AT THE APPOINTED TIME
Pastoral letter of January 21, 2006 sent since the Makala's Prison to the Church of Gombe in Kinhasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pastor Theodore.
To God’s church in Gombe.
To the Lord’s faithful, who do not cease to battle with us, sending up prayers and petitions to God in holiness and purity.
I greet you!May the God's grace be wiith you!
I invite you to reflect on the words of scripture in Genesis 18:14:“Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a Son”.
At the appointed time will be the theme of this pastoral letter.
At the appointed time God will do what he promised, what seems amazing and beyond all human understanding. What you have ceased to hope for he will accomplish at the appointed time.
The idea of the appointed time presupposes a promise made by God. The promise itself is the result of a call and of walking with God.
God called Abraham. He has also called you. Abraham responded to the call and walked. He was promised that he would become the father of nations. However, his wife was barren. At the age of 75, when he heard the call, his wife was barren. And in spite of having followed God for 24 years, she was still barren.
And also, in you, after 1 year, 5, 15, 20 years of calling of promises, something remains barren, does not respond.
It is the famine around you, the desert, the desperation, the mocking of others, the contempt, the doubt.
Yet, the word of God remains true and certain. I will return at the appointed time.
The time is important but also the promise. So let us talk about the promise first, and what it demands of us, then about the time and what it entails. Then we will conclude.
I. The promise
1.1. To know to obtain promises
As Abraham we receive the promise at the very moment we are called. For us, every word from God is the promise of God to those who believe. Abraham was made several other promises during his walk of faith. It is the revelation of the promise that allows you to understand the appointed time.
What are the promises that you have received in your heart apart from those written in the Bible.
1.2 How to attain promises
God said Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1Timothy 4:8)
Those who do not devote their time fully to reading the Bible regularly and daily; those who do not devote their time to prayer, who do not offer up prayer in different ways, who do not fast, those who do not serve God in the church, who do not obey, will not receive the promise.
It is when he was reading the Scriptures that Daniel understood, according to the word of God given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem will last seventy years. And while he prayed he was visited by heavenly creatures.
Cornelius clearly saw an angel in full daylight. It was in response to his prayers and alms giving. Those who give to the poor and to the Church will receive the promise.
Mary received the promise that her name would be remembered always in the Gospel for having offered a perfume of great price to Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, do you dedicate yourselves to giving?
Whilst fasting and carrying out their ministry, the servants of God in the Church of Antioch received their instructions from the Holy Spirit.
It was whilst they were praying that Jesus was transfigured. Elijah and Moses appeared at his side speaking of his journey to Jerusalem.
Do not journey any more without the promise. Do not leave without his command.
Remember Moses in Exodus 33:15. He refused to leave without the promise without his instructions.
How many Christians walk alone without God, without revelation?.
What did the Lord say to you about your wound, about your personal situation, about your Church?
Three times Paul pleaded with the Lord to be delivered from the messenger of Satan that caused him too much suffering. He was told: “My grace is sufficient for you”. So he understood the meaning of his thorn.
Moses and Joshua walked and acted because they had received the promise.
We too have received the promise in the Bible, we must be pious, so that God can speak to our hearts. We will leave with confidence.
God said to Abraham. I will come back - Sarah will have a child. But at the appointed time.
What does the appointed time mean and what is its importance?
II Time
The appointed time
For everything there is a time, a time for everything under heaven.
Abraham had been given the promise but he did not seek out God, to find out the appointed time.
God has appointed a time for everything he will do for a man, for a woman, for a Nation.
From there arises the importance of knowing and understanding the importance of times.
2.2The importance of time
He who would wish to succeed in life must know that success does not belong to the agile, to the wise, to the intelligent, to the learned, but to those who know how to bring about that God should change time and circumstances, to those who know how to discern and recognise the time.
Some examples:
a)Israel decided to go to Hebron to give the throne to David because he had the grace to have close to him sons of ISSACAR who knew what Israel should do and the best time to do it. (1Chronicles 12:32). The church, the family, the nation which have at their heart men and women who know how to recognsie the appointed time will do exactly what is right, they will make the right decisions and they will flourish.
b) Esther became Queen because of the fall of Vashti. “The King spoke to the wise men who understood the times.”
c) God will rise and will only have pity on you at the appointed time, not before.”
(Psalm 102:14)
d) Our Lord Jesus Christ was always attentive to the moment chosen by God to act.
So leave at the favourable time. Ask at the appointed time. Even your enemy will favour you. At the time appointed by God, the children of Israel asked the Egyptians, their oppressors, for what they wanted. “They gave them what they wanted and they took the wealth of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:36)
This is whyJesus would not give into pressure, not even from his brothers. Do not be pressured into marriage. Decide nothing at the wrong time. Be alert. Jesus said:“My time has come. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples.” (Matthew 26:18)
The Lord would not allow himself to be rushed to go to the Festival of Tabernacles.He said, “ My time has not yet come. For you any time is right.” (John 7:6)
Any time is right for you. You married in your own time. You acted in your own time. That is why you cry.
But Jesus awaited God’s time.
Why, my dear friend?
Because God “ has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
III Conclusion
Do you know your time?
The time when God will make all things easy, beautiful, agreeable.
This is the time of God’s favour. (Corinthians 2 6:2)
It is the time when man and nature work for our happiness.
As it is writen, “At the appointed time I have answered you.”
Do not marry when you should be single. Do not be free when you should be in prison. But do not go to prison as a wrongdoer.
Joseph was in prison for having made the right choice. It was the time to be there.
Even when he explained the dream to the cup bearer of Pharaoh, he could not deleiver him. Joseph remained in prison.
It is from the prison that he became the First Minister. That amazed Potiphar. Theprisoner Joseph, his former slave, had become, after Pharaoh, the head of all Egypt.The pagan King loved him and gave him power.
It was the appointed time.
Theodore NGOY, Pastor.
A BRIEF EXPLANATION
On the morning of the 26 January 2001, Pastor Theodre Ngoy, who was detained at the formerly Makala prison, wrote the above pastoral letter to the Church in Gombe.
A little more than 7 months earlier, June 5, Rev. Theodore Ngoy, his hand on the bible, had announced his candidacy to the Presidential elections 2006.
ON Thursday, 29 December 2005 Coronel Raus Chalwe, Director of the Special Police, acting in the name of Joseph Kabila, sent more than 40 men some, in police uniforms, some in plain clothes and all clearly armed, to abduct Reverend Theodore Ngoy who was praying and fasting with the Church of Gombe.
It was prior to General John Numbi sending his guard and those of Kabila on the 23 March 2007, to pillage and rob and burn down the Church in Gombe, the lawyer’s office and the home of Theodore Ngoy.
Upon reading this inspirational and edifying letter you will realize that God never change. His word remains the same.
He will act in your favour and in favour of your family, your country, your Church and of course the Congo, the Church in Gombe and its servant Reverend Theodore Ngoy... At his time. This time is already in its terms.
We any more will not be long to see it happening.
Oxford on May 22, 2000
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