“On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God’… On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem” (Zech 12:3-9)

This is a word given to encourage the children of God during times of persecution. As I lie down with a broken foot, I become more sensitive to the spiritual realties and the prophetic anointing of the Word of God. Read the Book of Zechariah chapter 12. God promised to protect Jerusalem and to fight against the pagan countries that surrounded city with the intent to destroy it. Apply the revelations you find there to your situation. You are the ‘Jerusalem’ of God. You should not be surprised at the attack. You should know that if you are a committed believer the world will hate you. You shall be persecuted for your stand for Christ. But God promised to fight your battles. God will give you supernatural strength to stand in the day of evil day. This is for His glory! You should read the Word of God to encourage yourself in times of trial.

This is the promise of God: He will fight against your enemies who are attacking you! This fight increases step by step. Each step is a warning to the enemies to stop fighting you. If your enemies refuse to stop the fight, they shall be destroyed. This I shall God will do to your enemies who are foolishly bold to attack you:

*They shall drink the cup of trembling.

In Hebrew the word ‘trembling’ means to reel, to move in circles, round and round, to waver and fall back as from a blow, to behave in a violent and disorderly manner, totally unstable. They wanted to ‘drink’ your blood but your blood became a cup of poison to them.

*They shall injure themselves

It is not God or His people who will injure them. They shall attack you and in the process injure themselves. The word means to be cut to pieces and there is no healing for them. God will make you ‘an immovable rock’ that cannot be shifted. As they attack this rock, they shall injure themselves.

*God will strike them with panic and madness.

They shall scream curses and talk nonsense.

*God will blind them.

They shall not be able to see the light of life and move on. Elisha blinded the army of Syria who wanted to kill him (2Kg 6). So it will be with your enemies who attack you!

*God shall destroy them!

Lastly, if they are still stubborn and wicked and continue to attack you, they will burn with fire and become ashes. They shall be destroyed and none can help!

God has promised to make you strong and to protect you! This is a supernatural strength and a supernatural protection! You should not fear when the world hates you and attacks you! The One with you and in you is greater than the ones who gather against you. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church! It is a terrible thing to fight against the children of God! This is a warning to the enemies of God! As for you, child of God, rejoice, for your victory is sure! Faithful is He who has promised! Give God all the glory!

“Wives, be subject to your husbands [out of respect for their position as protector, and their accountability to God], as is proper and fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives [with an affectionate, sympathetic, selfless love that always seeks the best for them] and do not be embittered or resentful toward them [because of the responsibilities of marriage]” (Col 3:18, 19, AMP)

It is more than six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay on bed rest until the bone is healed. There are many lessons to learn from this situation. The devil pushed me and I fell. God permitted it for His glory and for my good. Something wonderful is coming out of this pain. God decreed that children should be born thru pain. In other words, pain precedes and announces life! That is so wonderful that pain does not have the last say in our lives! Resurrection life is stronger than all!

If the devil thought that this accident will divide my husband and me, how wrong he was! Just like grace blooms best in the desert, so our marriage became better in this time of testing. To God alone be all the glory! Thank God for the timing of this accident. It is very possible that if this happened some years ago, we could have failed to grow in love, wisdom and grace. When we got married, my husband made the choice to take care of me not only when I was strong, but also when I am weak. It was the same way with me. Marriage is a covenant relationship. First of all we need to be faithful to God. We also need to be faithful to our vows made to each other in the presence of God.

Serious sickness puts a heavy strain upon a marriage. It is true that the vow to remain loving and faithful is ‘in sickness and in health’. But very few newlyweds ponder about the words they are happily saying at the altar. There is a difference between saying: ‘I have a headache today and I cannot cook dinner’ and a serious sickness that incapacitates one for weeks, months or even years.  Bad health is an excuse why many people divorce. I read that when the wife is seriously ill the risk of divorce was higher than when the husband is the sick spouse. The sick wife complains that the husband does not take care of her well enough. The husband becomes tired not only to provide money for the home, but to provide care and love for the sick, but ungrateful, wife.  These are the sad observations I discovered from the internet.

What are the things I discovered during this time of trial in our marriage? You need to pay a price for success! Like with any exam, you need to prepare well to pass it. Every champion knows that he has to pay a price for that gold medal hanging on his neck. If you cheat your spouse, you only cheat yourself. When the trials of life come, you will stumble and your marriage will fail.  You need to prepare for battle during the time of peace. Invest in maturing spiritually. Study the Word of God and pray to be the husband or the wife God wants you to be. Do it when things are easy. When trials come, you are not afraid of disappointment and you shall pass the test.  This is wisdom!

This is our testimony:

As a wife I need to learn to submit to my husband. This submission is not easy and it is not natural. Your honey- moon love will not be strong enough to teach you submission. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the born again believer. Submission is my choice. It manifests as respect for my husband’s God and for my husband’s authority given to him by God. Simply said, I need to respect my husband. To respect it means to value my husband highly. It means not to interfere with God’s plan for his life! It means to invest in his life! He is my treasure. He is not for sale. I cannot ignore his wishes. I cannot imagine my life without him. I see Christ in him. I hear Christ in his voice. God uses his words to speak to me. I need to respect that. I need to love him as I love myself. I do not worship husband but I do respect him as my ‘head’ and my spiritual ‘covering’. To disrespect my husband it means to walk naked in public. God forbid! Now that I am incapacitated he Is trying his best to take care of me. He cooks and brings food to me in the room. I cannot complain about his cooking. He is trying is best. I respect that. I cannot compare my stew with his stew. That is not the point. I am grateful for everything he brings to me for it is cooked with love and with care. I know that this arrangement is not forever. I know that soon I will be able to go back to my ‘kitchen ministry’. But until then, we both enjoy serving one another in this time of trial, for the sake of love that can never fail. To God alone be all the glory!

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” ( Jn 10:10, AMP)

It is more than six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay indoors. The devil’s plan was to ‘immobilize’ me both physically and spiritually . But the devil can never control my life. God Almighty is in charge! Nothing happens to me except what God approves. There are many lessons for me to learn this season. The Holy Spirit speaks to me. His Word is my medicine and my food. I am satisfied with God’s Word. I digest His promises! My spirit is rising…

I now have much time to read my Bible and pray. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a pastor. I have the tendency to be busy serving others and forgetting myself.

In this season of my life God is helping me to study my own life in general and to re-evaluate my standing in the faith in particular. This is what I have observed: it is not easy to be weak, sick or incapacitated and to exercise faith in God. It is much easier to preach faith to others than to exercise faith by myself. I have gained a new understanding of the need to fight during the trials of faith. I have gained a new admiration for the believers who are in difficult situations and chose to remain faithful to God. I also have a new appreciation for the privilege of prayer!

The devil attacks with fear and doubt. Both are poison to faith. Jesus said that the devil is a thief. He comes only to ‘steal, kill and destroy’. If you are spiritually passive (the way the devil wants you to be) he steals your joy, kills your peace and destroys your faith. The devil has a strategy. He wants to be a successful thief and a famous liar. He wants me to lose so that he can win! He wants to steal my testimony as a Christian. I should not be ignorant of his ‘wiles’. It means that the devil sees me strong, wealthy and blessed. A thief is attracted only by people who are rich. But the same devil who sees me wealthy tells me that I am poor. The same devil who sees me blessed by God tells me that I am a liability to men. He is a clearly a liar.

I too need a strategy. I cannot fight blindly! To win the battle in my mind I have to submit to the Word of God. I have to learn how to protect my mind against the devil’s lies. I have to learn to guard my heart and my emotions from his flattering and deceptive lies. It is my duty to protect my testimony. It is a battle. The devil is a loser! I am the winner!

I am a child of God! I will fight in faith every day and every moment! My faith is rising! I am getting angry against the liar! I hate the devil! I reject his doubts, his fears and his discouragement! These are his properties and not mine. Even now I declare that God loves me and is still with me! I declare that nothing is impossible for my God to do! I declare that I will not just survive this trial, but I will win this race! My future is better than my past or my present! I declare that I have eternal life and I will enjoy my life! Out of my belly rivers of living waters will quench the thirst of many! Jesus is Lord!

Let’s pray: ‘You evil spirits of fear, doubt and discouragement, I command you to run away from me! In the name of Jesus!’ Dear Holy Spirit please come and strengthen me to fight the good fight of faith! I vow to give You alone all the glory for my healing, for my deliverance and for my victory! In Jesus name amen!’

My dear children (natural and spiritual) be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might! We are not a family of cowards and losers! Not at all! We are more than conquerers thru Him who loves us! We are champions in the field of faith! We are winners and heroes in this race! See yourselves as God in Christ see you! We don’t fight to lose! We don’t fight for fighting sake! We fight from the sure position of victory in Jesus! Do not grumble! Exercise the muscle of faith! The battle is won! I hear the sound of celebration!

Like David killed Goliath, so I will kill the killer! The God who helped me in the past to kill the lion that attacked my sheep, is the same God who will help me in the present to kill the wicked giant! The devil’s hero comes against me with the might of fear, the power of lies and the bullying of discouragement! But I come against him in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died that I might live forever! The Captain of my salvation has never lost any battle! He can never lose now. He is The King of kings and The Lord of lords! JESUSSSSSSSS!!!!!! Glory to the Lamb of God who seats on the throne! My God is worthy!

TORY IN JESUS.
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” ( Jn 10:10, AMP)

It is more than six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay indoors. The devil’s plan was to ‘immobilize’ me both physically and spiritually . But the devil can never control my life. God Almighty is in charge! Nothing happens to me except what God approves. There are many lessons for me to learn this season. The Holy Spirit speaks to me. His Word is my medicine and my food. I am satisfied with God’s Word. I digest His promises! My spirit is rising… I now have much time to read my Bible and pray. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a pastor. I have the tendency to be busy serving others and forgetting myself.

In this season of my life God is helping me to study my own life in general and to re-evaluate my standing in the faith in particular. This is what I have observed: it is not easy to be weak, sick or incapacitated and to exercise faith in God. It is much easier to preach faith to others than to exercise faith by myself. I have gained a new understanding of the need to fight during the trials of faith. I have gained a new admiration for the believers who are in difficult situations and chose to remain faithful to God. I also have a new appreciation for the privilege of prayer!

The devil attacks with fear and doubt. Both are poison to faith. Jesus said that the devil is a thief. He comes only to ‘steal, kill and destroy’. If you are spiritually passive (the way the devil wants you to be) he steals your joy, kills your peace and destroys your faith. The devil has a strategy. He wants to be a successful thief and a famous liar. He wants me to lose so that he can win! He wants to steal my testimony as a Christian. I should not be ignorant of his ‘wiles’. It means that the devil sees me strong, wealthy and blessed. A thief is attracted only by people who are rich. But the same devil who sees me wealthy tells me that I am poor. The same devil who sees me blessed by God tells me that I am a liability to men. He is a clearly a liar.

I too need a strategy. I cannot fight blindly! To win the battle in my mind I have to submit to the Word of God. I have to learn how to protect my mind against the devil’s lies. I have to learn to guard my heart and my emotions from his flattering and deceptive lies. It is my duty to protect my testimony. It is a battle. The devil is a loser! I am the winner!

I am a child of God! I will fight in faith every day and every moment! My faith is rising! I am getting angry against the liar! I hate the devil! I reject his doubts, his fears and his discouragement! These are his properties and not mine. Even now I declare that God loves me and is still with me! I declare that nothing is impossible for my God to do! I declare that I will not just survive this trial, but I will win this race! My future is better than my past or my present! I declare that I have eternal life and I will enjoy my life! Out of my belly rivers of living waters will quench the thirst of many! Jesus is Lord!

Let’s pray: ‘You evil spirits of fear, doubt and discouragement, I command you to run away from me! In the name of Jesus!’ Dear Holy Spirit please come and strengthen me to fight the good fight of faith! I vow to give You alone all the glory for my healing, for my deliverance and for my victory! In Jesus name amen!’

My dear children (natural and spiritual) be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might! We are not a family of cowards and losers! Not at all! We are more than conquerers thru Him who loves us! We are champions in the field of faith! We are winners and heroes in this race! See yourselves as God in Christ see you! We don’t fight to lose! We don’t fight for fighting sake! We fight from the sure position of victory in Jesus! Do not grumble! Exercise the muscle of faith! The battle is won! I hear the sound of celebration!

Like David killed Goliath, so I will kill the killer! The God who helped me in the past to kill the lion that attacked my sheep, is the same God who will help me in the present to kill the wicked giant! The devil’s hero comes against me with the might of fear, the power of lies and the bullying of discouragement! But I come against him in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died that I might live forever! The Captain of my salvation has never lost any battle! He can never lose now. He is The King of kings and The Lord of lords! JESUSSSSSSSS!!!!!! Glory to the Lamb of God who seats on the throne! My God is worthy!

“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,”

Let Israel now say—

“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth;

Yet they have not prevailed against me…

The Lord is righteous;

He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked

Let all those who hate Zion

Be put to shame and turned back” (Ps 129:1-5)

The last sermon I preached in Saturday Class (our church’s prophetic prayer meeting) before my accident, was from Psalm 129. It is about wicked men, the children of the devil and what they do to the children of God. They are bitter oppressors and cruel tyrants. They take pleasure in hunting the children of God. They want the believers to backslide or to die untimely death. This long and wicked persecution could have ended in despair. But God sustained the victims of the oppressors just the way He sustained me. I am a living proof that God never leaves you and is with you always! Please take note: No matter how long the wicked people seem successful in this world, God will judge and punish them at last! Never envy the wicked! Never desire to eat their fancy food! At the appointed time, God will free, vindicate and promote His children. This is the law of God. Therefore be encouraged!

Today I looked at this Psalm again trying to glean fresh prophetic revelation. To my surprise, I found a wonderful new treasure in it. I translated each word from Hebrew into English. I did not have to interpret it. Just the Word of God as it is speaking to me today. Each prophetic sentence below is taken from the translation of the words in this Psalm. To each line I say Amen! If it applies to your situation then rejoice and you too say ‘Amen’!

The enemy has oppressed me, attacked me again and again, pushed me down and troubled me. He gave me cramps in my feet so that I cannot walk, in my hands so that I cannot work, in my abdomen so that I will be barren.  He has tried to limit my freedom of expression and speech; making me look foolish, like a deaf and dumb. He put me in a prison of circumstances. He has enclosed me like a broken foot inside a cast.  The enemy has suppressed my creativity, my poetic gift and my prophetic writing skill. Wicked men harassed me and attacked me without pity. They wanted me to be poor, paralyzed or even dead. BUT…

In Christ I declare:

BUT God did not abandon me to their hands. They could not prevail against me. They could not conquer my spirit. They could not become my masters. They could not become my ‘head’ or my God. With all their efforts to destroy me, they could not make me their slave or their follower. Like Mordecai who refused to bow down to Haman, an evil cursed man, I too refused to worship the devil. They tried all occult strategies against me: mental manipulation, intimidation, seduction and witchcraft. Nothing worked because God is with me and not with them!

Their flood of wickedness could not drown me. Their nails of evil could not nail me. I escaped thru the door of escape prepared for me by the Lord Himself. The Lord cut asunder their cords from me. I am free from them! Their fire was not able to burn me.  Like Shedrak, Meshach and Abednego the enemy’s fire only burnt my shackles and killed their own people. In the midst of the fire I met with the Lord, the Forth Man. We walked and we danced in the furnace of death and we did not die! The power of resurrection brought me out from the fire of destruction, without any wound and without any loss.

I cannot bless them from Zion! I cannot pray for them. I cannot ‘settle’ with them. Only God can help them. Except they truly repent, they cannot partake from the covenant blessings of the Living God! They shall be disappointed of their plans. They shall be ashamed of themselves and of their so called useless ‘god’. They shall become the tail and not the head. They shall be barren and confused. It is a pity but the very Word of God is against them.

But as for me and my family, we shall serve the Living God! I and my children we are for signs and wonders in Zion! We are free! This is my testimony! This is my song! Now, let’s worship the Lord!!!!

Today is exactly six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay in my room and rest my leg. It is not easy but I testify that God is with me helping me to make the most out of this difficult situation. I have been thinking about the last sermons I preached before this ‘accident’ happened. In Saturday Class we are in a season of spiritual warfare and I preached from Psalm 129. In the Women’s fellowship it was Proverbs 31:14. The two basic messages coming out from these scriptures are these:

1. VICTORY- God will fight your battles against wicked people who are jealous on you. Your victory is sure!
2. PROSPERITY- God will bless the work of your hands and you shall experience supernatural prosperity!

I may be in a prison of circumstances and my voice cannot be heard in the church (for now…). But the Word of God is not in prison. The Word of God is alive and eternal. The Word of God is loud like a trumpet for them who have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches! The devil cannot stop it. If you believe these prophetic messages, it is to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of other believers around you. But if you do not believe these words, it means that I preached them in vain and that is more painful than a broken foot. There is no need to say you miss me if you do not believe my words!

The following are taken from the sermon I preached at the last women’s fellowship I attended. This is to refresh your memory. After I preached this message in less than 12 hours I fell. Read and pray about these prophetic words.

SHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS
“She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar” (PV 31:14)

The virtuous woman of God in the Book of Proverbs 31 is described as ‘merchant ships bringing her food from afar’. This is a metaphor implying that she is a very successful business woman. She is ever on the lookout for opportunities to make great profit. She buys cheaply at a distance from home, instead of paying a larger price on the spot. This is the picture of an active, wise, spiritual and extremely successful business woman. She is hard working and therefore wealthy. God blesses the work of her hands. She is a leader in her field and an inspiration to many others. Her primary motive for doing business is the glory of God. The second motive is to help her husband in providing for the home. She is not a liability to her husband in any way, but a helper indeed, as God destined her to be. Her husband is a godly leader and praises her publicly. Her children joyfully bless her daily. She is a wife, a mother and a worker. She successfully combines these offices with great skill. She is a godly woman for only ‘godliness is profitable for all things’ (1Tim 4:8). She is a wise woman for only a wise woman is able to ‘build her home’ (PV 14:1).

In the Book of Revelation Chapters 18 and 19 we witness a heavenly drama, a battle between two women. There is a wicked woman called Babylon and there is the virtuous woman called the Bride of Christ. Just like the virtuous woman, the Babylonian woman also trades like ship on the waters. But the evil woman is wicked. She seduces ‘the merchants of the earth with her excessive luxuries’. Her lovers are like the pirates on the seas. They steal from others treasures of ‘gold, silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen… and the bodies and the souls of men’ (Rev 18:3, 11-13). This is the cursed trade of sin that deceives men and even the nations. This spiritual slavery trade is under the supervision of the devil.
He was once perfect in wisdom and beauty but he became proud and was rejected by God. “By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within and you sinned” (Ez 28:16).

The judgment of God is upon this cursed woman. Her followers will weep at their loss. All their ships and their cargo shall sink at the bottom of the sea. The angel of judgment sent by God shall destroy them as a millstone is thrown into the sea. Nothing shall remain from all that success. The magic spell of the Babylonian whore and the evil greedy merchants shall all be destroyed. There shall be no more singing, partying or merry making. Oppression and cheating shall end. There shall be only weeping and gashing of teeth in hell. And the saints in heaven shall rejoice at the just judgment of God. The true and free worship of the Lamb, with His bride by His side shall manifest eternally.

I hope you see what I see and you are encouraged today! Victory and supernatural prosperity is sure! In Jesus name, amen!

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Mt 13:44)

This is a word for the born again children of God. I encourage you to pay the price to gain the assurance of your salvation and spiritual maturity! Christ is the ‘treasure hidden in a field’. The man who found the treasure is me and you.

Many seek for hidden treasures all over the world. I read that it is a very expensive form of adventure. They say that pirates hid their stolen treasures in some islands. They wanted to come back later to get them. But they died before they could come back. People look for things like these. But it is not easy to be a treasure hunter. It takes time, physical and mental effort, and a lot of money. It is a dangerous work. Looking for treasures in strange places you are exposed to attacks from wicked men, thieves or wild animals. It is also a lonely work. In the open field it is just you and the dreams that you chase. You need to encourage yourself to go on. There are no human encouragers around. It is not easy.

In Greek, the word ‘field’ means a village farm. Try to imagine this story as you seek God. Finally, after years of seeking and digging, you find the greatest treasure of all, Jesus Christ! But you cannot shout for joy! You quietly rejoice by yourself. This is not the time to run and tell your family and friends: ‘I am a rich man! I have made it!’ This is not the time to post it on Facebook “I have found the fulfillment of my dreams!” It is true, you have found it but it is not yet your own! By freely taking from that treasure you will be called a thief. This is because the land that hosted the treasure for thousands of years is not your own. You need to buy the land before you have the treasure. It is like a man who wants to marry and he finally finds the girl of his dreams. He cannot announce that he is married to that girl. People will insult him! He has to pay a ‘bride price’ in the presence of witnesses before he can call that woman ‘my wife’. If not, he is an adulterer and a thief. The man who finds the treasure has to bury it again. This is the wisdom of the Kingdom of God: You find Christ and then you say to Him: ‘Good bye for now…I will come back and see You again…You shall be mine forever…’

The man goes back to the city and announces that he wants to become a farmer. His rich sophisticated friends laugh at his foolishness. ‘A farmer… What a joke…’ But that is all that he can say, for now. He announces that he is selling all his property in the city so that he can buy a farm in the village. He does not sell his things grudgingly. He sells them rejoicing. There is something strange about this man… he is so happy with his decision to change his address….this transition is mysterious to many who do not understand his new love for village things…. he is selling his expensive ‘condo in the Trump tower’ to go and buy a farm in the village… he sells his Mercedes Benz telling people he needs money to buy a farm… nobody knows the secret or the source of his joy…at least not now…

Do you understand this parable? To ‘find Christ’ is not enough. You need to possess Christ, to be filled with His Word and His Spirit! Then you can truly say that Christ is yours! Not every Christian can say this: ‘My Beloved is mine and I am His”.  You need to lose your life for His sake before you can have Christ! There is a price to pay to enter the mystery of this treasure called Christ. In Him there is all the wisdom and the knowledge of eternal life!

I have seen people who claim to be born again but they turn back from total commitment to the Lord, holding tight their little treasures money bought for them. Like with the rich your ruler who could not sell his things to truly find eternal life, a man may see Christ face to face, worship Him for a time but still go back to the world of sin, sad ‘for he has great possessions’.

This is my testimony! This is the truth that I have found: Christ is the greatest Blessing of all! He is the Gift from heaven! He is worthy more than silver or gold, more than the friendship of the best of friends, more than fame and more than culture.  I testify that me, a sinner saved by His grace, I have found Him buried in the field called Nigeria! I thank God for the wisdom of not cheaply and foolishly brag about my achievement in finding Him ‘whom my soul loves’. For a long time I had to let go of His benefits and go back to my world of wealthy educated sinners. I simply told them that I am selling my things.

One by one, my cherished treasures of a life time of struggle were sold. This was a painful transition. But there was joy in that pain. I walked on the royal way of the Cross knowing that one day I can openly boast that Jesus is mine!  Persecution is part of the price you pay to possess Christ. But it is all worth it! Oh…it is all worth it! After losing all things, I took my money and went to buy that field. The owner, an agent of the devil, had no idea why I am willing to pay all that for a ‘dirty old God forsaken’ field. That is what the devil called my dream. He said that he tried planting cassava and yam there, but the field is barren. I did not argue with him. I just wanted the deed of the land. I did not buy it to plant flowers there. I did not need a garden in Warri. I wanted what is hidden beneath the surface. The devil did not know what I was looking for. Thank God he did now know! He finally sold it to me. Jesus shed His Blood to be my Savior. I shed my tears and sweat to be His Servant! The deed is sealed! This is an eternal transaction no man or devil can steal. I declare that God loves Warri Nigeria! Glory to the Lamb who seats on the throne! Now and forever! Amen!

“Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk 1:36, 37)

Since I broke my leg I had to think more about my age. I am 62. At this age fractures heal much slower than if I was younger. There is also another factor: I cannot do much exercise walking on crutches. My metabolism is also slower. Because of that I have the tendency to put on weight faster than if I was younger. Waiting for my bone to heal I need to lose, and not gain, more weight. I cannot cheat my body. But I can pray and trust God for miracles. My body will cooperate with the Holy Spirit!

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps!
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord” (Ps 40:1-4)

The Book of Psalms is the heavenly Balm of Gilead especially when you are in trouble and you need help from God. I love it!

It is almost six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to be on bed rest. I am a doctor and now I am a patient. Medical science has advance a lot in many areas. But when it comes to bone fractures, things have not changed much for the past four thousand years. The method to handle a bone fracture is simple. You need to immobilize the leg into a sling, a cast or a boot. This is to prevent movement, to protect the bone from more damage, to let it rest and give it the time to heal. There are no special drugs to make the bone heal faster. Time is a factor! God alone heals it!

My leg is in a cast. I am learning to be patient! I am learning (again) how to wait on the Lord! I know that I cannot force or manipulate God! I need to trust Him totally, even now. The sweetest moment after my fall was when I heard the Holy Spirit telling me: “Peace, be still! I am here with you!” I have not ‘recovered’ from the impact of His words. Thru His Word, I received the power to claim a mighty testimony buried in this miry clay! I acknowledge the Person of God the Holy Spirit! He speaks to me, carries me and comforts me. This is a wonderful thing happening to me right now. Jesus heard my cry! He has answered my prayers! He brought me out of the ‘horrible pit’ of fear and doubt. God’s presence is real to me. His grace is enough for me! This is my testimony, for now…

I remember that during the very first Sunday service in our new auditorium I sang: “You raise me up!” How prophetic the words have been… I love the song, the music and the words. But I did not know that I have to ‘play the part’ to make it real! That is when the anointing increases… It is only thru the fall that I can be raised up…

I feel the Holy Spirit! There is one thing to say: ‘Jesus is my Savior!’ It is another thing for Jesus to save you personally, to experience His touch directly. His deliverance is perfect. The miry pit is full of sticky slimy sin. Like a fly in the spider’s net, the more I tried to fight it, the worse I became. Then I cried Jesus!!! And He came to me! He did not only lift me up to but He set my feet upon the Rock that can never sink! I see that both of my feet are set upon Himself, the Rock of Ages! This is so encouraging to me… For now, I walk with only one foot and two crutches. But He did not say that I will be delivered with only one foot standing. No! He said that I will stand upon the Rock with my own two feet! My steps shall be established in my walking! I will have no crutches! I will not limp! I will not fall! I will dance better than ever before! In Jesus name, amen!

“I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene…” O Lord, Your works are wonderful! Your plans for us are good and not evil! “Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me” Grace is a flower that blooms best in the desert for there are no competitions from human plantations. I see the change of the background… The holy drama is ready to start. The lights in the gallery get dim. The orchestra is waiting to play the music. This is my new song… conceived in pain at the foot of the Cross and revealed in the holy mystery of a new dawn… ‘You raise me up…’ I am not afraid! The miry clay becomes the garden of the Lord! The ugly swampy smell becomes the fragrance of Christ! My God is jealous! God must receive His glory! This lifting, this setting, this establishing, this new song, is my testimony! It will become a worship testimony! I am rehearsing it… Praise must ignite hope! The anointing will stir the hearts of the people of God! Many (not few) shall see it and fear the Lord! The glory of my God is revealed…For now, my English words are finished… The Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come Lord Jesus’… I bow down and I cry ‘Holy…’

It is almost six weeks since I fell and broke my ankle. I have to stay in my room waiting for my healing testimony. This waiting period is not easy but it teaches us patience.

This evening, before going to the evening service, my husband told me something so sweet. He is very good in encouraging me with specially ‘designed from the heart’ words and actions of love. Yesterday, two sisters from the church came to him saying: ‘We miss Malia…’ Then to their surprise he said: ‘I miss Malia too’. They asked: ‘Tali, how can you say that? We have not seen Malia for many weeks but you see her every day in the house’. Then, my husband said to them: ‘I miss my wife in the church. In the past, when I preach and quote a scripture, I look to her and I see her quietly shaking her head. Then I know that I got it right and I am encouraged to preach with more power. But now… look! Her seat is empty…So, you see…I miss Malia…’

“The liberal soul shall be made fat… A generous person will prosper, and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return… whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (PV 11:25)

It is more than five weeks since I broke my ankle and I have to stay on bed rest and with a cast on my leg. If you are healthy it is hard to imagine the life of a sick person. There are many limitations and adjustments to be made. But I discovered that God gives grace according to the present need. Thank God!

One of the many lessons for me was the benefit and the blessing to be a generous person. God promises that if you practice generosity you shall become (spiritually) fat! (I was trying to diet and lose some weight when I saw this scripture…I am joking…). The word ‘fat’ means to be prosperous in all things and anointed for ministry!

In Hebrew the word ‘liberal’ means to be generous and noble. In the past people believed that kings were chosen by God. The ordinary people expected their rulers to behave like God. One of their attributes was to be kind and generous with their resources. Low class people were stingy and wicked. Generosity of spirit was valued as a royal quality. This generosity is not only about money. It is an attitude of life. You can be generous with your time, emotions, words of encouragement and your desire to help others. Spiritually speaking, a generous person is someone who is willing to be a channel of blessing, to be used by God to bless others. God promised to greatly bless such a person!

A greedy man sees generosity as a waste of resources that will lead to poverty. But it is not so! A greedy man is a foolish man! The Bible encourages us to be noble and generous; investing in the work of God and helping others. Why? The first reason is because God is the most generous Person in the universe! God is a Giver! And we must be like God! The second reason is that generosity really works! It is a good business! This is God’s Law: if you plant mercy, help, kindness and encouragement into the lives of others, you shall have a harvest of the same. The giver is blessed and the receiver is blessed! If you are generous, people are attracted to you. Nobody likes a greedy man. This is a good advice: If you are lonely or you desire to be married, then be generous in your attitude to others. Soon, you will become a spiritual magnet. This is another of God’s laws: If you sow sparingly you shall reap sparingly. If you sow generously, you shall reap generously (2Cor 9:6)

This is my testimony: as an unbeliever I was a selfish and greedy coward. I was afraid to share. I was afraid to become poor. I was afraid to be cheated by others. Things changed after I became saved. I saw that God sent His Son to die for me, to be my Savior. There is no greater sacrifice than that! I also saw that my Lord Jesus Christ went to the Cross for me and by His death He paid all my debt of sin. I was overwhelmed by this most generous God. I wanted to be like Him! I wanted to be free to come into His presence and worship Him! I prayed and was filled with His generous Spirit. Little by little I started practicing generosity in every way I could. I gave to the people not just money but my heart. I gave them my best prayers and my most ‘expensive’ sermons. My heart became free and I started rejoicing in this adventure of giving! Then I started to reap from my sowing! This life style became a flood of blessings to me! Now, at the hour of my need, I testify that there are so many people who pray for me, encourage me and refresh me. I testify that the Word of God is true! God is faithful to His Word!

Child of God, be a generous and noble soul! Be like Jesus! Your reward will be great on earth and in heaven!

PRAISE REPORT
My handsome wonderful husband gave me this picture when we met for the first time in 1973… He wrote ‘With love, Richmond Leigh’. The words were truly prophetic. All glory to God who found us, saved us and married us!

“Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives… Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans… And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done” (Gen 8:15-21)

It is now more than five weeks since I fell and broke my foot. I have been staying in my room since then. My husband takes care of me. I thank God for his life! Some of my children in Christ help us too. Thank God for them! Many people tell me they miss me in the church. I miss them too. But I cannot come out anytime I want. I am the Lord’s ‘prisoner of hope’. The God who allowed this ‘accident’ to happen is the same God who will open the door for me to come back to ministry in the church. I cannot come earlier than that! The God of Noah is my also my God.

In a world of sin, God found Noah to be a righteous man. By faith Noah built an ark according to God’s command. He preached Christ to his neighbors but they mocked Noah for his faith. The building of the ark lasted about 100 years. Finally God commanded Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives to enter the ark. The animals and the birds went in too. And God ‘shut the door’. The rain came from heaven and flooded the whole earth. Then the rain stopped. After 370 days of staying inside the ark, God commanded Noah to come out.

Just imagine Noah, his family and the animals coming out of the ark. More than a year had passed. What they saw now was very different than what they left behind. There were no more wicked mockers; no more enemies. This was a new beginning. What did Noah do first? He did not build a house for himself. He did not start a farm. He built an altar to The Lord and, together with his family, they worshipped God! He sacrificed clean animals knowing that ‘without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins’. He acknowledged Christ Crucified as their Savior!

The smoke of the burnt offerings went up. And God received and rejoiced in that aroma of faith, surrender, obedience, thanksgiving and true worship. That altar and the sacrifice point to Christ who ‘gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph 5:2). God accepted the sacrifice of His Son. He then vowed in His heart never the punish man again. Christ is enough forever! Amen!

The flood water was God’s judgement on sin and sinners. The ark represents Christ! All the people inside the ark survived. Not a drop of the water of judgement touched them. All the people outside the ark perished. This is the lesson: If you are inside Christ, you shall live! If you reject His offer of salvation, you shall perish! There is no other option!

This is one of the blessings of obedience: ‘you shall be blessed when you go in and you shall be blessed when you go out’ ( Deut 28:6). To be blessed it means to be happy! I claim this blessing for myself! I rejoice in all things God has allowed in my life! I have no complains and no regrets! My body is not my own but it is the temple of the a Holy Spirit. God can do anything He wants with His temple! It is Christ in all! From the time I fell on the stairs I fell into God’s arms! Every moment since then it is God’s power that carries me! His presence is with me right now! In God’s time I shall come out from this ‘prison’. God Himself will open the door! There shall be worship and thanksgiving! The aroma of Christ Crucified coming out of purified hearts will be pleasing to God! God will be happy with us, His children! He will grant us revival! His glory, and not His judgment, will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! The glory revealed in the future cannot compare with the inconveniences of the present! It is our holy duty to rejoice even now! Hallelujah!

“These (painful trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” ( 1Pet 1:7)

Today I celebrate five weeks since I fell and broke my foot. It has been five weeks of clear testimony that in all things God Almighty, the God of the Bible, He is my God. I did not chose the way or the timing for the testing of my faith. God did it! This is my committed attitude: Anything God does to me, even if painful, is a privilege. Here I am, passing the test of faith, by His grace, for His glory and for my good! Hallelujah!

‘I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. He pastures his flock among the lilies’ (SS 6:3)
My husband and I. In between the two pictures there is an interval of more than 40 years, much happiness, three children and six grand- children. To God be all the glory!

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies” (Song 6:3)

The Song of Solomon is one of my favorites books in the Bible. To me, it is always strong and fresh, exciting, inviting, fragrant and romantic. It speaks of the eternal love between Christ and His Church. It also testifies of the true love in a godly successful marriage. This Song helps me to be a better Christian and a better wife. By reading its beautiful poetic lines I am challenged to walk closer to God and to make my marriage better. What are the requirements for a godly successful marriage?

5. DO VICTORIOUS SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Marriage is God’s gift and the devil hates it. You should know that! You need to know how to do victorious spiritual warfare in the name of Jesus!

In chapter 5 we find the Beloved and her Lover already married. And they have their first quarrel. It is not something serious but it could have become worst. They wisely defeat the enemy and quickly repair the damage to the relationship.

“I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
He knocks, saying,
“Open for me, my sister, my love,
My dove, my perfect one…”
“I have washed my feet…
Must I soil them again?”…
I arose to open for my beloved…
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart sank at his departure…” (SS 5:2-6)

This is the story: the Lover comes late at night and wants to enter her room. She is not too happy with his request. She complains that she has taken her bath and does not want to get dirty again. He feels offended and goes away. Almost immediately she feels guilty about her attitude and she goes to open the door. But he is gone. Heart broken she leaves the house in the night to look for him. The watchmen on the street abuse her thinking she is a prostitute. But she is truly heartbroken and ‘love sick’. She is begging them to find her Lover. When the daughters of Jerusalem ask her why does she take such a risk to look for a man in the night, she tells them how wonderful he is and how much she loves him. She looks for him until she finds him. They finally reconcile and are happy again. They are wiser now! The enemy of their marriage has been defeated! They have passed the test of love! Hallelujah!

My husband and I have applied these lessons over the years. What are these?
*Arguments and crises shall come. Learn to show self control! The devil wants you to add fuel to the flesh so that the quarrel will increase. Learn to lovingly withdraw when the tempers flare up. Later, when both of you are calmer, speak love and wisdom to each other. Pray for one another! Learn from mistakes!
*Learn how to satisfy one another sexually. This skill does not come automatically.
*Humble yourself! Be quick to repent! Submit to one another! The devil wants you to be proud and stubborn with your spouse. Reject that!
*Even during times of crises learn to speak only good words to your spouse. Do not insult your lover. The devil wants to use your words to destroy your marriage. He has nothing to lose but you have too much to lose! Do not be foolish. Words hurt more than daggers. Remember the power of the tongue to build or to destroy! Be a builder!
*When you sense trouble coming pray in the Spirit! The devil is a liar! Jesus is Lord!
*Pay the price for reconciliation! Appreciate peace in the home! Be pro active in seeking peace!
*Ask help from others who are more spiritual and wiser than you.
*Enjoy your marriage every day! Be grateful to God! He is on your side! Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning! Remember that morning will surely come!

My children, I pray that God will grant you spiritual wisdom and the gift of a strong, happy and successful marriage! To God be all the glory! In Jesus name, amen!

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies” (Song 6:3)

The Song of Solomon is one of my favorites books in the Bible. To me, it is always strong and fresh, exciting, inviting, fragrant and romantic. It speaks of the eternal love between Christ and His Church. It also testifies of the true love in a godly successful marriage. This Song helps me to be a better Christian and a better wife. By reading its beautiful poetic lines I am challenged to walk closer to God and to make my marriage better. What are the requirements for a godly successful marriage?

4. TRUE LOVE
“He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.
Sustain me with cakes of raisins,
Refresh me with apples,
For I am lovesick” (SS 2:4-5)

As pastors, my husband and I meet with many couples who struggle in their marriages . We also witness pure holy love that make the marriage strong and happy. There are many books sold in the Christian bookstores written about the secret of successful marriages. Only very few quote scriptures from the Song of Songs. What a pity… In this Book we see how two young people fall in love, date each other, have their wedding, pass thru the struggles and the testings of love and finally come to the place of fulfillment in their marriage.

These days we are inundated with negative images about sex and fleshly passion. Most people, young and old, are ignorant about true love as it is found in the Bible. Let me say this: It is a beautiful thing to to see a man and a woman fall in love in the presence of God! It is a beautiful thing to witness the wedding of a man and a woman who love each other passionately with the Love of Christ ‘shed abroad in their hearts’. God is love and God gives love to be shared among men. Next to your relationship with God, loving your spouse should be the priority of your life!

Here we see true love displayed between a young man and a young woman. Some say that it is the story of King Solomon falling in love with a simple ‘village girl’. First if all it speaks of the love Christ has for His Bride, the Church. It is also a guide to true love in marriage. We can learn so many lessons about love in this wonderful Book.

The first lesson is this: these two people are passionately in love with one another. This attraction and this passion is mutual. Both of them talk. In fact, the Beloved talks more than the Groom. We should come to worship God with words!!! These two are not ashamed of each other or about their love. This is a warning: if love is very strong but it is coming from only one direction, that marriage cannot last. If one of them talks all the time and the other keeps silent to ‘avoid trouble’ that marriage relationship cannot last. A bird needs two wings to fly. Even so love must be mutual and balanced to grow!

We see that the groom brings his bride to the ‘banqueting house’ and decorates that house with a big banner saying LOVE! A banner is like a big flag indicating the identity and the location of the people under that banner. For example, each tribe of Israel had a banner lifted high in the wilderness. In war it gives courage to the people under that banner. There was the banner of Judah, of Benjamin and so on. If a man got lost in the desert, he will look for the banner of his tribe and go there.

The groom openly displays his banner of love so that everybody knows that his Bride belongs to him and that she is safe there under his protection. If a husband is ashamed of his wife in public that marriage is in trouble. If a wife mocks her husband in public, that marriage is falling already. The banner of love shows that what is in your heart is also on your lips and displayed in your actions! You must feel love, speak love and act love for that marriage to grow!

This is a good counsel: if as a prodigal son or daughter you get ‘lost’ in the desert of this world, and you desire to come back, do not look at men’s faces or at your circumstances! Look for the banner of Jesus! God loves you! Go to the Cross and you shall find there the eternal source of all true love!

This is my testimony: I never wake up in the morning with fear that Jesus will ignore of abandon me today. I am sure of His love for me. I do not doubt His love for me. Try to imagine being married to a man who loves me like Jesus! In the past I was foolish enough to sometimes doubt my husband’s love for me. But I was wrong. Thru the study of the Word of God and prayer, we both grew in the security of our love for each other. We do not exchange bad words in our house or in public. We do not threaten each other with divorce. We do not mock or insult each other, not even jokingly! We help and encourage each other to be like Jesus! This is our attitude!

“Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes” (SS 2:15)

Love is like the tender grapes. Love is like a baby. Both the husband and the wife need to care for that ‘baby’ so that it matures into a strong and fruitful son. The little foxes of foolishness, greed, lust, quarrels and ambitions can damage the roots of true love and spoil the vineyards, destroy what love can be. Careless words hurt the relationship and forgiveness is so difficult to find. You must be jealous with the testimony of your passion. If not, the tender love displayed at the wedding day fails to mature into a vineyard of sweet harvest in the old age.

My children, please, do not take love for granted! Do not misuse God’s gift of marriage! Do all you can to protect it from internal and external enemies! This is my prayer and my wish for you: May your marriage be strong and happy to the end! In Jesus name, amen!

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies” (Song 6:3)

The Song of Solomon is one of my favorites books in the Bible. To me, it is always strong and fresh, exciting, inviting, fragrant and romantic. It speaks of the eternal love between Christ and His Church. It also testifies of the true love in a godly successful marriage. This Song helps me to be a better Christian and a better wife. By reading its beautiful poetic lines I am challenged to walk closer to God and to make my marriage better. What are the requirements for a godly successful marriage?

3. GOOD MORAL CHARACTER
Moral character refers to the qualities of a person that make him spiritually mature, responsible and loving. This person may look ‘ordinary’ but is considered a true leader, a hero and an inspiration to others. This person is born again and filed with the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit is clearly manifest in his or her life: ” The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). You need these fruits in your lives to have a happy and successful marriage. Nothing else compares with these.

In the Bible a person with good moral qualities is said to have ‘a name’. In Hebrew, the word ‘name’ means identity, character, reputation and fame. If a man falls into sin they say he has lost his name.

Read this:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your NAME is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!” (SS 1:2-3

In Song of Songs we see that the first thing the Beloved appreciates about her Lover is his name, or his character. The Bride falls in love with the Groom because of the way he behaves towards her and towards the others! That is why she wants to kiss him! Even the other girls appreciate his good behavior! At the very beginning of their interaction she is not impressed so much by his beauty, strength or wealth. It is his character! She appreciates his name, his fame! Everybody knows that this man is wonderful in behavior! Beauty is fleeting and money may fail. But a good character will sustain any marriage any time!

This is a reminder of the power in the name of Jesus. Even before we knew His promises and miracles, we were attracted by His wonderful name! Jesus!!!

Any person who does not have a good character cannot have a successful or happy marriage! It is also a warning to the young people who are getting ready for marriage! Dear children, Please pray for wisdom!

OUR TESTIMONY
We are married for 42 years! The older I get, the more I appreciate my husband’s character. Below is a partial list with my husband’s qualities that I have discovered over the years. My husband is:
*A true man of God!
*Loving, generous, compassionate and kind!
*Honest, truthful and open; he does not lie, steal or cheat!
*Courageous, doing what is right even in the presence of rejection or danger!
*Willing to sacrifice himself and his money for the work of God and helping others!
*Controls himself; he stays calm under provocation, temptation or stress!
*Just and fair; he does not discriminate!
*Good citizen; he abides by the laws of the country!
*Spirit of excellence; he does his best and he is happy with his work!
*Keeps his promises; is dependable and trustworthy; he hates to disappoint others!
*Respects others; he honors their rights, dignity and freedom! Hates to hurt them!
*Responsible; he does not shift blame on others!
*Patient; he knows that good things take time to achieve!
*Forgiving; he is able to leave hurtful things behind; does not seek revenge!
*Peace Maker; he is able to talk things without being violent!
And so on… And so on …To God be all the glory!

Now you know the secret of our happy and strong marriage! May God grant you the blessing of a wonderful marriage! In Jesus name, amen!

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies” (Song 6:3)

The Song of Solomon is one of my favorites books in the Bible. To me, it is always strong and fresh, exciting, inviting, fragrant and romantic. It speaks of the eternal love between Christ and His Church. It also testifies of the true love in a godly successful marriage. This Song helps me to be a better Christian and a better wife. By reading its beautiful poetic lines I am challenged to walk closer to God and to make my marriage better. Please read on…

My husband and I are married for more than 42 years. We got married as unbelievers. Then one by one we got saved. Now we are in full time ministry helping others to live godly lives. We are sinners saved by grace. We made many mistakes along the way. But the grace of God who brought us together when we were young shall keep us together to the end. This morning, being inspired by the Word of God and also from our experience as a married couple, I want to help and challenge the younger believers to make their Christian life and their marriage a great success.

What are the requirements for a godly successful marriage?

2. Contentment
Contentment is having peace of mind and rest in your soul. It is defined as a state of peace, joy and satisfaction. It means to be free from worry, restlessness and impossible ambitions. It means to be satisfied and grateful with God’s provision for your life. A born again believer should be satisfied when his life’s basic needs are met, he has a good and happy family and attends a good church.

Many wrongly believe that money is the real source of happiness. America in particular, gives the impression that materialism produces satisfaction in life. The truth is that material wealth helps to have an easier life generally, better health and a good education. But the happiness that comes with wealth is limited. It stops at a certain point and cannot increase from that level on. Rich wise people have discovered that happiness comes with being generous with your wealth. It is this flow of ‘give and take’ that makes a man happy. Greedy people who hoard their money for future happiness can never be satisfied. This is a very good advice: Simplify your life! Money should be your servant and not your boss! Do not buy things just because you have the money! Pray about all your purchases! Do not compete with others in dressing and fashion! Be simple! “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim 6:6-8)

In marriage you also need to practice the attitude of contentment. You have to decide that your spouse is God’s gift to you. Until death do you part, there is no other! Marriage is not a market place! You should be satisfied with your husband or your wife. You will always see others who are younger, stronger, more beautiful or wealthier than your spouse. But you chose to be are satisfied with your own. Learn to appreciate your own! Kill any desire to love a stranger! You should not compare your spouse with others. Before you marry, you ‘seek’ your life partner! From the day of the wedding you stop ‘seeking’! Put a stop to it!

Contentment also applies to the level of wealth or social standing your spouse is able to provide. Do not desire more than that! As you can see, contentment is not an achievement to boast if, but a spiritual attitude that needs to be cultivated thru prayer and the Word of God. “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content… In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” (Philipp 4:11-12)

“I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment” (SS 8:10). In Song of Solomon the bride is seen as a wall and her breasts are like towers. This is symbolic prophetic language. It reveals the type of woman she is. A wall represents strength, help, faithfulness, protection and stability. The picture of her well developed breasts means spiritual maturity and readiness to be fruitful. This is how the believer in Christ should be. The bride is not weak, ignorant, foolish or a push around. She knows her identity in Christ and pays the price to be like Him. She is content with her Lover and makes Him happy! This should be our desire too! Pray about this…

 
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies” (Song 6:3)

The Song of Solomon is one of my favorites books in the Bible. To me, it is always strong and fresh, exciting, inviting, fragrant and romantic. It speaks of the eternal love between Christ and His Church. It also testifies of the true love in a godly successful marriage. This Song helps me to be a better Christian and a better wife. By reading its beautiful poetic lines I am challenged to walk closer to God and to make my marriage better.

My husband and I are married for more than 42 years. We got married as unbelievers. Then one by one we got saved. Now we are in full time ministry helping others to live godly lives. We are sinners saved by grace. We made many mistakes along the way. But the grace of God who brought us together when we were young shall keep us together to the end.

This morning, being inspired by the Word of God and also from our experience as a happy married couple, I want to help and challenge the younger believers to make their Christian life and their marriage a great success. Dear children, please read on…

What are the requirements for a godly successful marriage?

1. Commitment
To be successful a marriage needs commitment from both husband and wife. Commitment is defined as a vow, a promise to do or give something; to be loyal to the end. It is the attitude to work very hard to the success of marriage. The vows you made to each other on your wedding day need a life time of commitment. God is a covenant keeping God of commitment to His promises.

As a believer in Christ you must be like God! Success in marriage requires a willingness to spend time and energy to make it work. Lazy, careless, greedy, worldly, irresponsible or foolish people end in divorce. Commitment means that you are not free to waste your time and emotions in things that do not build your marriage. Even if these things are good, if they do not help my marriage, I shall ignore them. It is my responsibility to avoid close friendship with people who dishonor their spouses. I can pray for them and counsel them but they cannot be my friends. it is my desire to make friends with women who are better wives than me so that I can learn from them. This is my strong life time commitment to pray and to do everything that is necessary to make my marriage a success. So help me God!

THE SEAL OF LOVE
‘Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, it’s jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it will be utterly scorned’ (SS 8:6, 7)

A seal is a visible stamp applied with fire proving that the object is original and intact. The seal is upon the heart, in the most intimate place where strangers cannot enter. It is also on the arm, the strength openly displayed to others. First of all, as a husband and wife, our love must be sealed in the most intimate emotions. We must guard our hearts! We must protect our Spirits! We must be gentle with our words! Also, our love for one another must be displayed in actions and words for others to see. Our love displayed means love protected. Be jealous over the testimony of your marriage!

What God has joined together let no one put asunder! Any man or woman who tries to destroy our love shall be burnt by the fire of the same love. This love is not for sale. Our love is priceless for Jesus died to give it to us! To bribe for love is an abomination! Love in marriage is God’s gift to us and must be so to the end. Our love for one another is a testimony that Christ indeed loves the Church. We must be jealous over our love and protect it from strangers or wicked spiritual parasites! This is our commitment to one another in the presence of God! May the seal of the Holy Spirit placed on our hearts and arms speak for itself! In Jesus name, amen!