorization for the free passage to Jerusalem. He also wants the king to pay his ‘traveling expenses’ and to supply all the building materials. Don’t forget, God’s hand is upon him and that hand can never fail. The king is impressed with his slave’s boldness and wisdom. He agrees with all his requests and generously, he even adds something as a bonus: a regiment of armed soldiers on horses to protect Nehemiah and his project.

Arriving in Jerusalem Nehemiah meets great opposition from the wicked opportunists who live there. But against all odds, he rebuilds the wall and finishes his assignment (Neh 6:15). He then returns to the king in Babylon, to be his servant once more.

What are the lessons here? God wants to bless any of His children who are willing to take the risk and go and to do ministry in His name. The first thing you must do is to accept the burden of the Lord! It comes as a strange sadness. You look around and see the damage sin has done to humanity. God does not despise a broken hearted man, especially when he is willing to be used by Him to repair or rebuild a situation. Pray and ask God for clarity of vision. Then God’s strength, wisdom and supply shall surely come. God is very rich. God is also very generous with His resources. But He is looking for people like Nehemiah who are willing to be bold and responsible with His name, with His power, riches and glory. For as long as you excuse yourself saying: ‘God, I see the need but sent someone else’ God will not entrust you with millions. This is the truth! You have to steal money to be a millionaire…

But if you accept the burden and the vision of the Lord, the supply shall come at your very door, no doubt about it!

In the natural Nehemiah was a slave in captivity. He had no rights at all. But in the spiritual, he was a man of God, a champion and a true leader with a genuine vision. There are so many fake ‘leaders’ these days that people get discouraged. But please remember, God is the same; He never changes! He is the faithful God! His dealings with men are the same forever!

You duty is to surrender your life to God! Then see what God will do! ‘Throw the ball back’ to God!

Nehemiah is an inspiration to us, thousands of years since his death. A man may be in a prison cell, homeless and sleeping under a bridge, sick with an incurable disease in a poor village hospital, bankrupt financially, rejected by men and lonely…but if that man prays and finds God’s purpose for his life, God’s hand on him will make him successful and great. No opposition can succeed against such a man! This is the Word of God!

Lastly, be encouraged! The wicked children of darkness, the doubters, the mockers, the religious fake who hate all good things and who try to discourage the true believer, they shall fall for your sake!

This is what Nehemiah, a slave set free by God, said to his enemies:

“The God of heaven will give us success! We His servants will start rebuilding! But as for you (my enemies) you will have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right in it!” (Neh 2:20)

This is my prayer for you:

May God give you the vision of your destiny!

May you accept the burden and the responsibility for its manifestation!

May you have faith 100%!

May doubt be 0%!

May your enemies who slander you and your good work be disgraced and disappointed in the name of Jesus!

May you be fruitful, faithful, humble, diligent, focused, wise, disciplined and strong!

May God be glorified in your life!

In Jesus name, amen!