A God of Faithfulness
“The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4 NAS

I am not sure if you have heard the news that on February 19, 2015 I was given an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Emmanuel Theological Seminary in Kalaymyo, Myanmar.

It was an incredible moment in my life and one that could only be orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children. For the scriptures teach us that: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17) His mercies are new every morning great is His faithfulness!

I first met Pastor Mun Thang, President of Emmanuel Theological Seminary (ETS), in February 2013, we seemed to have a lot in common: A love for the Word of God, for reaching the lost, prayer, the Church, and the Person of the Holy Spirit, missions, church planting and for training men and women for the ministry. I was deeply interested to learn that the seminary was 12 years old and that they had graduated 150 students all of whom are involved in some form of service in the local church in different parts of Myanmar. I did not know that during the course of our meeting together, that the Lord began to talk to him about giving me an honorary doctorate degree. He said: “Up until we met you we never thought about giving anyone an honorary doctorate degree.” He researched and learned of some of the things that I had been doing for the past 28 years of full time Christian service. During my second time to Myanmar that year, he said that the Lord had shown them that they were to give me the degree in honor for the work that I have been doing for Christ and the Gospel. He said that: “When the Holy Spirit said that to me, I had to follow that.”

Beloved. As these events began to unfold, I cannot help but think of the many people in my life that helped to make this moment possible. Special thanks to my wife Debbie who walked with me through all of what has been accomplished none of which I could have done without you. I love you baby! So glad that you, too, could be there there on this special day. And a big thanks to ALL of you who have been a part of my journey of serving the Lord these many years. I am pressing on towards the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

~ Dan Ecker