Oh! Magnify the Lord...

Dear Precious Sisters How are you doing? We thank God for the privilege and joy of being alive.  The seventh month is moving forward so are we. The number seven is generally associated with completion and rest. God rested on the seventh day after finishing all His work. I pray that you will complete whatever is set before you and that peace will be your portion throughout this month. I just want to testify of God's goodness and faithfulness and encourage you to continue to trust in Him. Please help me to magnify the Lord for his mercy and grace throughout this year. Last year in March we were led to plant a church in Yeovil. This had its own challenges but God helped us. Some days were tougher than others but we kept going and now we see growth taking place. This past Sunday we celebrated Yeovil branch's first year. We started this branch with prayer and divine inspiration in a house and now we meet in a building. We now have a strong team and God is sending different types of people with diverse gifts and abilities. We know God has so much in store for the new church plant and he will use it mightily for his glory. In our first year thanksgiving service, we heard so many testimonies of changed lives through the working of the Holy Spirit in this church. If we did not take the first step of faith we would not be where we are now. Sisters, when God gives you a word in your hearts, begin to pray and water that seed. Let Him order your steps and obey the leadership of His Spirit and watch him do his work though you. Do not fear to take those baby steps.

I also want to magnify the Lord for our family re-union with my firstborn sister and niece. Due to reasons beyond her control, my sister could not get a visa to come and visit us for the past 8 years or more. She tried to appeal but failed! She applied again last month and got her visa. Last week, she managed to come over and we all gathered at my brother's place. We had a great time together as family. Her being here is another testimony of God`s faithfulness. To be denied a visa once does not mean to be denied a visa forever. Delay is not denial and in God's timing all things are made beautiful in the end. God is faithful my sisters. He is a good father and he answers prayer. Keep your eyes on Jesus and know that He has all things already worked out for you. Be patient as His plans daily unfold. God has done many more things for me that it would require pages and pages for me to write. As you magnify the Lord with me, may the Lord visit you and give you a reason to testify. Grace and peace be multiplied to you as we continue with the month of July. Do visit our Facebook page and share with your friends and family. Much Love Pastor Fatima

What Do You Believe?

Dear Precious Ladies We are halfway through this year. To God be the glory for all He has done. I was glad when they said unto me; Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem (Psalm 122:1-2).  My feet have just literally returned from Jerusalem! The Lord gave me an opportunity to pastorally lead a group of people to Israel. We had a life-changing encounter with God. It was a privilege to visit the birth place and the historical areas where Jesus operated from. We also visited the historic area where Abraham, the Father of Faith, and the patriarchs lived. We encountered the presence of the Lord as we held services and prayers at each site we went. Something that concerned me, but taught me valuable lessons, was the unbelief in some parts of Israel. This was so evident at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. We were praying next to our Jewish brethren who were petitioning for the initial coming of the Messiah in order to save them, while we were thanking the Messiah who already came and saved us. Here I saw the importance of one’s belief system and how it affects one’s spirituality and world outlook. If what we believe is flawed and we conduct our lives according to what we believe then we will end up being influenced by these flawed beliefs. The danger is that we will pass these down to those in our spheres of influence, starting with our families. My sisters, let us examine what we believe and why we believe it. Who is leading us? What do they teach us and what is their spiritual DNA? Are we following traditions of men and blindly practicing certain religious rituals? Do we know God for ourselves? Are we free to follow His voice? Are we dependent on someone else to hear God for us? Are we like those in the place of prayer but praying on the basis of flawed beliefs? I encourage you to know God for yourself. If you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him. I pray that all of us may not be misled by those who are leading us and that we may also not mislead others. I have discovered that one of the ways to stay safe is to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. We should continually surrender our lives to Jesus and keep Him the centre of our focus. Let us read His word and apply it in our everyday lives. I pray that God will help us all as we pursue Him. He will make a way for all of you who would like to visit Israel, the same way He made a way for me. God bless you all and enjoy the rest of the month for the Lord God of Israel, our God is with us. Love and blessings, Pastor Fatima