Thursday, March 28, 2013

URGENT MESSAGE TO NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS AND LEADERS

The rate of bloodshed through bomb blast. armed robbery, kidnapping and
assassination in Nigeria in now alarming and increasing. The Churches in
Nigeria have been praying, some are shouting, others are crying, but the
trouble is yet to abate. The number of prayer meetings, fasting and night
vigils has reached the crescendo and yet Boko Haram and all other enemies
are not only thriving, but are becoming bold and invincible. It has reached
the level of going from house to house to slaughter people, and some
Christians are now preparing to defend themselves. I do not know how they
are going to do that - carry arms and join in the bloodsheding business? I
am also not sure of what scripture they will use to back up such an action.
But, why is God not responding to our prayers, fasting, vigils and other
things we have been doing? I seem to be hearing God saying: "Behold, the
LORD'S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That
it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And
your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. For your
hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips
have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for
justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak
lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity...".
If these things are only happening out there amongst the heathens, it will
be understandable, but are they not happening amongst those who are called
by the name of the Lord. Are they not happening in our prayer meetings,
during the fasting period and even in the "house of the Lord"? Are they not
happening amongst those in collar, the ordained, the consecrated and the
enthroned? When God looks down from heaven and examine the hearts, can he
distinguish the hearts that make up "Boko Haram" from the one that make up
the "Church council"? The same robbery some commit armed with guns, are
others not committing it armed with pens, while others commit the same
robbery armed with "anointing"? Does lies and deception not pouring out of
the brethren and even out of the pulpit? Let me play it down, because I am
not saying what you are not familiar with, or are you ignorant of these
things? My problem is that we sit before and listen to some of these
people every Sunday, even with the knowledge of the atrocities going on. It
looks like we hypnotised that we are not capable of asking God if we should
continue to sit in such places and before such "ministers".
This is why all the prayers and fasting and vigils are not reaching heaven.
Let me not talk of the attitude even at the same place of prayer and
fasting. I wish God will open a little and show you the hearts of those
praying and fasting, and that of those having vigils. You need to see they
heart they have one for another even in the house of God. That is why
instead of bringing down the enemies, our prayers seem to be growing them.
But are these enemies greater then God? Is God helpless as to how to curb
the excesses of the enemy? has it become impossible for God ho solve these
problems and heal our land? God forbid. There is nothing impossible to our
God. he is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. No Boko Haram
can hide from him and no enemy can disguise and deceive him. He does not
support to subdue the enemies in a moment. So, the problem is not with God,
but we have not woken up to do the right things, which he expects the
Church to know and do. These steps that are yet to be taken seriously is
the reason for this write up and the earlier the better. What is this
solution?
The solution remains the same old solution which the Israelites of old
applied anytime they come to this kind of cross road - any time the enemies
came upon them heavily as they have come on Nigeria presently. God in his
mercy has not committed their experiences in writing for our example, but
he has also codified it as a standard for every generation. It is such that
no matter the nature of problems and troubles that confronts the people and
the land (be it drought, locust inversion, pestilence, armed robbers, Boko
Haram, Kidnappers and so on), "if My people who are called by My name will
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal
their land."
Nigerians have been praying and I bear them witness there have been all
manner of prayers meetings and vigil all over the country. Some are even
adding fasting to their prayers as they have learnt that "This kind can
come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." So, Nigerians are praying.
However, the missing link is that the solution is beyond prayer. The
standard solution quoted above have some other ingredients which are
violently missed out. These are "humble themselves", "seek my face", and
"turn from their wicked ways".
As individuals are we humble? As Church leaders at all levels and as
congregations, are we humble? Are Church leaders not lifting themselves up
above God himself? Are some not even desiring to be worshipped? As a nation
are we humble? Let me not weary you, because you can see our arrogance and
proud attitude at every level. Even the gigantic and beautiful Church
building that many are spending millions to build, are they not for them to
take glory as having the best church in town or the biggest church
auditorium or the most high tech church. Check it out and see. God also is
seeing all these and wondering what the people have been learning from the
Bible the carry around.
Again, can you listen to the prayers going on everywhere in the Land. If it
is not for prosperity, it is for the enemies to fall and die. Some are
shooting Boko Haram with spiritual machine gun, while others are killing
any ancestral spirit that is hindering them from making their millions.
Some are chasing Holy water and oil, while others are making money from
selling these items. Is any body really seeking God's face to say, "Father,
what is this about? Lord, what shall we do? What message are you sending to
your people? What shall we do to stop the enemy inversion? How many are
saying "Lord, that I may know you, that I may see your face"?
Now, consider the heart with which many are praying - wicked hearts. Some
have blood stain in their hands and are praying not for cleansing, but for
God to kill "Boko Haram' and armed robbers for him. In some of the night
vigils, fornication and adultery are recorded even amongst highly placed
leaders. The prayers are said with 2 eyes open, because if one closes his
eyes he may loose his phone or bag in the midst of prayers. Let me not
bore you with the stealing and looting in the Government circle, which you
know so well, but I am not sure it the one happening in the Church is not
more. Since the crises escalated, how many people have changed their wicked
ways? How many people have repented of their sins and turned clearly
to seek the face of God? How may people care about God's approval of what
they are doing? How do we expect God to move on behalf of sin ridden
people, who are not interested in repenting? Shall we remain in sin that
grace may abound - God forbid. Christians have been delivered from sin, why
is it that they are still swimming in it. Do they not read in the Bible
that anyone who sins is of the devil because the devil sins from the
beginning? Is it not clear in the Bible that anyone born of God cannot sin
because the seed of God is in him and it is in this matter that the
children of God and the children of devil are distinguished. As sin colours
the voices of thanksgiving, supplication, praise and worship; God cannot
inhabit them, nor give regard to them. There is need for repentance and for
leveraging on the blood of Jesus to wash away the sins and go justified,
but sin no more. However, where sin has become a culture, a way of life, it
is not difficult to tell who is in charge in those lives. You can see
with God, why he cannot quickly arise to destroy your enemies and you too
may be an enemy of God, not minding your rank.
If you are a child of God, who desires a change in Nigeria, or you are a
leader at any level and any circle in Nigeria, you have to give yourselves
to closing these gaps, and lead or encourage others to do so beginning from
individual personal lives and then to community life. In the time of old,
they go in "ashes and sack cloth" in humbling themselves in repentance, but
in this jet age, Nigerians (especially those who are called by the name of
the Lord) should tear their heart and not their garment. Can we drastically
reduce our boisterous luxuries, sell them and give out the money to the
poor. Can we put off our private jets and exotic cars in repentance and
humility or sell them and use the proceed to help many who cannot afford
daily bread. Can the leaders come down from their exulted thrones and
genuinely seek the face of God in humility and repentance. This is the time
to end all sooth saying that are going on everywhere and seek authentic
word from the Lord. You, especially you a leader knows what I am talking
about. Your delay in repentance is tearing the country apart. Remember the
three whooping gaps - Humble themselves, seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways.
Now, this is the only hope for the country. Note that 2015 is coming and
let us not imagine what will happen then if these things are not timely
addressed. Now is the time. This message will go round Nigeria and you will
be part of the courier, so that it will reach all Christian leaders and all
God's people, to give them clear direction for their prayers and action, so
as to save this country, whose survival depends on what they do. As this
message goes round, anyone who refuses to hid the word of God and put these
steps in practice in his life and in his areas of influence, consider him a
worse enemy of Nigeria than "Boko Haram", armed robbers and kidnappers put
together. Do not even eat with such a person or fellowship with him,
whoever he is. No matter how interesting his sermons sound, do not sit
under him, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Remember that the starting
point is your own life and the 3 steps are "Humble themselves, seek my
face and turn from their wicked ways". If you are a teach, teach these, in
you are an evangelist, evangelise them and if you are a prophet, prophecy's
them. Again, if you are an apostle, make them your foundation and if you
are a pastor, feed these to your flock. But do not forget, the starting
point is you.
When you receive this, please broadcast it to every Nigerian and as a
Nigerian, begin with yourself immediately you get the message, and
encourage those around you. While working on yourself, send the message to
others. God is saying to Nigerians, especially those called by his name
"Try me in this." The zeal of the Lord will circulate the message, but I
employ you to be an instrument in the hand of God to disseminate this
message let it reach the head of state and those in authority and the
Church leadership. Your obedience will save Nigeria.

May the peace of the Lord be with those who are obedient to his word - amen.

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