Category Archives: Uncategorized

MY FAITH STANDS

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31, 32)
 
This conversation between our Lord and Peter is just before the Cross. Jesus warns him and encourages him in the same time. ‘Satan has asked for you…’ Satan, the accuser of the brethren has asked for permission to ‘sift’ Peter. Interestingly, that permission was granted by God. The word ‘asked’ is a strong word meaning ‘insisting, demanding to come for trial’. This reminds us that the devil is a personality and not just an ‘evil influence’. Here we see that some of the devil’s wicked desires are granted to him by God. In particular, the devil enjoys sifting the believers. But the process of sifting shall give glory to God at the end. To sift it means to violently shake something with the intent to separate the components. In particular, sifting wheat means to shake the grains until both chaff and impurities go away and only the good grain remains.
 
This is a great revelation: the devil is allowed by God to shake, to sift, nations and people. In the following verse the devil is called ‘the man’: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms; who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?” (Is 14:16, 17)
 
Peter boasted of his unshakable love for Jesus but he did not know his weakness and he was ignorant of his fears. The sifting shall remove all fleshly empty boasting, religious worship and flattery praises. The fleshly things shall be shaken and fall but the eternal things of the Kingdom shall remain. This is the promise of God: “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Heb 12:26, 27). The faith of the believers shall be purified and become like gold that passes thru fire. Maturity and strength shall be the result of spiritual shaking and sifting.
 
At the Cross, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace and the Desired of the Nations, completely destroyed the power of the devil. On the Cross our Lord ends the sifting by saying: ‘It is finished!’ . No man can stop the process of ‘sifting’ except our Lord Jesus Christ thru His intercession. Behind the devil, our Lord is the One who supervises and limits the loss. Jesus winnows His grain. “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Mt 3:12). This is the promise of our eternal High Priest, that during all trials His prayer shall sustain us and His grace shall be sufficient to carry on. ‘I have prayed for you…” Say it to yourself: “Jesus Christ prays for me, right now!” That is all I need to know right now!
 
The devil wants to destroy your faith but Jesus says that your faith shall not fail. Your faith shall stand! The devil wants you to backslide but Jesus says that no one of His sheep shall be lost. The devil wants to destroy the unity of the Spirit in the Church and in your marriage. But the end of such a trial of fire is joyful strength that shall be a testimony to the other brethren. I encourage you to look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith! Kings and kingdoms shall pass away, but there is something about His name…JESUS!!!
 
Dear child of God, listen! The road may have been long and difficult but your future is better than anything you have imagined! The glory of Christ shall be revealed to the nations! The hearts of men shall be purified and they shall see the Lord! The weeping shall be replaced with rejoicing! The weak shall be strong and the poor shall be rich! There is a turning of the tables! The praises shall increase! The church shall be stronger! Your marriage shall be sweeter! Great shall be your children’ peace! May Christ glorify Himself in your life today!
sift as wheat

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE A MOTHER

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, ‘God hath made me laugh so that all that hear will laugh with me.’ And she said, ‘Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.’” (Genesis 21:1-7)

A lack of faith caused Sarah to laugh at God in disbelief. But an abundance of faith enabled her to laugh with God in delight.
This Bible story teaches us many things. The most important is that faith in God kills disappointment!

Dear sister, please listen: one thing is clear! The medical science says that after a certain age, your dreams to be a mother should die. But according to God, your Creator, you are never too old to believe that one day you will be a joyful mother!!! Do not laugh at God or at His promises! LAUGH WITH GOD!!! In His presence there is fullness of joy! Nothing can change that! God bless you as you believe!

baby-hand-holding-mothers-hand1

MY PRAYER FOR HEALING

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
Today I received a number of prayer requests from believers who are sick. I use myself as a point of contact. As I pray for my own healing, your healing shall manifest as well! Be healed! In Jesus name! Let the testimonies roll….
 
Let’s pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name above all names! I come to You in the name of Jesus! You know me so well. You created me. You know the number of hairs on my head. You even know the thoughts conceived in my heart before I ever speak them. You’ve told me to come to You and ask for every need of life. I believe in You! I believe in Your Word! Your promises for me are yes and amen! You are Jehovah-Rapha, the God who heals, and You have the final word on my destiny, including the number of years I’ll live and serve You on earth.
 
Right now I need You. My body needs your touch. My soul needs your kiss. My spirit needs Your strength. I’m coming to You today as Your child, longing to hear from You and asking for Your divine healing. There’s so much I don’t understand about life. But I do know that with one touch, one word, You can make me whole again. Please forgive me my sins! Cleanse me of my unrighteousness and begin Your healing from this moment on, from the inside out.
 
I take authority in the name of Jesus and I command every evil spirit of infirmity, foreign bodies in my blood (viruses, microbes and parasites), demons of fear, doubts, strange weakness, empty religion, cults and secret societies, spiritual poison and untimely death… to leave me and go away in the name of Jesus! I break your hold upon my body! I destroy every evil covenant done on my behalf, using my name or my picture. I declare these null and void! Holy Spirit please fill me afresh! Give me a fresh powerful testimony to share with others, for Your glory and for their encouragement! In this my weakness I declare that ‘I AM STRONG’! In this my sickness, I declare that ‘I AM HEALED’!
 
My faith in the Word of God is 100%!!! I now rejoice! I now sing! I now dance! I now clap my hands! I now worship You Lord God Almighty! Thank You Abba Father! You are worthy of all my praise! In Jesus’ name I pray! Amen!
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DOUBLE MIRACLE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“The voice of the Lord makes the hinds (the deer) bring forth their young; and His voice strips bare the forests; while in His Temple everyone is saying: GLORY!” (Ps 29: 9; AMP)
 
Listen to the Voice of Jehovah: Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness! As you go on… you will discover a double miracle: fruitfulness and blessings on your side and bareness, failure and disgrace upon your enemies! That is the power of the same voice! The voice of Christ is ‘like the sound of many waters’ bringing rivers of life into the desert and flooding the hiding place of the wicked. The Shepherd of my soul has wiped all my tears and mingled them in the spring of the river of life. Over there, I shall see my face in the pure crystal water. I shall remember some drops of pain from the past; not much, just enough to always remain tender and grateful (Rev 1:15; 7:17; 22:1-3).
 
In Christ I declare:
The Lord speaks into my spirit! God’s voice breaks and multiplies my spirit into fruit beyond counting; like the stars, forever! For His glory alone! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
 
(From my Book The Doe of the Morning)
(I took this picture: two doves on top of our roof)
Esther's B 1

PRAYER REQUEST – DELIVERANCE FROM GAMBLING 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

One of the most frequent sins I am called to pray for thru the internet is gambling. I just received this note on my blog. He is a man from Kenya. Let’s call him Jonas. Dear intercessors, please join me in prayer for his deliverance. God bless you!

“Hi madam, the sin of gambling has haunted me for over 10 yrs, each time a coin or note gets into my hands is lost through betting. l has decided to trust in God for provision. I appreciate your encouragement. I am in Kenya…Thank you Mam”

This is my answer to him:
Dear Brother Jonas, thank you for your words. I know that it is not easy to open your heart and speak about things that bring pain, shame and guilt. I encourage you to trust God for the deliverance. Read the Bible, especially the New Testament and see how Jesus healed people who were sick with incurable diseases. Gambling is a demon. He is not afraid of you. But he is afraid of Jesus Christ! Attend a good living church. Open up to a trusted mature (in age and spiritually) pastor. Fast and pray! Fight for your freedom. Fight for your soul! God loves you! You could have died many times but God kept you alive. Please come back with a good testimony! I will share your prayer request with other friends who will pray for you. God bless you!

COMPASSION STOPPED THE HORSES

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“You said ‘No, we will flee on horses…’ Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion… Blessed are all who wait for Him.” (Is 30: 16 – 18)
 
This is the royal road of salvation. Many holy pilgrims testify to it. From time to time, I am troubled in my soul and I do not know why. I pray and ask God to come to me. I wait for God quietly and patiently. I know that God does not tempt me. I am confident He knows that I wait. I know that He will not give me more than I can bear. I know that He is Almighty and He is Kind. It is not His fault that I find myself so troubled. I know that it is sin living in me. My problem is that I do not know what sin plagues me. I do not want to assume anything. I want God to come, to expose the very sin that troubles me. I am willing to repent. I want to repent. Just to know the truth, that is all I need…
This waiting is hard. Waiting for God to come is never easy. There is a false hope called ‘fleeing on horses.’ I become impatient with God and just go away, abandoning my position of waiting. The horses look attractive; they look strong. The horses that call me are ‘Money’ and ‘Fame’. They invite me to a life of activity, of ‘ministry’ far away from this ‘demanding’ God. My hope is that I become a master rider. I can teach others to ride them too. I can enroll in horse races and become a champion of the world. On top of a horse I look taller and more impressive with my achievements. I will look more ‘corporate,’ more ‘posh’ than others who can only afford lowly donkeys or walk on foot…
Far away from the restrains of his Father’s House, the prodigal imagines himself a champion. But this ambitious life of sin has no rest and no peace. There is no oasis in the desert of the world. When thirsty, there is no cup and no well to drink water… just a continual lust for more medals and more trophies. A sinner is a lonely champion. He kills all to climb the mountain of fame. Along the path, he makes only enemies. He has no friends. He fights to win. He has forgotten the power of love and life. Salvation and rest are strange dreams killed to feed the horses. At last, forsaken and guilty, he plants the flag of sin on top of the Everest of his own childhood selfish ambition…
 
Success without God will surely damage your soul. Money without God will surely dry your heart. Marriage without God will surely destroy your vision. Come back to God!
 
This is God’s promise: ‘Even now, I rise to show you compassion!’ I say ‘Amen, Lord! Show me compassion, according to Your promise!’
 
In Christ I declare:
God is merciful to me, a sinner! God loves me! God shall come to help me!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
 
(From my book The Doe of the morning)
Horses

I’M COVERED

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” (Ps 105: 13 – 15)

The people of God belong to Him. Like a mother, He teaches them and nurses them. Like an eagle, He trains them to spread their wings and fly, to fulfill their destiny. Like a father, He teaches them to be strong, to stand and fight the battles of righteousness. He anoints them to be kings and priests. He changes them to be holy, as He is holy. He alone chastises them, when need be. He may use others to do the work, but God is in charge of their lives, from the beginning to the end. No other nation, king, tyrant or devil can take the rod from God’s hand to inflict needless wounds on His people. This is the promise of God that in every pain, once I humble myself, I will find God in it! Seek and you shall find! Do not waste your pains! Find God in their midst!

In Christ I declare:
I am a child of God! My Father God loves me! He chastises me for my own good, that I may be holy like Him! No devil will be able to harm me in any way at all! No weapon fashioned against me shall prevail! I am a king and a priest in the Kingdom of God! I am anointed with the Holy Spirit and power! I am covered by God! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

(From my book The Doe of the Morning)

Doe of the morning

GOD BLESS THE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN FROM OUR CHURCH!!!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (MT 19:14).
 
These are some pictures with our children’ ministry in the church (Father’s House Bible Church, Effurun-Warri, Nigeria). These children are ministers and worshippers of God, born again and Spirit filled. This is my prayer: May the anointing touch you and refresh you today. Praise the Lord!
Children FH 1
Children FH 3
Children FH 4
Children FH 5
Children FH 6
Children FH 7
Children FH 9
Children FH 10

THE PROMISE, THE PERILS, THE PASSION AND THE PURITY OF LOVE IN MARRIAGE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

‘If a man is newly married, he must not be sent to war or be pressed into any duty. For one year he is free to stay at home and bring joy to the wife he has married’ (Deut 24:5)

‘Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer; may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love (may you always be captivated, exhilarated by her love… Let her surround you with her love… You should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love… Learn her ways always and think on her love… Be lost in her love forever) (PV 5:16-19)

‘The Lord is the Witness between you and the wife of your youth … God is the Witness when you made your marital vows to the wife of your youth’ (Mal 2:14)

My husband and I are married for 44 years. We have three adult children and seven grandchildren. We married as unbelievers. Later, we became saved and now we have a Bible based and blessed marriage. We are spiritual parents, pastors and mentors to many younger people. For the past two weeks we have been on a wonderful, needed and restful God’s gift to us vacation. We are now ready to come back home, to the holy work, demands and privileges of ministry.

I was thinking this morning about the lessons I have learned during this trip. One very important lesson is how much God loves us and our marriage. I am using my husband and I as point of contact but these blessings apply to all the children of God who are married or who desire to be married. From the scriptures quoted above you see that God is the ‘invisible’ but the Almighty Witness of your marriage vows. He is the Forever Faithful God. He expects faithfulness from you, the husband and the wife. When you are newly married, young and in love, you wonder why is God ‘worried’ about the danger of adultery or of our love becoming ‘lukewarm’? God is never worried but He knows the snares ahead, the wickedness of the devil and the weakness of our flesh. The truth is that Marital love is fragile. It needs nourishing, tender care and protection. Marriage is a temporary covenant. But God designed that marital love is a glorious fountain of eternal blessings, a forever treasure not measured by human words or ended by death. You must recognize the value of your love in marriage and be ready to fight to keep it hot and pure.

Read again the scriptures above. The dangers of marital love failing is ignoring it’s needs, it’s language, it’s destiny. In the Old Testament, the man who just got married was exempted for one year from going to war and having public duties placed on him. In today’s language, it means that trying to solve too many problems, even extended family’s troubles or answering old friends’ demands for entertainment upon the couple will weaken the marriage relationship. Remember that the outsiders (enemies and even friends) do not care about the level of passion of your love in the marriage. But you should care! Be careful and jealous to protect it!

God is especially interested in the marriage with ‘the wife of your youth’. My husband and I fall into this category of blessings. It is a subject I study a lot. The command to the couple is to enjoy one another! This is a practical advise: (if it is possible) marry when you are young! Then stay faithful in your marriage even when you grow old (it is possible)! It is your duty to cultivate passionate and pure love in your marriage! ‘The wife of your youth’ does not mean a young looking wife who has done cosmetic surgery to look young or one who dresses like a teenager. No! It means she is the wife that you married long ago, when both of you were younger. Time changes the size of your waist. Wrinkles appear on your face… But the love you had for each other during your youth must become stronger and brighter not faded and failing! This is God’s wish and command! The husband in particular is commanded to be attracted spiritually, emotionally, mentally and sexually by his wife, to the end of their life! He is to be attracted continuously by her internal beauty (that never grows old) and even by her external beauty (represented by her breasts, whatever size or shape these may be).

This passionate love is described as an intoxication with wine, as getting lost from the world in the safety of her embrace. Do not be afraid or ashamed to display passion among yourselves. This life long special marital love is a powerful antidote against adultery. It is an internal shield! The devil hates this love. But God loves this love and helps you keep it to the end!

Question: Dear husband, how do you keep enjoying the wife of your youth? Advice: Listen to her words! Feel her pains! Try your best to solve her problems and to encourage her! Pray for one another! Listen to the sound of your laughters! Buy gifts for one another! Like us, take some time alone, vacation time, far from the routine work at home and even far from the kids. Have time alone with each other. Talk to each other. Do not stay on the Internet for hours! Discuss new topics, interesting just for the two of you. Pay the price to learn who your spouse is, like us, even after 44 years… You will be surprised that you will discover new good things, new challenges to pray for and new gifts to share…

My husband and I have passed thru many trials in trying to keep the passion in our marital love. We had to fight many battles defending our romantic love. This warfare is not strange. It is to be expected. But we are witnesses that it is possible to marry in love and stay married in love!!! We recognize and honor the presence of God, the Holy Spirit, as the third Person not only of the Trinity but of our marriage. We have proved that ‘a three strands cord cannot easily be broken’. To God be all the glory!

Thanking God for this vacation I pray God’s blessings on all of you dear brethren who read my notes… May your marriage be better and may the wine of joy over flow in your home! In Jesus’ name!

(In the picture, my husband, Past. Richmond Leigh and I)

RSL and SLL 4

WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD?

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds, unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift,
And the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift,
Or firm remain?”
(Hymn)
 
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 6:19, 20)
 
(In the pictures: some years ago, my husband and I traveled into the beautiful fyiords of Norway (these are very deep channels of water between mountains). Our mighty ship was securely anchored with three ropes. All I could think of was God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit holding us securely to Himself! No matter the storms of life, the hope we have in Christ, is unmovable, unbreakable, holding eternally to the Rock of Ages, Christ Crucified and Resurrected! Like we say in Nigeria: “No shaking!”)
Anchor 2
anchor 1

BE STRONG AND TAKE HEART!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”
-Psalm 27: 14
Discouragement is despair when facing obstacles as you move on in your destiny. Despair is seeing all things negative without any hope that the situation may change. Discouragement is the number one form of temptation and attack on the believers by the devil. When you face an obstacle, pause and remind yourself: it is not the end of the road! It is not the end…
 
In Christ I declare:
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; therefore I shall fear no man, no devil and no circumstances! When my enemies attack me, they shall stumble and fall! Though an army of troubles besiege me, my heart is not afraid! Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will still be confident that I will live and not die, and declare the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! I am hidden and totally protected in Christ! My head will be lifted above my enemies who surround me! Against all odds I shall be promoted! I shall see the downfall of the wicked that plan evil against me for no reason at all! I will sacrifice with shouts of joy and glorious praise in the sanctuary of God! I am strong with the strength of the Lord! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
In Jesus’ name!
Amen!
 
(From my Book, The Doe of the Morning)

MY SONG FOUND IN THE STORM

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
Jesus commanded His disciples. ‘Let us go to the other side…’
-Mark 4: 35 – 41
 
They ‘left the crowd behind…’ This was to be a personal test for the disciples alone. ‘Tired as He was’ Jesus went to sleep in the boat. Then a furious storm started. The waves were higher than the boat. Initially, the disciples did not bother to wake Jesus, knowing Him to be a carpenter and a teacher. Jesus was not a fisherman like most of them. He cannot help… or so they thought… But when the wind increased and the boat was almost overturned, they cried to Him in despair: ‘Teacher, don’t You care if we drown?’ Jesus woke up and rebuked the winds. The storm suddenly stopped and it was completely calm. But in the midst of that wonderful peace, Jesus rebuked His disciples for their doubt. They looked at Him as a class teacher, as a liability in the midst of a crisis. It was obvious that they lacked mature faith in Him. They did not believe that Jesus is God ‘who never sleeps or slumbers,’ in control of all things.
Just like them, many believers trust God only before or after the storm. But in the middle of a crisis, they reverse back to their elementary fears and doubts. They go to their natural way of thinking, to the common sense of the flesh, and like lost children, they panic and cry. Mature faith remains unmoved by circumstances, trusting the God who can stop the wind with His very breath. Mature faith has the same peace before, in the middle and at the end of the trial. Trials are like tunnels. Before the train enters the tunnel, it is light. Suddenly darkness comes. For a time it seems as though the darkness will never end. That pain, that weeping, that loneliness… it seems like it will go on forever. But at the end of the tunnel the sun shines once more. Tunnels are not graveyards. We are just passing through. All these trials and temptations, all these things you battle with, they only come ‘to pass.’ Our life should not depend on the circumstances. Christ is our life. Our faith is rooted in the Cross and in the Promises of God. Heaven is our destination. Joy is our portion. Eternal life is our inheritance. These are blessed things that have come to stay. Do you boast about your faith only when your feet are set on dry land? Do you have the same faith in the middle of the storms of life? Remember, it was Jesus who said: ‘Let us go to the other side.’ Do you trust Jesus to finish what He has started in you? Do you trust Jesus in between the shores? Do you trust Him when He is silent? Do you trust Him when He is sleeping? Do you trust Him when He answers the prayer of others, but ignores your own?
This is my testimony: Jesus has been with me always. I am a witness to His faithful fellowship, no matter the circumstances. His Word comes to me with power. He has been with me in riches and poverty, in sickness and in health, at home and abroad. Why will I doubt Him now? Why will I fear the end of the matter? Why will I fret in the midst of things unknown? Why will I be sad when men betray me? Why will I lose my temper when men provoke me? He has commanded me to rejoice always, so I will rejoice! He is my Shepherd and He is my God!
 
In Christ I declare:
Jesus is my Savior and my Lord! I trust God before, in the middle and after the storms of life! As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord! Always! And forever! ‘This is my story; this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long…’
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
 
(From my Book The Doe of the Morning)
Ship
 
(I took this picture from the 13th floor of our cruise ship. A passenger was left behind. He missed the ship. A courageous speed boat faced the mighty waves and brought him back as we were already cruising in the North Sea. I have never seen so much effort done to help a single man not to miss ‘his destiny’… how much more God will take care of us to the end so that no one will be left behind….Wonderful…)

A ROMANTIC ADVENTURE OF A SECRET FIND

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“I will give you the treasures of darkness; riches stored in secret places; so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name!” (Is 45:3)

Do you want to be embarrassed and overwhelmed by an Account with ‘no withdrawal limit’? Then come to the Cross! Look long on the Crucified! Touch His Blood! Hear His Voice! Feel the death of the past! Sing a New Song! All is for you!
Whatever treasure you find there is yours! And it is free! The price has been paid! The Lamb has overcome!

In Christ I declare: I have access to all the wisdom of God! I have the mind of Christ! I have free entrance to all the million years of treasures, hidden away from the eyes of evil men and devils, visible and invisible! My wealth is gloriously safe! My wealth is a gift from the Father! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

LORD, GIVE ME YOU!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

 

“Please show me Your glory.” (Ex 33:18)

This evening, the prayer meeting was wonderful. This ‘wonderfulness’ was not because we were smart, spiritual or strong. It was purely because the Wonderful Counselor was in our midst. Initially, we tried to pray some little prayers but ‘the engine oil’ of the anointing was not enough for such a time as this… Wobbling between petty requests, we finally got to the mind of the Spirit. He said: ‘Glory!’ This became was our congregational and individual prayer: “Oh, Lord, Please show me Your glory.” (Ex 33:18). We also prayed: ‘Lord, give me You!’

 

The religious spirits tried to hinder the flow. They tried to distract us, reminding us about our natural needs. Suddenly, angry voices remembered us that we need to cook for tomorrow; that we need to pay the house rent at the end of the moth and school fees for children… But the Holy Spirit, the Lifter of our heads was pointing to much higher. ‘Where Lord?’…It was a good choice to disengage from looking around, from looking at our circumstances… Nothing new in Nigeria… same old stuff, not worthy to be brought before the throne of grace… but what else should we pray for?…

 

With the strength that moves the mountains, we looked up on the beautiful face of Jesus… the Author and Finisher of our faith… Without faith no one can pleases the Lord… Faith makes us pleasing to God… it was so refreshing to feel pleasing to our Savior… Then Grace sang a solo song… the song of the unmerited favor money cannot buy… ‘Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me… I once was lost… But now… But now!!! I am found!!! Was blind but now I see! Grace is greater than all our sins… We rejoiced in the grace released at Calvary… Old things passed away before our very eyes… all things changed and became new… It is a newness that lasts forever, the unfading newness of life… Then the heavenlies opened and we were invited in… We steeped in like Moses…Like David… No fear…  we are walking on the clouds of glory… I’m not afraid! ‘Show me Your glory!’

 

For a second I panicked… I looked around… simple men and women… from Effutun, Nigeria… None was properly dressed… No designer clothes… just some Tee-shirts and jeans… We did not look like much… It flashed thru my mind that if the big men of God knew the release of glory here, they could have come to fill their buckets with it… But none came… It was the glory love of the Father for us… for us… for us… We looked like the servants who filled the jars of water at the wedding in Cana… we were entrusted with the secret of the party when the sadness melted in jars of clay…We kept pouring wine to others…The Bride must be happy tonight… the special wine kept for the last hour… We got drunk in His presence… We ‘managed’ to say ‘Thank You’ to the King of Glory… Shaking, we gratefully piled one crown on top of another, we crowned Him as the King of kings… Fear free and glory gazing we bowed down to worship Him alone…

FH 7-4

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“There shall be showers of blessing;
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy word.

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.”

(Daniel W. Whittle)

(The picture below is dated: 4 July 2014…the brethren from our church pouring the concrete on the drive way of Father’s House Bible Church, Effurun-Warri, Nigeria…every body was working with zeal and joy… I remember that it was raining but everybody counted the rain not as a problem, but as a blessing)

FH 7-3

AUTUMN IN ROMANIA

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
I was born in Romania. Over there, it is autumn now. Since 1980 I live in Nigeria (Africa). For all these years I did not experience ‘autumn’ here. I sometimes miss my Europe weather. I still remember the golden color of the leaves, the cooling of the air, the time of harvest, a romantic sadness and the preparation for winter. To me, memories are like poems. I tried to adjust to a place that has only two seasons: ‘Hot and dry’ and ‘Hot and wet’. But in my spirit I still follow the pattern instilled in my childhood. My spirit finds order in ‘the old things’, tested by time and captured by fading pictures. For me, this is reaping time, harvest time! Wherever you are, there must be a time to seat down and count your losses, your gains, and all the blessings that have come your way. “Thank You Abba Father, for everything!”
 
(In the picture, me visiting my home town, Orsova, Romania, last autumn. Behind me is the secondary school I attended where my parents were teachers too. Like the leaves at my feet, these are golden memories…)
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BE HOLY AND GET UP! 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again. However, one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” (PV 24:16)

“There is no single definition of holiness. There are dozens, hundreds. This is the basic definition: Holiness is being like God, who is holy. It means being spiritually and morally pure, hating sin! There is another definition that I am particularly fond of: being holy means getting up immediately every time you fall!!! Each time you fall into sin, or you make a mistake, look at your wrist watch and see how long does it take you to get up from your fall! The faster, the better! The more you hate sin, the holier you are! You should quickly acknowledge and confess your sin, repent of it, with humility and joy.

Holiness doesn’t mean never falling into sin. It means being able to say as fast as possible: ‘Lord I am sorry for my sin! I am sorry that I have grieved Your Holy Spirit! I declare that Your grace is enough for me! Yes, Lord, I confess that I have fallen a thousand times. But thanks to You, I have gotten up again, a thousand and one times. Right now, this very moment, I hold Your hand and I get up from this dirty ugly gutter of sin! You are the Lifter of my head! I praise you for my lifting, for the restoration of my testimony as a righteous man (woman). I receive strength to stand in You! I receive peace and joy! You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains! To You alone be all the glory! Your Word is yes and amen! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!’

Quick and deep repentance done with humility and thanksgiving is a peculiar mark of holiness!

“I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Lev 11:44)

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LET YOUR GLORY FALL

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Let the weight of Your glory cover us
Let the life of Your river flow
Let the truth of Your kingdom reign in us
Let the weight of Your glory fall…”

Safety is not the absence of danger, but living in the center of the presence of God.
Move on closer to the Throne of God!
Disappear in His shadow of light.
Lean on His everlasting arms.
Listen to the heart beat of the Father.
The fragrance of incense offered by the saints caresses your cheeks.
No noise, no fear, no worry! Too high for all that…
The Bridegroom smiles and calls your name…
Now, you are safe!

‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord: He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust’ (Ps 91:1, 2)

(Pictures of me and my husband during the Sunday service today)

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FROM PAIN TO PRAISE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2 Cor 12:8, 9).
The thorn in the flesh troubles me, weakens me, oppresses me. It is a hidden pain. I prayed that it may be removed. I thought that its removal will be my healing, my deliverance. But the Lord said: ‘Leave it there. It is the attack of the enemy but I approve of it. It will dry your doubts, fail your fears and oppose your oppression. Thru it all, your spirit shall become stronger and your faith shall stand. My grace is what you need. My favor on you is the key to healing and ministry. Let the Cross do the deep work in you. The fruit is for My glory and it will surely manifest. Trust Me not only at the beginning of your walk with Me; not only for the destination. Trust Me for the journey. Every step together… The beauty of communion…We are in this together. Enjoy My presence. Relax and follow Me! Talk less and sing more! My grace and My love is all that you need… I love you, child…’

TESTIMONY OF CHANGE 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

I just received a wonderful testimony from a young wife and mother. Since last year, she has been attending our church (Father’s House Bible Church, Effurun-Warri). Reading it, I sense the leading of the Holy Spirit helping this young couple. When the Holy Spirit shuts a door, He opens another. You can see that God blesses spiritually first, and materially second. God rewards genuine faith, humility and spiritual hunger. This testimony is given to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of others!

“Dear Malia,
I want to share my testimony with you Ma.Please bear with me Malia its a long write up.God has been so good to me and my family. In July last year my husband stopped attending church services and when i asked he told me he was no longer flowing with the way the message was being dished out and he doesn’t like the pattern of the service (we were members of …. Christian Church).

I felt bad every Sunday when I go alone to church. People that knew us in church will always ask after my husband. But I kept on praying and fasting about it, waiting patiently on God to help me touch his heart.

On the 3rd week of September 2017 I woke up to prepare for service and I was amazed to see that he was willing to attend church that day. We got set and left the house. I noticed he was taking another route driving a different direction from that of our church.i was quiet because I dint want him to change his mind but our daughter curiously asked him where we were going to. And then he said: ‘I am taking my girls to our new church… don’t worry girls you will like the idea…’ At this point I was still quiet and calm, praying and thanking God for the breakthrough in my mind and for God to have his way. I prayed: ‘let it be a church I could relate with…’ Few minutes later we got to Father’s House Bible Church.

He parked the car and while we were still inside he turned to me and said: ‘a few days ago I was driving when I heard the Pastor of this church preaching in the radio and it was an instant connect.I couldn’t stop or change the channel.The Pastor was deeply rooted and so straight to the point. Infact let’s go in so you can hear for yourself. I have never been here and nobody invited me here…’ I said ok!

Prior to this time I have heard about the church so many times and have been invited to come for Nativity and Jesus Mega Party by my friend of over 20 years, who is a member of your church.
But since my husband doesn’t like the idea of going from one church to another I have never honored any of the invitations.

I was so elevated in my spirit that day and I really liked and enjoyed the church service. I started the weekly foundation school classes and also midweek service. In a short while i learnt a lot and it felt like I was so new in Christianity. My faith was increasing and I found my place. (I will like to say at this time Malia that the presence of God is truly really in Fathers House Bible Church)

The first week of October came with a major temptation. I got a call from my husband who left the house few hours ago for work,saying he had an accident on the major expressway and the car somersaulted 3 times into the bush. Let’s thank God because he is fine and without any scar! IT WAS GOD!!! The next day I got 2 different calls from family members saying it’s because we changed church that’s why the accident happened. I just ignored them…

In December I had finished the classes and shared my testimony with my friend that my husband has never missed Sunday church and midweek service since we started attending the Church. And to me it feels like I have a brand new husband. He became deeply rooted in the word of God and in prayers. Our marital life became even sweeter. ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!

In Jesus Mega Party 2017 I held my daughter by the hand and as we entered the field i prayed with faith that God will bless me with the fruit of the womb for the second time after 7 years.

In February 2018, Malia you declared in one of the services that God has answered prayers especially to the new comers. I BELIEVED THE PROPHETIC WORD! That same week I found out I was pregnant. After series of costly medical procedures that failed and after 7 years of waiting, GOD DID IT NATURALLY! First trimester I couldn’t move much. I missed going to church but I always hooked up online to our YouTube live services on Sundays,Wednesdays and all night services. God has kept me with a healthy pregnancy through the months. I am due to have a baby boy this month of October. I have faith everything will be fine! I will keep in touch!

Thank you so much Malia for your words of encouragement in church and on this social media platform.They go a long way in my life. I appreciate your continious prayers.GOD BLESS YOU MA….”