THE FAITH OF THESE SISTERS – DREAM BIG!
The story of Zelophehad daughters is hidden between the pages of the Bible. Few preachers take real interest in it. But there is great encouragement for us all. Especially when we are in need and none can help but God alone. Their faith in God is worthy of admiration. They confessed that their father was a sinner, an unbeliever. They did not come in the name of their father. They did not hold on their natural inheritance. They also said that their father was not an unrepentant, rebellious sinner like Korah. It is possible that the girls were witnesses that he repented before he died in the desert. The girls trusted God, the Righteous Judge of all men, knowing that the children shall not be punished for the sins of their fathers (Ez 18:20).
Their faith was bold. Like we said, it was not easy for women to come and speak in public. It was even more difficult to come and ask for something that was not recorded in ‘the constitution’, in the law of Israel. They asked for an amendment!!! Possibly they discussed these matters for a long time, on how to go to Moses and explain their need and their desire. The tradition of men was against them. Religion was against them. The risk was that ‘old’ Moses will just dismiss them as ‘foolish girls who dream big dreams’. What was their secret? Apparently they believed in the God of all grace! They trusted that God will show them favor because they humbled themselves. They also loved the Promises of God. They wanted to preserve the name of their father. They succeeded to do that for the name and ‘the memory of the righteous is a blessing….’ (PV 10:7)
One of the lessons here is that not all blessings come to us ‘automatically’. There are times in which we must exercise a sanctified imagination and dream big! We are to see ahead what God is willing to give, even if He did not specify the particular blessing in His Word. We are commanded not ‘to limit God’ (Ps 78:41). These girls allowed themselves to see God big, as He really is, the Almighty! True faith trusts God, for whom nothing is impossible! I often ask myself before I pray: ‘Lia, what do you lose if you believe big?’ The answer is nothing, except my fears and my doubts. And that is what I desire anyway…
Just imagine what could have happened if Moses ignored them and their request. That is the reaction of the evil spirit of religion. Many churches have grieved the Holy Spirit by holding too tight to the rules and traditions of men that are not Biblical. It takes great faith to challenge these strongholds. Few are ready to pay the price for their destruction. During revival, as the Spirit moves upon the hearts of men, as the true Word of God is preached in the pulpit, more will be willing to come forward and ask for changes in the religious structures. These girls challenged the status quo, as it is said. Please observe that they were not rebellious. They come to Moses in a very different attitude than Miriam, for example, who complained about her brother’s foreign wife. Mariam was chastised by God, for coming with a familiar spirit of rebellion, with leprosy and untimely death.
Another great lesson is that we should have faith to come before God with all our requests. Even if men ignore us, persecute or punish us, we should never forget that God is above all and His Word overrules all other decisions. He is the God of Justice. He is also the God of mercy. Like the widow coming to the judge and asking for justice against her adversary, we should believe that God hears and eventually answers the cry of his needy people (Lk 18:1-8). The best example is our Lord, who persecuted, He did not retaliate but found comfort in the fact that the Father is the God of justice (1Pet 2:21-23). We need faith mixed with boldness to approach the throne of God and be confident to always find grace and mercy our times of need (Heb 4:16).
‘Christ is the end of the law’ (Gal 3:28). In Christ, there is no discrimination, no male or female, no Jew or foreigner; they are all one (Rom 10:4). For as long as you depend on a law for the answers to your prayers, you will be disappointed. It is Christ and His grace to men that we should trust in, just like these young women. He alone takes the credit for giving them joy! If you consider the fact that this discussion about inheritance and land has taken place on the east side of the River Jordan outside the Promised Land, then you will appreciate their faith even more. Moses did not give them the land. He only gave them a promise that they will have land after they conquer it. Now, they could rest their souls on that Word. That is faith!
Later we see that the men in their father’s family came to Moses with a complaint. They became bold like their sisters. They said that if these girls receive land and if they marry outside the tribe, they will take their property to their husbands. In this way, the tribe shall lose land because of marriage and even the year of Jubilee cannot nullify that transfer. Moses also prayed and God confirm the men’s request. The girls are free to marry ‘whoever they desire’, from any tribe. But if they insist to inherit their father’s land, according to the promise they just received, then they should marry only men from their father’s clan. This restriction on marriage is so that the land will not pass from one tribe to another. All five decided to obey the Word of God and to fulfill the conditions for family inheritance and decided to marry their cousins, proving that they were indeed women of God!
There is another peculiar quality about these sisters faith. It is violent! Religious people fear this type of faith but it is Biblically recommended. The Lord said that ‘the violent take the Kingdom of God by force’ (Mt 11:12). The word ‘violent’ in Greek means the power of life that pushes itself into the area of death and conquers it. It is to force your way, to press on thru the crowd destroying illegal hindrances. The best way to describe this wonderful faith is to apply the power of resurrection that opens the grave. The entrance into the Kingdom is not easy; it is thru spiritual warfare. May the spiritual violence be revealed!
All this revelation is the proof that Zelophehad’s daughters prayed hard and long before they decided to approach Moses, in front of the congregation and at the entrance of the tabernacle of God. Any presumption, any pride, any display of flesh could have killed them. The power of resurrection, the active faith in the grace of God, the seal of the Spirit upon their words and requests, these were undeniable. The God of Justice gave them the victory! They are an inspiration to us all. If our motives are right, if we study the Word of God and believe His promises, then we shall enter the fullness of the Spirit! Selah!
May our faith in the God of all grace increase! May our desire to conquer new territories for the Kingdom of God increase! May our boldness to come before the Throne of God increase! May we love God more than all other things, including marriage and children! May sanctified imagination be our portion! May the fear of God replace the fear of man and of religion! May God send faithful harvesters to collect His harvest and prepare this land for revival! In Jesus name, amen!

(Jam 1:1-8)
Doubt is an evil spirit, a branch of the spirit of religion and particularly the demon called Jezebel. Because it is a religious spirit, it is very common and active in the churches. Doubt is a type of faith, but not the living, acceptable faith of the true believer. It is a weak, damaged faith. Doubt manifests itself as a wavering between two opinions, even after a choice has been made. That is why doubters are ‘unstable in all their ways’. The word ‘unstable’ means something that is not ordained by God; it is temporary. You cannot trust a doubter because he will surely disappoint you.
A doubter is addicted to fear of failure. He sees obstacles and giants in his path. He excuses his foolishness and cowardice with smooth words. These fiery darts meant to destroy the faith of the believers. Be careful! Separate from friends who are always maximizing the obstacles and discourage you to take risks with God.
Ten out of twelve men sent by Moses to spy the Promised Land were doubters. They doubted God’s promises even before they crossed the River Jordan. There is no surprise why they came back grumbling against God. They said that the land is good but the giants too tall. Doubters hate holy activity, prayer and especially spiritual warfare. Doubt is more contagious than faith. There are more doubters than believers. Be careful, choices made by following the crowd are wrong, most of the time.
God ignores the prayers of doubt but He answers them that believe.
Faith has joy and strength. Doubt is filled with sadness, weakness and passivity. Faith is patient and wise. Doubt is impatient and foolish. Faith is the engine towards spiritual maturity, going to the place of ‘lacking nothing’. That is a blessed position where you can never be inferior or poor. Doubt gets exhausted going between two opinions, until he is tired, ready to faint. Rejoice when you pass trial of faith because no one bothers to try a doubter.
You are a blessed believer!
‘It is well, with my soul!’

A true leader says to you: ‘Follow me, as I follow Christ…’ and not more than that!
A false leader says to you only: ‘Follow me!’

God may allow you to fight against Him, but one thing is clear: you will never win that battle!

This is the story of five young women. They probably grew up with a single father. They had no brothers. Their late father was from the tribe of Manasseh. According to God’s promise, he was entitled to an inheritance once the children of God will take over the Promised Land. But the Law of Moses gave the right of inheritance only to sons (Deut 21:15-17). That law did not apply to the daughters. The only thing a daughter could receive from her father was a dowry given to her on her wedding day. But no family inheritance was given because thru marriage she changes her name to belong to her husband’s family and tribe. To change the Law, this was an impossible challenge for these five young, unmarried women of God. What will they do?
Their father’s name Zelophehad, in Hebrew, probably means ‘Protection against fear’. His daughters names all end with the letter ‘h’. That is the shortest form for the name Jehovah. Just imagine the scene: praying for a son, each time his wife had a child, it was a girl. It happened five times. And each time their father bowed his head in submission to the sovereign will of God. Each time, according to his name, he refused to fear concerning their daughters’ future. The blessings of God, five girls and no son, ‘do not add sorrows’, I am sure he told himself. So he did the best he could: he named and dedicated each of his precious girls to Jehovah, praying that He will be their Savior, Protection and Wisdom after he was gone. These are the five names of his daughters and their meaning in Hebrew language:
1. Mahlah – Prayer (the travail of my wounded soul) given to God
2. Noah – Leading (unto promotion) by God
3. Hoglah – Partridge (the hunted bird) of God
4. Milcah – Queen (the royalty, the rule) of God
5. Tirzah – Favor (the delight and pleasure) of God
These five sisters grew up in the house of their father, Zelophehad, who surely told them that according to the law, as girls, they are not entitled to a family inheritance after his death. But as his name implies, he also told them to fear not, for God’s ways are mysterious and He can make a way for them, if they just believe. I am sure that they grew up trusting God for a miracle.
The story above happened at Shittim, on the east side of River Jordan, opposite Jericho. The children of God are ready to enter the Promised Land. With the exception of Moses, Joshua and Caleb, all the adults that came out of Egypt died, including Zelophead. This was God’s judgment because of their rebellion against God. Moses gives his last commands to them at this spot and soon after, he too will die on the east side of Jordan. But for now, he is still in charge. The five sisters decided to come together to meet Moses and the elders at the entrance of the Tabernacle of God and witnessed by about two million peoples.
Just imagine the sight! Try to understand the feelings of the sisters. It is not easy to step in the limelight, in front of such a multitude. For some people, especially for women, the fear of speaking in public is as great as the fear of death. They needed real courage and faith in God. Their attitude is one of humility and confidence in the same time. They plead for the sake of their father’s name connected with his inheritance. Obviously they love their late father. They ask for a great favor from Moses and the elders: that in the Promised Land, the portion of family inheritance allotted to their father should be given to them. This was a strange, unique request, because like we said, girls did not have that right in Israel. They humbly ask for the favor to carry on their father’s name and his right to an inheritance.
Moses was possibly surprised by these girls. He wisely did not just reject them by saying that the law does not accommodate such a request. It is possible that their attitude impressed him. Their faith, humility and anointing was sealed by the Spirit. No one could reject a person of true faith in Jehovah, one who speaks the Word of God with anointing and power. Not knowing what to do, Moses decided to take their case to God! He prayed and then came back to inform them of God’s decision.
‘The Lord said to Moses: ‘What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and turn their father’s inheritance over to them’ (Nu 27:5-7)
This is a most wonderful Word directly from God!!! All poor, humble, in need people, rejoice! Sisters, rejoice!
Jehovah God confirms that what the girls ‘are saying is right’. In Hebrew, the word ‘saying’ means a rehearsed (before God) speech, a spiritual utterance that is the work of faith, the word of a teacher. It is the perfect command that destroys all opposition. The word ‘right’ in Hebrew means that their speech was ordained, established in faith, just, prepared and perfect, as coming from spiritually mature hearts. God, who looks at the hearts of people, has approved their standing, their faith and their prayer.
O, that out faith will increase to trust God who is never under the law!

THE ANOINTING
When the anointing of the Holy Spirit comes down, suddenly it is so easy to minister…the memory is active and at peace…the words become oily in the mouth and the atmosphere is filled with the intoxicating presence of the king Himself…none can remain the same…you learn more in a minute under the anointing, than a year of studying the Bible on your own…
I love the Holy Spirit!
(in the picture, women of God in our church praying…)

‘My son (my daughter), pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it’ (PV 4:20-23)

There is good dating and sinful dating. Recreational dating is wrong. It is sin. Young people exercise their emotions by dating many without any clear purpose. These relationships are generally based on flesh attractions. They consume time, money and energy. Their foundation is wrong. The common ground of these worldly relationships is based on worshipping the same idols together. Sometimes, they are infatuated with different idols but they have ‘peace’ when these do not clash with one another. All these are sinful relationships, the wicked work of familiar, seductive spirits. There are ‘serial daters’ who become very skillful in manipulating others emotions. They are a stronghold of lust, pollution and wickedness.
True relationships in the body of Christ must always be based on purity, passion and purpose. Like Job, make a covenant with your eyes not to look lustfully to others. Be sensitive with ‘the sign of peace’. The Holy Spirit will warn you if you go too close to one another, or if love degenerates into lust and purity into wickedness.
If you feel led to marry, pray that God will open only one door and close all others to you. Marriage is not hunting. Marriage is not trial by error. Marriage is God’s gift to man and the Holy Spirit does the connection.
‘Do not awake love’ until you are ready to marry. This is a paraphrase of Song of Solomon SS 2:7, the most passionate, erotic Book in the Bible. The high levels of stirred emotions between a man and a woman are to be found only between husband and wife. During dating keep your emotions under the control of the Holy Spirit, controlling your body in a holy way. The worldly books and movies can never be your standard as you prepare to marry. Read the Bible and apply the principles you find there. Also imitate other couples who clearly are mature spiritually and still intoxicated with the wine of the passion for Christ and for one another. These couples are rare to find even in the church, but if you seek, you will find them as treasures. Tell your pastors or other mature believers about your intent, even at the beginning of the relationship. Tell them you want to be accountable to them.
During courtship, do not touch one another physically except to hold hands in prayer. All this sacrifice is worth it as God watches and approves the laying of your marriage foundation. Under no circumstances have sex before the wedding! That fire will destroy the seal of anointing from the Holy Spirit and the marriage will be vulnerable and weak. Sexual premarital abstinence is good but purity of heart and motives is even better. Seek holiness and purity in your dating and marriage! Have purpose during your relationship. Do not propose marriage if you are not ready to marry. Long time indefinite dating is not good.
Purity in the relationships is like incense as you worship God. Hypocrisy in the relationships quenches the worship of God.
May God give you wisdom as you prepare your heart and your body for the marriage ahead! In Jesus name, amen!
I wish you well as I continue to pray for you!
Your mother in Christ!

‘Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites….The manna stopped the day afterward they ate this food from the land’ (Josh 5:1-12)
Gilgal is a plain close to Jericho. The children of God have just ‘crossed over’ into the Promised Land.
Spiritually, Gilgal represents the transition between youth and maturity, between walking by sight and walking by faith, between dependence on personal strength to being dependent on God, for provision, power and the fulfillment of promises.
The word ‘Gilgal’ means ‘rolling away’ the shame and disgrace of past sin. That reality, that experience is located at the Cross of Christ. What should we expect to see at our Gilgal?
*This is a place of victory. Our enemies will hear of the miracles God has done in our lives and begin to fear, begin to be discouraged about their standing, strategy and religion. The kings of Canaan began to faint at the sound of the victory on behalf of God’s children. These kings represent the demons and the kingdom of darkness.
There shall be ‘unexplained, mysterious’ weakness and confusion in the camp of your enemies.
*This is a place of rest and preparation for further victories in the land. This rest is God’s rest. We like to always ‘do things’ for God, but the primary reason why He called us to Himself is to just BE, to become His worshippers. From now on, every victory in the land shall be your personal gain connected to God’s glory. From now on, your finances will miraculously increase. This is an overflow so that you do not live just for ‘paying bills’ but to exhibit faith in God, the Provider. People will be attracted to this new overflow of wealth. They know your struggling past and suddenly things change. They shall come to ask why? Your wealth shall be a new platform for ministry as you give all glory to God!
*This is a place of transition where we remember with gladness the promises of the past. God said to Abraham that He will be the owner of all that land and that his children will be many, like the stars. After more than four hundred years in Egypt, where the dream of land ownership became unreal, the people of God now ‘sleep’ on that Promised Land under the stars ‘of Abraham’. From now on, you shall experience the fulfillment of old dreams and prayers. Long ago these blessings were life to you and made your soul glad. But after so many years, a part of your soul died with their death. You shall discover that God never forgets prayers in the name of His Son; that your ugly past of sin, surprisingly contained seeds of blessings, now ready to resurrect in Gilgal. You shall find joy in resurrecting old hobbies, gifts, businesses and ministries. This is our God!
*This is a place of separation from the past of sin. All the males had to circumcise. This was the reminder that they belong to God. Abraham was told by El Shaddai that all God’s men must be circumcised in the flesh. In Egypt and in the desert, they ignored the covenant because they were under God’s judgment. Now, they all obeyed the command and they circumcised as the people of God. The flesh dies so that the spirit can live.
From now on, a new sense of belonging to God, to His family on earth and heaven will grip your soul. You shall discover the pain and the gain of the Cross.
*This is a place for a change of ‘diet’. Manna stopped and now, for the first time in their lives, they eat the fruit of the land. Manna was God’s supernatural provision for forty years in the desert. Now they have to work the land for their daily bread. This is not an easy transition, but very necessary for spiritual maturity. To eat manna may be boring but it does not take much personal labor. From now on they have to attack the Canaanites, to disposes them of their land and to start farming it. They have to trust God for rain and seeds.
Spiritually speaking, from now on, the ‘readymade diet’ of listening to sermons in the church will not be enough. You will continue to listen to sermons, but you also have to read and study the Word of God for yourself. You have to apply the Word in daily living. You have to pray always. Then the fruit of the Holy Spirit shall spring up in you. People shall come from far and near to eat your words salted with grace. Spiritual effort will pay off and your harvest shall increase!
May you recognize the change of seasons as you proceed to conquer the Blessed Promised Land!
May you be willing to pay the price to master the flesh so that the Spirit can use you to minister life to many!
May you gladly move on unto spiritual maturity!
May you desire spiritual fullness and all the best God has for you!
May you be filled with the Holy Spirit!
In Jesus name, amen!
(In the picture, twelve stones at Gilgal, as it is today)

“And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy words come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore askest thou after my name, seeing it is Wonderful?” (Judg 13:17, 18, ERV)
The nation of Israel was backsliding ‘again’. Each time the people went to worship other gods, Jehovah ‘sold’ them to their enemies, so that thru pain and suffering, they might repent and come back to Him. Each time they cried for a savior, for a leader who will stir the nation unto freedom, God granted their request and He will send them one. Then they will relapse again into wicked doubt and idolatry and the circle goes on again and again. But this time, in Judges 13, the people of God are too tired to cry or pray for help. God waits for moments like these when the flesh is dead. Then He intervenes purely for His name sake and to reveal His grace.
Manoah and his wife are old people, barren and childless. They are a picture of Israel: no children, no future, no hope…Then one day, could have been ‘an ordinary’ day, the Angel of the Lord came to Mrs. Manoah and spoke to her. He did not waste any words. He identified the problem (you need a son). He gave the solution (you will have a son). He gave instruction (you and your son must keep spiritually pure). He interpreted God’s will for them (your son shall be a national hero, a deliverer, a savior to begin the freedom of Israel from the present bondage). .
When asked about His name, the Angel of the Lord said (I paraphrase):
‘Why do you ask? Don’t you know My name? Can anyone bless you with a miracle from the scratch like I do? Can anyone give you a son except God? Anyway, My name is Wonderful!’
Mrs Manoah is not named. But she is indeed a true woman of God and a godly wife. She, an old woman, runs to share the good news with her husband. See their excitement…jumping, dancing…’Wonderful Counselor has visited us!
Less than a year they witness the confirmation of the promise from God. The long waited son was born. His name is Samson, which means ‘strength. He was a strong man but with ‘a strong’ weakness. But even so, he fulfilled God’s prophecy to begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
The conception and the birth was Samson directs our attention to the Savior of men, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came full of grace and truth, to save us from sin. He lived and died that we may belong to Him forever.
At the Cross of Calvary, so much power, so much grace was released on behalf of men, that forever more God can ‘manufacture’ a miracle from scratch for them who believe.
Do you need a Savior? Do you need healing? Do you need a life partner? Do you need children? Do you need opportunities for ministry? Do you need utterance when you preach? Do you need a financial breakthrough? Do you need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Do you need God?
God will create a miracle from scratch for you! God does not recycle! God does not borrow! God is God! Let Him manifest in your life now! In Jesus name, amen!

The ‘successful’ Resurrection of our Lord is the proof that He indeed is God; the King of kings, the Lord of Lords. For no man can resurrect himself.
It is because Jesus is risen that we can accept the Word of God as true.
It is because He is risen that we can accept His virgin birth, His life on earth of doing good, and miracles and all that He claimed to be.
It is because He is risen that we can confidently preach His Gospel and souls are won to the Kingdom of God.
It is because He is risen that we can pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
It is because He is risen that we can partake in the Holy Communion as we did today in the service.
The resurrection of Christ makes me ‘proud’ to be a Christian and I boldly declare that I serve the only Living God!
Read below a most wonderful prayer from a saint of long ago:

“O Lord God, our Father. You are the light that can never be put out; and now you give us a light that shall drive away all darkness. You are love without coldness, and you have given us such warmth in our hearts that we can love all when we meet. You are the life that defies death, and you have opened for us the way that leads to eternal life.

None of us is a great Christian; we are all humble and ordinary. But your grace is enough for us. Arouse in us that small degree of joy and thankfulness of which we are capable, to the timid faith which we can muster, to the cautious obedience which we cannot refuse, and thus to the wholeness of life which you have prepared for all of us through the death and resurrection of your Son. Do not allow any of us to remain apathetic or indifferent to the wondrous glory of Easter, but let the light of our risen Lord reach every corner of our dull hearts.”
Karl Barth (1886-1968)

A man had a dream. He saw a set of big feet in the sand. They were orderly and moved on a straight line. Then he saw another set of feet, much smaller, going zig –zag, all over the place. After sometime, the smaller feet became one with the big ones. Inside each big foot there was the shadow of the smaller one. That went on for a long time.
Then later he saw that the two sets of feet separated once more. The smaller feet went like mad, zig- zag all over the place. Here in Nigeria, that type of ‘crazy’ pattern we call it ‘ja-ga-ja-ga’.
The man saw the Lord Jesus in the dream and asked him about these three designs in the sand. The Lord said that when he was ‘a baby’ Christian, he was walking quite independent from Him. He was still stubborn and over active. Then the two sets of feet merged together. That is when he became a mature Believer, one with Him in will and purpose.
Then the man said to the Lord:
‘I understand that. But please why are our feet separating again? Did I backslide? Did I become as stubborn and overactive as at the beginning? I am worried Lord…’
The Lord smiled and said:
‘No, my beloved….That ‘ja-ga-ja-ga’ pattern you saw is when we danced together…’
This evening we just danced in the presence of the Lord. All the chairs went up side down as we did pirouettes and tango and waltz and cha-cha –cha under the stars.
Right now my feet are hurting but my liver smiles….

Taize is an ecumenical sung and silent participatory prayer service designed to achieve a contemplative state through music, song and silence. The Taize Community is made of more than a hundred Christian brothers from more than thirty countries. They come from all churches, catholic and protestant. They are monks; they pledged their lives to live ‘like Jesus’. They willingly chose to live a simple life, celibate and deeply spiritual. Taize is a village in France. Brother Roger, a Swiss Protestant believer, was the founder of the community in 1940. The community has become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work. Through the community’s ecumenical outlook, they are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation. Brother Roger was killed by a mentally deranged woman at the age of 90 while conducting prayers from his wheelchair. More than 10000 people attended his funeral.
The original house that Brother Roger bought at the beginning became too small for the visitors that come throughout the year. With contributions from many people and dedicated effort from the willing volunteers, a church is built there now. It is surrounded by many simple wooden chalets for the visitors.
Surprisingly, the community attracts many young people who go there for personal spiritual retreat. They participate in daily activities as follows: simple breakfast, Bible studies, prayers of healing and deliverance, lunch, worship with songs and playing guitars, more Bible studies and prayers, dinner, then more worship until midnight.
This is one of their prayer-songs:
“Lord Jesus, You came to unbind the chains of every slavery, friend of the humble, bread of hungry hearts,
Jesus, full of patience and goodness, You showed forgiveness and kindness to the very end.
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, You call to yourself all who are weary and burdened.
Jesus, You came into the world to serve and to give Your life…You were betrayed for money, dragged before judges and nailed to the cross.
Jesus, Lord of the universe, by Your resurrection from the dead You are alive at the Father’s side and there You prepare a place for us…
We bless us, O, Lord Jesus Christ; for You burn away the trials of life in the fire of Your presence…
We worship You, Lord, upon the cross!”
(I have not been there myself, but this is another proof that young people all over the world are hungry and thirsty to know God, to have a living, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, thru the Person of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for the young people all over the world, that they will hate sin and come to Jesus!)
(Picture shows many young people praying on the grounds of the church at Taize, France)

‘We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found’  (Lk 15:32)
A rich Land Owner King had two lost sons. The younger one was lost outside the church, the elder inside. Their Father is God!
The younger man soon got tired of farm work. Some traders from ‘the far country’ came passing by with their wares displayed for all to see. This was the first time the young man saw pictures of ‘half dressed’ women. They gave him a taste of drink and a little cigarette with it. In his father’s house, things like these were never found. Little by little the desire to go and settle abroad, in ‘the far country’ of fun and excitement, grew inside him. He became restless. The work at the father’s farm became burdensome. The odor of the animals and the sweat of the laborers made him ‘mad’. Then one day he got the courage to ask:
‘Father, give me the portion of my inheritance…cash please…’
That was the beginning of a road that went down to the pit. Except for the grace of God intercepting him who wasted it all to prostitutes and thieves, he could have lost even his soul. The devil only shows the sweet beginning of sin; he never shows the end of it, the emptiness, the despair and the pain without cure.
He finally came back to himself and came home. He told himself: ‘It is better to be a door man in the House of my Father than to dwell in the diamond studded tents of wickedness’
The elder brother got angry. He never prayed for the lost brother. He never thought that they will see eye to eye in this life. He never thought that he will ever have to divide his own share with anyone else again. He hated the rejoicing, the party, the music so much out of place in the house of God…so he thought…he never knew the pain of his father, the longing to see all his children surrounding his table…with all the servants and staff, one son was missing and all the money in the world could not buy a son…He never joined the father in the race to welcome his son…his brother really…
When the father saw the slow moving shadow of his son coming home…HE RAN…the Old Man ran as fast as he could…to embrace, to kiss, to dress, to cover, to restore, to rejoice…
The fatten calf has been slain! Blood was shed that we may rejoice!
Life should always be enough reason for celebration!
Eternal life should always be the reason for dancing, and singing, and rejoicing, for it is a gift paid with the Blood of the Lamb!
I am a sinner saved by grace…I was blind, but now I see…I was lost but now I am found…I was dead in trespassing and sins but now I live… therefore I rejoice…let the angels take the lead, I shall follow…let the music begin…and never end! Forever!

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (Jn 3:7, 8)

The Holy Spirit is like the wind, free, mysterious, adventurous, whispering, dancing, embracing, filling emptiness, changing hearts, giving life to whom He wants…No one can replicate His works…
The Holy Spirit is God!

‘So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS’ (Jn 19:16-19)

There is a green hill far away,
Outside a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiv’n,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heav’n,
Saved by His precious blood…

There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in.

O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him, too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.
(Song by Mrs. Cecil Alexander, 1847)
(In the picture, the Golgotha Hill in Jerusalem, as it is today)

‘But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do’ (Jam 1:6-8)
Doubt is a type if faith. It is very difficult to describe, detect or imagine doubt. It is much easier to identify the sin of lust or lying, for example, than to isolate doubt from our mind. Doubt is wavering faith, unstable faith, damaged and unacceptable faith. Doubt is an evil religious spirit. It spreads like a plague. It is much more difficult to produce faith in your listeners. You have to preach to Word of God, the Gospel of Christ Crucified. This ministry has to be done patiently against all odds. Faith comes by the hearing of the preached Word of God. Doubt is like an infection. It is much easier to damage the faith than to produce or increase it. Doubters hate the believers and attack their faith. Be careful who your friend is!
Faith is wavering faith. To waver it means to go to and fro between two opinions, two choices, to loves or to directions. Doubters have an ‘on and off’ type of faith. They believe, for example, on Monday, but doubt on Tuesday…they believe again on Wednesday…and so on…
The sin of doubt affects especially three areas of God’s blessings:
*God’s power (especially the supernatural power to experience miracles)
*God’s provision (especially to trust God for abundance)
*God’s promises (especially to trust God for ‘impossible’ things)
Doubters are like the waves of the sea. They move on and off, day and night, without rest. All their movement is in vain for they do not expand the boundaries of the sea. Doubt makes you worried and overactive emotionally but there is no clear progress spiritually or in the natural. Doubters are ‘unstable’ in all their ways. The word ‘unstable’ means to be reckless (they seem bold and take unnecessary risks, but later back of as cowards). It also means to be confused, restless, unsettled.
Marriages can be affected by doubt. The husband and wife may agree to do something but the next day one of them will change his mind. The unity of the Spirit cannot be established in a marriage where doubt has access.
The worst thing that can be said about a doubter is that God refuses to answer his prayers. It does not matter that his needs are great or urgent. Doubt disqualifies him to have communion with God and his prayers do not pass the ceiling.
We then repented of the sin of doubt and each one of us confessed: ‘I believe in God!’