HEAVEN’S GREAT LAMENTATIONS: Christianity Now, And Christianity Then – By Bishop E.O Ikeakor, JP.

IF YOU EVER KNOW THE WHO WILL BELL THE CAT STORY, THAT IS ACTUALLY THE FITTEST QUESTION FOR THE RESCUE OF THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH AND CHRISTIANITY.

“AND GOD SAID, AND SO I SOUGHT FOR A MAN AMONG THEM THAT SHOULD MAKE UP THE HEDGE, AND STAND IN THE GAP BEFORE ME FOR THE LAND ,THAT I SHOULD NOT DESTROY IT, BUT I FOUND NONE.” (Ezekiel 22:30).

” THUS SAID THE LORD, STAND YOU IN THE WAYS AND SEE,AND ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS, WHERE THE GOOD WAY IS, AND WALK IN IT; THEN YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. BUT THEY SAID, “WE WILL NOT WALK IN IT.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

…..THEN,PASTORS AND CHURCH MINISTERS WERE CHOSEN THROUGH FASTING AND PRAYERS, BUT NOW ,PASTORS AND CHURCH LEADERS ARE CHOSEN THROUGH POLITICS AND PROPAGANDA. (Acts 13: 1-3)
….THEN,PASTORS, PROPHETS,AND PRIESTS WERE KNOWN AND DESCRIBED AS HOLY MEN OF GOD, BUT NOW PASTORS,PROPHETS,AND PRIESTS ARE KNOWN AND DESCRIBED AS DIGITAL AND SWAGGIE. ( 2 Kings 4: 8-9).
…..THEN, PASTORS AND THEIR WIVES WERE BOTH RIGHTEOUS AND BLAMELESS BEFORE GOD, BUT NOW, MOST PASTORS AND THEIR WIVES ARE UNRIGHTEOUS, MATERIALISTIC,AND EXTREMELY FASHION-CRAZY. ( Luke 1: 5-6).
…….THEN, THE PROPHETS PROPHESIED AGAINST THE EVIL DEEDS OF THE POLITICAL LEADERS, BUT NOW, THE PROPHETS PROPHESY TO COMMEND THE EVIL DEEDS OF THE POLITICIANS AND POLITICAL LEADERS. ( 1 Kings 18:17-18)
…..THEN ,SERVANTS OF GOD ATTRACTED PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND REFUSAL TO COMPROMISE GOD’S STANDARD, BUT NOW, SERVANTS OF GOD EVADE PERSECUTION BY THEIR LIFE OF COMPROMISE AND CONFORMITY. ( Daniel 3:16-19)
…..THEN, PROPHETS,PASTORS AND PRIESTS PREACHED AND PROPHESIED ONLY THE WORD OF GOD, BUT NOW, PROPHETS, PASTORS, AND PRIESTS PREACH AND PROPHESY FROM THEIR IMAGINATION CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD. ( 1Kings 22:1 &7).
…..THEN, PROPHETS AND PASTORS WERE SENT TO JAIL BY THE UNRIGHTEOUS POLITICAL LEADERS FOR SPEAKING THE MIND OF GOD, BUT NOW, PROPHETS AND PASTORS ARE INVITED FOR DINNER AFTER PREACHING AND PROPHESYING FOR UNRIGHTEOUS POLITICAL LEADERS. ( Acts 12:1-6).
…..THEN, GOSPEL SINGERS WERE SINGING IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT NOW GOSPEL SINGERS ARE SINGING IN IMMORALITY AND EXTREME WORLDLINESS.
…….THEN, GOSPEL SINGERS WERE KNOWN AS GOSPEL SONG MINISTERS, BUT NOW THEY ARE KNOWN AS GOSPEL ARTISTES.
…….THEN, GOSPEL SINGERS SAW THEIR CALLING TO SING AS A MINISTRY,BUT NOW GOSPEL SINGERS SEE THEIR CALLING TO SING AS FULL COMMERCIAL BUSINESS AND MERCHANDISE.
…..THEN, SINNERS CRY IN CHURCH AFTER SERMONS, BUT NOW SINNERS CLAP IN CHURCH AFTER SERMONS. ( Acts 2:37-38)
……THEN, SINNERS KNELT BEFORE THE PREACHER IN COPIOUS REPENTANCE AFTER PREACHING, BUT NOW, SINNERS DROP MONEY AT THE FEET OF THE PREACHER AFTER ENTERTAINING THEM THROUGH MOTIVATIONAL TALKS. ( Ezra 10:1-12).
……THEN, CALL FOR REPENTANCE ENDED EVERY SERMON AND CHURCH PROGRAMMES, BUT NOW CALL FOR DONATIONS, AND SEED SOWING ENDS EVERY SERMON AND CHURCH PROGRAMMES. (Acts 2:40-41).
……THEN, DISCIPLESHIP AND RAISING OF TRUE DISCIPLES FOR CHRIST WAS THE SOLE BURDEN AND BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH, BUT NOW ORGANISING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES AND RAISING OF MILLIONAIRES IN THE CHURCH HAVE BECOME THE SOLE BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH AND HER MINISTERS.
…….THEN, THE CHURCH WAS KNOWN AND TREATED AS A HOLY SANCTUARY OF GOD WHERE HOLINESS RULED AND REIGNED, BUT NOW THE CHURCH HAS BECOME A PLATFORM FOR HOLLYWOOD, NOLLYWOOD,BOLLYWOOD,AND COMEDY ACTORS TO MAKE JEST OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND ENTERTAIN SINNERS JOYFULLY.
……THEN, EVERY CHRISTIAN WAS A PRACTICAL EVANGELIST AND MISSIONARY CARRYING HIS/ HER BIBLE AND GOSPEL TRACTS EVERYWHERE HE/SHE WENT, BUT NOW CHRISTIANS APPEND EVANGELIST TO THEIR NAMES WITHOUT EVANGELISING ANYONE, AND WITHOUT BIBLE EVERYWHERE THEY GO.
…….THEN, MORNING CRY, MARKET EVANGELISM, AND BUS EVANGELISM WERE THE CONSUMING PASSION OF EVERY BELIEVER, BUT NOW, RUNNING TO MINISTRIES SEEKING PROPHESIES, MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS HAVE KILLED THAT KINGDOM MANDATE IN BELIEVERS.
….THEN, YOU CAN EFFORTLESSLY KNOW WHO IS A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN BY HIS OR HER APPEARANCE AND DRESSCODE,BUT NOW, YOU CAN HARDLY DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN A PROSTITUTE, A HIPPIE , A RASTAFARIAN , AND A POPSTAR AND A CHRISTIAN.
……THEN, CHRISTIANS ADDRESSED THEMSELVES AS BROTHERS, SISTERS, BELOVED IN CHRIST, BUT NOW CHRISTIANS ADDRESS THEMSELVES AS GUYS, BUDDIES,PALS, VIBES,DUDES,BAES AND BOOS.
……THEN, CHRISTIANS IN CHURCH PRAYED TO BE USED BY GOD AND BE USEFUL TO HIM, BUT NOW, CHRISTIANS PRAY TO USE GOD TO ACHIEVE THEIR AIMS.
……THEN, CHRISTIANS SACRIFICED GREATLY TO SPONSOR CHURCH PROGRAMMES WITHOUT INVOLVING THE UNBELIEVERS, BUT NOW CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN SO STINGY AND INSENSITIVE THAT THEY DEPEND ON SINNERS AND UNBELIEVERS FOR SPONSORING CHRISTIAN PROGRAMMES. (Acts 4:32-37).
……THEN, MAKING HEAVEN AND NOT MISSING THE RAPTURE WAS THE CONSUMING DESIRE OF EVERY BELIEVER, BUT NOW MAKING IT IN THIS LIFE, AND FINANCIAL PROSPERITY HAVE BECOME THE STRANGULATING DESIRE OF BELIEVERS. (Philippians 3:7-10)
……THEN, PREACHING SOUND BIBLICAL SOUL SEARCHING SERMONS WAS THE FOCUS OF EVERY PREACHER AND PASTOR, BUT NOW, PREACHING MIND BLOWING SERMONS THAT WILL APPEAL TO THE MULTITUDE AND COERCE THEN INTO SOWING FINANCIAL HEAVY SEEDS HAVE TAKEN OVER CHURCH PULPITS.
…..THEN, EVERY YOUNG MAN WHO TOLD HIS FAMILY THAT HE WAS CALLED BY GOD TO BE A PASTOR AFTER GRADUATION WAS AUTOMATICALLY DISOWNED BY HIS FAMILY, BUT NOW, EVEN UNGODLY AND GODLESS PARENTS AND FAMILIES PERSUADE AND COERCE THEIR UNGODLY AND UNCONVERTED CHILDREN TO JOIN THE CHURCH MINISTRY.
…….THEN, ANYONE WHO LEFT THE MAINSTREAM CHURCH TO JOIN THE NEW GENERATION OR PENTECOSTAL CHURCH WAS CLEARLY KNOWN TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED CHRIST,BUT NOW, THE NEW GENERATION CHURCH OR PENTECOSTAL CHURCH HAVE BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR UNREPENTANT, IMMORAL, RASCALLY,AND SOCIALLY RADICAL YOUTHS WHO HAVE NEVER MET CHRIST BUT ARE SEEKING FUN AND EMPTY SPIRITUAL EMOTIONAL JINGOISM.
……THEN, CHRISTIANS ATTRACTED PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR DISTINCT WAYS OF DOING THINGS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT NOW, CHRISTIANS REPEL PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR UNHOLY ALLIANCE WITH THE WORLD IN UNRIGHTEOUS COLLEGIATE.
……THEN, THERE WAS DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIAN MUSIC, AND WORDLY MUSIC, BUT NOW ,WORDLY MUSICS HAVE BEEN SEAMLESSLY ENCODED,AND EMBEDDED INTO THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC THERE BY TOTALLY CORRUPTING AND CONTAMINATING CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN MUSIC.
……THEN, FAITH WAS THE FOCUS OF PRAYING TO GOD, AND RECEIVING MIRACLE, BUT NOW, OBJECTS AND RELICS HAVE BECOME THE CENTRE OF CHRISTIANS’ FAITH.
……THEN, PASTORS AND MINISTERS OF GOD DEPENDED ON THE POWER OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD FOR THEIR PROTECTION AND SECURITY , BUT NOW, PASTORS AND MINISTERS OF GOD DEPEND ON POLICE, ARMY, AND EVEN VIGILANTE ESCORTS FOR PROTECTION AND SAFETY.

GOD IS IN DIRE AND DESPERATE NEED OF SPIRITUAL RESCUERS. HE IS LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO REBUILD THE BROKEN WALLS AND ALTARS OF THE CHURCH’S SPIRITUALITY AND IDENTITY. HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR THE MIGHTY. HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR THE HIGHLY ANOINTED. GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR THE EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED. HE IS LOOKING FOR THE HIGHLY EDUCATED. HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR PRIESTS, PASTORS AND PROPHETS. GOD IS JUST LOOKING FOR A MAN AND A WOMAN WHO IS PASSIONATELY WILLING AND DESIROUS. GOD IS LOOKING FOR MAN OR WOMAN WHO WILL DENY HIMSELF OR HERSELF, DAMN THE CONSEQUENCES, REJECT THE WORLD AND ITS OFFERS,TAKE UP HIS/ HER CROSS TO DO HIS BIDDING. TIME IS DANGEROUSLY RUNNING OUT. SATAN IS ON RAMPAGE. BUT THE CHURCH IS ON PICNIC. PRAYERS, COMMITMENT, SACRIFICE,AVAILABILITY, AND DETERMINATION ARE THE DEMANDS AND CRITERIA. GOD’S CRY REMAINS: “I SOUGHT FOR A MAN. ” WILL YOU BE THAT MAN OR WOMAN??