This is a direct message to the body of Christ – the Church, the men in authority (government), and every passionate individual who share my concerns.
After the first man, Adam and his wife fell into the temptation from the devil, the first thing they came up with was to hide themselves from God. They were not bold and confident to report themselves to the one who created them. After they were confronted, blame game went on and on.
As I watch the trends of events going on in the church and the nation today, I could see the same thing happening and playing out. We are all hiding from the real truth and covering up. No one is taking responsibility and the blame game continues…. the woman you gave me, …..the serpent….the boko haram…tithe and offering….the church….President Buhari and on and on.
Nigeria is a praying nation, within the Christian circle and other religions, is God not hearing us? What else do we need to do that we are not doing? Are we really praying the right prayers? It seems the more we pray, the harder the battle becomes.
That is why we need a solemn assembly.
Amos 5:20 – 24 (in the message translation)broke my heart, it reads:
“I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want.Amos 5: 20 – 24 (The Message Translation)
In as much we are still hiding and busy covering up with religious activities which are even being backed up with great results and outcomes, we may not still have an head way to seek God in sincerity.
It seems we are stagnant and we cant really lay hold on what to do. Where is the voice of the Church in all that is happening around?
The solution remains in turning the matter over to God but more importantly, the need for solemn assembly.
Just like Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 1: 6-7:
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
I am a child but I need to obey the bidding of God and share with body of Christ what he laid on my heart. I am just a passionate individual with a great concern for the body of Christ and for our great nation, Nigeria. God has been so gracious and merciful to us but yet, there is need to put things in proper perspective and seek God after the due order.
How I desire that the church (the body of Christ) come out of our various denominations and gather under one umbrella on a Sunday morning for a great time of intercession to cry upon the Lord, repenting of our negligence and insensitivity and seeking God what next to do. Peradventure, God will find unto himself a remnant amidst us.
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. Genesis 18:32
Where are the remnants of God in this nation? Probably they are not even in the Church (in the denominations) as we supposed. God could not find any during the days of Lot, the entire family got corrupted by worldliness and could not prevent the impending danger, God spared the family through the intercession of Abraham.
There are various issues coming up today which were meant to be critically looked into but were trivialized and were not attended to. All these events were not ordinary, they were suppose to be like checks and balances which was intended for us to look at where we are and what we are doing (as leaders, ministers of God, and as believers), to evaluate our messages, our lifestyles, and the kind of people we are building but it turned out into a debate and division in the body.
May God bring back the order into His body and cause our hearts to be receptive and teachable.
What has happened to our fire? Has is gone out or gradually dying out? Is it difficult for God to actually defeat the enemies of this nation in a day? Are we sure God is not even the one behind them to bite us hard so we can look up to him just like the days when Moses raised up the brazen serpent? These are just serious concerns in my heart which calls for consideration.
Fire may not come back into the fold except there is a regathering and a solemn assembly.
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
1Kings 18:30
We are also in such days now, where the precious people of God have been deceived, oppressed, afflicted and exploited. For the true fire to come and bring a separation from the true prophets and the those who serve their bellies, we must come into a place of solemn assembly and repair the altar of God. Look at it again, it is “the altar of God” not “the altars of God”. We all have a common altar, a common ground, common salvation (Jude 3), one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). We need to realise this truth, that is the unity of the body, which is a very strong weapon that the enemy has taken away from us.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:12 – 13
Why are we divided and hate each other so much knowing we are members of same body? We needless look elsewhere for where defeat is coming from, we are so divided. The enemy has succeeded in making us fight against one another while he watches and is catching fun.
Beloved, things have to change.
We need to get back to the true gospel that was handed over to the church.
Shouldn’t it be a thing of concern the number of people are tired of the church, who now stay back at home on Sundays doing house chores, some in club houses, the youth on the football fields and gym halls. When they start to feel ” I will gain and achieve more staying back than going to church ”
Does it surprise us the way clubs and beer joints are springing up, multiplying and competing with our well decorated worship centres? The club houses are made so attractive and conducive for men and women to party and forget their homes and families. Students are also attracted with all manner of enticements…fun, money, women, free drinks and so on. ohh, you thought those places are filled with infidels or purely unbelievers? Can you do a little investigation? Take a stroll in the evening and see the kind of cars and people you would meet at these joints. Check those cars and see church stickers pasted on them. It will shock you how bad things have been today.
Iniquities are abounding and the love of men are waxing cold. Where should we go? Church or the world? This is a serious dilemma. Where will our help come from?
When last are we bothered and felt much concern for the lost souls as a church?
Do you know we evangelise believers today? We move and motivate them from one place of fellowship to another, when last do we really penetrate and go to where sinners are?
Where are prophecies of old according to Isaiah 2:2 – 3.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
These are the few concerns of my heart that I share for now, we shall continue this as God gives the opportunity.
Be Part of the Solemn Assembly coming up on Saturday, 1st September, 2018.
Theme: The Dilemma
Date: Saturday, 1st September, 2018
Time: 10am
Venue: Leadership Development Centre (LDC), Opp Gas Land, Molete, Ibadan.
Remain blessed.
Olufemi Ajani.
08186964317.