Category Archives: Uncategorized

UN-INVITED YET I LIVE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days” (Est 4:11)
 
Mordecai tells Esther that in the absence of God’s miracle, their people will die. The wicked Haman has convinced the king to sign a law by which all the Jews in Persia should be killed. Queen Esther is the only one who can do something to save God’s people. But there are many difficulties. Esther tells Mordecai that no man or woman can go to see the king uninvited. She can die for such an act. But if the king holds the golden scepter of mercy towards her, then she will live. There is also another problem: the king has not called her to his private chambers for thirty days. Esther, like any wife, is not sure if the king’s love towards her has cooled down. Haman must have tried his best to make the king forget the love he had for his beloved queen. There is also a possibility that the king is too busy with the affairs of the state or planning a war. A busy man easily forgets his wife. The window of successful intercession is very small. Esther has to decide fast. This is an emergency. She decides to fast and pray with her maids. She asks that all the Jews do the same. It is a critical moment of life and death. Then she will go and see the king, uninvited by man but accompanied by the Spirit of God. You know the story. By the grace of God, Esther succeeds in her mission. The evil man Haman is killed and the Jews are saved, to the glory of God.
 
OUR TESTIMONY
My husband and I are married for almost 44 years. We married as unbelievers. Then we became saved. We left our medical profession to start a church. We are now in full time ministry. Over the years, as a wife, I had to learn the spiritual protocol of marriage. There was a time my husband was very involved in national politics in Nigeria. It was a lonely difficult time for us, especially for me. We give God all the glory for sustain us and our marriage. Personally, I have learned many great lessons from Queen Esther. For example, there were times when I had to go and see my husband for urgent matters. I learned never to go in ‘flesh’ to meet with him. He hates to see me panicking, crying or complaining like an ‘ordinary woman’. As an unbeliever I failed this test many times. But after I became born again and filled with God’s Spirit, I learned to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. No matter the situation, before I go to meet with him, I remember to stop everything, breath in and out, take a minute of silence and pray to God. God is my first Helper, Savior, Counsellor and Friend!
 
In times like these English or Romanian is wasting of time. I usually pray in tongues. I pray that the Holy Spirit goes before me to touch my husband and open a way for me. I never take it for granted that I can burst in his office just because I am his wife. I need the grace of God always! I pray that when he sees me, he will not see a foolish confused woman, but a true woman of God. I pray that I obtain favor with him even as I speak. I pray that the Holy Spirit gives me the right words, spoken in the right way and in the right tone. I pray that my body language shows faith in God and if need be, the courage to fight spiritual warfare. I pray that, no matter the challenge, God will help us maintain the unity of the Spirit. I pray that our marriage survives the attacks and extra burdens of so many needy people. I usually bind the evil spirits of fear, confusion, impatience, division, anger, emotional manipulation and foolishness. They shall not speak. They shall not have any room to manifest between the two of us. I pray for the unity of the Spirit; that both of us see things in the same way! I pray that the peace of God reigns in our hearts and marriage. I pray that Christ is glorified in the midst of this problem. I pray that the test will become a new testimony. All these requests are ‘translated’ in tongues. I pray in the Spirit as I walk towards my husband. Then I knock at his door. I open it. I enter… We speak calmly. We pray aloud. We agree on the strategy. We are one with God and with one another! The enemy is clearly defeated. The matter is solved in minutes. What seems impossible, after talking and praying together, it now seems so easy, so simple… God is always faithful. Jesus is Lord! We rejoice together! We smile… We laugh… The marriage is becoming stronger. The worship continues…
 
I hope that the Holy Spirit reveals to you my heart. I love God and I love my husband. I pray that the singles will marry; that they will not be discouraged to marry seeing so many broken relationships around. I pray that your marriages are fruitful and they will increase in love, wisdom and faith. I pray that you do not draw back in case of difficulties. I pray that after you have done all, you stand in the glory of the Son! Come back with testimonies! I wish you well!
Tali and I 9

TIME TO MOVE TO THE BEST PLACE IN THE HOUSE

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women” (Est 2:8, 9)
You know the story: King Xerxes needed a new Queen. He had thousands of women in his harem but he needed a special one, a wife to stand by his side. His counsellors advise him to organize a ‘Miss Persia” competition. He will be the judge of the virgins. He can choose the best of them all. He started missing his former wife, Queen Vashti. But his friends have major influence upon his decisions. They propose that he should forget the past and move on into the future. A new Queen shall be selected.
All these events seem crazy to us. But behind the anger, foolishness and lust of a king, God is in control of the events. Thru this strange method of choosing a wife, Hadassah- Esther, daughter of the Most High God, becomes the new Queen of Persia. Let’s see the road she takes, the preparations needed to change her from an ordinary girl into a wonderful strong Queen. It is called ‘The Royal Way of the Cross’. Praise the Lord!
Esther was selected together with many other ‘virgins’ from all the nations. She was just one young woman ‘lost’ in a sea of many beautiful faces. They were all taken to the king’s palace. This is the first time the girls saw the magnificence of a royal home. The winner will become the new queen, ruling over all this wealth. The girls have not seen the king yet. But they have seen his luxurious palace, his property. Can you imagine what went thru the mind of these young women? They were all given into the care of Hegai, the eunuch who was the ‘custodian of the women’. He will train them all for one whole year but only one of them will be the Queen!
The first thing we observe is that Hegai takes a particular interest in Esther. We are told that ‘she obtained his favor’. Because of that, he gave her special beauty treatments, an extra supply of care and counsel, besides her regular allowance. He clearly invested in her more care. He gave her ‘seven choice maidservants’ to attend to her in his absence. He moved her and her maids to the ‘best place in the house of the women’. The secret of this extra care is that Esther ‘find favor’ with him. In Hebrew, the words ‘find favor’ mean to be accepted, to be successful and well dressed; it is to be seen as content, kind, sweet and beautiful in his eyes. Even before Esther becomes a queen, Hegai gives her seven ‘choice’ maids. In the Bible, seven is the number of perfection. By faith, Hegai sees her worthy to be entrusted to have authority over many people. Hegai sees Esther as a queen already! These women servants were called ‘choice maids’. In Hebrew the word ‘choice’ is similar with the word Jireh, from God the provider. The word Jireh means to see prophetically, to be joyful and to provide respect. For six months the women were massaged with myrrh, a bitter spice. For the next six months, sweet oil and sweet perfumes were rubbed on them. Finally, they were ready to meet the king, their potential husband. Each one chose her dress and her jewelry to put on for the one of a time encounter with the king. But Esther chooses nothing on her own. She depends totally on the advice of Hegai who knew the King intimately. Hegai has faith in Esther and Esther has faith in Hegai! That was the secret of her success! That was her advantage. Once you find favor with the Holy Spirit, the road to eternal life, power and success is sure!
One by one, the king rejected all the women. But when he saw Esther, he was impressed with her inside out beauty. He loved the way she spoke, her attitude and her spirit. As with Hegai, she ‘obtained favor’ with him. It was a love ‘at first sight’. He placed Vashti’s crown on her head and Esther became the new Queen. What a story!
What is the spiritual application for us, the believers in Christ? Prophetically, Hegai represents the Holy Spirit. King Xerxes represents the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings. Esther and her seven ‘choice’ maids, represent us, the believers, the Church, the Body of Christ! This is what I see: The Holy Spirit knows you long before you give your life to Christ. He prepares you before you understand and appreciate His help. He gives you His gifts and His strength to believe. He gives you eyes to see in the Spirit realm. He brings good spiritual people to you, to help and serve you. He humbles you so that you can be exalted. You will be able to seat with Christ on His throne in the heavenly places. He convicts you of sin. This is a bitter pill to swallow. It is the massage done with myrrh. After you repent of sin, the same Holy Spirit encourages you. He fills you with Himself, with the sweet fragrant perfumes of His anointing. You will receive preferential treatment. He gives you access to the best place of His house. A special double grace shall be your portion. He prepares you to be a leader of men in the House of God. The other religious unbelievers (the rejected ‘concubines) will be jealous on you but they are powerless to stop your wedding and your promotion. The Holy Spirit teaches you how to worship your future Lord, to serve your King! He helps you to see the future and to yield to God’s plan for your life. You cannot be saved by mistake or by her your own power. Salvation is personal. It cannot be stolen of borrowed. God is sovereign in His choice! Others may be richer or more beautiful, but Christ alone, who foreknew you and chose you before the world began, decides who will be His Bride.
If you feel that you are prepared to be a Lover of Christ, it must be true. For God does not do mistakes and He never fails. Have faith in the God of Esther: the single woman shall marry, the barren wife shall have children, the sick shall be healed, the oppressed shall be free, the weak shall be strong and the poor shall be rich! Prophetically, this is the time when God will move you to the best place of His House! Your future is better than your present! The Lion of the tribe of Judah wants to marry His lioness! Let’s bow our knees now and worship our King! Glory! Glory! Glory!
Lion love

THE ORPHAN WHO BECAME THE QUEEN

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter” (Est 2:7).
 
The story of Esther has always inspired me. Recently I read it again and meditated upon the revelation I found there. Esther comes from a very difficult background. She was an orphan. Her parents died when she was a little girl. She grew up with her uncle Mordecai. They were ‘illegal immigrants’ in Persia. Surely, her life growing up was not easy. Thru God’s divine purpose she becomes the Queen of Persia. King Xerxes, her husband, was the most powerful man in the world at that time. But he was a difficult man. How was this poor, uneducated refugee, orphan girl become so wise, gracious, anointed and spiritually strong? The only explanation is the work of God in her heart. Here you see the power of God’s grace transforming human hearts, lives and circumstances.
 
My husband and I studied medicine in Romania, the country of my birth. Unfortunately, Romania is known for having many orphans and abandoned children. I still remember the practical tests we did in that particular orphanage in Timisoara. The building was imposing and beautiful from the outside. But inside, in between its walls, there was spiritual darkness, depression, palpable sadness, hopelessness and hardness of hearts. The nurses and the caregivers tried their best but they were not enough to care for all the children there. I remember that the children will cry until they get tired. They told us not to carry them in our arms because we ‘spoil them’. They have learned to keep silent for nobody had time for them. From what I remember as a doctor these are some of the psychological scars of orphans (give attention because some are spiritually orphans):
 
*They never eat a normal meal. They eat more or less than what is normal. They eat fast so that nobody will take their food. They do not enjoy their food.
*They sleep longer hours than normal. When they wake up in the morning, they just stare at the ceiling. They do not cry to call the adults because they have learned that nobody comes.
*They never say ‘Thank you’. There is no time for that!
*They have problems in making friends. They get easily angry and quarrel. They prefer to stay alone.
*They do not do well in school. They fear failure. Because of that they refuse to do any assignment that they think it is too difficult. They hate to be thought. They do not know that growing and learning means that you make mistakes and learn from them. They hate to ask for help from others. They hate to take risks or to walk into unknown territories. They love to ‘move in circles’, repeating the same thing again and again.
*They are very emotional. They have mixed feelings. Sometimes they are high (talk too much) and other times are low (keep quiet and grudging). Because in the orphanage they do not have personal toys or personal space they don’t know how to make long term plans for their lives. They do not have a vision of how their lives will be in the future. They survive just ‘one day at a time’ in constant fear of ‘what tomorrow may bring’. Because they want to establish their authority, the boys learn early to be aggressive and pushy. The girls learn to seduce the adult males to gain favors.
*They work to please the adults. They do not work well without supervision. They do not have a goal in mind. What they want is that the adult or the adoptive parent will be happy with them. Once they receive their approval, they stop working. They are crazy for gifts, for material things. Because of that, if they do not receive them, they learn how to steal. They are over friendly with strangers trying to make friends. They are always restless and anxious looking for the most expensive gift of all: LOVE.
 
Esther was an orphan. She was raised by her uncle in a strange pagan land. She could have been psychologically scarred for life unable to be a normal wife, how much more a queen! But the grace of God changed her to be a role model for all women everywhere to the end of time. She was beautiful inside and out. She was wise, humble, discerning, patient, loving and spiritual. She won the favor of the eunuch in charge of the royal protocol. She won the favor of everyone who saw her. Finally, she won the favor of the king who placed Vashti’s gold crown on her head. She was an original woman of God. She knew how to be poor and how to be rich! She knew when to speak and when to keep quiet! She knew how to live in a hut and how to live in a palace. She knew how to submit and how to take charge! At that time, men did not expect much from a woman. She was to be only a sex object, lost in a hated faceless, loveless, orphanage-style harem. But by the grace of God she stood in the power of God’s might! She became a ray of light in a dark world, a messenger of Jehovah among the priests of useless Persian gods. She was not a politician but she saved her people’s lives. The credit goes to her uncle Mordecai, for adopting her and for training her to be a woman of God. But the total glory goes to God, who alone can save a sinner and turn an outcast into a hero!
 
Dear reader, you who are poor, un-educated, jobless, from a socially low background, without friends and without human helpers, lonely and sick, put your trust in the God of the Bible and you shall discover that there is hope in store for you! God can change your life in a second! He is the God of miracles! Give Him praise now!
One night with the king
(The picture is from the movie: ‘One night with the king’)

WHEN MY HUSBAND CALLS ME, I COME!

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

 

“King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come” (Est 1:17)

Please read the Book of Esther, chapter one. King Xerxes is married to Queen Vashti whose name means ‘Beautiful’. The king throws a great banquet to entertain and impress his military leaders, princes and nobles. He later invites all the citizens of Susa to come and enjoy the king’s feast. There is no limit to drinking wine and eating the royal special food. The reason for this party was to give glory to himself. Like Nebuchadnezzar, King Xerxes was a proud foolish man! He loves to drink alcohol. He was also a hot tempered man. Suddenly, becoming tired of the entertainment provided, the drunken king orders his Queen to come to him, dressed in her royal robes. He wanted to boast, before all his guests, of his wife’s beauty. Hating to be embarrassed in front of many drunken men, the Queen refuses to obey his orders. What? Imagine that! The great king is publicly rejected by a woman!!! Suddenly the happy party turns into a mourning gathering. The king is angry mostly because he is embarrassed by his wife’s public rejection. Both husband and wife are angry and embarrassed at each other’s actions. Who will win in this foolish emotional manipulation game? Of course the devil who takes pleasure in division, quarrels and divorce!

 

King Xerxes asks his wise men what to do. They advise him to divorce and disgrace Vashti. In verse 19 she is no longer called Queen Vashti. She is simply called by her name, like any ordinary woman. The poor queen has no credit of grace with anyone. Vashti is sent away from the palace! She loses her marriage, her reputation and her throne! The wise men advise the king to write a new law saying that each man should be ‘the ruler of his household’! It will be on record that all the wives should submit to their husbands. This is a foolish decree for no law can force the wives to submit or the men to love them. Submission and love are spiritual things of the heart!

 

What are the lessons for us? The first thing I see is that without Christ, fame and riches are useless. Without Christ, there is no peace, no wisdom and no joy! Without Christ, even the best marriages scatter. Without Christ the partying, the happiness of the world will suddenly turn to disgrace and depression. The law cannot change the hearts of men. Only the grace of God found in Christ alone can change hearts and circumstances. Anger, lust, foolishness, pride, rebellion, drinking alcohol, having worldly friends… these are all drops of poison able to kill any relationship.

 

As a married woman, I am sorry for Queen Vashti. In this story she had to go away. She vacated her throne for Queen Esther who is an ambassador for Christ. In this world, nothing is permanent. Only God never changes! ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever’ (Heb 13:8). If you marry an unbeliever, you will suffer. Money and fame cannot help a broken heart. Only God can do it!  Another lesson is this: once you are married to ‘a famous’ man, or you hold a position of authority, if you like it or not, you become a role model. Others will imitate you, for better or for worst! Visibility requires responsibility! Remember that!

 

MY TESTIMONY

My husband and I are married for almost 44 years. Both of us work full time to make our marriage happy and strong. It is a sacrifice made because of love. We are not ignorant of the attacks of the devil which is able, if given the chance, to destroy any marriage. This is the wisdom I have learned from the Book of Esther chapter one: Each time my husband calls me I will answer and immediately come to him! I promised myself that I will not be like Queen Vashti! This is my pledge to God and to my conscience: If my husband needs me, if he calls me, I will answer! It can be morning, afternoon, evening or night time. I may know or I may not know the reason for his call. I have made a covenant with my feet not to be tired to walk up and down the stairs when my husband calls me. I cannot even imagine ignoring his call. I take it as serious as the call of God. For me, rejecting my husband’s call is a luxury I cannot afford. I want our marriage to continue. If I was Queen Vashti, knowing that I will be embarrassed in a room full of drunken men, I could have still come to see my husband. I will pray in tongues in my heart that before entering that room, my husband (even if he is drunk) will pity me and let me to go back to my room. I believe that God can change the heart of any king! And even if I have to stand there embarrassed, I will ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen me among those foolish drunkards. In difficult times I pray to be able to use my pain for the glory of God! The shame I will experience will bring me closer to Jesus who also suffered shame on the Cross, dying for me. But no matter how, if my husband calls me, if he needs me, I will come at once! So help me, God! Dear Queen Vashti, I am sorry, but you cannot be my friend! I am with Queen Esther, who is my sister and mentor!

 

Now I have to go for my husband is calling me… “Come with Me from Lebanon, My bride, come with Me … My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me…. (SS 4:8; Jn 10:27)

Tali and I 8

LIVE LIKE THERE IS A TOMORROW

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

 

My husband and I are married for almost 44 years. From the wisdom of the Word of God and from my personal testimony, I share these notes with you. Read them, meditate on them. Come back with a fresh testimony of higher grace!

 

“An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars” (PV 18:19). If your true friend betrays you, the friendship is mortally wounded. Love becomes like a beggar, a fugitive on the streets of unfulfilled dreams. The broken heart will look for the home where it grew up but now, the gate is closed, the password forgotten. The split, the divorce will grow to become a monster, bold and loud, rude and wicked, too hard for mercy to conquer. A once close friend, when injured or deceived, becomes a potent and irreconcilable enemy. These are some sayings from wise men of old:  ‘bitter are the quarrels of friends; those who love beyond measure will also hate beyond measure; deep friendship once injured is forever lost’.  Jesus said that it is better to cut off hand or foot and even pluck your eye than to offend, to injure or to betray ‘a little’ child of God (Mt 18:6-9). God always defends His wounded child!

 

Do not take your marriage for granted. Be very careful to avoid quarrels which cause division. Be sensitive when you sense that ‘the devil is in the room and the quarrel is coming’. The Holy Spirit will prepare your heart to sense that you need to keep quiet and to stand still. Communication is like playing table tennis. Each partner feels like responding to the words of the other. Be careful: if the tone of your voice becomes too high, the tendency to argue increases.  Show self-restrain. Both love and self-control are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Talking is like driving a car. It is exciting to drive it full speed. It is ‘fun’ to defend your opinions. But look at the Holy Ghost ‘traffic signs’. Keep below ‘the speed limit’. Learn to use your spiritual ‘breaks’. From time to time check if the ‘breaking pads’ of patience are still functioning well and ‘the oil of wisdom’ still intact. Quarrels between close friends, between husband and wife can quickly end in disaster. You can wreck your relationship and it may not be possible to repair it on earth. Behave and speak in such a way that tomorrow, you do not need to apologize for your actions and your words of today. Live like there is a tomorrow!

 

MY TESTIMONY

My husband and I have learned to show self-restrain in times of crisis. It is only thru the power of the Holy Ghost!

For me, apology is a friend and an enemy in the same time. For example, if my husband tells me that he is grieved by my actions or words, I apologize immediately. If I am not aware that he is wounded that is different.  But if he tells me that I grieved him, the apology must come instantly from my heart. This is not the time to analyze my behavior. I know that he loves me. He prays for me. If he says I was wrong, then I am wrong. Period! Pain for me is a wonderful teacher. I do not waste it. I learn from everything, even from my ignorant mistakes. I apologize and promise to change. And I keep my word. I pray and trust God to change. I do not foolishly repeat the same mistake again and again taking for granted that the Holy Spirit will help us ‘to settle’. I always remember that love is a very delicate thing. A sudden electrical surge of one second can destroy a very expensive computer. Even so, a ‘little’ quarrel can damage trust and quench the spirit of love.  So, I am very careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit! In Christ I declare that Jesus Christ is my first Lover! My husband is my second lover! Then follow the children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters and friends! I thank God for them all! This is my story! This is my song!

 

Child of God, when things are hard, when tears freely flow and nothing is able to stop them, when you make mistakes, when you are misunderstood, when friends fail and family withdraws… then remember that God is always faithful! “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb 13: 8). He was betrayed by sinners but He loved us to the end. Crawl into His loving arms and find peace. You may not have all the answers. You do not need to have all the deep revelations of conflict because God knows them all. He knows your heart. He knows that you love Him. He knows your weakness and your strength. He knows each word even before it comes on your tongue. He loves you with an everlasting love. You are secure in knowing Jesus, your Savior, King and Best Friend. He died for you. He forgives you. He is still with you inside your heart. No matter what, you can always rejoice! Love is not easy. But love is still the best gift of God. Be jealous over your heart! Cherish it! Finally, in all thinks give thanks!

Tali and I 7

GREETINGS FROM BROTHER GOLD 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is” (Gal 5:7-10)

This is the picture of an ordinary man who trains to be a great athlete. Let’s call him Brother Gold. He has paid the price to be a champion, a hero and an inspiration to many others. He is now running the marathon at the Olympic Games and he wants to win the crown of gold. The race starts… All is well for a while… Brother Gold is making good progress. Suddenly, another athlete comes from his right side and skillfully pushes him down. He is shocked at the viciousness of the attack. He staggers. He falls. He loses precious seconds. Others from the back are passing him by, running to the finishing line. On the ground, Brother Gold has to make a quick decision: he is staying there on the ground, crying for his loss and broken dreams or he will get up and trust God for the supernatural strength to run to the finishing line. It is easy to lie down in defeat. But if you do, you will lose your chance to win a medal, your testimony as an overcomer, your dreams to be a champion and the opportunity to trust God, to experience the release of His strength in times of need.

For me, these are too many loses to consider quitting. I choose to get up when I fall. I have learned to wipe my tears after I weep, to pray in tongues when no other words make sense, to start praising God when all things seem lost. I have learned to trust God for the impossible. I do not trust myself. I know that even with all the training, without God I can do nothing. But I can do all things thru Christ who strengths me! From my experience, the devil does not bother to attack when I train for the race in the lonely hours without spectators. But when God opens a ministry door for me, when there is a chance for me to win a medal or to gain a new testimony, then the devil suddenly attacks. The devil wants me to stop obeying God’s Word. He wants me to start believing in cheap religious lies. He wants me to grieve the Holy Spirit. The devil wants me to fail and not to recover. But I trust God!

The devil cannot stop a child of God from moving on but he can hinder him. In Greek, the word ‘hinder’ means to break the road across so that you have to slow down; it means to drag you from behind, to prevent you from moving ahead, to make you anxious and confused. The hindering agent tries to prevent your free movement and your progress in life. God promised to punish all human agents of the devil who attack His children!

You can see that this runner started well. In the beginning he was strong in the Lord, having faith that he will win the crown. He was running the race obeying the truth of the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. Everybody thought that he is the new champion in town. But then, something unexpected happened. The devil cut across and succeeded in hindering him from obeying the truth and from moving forward. The attack was sudden. The runner was unprepared for it. He forgot that there are enemies around him who are jealous on him because he was making progress. He forgot that the race must be combined with spiritual warfare. He forgot that not all athletes are his friends. He forgot that there is a devil. Forgetting this, he fell. All this forgetting happened because he listened to the lies of the devil.

These are some common lies the devil uses to attack the minds of committed Christians: ‘you are running too fast – slow down… you are too holy – take it easy… you are working too much in the church – work less… your offering in the church is too much – reduce it… you pray too much – God knows your needs so you should pray less…you look too ‘hot’ for Jesus – cool down a bit…’ Once you allow these doubting ideas to penetrate your mind, you will slow down spiritually. Your crown, your expected reward will look farther and farther. You will feel tired spiritually and physically. You will feel too weak to pray, especially to do warfare. Slowly, a form of depression sets in. You will feel discouraged to move on. You feel like dying internally. You become slow. You feel like backsliding or giving up on your dreams. The only One who can help you at this dangerous moment is God, the Holy Spirit. He is the only Helper who truly helps and the only Comforter who truly comforts.

What should you do? Repent from even considering backsliding. Repent from complaining against the unfair pain of persecution. Remember: all true born again believers suffer persecution. You cannot avoid it! Persecution is a sign that you are making progress! Thank God for the pain! Nothing and nobody should slow you down from moving forward to see Jesus! Finally, these are some good questions for you to meditate upon: You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? Who held you back … Who hindered you… who tried to stop you… who agitated you… who tried to keep you from trusting the truth… from being influenced by the truth? Reject all evil spirit of hindrance, lies, depression and discouragement! Holy Spirit please take control! Run to the finish line! Against all odds, if the devil likes or not, you can make it! With the gold medal on his neck, with the crown on his head, standing on the podium and waving to the crowd of witnesses, Brother Gold sends you encouragement in the power of the Holy Ghost! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

(In the picture: Michael Phelps cried after he won his 19th Olympic medal as the U.S. second-leg swimmer of the 4×100-meter freestyle race)

Michel Phelps

JESUS IS BEAUTIFUL TO ME 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecc 3:11)

All the Word of God is good for me. But there are scriptures in the Bible that immediately encourage me and without fail. I am sure that you know the story of how Haman was disappointed when he was told that Mordecai, the man he was planning to kill, has been promoted by the king. It is found in the Book of Esther, chapter 6. What amazed me recently is the timing of these events. It is wonderful to see how God orchestrated the events.

This is a lesson I had to learn: If you say that you trust God, then you need to trust not only God’s power but also God’s timing to release that power. Many Christians believe the promises of God but do not trust His timing. They believe that God can do miracles. But they become impatient as they wait for the miracle to happen. They never say that God is too fast. But they often complain that God is ‘too slow’.

What lessons can we learn about God’s timing? God’s time is mysterious!!! God does not tell us when He will fulfill His promises. For example, after Jesus died and resurrected, the disciples asked Him some questions about the future. They knew the promises of Jesus but they also wanted to know the time of their fulfillment. The Lord Jesus did not tell them when the promises shall manifest. He said that timing is under the authority of God the Father. “And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Ac 1:6-8)

Most of us are the same. We want to know ‘when’ we shall experience that healing or that breakthrough we have been praying for. But God does not tell us ‘when’. We need faith and patience to see the promises fulfilled. To exercise faith is easier than practicing patience but we need both. Pride and rebellion will lead you to impatience, insisting to know the timing of future events. Therefore, pray for more grace. Pray that God will increase your strength to endure from the moment the promise is given until its visible manifestation. Trust God who alone knows the end from the beginning! In the meantime pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, continue to witness to others about Jesus and serve God the best way you can!

TESTIMONY OF FRUITFULNESS

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
This is what God says: “None will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span” (Ex 23:26)
 
There is a couple I know personally who are married for about 5 years. Both of them are committed Christians. They have no children yet. They are not wealthy enough to go and do tests or to take treatments for infertility. Knowing this, I did not waste any time directing them to a hospital. I told the wife to trust God 100% and to serve God the best way she can! She obeyed! From the little salary she receives, each month she buys eggs, sliced bread and fruits for us. I am a witness that she has faith to be a mother! This evening she sent me a note saying that she is finally pregnant. I use her as a point of contact for other married women who trust God for the fruit of the womb. For nothing is impossible for God to do!
“Happy new year Malia! I am so excited to write you this letter, since I got married I have never missed my period but in the month of December I did missed my period I actually thought it was a delay but I just kept trusting God that it will turn into a testimony so, today I decided to run a pregnancy test with the normal urine test strips and it showed “POSITIVE” Hahahahaahaha… I laugh because the LORD has won the battle.Your prayers for me has been answered so,I rejoice in the Lord!!! My horn is exalted in the Lord and my mouth is enlarged over my enemies. Praises to the KING of kings and I also want to thank you ma for all your prayers for me and all the encouragements!!! Thanks Mum and God bless you richly and expand your ministry Ma’ To God be the glory!!!!”

BE STRONG IN THE LORD 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“As for everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Lk 6:47-49)

Happy New Year! Today is the beginning of a new month and a new year! We shall fast and pray to understand the proper foundation to be laid as we begin this new season in our lives. There are many false, fake, unstable and failing foundations. Many people make resolutions based on these wrong foundations. For example: trusting in men or in yourself, trusting in your doctor to keep you healthy, in your lawyer to keep you out of troubles, having a better business or making more money, getting married, having children, moving from one city to another, empty religions … these are all foundations that will fail to bring you strength, mental stability, spiritual growth, peace and joy.

The Lord Jesus said that a foolish man (woman) builds his house on the ground without a foundation. The foolish man is impatient to finish his house quickly. Digging a foundation makes him feel is ‘a waste of time’. The foolish man is greedy not wanting to spend money on a foundation. He wants his house to be built cheaply and quickly. He deceives himself. He only thinks of today, how he will boast about his great present achievements. He does not think about the future. He does not care about the inheritance or the name he will leave to his children and grandchildren. He has false hope. He does not prepare for possible trouble ahead. His house shall stand for a while but it will surely fall in times of need.

But the wise man (woman) builds his house well and strong. He starts with a good foundation, fixed on the Rock. He is patient to build to last. He is willing to pay the price for a good house that will stand strong in the future, no matter the possible trials and temptations. He builds slowly and surely. He studies the good pattern of other builders who have succeeded to build strong houses. He has a good inheritance and a good name to leave behind, to his children and grandchildren. He is not afraid of the future. His hope is sure because his trust in God.

In Christ we declare that:
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ONLY SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION, NOW AND FOREVER!
WE ARE WISE WOMEN OF GOD!
WE SHALL STAND STRONG!
OUR WONDERFUL TESTIMONIES SHALL MULTIPLY!
WE SHALL REJOICE LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

Prayer points: We shall be wise women of God. We shall daily study the Word of God. We shall apply the scriptures in our practical lives. We shall pray daily, to grow spiritually. We desire to have more testimonies, how God has helped us! We shall be examples and inspirations to our husbands, children, grandchildren and others around. We reject any evil spirit of fear, poverty, religion, impatience, greed, pride, disappointment, discouragement and foolishness. We shall serve God more than in the past! We are willing to pay the price to be filled with the Holy Spirit! We give God alone all the glory for our lives and future successes! In Jesus name we pray, amen!

(In this picture taken in 2000, our youngest daughter Jemine Leigh Oakes, is praying to be a woman of God, a godly happy wife and mother…all her prayers have been answered … I use her intercession as a point of contact for all children of God who pray that this year will be different, much better and happier than ever, in Jesus name, amen!) Jemine at Warri 2

TESTIMONY OF FRUITFULNESS 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

‘The Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful’ (Deut 16:15)

A dear brother in our church who is happily married and a wonderful father, who is a worship leader in the choir, working full time as a teacher, surprised us yesterday. Some months ago he told us that he wants to start farming. He got a plot of land outside the town. He said that he will go there each weekend to plant vegetables. He said that it will be good exercise for him. He is a ‘city boy’ and has no experience with farming but he was willing to learn from those who know better. Yesterday he came with a bag full of fresh cucumbers, to give us as a gift. These are his ‘first fruits’. He said that they are ‘organic’. I see that God has blessed the work of his hands. As a teacher, all these years, even as a worship leader, it is hard to see visible fruits. But this harvest of cucumbers brings joy to my heart to see that God has indeed blessed this our son in Christ! Praise the Lord!

I use this testimony as a point of contact for others who are willing to start a new business! May God enlarge your territory! May God bless your labor! May you honor The God who blesses you! In Jesus name’ amen!

cucumbers

I HONOR MARRIAGES 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Marriage should be honored by all…” (Heb 13:4)
The idea of being ‘a career woman’ is more common in the western world than in Nigeria where I live. But the advice is universal and we can all learn from it. I write this with a new found compassion for the older single women who made mistakes in their youth. Life is not easy. To be a woman especially is not easy… A ‘career woman’ is a woman whose main priority in life is achieving success in her career or profession. It may specifically refer to a higher interest in career than in marriage or having children. In other words, her job is her ‘husband’ and her office is her ‘child’. This term can thereby be used in contrast to what is called ‘a housewife’. Interestingly, there is no male equivalent. Have you ever heard of a “career man?” No!

The truth is that not all working and successful women CHOSE to be ‘career women’. They just ‘become too old to marry’ while working in their offices. There is a season for everything in life. They postpone marriage or having children until it is ‘too late’ for that. Time passes them by… Some delay motherhood for years because they feel they need to stay competitive in their businesses. Later they regret that decision. Some women believe that their dedication to their career, and the good that they are building through their work, is their ultimate legacy. Oprah Winfrey is the best example of that. Finally, some women have absolutely no interest in becoming mothers, their careers notwithstanding. Their identity is rooted in their business.

I am a medical doctor by profession. My husband and I ran a private hospital for about 20 years. I know the attraction of success, money made thru hard work and fame knocking at my door. I am a wife, a mother and a grad mother. I am now a pastor, in full time ministry. From the Word of God I find that the majority of women want to ‘settle’, to marry and have children. They want to have time to enjoy their home and the gift of motherhood. Most of the scriptures encourage the women to marry and have children. But because the women know marriage is hard work, it competes in their mind with the hours of work in the business. Many of them pursue a successful career or money instead of building a family. It is true: Marriage and motherhood is hard work and sacrificial ministry. The sacrifice is great but the reward is greater. I testify to that!

This is my advice to the women who come to my office battling between a life in the business world and another (simpler) life at home. This is not an easy choice. If you are working in the office, there are some advantages: you compete with others, to climb ‘the ladder of success’. You dress ‘corporately’ and you earn praises from men. This life style is very interesting, powerful, attractive and addictive. I know it. The other option is to choose to marry, have children and ‘manage a small’ business. Your husband who is now your ‘boss’ may appreciate your efforts or he may not. This choice is difficult. To be a happy wife you need to be loving, wise, spiritual and patient. But God will reward you at last…

But the worst thing is to live a life of regret. What I mean is this: you choose a career in business and you regret for sacrificing marriage. Or you choose to marry and cooking in the kitchen, you day dream about working in a Shell office or in a bank. Because I experienced both these life styles, I can give you a good, time-tested advice: a business career cannot satisfy your soul!!! The money you make cannot buy joy! The fame you gain cannot manufacture peace! Even your husband or your child cannot satisfy your deepest longings. Only Jesus Christ can do that!!! For me, this is what I believe: To be a happy wife and mother is more rewarding than any promotion in any office in any country. Dear sisters, women, wives and mothers, be encouraged today! Reject regrets! Trust God! May the Holy Spirit direct your path! May God help you to choose the right thing now! In Jesus name! Amen!

I AM AMAZED BY YOUR GLORY

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Down at Your feet, oh Lord
Is the most high place In Your presence, Lord
I seek Your face, seek Your face
There is no higher calling, no greater honor
Then to bow and kneel before Your throne I am amazed at Your glory, embraced by Your mercy Oh Lord, I live to worship You…”
SLL17

HEALED TO BE HOLY 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” (Jn 5:6)
This is the story of a man who was paralyzed for 38 years (Jn 5:1-15). He was lying down by the pool of Bethesda, in Jerusalem. There was crowd of people there. Most of them were very sick and dying. Jesus passes thru the crowd and comes to this man. Jesus asks him: ‘Do you want to be made well?’ This is a ‘strange’ question. Why does Jesus ask a sick man if he wants to be well? Why does Jesus ask a blind man if he wants to see? Why does Jesus ask a poor man if he wants money? For us these questions seem unnecessary. But Jesus does everything with a purpose in mind. Every miracle must bring glory to God. The longer the wait, the greater the glory!

The reason why Jesus asked the man who has been waiting for 38 years in that situation if he wants healing is because that means a total change of life style. For example, you have always been poor, not able to feed or pay house rent. Then suddenly you become the owner of a mansion!!! Think of it… You who have never been married suddenly the best Christian man you know, that handsome and rich man says he wants to marry you. How will you feel? You who never had a child, suddenly you are pregnant with triplets. Try to imagine the change in your life…

If you depend on people for feeding, for prayers or for help, every moment of your life, you accept defeat and doubt as normal. But God loves you. For as long as you are alive and praying, anything can happen! God still works His wonders among men! In the midst of that crowd of hundreds of sick people, Jesus finds this man. He heals only this man. This is grace. This is peculiar love. No man can buy it with money. In that crowd, Jesus can locate you! After many years of knowing that you are dying, captive to incurable disease or slave to a hopeless situation… will you still trust God for a miracle? Sarah was ninety when she became pregnant with Isaac. What if she said to God: ‘I wanted to be a mother all these years. But now I am too old. I don’t want a baby again…’ Many people reject God’s gift because they think that they are too old to enjoy life! What a loss of opportunity!

The miracle has happened! You suddenly become well. Now you need to change! You need to work and take responsibility for your life. From a beggar you now become the boss! You need to choose today! Jesus heals so that you become holy. Jesus saves you to become sanctified. Many people once they are healed, they use their health to go back to the world. Jesus warns anyone who prays for a miracle to use the new health and the new riches to remain in the faith and serve God more than before! If not, a worse thing may happen!

There is a demon called ‘Begging’. Another one is called ‘Complaining’. You need to let go of those demons! Stop begging men! Stop complaining! Pray to God! You must give your life to Christ! Your healer must become your Savior and Lord! You become filled with the Holy Spirit who is a generous Spirit! Walk by faith! You are strong enough to make others strong! You are rich enough to bless others with your money! You become spiritually mature to be able to pray for others in their need. Are you willing to be made whole? Do you really want this miracle of a changed life? Are you willing to pay the price to be a blessing to others? Then Jesus will come and touch you. He knows everything and everybody. His power has no measure. The suffering may be long but the healing is immediate. Come back with your testimony! Glory to God!

JesusBethesda2

PRAISE THE LORD! I AM HAPPY! 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phil 4:11)
Many people ask me: ‘how can you be happy in Nigeria?’ I tell them that the secret of my happiness is not Nigeria, is not Romania and it is not America. My secret is not rooted in the ground of this earth. That is why it cannot be stolen and it cannot be destroyed. My secret of happiness, peace and success is found in Christ alone!

My life is not always easy. But I do not pray for ‘an easy life’. I pray to fulfill destiny in Christ. Things gained without effort will be lost without a tear. My discomfort in Nigeria has pushed me to Jesus and made me willing to answer His call for ministry. Joseph named his second son Ephraim. It means ‘God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction’. I identify with him. When the pressures of life come, I always look ahead to see what God will do with my pain. He always does something beautiful in His time. My pain is never lost. It becomes worship.

If we are too comfortable in this world, it is impossible to birth life in others. I had learned over the years to see life thru the eyes of my Lord Jesus Christ. My eyes deceive me. But His vision planted in me gives me strength to stand when I should stand, and to move, when it is time to move.

One secret that I have learned is to die to complaining about the things around me. There are enough reasons to complain in Nigeria. But it drains my peace, my joy and my anointing for ministry. When things are hard, when I do not understand what is happening around me, I chose to quietly wait for the Holy Spirit to speak. He alone knows everything. When He talks, every pain becomes a painting and every fear becomes a poem. His voice still stops the storms on the sea!

May God bless you and your family. It is well!

MY TESTIMONY AS A WIFE AND A PASTOR

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands… when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear… rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God… as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord…’ (1Pet 3:1-6)

I shall now boast in the Lord! My husband and I are married for over 42 years. In Christ and by the grace of God, I declare that I am quiet, gentle, precious and beautiful! The Word of God says so! My husband says so! What others say it does not matter. I have learned over the years to speak less than my husband, especially when we are in public. For example, if he speaks 10 words, I speak maybe 3. If he is not around I can speak 8. You may joke about it, but this is the truth. I mentally count the times I open my mouth. If I do not have something good and godly to say, I am not ashamed to keep quiet. I do not have to prove that I am intelligent by talking.

But when I talk, I make sure that I am on my husband’s ‘side’. I do not come from the opposite side. I do not stand against him spiritually speaking. I do not threaten him positionally. I am never on the side of them who argue with him, even if jokingly. If I do not understand something he says I make a mental note to ask him at home. I do not want to ask him any question while others listen to us talking. If it is an ‘emergency’ I ask him in Romanian. Thank God, most people do not understand this language. I do this because I do not want to be seen as his boss, teacher or mentor. I gladly submit to him because of God’s command. I also do not ask other men questions in my husband’s presence. I do not want to be seen as a foolish ignorant wife. That attitude will place the blame on him implying that he did not teach me well at home.

You may say: ‘this is so hard’…You may also ask: ‘what is your gain in all this’? My gain is God’s pleasure over our home! The Holy Spirit is free to rest, move and work in us from inside out. Obviously, my husband and I are ‘a work in progress’ but if we obey God’s Word, the progress is faster. We love that!

The devil loves to ask questions causing division, doubts, fears and confusion. It is very easy to be rebellious. It is very hard to love and to submit. It takes the training and the discipline of the Holy Spirit to achieve this mighty work of loving submission for Christ’s sake! I pray before I talk. I choose when to answer or when not to answer a question that is ‘thrown’ at me. My husband is the only one who has the right to ‘demand answers’ from me. No other person has the same right. I refuse to be intimidated into foolish submission by ‘strangers’ even if they are friends or family. That will mean betrayal to our marriage. I do not regret talking too little but I regret talking too much. This strategy of keeping quiet (well… most of the time) is not legalistic or religious. It is the result of the leading of the Holy Spirit who gives me the power to choose silence over speaking when silence is the winner.

Finally, this counsel is for couples who serve God together: Since we started the ministry, the greatest attack has been on our marriage in particular; to destroy the unity of the Spirit between us. The devil knows that if we are not united in the Spirit, we shall ‘fall’ as a couple. We may not divorce but we will be separated in our hearts. That fall will affect the ministry. The false believers in the congregation are very smart to detect and increase any division among the leaders. Because both of us preach and teach, both of us we need to be very sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Our spiritual gifts are different. The way we approach the things of life and the strategies to solve problems are different. But we are born of the same Holy Spirit and we are one in Christ! The strength of the unity and the freedom of expression must be displayed each time we minister. Only God can do that! We know it! We appreciate it! That is why without the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, we do not know how to ‘conduct’ a service. That is why we are always so grateful for the Holy Spirit, our Comforter! This is our testimony: by the grace of God we are happily married! By the grace of God we are making impact as spiritual leaders! To God alone be all the glory! Amen!

Tali and M6

WE ARE RICH, GENEROUS, GRATEFUL AND BLESSED

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT
“God will make you rich enough so that you can always be generous. Your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God” (2Cor 9:11)
 
The Women’ Fellowship was very good. We praised God with songs and dancing. This was the last fellowship this year and it became a thanksgiving service. Every sister (married and single) had an opportunity to share a testimony of God’s goodness and to give thanks to God. We all agreed, with one accord, that without God we are nothing. We declared that our God is the only living, good, wise and faithful God. 2017 was a good year. There were challenges but God gave us the strength to overcome them for His name sake. We declared that 2018 will be even better. We believe that God’s plans for us are good and not evil to give us hope and a glorious future.
 
As women of God we shall lay a godly Holy Spirit foundation for next year with one month (January 2018) of daily fasting and prayers. We shall pray that God will fulfill His destiny in our lives… that our marriages will be better… that our husbands will grow in grace… that our children will be saved, that they will be good and healthy children… we pray that God will bless the work of our hands and our ministries… we pray for Father’s House Bible Church, for the leaders and all the departments… for revival in our land..
 
We pray that the anointing of Queen Esther will be our portion, that God will change our lives from nothing to glory, that God will remove any hindrance that blocks our progress in life… that God will give us favor with Him and with men… that just as Mordecai and Esther (father and daughter) were promoted at once, so we and our children (both generations) shall be promoted… We come against all evil spirits of fear, doubt, empty religion, confusion, depression, sickness, untimely death… We reject you all in the name of Jesus! We plead the Blood of Jesus over our bodies, souls and spirits. We declared that God is jealous over our lives and testimonies as women of God. We know that Jesus fights our visible and invisible battles and the victory is sure! To God alone be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!
 
In Christ we declare:
By the Blood of the Lamb, we are saved!
We are women of God like Sarah, Leah, Esther, Deborah, Ruth, Abigail, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany…We shall fulfill our destiny!
We are free from the spell of any evil spirit! Our enemies are defeated already!
Our marriages and children are blessed! The work of our hands is blessed! Our ministries are blessed!
Father’s House Bible Church is blessed!
The Women’ Fellowship is blessed!
To God be all the glory!
In Jesus name
Amen!
(In the picture, my husband, I and a group of brethren from our church)
FH6

MY CHRISTMAS SONG 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10, 11)

This is my testimony: I was born in Romania where the winters are always heavy. I married my husband, Richmond Leigh and we came to Nigeria in 1980, to settle. We had three children. Both of us we practiced medicine here. When we came to Nigeria I could not speak English. At the beginning I struggled. The culture, the weather, the food, the people… everything was different than what I knew about life back home. As a wife, mother and doctor, I struggled to remain happy facing opposition, misunderstanding and anxieties of life. There are no winters in Nigeria. For many years I missed the winter especially at Christmas. It is like I left my child(hood) far away, in another land. I had to let go of my memories which only hunted me… I had to forget the past so that I can receive new blessings…

Light shone into my darkness when in 1986 I became saved! Yes, I gave my life to Christ in our house at that time, in a building at Okoro street Warri, in Nigeria. My life changed again! Little by little, I started developing new feelings, learned new songs and creating new memories. For a long time I felt like a stranger in my own body. It took many years for the war in my heart to end and for peace to reign.

This morning, as I have my quiet time, my heart is at peace… I smile… I am grateful to God for being with me all these years in a country I could not have chosen by myself. I am grateful to God for helping me to chose a Savior I could not have chosen by myself. I thank God for helping me to more than adjust, more than survive here in Africa. I found eternal life, my Savior and my destiny here. Nigeria is not what you call ‘a cute’ country. But the Holy Spirit loves Nigeria and pours the rivers of water on this thirsty land. It is my privilege to be a pastor together with my husband, here in Warri- Effurun, Nigeria. It is my honor to represent the Satisfier of men’s souls, the Joy of all generations and the Hope of all nations to the people here. I speak His Word, I share His joy and I pray that they are filled with the Holy Spirit! I do not trust myself to impart in your hearts a passion for the Holy Spirit. But I trust that God will touch you and fill you with Himself. In Jesus name I pray! There is no greater prayer than this!

From Nigeria to the world I say: Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! For He alone is worthy! Christ the Lord! Merry Christmas! God bless you all!

Merry Christmas FHBC

GOD IS FAITHFUL 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

This is a letter sent to me this morning from a sister who had to relocate to another city. She, her husband and children were faithful members of our church. This testimony is to the glory of God and for the encouragement of others. As a pastor I rejoice when our spiritual children move in life filled with faith, wisdom and courage. To God be all the glory!

“Good morning Malia, how are you? Malia since the last time l saw you, we didn’t move to… immediately. l believe all things work together for good, for they that trust in the Lord. There were some minor delays, but to God’s glory we have now moved. Its a new apartment two bedroom and l like it. Malia, l want to give God all the glory for bringing my family and l safely, we prayed that there would be no police harassment or car troubles, because our car had faults, to God’s glory, we were barely stopped by any police and the car drove smoothly, then before we left, my husband filled the petrol tank, because we didn’t have much money on us, but we prayed and we trust that the Lord will provide according to our needs and Malia few days after we arrived the petrol tank was still full, 1week after it had barely changed, 10 (ten) days later we are still using it,

l want to say God is Faithful, Merciful and kind,i love these little details and great mercies God shows His children, l am so excited and grateful, so many things He has been doing, our gas bottle was leaking and l got worried, l called my husband and he said we have to change it, he had gone to work, l prayed that we wont be charged and if we are a token, when l got there, the sales personnel told me he would check it and he changed something we tried it, it was no longer leaking, l asked how much and he said no charge,

Malia, it pays to put our TRUST in God Almighty, l want to thank Him for been with us, even as my husband is away, His presence surrounds us. Our daughters especially our eldest is excited with the new place, says mummy l like it, at night l went into a room to worship&pray, the next thing they both woke up and joined me, let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Malia l will send pictures, my phone is faulty now, but soon l will be able. Have a lovely week Malia. Your daughter…”

I AM AN ELDER IN THE KINGDOM

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony” (Heb 11:1, 2)
 
Christianity is a walk of faith. No matter what I tell you, if you do not believe the Word of God, I will speak in vain. Faith is ‘the baby conceived’ when the spirit of man becomes one with the Word of God. Faith is the fruit of the Holy Spirit produced in the spirit of the believer. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, which is the truth. Examine your life if your faith is growing! That is why you need to attend a living church and listen to the preaching of the Word of God. You need to study and meditate on the Word! Pray for understanding. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! This is how faith grows ‘organically’. God shall reward you more than you can tell!
 
Try to imagine this: Faith has strong hands. Faith grabs and holds the promises of God knowing that they are real. When doubt tries to hold the Word of God, it slips thru its fingers like water. Doubt is always empty handed and frustrated. But faith holds and holds the Word of God until it manifests as a visible testimony. Christianity is a life style that starts with faith and ends with sight. This ever maturing faith, tried and tested in the furnace of fire, is acknowledged and rewarded by God. By this blessing, your position shall change from a ‘baby Christian’ to an ‘elder’ in the Kingdom. From a prince you shall become a king! These are spiritual ‘titles’. No man can give them or take them away from you. No mater your natural age, if you are a child of God, you are either a baby or an elder. A baby trusts God. But an elder is more than that. He trusts God and God trusts him! Selah!
 
May this be your heart’s desire and prayer this morning: “Father God, please help me to be an elder in your courts! Please increase my faith! Help me to pay the price for a mature fruitful faith! Help me to trust You always! Give me the testimony of a true servant of God! For Your glory alone and for my own good! In Jesus name I pray, amen!”
Hands and Bible

I AM A HELPER MADE RIGHT FOR MY HUSBAND 

by Silvia Lia Leigh, MD

“Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.” (Gen 2;18)

My husband and I we are married for almost 44 years. From the revelation of the Word of God and from my experience as a wife, mother, grandmother and pastor, I write these notes…

God invented the institution of marriage. God alone has the key to a successful marriage. He gives that secret key to them who are born again and who want to know His ways in all things, including their married life. Because we are born sinners, it is very easy to take love or marriage for granted. To take for granted it means to accept or to use something or someone in a careless manner. In marriage, it means to live together, have children but without true love for one another and without giving glory to God. This is a sad but very common reality even in the Christian homes.

Human beings are created to love God and to love others. God invented marriage where love can have a place to grow so that He can bless it. True love means to intimately know each other. This intimacy requires spiritual maturity and emotional stability. Each partner needs to know self and the other. Marriage is a deep mystery and full time work of love. A lazy man will make a bad husband. A selfish woman will make a bad wife. The fear of intimacy is poison to satisfaction in marriage. It leads to loneliness and depression even while married. In this way marriage has lost its godly purpose.

Marriage, love and true friendship are not easy. There are many snares to avoid, many tests to pass along the way. In the process of knowing one another, we fall into many temptations. Sacrificial love is risky because we are sinners saved by grace. We dream big but we invest too little for our dreams to come true. Most lovers get disappointed in life. A relationship can be wounded superficially or very deeply. Hurts received in marriage are very painful. The wounds of betrayal, even with prayers and patience, are slow to heal. It is easy to give up and decided to be ‘on your own’. This is the root of divorce. Many married couples have divorced spiritually or emotionally but they still live together. They sleep in the same bed and take care of their children. But their love got sick and died long ago. You should know that the devil hates Christian marriages. He will fight with all his strength to destroy your home. These are some lessons to improve your marriage. To apply these Biblical principles you need to be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Do not take your marriage for granted. Be very careful to avoid quarrels which cause division. Be sensitive when you sense that ‘the devil is in the room and the quarrel is coming’. The Holy Spirit will prepare your heart to sense that you need to keep quiet and still. Communication is like playing table tennis. Each partner feels like responding to the words of the other. Be careful: if the tone of voice becomes too high, the tendency to argue increases. Show self-restrain. Both love and self-control are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Talking is like driving a car. It is exciting to drive it full speed. It is fun to defend your opinions. But look at the Holy Ghost ‘traffic signs’. Keep below the speed limit. Learn to use your breaks. From time to time check your spiritual brakes, if the pads of patience are still functioning well and the oil of wisdom still intact. Quarrels between close friends, between husband and wife can end in disaster. You can wreck your marriage and it may not be possible to repair it on earth. Behave and speak in such a way that tomorrow, you do not need to apologize for your actions and words of today.

MY TESTIMONY
For me, apology is a friend and an enemy in the same time. For example, if my husband tells me that he is grieved by my actions or words, I apologize immediately. If I am not aware that he is wounded that is different. But if he tells me that I grieved him, the apology must come instantly from my heart. This is not the time to analyze my behavior. I know that he loves me. He prays for me. If he says I was wrong, then I am wrong. Period! Pain for me is a wonderful teacher. I do not waste it. I learn from everything, even from my ignorant mistakes. I apologize and promise to change. And I keep my word. I pray and trust God to change. I do not foolishly repeat the same mistake again and again taking for granted that the Holy Spirit will help us ‘to settle’. I always remember that love is a very delicate thing. A sudden electrical surge of one second can destroy a very expensive computer. Even so, a ‘little’ quarrel can damage trust and quench the spirit of love. So, I am very careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit! In Christ I declare that Jesus Christ is my first Lover! My husband is second lover! Then follow the children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters and friends! I thank God for them all! This is my story! This is my song!

Child of God, when things are hard, when tears freely flow and nothing is able to stop them, when you make mistakes, when you are misunderstood, when friends fail and family withdraws… then remember that God is always faithful! “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb 13: 8). He was betrayed by sinners but He loved to the end. Crawl into His loving arms and find peace. You may not have all the answers. You may not need to have all the deep revelations of conflict because God knows them all. He knows your heart. He knows that you love Him. He knows your weakness and strength. He knows each word even before it comes on your tongue. He loves you with an everlasting love. You are secure in knowing Jesus, your Savior, King and Best Friend. He died for you. He forgives you. He is still with you. Inside your heart, no matter what, you can rejoice always! Love is not easy. But love is still the best gift of God. Be jealous over your heart! Cherish it! Give thanks to God for everything! Praise the Lord!

R and L 2