Dear Brethren,
We sincerely praise and thank God for what He has done, among others, souls saved, believers baptized and added to His Church, lessons learned, blessings received, experiences gone through in the year 2017 coming to its finale tonight. What a joy to reminisce the goodness, faithfulness, sustaining grace, and continuing favour of our great God upon us. We are just but awed with humble and grateful hearts of all the Lord’s doings that are indeed marvellous in our eyes.
We appropriately continue to express our appreciation not just with our lips in praise, but as well through our service in various ministries, and likewise through our thanksgiving offering in furtherance of God’s work. We thank God for the running total thanksgiving offering of Php1.176M from December 10 to December 27, or as of last Wednesday midweek service. While this is already a little over than last year in the same period, we trust the Lord will cause and enable many more of our brethren, especially those coming from vacation, to take part. A substantial amount of the offering or around 80% as of date has already been remitted/ allocated to address diverse and pressing needs in the Mission fields-both local and foreign, in some daughter Churches, as well as in here at the home base particularly for church vehicles gradual upgrade.
As we enter the threshold of the New Year 2018, let us continue to have a focused heart, and an abiding trust in the Lord. We are to continue to grow in grace, and in God’s Word. We take heed of God’s injunction through the Apostle Peter’s epistle in II Peter 3:17-18, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye k now these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” We sincerely take heed of the Caution,Command, and the need to Concentrate or focus on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We recognize the great opportunities and challenges ahead of us, and thereupon diligently seize and faithfully steward them in God’s guidance and great grace. We accordingly take to heart Moses’ reminder to Joshua in leading God’s people to the promise land as recorded in Deuteronomy 31:8, “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee: he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” My dear brethren,may we truly get united in God’s person, purpose, power, and presence in reaching the lost world, confident that He is surely ahead of us. Just like the challenge of William Carey, Missionary to India of old, and the father of modern Missions, may we by faith “Attempt Great things for God, Expect Great things from God!”
A much more blessed and Christ-filled New Year to us all!
All By God’s Grace and For God’s Glory!
Pastor Gerry Nable