“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land” (Is 1:19)
You shall not die a tenant!
You shall live in your own house!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
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MARRIAGE IS A GREAT MYSTERY
Marriage “is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Eph 5:32, 33)
OUR TESTIMONY AS A MARRIED COUPLE
Marriage is more than a marriage certificate. It is more spiritual than physical. The Bible calls marriage ‘a great mystery’. No one can describe it in human words. But one thing is clear: without God, marriage will fail. My husband and I are happily married for 45 years. God alone takes the glory for our strong and happy marriage. We have made many mistakes along the way and we have learned many lessons from them. The Bible is our ‘marriage manual’. As a wife, it is my duty to know the general principles of life by which my husband ‘operates’. These principles are not legalistic, cold or rigid. As my husband matures spiritually, these ideas change for the better. I have to change too so that there is no ‘gap’ between us. It is like tango dancing… It is my duty to study my husband and analyze his way of life, his strategy of life. I prayerfully listen when he talks. I want to know ‘from where he comes from and where he is going’. I want to know why he says this or that. If I hear something that I consider ‘wrong’, I pray for wisdom, to understand ‘his point of view’. I do not rigidly or blindly insist on my ‘better’ opinion, even if ‘I am right’. What I may see as wrong may be something he considers as good. Many things are relatives. Like my husband says when he preached from Romans 14, these are ‘matters of indifference’. The truth is that family and social background influence our choices.
For example, if my husband tells me how he expects me to behave in a particular situation, if I agree with him, then it is easy, for the two of us. But if I see things differently, it is hard for me to submit to what I consider ‘wrong’. What do I do? As a young wife I used to correct him immediately saying: ‘Sorry, I do not agree with you. What about my way?’ Then we argue to and fro for some time, provoking and becoming angry with one another. It will take a long time to forgive and forget the hurt caused by such arguments. But as time went by, I learned to be more patient with him and with myself. I learned to humble myself and to see things from his perspective too. I now know that I do not have to be right all the time. These days, if he says something I disagree with, I keep calm and quiet. I meditate on his proposal trying to find the good in it and ‘a common ground’. Then I go and pray. I ask God to show me why does my husband sees this matter so differently than me. God helps me to understand him. This is great gain! God helps me to submit and to love him even when it is hard. Marriage is work. Lazy people should not marry. Prayer is more important than food or sex. The reason why I take all this trouble to understand my husband is not because I want to submit and please him only for today. I want to understand him as a person so that things will be easier between us in the future. For me, each pain must go to God in prayer and become a seed of love, for a deeper knowing and appreciation of my husband. Submission is my harvest of wisdom and love. To God be all the glory!
THE TESTIMONY OF JACOB DESHAZER
Jacob DeShazer (1912-2008) was born in Oregon (USA), in a Christian family. He later rejected his parents’ faith. In 1942, during the World War II, he enlisted in the Air Force. He was on board the ‘USS Hornet’ in the Pacific Ocean preparing for the attack against Japan. The Easter service was held inside the aircraft’s carrier. All men attended it but he refused. After that, they took off and they threw the bombs on the city of Nagoya, Japan. This attack called ‘The Doolitle raid’ was designed to be ‘one way trip’. The men in the plane were to land with parachutes over the neutral China. Unfortunately, the plane strayed over Japan territory and Jacob was taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese. The next three years were hell on earth for Jacob and his mates who survived. They were tortured to make confessions and kept for months in solitary confinement. Several were publicly executed. Jacob survived by cultivating an intense hatred against the Japanese. He planned that one day he will avenge himself. He and others were later transferred to a prison in China. They were given food just enough to survive. The prison officers also gave them a Bible. They shared it among themselves. Because he was so lonely and bored, when it came to his turn to have the Bible, he read it from Genesis to Revelation. When he read Romans 10:9, the Holy Spirit opened his heart and he believed. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). This is how he became saved. He repented of all his sins and confessed them to others. He knew the joy of forgiveness and peace with God. He later wrote: “How my heart rejoiced in my newness of spiritual life, even though my body was still suffering so terribly from the physical beatings and lack of food”. In the lowest depth of agony, God has given life to Jacob DeShazer’s soul! Praise the Lord!
His life now changed. He asks God for gifts to serve Him. The Holy Spirit gave him first the gift of prayer. He spent much of his time in the cell praying for the prison guards and for the Japanese people in general. His conversion included learning a few words of Japanese and treating his captors with respect, which resulted in the guards reacting in a similar fashion. Everybody heard about this prisoner called Jacob. In the past, when the guards beat him he will insult them. Now he will bless them and tell them words of love! After the war, he went back to the US. The American Government decorated him with many medals. He enrolled into a Bible college affiliated with the Free Methodist denomination, preparing himself to go back to Japan as a missionary. He married a wonderful Christian woman called Florence and in 1948 they both went to Japan as missionaries. In 1959, they moved to Nagoya to establish a Christian church in the city he had bombed. After the bombing, Nagoya was rebuild.
He wrote Christian tracts. He later met the Japanese Captain Mitsuo Fuchida who bombed the Americans at Pearl Harbor. He became converted too after reading Jacob’s conversion. Together, they preached the Gospel of Christ in many places. Theirs was a lifelong friendship. I find that to be especially beautiful…that one of the main participants of the Doolitte raid would befriend the leader of the attack on Pearl Harbor whose actions resulted in the deaths of 2,403 Americans. Fuchida went on and became a missionary to Asia. When he died in 1977 his close friend, Jacob DeShazer led the funeral, gave a sermon and said goodbye to his close friend.
DeShazer retired after 30 years of missionary service in Japan and went back to his home town in Salem, Oregon where he spent the last years of his life in an assisted living home with his wife, Florence. On 15 March 2008, DeShazer died in his sleep at the age of 95, leaving his wife and five children: Paul, John, Mark, Carol, and Ruth. At his funeral service it was said: “At this time in our history, we feel it is ideal to honor a man who was a genuine war hero, [but] who after his sacrificial service put on gloves of peace, and touched the entire world with grace and humility.” God alone takes all the glory for such a wonderful salvation!
(In the Pictures, The bombing over Nagoya, Jacob and Florence DeShazer going to Japan as missionaries, Jacob doing evangelism in Nagoya, Japan and the City of Nagoya as it is today)
THE CHRISTIAN BUSYBODY
I am a medical doctor and a pastor. From my experience I share with you these words: Many physical diseases are a reflection of spiritual unresolved issues. It is like God is attracting our attention to a deeper problem. The Bible says that ‘each one should carry their own load’ (Gal 6:5). That means you should know what is your load in life and what is not! Don’t carry problems that are not your own! Don’t be a ‘holy busybody’! The truth is that God gives us ‘good, healthy’ loads to carry. They are called ‘life responsibilities’. They help us to mature. But the devil, who tries to imitate God, also places loads on our backs. These are bad loads. They only add to the stress of living. They are designed to slow our progress in life and to give us a feeling that we are slaves, victims of circumstances. Many people are deceived and confused and carry loads placed by the devil. What is the difference? When God gives you a load to carry He will give you the strength to carry on. But when the devil gives you a load to carry, he will not give you strength. Then you become lonely, weak, restless and anxious.
In case you suspect that you are a Christian busybody, please answer these questions:
1. Is this any of my business? (1 Timothy 5:13)
2. Has God given me this assignment? (Ephesians 6:19)
3. Am I qualified to involve myself with this? (Romans 14:10)
4. Is my true motivation to bring help, or do I only want to feel needed? (1 Corinthians 13:1)
5. How much of my “discussion” about the situation could be classified as gossip? (Proverbs 11:13)
6. What was the result the last time I intruded in a situation that was not my problem? (Proverbs 26: 11)
7. Has my opinion been sought by those involved? (Proverbs 27:2)
8. Am I motivated by love for this person or by a sense of my own importance? (1 Corinthians 16:14)
9. Am I basing my “help” on Scripture or on my own opinion? (Proverbs 16:25)
10. Do I respond with anger when my “advice” is not accepted or found to be flawed? (Proverbs 17:10)
What do you do then? Pray that God forgives you for your foolishness in allowing the devil to use you as a donkey for his useless errands! Then shake off everything that is oppressing your soul! In the name of Jesus, the devil’s load will fall off! God’s good load will stay! After that prayer, you will feel much better, lighter, stronger, wiser and happier! Be healed in Jesus’ name! I hope that these words will help you to draw closer to God! I wish you well!
MARRIAGE UNDER LOVE BANNER
“He brought me to the banqueting house,
And His banner over me was love!” (SS 2:4)
The Bible has clear marriage guidelines. These commands apply only to the believers. An unbeliever may read them and try to apply Biblical precepts to make his marriage better, but he cannot really obey the Word of God. For us, the children of God, the Bible is our Life Manual. The Word of God is written to us, sinners who are saved by grace.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them” (Col 3:18, 19). In the marriage set up, there are two basic rules: The wives submit to their own husbands (as Christ submitted to God the Father). Secondly, the husbands must love their wives, not their own way, but ‘as Christ loves the church’ (Eph 5:25). The husband and wife are equal before God. Their salvation experience is the same. But in the area of marriage these simple rules must be obeyed: wives submit and husbands love! Both these actions are first of all spiritual and they must glorify Christ! The submission and the love are inspired by Jesus Christ and must give Him alone the glory! The Holy Spirit gives both the husband and wife the power to obey.
In the scripture above there is another element. It says that the husbands should love their wives and ‘do not become bitter towards them’. This is a special warning giving to the married men. Please pray for understanding! It means that the husband must recognize the tendency to become bitter against their loving wives. They must fight the strange temptation to become bitter as husbands at home. This is warning!
Bitterness is a terrible thing. It is an emotion very difficult to bear. A root of bitterness ‘defiles many’ and fights against the grace of God in marriage (Heb 12:15). Marital bitterness poisons the home and makes everybody miserable. A bitter person makes others sad or angry. When you see a man or a woman afraid to marry, it is because they have experienced this bitter taste in a previous relationship. To them, marriage is like drinking poison every day, like having with an incurable disease, with no hope of being happy ever again. That is why they prefer staying single. Bitterness causes piercing, sharp emotional pain, like the sting of a wasp. The wounds of bitter words are long lasting and difficult to forgive or forget. In particular, a bitter husband is harsh, hot tempered, holds grudges, is mean, greedy, hard hearted, stubborn and difficult to teach. In Nigeria people describe disappointed love as ‘soup when sour’. As a pastor I counsel many women who suffer terribly in a marriage with a bitter man who discourages them to be happy. Only God can help!
MY TESTIMONY
I am a woman. I am a wife. I am a mother and a grandmother. By the grace of God, my husband and I are married for 45 years. I had to study this subject of submission because I need to fight the demons that will attack my husband. He does his own fight. But I am his helper. I should not be ignorant of this temptation. I must help him fight bitterness and not foolishly add to it. As a wife, I have tried to keep close to my husband, spiritually in particular. It pains me when he quotes a Bible verse or teaches me something new, and I am totally ignorant of that subject. I challenge myself to study the Word of God so that when my husband needs somebody to talk to about the Bible, I am ‘current’ with it. I have learned many things about subjects that I do not like in particular. I know much about politics and current affairs in Nigeria. I am not a politician, but I need to know these things, if they are good or bad. Ignorance has never helped anybody. I need to know my husband’s plans, dreams and God’s purpose for his life. I need to pray for those. I need to grow as he grows. We are not competing one against each other. But we must complement each other. To complement my husband I need to grow too. As the vision for our lives and ministry increases with time, so we must grow with it. To be left behind spiritually, to be a passive wife, it is sin. If I am lazy or careless with our relationship, and I just walk too slowly behind him with nothing new to add to our marriage, that sin is almost like spiritual adultery. My husband will be tempted to be worried, angry, disappointed and bitter against me, his wife, helper and friend. As a wife, I should not be found to be too fast and lead my husband. I should also not be found to be too slow and leave him alone. Marriage is two people learning to be one. Each one of us must grow in grace towards God and towards one another. I should not take his love for granted. I should be watchful for any virus of disappointment towards me that I sense in my husband. I must be filled with the Holy Spirit so that I will help him be the man God wants him to be. We both work hard at making our marriage a success. But the hard work is bringing a greater than expected harvest of peace, joy and ministry to those who call us parents in Christ. I boldly declare that in Christ alone, our marriage is free from the virus of bitterness! Love has won the battle! May these words challenge you! God loves you! God loves your marriages! Glory to God!
(My husband, Pastor Richmond Leigh and I. We took this picture about 10 years ago under a palm tree in Israel).
DR. OSEOLA MCCARTHY
This is a wonderful story and testimony of a Christian woman who, from her humble life gave glory to God like few others do!
In 1995 the nation was stunned when news broke that an elderly woman named Oseola McCarty had donated $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi for their scholarship fund. This eighty-seven-year-old woman had been forced to drop out of school in the sixth grade to care for her family. For more than sixty years she made a living washing clothes in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, saving as much as she could from her meager pay. She wanted others to have the opportunity for the education she never received, so she gave away the money she had saved for so many years.
Oseola McCarty (1908-1999) was born in Wayne County, Mississippi and moved to Hattiesburg as a child. In her sixth grade, her aunt (who had no children of her own) was hospitalized and later needed homecare, so McCarty quit school, never to return. She later became a washerwoman, like her grandmother, a trade that she continued until arthritis forced her to quit in 1994.
Even before dropping out of school, McCarty was taught to save money by her mother. She opened her first savings account at First Mississippi National Bank, and over the years, she opened several other accounts at various area banks, including Trustmark National Bank, which she appointed trustee of her trust and executor of her estate.
McCarty never owned a car; she walked everywhere she went, pushing a shopping cart nearly a mile to get cheaper groceries. She rode with friends to attend services at the Friendship Baptist Church. She did not subscribe to any newspaper and considered the expense an extravagance. Similarly, although she owned a black-and white-television, she received only free broadcast transmissions. In 1947, her uncle gave her the house in which she lived until her death. She also received some money from her aunt and mother when they died, which she placed into savings as well.
Over time, Trustmark Bank personnel noticed McCarty’s accumulated savings and began to assist her in future estate planning as well as be unofficial guardians for her. (Bank employees and other friends convinced McCarty to purchase two small air conditioners for her house and cable television service.)
With the assistance of a local attorney, for whom she had done laundry, and the bank’s trust officer, using slips of paper and dimes, to represent 10% shares, McCarty set out the future distribution of her estate. She set aside one dime (10%) for her church, one dime (10%) each for three relatives, and the remaining dimes (60%) for the University of Southern Mississippi. She stipulated that the funds should be used for serious students, preferably those of African-American descent, who could not otherwise attend due to financial hardship. When news of McCarty’s plan was made public, local leaders immediately funded an endowment in her honor. She signed an irrevocable trust, allowing the bank to manage her funds from which she received a regular check.
In 1998, a year before her death, she was awarded many honors recognizing her generosity. . She received an honorary degree from University of Southern Mississippi, the first such degree awarded by the university. President Bill Clinton presented her with a Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second highest civilian award, during a special White House Ceremony. She stayed in Washington DC for three days. It was the first time in her life that she flew in a plane and the first time that she slept in a hotel She also won the United Nations’ Avicenna Medal for educational commitment. In June 1996, Harvard University awarded McCarty an honorary doctorate degree. She who could not finish her primary school became a Doctor at Harvard University!
The Lessons? First lesson: God exists! God rewards! Give thanks to God! Secondly, as they say, ‘do not judge a book by its cover’. Do not make friends only with ‘big men’ who have money on display. Look for God’s servants in all places, even in the poor kitchens or the rooms where clothes are washed. Thirdly, generosity of spirit should be practiced by all. It is a royal stamp, a sure proof and a sweet fruit of the Holy Spirit! Our society values how much a person has; God values how much a person gives! Finally, whatever we do, let’s do it well, giving glory to God! If not in this life, then in heaven, but be sure of this: each good deed is rewarded by God who sees all people, no matter how humble they are. God alone takes the glory for such a humble and wonderful fulfilled life!
MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER DOUBT
“Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt” (Jude 1:22; TLB)
I come from a former Communist country. In school we were thought that God does not exist. The teachers told us that religion is a man’s invention to keep the poor people in bondage. They told us that there is no life after death. The best we can do is to work hard in this life and give some inheritance to our children. I believed that after death man disappears in a cosmic silence and nothingness. I did not believe in God or in the devil.
From time to time I dared to think that life is more than work, salary, marriage and children. I was a dreamer, a romantic at heart. I loved to read, anything like poetry, the biographies of famous men and true stories. I read many books. I loved country music. I played classical pieces on the piano. In school I was a perfectionist. I thought it was my duty to take first place in any exam or test that comes my way. I had no pity for losers. I felt very bad each time I failed any test. My parents were both teachers and of course, they were very proud of me.
The first time I had ‘an encounter’ with the word ‘God’ was in the first year of university. We were a group of friends and one day, we discussed what qualities each one desires in a life partner. Each one said something. I think I said that my future husband has to be intelligent and kind. Then Richmond Leigh, our Nigerian colleague said something so stupid that we all laughed with tears and made fun of him. He said: “I cannot marry a girl who does not believe in God…” God? What is God? I found myself looking at this young handsome man…he sounded so foolish…I pitied him and his parents in Africa. I made up my mind to help him be more ‘civilized’.
Richmond Leigh never repeated that sentence again. Few moths later he proposed to me. After many trials and temptations, against all odds, we got married. I did not want to remind him of his past foolishness. I was a little surprised that he proposed to a girl who clearly did not believe in God. I tried to forget his words about God. They made no sense anyway…But I could not uproot them from my heart. Like seeds coming from a strange tropical aromatic plant, they stayed in my heart for many years. I could not explain them. They just stayed there…
We were happy as two nice unbelievers can be. We finished Medical School and came to Nigeria as a young couple with two little children in 1980. In 1986 I had a crisis conversion and became born again. Not long after that I became filled with the Holy Spirit. My life changed so much that my parents did not recognize me when I visited them. I was a new creation in Christ Jesus. I lost my all fears and my doubts. I did not look like a Romanian or like a Nigerian…I look like a peculiar person whose citizenship is in heaven. I became ‘foolish’ too, trusting God and praying to Him always! But this so called ‘foolishness’ became my protection and my strength.
Richmond and I, we are married now for more than 45 years. We are both pastors in full time ministry in Warri, Nigeria. God had mercy on me for I acted in ignorance! Once the light shone, no one could stop it! I laughed at the words of God but I could not defeat them. Yes, God finally answered my husband’s wish to marry a woman who believes in God! This is my testimony…God’s ways are mysterious and they pass the human understanding!
“I never knew You will favor me this way…Thank You Jesus, Thank You my Lord” (Nigerian chorus)
Give your life to Christ! Become born again! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!
In Christ I declare:
I give all the glory to God for the salvation of my soul!
In Jesus’ name
Amen!
(In the picture, my husband, Richmond Leigh and I, dressed in beautiful Nigerian attire)
COURTSHIP OR DATING?
Spiritually speaking, courtship is right and dating is wrong. What are the basic differences?
Courtship is a relationship between a man and a woman in which they seek to determine if it is God’s will for them to marry each other. Under the protection, guidance, and blessing of parents or mentors, the couple concentrates on developing a deep friendship that could lead to marriage, as they discern their readiness for marriage and God’s timing for their marriage. Courtship is a choice to avoid temptation and experience the blessings of purity. It is a choice to not emotionally give away your heart, piece by piece, to many others through casual dating relationships and instead to give your whole heart to your life partner. It is a choice to wait for God’s best, for His glory. It is a decision to walk by faith, to trust in God, to honor others above yourself, and to believe that God will deal bountifully with you, because He is love. (2 Cor 5:7, Rom 12:10, 1 Jn 4:8).
If, during the courtship, one or both parties realize that marriage is not God’s will and they end the relationship, the courtship has not failed. On the contrary, the courtship was successful, because God gave the direction that was sought through it. Although the termination of a courtship most likely will be painful, damage and hurt—which can lead to bitterness—can be avoided. Both parties, as well as their families and all the people who love them, should continue to trust in the Lord and accept the grace He gives to deal with any disappointment or unfulfilled hopes.
The main difference between Dating and Courtship is in the Purpose of the Relationship. Ask yourselves this question: what are the goals to be reached by spending time with a potential marriage partner? Men and women who choose to date often have no commitment to consider marrying the other person. Maturity and readiness for marriage are not considerations in the decision to date. Instead, couples usually date with the selfish goals of having fun and enjoying romantic attachments.
In contrast, courtship is undertaken only when both parties are prepared to make a commitment to marriage. Dating tries to answer the question, ‘how can I find the one who will make me happy’? Courtship strives to answer the question, ‘how can I honor God and discern His direction regarding my life partner’?
In a dating relationship, there is little if any accountability for the couple and little or no interaction with family members. The dating couple is merely attracted to one another in some way and often pursues an exclusive relationship that is independent of others’ wise influence or godly counsel. Since the boundaries of the relationship are self-determined, the couple may easily succumb to temptation and fail to consider their responsibility to honor each other in purity and genuine love. A couple participating in courtship seeks the accountability of their parents or other mentors. As they establish guidelines for their relationship, they can more easily recognize that God also holds them responsible to honor one another. Receiving God’s grace and the support of others strengthens them to maintain their commitment to purity.
In a dating relationship, self-gratification is normally the basis of the relationship. Instead of focusing on God’s pleasure, the couple is often looking for personal pleasure. This oblivious self-centeredness can lead only to dissatisfaction, promoting an attitude of lust (taking what I want) rather than the Scriptural attitude of love (giving unselfishly to others). Consequently, dating opens the door to many temptations. If defrauding (stirring up desires that cannot be righteously satisfied) occurs, the couple can foolishly and tragically give away both emotional and physical affections that should have been reserved for a life partner. Thus, in a dating relationship, frequently intimacy precedes commitment. A courting couple can evade numerous temptations by the choice to be held accountable to God-given authorities. The dangers of defrauding can be avoided more successfully, and an honest, open friendship can be nurtured and protected. Thus, in courtship, commitment precedes intimacy.
Since one of the most important decisions we will make is the decision of marriage, we should make every effort to know and do God’s will in this area. A dating relationship is usually based only on what the dating couple presently knows about each other. In contrast, a Biblical courtship is based on what God knows about each partner and on His plans for their futures.
Jesus gave this instruction with a promise: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt 6:33). When a person makes a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ the foundation of all decisions—as he or she seeks God’s kingdom—God will provide all that is needed, including the marriage partner prepared by God just for that person (PV 18:22, 19:14.)!
God bless the young (and not so young) believers who pray for the gift of marriage! God bless their parents, pastors, true friends and mentors as they help guide and encourage them! May God answer your prayers! May God help us all!
(In the picture: the wedding of Matthew and Jemine (our youngest daughter) in 2012. Both were born again and committed Christians before they met. They both decided to pass the test of godly dating and to be sexually pure before their wedding. They both submitted to wise godly counsel from their parents and pastors. They are now happily married and have two lovely children. I use them as a point of contact for other singles who pray to experience the blessings of godly dating and happy marriage. To God be all the glory!)
A SAD BUT TRUE STORY OF PRIDE
Aaron Burr Jr. (1756 – 1836) was an American politician and lawyer. He was the third vice president of the United States (1801–1805), serving during President Thomas Jefferson’s first term. Burr served as a Continental Army officer in the American Revolutionary War, after which he became a successful lawyer and politician. He was elected twice to the New York State Assembly; he was appointed New York State Attorney General; he was chosen as a U.S. senator from the State of New York. He reached the apex of his career as vice president. Burr shot his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a famous gun duel in 1804, the last full year of his single term as vice president. He was never tried for the illegal duel and all charges against him were eventually dropped, but Hamilton’s death ended Burr’s political career. Burr left Washington, D.C., and traveled west seeking new opportunities, both economic and political. His activities eventually led to his arrest on charges of treason in 1807. The subsequent trial resulted in acquittal, but Burr’s western schemes left him with large debts and few influential friends. In a final quest for grand opportunities, he left the United States for Europe. He remained overseas until 1812, when he returned to the United States to practice law in New York City, where he spent the rest of his life in relative obscurity. He was a known womanizer. He wrote books about his sexual exploits. He had many children with different women (white and black). He adopted them all to be legally his. He married two times. Each of his wives were rich widows who brought a lot of money to him.
According to the world, this is the story of a great man. He was educated, rich and famous. The sad part of his life story is not always told. He came from a great Christian family. His maternal grandfather was Jonathan Edwards, the greatest American Theologian. Burr’s father was a true man of God, a pastor. Burr’s parents died when he was a child. He grew up with his uncles, also committed Christian men. When Burr was 19, and a student at Yale College, an evangelist preached the Gospel and made an altar call. many students gave their lives to Christ. Burr was among them. They were told to go to the next room so that they will be told about the basics of Christianity. As Burr was following the students, somebody pointed at him and said: ‘See, Jonathan Edwards’ grand son has answered an altar call’. Burr was ashamed and went home. He later openly rejected the faith of his grandparents and parents. He died in a hotel. He died as an unbeliever. He was buried near his father in Princeton, New Jersey.
This true story is a warning against pride! It is possible to be rich and famous and go to hell. It is possible to live a long and successful life and still die as a reprobate. Dear friend, please humble yourself and come to Jesus! Sinner, backslider, come home! There is room at the Cross for you! Jesus is calling you!
Our Lord said: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mt 16:26)
(In the picture, Aaron Burr and his tomb in Princeton Cemetery)
MARRIAGE (3)
This is another sermon on Marriage preached by Pastor Richmond Leigh, my husband:
Pastor Richmond Leigh continued preaching about marriage as it is seen in the Bible. His text was taken from the Book of Ephesians. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Eph 5:22; KJ). Pastor Richmond Leigh said that when talking about the great subject of salvation, there are matters and doctrines that are absolutely necessary to know and obey. Other matters are important but not absolutely necessary. These are called ‘matters of indifference’. In the same way, when talking about Biblical marriage, there are some matters that are absolutely necessary. Some others are important but not absolutely necessary. For example, the type of fashion the wife chooses, the way she sets the table, the type of food she should cook to make the husband happy… these are ‘matters of indifference’. We shall not address these things. In these series of sermons we shall only talk about spiritual matters, Biblical revelations that are absolutely necessary to make marriages successful. Remember that the Bible is not a traditional book. It is not even a Jewish traditional book. The Bible is the infallible Word of God. In marriage as in other areas of our lives the basic doctrine of ‘first things first’ still applies.
In the world, the view of love, of marriage is purely physical. The reason why people marry is because of sexual lust, physical appearance or money. It is based on fleshly instincts and reflexes. The marriage certificate legalizes such a physical attraction. But among believers in Christ, marriage is regarded at a higher level. God ordained marriage. Therefore, in marriage as in other things, the believers pray and seek the will of God concerning their lives’ partners. That is why, Apostle Paul commands all believers to ‘be filled with the Holy Spirit’ before getting married (Eph 5:18).
The general doctrine is that we all submit one unto another because of the fear of God (Eph 5:21). Paul now applies this doctrine in the area of marriage. He addresses the wives first saying: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord!” In the world there is a saying: ‘Ladies first!’ But in the Bible, it is the opposite. It is ‘Men first!’ The wives must submit to their own husbands. It is not natural that husbands should submit to their own wives. The grand motive of this submission is ‘as unto the Lord’. What does it mean? The wife’s submission is not exactly the way she submits to her Lord Jesus Christ! That is going too far. We are all bond slaves to our Master Jesus Christ. It is not expected that some slaves should submit to other slaves without the knowledge of their master.
Then what does this submission mean? It means that the wife should submit to her husband as part of her duty towards her Lord Jesus Christ. ‘Wife, when you submit to your own husband, you do it for Christ’ sake! Your Lord has asked you to do it! Your submission to your husband is not for the sake of your husband but for the Lord’s pleasure!’ This submission is a command. The Apostle Paul does not ask the wives’ opinion. The wife may be more educated or wealthier than her husband. She may be older in age or more intelligent. But for as long she is a wife, she has to submit to her own husband. Then the marriage will be successful. This is a spiritual law that you must obey! It is sad to see how many foolish, rebellious and proud wives struggle with their husbands to be leaders in the marriage. It is proven that if there is any area where a wife can ‘shine’ as a woman of God is in this area of submission. In the world this submission is seen as foolishness. There are many women’ clubs and organizations promoting feminism, equality between sexes and women’ rights. These are all unbiblical and unspiritual. We are not discussing here the social status of women in the world in general. Yes, men and women are equal because they are all created by God. But in the area of marriage, God made the husband to be the head. You can’t argue with God’s law! The Biblical Marriage is a mystery (Eph 5:23). It is a symbol of the union between the Lord and the Church, who is called the Bride of Christ!
There are other Biblical reasons why the wife must submit to her own husband. Man was created first and the woman was created second (Genesis 2). God created Adam from the dust of the ground. Eve was created by God from one of Adam’s ribs. This is the order of creation even before the fall. After God created Adam He said that ‘“It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Gen 2:18); NKJ). The wife was created to me ‘a helpmeet’ (King James translation) to her husband. To be ‘a helpmeet’ means to compliment the husband. A good Christian wife studies her own husband and helps him, support him in his weaknesses. Thru prayers and the application of the Word of God she builds him up. She encourages him. She does not take advantage of his weaknesses to exploit, manipulate or to destroy him. Adam named all the animals. They were created before Eve. But no animal could be a ‘helper comparable to him’. That is why God created Eve from his bone, from the DNA of Adam.
In the Bible the wife is also called ‘the weaker vessel’. ‘Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered’ (1Pet 3:7). The husband is commanded to ‘give honor’ to his wife. That does not mean to submit to her. What it means is to recognize that she is a child of God, an heir together of the grace of life. The husband needs to understand his wife, to nourish and help her as she is the weaker vessel. Ignoring this command, the prayers of the husband will be hindered. The reason why the wife is called the weaker vessel is because naturally, the husband is stronger than the wife.
Another reason why the wife must submit to her husband is because the women have a greater tendency than the men to be deceived. In the Garden of Eden, Eve was deceived by the devil that came to her as a serpent (Genesis 3). This original sin happened because Eve was deceived. When the devil proposed that she should eat from the forbidden fruit, she should have asked her husband what to do. But she usurped authority over Adam. She acted alone, without the covering of her husband. She failed to realize her position and took over the leadership of the marriage. She dealt with the situation as a single woman, without reference to her husband. The original sin was that the wife failed to realize her position in her marital home. She usurped authority, power and position over the husband thereby bringing calamity that has affected all women since then. God judged her action and said that from now on, the women will have pains when they deliver their children. God also said that the husband will ‘rule over the wife’. ‘To the woman God said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” (Gen 3:16). As you can see, the wife’s subordination was increased after the fall.
Genesis 3:16 is the basis of Apostle Paul’s argument of women taking authority in the church, thru preaching and teaching the men. This is what Apostle Paul says: ‘And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control’ (1Tim 2:12-15). As you can see, Adam was not deceived. When he ate the fruit he did it as an act of rebellion, which is also a sin. Eve’s deception has affected all women since then. A woman is not to teach men even in the church, except she is under the spiritual covering of her husband or her pastor who takes responsibility for her ministry.
Finally, this is a reminder that the subject we discuss is that of wives’ submission to their husbands in the area of marriage. God is not the author of confusion. God has called us to peace. In all things we must learn to give glory to God. ‘Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ (1Cor 10:31). Worship the Lord!
PRAYER REQUEST: HEALING FROM CANCER
A good Christian woman I know is asking for prayer. Let’s call her ‘Naomi’. She is in her fifties. She is a single mother to her two children. She is working very hard to give her children a better life than she had. She has been recently diagnosed with cancer. She prays for supernatural healing. She believes that there is nothing impossible for God to do. Dear intercessors, please pray for her. She will read all your words of encouragement and prayers. Thank you! God bless you all!
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” (Lk 1:45)
BIBLICAL MARRIAGE
SERMON PREACHED BY PASTOR RICHMOND LEIGH, MY HUSBAND!
Pastor Richmond Leigh continued preaching about marriage as it is seen in the Bible. His text was taken from the Book of Ephesians. “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Eph 5:21, 22; KJ). Pastor Richmond Leigh said that when talking about the great subject of salvation, there are matters and doctrines that are absolutely necessary to know and obey. Other matters are important but not absolutely necessary. These are called ‘matters of indifference’. In the same way, when talking about Biblical marriage, there are some matters that are absolutely necessary. Some others are important but not absolutely necessary. For example, the type of fashion the wife chooses, the way she sets the table, the type of food she should cook to make the husband happy… these are ‘matters of indifference’. We shall not address these things. In these series of sermons we shall only talk about spiritual matters, Biblical revelations that are absolutely necessary to make marriages successful. Remember that the Bible is not a traditional book. It is not even a Jewish traditional book. The Bible is the infallible Word of God. ‘Dear wives, I’m sorry to say this, you can cook the best food for your husband. Your cooking alone will not hold your marriage. Your husband will eat the food and still abuse you. You can dress with the most expensive night dress; that alone cannot improve your marriage…You need to obey the injunction of God as you are powered by the Holy Spirit…’
The great Apostle Paul commands wives to submit to their own husbands ‘as unto the Lord’. But before that verse, he commands all Christians to learn how to ‘submit one to another in the fear of God’. This submission is not done because of social customs or cultural traditions. This submission is not done just to impress the pastors. This submission is spiritual, holy and real. It’s genuine. It’s from the heart! It’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The truth is that no unbeliever is truly humble. Because the devil cannot submit, the natural man cannot submit to another. He may pretend to do it but his heart is proud and not submissive. When a religious unbeliever submits to another, that is manipulation! It is only the children of God that are able to obey this command to submit to one another. It is one of their identifying marks! That is why we are commanded ‘to be filled with the Holy Spirit!’ in Eph. 5:18
Our Lord said that the Great men, the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over others. The so called ‘big men’ in the world are always proud and high handed. They insist that others respect them, worship them. But Jesus said that in the Kingdom of God it is the opposite! Humility is expected and it is greatly rewarded. The leaders in the Kingdom of God should have the attitude of a servant ‘even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many’ (Mat 20:20-28). If a born again Christian is proud on earth, his reward in heaven will be very small. But if a Christian is humble on earth, submits to God and to others, just like His Master, his reward in heaven will be very great.
We submit to one another for a particular reason: ‘the fear of God’. Simply said, because Jesus submitted to God His Father and also to men, His reward was exceedingly great in heaven. We should have the same attitude, the same mind set (Phil 2:5-11). Before the Cross, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. He was their Master but He behaved as their servant. He said that He gave them an example of how to treat one another (Jn 13:12-16). We submit to God and to one another because we want to show gratitude to God. Jesus said: “If you love Me, you will obey My commandments” (Jn 14:15). In other words, if you say you love God and man, you must submit to one another.
Another reason we submit to God and to one another is because of fear of losing reward. A born again Christian, even if he becomes proud and backslides, he will never lose his salvation because ‘Salvation is of the Lord’ (Ps 3:8). But a backslider loses opportunities for ministry on earth and rewards in heaven. This is a spiritual law: for every act of sacrificial love, for every act of sanctification trying to become like Jesus, you will be rewarded in heaven. We are commanded to ‘work out’ our salvation with fear and trembling. We are not commanded to ‘work for’ our salvation, but to work it out. Let the invisible work of the Holy Spirit be manifested thru humble deeds done to the glory of God (Phil 2:13). Every good work done on earth shall be tried with the fire of God. The foundation is the same: Christ and Him crucified. But ‘the building materials’ are different. Some believers pay the price and build with gold and silver. Their humble faithful work is done for the glory for God and it will stand the test of fire. They shall be highly rewarded by God. But others use worldly means to build up their ministries. Their labor is to promote self. They build with ‘wood, hay and straw’. The fire will consume all their works and there shall be no reward in heaven. It is a frightening thing to have your works burnt by the Holy God who is a consuming fire!
These basic Biblical principles apply to all Christian behavior in general and to the marriage relationships in particular. Agape Love is the grandest, the greatest and most noble motive in the whole world to be good and to do good to others! For example, a man who is shy, weak willed like a sheep, becomes like a lion when it comes to doing exploits for the woman he loves. Love finds it easy to submit to the Beloved. We submit to one another to honor Jesus and to give glory to God. In His High Priestly prayer Jesus said: Father God, “all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them” (Jn 17:10). We should never forget! For the sake of love, the Second Person of the Trinity came to earth and became a man. Our Lord Jesus Christ limited Himself, caged Himself and became a servant to men. He was obedient to God even unto death. For the sake of our souls, He died that we might live. This is the power of submission and humility! This is the power of Love! This love can never fail to achieve its purpose! (1Cor 13:8). Glory to God! In Ephesians 5:21, the injunction is not only for wives to submit, but all, including husbands. Husbands are also called to submit in a sense to their own wives.
Lastly, this is a practical advice. You child of God, especially daughters of Sarah, if you humble yourself and learn how to submit to others when you are single, it will easy to submit to your own husband once you get married. Submission is not a loss! Submission is highly rewarded by God with a great testimony money cannot buy! Dear brethren, let’s do everything to the glory of God! “Submit one to another in the fear of the Lord” Worship the Lord!
SIGNS OF BEWITCHING
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal 3:1-5)
Can a believer in Christ become bewitched? Surprisingly, the answer is yes! The Galatians were believers. Apostle Paul rebukes them for their foolishness and backsliding. To bewitch it means to cast a spell upon another, to use occult power to influence the thinking of another, to use witchcraft manipulation to control, captivate the emotions and overcome another person. What are the sighs? When under an occult spell, the person is not able to concentrate on the Word of God and prayer. He started with the Spirit and now he walks led by his flesh (which is the totality of man’s attributes unaided by the Holy Spirit). Jesus is not the center of his being anymore. He has fallen in love with something else. There is a secret idol in his heart. That idol provokes God to jealousy. Under the spell, he feels an irresistible attraction towards a person, a doctrine, an idea or an object. He is ready to lose all things, including his soul for the benefit of his idol. This is an internal backsliding. Christ is gone. All that is left is hopeless and tragic empty religion. Life becomes miserable; no hope and no vision!
The Galatians were true believers. They had a good foundation. They started the Christian race well, with salvation by grace, thru faith in Jesus Christ. But along the way they became careless with their soul; they lost their focus and went astray. They were backsliding internally and were ignorant of it. They continued to come to church and learned the wicked skill of hypocrisy. Paul says that they were ‘bewitched’. The word means to betray your best friend; to fall in love with a stranger; to become infatuated with a mysterious, far away imaginary ‘bright and beautiful star’. This is the work of the evil seducing spirit of religion. It offers a counterfeit happiness that lacks commitment and royal poise.
Be warned! On the surface, without spiritual discernment, lies are always more attractive than the truth. You have to seek and learn to appreciate the truth, before you can love it. But lies are cords able to tie your soul into bondage and ever increasing sorrow. This deception makes a believer blind to the lovely face of Jesus, deaf to the Truth that He brought to earth, foolishly rebellious against the grace of God. Once you are under a spell, the Cross of Christ makes no sense anymore and the Blood of Jesus seems to be ‘just blood’… Blind and naked, you start to backslide, slowly losing your anointing and covering. Miracles cease and life becomes a boring depressing routine. There is a prodigal waste of resources, unnecessary pain and useless tears. Many years come and go, you may still go to church, at least on Sunday, but you are unable to have peace, to be wise and to be happy. So sad…
If you suspect that you are under a spell of witchcraft, what are the signs that you should look for?
*FOOLISHNESS, UN-NECESSARY MISTAKES, BORING, DISAPPOINTING, UN-INSPIRING, UN-EVENTFUL LIFE
*NO MANIFESTATION OF ANSWERS TO PRAYERS- LITTLE FAITH, ORDINARY LIFE, NO MIRACLES
*REBELLION, STUBBORNNESS, PRIDE, UN-TEACHABLE, UNABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND OBEY THE TRUTH
*WORLDLY, SELFISH AMBITION, EASILY PROVOKED, STRIFE, QUARRELS, ADDICTED TO GOSSIP
*LOSS OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE POWER OF THE CROSS, OF THE TRUE GOSPEL, OF THE BLOOD
*SPIRITUALLY DEAF, ITCHY EARS- FORGETS THE WORD OF GOD, WEAK OR SLEEPY DURING THE PREACHING OF THE SERMON
*SICKNESS THAT NO MEDICAL TEST CAN DETECT AND NO DRUGS CAN CURE- CHRONIC DEPRESSION, NEGATIVITY, ANXIETY
*MYSTERIOUS PANIC ATTACKS- COWARDICE
*TRUSTING IN SELF TO MAKE PROGRESS IN LIFE- IDENTITY COMES FROM SECULAR SUCCESS, ADDICTED TO WORK, BECOMING BUSYBODY
*UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION; CHRONIC DOUBTS- UN-SUCCESSFUL DELIVERANCE
*UNABLE TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
It takes a fresh work of the Holy Spirit to convict a backslider of sin. It is a miracle to become born again. It is an extraordinary privilege, a double miracle indeed to be arrested again by the Spirit of the only Living and Jealous God. Every backslider comes back with stories of pain, failure and loss. Brokenhearted he finally comes to the foot of the Cross and from now on, he will forever call that spot ‘HOME’. Who can tell of the wonder of true salvation? Who can describe the chemistry of a soul set free? Who can speak of open eyes beholding the scepter of mercy? Who can write the story of men made perfect thru the death of their King? Even if I had a thousand tongues to sing the praises of my King, even that shall not be enough to describe the power, the beauty and glory of His Majesty on High! ”O come let us adore Him…Christ the Lord!’
In Christ I declare:
I am born again! I am eternally saved by grace, thru faith in the Blood of Jesus! I trust and obey the Gospel of grace, which is God’s power unto salvation! I destroy any occult spells, evil manipulation or witchcraft influence over my soul! Jesus died to save my soul; to set me free from the guilt and punishment of sin! I am free indeed! To the glory of God!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
AARON’S TESTIMONY: HEALED!!! (13th of June, 2019)
The prayer request bellow was sent to you about 3 months ago. This afternoon, Aaron and his dad came to see Pastor and I. He has finished the chemotherapy sessions and he has been declared cancer free. Aaron was feeling shy because, as a result of the chemotherapy, his hair fell off. He came dressed with a jacket and a hood, to cover his ‘bololo’ head. He said that the children laugh at him because he has no hair. He is fair but because of the chemotherapy he became very dark in color. He was self conscious because of that. He was telling me that the cancer made him “black”. I encouraged him that soon he will be his normal color with hair on his head. He smiled… Otherwise, he was happy and strong. I encouraged him to remove it so that the two of us take a picture together in my office. He did! You see both of us smiling in the picture bellow.
His father was telling me that between March and June, during this period of trial, God proved Himself strong on behalf of his little son. He was at a point of death three times but he recovered and became stronger than before. When they needed money, God used many people to supply. Each time Aaron needed blood transfusions, even strangers donated for him. He said that once, during the chemotherapy session, his blood count suddenly dropped to dangerously low. It was 12 midnight. The doctor said that he should look for donors. He phoned some brethren from Warri that this is an emergency. Four Christian brethren drove from Warri to Benin and were in the hospital before 3 am to donate blood. The doctors were surprised and told him that God is with him. Aaron is in primary three. The principal of the school the son attends in Warri came to visit him in the hospital and gave him permission to write the exams later. During the last chemotherapy session, his wife phoned that she is in labor. He left Aaron alone in UBTH in the care of the other patients and nurses and ran to Warri to be with his wife as she delivered their third son. The testimonies go on and on…
He gives all the glory to God for the healing, provision and strength He provided during this period of trial. He also said I should thank all the people who prayed for his son. God bless you all! To God be all the glory!
PRAYER REQUEST FOR AARON (April 2nd, 2019)
This is the sad story of a boy called ‘Aaron’ (not his real name). He is 9 years of age. Right now he is lying down sick at UBTH. He has been diagnosed with cancer in one kidney. The surgeons have removed his kidney. He is now undergoing chemotherapy. He is reacting to the drugs. The doctors are battling with the disease. For weeks, his father sleeps on the floor by his son. The parents are faithful humble Believers. We know them personally. They are tired hoping for light in the darkness. They have spent all their money. But they still have faith in God that their son will rise from that sick bed and go home and be healthy again! The father phones us often!
Dear intercessors, please pray that God will intervene and miraculously heal this boy. For nothing is impossible for God! There is power when we agree in prayer! Let’s pray! The greater the challenge we meet, the greater the faith will be supplied! We vow to give God alone all the glory for the healing of Aaron! In Jesus’ name! Amen!
‘Do not be afraid! Only believe!’ (Mark 5:36)
PASTORAL NOTES
For some time I have been praying to be able to enter the feelings of my Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight I had prepared a wonderful message. But coming to the service I discovered that the brethren were not able to ‘bear’ the Word. If it was an ‘ordinary’ religious church service, I could have gone ahead, if they are prepared to listen or not. But in a prophetic prayer meeting, I need to be led by the Holy Spirit in all things. The Spirit will tell me when to move and when to stop; when to speak and when to keep quiet.
I know the frustration of Jesus, how it feels to come loaded with gifts, desiring to give them to people, wishing to empty myself of grace…but… go home still full. For the recipients were not able to receive the goods prepared for them. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (Jn 16:12, 13)
With so many doubts opposing the flow of the Holy Spirit and with all these religious spirits blocking my path, what do I do then? I had to leave my gifts and go and help the brethren, as they are. Most of them came to church heavy laden from the burdens of life. There was a terrible spirit of anxiety connected with the world events. It made them depressed, tired and sluggish. That is not the way to worship God… I encouraged them to press on for there is no other hope than the one found in Christ. Thank God the Holy Spirit took over and gave the few willing ones, the humble ones, joy unspeakable and full of glory. Others stayed behind, afraid of the waves in the ocean of grace… they could not enter the anointing. They missed it. But for those who by faith, jumped in the river of life, who said “Father God, I come to You… if I perish, I perish…” burdens melted and blind eyes opened to see the King of kings in His beauty. This evening, what the devil planned for evil God turned it into good. God always turns bad things for good! He has no limitations! What a mighty God we serve! Heaven and earth adore Him! Angels bow before Him! Hallelujah!
WAIT A LITTLE LONGER
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who patiently wait for the Lord shall inherit the land” (Ps 37:7-9)
Someone asked the Duke of Wellington why are the British soldiers better than others? Why do they win all the battles? His answer was not what you expect. He revealed the secret of success. He said that his soldiers can hold on five minutes longer than that the enemy’s army. To many, that was a strange answer. He did not say that the British eat better food, that their weapons are better, that their uniforms are more beautiful or that they have discovered a new strategy. No! He said that they do everything the enemy is doing, but a little longer than him.
What do we learn from this? Men look for success in big things. They think that some great revelation will make them leaders of men or champions in conflict. They ignore the simple routine of life. They ignore the power of patience and faith, in doing all things as unto the Lord. Why is it that a cat will always conquer the rat? If the rat hides in a hole, the cat will seat and wait patiently outside. Sometimes later, the rat grows tired of the prison hole, becomes impatient and comes out. He forgets that the cat is still outside. The patient cat will catch the less patient rat. This is a great lesson: the patient man becomes the champion! If you trust God, if you pray, if you wait and if you love a little longer than your enemy, you shall win the battle!
The Bible says that patient people win the battle and become landowners. Now you know the secret of true success! Praise the Lord!
In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God!
I am patient!
My enemy shall be cut off!
I shall inherit the land!
In Jesus name
Amen!
THE SNARE IS BROKEN AND I AM FREE!
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (PV 29:25)
In Hebrew the word ‘fear’ means to be so full of anxiety until you become restless and impatient. It means to become frustrated, confused and embarrassed because of fear of defeat in battle. Fear of man produces a coward and a loser. Its victims are full of inferiority complexes. This fear is a snare. Strangely, there is something deceptively attractive about fear. It devices and traps its victims. Like watching horror movies, the believer becomes infatuated with intimidation. He goes too close to the devil and he is captured by him as a prisoner of war. This is how the snare works!
Fearing what men say about you or what they can do to you is something you must confront. You cannot ignore this fear. You must defeat it! Many believers are in bondage to this evil spirit of oppressive bullying. They dream about deliverance but for a long time, they are not ready to fight for freedom. They play safe by overinvesting in relationships ‘for peace sake’ – they say. But this compromise, this false peace, is a snare. For no man or woman can save, protect or promote you! Only God can do that!
For as long as you love men more than you love Jesus, the snare cannot be broken! To fear men more than you fear God it means that something is wrong somewhere. As a coward you do not completely trust God and His promises. You may be deceived to say ‘I trust God’ but in reality your faith is damaged and you are ignorant of it. You need help from God. Selah!
By contrast, faith in God keeps you truly ‘safe’. In Hebrew, the word ‘faith’ means to be confident in God’s promises and to be sure of His Word. Faith is His covering. Faith makes you bold as a lion. All your hope is in God. To be ‘safe’ it means to be strong, totally inaccessible from the attacks of the strongest men, exalted on high and promoted above all your enemies. In Christ, God is your unfailing defense. Now, you need to choose: who do you fear? Is it God or men? Only God is able to protect you from all your enemies, spiritual of natural. May your eyes open to see your need for deliverance and victory!
This is my testimony: I was born a coward. I was an addict to fear. I was described as an intelligent but very shy girl. I cannot stand when men bully me. I shake, weep and I run. In the past, the only way I knew how to defeat these bullying boys, was to be the best in class. Academically, I decided to be the best I could be. I read all my books. I prepared for all my exams. I was an A student. Wining the competitions, gaining the medals, having my picture in the honor list became my dream and my desire. This was my way of telling the world that I am not afraid of losers. Of course, this method had only superficial and temporary results. After I became born again, I finally understood that this is a spiritual battle. Thru the study of the Word of God, prayer and faithfully serving God, I became a mature Christian. I became a woman of God. I am now a true champion. I am a sign and a wonder to myself. I learned to dance like David danced! Thru this worship war-like dance, I trampled all the Goliaths around me. I am now free and free indeed! To God alone be all the glory! I mean that: to God alone be all the glory!
SIGNS, WONDERS AND OUR FAITH
(This sermon was preached this Sunday, by Pastor Richmond Leigh, my husband)
During this Sunday service, Pastor Richmond Leigh preached from the Book of John. “So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household” (Jn 4:46-53).
Pastor Richmond Leigh said that the signs, wonders and miracles are manifestations of supernatural powers. In particular, the miracles in the New Testament proved the divinity of Christ. Even with the advance of science, the miracles that Jesus performed have not been replicated by men. For example, nobody could change water into wine, walk on the water or make a man who was born blind to see. These miracles had two effects upon those who witnessed them. Some were attracted to Jesus and believed that He was sent by God, because no one could perform such miracles except by the power of God. Others, sadly, rejected the Lord, in spite of witnessing the miracles.
As Christians, our faith is not based on miracles. We believe that Jesus is Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did some of the miracles because He had compassion upon the needy men and women. But the primary reason why He did them was to reveal His glory to men on earth. “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (Jn 2:11). Our Lord was the greatest Teacher. The miracles were like ‘visual aids’. He was teaching the people to believe in Him, that He is the Messiah. He wanted the people to trust Him as their Savior; that He came to die for their sins. Salvation is God’s supernatural work. The people must believe the Word of God and become born again. But many of the people who listened to Jesus wanted only His miracles and not His Person or His teachings. They wanted the miracles but not the Word of God. The purpose of the miracles was to lead them to the Word of God so that they can believe. Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted them to believe in Him even without miracles. Men of little faith want to see miracles before they believe in Jesus.
In the story found in John Chapter 4, the son of a noble man was very sick, to the point of death. The father came to Jesus looking for a miracle. The father trekked 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana, to meet with the Lord. Jesus had compassion on him. Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. What Jesus did was ‘to connect’ the miracle to the Word of God. Jesus did not go with him to Capernaum. But He gave him the Word. The father believed! With the word in his heart, he trekked back another 20 miles. He had enough time to meditate upon that Word of God that produces faith. He discovered that the son was healed at the very hour Jesus spoke the Word! It was like Jesus healed the son by ‘a spiritual remote control’. The father believed the Word and the son was healed!
This is a good lesson for all of us. The primary purpose why the Son of God came to earth was not to perform miracles. It was to die for our sins! It was for our salvation! But He also performed miracles because He was compassionate. The true miracles done in the name of Jesus are intimately connected with faith in the Word of God! Miracles should lead us to the Word of God. Faith in the Word produces miracles! These days, many false prophets try to deceive the people who fake miracles (Mt 24:24). They do it to attract crowds so that they can collect money or become famous. But the true children of God cannot be totally deceived because their faith is not based on signs and wonders, but on the Word of God, which stands forever! Amen!
These are some honest questions: Pastor, do you get angry if the Lord does not do miracles in a crusade? Do you get angry with God if He does not do miracles to prove that you are a child of God? You people in the choir, what is the purpose of your singing? Is it for a show? You people who play instruments, why are you doing it? Is for fame or money? Or is it for the glory of God? Christian women, what is the purpose of your dressing up each Sunday with expensive clothes? Is it to seduce men or it is for the glory of God? Christian men, what is your attitude to money? Do you pay your tithes and offerings? Do you desire to contribute to the expansion of the Kingdom of God, or not?
Let’s never forget! God exists! Jesus Christ is the Lord! Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God! He died that we might live! We are not justified by miracles. We are justified by faith the Lord Jesus Christ! The Cross is the greatest miracle this universe has ever seen! Salvation is the greatest miracle offered to man! Nothing compares with this! This is the will of God, that men will be saved! Miracles are good but their effect is temporary. Salvation is eternal! Become born again! Worship the Lord!
MY TESTIMONY IN A SONG
“Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”
Fill my cup, Lord; I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”
(R. Blanchard)
I’m alive and healthy. I have roof over my head, clothes and food to eat. My soul is saved! I AM A SUCCESS STORY! Glory to God!
WHAT THE WIFE DESIRES FROM HER HUSBAND?
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph 5:25-28)
The Christian marriages are under serious attacks. The answer to the above question is found in the Word of God. I confirm it from my experience as a wife of more than 45 years and also from my experience as a Pastor. One thing is clear: the devil hates successful godly and happy marriages! To have a successful marriage it takes a lot of effort. That is why the spiritually lazy are all unhappily married. Any woman, but especially if she is born again, has her own expectations concerning marriage. This is because she reads the Bible and she sees God’s standard concerning the men. She is not happy if her dreams do not come true.
What does a Christian woman desires from her husband?
*Love! The husband must love her in a particular way: ‘even as Christ loves the Church’. This is the greatest love of all. It is not just a seasonal emotion, but a forever sacrificial love.
*Prayer! The husband must pray with and for his wife. Before praying for children, for friends and the extended family, the husband must regularly pray for his wife.
*Cleansing! A godly husband must ‘wash’ his wife with the Word of God. He must study the Bible to have enough ‘water and soap’ to do it.
*Providing! A husband must provide for the wife. He must be an ambassador of Jehovah Jireh in the home.
*Trustworthy! A godly husband must keep his word. He should not lie or give false hopes. He should not promise things he cannot perform. Breaking a promise to the wife means breaking her heart. And that breaking takes a long time to repair. He must be sexually faithful to his wife.
*Communicate! The husband must speak the truth in love! He should be a lover and a leader using good words! They should talk ‘heart to heart’, about everything. Silence is not a good communicator. You may misinterpret the absence of words. My husband and I we talk about everything. We are friends, lovers and co-laborers in ministry.
*Spiritual covering! The husband must take responsibility for the mistakes of his wife. He should not blame her harshly. He must correct the wife in love. This correction is an art. Do not correct in anger, but always in love. Be patient and expect improvement. Rejoice when the good changes come.
*A good father! The husband must be a good father to their children.
*Co-laborer! The husband must help carry the wife’s burdens. He must pray to understand his wife. This is not an easy task but with the help of the Holy Spirit he will succeed.
*Rejoice with her! He must make her laugh for laughter is like medicine. He should discuss their finances with her. They should not be greedy or wasteful. They should pay their tithes and offerings in the church.
*Be an encourager! He must encourage her to be all that God wants her to be. He should not expect perfection for no one is perfect. But they should mature spiritually and rejoice in the journey of life. Each season of life is beautiful in the presence of God!
This is our testimony. My husband loves me and I know it because he has proved it to me numerous times. He loves me with words and action. He prays for me. One of the sweetest times for me it is when my husband calls me and says: “My wife, let me pray for you…” To me this is the highest form of love in action. I so appreciate it! Recently, having some health issues, my husband’s prayers carried me on. My husband studies the Bible daily. I love it! We discuss the wonderful things we find in the Word of God. He provides for the financial needs of the home. He is not a lazy man at all! I trust him when he promises me things. He does not lie to me. He encourages me and he corrects me when I need both. He is happy when I improve in my character. We rejoice together. He is a good father to our children and a good grandfather. We share in the burden of the ministry. We laugh together, we work together. My marriage was not perfect from the beginning for we were both sinners when we fell in love. But after we became saved, the spiritual fruit started to appear and now our marriage is a garden of the Lord. Glory to God!
This is a prayer I often pray. It has worked for me. If you have faith, it will work for you! “Lord Jesus, please help me to see You in my husband’s eyes…help me to feel Your touch thru my husband’s hands. Bless our marriage. Bless our home with Your presence. Let the water be changed into wine in our marriage, In Jesus name, amen!”
(In the picture, my husband and I)
Green Pastures 