I am troubled; really troubled. Because babalawo has come to church. Masquerades now mount the pulpit, spruced up in polished suits, deceiving the unwary. They bring worldliness into the church, bearing high decibel titles without substance.
A brother from the church where I fellowship was qualified for a vacant position in a company and quickly applied for it. He was delighted that a fellow brother, though from another church was in charge, believing that his chances had been brightened. However, on interview date, though he excelled, the job offer came with a caveat from the other brother: You must leave your church to join mine. Poor brother, who had been unemployed for a while, obliged. Today, he worships with that other church and, of course, also has the job our church could not offer him.
What has gone wrong with the body of Christ? Must that brother lure a brother from another church to his before giving him a job he is qualified for? Why have churches suddenly resorted to poaching members of other churches when there are several perishing souls out there, waiting to be harvested for Christ?
But must the brother from my church accept the job offer, knowing his heart is not going to the brother’s church willingly? But before we conclude, are we not equally guilty? How many of us today are willing to stand for Christ no matter what? How often have we betrayed the faith in our own little world, if only we could gain little advantage? Everybody is now in pursuit of miracles; irrespective of the source. Sadly, we forget that we need just one miracle. Matthew 6:33. Once we are on the Lord’s side, every other thing falls in place, automatically.
There is deep competition and rivalry among the churches. Who builds the largest cathedral? Who has the largest members? Whose members have the best cars and biggest houses? Whose pastor rides the latest private jet? The current trend is to build family churches, dynasties that pass from husband to wife to child, leaving members askance and rambling about like sheep without a shepherd. Rather than pulling people out of the pits, some pastors have polluted their altars by inviting unholy comedians to crack unholy jokes from the pulpit in order to attract more members.
There is deep division in the churches but this ought not be so because, whether it was Paul that planted or Apollos that watered, it is all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 3:5-6. Stories of many atrocities, real and imagined, are on air, making a mess of the gospel of Christ. Pastors are killing pastors or, at best, taking fellow pastors before unjust judges for arbitration. Shame!
The fire has gone out of most altars. It is because we have abandoned our calling that the devil is making inroads into our flock. It is because of this negligence that even a pastor’s daughter could be lost to the devil. It is because the church has gone to sleep that mere saplings are conscripted into other religions and given out in marriage without the parents’ consent without repercussions. It is because the church is now in pursuit of mundane things that bandits could easily chop off the heads of church leaders and relish the macabre titillation it arouses.
It is not that persecution of the church is new. Paul and Silas were jailed but when they sang and prayed, the Holy Ghost came down, blasting the prison gates open. They imprisoned Peter but when the church prayed, the angel of the Lord went on a rescue mission. Or have we forgotten that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church? Matthew 16:18. Ah, where is the Lord God of Elijah? 2 Kings2:14.
This is wakeup call. We should not be deceived by the merchants on pulpits. They are hirelings and den of robbers that will soon be flogged out of the Lord’s house of prayer. Matthew 21:12-13. It is time the church told Ahab that Elijah is here. 1 Kings 18:18. Enough of building castles in the air; it is neither the crowd nor the miracles that matter but the spirit. Many of us have missed the way. Just like a popular anonymous saying: “Too many churchgoers are singing ‘standing on the promises (of God)’ when all they are doing is sitting on the premises.” Let Samson’s hair grow again. The time is Now; it’s that urgent!
Lest we be all dead
I perceive that a lot of Nigerians are now grinning from ear to ear because government has eased the lockdown it imposed as a measure to stem the spread of the rampaging COVID-19.
For all I know, this is a likely death wish. I don’t even understand why a governor on whose state death is raining should be in the forefront of the campaign to ease the lockdown whereas he should lead the attack on the COVID madness.
What has happened to our psyche? Why are we on overdrive and duped by a false sense of safety despite the grisly statistics staring the world in the face? COVID-19 has not abated and is, in fact, baring its deadly fangs, as it munches on humanity on a scale never before imagined.
However, lest we be all dead, it is imperative to apply the brakes and warn that we should not be deceived because we have forced the government’s hands. This is the time to be more extra vigilant.
That is what this short anonymous piece I found is about: “Government is not easing the lockdown because the coast is clear or no more COVID-19 cases.
This is giving Nigerians what they want because the fallout of this decision will be on them.
Come Monday, many people will go about their affairs with no care or fear for the virus, some at this point still believe this pandemic is a sham,…..In the end, the virus will spread and curtailment will become onerous.
When that happens: many people will be left to die, treatment will be according to status AND the masses will suffer because then treatment will come at a cost!
Those of you thinking that by causing chaos you can force the government to lift the ban or those saying I would rather die of COVID-19 than hunger, and those saying: no palliative no stay @home, bear in mind that whatever happens to you will be a “you” problem not the Governments’.
The countries sharing relief items to their residents didn’t just get there suddenly, it’s the product of a working “SYSTEM” built over time with continuous modifications!
Nigeria is not there yet and can’t be overnight!
So, before you put yourself at risk, remember that these people you think you are fighting will steer clear of the virus (no hustling and bustling) and if by chance get infected will get firsthand treatment before 100 persons will be tested!
Putting yourself at risk is not the best way to fight, you can only fight now because you are alive and hale, once that changes (when you catch COVID-19) food, work, movement…won’t matter anymore!
As you step out, consider these:
Can the government manage a full-blown COVID-19 crisis?
Can you afford the treatment?
And can you even get the treatment?
COVID-19 is very much around, if you can help it STAY IN…STAY SAFE…TILL IT’S SAFE OUT THERE!!
DON’T BE DECEIVED AND DONT DECEIVE YOURSELF!!
IN THE END, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ‘YOU.’”