God is faithful to those who put their trust in Him. He remains the ultimate preserver and protector of His people. In times of danger, epidemic, war, and even in peacetime, He is there for His people. He deserves our praise and thanksgiving at all times. God is not tired of listening or answering the prayers of those who put their confidence in Him. He said in Psalm 50:15: “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
If we call on him in time of need, He will answer, He never disappoints His people. The year 2020 had a lot of upheavals, starting from the Coronavirus, which killed millions of people across the world. Countries with the best and evolving technology and good healthcare system could not contain the rapid spread of the virus and its accompanying deaths. And though the lockdown imposed to checkmate the spread brought untold hardship, we were able to survive it in Nigeria. Experts from the western world predicted that Africans would be dying on the streets, due to lack of medical care. However, God proved them wrong. It is God that preserved and sustained us. Nigeria is not ranked among countries with advanced technology or a good healthcare system to contain the spread of the virus, but God protected and preserved us. For all this, our God deserves praise, worship, and thanksgiving. Even during the #EndSARS protest-induced hardship, God in His mercy gave His children the needed protection. The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
During the peak of the spread of the Coronavirus, millions of Nigerians, especially the Christians, were calling on God for protection. Thousands of our pastors, including the General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen, stood in the gap. In one of our services, we prayed to stop the spread of the virus and for the healing of the victims. God answered our prayers and the rise at that time and the rising new cases came down drastically. Our God was in action and only God can do this. He always has good plans for us and never disappoints in granting our expectations. God always wants us to show gratitude whenever He does something good for us. In Luke 17:12-17, the Bible says: “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. …, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
When something good is done to someone, courtesy demands that the beneficiary show appreciation either in the form of thanksgiving or praises. We do so to our fellow human beings, God also should be appreciated whenever He does good to us. In the scripture above, it is unfortunate that out of ten men healed of leprosy, only one returned to express his gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ. He expected all ten to come to thank Him. He expressed disappointment with those nine that did not come back. God is not happy when we do not thank Him for jobs well done in our lives. Appreciation to God is better done, either by giving testimony in the presence of a congregation, thanking Him in prayers, or praising Him in your closet or in the public. Thanksgiving made through testimonies, praises, and worships go to God directly; hence He wants us to offer them to Him. That is why the Psalmist says in Psalm 118:1, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever. The psalmist, King David, the man after God’s heart is known both biblically and historically for praising God. It is good the present Christian folk follows a good example. God is happy receiving our appreciation, either through thanksgiving, testimonies, praises, or worship; hence we should do it with all our hearts. In our congregation all over the world, we encourage our members to appreciate God by giving testimonies and praises of thanksgiving any time there is a miracle in their lives.
While showing appreciation to God, we should understand His principles: every individual is expected to be born again by repenting from all sins before giving anything to God. He does not receive the praises and thanksgiving of sinners. If you have not been born again, do it now and join the family of God and anything you give or do for God will be accepted. Right now, if you still tell lies, engage in fighting, stealing, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, cocaine, and Indian hemp, among others, you need repentance. God abhors the sins of fornication and adultery or engaging in double marriage, etc. Make amends now and give your life to Christ. It is not the will of God that anyone should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of God. Repent of all your sins, confess and forsake them, and you will be qualified to make Heaven at last in Jesus name.
Testimony Of The Lord’s Doing
Sponsored God’s Work, Embarrassed With Numerous Blessings
MY name is Joshua Okamede. I first came to The Lord’s Chosen in 2008, after picking a Chosen handbill on the road. As I came, I heard the message and what the Lord is doing in Chosen; so, I gave my life and became a member. I plead for forgiveness because I delayed this testimony. It might interest you to know that somebody’s testimony encouraged me and I am to give mine to encourage others too. I pray that God will forgive me.
I attended the 2019 crusade in Lagos titled: ‘The Rod That Blossoms, The End Of All Strife.” The devil wanted to prevent me from attending that crusade, because, on the eve of the crusade, my truck broke down on the way, while I was returning from a journey. I abandoned the truck there and picked a night bus to attend the crusade. As I was coming into the premises for that fateful crusade, I overheard somebody testifying how he was supporting this ministry with N20, 000 monthly and how God had helped him to build a two-story structure in Lagos and in his village.
Having heard the testimony from afar, I entered and prayed. I told God that I would be giving N50, 000 every month. And so, in December of that year, I gathered N600, 000 and gave it to the pastor of the branch, where I was worshipping. Then, I was with the Tedi Branch. After giving the money, my branch pastor bought a plot of land with it for Tedi Branch. At that time in 2013, l was still using one old tipper that was always giving me problems. So, I called upon God to help me get another lorry, and I began to save some money gradually. When the money was about N1.5 million, God revealed to a sister that I should use it roof the church so that members will stop worshipping under the canopy, instead of buying a truck. I asked the sister if my wife informed her that I wanted to buy a truck, but she said no. I asked her that question because my wife was the only person that knew I was saving money for a truck.
Surprisingly, the sister began to cry and said: “So, you want to truly buy a tipper?” I said yes. She said when she received the message, she was afraid. And so, having received the message from the sister somehow, I was happy. I said if God could leave all the big men with jeep and pick me to build a house for Him, it was an honour. Some of the building committee members accompanied me to the headquarters to check the quality of the roof at the Headquarters. So, we took the sample of the headquarters’ roofing sheet and went to a company that produces roofing sheets. Everything cost me over a million naira. Before this stage, I went to the man I was saving the money with and collected my money. He asked if I had seen the tipper to buy, but I said no, that the Lord wanted me to use the money to roof His house. The man said I was mad; in fact, that I was crazy. He said, “That is how the church will brainwash you people. If your money finishes, don’t come to me again o.” I said no problem.
Brethren, God is faithful because I lent the man that made that comment some millions of naira this year to boost his business. After roofing the house of God, I was happy and we continued. People began to come to me and said they wanted to take me to General Pastor so that he would pray for me, for miracles to begin to flow in my life. I said, “Don’t take me to General Pastor because I did not build for him, but for God.” Already, General Pastor had said that after you have done the will of God, you should patiently wait. And so, I was waiting. Gradually, God helped me and I bought another truck, a very clean one that was better than what I was planning to buy with the money I used to roof our fellowship centre. After buying the truck, I used it to drop the first truckload of sand at a Chosen Branch, free of charge. That is what I do with all my trucks. That was how God started blessing me gradually and before I knew it, I bought land and built a standard two-story structure on it. I went to my village church and completed the building and also bought land, where I am building a parsonage for our pastor. As God is blessing me, that man that asked whether I was mad because I told him to give me back my money to roof God’s house told my sister that he had seen that there is a gain in building for God.
In 2008, I gave N500 throughout as an offering. Then in 2009, I increased it to N1, 000. Every year, I would increase it. Last year, I gave N10, 000 as an offering every Sunday. Then this year, I increased it to N11, 000 every Sunday. One fateful Sunday, General Pastor mounted the pulpit and said, “Giving N100 and N50 as offering would only make you be poor.” He encouraged us to give quality offerings for God to bless us. I was happy and said God, you will bless me because I give a quality offering. It did not take long and God blessed me with a Jeep. Then, I made one prayer to God that I didn’t want to be buying old vehicles again, that I wanted to be the one to number my vehicles. To God’s glory, I now import vehicles, including trucks.
I am a volunteer bus driver in this church. So, every Sunday, I drive the bus to convey our members to and from the church, especially on combined services.
Moreover, God relocated my family and me from Ojo to Apple Junction. Here, I noticed that the CRV I was riding, nobody drives it there. So, I went and bought a Jeep for myself in 2016. We continued and in November last year, somebody said I should accompany him to Lekki, that they had a job to do there. I went with him and when we got there, I loved the place and desired to live there. So, I began to work towards living there, and to God’s glory, He has granted my request.
In another development, there was one of our luxury buses that was damaged and I was moved to repair it and eased offload from our General Pastor. Eventually, I called a panel-beater and paid him and he began to repair the bus. One day, General Pastor came and saw the bus, and incidentally, I was there. When he found out that I was the one repairing the bus, he prayed for me with all his heart, and at the end, I went home and happily told my wife that General Pastor took out time to pray for me and we were all happy. So, I relaxed because I knew that something would happen, either immediately or in the future.
Eventually, I completed the bus repair and it is on the road again. Every day, General Pastor continues to pray for me because of the bus I repaired. I moved to Lekki on December 20, 2019. So, last year December made it one year I have been living at Lekki. After that, General Pastor prayed for me, and I got a contract to supply sand to Lekki Gardens. After the contract, I bought a house in Lekki. Now, I am a landlord in Lekki opposite Chevron Oil Company.
People were crying because of the lockdown, but in my case, 2020 was the best year for me because God showered me with the greatest of blessings. After the lockdown, I came here to tell our General Pastor that his prayer for me worked and that I wanted to repair another luxury bus again. He said I should go ahead, and I have just finished repairing the bus last week. After that, God brought another connection again. Now, I am the one selling sand for the son of one Senator and from there, a good amount of money entered my account. The God of Chosen is so wonderful, indeed. Because of time, I omitted so many other testimonies, for example, when the altar of this headquarters was being built, I ensured that I bought cement for it because the Chosen altar controls all the kingdoms in this world, whether one believes it or not. I advise members not to hide their money in the bank, but to use it to serve God.
•Brother Joshua Okamebe
