My spiritual daughter’s father was kidnapped last night from his house in the village. We pray that the enemy will show mercy on him and released unharmed! All things are possible with God! We vow to give God all the gory! Please pray in faith and with confidence of victory! In Jesus name, Amen!

3 DAYS LATER…

UPDATE- PRAISE REPORT!!!!!
Her dad has just been released unharmed! Praise the Lord!
This is her report: “Dear Malia, Praise The Lord! My dad just came out. I have spoken to him briefly his voice is very strong and he sounded very excited. I am so happy and thankful to God. I know there will be a testimony to God’s glory. That was our prayer. Thank you Malia. Please greet Tali for us. We are really grateful for your support. May God bless you and all the brethren who prayed for us! Thank you!
To God be all the glory!

“The Lord roars from Zion,
And utters His voice from Jerusalem…
Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets
A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?” (Am 1:2; 3:7, 8)

As a pastor and preacher of the Word, I am concerned when I observe spiritual passivity in the congregation. This weakness is a sign of divine judgment. Even as we continue to pray for revival, there are basic lessons we must learn from the Bible. I read somewhere that the owners of Christian bookshops made a strange observation. They said that next to buying a Bible the believers prefer to read Christian fiction. They avoid serious books about the doctrines and the study of the Word of God. This is very sad and also a dangerous path.

Amos was a farmer and a business man. God called him to be His prophet and speak of His behalf. Basically, the Book of Amos is a gathering of warnings from God against the nations. The pagans have erred. Even the people of God have taken their salvation and prosperity for granted. They want to be like the other nations. All they want is to enjoy their material prosperity on earth. They joined others to serve idols. They still go to the Temple, they still pray and they continue in their religious feasts but the heart is far from God. They rejected the prophets who warned them to repent. That is when God Himself decides to ‘roar’ like a Lion from Zion. Amos is echoing the roar of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He warns the people of God that if they do not repent, God will send judgment on the land. One way this judgment will manifest is as losing spiritual strength and the gathered wealth (Am 3:11). The rich and famous religious men shall suddenly fall into trouble and become in need. This poverty is strange and cannot be reversed without deep and open repentance of heart.

Amos said that God roars like a lion. He too roars like a lion ‘in training’.
In the natural, why does a lion roar?
It’s all about establishing presence, territory and communication. Cubs do not roar. Only the mature lions do! It’s a sign that they are in their territory and a warning to other challenging males. Roaring is also one of their strategies for catching prey. They creep up on the prey and when they are close enough, they will let out a roar that confuses that animal. Because of fear, the victim cannot “think” or react correctly and is caught by the lion.

Spiritually speaking, the prophetic roar of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is to bring back the fear of God on the people of the land. This is a preparation for revival. This is a good fear and it produces wisdom. For a long time God is patient when we take Him for granted….But from time to time His roar will be heard over the hills and valley and that roar cannot be ignored. Your enemies will be paralyzed with fear and they have to retreat! The roar will remind you that Jesus is Lord! The roar will warn you of impending judgment. The roar comes with power and also with mercy. The warning is to be heeded and repentance is to be fruitful.

“The sound of the King is in their midst…
For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises like a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain” (Nu 23:21, 23, 24)

I am a pastor to the flock of God. I teach, encourage, help and counsel them who are in need. But in times of spiritual crisis, the prophetic roar cannot be quenched. The anointing must do what the anointing must do! This is the work of God, for the sake of God! May you learn to combine the pastoral anointing with the prophetic gifting! You need both! May you become spiritually mature! The devil roars to intimidate and manipulate. He can deceive men but not forever. Once the Lion of the tribe of Judah has lifted up His voice, all opposition is defeated! One royal roar solves millions of problems!

“Dear Heavenly Father, for Your Word, for Your Spirit, for Your chastisement, for Your warnings, for Your mercy, love and grace, for the healing, for the deliverance, for the victory….may all the glory go to You alone!”

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness…

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations” (Ps 100)

This is a Psalm of great inspiration to the worshippers of Jehovah. We are commanded to ‘make a joyful sound’. It is not God that will ‘make’ this sound. It is our responsibility, as He has already given us breath and vocal cords to use. We are to obey the Word of God exactly as we read it. The true response here is not a little whisper prayer or a murmuring tune. It is a clear ‘trumpet like’ shout calling the names of God and praising Him with all our strength. We are to serve and worship God with gladness. It means to be happy and satisfied with our relationship with God.  The opposite of ‘gladness’ is sadness, depression or anger. All these sinful internal attitudes disqualify you from entering God’s presence to worship Him. You may ask: ‘Why should I be glad when there are many problems around me?’ The reason why I am glad is because Jesus died for me to save my soul. Salvation is the greatest gift of grace. All other blessings and gifts, marriage, children, wealth…are not in the same class with the salvation of your soul! So, be glad, be grateful…and actively loudly praise God!

Why I love to praise God is because He is the only living God. I do not worship ‘man-made gods’ or any other ‘part time idols’. My God happens to be Elohim, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. If this statement sounds like boasting, you are right. I am commanded to boast about knowing my God, so I am training to do just that. With time, I will boast even more about God’s love for me! If this offends you, there is nothing I can do. Come to the Cross, see what Jesus did for your soul, and you shall join me in singing praises, boasting and making a joyful noise unto God!

I belong to God! My body soul and spirit are His. I did not create myself and I am not my god. I am His sheep and He is my Shepherd. Jehovah Rohi takes responsibility for my life. So, I shall not want, fret or fear. Each time I hear any of God’s names, my spirit jumps up like baby John did in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. God forbid that at the hearing of the name of Jesus, I continue my routine like nothing has happened! Jesus died for me! My soul is saved! So the proper response to the hearing of my Savior’s name is to praise Him!

My God is good. He is the only true good Person in the universe! If you see any good thing in me, it is His reflection and nothing else. His mercy and kindness to me is everlasting. The well of His grace is bottomless. His truth endures to all generations. Things come and go but truth remains standing, for truth is a Person. “I am the Truth…” said Jesus. The same wonderful truth revealed to me will come to my children and grandchildren. All generations will receive freedom from their bondages, on behalf of the workings of truth as revealed in Christ. I may not have money to give to my children, but the truth revealed to me is their portion and inheritance forever. What a God!  What a destiny! Now, it is time to leave you…for I want to shout in triumph: JESUSSSSSS!!!! Our God is worthy!

“Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1Thess 5:22)

Recently a young woman from our church came to my office. She has a little son. That morning, she had quarreled with her husband who drove her away from home. The reason, according to her, is that he is too jealous. I asked her if there was any reason why he should suspect her to be unfaithful. She laughed nervously (that is a sign of guilt…). She confessed that she talks on the phone with ex-boyfriends and other men who occasionally send her money or recharge cards (credit for her phone). She assured me that there is nothing more than that. But because her husband is jealous, immediately she finishes talking to them, she deletes their numbers from her phone.

I told her I will intervene to settle them so that she can go back home with her child. But that she should come again for more counselling. I told her that she is playing games with her marriage, with her husband’s emotions. Provoking your spouse is terribly wicked. I told her that this flirting game will give the devil a foothold in her marriage and the end is only pain, sorrow and regret. If you give the devil a finger, he will take the hand. Because she is newly married, the foundation of the marriage is very important. There is much to talk about and pray with her in the future. She promised to come back.

As believers, we are commanded to avoid, not only open sin, but every hint or appearance of evil. Any action, attitude or word that brings pain or hurt on another is considered evil. Any carless attitude is evil. Any unnecessary provocation is evil. Any unrestrained sexual attitude, lacking self-control and prudence is evil. You have to be jealous with your testimony as a married man or woman, as a believer!

This is God’s command: You are to abstain from all evil! Not just from some, but from all sinful acts. The word ‘abstain’ means to draw back, to create and keep a distance from anything you consider sin. By staying passive in the midst of wicked men, you tell others that you are one with them. Please note, you cannot hate sin by your own power. You need the power of the Holy Spirit to abstain from sin. Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit!

Please remember, the future of your marriage is very important! But your testimony as a child of God is even more so! What people see in you will direct them to life or death. You may be the only Bible they will ever read! Keep your ‘pages’ clean and pure! Sin is a disgrace, but godliness is profitable for all things! Think about these words…if there is need for correction, repent immediately…let the devil be disappointed! Let God be glorified!

Our beautiful grand daughter Josslyn Leigh is two today!

God bless you!

God bless your parents and brother!

May you grow to be a blessing to many!

“And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.”

Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” (1Kg 3:25, 26)

This is the story: there are two harlots who became mothers. Each had a son. Whatever the past, one woman was a good mother to her child. The other one just brought a child into the world. She was selfish, careless and heartless. By mistake she suffocated her son in the night. She then exchanged the boys taking the living one. In the morning there was great confusion. The good mother saw that the dead child in her arms was not her child. The quarrel ended in the royal palace. Solomon, displaying the supernatural wisdom he prayed for, suggested dividing the only living child into two. The wicked mother agrees, for she has nothing to lose. But the true mother cannot see her child killed and is ready to give up her rights as a mother. All she wants is that her baby will live. This is how the king proves the true mother and gives her back her child.

What do you think is the lesson the good mother has learned out of this near tragedy? She made friends with a wicked woman who almost killed her son.

The wicked mother is an extremely selfish person. She has no compassion like the good mother. There are many people in this world who only care about themselves. Their attitude is this: “if I am not happy, you too should not be happy’.  A selfish person is one who cares only for their own pleasures, even if it causes pain to someone else. They are skilful manipulators. They have no consideration for anyone else, and worry only about their own comfort. A selfish partner or a friend will always extract more from you, and yet, they never give anything back to you in equal measures. Even after many years of friendship, you still feel empty, guilty and tired in their company.

This is a warning to be careful with your relationships. Do not get close to selfish heartless manipulators. And of course, do not marry them. For they will exploit you, misuse you and leave you in pain without blinking an eye! Your tears mean nothing to them. If you are defeated, they just move on to their next victim. Selfish needy people reject all who cannot benefit them personally. Do not get infatuated with them! They are dangerous and wicked. They will lead you into trouble and abandon you there.

As I write these words, I am thinking of the millions of men and women who have suffered in this world. You do not have to suffer forever! Please pray for wisdom before you give your heart to another. If you have made mistakes, pray and ask God for the wisdom and strength to correct them. This is God’s encouragement: It is really possible to have a new better beginning in life! God will do it!

 
“Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble
Whoever plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin…” (PV 24;1, 2, 8, 9)

A schemer is a man who makes secret (evil) plans; he is interested in ‘dirty’ politics and secret intrigues. He is a manipulator, using unfair means to get personal advantage. He has secret and selfish ambitions. He does not want to pay the real price for promotion so he tries to cheat others to gain advantage. A schemer tends to cause annoyance, trouble or injury to others. A schemer is a fool and a coward. He fears the opinions of men but he does not fear God. The Bible calls these men ‘evil and wicked’.

‘Their hearts plot violence’. In Hebrew the word ‘plot’ means to murmur (in pleasure or anger); to imagine, to study, to meditate or to speak. The word ‘violence’ means desolation, destruction, oppression, robbery or wasting. In other words, a schemer is a very deep person, deep in an evil way. On the surface he looks like any other man, but his heart is not simple. Day and night he studies the art of hurting someone. It takes a lot of time and energy to be a successful schemer. Many are just beginners. Some are true professionals, dangerous foxes sent by the devil to wound the unsuspected in the Body of Christ.

These schemers are found in many places, in offices, in the government and even in the churches. They seem quiet but these men are silent factories of evil, hurting and oppressing others without any guilt at all. We are commanded not to envy and not to desire them. The schemer looks confident and successful in his evil way. He may also be quite entertaining, again in his own selfish evil way. Gossip and slander can make a good story. The Christians seem foolish in comparison. Evil living is quite attractive to a foolish person. But we are commanded to reject their friendship! As a child of God, stay far from them. Men like these have nothing good to offer you. Do not sympathize with them. Do not sponsor them. Run the way you run from a snake. God will deal with them soon and you will not like to be around when God will judge them.

Jacob is known as a redeemed schemer. He deceived his old father. Together with his mother, he cheated his brother Esau to gain the inheritance and the blessings of a first son. But God dealt with him, for he was called to be among the fathers of Israel. Later God changed his name to Israel, meaning ‘a prince with God’, signifying total repentance and a new identity. Haman is another example. He was a total evil schemer. He was a selfish and very ambitious man. But God overturned his evil plans and the promotion he so much desired went to his worst enemy. Eventually he died on the gallows he built for Mordecai. Another ‘classical’ example is the wicked queen Jezebel. She always had an evil approach to all things. She organized the killing of an innocent man, their neighbor Naboth. She made it seem as a natural event, but God knew that she hired wicked men to lie and kill. For the shedding of his innocent blood, Jezebel died a terrible death.

This is a great warning here. A schemer may be quite successful in hiding his wicked plans from other people. But no one can hide from God. Eventually the evil man shall be destroyed by the very plot he planned for others.
“If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him…whoever breaks a wall, will be bitten by a snake… He who is pregnant with evil will give birth to disillusionment” (PV 26:27; Ecc 10:8; Ps 7:14)

Please listen! It just does not pay to live as an evil person. The end is pain, sorrow, shame, bitterness, dead dreams and a life time of regret. Please remember, the Almighty God hates and judges evil. That is why Jesus died. There is no other reason why the Son of God died on the Cross. He died because of our sins, evil and wickedness. No other Blood could appease the wrath of God. Look at the Cross and repent. No wicked man shall escape the judgment of God! You cannot repent after death. Repent now! Today is the day of salvation! These words may seem childish to you, but these words are true. They are not mine… Go to the Bible and you shall find them there… I pray for you… that you search your hearts and come to Jesus! There is room at the Cross of for you…there is no other hope anywhere in the universe…Come to Jesus! Oh, Sinner, come home!

 
Pastor P is a young man of God who needs urgent prayer. He comes to visit us sometimes. His wife phoned that he is in Ogharra teaching hospital, in coma (unconscious) since last Tuesday. The doctors say that he has hepatic (liver) failure and they do not give him any hope at all. But with God nothing is impossible. Please pray for a miracle! God bless and reward all intercessors! In Jesus name, Amen!

“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad” (Ps 126)

TRUE REVIVAL

Spiritually, this Psalm describes the revival of God’s people, the restoration of the backsliders, their testimony and blessings. God appears to be silent for many years. We pray and ‘nothing happens’. There are no miracles, no supernatural events. The church is ‘business as usual’. The Christians commit sin and nothing happens. It is like God is sleeping.

Then suddenly, God ‘awakes’ and intervenes in their lives. This is called revival. Miracles, breakthroughs and supernatural manifestations become very ‘common’. There are healings and deliverance from bondages in the midst of the people. The ‘captivity is turned’ and defeated. In the past, it was difficult to pray, to go to church. Now it becomes so easy, for the answers come faster than ever before. People like to come to church and rejoice in what God is doing. The power of God is openly displayed. The result is joy and singing. The law of sowing and reaping works very fast. The season of the long awaited harvest has come. People get stronger and richer. The true repentance of the past is producing supernatural increase in all areas of life.

Another peculiar sign of revival: The unbelievers, the other nations, they suddenly take notice of this open, overflowing favor of God upon His people. They talk to one another saying that God is blessing His people. These blessings discriminate. They only come on the believers. In the past, the religious unbelievers were trying to compete with the People of God. But this revival proves that God loves His people more than He loves them. This creates a terror among the pagans. This is the necessary work of the Holy Spirit before evangelism can be successful. In the past you have to beg them to listen to your sermon. Now they beg you to pray for them. The fear of God falls over the land. Many shall see and come into the Kingdom of God. The world knows that this is God’s work and not the work of man. For the blessings are too great to be done by man.

Before Zerubbabel went back to build the Temple of God, this is the Word he received as an encouragement: “It is not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts” (Zech 4:6). During revivals, this Word proves to be true. No man can take to glory for what God will do!

Pray for revival in your life, in your family, in this city Warri and in Nigeria! The revival is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit! There shall be overflow to other nations! With all the negativity around the world, Nigeria has great potential to be a blessing to many nations! We can ‘export’ the true Gospel of Christ! There is no greater business than the business of God! Get ready for big things! In Jesus name, Amen!

THE ROYAL LAW OF RESTORATION

“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad” (Ps 126)

This Psalm describes the joy of the exiles coming back home. Historically, this is what happened. King Belshazzar of Babylon provoked God when he used the holy vessels that his father carried from the Temple of Jerusalem for selfish purposes. He was killed that night and the Persians took over Babylon. Later, the great king Cyrus of Persia changes his mind and decides to give freedom to all the prisoners of war in former Babylon. In particular, he shows great favor to the Jews, helping them to go back to Israel and to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. He contributes money and resources for this mighty work to be accomplished. Three main groups of Jews leave Babylon (now Persia). The first group was led by Zerubbabel. He was sent to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The second group was led by Ezra, whose duty was to go back and restore the Word of God so that the people become strong again.  The third group was led by Nehemiah whose work was to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

*This is a great spiritual lesson: For a backslider, the first thing to do (is not to deal with his sins, for they are too many anyway…) is to invite back the presence of God the Holy Spirit. He needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is like building the temple for God. All things are not as important as “hosting and settling” God back into your spirit. The second thing is to start feeding of the Word of God. This has to be a daily clear sacrificial labor of love. Lastly, you need to prepare the visible structures: looking for a good living church, making friends with true believers and all. This is the holy royal road of spiritual maturity: The Spirit—the Word—the Church. I assure you that it has been proven to be true by many pilgrims who have walked the road of faith to heaven!

This law applies not only to the backslider but to all things that need restoration: your quiet time with God, your marriage or your relationships.

Prodigals, come Home! Your Father is waiting for you!

“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us,..” (Ps 126)

The class was willing but weak. There was a religious spirit hindering the flow. This is how it is at the beginning of each new step, or class, I should say. Today we moved to a higher spiritual altitude, following the songs of ascents. We began the study of Psalm 126. We called this level” Dreams come true!

The word ‘ascents’ means the beginning of a journey of faith, going to a higher level, a spiritual promotion. The beginning of each journey, even if it is a good one, has some anxiety attached to it. But as the Word came and we worshiped our Lord, the tension lessened…Praise God!

Historically speaking, this Psalm describes the joy of the exiles coming back home. The people of God proved to be proud and rebellious. They rejected God’s Word and the warning of His prophets. Eventually God allowed Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon to conquer them. Jerusalem was destroyed with fire. All the holy articles in the Temple of God were carried to Babylon. The priests, prophets and nobles were killed or carried as prisoners of war to Babylon. It was only some poor people who were left behind. Israel became a province of Babylon. They removed the capital from Jerusalem to Mizpah, a little town in Benjamin. The disgrace was total. This was the greatest tragedy the nation of Israel has ever experienced.

Once in Babylon, the people of God had to face the reality that their understanding of God was not correct. Their theology made them proud. They believed that no matter what they do, Jehovah shall always protect them, Israel can never be a slave to a pagan nation and Jerusalem will always be honored as the city of David.  It is this pride that made them rebellious against God’s Word. They refused to repent. They took their relationship with God for granted and eventually they had to face the truth. God’s Word said: if you obey, you shall be blessed; if you disobey, you shall be cursed. The fall of Israel to Babylon changed the people of God forever. But God did not abandon His people. He made the plan for their restoration even from the beginning of their bondage. Thru the prophet Jeremiah, God said that after staying in Babylon for 70 years, they shall start coming home (Jer 25: 9-11).

*This is the first lesson: God chastises His people when they become proud and rebellious. But God never abandons His children. He makes plans for their restoration that will increase His testimony among the nations.

*The second lesson is that our God us the God of the second chance, the restorer of the backslider. Praise God!

Historically, this is what happened. King Belshazzar of Babylon provoked God when he used the holy vessels that his father carried from the Temple of Jerusalem for selfish purposes. He was killed that night and the Persians took over Babylon. Later, the great king Cyrus of Persia changes his mind and decides to give freedom to all the prisoners of war in former Babylon. In particular, he shows great favor to the Jews, helping them to go back to Israel and to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. He contributes money and resources for this mighty work to be accomplished. Three main groups of Jews leave Babylon (now Persia). The first group was led by Zerubbabel. He was sent to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The second group was led by Ezra, whose duty was to go back and restore the Word of God so that the people become strong again.  The third group was led by Nehemiah whose work was to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. These three groups of willing Jews came during a period of about 100 years.

*This is another great spiritual lesson: when God restores a backslider, the process is slow and requires the application of faith and patience.

 
“Down at Your feet, Oh Lord
Is the most high place
In Your presence, Lord
I seek Your face, I seek Your face

“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:38-42)

This is a call to restore your ‘quiet time with God’. Nothing should replace it!

What Martha was doing was not a bad thing. She was cooking for Jesus and His disciples. She was doing a ministry of helps and love. But her problem was that the ministry made her distracted so much that she forgot the most important thing of all. That is why Jesus rebuked her. In Greek, the word distracted means to drag things around the house. These things are like iron weights tied with chains to the feet of the prisoners. The purpose of these iron weights is to make the prisoners slow. They can never run. To be distracted it means to direct your attention far away from the main object, and to get confused with many other conflicting emotions. A distracted person is complicated and confused.  She has lost the purity and the simplicity of Christ (2Cor 11:3).

Mary represents the opposite. In the midst of so many needs in the kitchen, she has chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen to His word. That was her choice. She will not be distracted by any other voice or desire, not even by the need to go and serve Him. All her attention is directed to hear His voice, His Word. Mary is not a fool. What will be her gain by staying at the feet of Jesus, by listening to God’s Word? By hearing God’s Word, her faith in God will increase. She will experience eternal life in fullness. She becomes a teacher of God’s Word to others. The Word will actively work in her, changing her to become like Jesus, long after the visit is over. Light will shine on her path and she will know what to do in the days ahead. Just by being able to listen to God’s Word, she receives the confirmation that she is a child of God. She gains the attention and the respect of God (Rom 10:17; Mt 4:4; 2Tim 3:16, 17; 1Thess 2:13; Jn 10:27; Is 66:2).  These are some of the eternal personal gains which come from believing the Word of God.  Ministry can proceed later. Nothing in this world should make you ignore these gains!

Martha was possibly surprised at the rebuke but that day she learned a great lesson. Mary was confirmed as the wiser sister, and her choice became the best. You can see that the devil will attack your decision to have a daily quiet time, to study the Word of God and to pray. The devil will attack your choice to have a quiet heart that worships the Lord. Anxiety about the cares of this world is a slow poison that destroys your intimacy with Jesus. That demon of anxiety will attack you! Reject it!

Make up your mind to obey God’s Word and be anxious for nothing.  Make up your mind to value your quiet time with the Lord. Make up your mind to sit down and listen to the words of Jesus. Open the Bible and read it. Pray always. Expect God to speak to you thru His Word. Appreciate His fellowship. There is nothing like it! Mary’s gains shall be yours too. Money cannot buy these eternal rewards. Be wise! Learn how to combine the holy ministry of prayer and the Word with other activities for the benefits of men. Be a woman of God first, then a wife, mother and worker! Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added to you! The God will help you to do all things with ease and grace!

Lastly, a little bit of my testimony… I wake early in the morning to have my quiet time. I read my Bible and pray…I desire to hear His voice. I wait expectantly. He does not disappoint me. He speaks and my heart is revived! Nothing compares with hearing the voice of my Beloved. Something happens to my spirit. I get happy and strong…then I am ready to do any work for Him…Out of that fire, I am then ready to do anything needed as a wife, mother or worker in the church. God’s intimate fellowship is the basis for all true ministry. You will never be tired!  You will never fall to temptation!

Listen to His voice:

“My Lover spoke and said to me: Arise My darling, My beautiful one and come with Me…” (SS 2:10)

‘That is all I need to hear…Thank You Lord…’

“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:38-42)

This is a call to restore your ‘quiet time with God’. Nothing should replace it!

The scene above describes an incident that happened during one of Jesus’ visits at their house.  It seems that Marta was the oldest; for she behaves like ‘the landlady’.  She is the one who opens her house to Jesus and welcomes Him. Jesus came with His disciples.  That makes at least thirteen men. Immediately she knew that work has to be done in the kitchen to feed so many hungry and tired men. I am sure she was a strong woman and a good administrator. She quickly planned her menu and went about getting all things ready. She may have had some friends and neighbors whom she could call in times of need. So the kitchen became a busy place, almost like a battle field. Marta was the queen of the kitchen, no doubt about it. She was telling everybody what to do when suddenly… she discovers that her younger sister was missing. ‘Mary…Where is Mary?’

Mary needs a rebuke- she thought…She went to look for her and to her surprise, she saw Mary sited and the feet of Jesus listening to His words. She may have tried to make some noise to call her attention, but Mary did not even look around. All her attention was focused on the face of Christ, listening to His words. This could have been an embarrassing situation, for women were not supposed to be found in the ‘boys club’. But Mary did not care about the opinions of others. She has been waiting for God to visit her humble home… He came. Now she will not waste any second on any other thing, except to hear what Jesus has to say.

When Martha failed to call Mary’s attention that she is needed to the kitchen, frustrated, she broke the ‘protocol’ and went in to ‘disturb’ Jesus. She complained about Mary’s ‘irresponsible’ attitude. That is when Jesus gently rebukes her. He told her that she is too worried about too many things. He also said that Mary has chosen the only thing truly needed, He called it ‘the good part’ and it will not be taken away from her. Martha was surprised at the rebuke…also, what is that thing needed thing that Mary has chosen?

Yes, it is good to serve God in the home, in the kitchen, as a wife and as a mother. It is also good to serve God in the church activities. But nothing else should make you ignore your quiet time with the Lord, the study of the Bible and the daily holy activity of prayer. The intimate fellowship with the Lord is always the needed thing, the first thing and the good part. Please note that it is much easier to be busy for Jesus than to sit at His feet listen to His word.  It is easier to get distracted than to maintain a quiet holy heart in the presence of God. All things do not have the same value. Be sure you have your priorities right!

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Lk 19:10)
Jesus Christ did not come to make bad people good or poor people rich.
Jesus came to give life to dead people, so that they might live! He died for sinners like me and you! No one but Jesus can save your soul!
This is my testimony: I was a lost sinner, but now I am found by my Lord! I shall worship and serve Him forever! All glory to the Lamb!

“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead” (Jn 12:1-9)

The story above is one of the most significant in the Bible. It looks like ‘a thanksgiving party’ in the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. His sickness, death and resurrection attracted many people from far and near. As usual, Martha is busy serving. Lazarus sits at the table with Jesus. It is on record that many people did not come to see Jesus, but Lazarus, who is now the center of attention in that party.

Suddenly, Mary does a strange thing. She brings her most precious possession, a perfume bottle filled with fragrant oil. The value of that spikenard was a year wages. To work one year for just a box of perfume, that is expensive indeed. Mary breaks the seal of that bottle and uses the oil to anoint the feet of Jesus. Then she uses her hair to wipe them. This is a public act of pure extravagant worship. What Mary does is to redirect the attention from Lazarus (who is her brother) to Jesus (who is her Lord). Lazarus represents the ministry of Jesus, His wonderful works. But a true worshipper will not be distracted even by ministry. Like Mary, she will direct people’s attention to the person of Jesus Christ, who alone is worthy to receive all our worship.

True worship will force the devil to manifest. Judas cannot keep quiet in the presence of such open love towards Jesus. He criticizes her worship calling it a waste. He says that the money could have been used for the ministry of helps. The traitor and the thief they always look generous but God knows their hearts.

In many churches the worship has been quenched by unholy administrators, business men and politicians. People go to church to see Lazarus first and Jesus second. The Holy Spirit has been grieved. The ‘worship team’ is nothing more than a group of singers. The pastor is a ‘spiritual’ business man. The congregation waits for entertainment, for rice and stew. People like Mary have long been sent away, counted as crazy and disturbing the order of the place. But a church without true worship is dead. Whatever else is offered on that altar, death has the stamp on it.

This is a call to true worship to come back to our churches! To praise God is not easy. Praise is a sacrifice. It is hard to make a choice to reject all other anxious thoughts, to remember only God, to fix your attention on Jesus, even if for few minutes. The cares of this life are very loud, selfish, stubborn and persistent. It is not easy to lift your heart, your hands and your voice to worship God, even when you are sick or jobless. That is a sacrifice indeed. But God blesses this sacrifice with His presence. And the presence of God brings life, peace, joy and hope. The presence of God is the secret of a living church. Nothing else can compare with it.

The Father is seeking worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth! May the true Marys of this world be encouraged today! Continue to worship God with all your heart! Do not be afraid of men’s voices! Do not be ashamed of your Lord! This so called ‘waste’ is the engine that moves the heart of God! Let the worship continue! “Lord, You alone are worthy…”

 
“Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?” (Heb 13:5, 6)

The devil tempts us to forget the presence of God…yes, we know that God exists in a general way, but we ignore His active manifested power and love in our personal daily walk…that is the temptation you have to learn to defeat… Our needs will never be ‘breaking news’ for they are always with us, one way or another…but even then, Jesus promised “never to leave you and never to forsake you”…this promise has to be active in your soul, working internally, until your faith is purified and the worship rises to God…never be intimidated by your needs, let your faith in God increase and your testimony will come…

If you are born again, Christ is your eternal savings account, that is why you can never be poor and you can never beg! It is only the unbelievers that are worried about money. The believer only needs faith and money will come!

As a believer, your life is a proof that Jesus is alive and that He is God! Your life is a proof that the devil has been defeated at the Cross! Your life should be an encouragement to other believers! This is your destiny!

 
“A man with (a spiritual) experience is never at the mercy of a man with (a religious) argument”

(Leonard Ravenhill 1907-1994)

Pray for a genuine encounter with the Lord! You will never be the same!

“Lord, I want to see You…”

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2Cor 3:17, 18)

This is a great and wonderful revelation: where the Holy Spirit has access and dwells, there is liberty. What does this mean? Generally, liberty is defined as the state to be free; to be a citizen and not a slave; to enjoy the social, political and economic privileges of a country; to be free from burdens, tyrants and oppressors; to be able to do what you please and walk where you want (within some defined boundaries). In other words, liberty manifests as true power and true joy.

The liberty described above is not just religious, but it is a spiritual liberty. It is the work of God. No man can make himself free. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer in Christ. No unbeliever is free. The salvation story starts with the process of justification: Because Christ died for you, God can now declare you free from the bondage of sin.  The next thing God does in your soul is to change you to become more and more like Jesus. This process is called sanctification. It is the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit who uses the Word of God. It is a godly, good and glorious work. No child of God becomes totally sinless in this life but he surely changes into better. God wants us to be holy! This practical holiness in the soul of man is called liberty. The deeper the work of the Holy Spirit inside your soul, the greater your experience of liberty…

This liberty manifests as freedom from the burden, shame and guilt of sin. The conscience becomes free.  No more feeling of condemnation or inferiority complexes. No more regrets or bitterness. No more influenced by the opinions of men. From now on, God’s opinion is all that counts and all that you long for. No more desire to impress men by obeying their set of religious rules. The terrible yoke of legalism and hypocrisy is gradually destroyed. The fear of death and of going to hell is also going away. Heaven becomes more real than ever. We are commanded to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ’ (2Pet 3:18). This gradual growth manifests as spiritual maturity with the clear and unique stamp of spiritual freedom.

This freedom is a sign of victory. Jesus died for us, to die to no more. He has been crowned as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This is God’s eternal decree that can never be altered. As the Holy Spirit changes you from inside out, you start to resemble the Lord in speech, choices and actions. Because He lives, and He enjoys life, you shall do the same. The stamp of a winner will appear on your forehead. A loser fears all things, but a winner is able to stand straight in the beauty of holiness, confident of his authority imputed unto him by Christ. Holiness in the soul is the red carpet to heaven. Glory is stamped on your way, dear child of God. This glory increases with each step that brings you closer to your Lord.

This is your destiny, to worship God and to become like Jesus! Meditate upon this revelation! Allow the Holy Spirit to have free access to your soul! Study and obey the Word of God! Then entrance shall be ministered to you, going into the glorious freedom of the children of God! This is God’s promise! Trust God! Be like Jesus!