Marah is the place of bitterness while Elim is the place of fruitfulness, advancement, progress and fulfillment.

FROM June 21 to June 22, the entire Ijesha area of Lagos was a beehive of activities as members of the Lord Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries gathered for a two-day power-packed international crusade at the Lord’s Chosen Revival Ground, 10 Odofin Park Estate, Oshodi Apapa titled; ‘And the enemies submitted’.

The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Paul Okeke has denied claims that the church worships Mary and other saints, saying that all the church does is to venerate Mary, being the mother of Jesus Christ.

PARTICIPANTS who had placed their hands on their heads in readiness for the benediction were shell shocked to see a scrappy elderly woman racing towards the altar with a 7-year old girl struggling to hold on to her. Sixtyish Madam Matilda London was hysterical because her grand daughter, Miss Marvel Patrick, who was born on December 6, 2006, prior to Thursday, June 26, 2014 had never walked nor spoken a word.
But when the General Overseer of Word of Life Bible Church, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor asked particants at the just concluded Men Alive international convention, to stand for the benediction, little Marvel also responded by standing up and running down the isle. The initial reaction of the grand mother was that bewilderment not knowing what to do before it dawned on her that she proceed immediately to proclaim the miracle.
She then began running towards the altar almost injuring the little girl who clung to her wrapper even as ushers made frantic efforts to stop her, not until another woman who witnessed the scene explained what happened. Rejoicing with the family, the matriarch of Word of Life Bible Church, Pastor (Mrs) Helen Oritsejafor immediately offered Marvel, who had never attended school because of the medical condition, scholarship to university level.
Excited Frank Edwards who ministered on the day also pledged to donate N100,000 every month just as Pastor Segun Olorinsiwa to give N20,000 every month for two years. The grand mother who travelled from Orogun in Ughelli North local government, literarily went crazy with joy.
The 5-day event with the theme; ‘Repositioned to recover all’ featured several business talks aimed at equipping participants to be self reliant with the CEO of Zinox Computers, Mr. Leo Stan Eke and Rev. Albert Aina giving quality tips on how people can grow their own business in times of recession. Topics discussed at the syndicated sessions included: Job and wealth creation, Recycling waste for wealth, Real estate as a tool for investment, decoration, A-Z of cat fish farming in both health and concrete ponds and Import & Export business opportunities from Nigeria.
Renowned preacher, Bishop Wayne Malcolm from the UK stressed the need for attitudinal change to succeed in business, repositioning for global expansion and business development strategies in a poor economy. He urged Nigerian Christians to come out of the corner “because your nation needs you not just in the corner but in the centre where you are required to operate in the fourfold ministry.”
According to him, the devil desires to restrict the Church to a religious corner, but “I prophecy to you that in the next decade you will see the Church in every corner,” noting that the Church does not wrestle with flesh and blood but principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of the world and spiritual wickedness in high places, where each of these represent the four pillars of the earth.
Bishop Malcolm further urged Nigerian Christians to stop seeing politics as a dirty game, adding that God is raising a generation of people who have the passion to take thongs out of the religious corner and take it to the centre stage. “I am concerned for the upliftment of Nigeria but you know that my concern for the nation’s welfare alone cannot transform the nation. God needs a new generation of people that will use their prayers, vision, businesses, money and everything at their disposal to transform the nation,” he stated.
High point of the celebration was the Couples’ night with Papa & Mama Ayo Oritsejafor which focused attention on the need to strengthen marriages through the renewal of marriage vows. Music was supplied by BeBe Winans while rib cracking comedy was provided by Warri-born Akpororo.
Couples were also given an opportunity to ask intimate and knotty questions and the chief hosts, Pastor and Pastor (Mrs) Ayo Oritsejafor provided answers to the relief of the couples present. It was a serious business and quote naturally children had to leave the hall.
On the question that a man gets less love from his wife as the marriages progresses, Papa averred that it’s not love that keeps marriages, it God that keeps marriages, he said. “As a man or a woman going into holy matrimony, you must make sure that the strength of your marriage is anchored of God because love can be affected by certain circumstances, but of you remember that you made vows in he presence of God, you can always ignite the love you have for one another,” he stressed, adding “it is not love that ignites God, rather its God that ignites love.”
Continuing, Oritsejafor said most African men are not romantic, while every woman needs a reassurance of the man’s love, adding “some men don’t take care of their wives as they should and you expect the wife to fall down like that everyday. Take care of your wife. Men are often excited by their children but they are not as excited by their wives.”
On the attitude of wives before their mothers-in-law whenever they visit, Mrs. Oritsejafor said its a big challenge but advised the wives to play according to their conscience because there really can be some terrible mothers-in-law just as there could be terrible wives. According to her, there is virtually nothing sh had not done for her mother-in-laws because that is what is expected of the wife, noting “if you expect anybody to say thank to you, you must be out of this planet, because Africans don’t.”
On his part, Pastor Oritsejafor counseled that every good housewife must not insult her mother-in-law and turning to the men, he said: “You must not allow your family members to maltreat your wife for whatever reason. There are things your wife cannot to your family members. But you must protect your wife to build her confidence,” he stated, adding that most of the times the woman wrestles with principalities.
Some fella asked if it was proper for the wife to know about the husband’s financial status and Mrs. Oritsejafor argued that it is an abomination and aberration for a man to hide his financial status from his wife. “Husbands, let your wife know how you bring home. My husband and I maintain a joint account,” she pointed out.
The husband corroborated that claim, saying that it is always better have a joint account with your spouse but if you have some misgivings, there safeguards by maintaining just signatures. But you must let your wife know what you earn.
Delay in child birth: The twosome agreed that God is the ultimate judge, stressing that everyone has his/her time and there is always a cross that everyone must carry. “Anything God cannot give me, I am not interested,” they stated, urging couples in similar situation not consider the herbalist option because “if the devil gives you one gift, be sure he will demand hundred from you.”
Mrs. Oritsejafor encouraged whoever in similar situation to be more prayerful, noting that she equally waited for about nine years to get one but God surprised me with triplets. “What I noticed in Africa is that people will always taunt you with what you don’t have. I don’t think of what you have because it is possible that you don’t have what I have,” she said, adding however, that science has improved a great deal that childlessness may soon be a thing of th past.

Wife battering
To Pastor & Mrs. Oritsejafor, on no account should a man lay his hands on his wife because the Bible says two shall become one and therefore if a man beats his wife, he actually beating himself. “It can be difficult but there is something that brought the two of you together and you just don’t have right to beat your wife,” they stated.
Pastor Oritsejafor said he is interested in the Church taking its proper place in the market place, pointing out that “there is so much light in the Church while there is so much darkness in the market place. Nobody serving God should be a failure. One of the key problem is that we lack understanding. It is an error!”
Ten members including Messrs Patrick Alubo, Johnson Takaye, Ogochukwu Favour, Ojatabache Richard, Omonttese Goddeay, Steve Ukpong, Francis Badare, Peter Ojagberere, Akperi Japhet and Emmanuel Obarikpo became the first ever beneficiaries of N10,000 each revolving loan to enable them set some small scale business.

Satan is out to steal your joy. His ministry is to steal, to kill and to destroy (Jn 10:10). He knows that if he can steal your joy, he can keep your properties. This is why he will do anything to frustrate you and everything that has to do with you.