Your Faith and Prayers Are Making A Difference In Nigeria
(Please forgive the errors in this blog – I am quickly getting it out to you while I have internet access and do not have time to properly edit.)
God the Holy Spirit teaches the church in 2 Corinthians 1:11 “you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.” Notice the key principles of intercessory prayer given here to us by God.
“you also joining in helping us through your prayers,” God the Holy Spirit here teaches that you can help missionaries through prayer and we did indeed experience your help. At each key step of this exciting enterprise your prayers gave us just the helping hand we needed. From the funds to buy the Bibles, to their safe arrival in Nigeria, to their smooth transition with us through customs – at each step your prayers helped us by guarding and protecting this ministry of the Word.
“so that thanks may be given by many persons” Words cannot begin to express the joy of the pastors who received their personal leather study Bible with their name embossed on the front. For many it was the first leather study Bible they will ever own – some with tears, others with shouts of praise, all with thankfulness to you and to God
“for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.” We did indeed experience God’s favor through your faith and prayers. Over and over again I thought, “My prayer warriors are standing here with me, God will see us through” And you did – and He did! Over 20 Boxes of Bibles, Bible study aids and Bible reference works boxed and checked in with us when we boarded. All safely through customs with no pilferage, theft, loss or damage And we do not pay bribes. God the Holy Spirit teaches in Ecclesiastes 7:7 “...a bribe corrupts the heart.” We do not travel thousands of miles, leaving behind family and church, to corrupt hearts, but rather to redeem them. Eleanor and I have traveled in over 25 countries taking thousands of volumes around the world and we have never paid a single bribe nor lied on our visas applications. This is made possible by the power of your prayers and we praise God for this ministry of intercession. I often say, “if the Apostle Paul paid bribes, why did he spend so much time in prison?” God the Holy Spirit teaches that for two years Paul was in prison when the only thing that stood between him and freedom was a bribe. Instead of a bribe he preached Jesus and this has been our model as well Acts 24:24-27 “25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you." 26 At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. 27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,…”
How it all began I remember on my first mission trip to Nigeria sitting in the front row as I was introduced by the pastor as the guest speaker for that Sunday morning service. As he read the passage for the message he took out a battered Precious Moments Bible held together by a rubber band and began to read. I thought “We can do better than that!” Many of these pastors have Bibles brought by visiting short term mission teams, businessmen and the like. Many, before leaving for the mission field drop by the lost and found at their church and get any unclaimed Bibles to take with them. I decided then and there, to the degree that God would honor my faith and prayers, and those of my Prayer Warriors, that GCI would supply quality leather study Bibles to the pastors, lay ministers and student workers who attended our conferences and in whose churches, we preached. God has blessed this ministry and we give all the glory to Jesus and the credit to your faith, prayers and generosity.
“I have been praying for a study Bible” I hear this over and over again and these last few weeks have been no exception. Godly pastors whose primary prayer is for a quality study Bible – something many of us take for granted but for these sacrificial servants of the Lord it is no less than a miracle.
“I have been saving three years for a study Bible” A pastor shared this with me just this past week. He had been saving for three years for a leather study Bible. He was still not at his goal and had just about lost hope when his contact left for America permanently. Now even if he was able to save up the money he had no way of getting the Bible. Your faith, prayers and generosity met the need of this servant of the Lord and will bless him for years to come.
“These Bibles exceed the monthly salary of most who get them” My host minister made this comment in the pastor’s office the first week of our ministry here in Lagos at the Baptist Leadership Conference. He wanted me to know and to communicate with you what a blessing these volumes are. Many of these ministers live from month to month on the edge of poverty with little if any left over for savings. You cannot imagine the joy and the feeling of being blessed by a miracle which they could only pray and hope. The expressions of joy upon receiving a quality leather study Bible that before had only been a matter of faith almost beyond them cannot be put into words. Many will carry it the box so as to extend its life. The written Word of God is indeed a treasure to these minsters and we are so thankful to you for your part in blessing them. By God’s grace and your prayers, we will be at this till Jesus comes or till Jesus takes me home.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Director Grace Community International – ministering in Nigeria as we look forward to our ministry in Cameroon. Preaching Jesus, Teaching the Word of God, Building up the Church
Older
Top
