Witnessing the fulfillment of God’s promise

Witnessing the fulfillment
of God’s promise

LIVESTREAMING WORSHIP SERVICE:
PMD MULTIMEDIA CENTER, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES
MAY 10, 2020

By KENNETH A. OUANO

Through a worship service officiated by Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, the Executive Minister, the Church Of Christ commemorated two special occasions on May 10, 2020—the 134th birth anniversary of Brother Felix Y. Manalo and the 40th anniversary of Brother Eduardo Manalo’s ordination.

Brethren in different countries and time zones were able to listen to the preaching of God’s words through video streaming technology. Streamed lived, the worship service was attended by brethren in different countries and time zones. Through the Bible, the Executive Minister taught the importance of remaining steadfast and immovably firm in their divine election as Church Of Christ members even in the worst of times. He reminded the brethren how the Lord God fulfilled His promise to His Messenger in these last days, how He upheld Brother Felix Manalo with His righteousness, and how God blessed the Church Of Christ with many victories. Emphasizing the great importance and power of prayer, he exhorted them to completely place their trust and hope in the Lord God.

Ministers, ministerial workers, and their respective families in various ecclesiastical districts around the world also witnessed the preaching of God’s words. Here are insights shared by some of the ministers who have dedicated many years in serving in the ministry and have witnessed how the Almighty God helped and upheld the Church Of Christ throughout these years.

________________________________________________________

“The Church Of Christ is thankful to God for the 40th anniversary of Brother Eduardo Manalo’s ordination. We have witnessed how much he loves the Church. He values the Church Of Christ more than everyone else and even more than his own life. Also manifest in him is a quality similar to Apostle Paul: he does not count his life dear to himself, so that he may finish the ministry he received from Christ.

That is why we must firmly hold on to our election and to God’s promises because the Church Of Christ in these last days has the sure word of prophecy. This assures us that God will never forsake us, His people, until we receive our salvation.

May all the brethren continue to uphold the intensive renewal of life and participate in the propagation works by sharing their faith to many people because Judgment Day is truly near. May we hold on firmly to God’s words by obeying them all without hesitation. All of us should actively uphold our worship service to God because, during our worship services, the Lord God grants all the blessings we need in our life, especially in serving Him.”

________________________________________________________

“What was taught by God’s Messenger, which was also taught by Brother Eraño G. Manalo, is also what Brother Eduardo Manalo continues to faithfully teach today—nothing was changed. That is why the biblical lessons taught during the worship services every month of May are the lessons by the Sugo and every month of January are the lessons by Brother Eraño Manalo, which they prepared when they were still living.

We feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit to our beloved Executive Minister. Under his leadership, we continue to obey God’s commands and uphold our worship of Him, our propagation works, and other activities.”

________________________________________________________

“The Church is so blessed because even if God’s Messenger and Brother Eraño Manalo have been laid to rest, God showed His love for the Church by placing a leader who is truly one in heart with them in caring for the welfare of the Church Of Christ. Because of the virtuous and dynamic leadership of the Executive Minister of the Church, the Lord God is glorified and, in turn, the entire Church Of Christ is blessed with a parade of victories in its different endeavors.

That is why we should never doubt God’s promises because He will surely fulfill all of them. We have already witnessed the fulfillment of God’s promises to His Messenger and to the whole Church Of Christ, even up to now, under the leadership of Brother Eduardo Manalo.”

________________________________________________________

“It is indeed important for the words of God taught by our Executive Minister to reach every brother and sister in the Church Of Christ. We should all the more prove that we understand the importance of remaining faithful and having integrity by being obedient to all of God’s laws and commandments. Church members ought to be spiritually mature and firm in their conviction, especially when they face troubles in life.

We should all the more rely on the promises of our Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ, that They will give us the strength that we need and that we will feel in our hearts Their immense power. We should never back down or lose hope because we are never alone in facing life’s trials and worries since we have God on our side. Let us hold on firmly to the divine election we received through the commissioning of God’s Messenger in these last days.”

________________________________________________________

“The current Executive Minister firmly upholds God’s teachings that we received through God’s Messenger such as holding on to our Church membership until the end to be assured of salvation, as well as the giving of voluntary offerings—which glorifies God, for these are used for the propagation of His words, the building of houses of worship, and the edification of the Church.

The Church continues to faithfully obey God’s commandments: being united with the Church Administration; renewing one’s life completely; keeping the love of the brotherhood; the Church’s unity; accepting a Church duty; maintaining the cleanliness, orderliness, and safety of the house of worship; actively participating in the work of propagation; and being prayerful.”

________________________________________________________

“What the Executive Minister always teaches the ministers and ministerial workers, even the Church members, is to be strong in our faith in what the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ can do for Their true servants. Our faith should be without doubt and should be proven through obedience to all of God’s commandments written in the Bible, which were preached by God’s Messenger and are continued to be preached by the Church Administration.

The Executive Minister reminded us not to be afraid, but instead to take courage in facing problems in life. The courageous ones will neither be troubled nor be distracted from serving God and from obeying His commandments even amid hardships and sufferings. They are the ones who walk in the newness of life and do not think of doing evil, even during difficult times. The Executive Minister always teaches us to love God, Christ, and the Church fervently. He also teaches that ministers, ministerial workers, and Church officers should always care for the welfare of the Church.

To do so, it is not enough to simply teach the brethren. We can show much care for them by ensuring that the message of the lessons taught by the Church Administration is fully understood by the brethren and that they firmly believe and fulfill them since it is for their own benefit, not only for them to triumph over trials and difficulties, but most importantly, for them to be assured of salvation on Judgment Day and to receive God’s promise of everlasting life.”

________________________________________________________

“The efforts of the previous leaders of the Church Of Christ were not in vain. The 40th anniversary of Brother Eduardo Manalo’s ordination attests that the Lord God upholds and guides him, that is why he is victorious in his ministry, especially when God chose him to become the Executive Minister. This further gives me inspiration and fervor to all the more be dedicated to fulfilling my Church duties.

We should always look to God and hope for His help because He is Almighty and is always ready to help us. Nothing is impossible with Him. That is why, as God’s true servants in these last days, we ought to fully trust in Him. We should all the more devote ourselves to our worship services to Him because it is during the worship services when we can cast our cares to the Lord God and tell Him all our worries, burdens, and everything else that comes in our life.”

________________________________________________________

“During the historic occasion, many Church Of Christ members were able to witness the preaching of Brother Eduardo Manalo through modern technology. It brought great joy and fervor to the brethren. Once again, their faith and hope were rejuvenated, which is what they truly need now that the world is facing problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

I am thankful to Brother Eduardo Manalo for his love for the Church. We will always remain united with him and we, along with my fellow ministers, will continue to fervently fulfill our Church duties by leading, reminding, and teaching the words of God to all the Church officers and members in our care. We will continue to love and care for the brethren in the Church.

We promise that even with the worsening condition of this world because of the recent events, we will continue to uphold all the activities of the Church, the works of propagation and edification, and especially the worship services.”

________________________________________________________

“Commemorating these two occasions gives me strength and inspiration as a minister because we are part of the result of the hard work and dedication of God’s Messenger and the Church Administration. Without them, we would not be here at all.

God’s Messenger in these last days was the one who first experienced severe trials. As the one who began this work, he frequently faced persecutions. He barely had anything when he started his mission. But God fulfilled His promise to His Messenger, that He will not forsake him, which is why he was not afraid. He did not give up despite the trials and persecutions. When World War II broke out, the Church members remained steadfast in the faith. Despite fierce persecutions, they did not give up their faith, and most importantly, their hope for salvation.

The kind of trials we experience these days may be different from what they experienced before: persecutions through social media, dangerous and deadly illnesses. But we continue all the more fervently in our worship services to God, in our voluntary offerings, in propagation activities and in the activities of the Christian Family Organizations.”

________________________________________________________

“Our ongoing fight with this pandemic can be likened to a world war. However, this is not a war among nations but a war wherein almost all nations are fighting a single enemy, which is Covid-19. Similar to what happened during the Second World War, this pandemic has caused massive losses in life, ravaged the economy of many countries, and ruined the livelihood of many people.

Just like what God’s Messenger did in his time, the current Executive Minister’s dynamic leadership can clearly be seen in our time. He aims to help not only the members of the Church but also nonmembers. Far greater than giving material aid, he preaches the words of God and exhorts us to be obedient to His commandments.

In the same way that the brethren remained steadfast and the Church Of Christ grew during the Second World War under the leadership of the Messenger, the Church Of Christ continues to grow now under the leadership of Brother Eduardo Manalo. This only proves that the guidance and help that the Lord God gave to Brother Felix Manalo are also what He continues to give to Brother Eduardo Manalo.”