My 30th Wedding / Marriage Anniversary Message by Dr. Ebi Nurseman Isaac, FCIA

 

Today is our 30th Wedding / Marriage Anniversary 

"Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us."                 

1 Sam. 7:12

"One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered." Job 41:16,17

 It was exactly on a day like this 30 Years ago precisely Saturday October 8,  that I got married according to God's PERFECT WILL at Deeper Christian Life Ministry  Corporate  International Headquarters, Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa. 

As I meditate on the Biblical Significance of 30 years, my mind went straight to Joseph who became  a Prime Minister (Second in Command to King Pharaoh) in Egypt at age 30.  Before then, himself and his God -given gifts and talents were imprisoned and limited. (Genesis 41:46).

The priests officially entered service at age 30 (Numbers 4:3).

Saul became King when he was 30 years old (1 Samuel 13:1).

David became King when he was 30 years old (2 Samuel 5:4).

– Ezekiel was called by God as a prophet at age 30 (Ezekiel 1:1).

Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior officially started his Ministry at age 30 (Luke 3:23).

Therefore, I strongly believe that God's ultimate plan and purpose for my life and family that were not achieved when I was 30 years old MUST be achieved as my marriage is now 30 years.

Actually, it was a memorable day and of course an event that should be remembered and the record be told from time to time for present and generations yet unborn.

On that faithful Saturday, unlike other Wedding Ceremonies where more than 30 Would - be Couples do participate, only Nurseman Isaac and Esaduvie O. Zudonu were joined in Holy Wedlock by the officiating Minister - Pastor Jerry Asemota, representative of the  General Superintendent (Pst. Dr. W. F. Kumuyi) whom God used to teach me the word of God including Christian marriage and family life.

There are people who will not appreciate or  speak good concerning a Man of God and the Ministry that greatly contributed to their spiritual, Ministeral, physical, material, Financial, Academic and family upliftment simply because they are no more in that Ministry. By God's grace, I am not one of such ungrateful people. 

As I am writing this, I still remember the Eight Topics GS preached during the Monday Bible Study at Gbagada under Marriage for  Singles Series - if I may recollect, around 1988 (1) God - The  Match Maker (2) God Still Our  Match - Maker (3) The Unprofitable Union (4) God's Partner For Your Life (5) Spiritual Guidiance Part 1 (6) Spiritual Guidiance Part 2 (7) Spiritual Guidiance Part 3 (8) Planning for Marriage and other messages relating to Christian Marriage, Family- life, Child Training etc.

Sincerely speaking, anybody who  knew me then and even now, when the Man of God is teaching / preaching even when Outline is given,  I normally drop the Outline and jot down almost everything preached or being taught and  after the message/teaching, I will spend sometimes more than one hour to pray in the message point by point before going home. I also bought the cassettes and listen to them again and again until the message or teachings becomes part of my life.

I would like to state this equivocally  and for record purpose that it pays to serve God and stand on His unchanging word in every aspect  of life.

I also remember one fateful day at Gbagada, something happened and many of the Full Time Key Leaders / Pastors were trying to compromise on some matters concerning the Christian Faith (that was some few weeks after Brother Fadokun  took over from Bro Earnest Iyade as the Church Secretary) that GS said in front of his Office with a lamentable voice, "You people want to spoil all the things I have laboured to put in place according to God's word over the years: but I know Nurseman, he  will not and will never  join you people to compromise. I know him"

Shortly after that, I preached on a topic titled:'" Uniformity and Conformity to Bible Standards" that caused great outcry during morning devotion of all the FullTime Staff, Pastors, Leaders comprising Church Secretariat (Administrative Staff, Life Press and Life Tapes) - A devotion GS himself do come every Wednesday to train, develop and address us at that time.

Back to what happened on the day of my wedding. On that faithfull Saturday, I wore one of my old  but neat suit and my Bestman also wore  a suit with different colour. Likewise my wife and her Bridesmaid wore just  simple normal gown with different colours which was and still not the usual practice.

Before the day of the Wedding Ceremony, I was called upon by some top leaders of the Church and International HQ Marriage Committee and was strongly advised not to go the way I want to do my wedding on the ground that people will laugh at the Church. But I told them, it is my personal decision and conviction. Beside, I equally told them that  "Happy and successful  marital  life does not depend on the number of people that attend the wedding or the type of reception or  the type of suit or gown you put on or the pictures you take or the Video recording or the number of gifts you receive but it is on your applying the principles of God's word on marriage and family life before, during and after the wedding ceremony."  I reminded them what GS told us in one of the Workers' Conference that he wore short sleeve and trouser during his wedding and that if he could wear that type of dress to come for Bible Study and teach the word of God then that same type of dress is good for wedding ceremony that is not as important as preaching/ teaching God's word.

In fact this matter got to GS and they were told to leave me with my personal conviction and consecration to God.

All the couples slated to wed that month of October withdrew and shifted to the next wedding ceremony thereby leaving me and my wife (to be )  to do the wedding.

During the wedding , there was no picture taking, no video recording and there was no reception and taking of gifts. I didn't print Wedding Invitation Card.

 After the wedding, we were about walking to my one room apartment situated at Soluyi, Gbagada Phase 3 a journey of about 45mins or more by trekking  because I decided not to borrow another person's car: when Brother Israel Oyeniyi  my Co- full-time Minister in the Headquarters Church used one of the Church bus ( I perceived it was by the instruction of the Church Authority) and conveyed me, my wife, family members and others to my one room apartment at Soluyi.

Like I said above, there was no reception. I only prepared soup and pounded yam for family members and friends. By God's grace, I was so loved by the G.S., Members, Workers, Pastors, leaders and was very popular in the Church because of my sincere commitment to the service of God as well as to the people of God  but I deliberately refused printing invitation cards to invite any body. Neither did I want any gift from small or big men and women in the Church.

Actually, the Friday preceding my Wedding Ceremony, I was in my usual manner, working in the Office at Gbagada from morning till about after 11pm. Because after normal closing hour when other Full Time Staff have closed and gone home by 5:00pm, my humble self and one Bro Umoh ( I learnt he has gone to be with the Lord) will start another special assignment by attending to Vetting Committee, Land & Building Committee and Legal Committee at Gbagada - the Headquarters Church that do last up to 11:30pm every Friday of the week. 

I have already asked my wife (to - be at that time) to come from Ajegunle - Apapa ( precisely No. 55 Oluwa Street) and stay with the Woman Leader at Gbagada because we agreed not to borrow any vehicle  to convey her the following day which was Saturday (Wedding Day).

So while the people were being served with the little food I prepared for them after the wedding ceremony, I and my wife went back to the Church HQ, Gbagada for the Saturday Workers' Meeting. I could still remember that we were one of the first people at the workers meeting around 1:00pm when actually the meeting was to start by 4:00pm. 

But I assured my wife after the wedding on that Saturday that "She should be prepared for God's blessings and favours; as she had already passed all the tests in marrying God's  Perfect Will." A month after the wedding, we agreed with the Landlady, used a space and  built another room to join the existing room. There after, we bought land at Ikorodu and built four bedroom flat and packed to our personal building. 

We bought land again and built School ( Nursery/ Primary/ Secondary). We bought cars, buses for personal and school use even to assist people. All is by the grace of God. God gave us four beautiful and wonderful children a boy and three girls. The first has graduated from

University, participated in the NYSC and got married according to God's PERFECT WILL living happily with her husband outside Nigeria. The second  has also finished her  University education, got married according to God's PERFECT WILL and travelled to UK with her husband, and doing well by God's grace even assisting our last born University Educational needs. The third  (male child) is in Tertiary Institution and working as well  taking care his Mother. Infact, he bought a plot of land for my wife ( his mother) and as a matter of appreciating our 29th Wedding Anniversary  he equally bought expensive Handset for his mother.  While the last born ( female ) has also gained  admission to read Law in Lanchester University, UK ( Ghana Campus) with 50% Scholarship on Tuition Fees. God has made us grand pa and grand ma.  

This 30th Anniversary, all our children, inlaws and grandchildren took us by surprise and prepared a wonderful ceremony for us to enjoy ourselves.

We married as Sch. Cert. holders but today we are all graduates even with Post Graduate, Professional and Doctorate  Degrees by the grace of God. We are enjoying our family by the grace of God.

Even as I joined The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Ijesha, Lagos on Sunday January 1, 2006  ( after spending about 20 years in Deeper Life Bible Church), God has used our Daddy G.O.( Pastor Lazarus Muoka) to take my family and my humble self to another level. 

We  appreciate God of Chosen for His grace, mercies and love. It is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. 

Even though my life and leadership style is often  misunderstood by people, yet I am blessed and happy because it is this same life style that I applied  in the  training and development of my children and inculcated high level of disciplined character and lifestyle to every member of my family with the cooperation of my lovely, wonderful and prayerful wife of my youth.

I believe that a leader should care, love, counsel, correct in love and when the child misbehaves appropriate disciplinary action or measures will be applied so that that child will not be a drop out in society. And when a child comes to realize that you disciplined him or her out of love, that child will appreciate you now or in the future.

As a Proprietor/ Sch. Administrator of Reward International School, Maya, Ikorodu, many times especially during holiday period I will drive to see  parents to collect school fees or transport fare they are owing, I ended up giving the little money in my pocket because the parents and children have not eaten food may be since the previous day.  I have provided free school uniforms, free Note books to pupils/ students in public and private schools in Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta States respectively, fed children who could not concentrate in the class because they have no money to buy food to eat. I have paid Junior and Senior WASSCE fees for brilliant children whose parents cannot afford to pay irrespective of tribe and religion. I have cancelled School fees parents owed me which is in Millions of Naira. But many only know me as a discplinarian. Of course, I am, but I  do care too by God's grace. If I don't love, care and forgive from the  heart, how come my family ( wife and children) will run to me anytime and anywhere even those married. This same principle and leadership style is what I apply in any leadership position given to me in public, private or religious organization.

I believe, when you endeavor to train your children in the way of God, you have succeeded in solving societal problems because it is that untrained child that later becomes armed robber, drug addict, join evil gangs , involve in kidnapping, causing insecurity and every other social vices that the Government is spending billions of dollars to contend with.

That's why I advocate  for proper primary and post primary education as key to solving societal problems. Pay teachers very well and provide all the teaching materials as well as enabling environment. Religious organizations should also avoid paying lips services to children and youth arm of their  Ministry. If not the way parents, guardians, the nation and even religious Institutions are treating the issue of  child's education, training and development with levity we should be prepared for the worst if we don't change our attitude.  Go and check the environment both in public schools and religious assemblies where children are kept, you will weep for this nation. Most Churches has befitting  buildings for adults but for children and youth nothing to write home about.

However, the word of God says, in all things and in all situation, we should give thanks to God. The Bible also enjoins us to rejoice with them that are rejoicing. So please  join us to appreciate God with the wordings of this song by Easter Brothers Titled: "Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me" 

Verse 1: 

As the world looks upon me, as I struggle along They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong In my heart I'm rejoicing, how I wish they could see Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me 

Chorus:

There's a roof up above me. I've a good place to sleep. There's food on my table And shoes on my feet You gave me your love Lord

And a fine family, Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me 

Verse 2:  

Now I know I'm not wealthy, and these clothes , they're not new

I don't have much money, but Lord I have you.

And to me that's all that matters, though the

world may not see, Thank you Lord, for Your blessings on me 

I cover my anniversary message/ testimony with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, amen!

Dr. & Mrs Ebi  Nurseman Isaac