“Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh” (Gen 47:7-10)

I read that the ancient Egyptians were always looking for ways to live long. They wanted to know the secret of a long life, even eternal life. They became experts in the skill of mummification. Their ideal, according to the prediction of their gods, was 110 years. If a man could live that long, he was declared a saint in the land and was worshipped by all. But very few lived long. This is because of sicknesses, accidents, drowning in the River Nile, the danger of crocodiles and snakes, famine and war.

When Joseph brought his old father Jacob before Pharaoh, one thing that impressed him was the age of the Patriarch. Try to imagine the scene: here was Pharaoh on his throne; the richest and most powerful man on earth at that time. Then there was Jacob standing before him, homeless and hungry, with a needy family waiting behind, hoping that good will come out of this ‘interview’. What a contrast…The sons of Jacob bowed before Pharaoh, even before Joseph. But Jacob does not bow to Pharaoh. He stands before him to bless him! Twice! The lesser is blessed by the better! Jacob is the better among the two! He may not have royal fancy clothes, food or a home on earth. But Jehovah God is with him. And that is all that matters. Selah! He stands before the pagan king of Egypt as the Servant and Prophet of Jehovah! Four hundred years later, Moses will do the same.

Joseph brought his father in and ‘set him before Pharaoh’. In Hebrew, the word ‘set’ means to stand firm, to raise up, to abide, to be established, to be ordained and be employed. Jacob was standing for Jehovah, as His messenger, ambassador, servant and minister. It is true that Jacob deceived many in his life. But now, Jacob stands before the world to give glory to the God who saved and redeemed him. This is a wonderful royal privilege and his best moment to shine for God. This is the picture of a true servant of God!

You may think that this old man Jacob has nothing to offer to Pharaoh. Please watch the interview…Pharaoh is interested in the age of Jacob. When he hears that he is 130 years old, he is totally amazed. This old Jew has proved wrong the mighty gods of Egypt Pharaoh represents and worships. Jacob, leaning on his staff and worshiping His God has disappointed the predictions of the idols (Heb 11:21). Pharaoh wants to know the secret of his old age. Now Jacob has a wonderful opportunity to give glory to God who has kept him alive, in spite of so many trials. Jacob even boasts about his father and grandfather, Isaac and Abraham, who both lived longer than him. Impressed, Pharaoh wants a prayer that the God of this old man may bless him too with such a long fruitful life. Jacob prays and blesses him. Then Pharaoh approves the request of Joseph, allowing his family to live in Goshen, the most prosperous area of Egypt. This is surely the favor of God. Do you see what I see?

Dear Child of God, this is my prayer for you this early morning:
May God satisfy you with long, happy, blessed and fruitful life for His glory!
May God show you His salvation, deliverance and strength!
May you continue to be active in witnessing to the power and faithfulness of your God until your last breath!
May your long and successful life put your enemies to shame!
May you continue to do exploits for God to the end!
May your hope in God who never disappoints be strong in you to the end!
May the power of the Holy Ghost enable you to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ until the end!
May the favor of God be upon you and your family!
To God be all the glory!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there” (Mt 14:23)

It is my passionate desire to be like Jesus, to pray like my Lord! Here we see one of His ‘secrets’. He was at the end of a long successful day. Thousands were fed and satisfied. It was evening time…

Now this is a good question: What do we do at the end of a successful ‘business’ day?  Most of us we go to rest, to sleep. Please observe what our Lord does: He goes away alone to pray! To pray!!! He cannot sleep until His Father knows all about the day. He has to share the excitement of His success with His Father. Both of them must rejoice together.

The next thing, in the middle of the night, Jesus walks on the water to help His disciples. This is another ‘success story’. Again, must of us we only pray when we are in trouble. But Jesus prays also in times of success, when ‘things work as planned’. Selah!

Please observe that in between the two ‘slices’ of success, Jesus butters them with prayer. He prays before and He prays after each success. The holy heavenly sandwich Jesus is introducing to us is made of <Success-Prayer-Success> He spices it with worship and love overflow!

In other words, prayer is the key of all true success in life! So simple and so profound! This is really a wonderful lesson to imitate for all of us. I just made up my mind to pray more often! Just gazing at Jesus, my faith has increased! “Thank You Lord for being such a wonderful Teacher to us, Your children!”

God planted the seeds of hope in you. He gave you a dream, a vision that your future will be safe and happy. The present circumstances cannot destroy that precious hope, for hope is from God. Come back to prayer! Come back to God!
Is this not a dream worth fighting for? Will it not be a pity to let this dream die of hunger, starved for lack of faith? Hope is calling you back, to the embrace of things to come, to dream again, to love again, to live again…There shall be a double restoration…For each sigh a diamond and for each tear, a crown. Hope is the judge and hope has the last say! Depression is defeated! In the court of God, hope has spoken! Rejoice always! The best is yet to come! In Jesus name, amen!

“Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles! Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you” (Zechariah 9:12)

“One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19:34)
If you meet that poor wretch who thrust his spear into My side, tell him that there is another way, a better way of coming to My heart — even My heart’s love! Tell him, that if he will repent, and look upon Me whom he has pierced, and will mourn — then I will cherish him in that very bosom which he has wounded! Tell him that he shall find the blood which he has shed — to be an ample atonement for the sin of shedding it! And tell him from Me, that he will put Me to more pain and displeasure by refusing this offer of My blood — than when he first drew it forth!” “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance!” (Matt 9:13)

(by Dr Benjamin Grosvenor)

Today, as always I remember my mother. She is almost 90 years old now. She lives with my sister in Romania. I remember many wonderful things about Professor Albai Domnica, my mother. I give all the glory to God for choosing her to be my mother!

She and my dad were our teachers in the primary school. She was very strict with me and my sister. She was a disciplinarian. We did not always like that, but she did it out of love. She never deceived herself or others. Lies were forbidden in our house. She thought us the value of truth spoken in love. She confronted the issues at the root so in our house there was no long time unsolved problem. She prepared me to be strong and independent. She forced me to mature early on. For example, she thought me how to read and write from the age of 4 or 5. By the time I went to the regular classes in primary school, I was almost bored. To avoid idleness, she gave me an assignment: to listen well to my class mates, to know who makes progress and who does not. At home she gave me to score the papers for the whole class. She said that I should not tell anyone, that I am helping her. In the class she will rebuke me like all the others. For four years, I was an assistant teacher to her without anyone knowing. I learned to work the extra mile without complaining and without boasting of my privileges. She trained me to be a strong, fearless, compassionate and wise leader, just the way she was to many children in the school. She was a very wise woman, truly investing in my future. Now as a missionary pastor I so appreciate her labor of love in my life! God used her to prepare me for a challenging life in Africa, far away from home.

Before my father died, both of them became believers in Christ. She now reads the Bible and prays daily. She is a happy woman, enjoying her latter years in peace. So, this is my praise report: God is good and faithful to me and my family! To God be all the glory!

Happy Mother’s day, Mami!

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT

The prayer meeting was very good. We started strong with prayers and praise. I so much appreciate our prophetic team. We are all in one accord. No friction of rebellion is allowed if we want to glorify God in our services. The unity of the Spirit is essential for the anointing to come down, to save, touch and heal. Their input is priceless. They are in the Spirit when they come to minister. It makes it so easy for me to preach the Word for the hearts of the people are tender already. God bless ‘the willing volunteers of Israel’, the congregation of saints in Father’s House Bible Church, Warri, Nigeria! Then the message came:

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise and five were foolish” (Mt 13:1, 2)

This parable is spoken by our Lord. It is one of many telling people about His second coming. It describes the visible church on earth. The word virgin is very strong; it means more than just women of girls. It describes obviously committed Christians. These ten virgins are not just Sunday attendance Christians but the ones who come to weekly activities, pay their tithes and sacrificially serve God with all their hearts. But in spite of this, five are born again and five are not. Only God knows who are saved. Even the wise do not know the others are foolish. The foolish are so close to salvation and yet, very far. This parable is a warning to examine our faith. The ten virgins have many things in common:

*All are virgins (they have good moral characters and love Jesus; they are not involved in sexual sins)

*All have lamps (the lamp symbolizes the body. It also symbolizes the Word of God. They all can quote the Bible)

*All went out to meet the Bridegroom (they all have the same dreams and expectations; they desire to see Jesus and meet Him)

*All of them slumbered and slept as the Bridegroom was delayed in coming (they all are human)

*All of them heard the midnight cry: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

*They all arose and got excited and they all trimmed their lamps

This is the end of the similarities. What happens from this time on reveals the hidden differences, why five are wise and five are foolish. The differences are less in number. In fact, the only difference is the presence of oil in the lamps. Oil is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The conclusion is this: he who is filled with the Holy Spirit is saved, is born again and will see the Lord. He will be blessed. The Lord shall be his reward.

“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Rom 8:9)

The one who lacks the Holy Spirit, though he has all other things, gifts and blessings, is not saved. He will miss the Lord and His blessings. The oil is the vital difference! The Seal of the Holy Spirit is the eternal stamp of difference! Without the oil, you have to go back to a fruitless business, to buy and sell without any eternal gain. The oil is the pass word for the door to open, to see the Lord and to be blessed forever!

These are most serious questions…Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you have believed? Do you know the Person of God the Holy Spirit? Is He your friend? Are you saved, born again and Spirit filled?

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Mt 13:45, 46)

I heard the true story of a man who was seeking a treasure. One day he arrived at a poor village. A little boy was seated on the ground playing with stones. One of the stones accidentally fell at this man’s feet. When he looked at it he discovered that it was a diamond hidden in a rock. The little boy did not know the value of the stone. His family was poor because of lack of knowledge. This man went back, looked for money and bought the land outside that village. Then he started mining bringing out diamonds embedded in the rocks. He became a multi-millionaire. The mine is still there in South Africa.

How this man did become so rich ‘overnight’? The answer is GOD! For nothing good happens on this earth ‘accidentally’. Strange destinies become fulfilled in the night when others are sleeping… This is God promise: He will lead you to find ‘secret treasures’ below the surface of the earth, just to give you a testimony of success, to prove that He is your God! Read this: “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name” (Is 45:3)

But there is still another element. This man was spiritually wise, applying the Kingdom of God principles of success. He was seeking a treasure, not knowing when or where he will find it. He trained his eyes to see and his heart to desire things hidden from the common knowledge of the ordinary people. He paid the price of finding the treasure by walking many miles and by asking many questions, so that his dream comes true. He knew that a treasure may be found below the surface of the earth, hidden in an ordinary rock or even in the dirt men sweep away. He knew how to ignore the wrap and go to the heart of things.

This is the eternal principle of success in life! This is how you seek God! This is how you find God! Yes, this is also how you become rich! The way may be long and difficult, the price high and painful, but the success is guaranteed! For this is the Word of God that never fails! “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Mt 7:8)

Right now, if I was you, I will pray my first prayer and take my first step in this journey of life and blessings untold!

(In the picture you see a diamond embedded in a rock called kimberlite taken from a mine in South Africa)

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus!” (Philipp 3:13-14)

We have here Paul’s wise theory of life — progress by forgetting, by letting go of the things that are past. The word forgetting also means to blot out of memory or to cut loose from. We cannot go back to the past mistakes and sins. But we can bring these to God who is able to bring glory to Himself by making new wisdom for us.

I heard of a story; a traveler found a place beside the sea, where many ships were dashed upon the rocks. Beautiful houses were built from pieces of wreckage gathered from the shore.

That is about the best many of us can do. We have little else to bring to God but wreckage — disobediences, broken commandments, mistakes, sins. Yet it is a wonderful thought that even with such materials, if we are truly penitent and repentant — our Master will work, helping us to build beauty in our lives. Sins forgiven become lessons for us. Out of a past full of failures, we may make a future full of strength and beauty — through the grace of Christ. We cannot forget our sins, but we may be wiser and better for them. Praise the Lord!

In the picture: Lake Huron is one of the five Great Fresh water Lakes of North America,  on the border of Canada and the United States. About 1000 ship wrecks lie in the depths of these lakes. The people around the lake dived and retrieved materials to build their beautiful homes from the remains of these ship wrecks.

This evening I remember a very interesting story. More than 20 years ago, our youngest daughter Jemine went with her dad to a social and family party in Sapele, Nigeria. She was about 6-7 years old and she was invited to sing a song at the microphone. Many ‘big’ men, rich men, politicians and traditional rulers were in attendance. She loved to sing and dance. Unlike me, she was never shy in public. It just happened that I thought our children the Ten Commandments that week. I never knew that the youngest will have an opportunity to preach the Word!

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (1Tim 2:14, 15)

In the natural, women have a tendency to be deceived more than the men. This is the story of how Bathsheba, was deceived, when her son, King Solomon, was not (1Kings 2). This is a great lesson for us all because she is the almost perfect woman described in Proverbs 31. It is another example how a good woman can fall to deception.

This is the background of the story.  One day, Adonijah comes to Bathsheba with a request. He wants to marry Abishag, his late father’s nurse and last ‘wife’. Bathsheba agrees to talk to her son. Hearing about Adonijah’s request, King Solomon suddenly becomes angry and refuses his mother’s intercession. He judges Adonijah’s actions as ‘evil’ and kills him for it. Read this royal drama and discover how Adonijah deceived the Queen Mother. She was not a young woman. She was the widow of great King David and now their son was on the throne. She was used to the palace intrigues and politics. So how was it that she did not detect this evil deception? How does deception come?

*Deception comes thru flattery

It is interesting to note that Adonijah’s mother’s name was Haggith, which in Hebrew means to celebrate, to entertain or to dance in circles until others get dizzy. His mother might have been someone who knows how to seduce men with her lustful dance. She reminds us of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, who thru entertainment gained the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Her son Adonijah is a skillful actor. He flatters Bathsheba saying that her son will always grant her every wish.

*Deception comes wrapped in the ordinary things of life

Adonijah did not sound like a wicked schemer, or a corrupt politician. He said that he wants to marry. He was addressing the emotions of Bathsheba as a mother. He knew that all good mothers will like sons to marry. On the surface, nothing is wrong. That is how deception hides. But by taking his late father’s youngest ‘wife’, he is claiming the throne for himself. Rebellion and evil is still in his heart. That is why Solomon rebukes his mother for being deceived by his wicked older brother. He judges his request as a proof that his brother is still a schemer, a rebellious man who wants to kill him and take his throne. “He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer” (PV 24:8). This request for marriage is Adonijah’s death sentence. Solomon kills him and now ‘the kingdom is established in his hands’. In Hebrew, the word ‘established’ means to stand erect, to have victory, peace and prosperity. Solomon, who wrote the Book of Proverbs, tells us what to do in similar situations. “Remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness” (PV 25:5)

“Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made” (Est 5:14)

This is the story of God’s justice. The righteous shall be rewarded and the wicked shall be punished. God’s name does not appear in the Book of Esther. But His providence is clearly seen in the whole story. At this time, Esther is already set to do the will of God. Judgment must come on the wicked Haman. Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet in her royal quarters. That pleased Haman, for only the most intimate friends of the king can attend such a party. That made Haman even more proud. This pride made him blind to any revelation of God’s will. He lacks any sensitivity to the leading of God’s Spirit.  Haman is happy. But the only thing stopping Haman to be completely happy is Mordecai the Jew, who still does not bow to him like the others. This is a good lesson: the proud wicked ambitious people are never totally happy and they never have complete peace, day or night!

His wife and friends advise him to build a very high gallows to hang Mordecai as soon as possible. This gallows is three times higher than a normal one. This is so that all men see what will happen if men disobey the ‘big man’. The wicked Haman has invited his friends to a house party getting ready for the long planned self-promotion. They rejoice in their wickedness. Like crazy drunkards, Haman, his wife and his friends are so deceived, so much out of the will of God that they have no idea that he is building his own judgment. In few hours, he will hang on the very gallows he has built in the central square of Susa. This is the Word of God: “If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead” (PV 26:27)

May God forbid marriage with an ungodly spouse! May God separate you from all ungodly so called friends! May God deliver you from all evil, pride, deception, foolishness and worldly ambition! May God bless you with a godly marriage and godly friends! In Jesus name, amen!

“A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring” (PV 25:26)

I had learned many things from Mordecai the Jew, Queen Esther’s uncle. I learned not to bow down to the devil or to his agents. I learned how to confront a situation with God’s wisdom and strength.

In the scripture above we are told that if a righteous man falls down before a wicked unbeliever that troubles the heavens. How can a born again believer ‘fall down’? He may fall into sin; he may backslide. As the wicked men witness the backsliding of a believer, there is ‘trouble in paradise’. The ungodly man rejoices to see that the children of God can fall into sin. That is what the devil wants to see. He is ready to pay any amount to watch such a disgraceful defeat of a child of God. The backsliding of the believers is top entertainment in hell.  Another way is for a believer to fall down in worshipping the money or the status of a wicked rich man; or to give up his faith because of the oppression and persecution of wicked men. This trouble affects the source of the water-springs. The waters become bitter and poisoned. Many others die as they drink water down the river. Backsliding is a serious offence staining the name of God among men. It emboldens the sinners and discourages the believers. God forbid!

Long ago I made a covenant with God that He should never allow me to backslide, even if want to do it or pray that I should do it. I told Him to keep me close to His bosom and chastise me if I ever want to distance myself from His presence.  I told God that I prefer to die and go to heaven than to disgrace His name in my life. That covenant works for me. I passed thru many trials because of my faith. But even when the fire was hot enough to ‘kill me’ I just could not think of backsliding. The very thought of it offended me as it offends my Father in heaven.

May God the Holy Spirit encourage you this hour! Do like Mordecai! Do not bow down to the rich and famous! Be faithful unto death and you shall receive the crown of life!

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?” (Lk 14:26-30)

Tonight we had a wonderful prayer meeting. It was made wonderful, not by us, but by the presence of the King of kings in our midst. We are still praying for an encounter with God, with Jehovah Jireh. We praised God and we prayed. I hope you feel the anointing, the fire of the sacred flame! Then the message came.

The scripture above describes a man who wants to build a tower. This is not an ambitious sky scraper for all to see and bow to the latest architecture. Our Lord is talking about a watchtower the man wants to build in his vineyard or his garden (Is 5: 2). What is the background of the story? This man observes that there are losses in his business. Thieves come and steal his fruit. These can be human beings or wild animals. There is need for a watchtower to prevent such losses. The man lays the foundation and then he has no money to finish it. Who will rejoice? It is the thieves, of course. They may take his name to the ju-ju priest to place a course on that tower. Then the thieves can continue their stealing. In fact the vineyard belongs to the thieves now. This evening we identified with the man who has a vineyard and who suffers losses. We want to put a stop to it! This is the question: Who are these thieves? They are men and women close to you, familiar faces you will never suspect that they can steal. They can be ‘your mother, father, wife, children, brothers, sisters and even yourself’. All these people can steal from your own blessings, they can take your business for granted; they can take without your permission and without giving thanks to God. We refuse to sponsor thieves, even if ignorantly. Tonight marked a new beginning of blessings in our lives and businesses! Tonight, God gave us the grace to ‘Catch… the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” (SS 2:15)

That is why tonight we repented from loving others more than loving God who has been so good to us. We repented of speaking in doubt, of quoting worldly proverbs that glorify doubt. For example: ‘A bird in the hand is more than a thousand in the bush’. That is the wisdom of the world and of doubt. We let go the only bird we have and we receive the thousands God has for us. We surrendered all to Jesus tonight. We let go of all loves for family and friends, that we receive God’s love everlasting. In this way our lives and business are secure and they can only be blessed!

Finally we sang:
“All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all”

Yes, God has blessed tonight the work of our hands! The prophetic watchtower of protection, peace and victory shall be built! The hands that laid its foundation shall finish the roof, with shouts of ‘Grace! Grace!’ (Zech 4) This is our confession this evening! To God be all the glory!
In Jesus name, amen

HAPPY WITH CHURCH TONIGHT
We’ve just ended our women’ fellowship; by any standards it was a good meeting. We praised God, prayed and testify to His goodness and faithfulness. We talked about deception. I was telling them about a friend of mine. She was a successful career woman now retired. She was happily married. She and her husband bought a big plot of land. They built a small house at the end of the land. She told me that is the ‘boys’ quarters’ (In Nigeria, where I live, it is quite common to have a little house behind the main house where the domestic staff or the helpers live). She told me that soon they will start building the real house, their dream house. For now, they decided to move in the boys’ quarters so that they do not have to pay rent anymore.
Then her marriage suffered a serious damage. Her husband left her for other women and for some years she lived there alone. She suffered serious depression. After many years, the husband apologized and they reconciled at last. But she still lives alone in the same little house. That old dream with the ‘dream house’ died in the process. The devil attacked and she was deceived to compromise. She settled for her ‘second best unable to pursue the dream of her youth. It is a sad story…
We prayed that God will have mercy and revive our dreams. We rejected all deception! We prophesied that we are the daughters of Sarah, the Princess and not of Hagar, the slave! Then the Word of God came:
“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (1Tim 2:14, 15)

The study of spiritual warfare against deception is useful for all believers, but in particular for us, the women. This is because in the history of humanity, Eve was deceived by the devil when her husband was not. Adam fell into sin not thru deception, but thru open rebellion. This is the spiritual X-ray of the fall in the Garden of Eden. The devil was able to deceive Eve, but not Adam. He chose to disobey God’s command to ‘preserve’ his marriage with a backsliding wife. In this way, both fell in the same time. This is the story of the ‘original sin’. This is a great lesson for us all, especially for the married couples. The devil has not changed his strategy. He will attack the marriage by trying to deceive one of the two. If the wife falls to his deception, the chance that the husband will also fall is very high. It is the same if the husband is deceived first. It is only by the grace of God that the wife will be able to stand firm in faith and to remain faithful to God.

To better understand the devil’s intent, let’s study the word ‘deceive’. It means to cheat, to defraud someone of something dear or valuable; to deprive someone of his rights and privileges; to mislead others far away from truth and safety; to flatter with intent to ensnare; to be sexually unfaithful; to betray, to abuse the confidence of a friend, to take advantage of the trust of another; to insult, to be cruel, to disappoint or to make a fool of another. To deceive it also means to confuse, to exploit, to manipulate, to seduce, to frustrate, to entice or to entrap.
The opposite of deception means to speak the truth in love, to be faithful, to help another, to be honest, to be generous; to protect, to release from a snare or bondage, to save and deliver another who is in trouble.

The devil will try to deceive one so that the other will remain ‘stranded’ spiritually. Deception destroys the unity of the Spirit. Deception is the hidden root of division and divorce. Generally, the women being more emotional than men have a greater tendency to be deceived by others. They are careless with the duty of prayer especially when they make friends or when they want to marry. They do more things they later regret. They become ‘silly women’ burdened by foolish guilt and unconfessed sins. They end up in depression, bitterness, fear and inferiority complex.

We reject all lies of the devil. We reject all deceptions! We plead the Blood of Jesus over our lives, marriages, children, ministries, the work of our hands and our destinies! God’s will be done! We vow to glorify God for His wonders in our lives! In Jesus name, Amen!

“These people are grumblers and fault-finders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage” (Jude 1:16)

In the ‘last days’ dangerous people shall be used by the devil to cause much damage to others, to relationships and to the Body of Christ. Many marriages will end in divorce because of the ignorance of such spiritual issues. These are negative people who criticize some and flatter others, as they like. They crate divisions and confusion. These ‘grumblers and fault-finders’ are proud, selfish and immature men and women who ignorantly connect with the devil, also called the Accuser of the Brethren. I pray that you may ‘see’ the danger and fight against the influence of such evil spirits over you and your home!

THE ACCUSER- DEFINITION

*Someone who finds fault attacks and offends others especially in public

*He who blames and condemns others openly, holding them responsible for his own sins

*He who boldly confronts others, face to face and demand they prove their identity or qualifications

*He that resists and provokes others so that they sin when responding in anger

*He that treats others as enemies, opposes them (in the court of law), in the presence of witnesses

An accuser is someone who is a fault finder. A moral fault is a weakness, a sign of an imperfect character. It is a sign that the person failed under stress; was not able to abide in the truth and compromised his conscience. It is a sign of an error in choice making and of failure of judgment because of inadequate knowledge and loss of focus. Mostly it is as a result of confusion and fear. It ends with disappointment of expectations, shame and guilt.

The devil accuses the children of God, looking for their faults and weaknesses, to put them to shame and guilt.

Reading these words, maybe you feel discouraged already and you ask yourself: Who then can stand? Who is so mature without faults and weaknesses? Who can in his own power resist and fight the devil? The truth is: none! That is why we are commanded to press on into the fullness of Christ, to become mature and tried in character, dead to the flesh and alive in the Spirit. This is such a simple advice, clearly commanded in the Bible, but, O…so few obey it. Constant victory in spiritual warfare is a sign of spiritual maturity and a proof of an established heart in Christ.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11)

The first thing to do is to repent from all sins. Stop speaking negative things. Stop grumbling! Reject bitterness! Be grateful to God for your life, however it is! It can be worse than that! Thank God for His grace! Stop finding faults with others. Nobody is perfect!  Like the merchant looking for the pearl of great value, seek to find blessings in others! Look for good things in them and encourage them!  Sever all connections with the devil, the Accuser of the Brethren. Child of God, be encouraged! Victory is possible! That is why Jesus Christ died on the Cross, to set you free from the punishment, bondage, shame, guilt and power of sin! Freedom is not only promised! Freedom is a blessing available to all believers in Christ Jesus! Resist the devil and he must flee form you! Be free! Be a blessing!

In Jesus name, amen!

“Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace… So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter” (Est 5:1, 2)

This evening we have our mid-week service. Each time I enter the sanctuary I prepare my heart with a scripture or prayer. This evening I am inspired by my sister, Queen Esther. This is a glimpse of a wonderful and powerful act of worship. Esther is in serious trouble. It is a matter of life or death. She needs the help of the king. She dresses with her royal robes and stands at a distance facing the throne. Her life is in his hands. The king sees her there. A life time of romance passes by in a moment of time. Will love live or die? Suddenly, the king lifts his golden scepter towards her. She draws near the throne, bows down at his feet and touches the scepter. She acknowledges the authority of the king and she submits to him. Then the king offers to her ‘even half of his kingdom’.

This is the story of ‘the third day’, the resurrection day, when death has died. Esther represents us, the worshippers. I dress with the royal robes of righteousness, purchased for me by the Lord, at the Cross. I stand at the Door of the sheep. Jesus is that Door. Jesus is my Shepherd. I know His voice. I long to hear His voice afresh…

I face the throne of mercy and grace. I come in boldly, in faith and submission, in worship and with a burden of prayer. I find favor with Him who seats on the throne. The King of kings lifts up the golden scepter of grace towards me. I draw near, bow at His feet and touch that amazing glorious grace. I openly acknowledge that Jesus is Lord!  That Jesus is my Lord! I love You, Lover of my soul…All fear is gone! In His presence there is fullness of joy. No matter the situation, from this moment on, “I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me” (Ps 32:4). Comforted by His majesty, strengthen by His raisins of hope, I call on you brethren follow me, to come in. Draw near and touch God’s grace! Great blessings shall overflow your situation…Come…Come…I left the door open for you…

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,

He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord

Shall flourish in the courts of our God

They shall still bear fruit in old age;

They shall be fresh and flourishing,

To declare that the Lord is upright;

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Ps 92:12-15)

The Cedar of Lebanon is a beautiful evergreen tree that grows on the mountains of Lebanon, Israel and Turkey. It starts to flower late, when it is about 30 years old. The oldest trees found in Lebanon are more than 1000 years. These are symbols of fruitful old age, mature spiritual men and women, serving God and His people in the church.

In the secular world old age is something to be dreaded. This is because most young people fear to lose strength and beauty. I still remember how I felt as a teenager. For me, a person in his forties was ‘old’.  I felt sorry that life has passed them by. I thought that old men have no hope. I hated to think of the future for that future included the fearful mystery called old age. When my parents retired from teaching, I felt sorry for them. Staying at home every day seems like punishment. Some old people were happy to retire so that they have more time to pursue their hobbies. But most retirees got old quick and did not enjoy their season of harvest on earth.

When I became a believer, I had to reevaluate all my definitions and principles. My understanding of all things pertaining to life had to be based on the Word of God. My Romanian background, my family values and the culture I come from, all these had to bow to the Word of God. The mind of Christ overwhelmed them all. I discovered that old men in the Bible are at least as useful as the younger generation. I also discovered that God has a plan and a purpose for each season in our lives. The grace of God does not diminish as we get older. There is no retirement from serving God.  I am impressed with the fruitful life of old servants of God like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb, Daniel, Simeon, Ana, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and many others. Apostle Paul calls himself ‘an old man’ (Philemon 1:9) but he still writes letters to others, travels and does ministry unto the end.

In the church, there is always need for older men and women to lead, counsel, teach and mentor the younger generation. An older preacher who is on fire for the Lord is a treasure to be cherished.  He knows the Word of God and he has life experience on his side. The older people have more time to study the Word of God, to pray, fast and intercede, to encourage others thru Emails and phone calls. Because their material needs are less, many old people have extra money that can be used in blessing others in need. Also, they can open their houses to practice the ministry of home fellowships. Therefore this is the best time to invest in their heavenly account.

This is the conclusion: God can use any man or woman who is willing to serve Him! The young and the old!  We can’t stop the aging process but we can be renewed daily and retain a young fresh active and joyful spirit to continue ministry (2Cor 4:16). It is only death that should stop us from doing ministry on earth. Let the younger generation learn to respect the old saints and submit to their wisdom and anointing. Let the older people continue to serve God! As for me and my household, we shall worship and serve God to the end!

In Christ I declare:

With long life God will satisfy me and show me His salvation!

My spirit shall be fresh and fruitful even in my old age!

I am a teacher, a mentor and a mother in Zion to the younger generation!

My body gets older but my spirit is renewed daily!

I honor and respect the older saints and mentors from whom I’ve learned so much!

I shall declare the wonderful works of God to the end!

For as long as I have breath, I shall preach the Word of God!

My life shall give glory to God unto my last breath on earth!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” (Eph 6:1-3)

This testimony is given to the glory of God all and to honor my father, Professor Albai Ion, who is now in heaven. By honoring him I claim the promise to live a long and happy life on earth. In Jesus name, amen!

This evening I remember an event in my life, something that happened long ago. I was a teenager. I won the competition as the best in mathematics in my junior secondary school in Orsova, Romania. In that capacity I went to the state capital for the bigger competition, representing my school. Over there I met other champions from all over the state. Most of them were boys. I still remember how confident they looked, well dressed, talking confidently and discussing their exploits in the field of mathematics. No one noticed me and if they did so, they did not talk to me.

This is a little from my background: My school was a small school. I went there with my father who was my teacher in primary school. He always encouraged me not to be intimidated by anyone. He told me to relax and do my best. Even today I still feel his love for me. He said that he trusts me to win the competition. I went inside the exam hall. He was waiting outside the door. That gave me a good feeling, that I am not alone. Both of us were hungry for the train was late and we had no time to eat. He promised to take me to a fancy restaurant after the exam.

I kept quiet and tried to relax, as my father advised me to do. I ignored the ‘confident’ boys. Then the man with the envelope came and gave us the test. It was a difficult formula. I knew that if I can find the ‘secret key’ everything will fall into place. I quickly scanned the numbers. I eliminated the unnecessary things. I completed the easy ones, helping myself to go to the heart of it all. Then suddenly I had a flash of inspiration and I ‘saw the answer’. I finished in a record time. I was the first to give my paper. Going forward I saw the loud boys sweating and struggling. I somehow knew that they got lost in the details. I just knew that I am the winner. Just like my father said…

I came out from the exam hall, happy with my performance and happy that I will not keep my father hungry for too long. He kept his promise. We went to a fancy restaurant, the best I have ever entered in my life. I was the only child there but I was treated as an adult. I liked that feeling. I don’t think I remember what I ate for I was too excited with everything that day. We came back to the school in the afternoon. I went in as my father waited outside once more. They announced the results. One of the boys was in the third place. The most confident boy took second. Then silence filled the room. Who can be the mysterious champion? My name was announced as the winner of the state mathematic Olympiad. It was an ‘awesome moment’, as they say it. This is the first time that I was ‘seen’ as a champion outside my home. Later the other boys graciously congratulated me. Yes, it feels good to win! This is a true story. My certificate is still in my parents’ house, somewhere in an old drawer.

This story happened so long ago. It is like another life. But I never forgot it. I was not a believer. My family too did not believe in God. But God used the events of that day to teach me so much. These are few of the life lessons that stayed with me all this time:

*Each child is special!

*Do your homework! If you really prepare well for an exam, you shall pass it!

*Do not be intimidated by anyone! Mind your own business and you shall succeed!

*Humility and hard work are dynamite! They make a true champion!

*The love of the father is a wonderful blessing! Good parents invest blessings in their children!

*Be grateful if someone encourages you and trusts in you! That is the gift of God!

*I wait outside the door as my children pass exams in life! I walk with them in their challenges!

*I do not give up on my children! They are not left alone! I passionately love my children!

*It does not matter if you come from a simple or poor background! Things can suddenly change for better!

*Victory is possible! Dreams do come true!

I am now a mother and a grandmother. I have natural and spiritual children. It is a privilege to invest seeds of hope and faith in them. I pray for them, that they live spiritual, happy, fruitful and fulfilled lives! That their dreams will come true! I pray that they can overcome all inferiority complexes and obstacles in life and become true champions in whatever field God has assigned to them.

Lastly, my father, Prof Albai Ion is in heaven now. I know that he smiles as I type this letter… To God be all the glory!

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph 6:13)

The closer you go to the light, the more the pain and persecution. The closer you go to the center of Truth, to the deeper understanding of the Gospel, the more the devil will attack. A Christian is someone who knows how to dress well, how to put on the whole armor of God which is Christ Himself. Without this armor, you will fail in that evil day. This is how it is: For a long time things go well, and suddenly, unexpectedly, you shall be attacked by vicious evil forces of darkness. This is called an ‘evil day’. It is filled with a mysterious sadness and difficult to explained weakness. The word ‘evil’ means malice, slander, sickness, guilt, lustful thoughts, wickedness and vicious imagination. You feel like dying, but you shall not die! You feel sick, weak and sad…but these are only passing emotions that will soon go away. I promise!

It is a great thing to testify that you have done all that you can do to arrive in this place. You can only do your best! Now stand! You need to learn how to stand! Use the little strength left to you to stand, to abide in the same spot, to preserve the past gains, to hold on in the assurance that you are not alone and Christ is with you! Do not trust your feelings! Trust God! Dressed with the armor of God, stand therefore! You may not be able to make visible progress, but standing and defending your established position is called progress too.  Please remember, it is only an evil day, not an evil month or a whole evil year! The trouble will soon pass and you shall have a new reason to testify to God’s faithfulness and love! If you are there, just hold on….Do not even think of backsliding! The story is not over! The Helper is on His way! God is never too late! You shall yet praise Him! I promise!

The prayer meeting was wonderful. We praised God and prayed. Led by the Holy Spirit we did something special and holy today. There is a young brother in our church who just lost his mother. He was supposed to marry since last year but he did not have a job. Finally the opportunity came early this year. The wedding was to be in July. But something sad happened: his mother had car accident and drowned in the river. She was buried yesterday. The brother came to the prayer meeting this evening. He was standing alone at the back of the sanctuary. I saw him there and called him to the altar. We prayed for him. He prayed and prophesied for himself. Then by faith, the married men ‘adopted’ him and promised to help him in every way possible, spiritually, emotionally and financially so that the wedding can still hold in July. We declared that all help giving to this wounded soldier shall be counted as credit in our heavenly account. The married made a circle around him and embraced him praying, in a way only men of God can do. His ashes became beauty by the power of the Holy Spirit. Than You Lord Jesus!

Then the Word came:

PIERCING GREED
“For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1Tim 6:10)
This is a warning to the believers! The devil wants to pin you down! In Greek, the sentence ‘love of money’ means greed, avarice or covetousness. Avarice is defined as an excessive, selfish and unsatisfied desire for wealth or material gain.   This love of money is ‘the root’ and not ‘a root’ of evil. The word ‘evil’ means something bad, wicked, worthless; able to injure or to cause sickness. To be worthless it means to have no value, no effect, to be useless, unable to serve of help. This love of money is a great deception for with all that wealth on earth, you are left poor and sick, without helper or comfort. This love of money is able to make you ‘wander from the faith’. The word means to be seduced, to be lead astray from truth, faith and safety. This is a dangerous downhill fall. The danger is to ‘be pierced with many griefs’. The word ‘pierce’ means to penetrate entirely, to transfix. It means to impale and hold motionless. To impale it means to pierce with a pointed weapon; to torture, to fix in an inescapable and helpless condition (like insects with a needle in an insectarium).

The picture is that of a man, walking on a safe and happy road. Suddenly he goes aside to pluck a poisonous plant that has thorns on its body. He only sees the beauty of that flower. He is unaware of the poisonous thorns that will torment him a life time and make him incurable sick.  The word ‘hasten’ means to flow like water, fast, reckless and dangerous, like a car without breaks going downhill.  He will suffer and die by the road side, seeing others happily moving on. The griefs are the bitter regrets and pangs of conscience that cannot stop until death comes. What a tragic picture… “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another (god)” (Ps 16:4)

Father God we repent of all forms of idolatry, greed, avarice, covetousness, ungratefulness, wickedness and selfish ambitions. We chose to worship You alone! We are grateful for Your Provision! In Christ we declare that You are our God! You are our Portion in the Land of the living! You are our Reward!  In Jesus name, amen!

(in the picture you see a butterfly impaled on a pin)