Will you be the man? – Yinka Adenuga

The Church was warned, but failed to pray when she should have.  Now they are paying ransoms with tithes and offerings. Unfortunately, it’s still business as usual for many.

But those who have been to the lion’s den and escaped with their lives hanging by a thread know it can never be business as usual.  I believe they are praying now like never.  I see some Christians waking up to reality and praying too.

Let’s not be deceived brethren.  We think God’s impressed with our church attendance – our singing, dancing, making loud noises, giving of tithes and offerings.  Many of our gatherings have become just empty noises in His ears, and He’s fed up with them.

Here’s what God said to the Jews who thought things like these impressed Him.

 21“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. (gatherings, services).

22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. (givings – tithes and offerings etc.).

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. (music, singing, clapping and dancing).

24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:21 – 24).

Let’s not be deceived by the number of camps we have, our mega churches, the crowds, churches here and there and eloquent preachers.  Such don’t impress God.  God is impressed by changed and sanctified hearts.

Remember, the Tabernacle at Shiloh?  The Philistines came into it and God allowed them to capture the ark of His covenant. 

What about Solomon’s temple, where the Shekinah, glory of God came down and took residence?  God allowed the Babylonians to destroy it.  God’s glory departed from the temple long before that, but the priests, prophets and people carried on with businesses as usual in the temple.  They were unmindful of the fact that God had departed from the temple and no longer present in their gatherings.

The same happened in AD 70 to the reconstructed temple, which king Herod later magnificently enlarged.  It was one of the wonders of the world.  The Lord Jesus warned the people, but they failed to heed His warning.  It was leveled to the ground by the Romans.  Today, we still see what’s left of the glorious, magnificent temple God’s glory once dwelt.

There’s no repentance, no brokenness, no humility before God in many of our churches.  Instead we see self-exaltation, assurance of self, personal aggrandizement and eloquent preachers hyping the people.

Where there is true repentance, brokenness and humility, the presence of the Lord will be there; the peace of God and the true joy of the Lord will not be absent.  And there will be no need to entertain nor hype the people.

The cries of one righteous man

On his face before His throne

Avail much.

The Lord Jesus loves His church dearly; He purchased her with His precious blood.  His Word is sure, “I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”(Matthew 16:18).

Come what may, Jesus, shall reign, the true church of Christ will march on triumphantly.

There’s still hope for our nation, if the church will humble herself and pray.  The Bible says that God, the Most High, still rules in the affairs of men, and gives it to whomever He will’s (Psalm 75:7; Dan. 4:17).  But His people must humble themselves and pray to Him (2 Chronicles. 7:14).

Brothers and sisters, you and I are the church, not some building.  Will you, personally, humble yourself before God, seeking Him with all of your heart, walking with Him wholeheartedly, seeking His heart always? And start praying – for the church and for our nation? 

Don’t wait for church leaders or your pastor, or CAN, PFN, you may be disappointed, to many of them it’s still business as usual, the feast continues.  But you brother, sister who chooses to humble yourself before God – your prayers are powerful before your heavenly Father. God is not moved by crowds or by the big shots.  The cries of one righteous man on his face before His throne avail much.

 Will you be that man?  Will you heed His call? 

In the day and hour when sound biblical doctrines are becoming fewer and rarer, when men who seek God’s heart are few, will you be the man God is looking for?   

God is looking for men who will take a stand and preach sound biblical doctrines.  He is searching for men who will bow their knees in prayer, intercessors.  Will you rise and be the man He is searching for?  Or will you maintain the status quo?

It’s time to quit playing church.  God is calling the Nigerian church to repentance! The Lord is calling us back to sound Biblical doctrines and true faith.  May we heed His call.

O Father, raise up for your church and for our nation, men and women after your own heart, who will seek your face and your heart alone, who do not care for prestige, name, fame, crowds, position and money, but only that Your Son alone be magnified, and boldly declare the Word of Truth, in Jesus name, Amen.

“Unspeakable! Sickening! What’s happened in this country? Prophets preach lies and priests hire on as their assistants. And my people love it. They eat it up! But what will you do when it’s time to pick up the pieces?” (Jeremiah. 5:31).