Churches in Akwa Ibom State have been urged to emphasize the importance of obedience to God’s word and discipline to the Christian doctrine in order to impact the society positively.
Governor Udom Emmanuel made the call while addressing Christian worshippers on Sunday during a special service to end the 21 days fasting and prayer programme at Full Life Christian Centre, UYO
The Governor, who was accompanied by his wife, Martha, some members of the State Executive Council, Lawmakers and other top government functionaries, pointed out that lack of discipline has been a major hindrance to progress in societies.
He said, “Let me thank God for this Ministry, I always appreciate it. I keep saying that the only problem black man has is lack of discipline and the only place this word can make an impact is in the Church where God’s word is preached, if indiscipline is curtailed, then black man’s problem will be over”.
The State Chief Executive thanked God for his grace upon the leadership and members of the church to go through the 21 days fasting and prayers, maintaining that if Christians could only set out time to pray, God will always have time to answer and establish them.
Governor Emmanuel expressed appreciation to the Full life Christian centre and the minister Rev Ntia Ntia for holding forth in the place of prayer particularly the 21 days fasting and prayed God to grant speedy answers to the prayers, saying, ” I thank God for what God has done for us as a people and as a State despite tough times. God has been faithful to Akwa Ibom State, I always stand to give Him praise for the peace and progress we have made”.
Emmanuel called on the church to continually pray for the progress of the state urging believers to inculcate the habit of praises to God and be playful and expectant of God’s blessings in the year 2020.
In his homily titled ‘Positioning Yourself to receive Answers to Prayers’, the Senior Pastor of Full Christians Centre, Rev. Ntia Ntia, who drew his text from Jeremiah 33: 3 admonished Christians to pray with an expectation that God answers prayers.
He stressed on the need for believers to pray in faith and be rightly positioned for answers from God as they pray.
According to him, it is incumbent on Christians to be occupied with the word of God, be thankful, faithful and be a channel of God’s blessings to others, as God expects us to do for others what we wish he does for us, he stated.