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Sunday 18 January 2015
Speaker: Pastor Austen Ukachi
“Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. My soul still remembers and sinks within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercy we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:19-23).
“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has bestowed upon us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has bestowed on them according to his mercies, according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses” (Isaiah 63:7).
The one word that best describes God’s dealings with us these past 25 years is, FAITHFUL. To say that God has been faithful to us may seem an understatement. Over these years, He has been extremely good. It is therefore appropriate to start the year speaking about his faithfulness and mercies to us as a ministry, as we prepare to celebrate our silver jubilee.
When we say God is faithful what do we mean? Faithfulness means being true to one’s word. It means keeping to ones promises and doing what one is supposed to do. Faithfulness means steadfastness, being firm, consistent, reliable, and true. Without a shadow of doubt, God’s faithfulness towards this ministry these past twenty-five years has been great and amazing.
GOD’S ATTRIBUTE
God is faithful because it is in his character to be true and trustworthy (Numbers 23:19)
God, unlike man, is immutable and full of integrity (James.1:17)
He is faithful because it is his name (Revelations 1:5; Revelations 3:14; Revelations 19:11). He cannot deny his name
God is faithful because he keeps his promises and deserves being trusted (Hebrews 10:23) He is faithful because he does what he promises (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
He is faithful because he keeps covenants (Psalm 105:8)
He is faithful because he is the one who has established us (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
TESTIMONIES OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IN OUR MIDST
Though the happenings these past twenty-five years have not all been rosy and smooth, the joy is that despite the challenges, God has been good and merciful to us. Our beginning was small and humble, but our growth has been steady and progressive. We started off with only nine members, but today, we have over 16 churches spread across Nigeria alone.
We thank God for the vision he gave to us to build him “a barn for the endtime harvest.” We have pursued the vision vigorously all these years. The resulting mission includes prayer, outreach to the unreached and unchurched peoples, evangelism, spiritual warfare and church planting. We have kept to this vision with passion.
We have stuck to our commitment with regards to missions to the unreached peoples. We now have mission centres in Togo, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, with several churches in these countries.
By His grace, we have been involved in prayer mobilisation at the church, national and international levels. We hold an annual national prayer conference that attracts people from all walks of life. Prayer will always remain the hub of our ministry.
At inception twenty-five years ago, some of us were students, but today we are workers, married and have children who have grown to be part of this ministry. Our annual family month programme held in February of each year has brought growth, stability and harmony to our homes.
Some of us started off unemployed, but now we are established in our secular jobs and businesses. Others were tenants, with no hope of owning a property of their own, but now they are home owners.
Some of us own businesses worth multiple millions today which was not so many years ago.
Ten years ago, when we needed to relocate, God faithfully provided twenty four million naira to pay for this land. Who would have believed we could raise such an amount of money then from our midst?
The list of God’s doings and favour among us are so numerous to be recounted. The above are just some of the testimonies of his faithfulness. It is important to testify about them because of posterity. Also, it is good to recount them in appreciation of His goodness, as we get prepared to celebrate our silver jubilee. Like the Psalmist said, “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, ‘mercy shall be built up forever; your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens” (Psalms 89:1).
