Mazino Abraham Egbuwoku

What Happenedto Christianity?

PART ONE

Copyright © 2018 Mazino Abraham Egbuwoku

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Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE (KJV version).

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here was an era Tin Christianity

when we - as

Christians - would

meet and most of our

discussions revolved

around the souls that

we had won for the

Lord. We would also

inspire one another

with stories of

Charles Finney's

exploits in soul

winning or Smith

Wigglesworth's

amazing miracles of

faith, or Evan Roberts

and his great Welsh

revival, where

everyone, including

drunkards, murderers

and prostitutes

became converted,

desperately craving for

God's holiness.

We earnestly and keenly

looked into “God's

Generals” compiled by

Roberts Liardon and

prayed fervently to be

used similarly by God.

We would ask one

another whether or not

we had watched one of

Oral Roberts' healing

tent crusades or read

about that awesome

What’s happened to PURE

UNDILUTED CHRISTIANITY

that leads you to the cross?

3

prayer warrior John Knox, who cried earnestly for

years to God - “Give me Scotland or I die”. We

“joined the inspiring chariot of miracles”, which

God did through the likes of T.L. Osborn and

R.W. Shambach (T.L. Osborn’s famous classic

book “Join This Chariot” explains more about this

phenomenom). How we earnestly desired to be like

these proof producers and holy flames of fire.

They were our role models.

Oh, Oh, what happened to Christianity?

We used to challenge ourselves by asking how many

fiery articles in the “Herald of His Coming “ we had

read. I remember some of those articles, such as:

• An Empire Builder for God

• We Must Be Eternity-Minded

• We Are God's Stewards

• The Christian's Call to Arms

• Laying Ourselves Out for God and for Souls

• True Spirituality – What is it?

• Unction in the Pulpit, Action in the Pew!

• Repentance – Prerequisite to Revival

• The Second Coming of Christ and Our Life's

Mission

• God's Judgments on Sin are Certain

4

5

• Christ is Coming Again

• The Lordship of Christ in the Home

• God's Warning to the World

• The First-Century Church – Alive and Aglow

with the Power and Purity of the Holy Spirit

• World Evangelization is Brought About by

Prayer

• Stir the Slumbering Saints

• Holy and Without Blemish

• The Elijah Company

• Oh God, Do a New Thing

• The Preaching of the Law Is Hell's Best Kept

Secret

• Lord, Stir Us from Our Apathy! Wake Us from

Our Slumber!

Oh where did all

these messages go?

What happened to

Christianity?

I remember reading

a b o u t S m i t h

Wigglesworth and

his dear wife Polly;

then afterwards

When the saint ceases to seek after holiness, purity, righteousness, truth; when

he ceases to pray, stops reading the Word, and gives

way to carnal appetites, then it is that Satan comes.

Smith Wigglesworth

crying to God for months for true divine power as I

saw it in Wigglesworth's life. I remember flipping the

memoirs of each page about his testimonies and

exploits with God. This set us ablaze for more of

God.

What about Jonathan Edwards whose knees were

calloused because of prayer or John Hyde whose

bedroom walls were stained by the breath of his

praying?

How we would sometimes collectively cry out to

God for help when we saw how God tangibly

manifested Himself through John G. Lake. After

witnessing hundreds and hundreds of world shaking

healing and miracles of God, John Lake still kept

crying “I'm the hungriest man for God that is alive”.

Like him, I could honestly also begin to testify that I

found that my life began to manifest in a variety of

the gifts of the Spirit. I spoke in tongues by the power

of God, and He flowed through me with a new force.Healings were of a more powerful order. Oh, oh,

God lived in me; God manifested in me; God spoke

through me. My spirit was energized. I had a new

comprehension of God's will, a new discernment of

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spirit, and a new revelation of God in me.

We were challenged to greater intimacy with God by

reading how John Lake said, "My nature became so

sensitised, that I could lay hands on any man, or

woman, and tell what organ was diseased, and to

what extent, and all about it. I tested it. I went into

hospitals where physicians could not diagnose a case,

touched a patient, and instantly I knew the organ that

was diseased, its extent, condition, and location. And

one day it passed away. A child plays with a toy, and

his joy is so wonderful, he sometimes forgets to eat.”

How we would usually covet the free gifts of the

Holy Spirit. Oh, take us back dear Lord. Take us

back. What has happened to true Christianity?

We also read about Maria

Wo o d wo r t h E t t e r a n d

trembled; we desperately

y e a r n e d t o t a s t e t h e

a w e s o m e n e s s o f G o d ,

manifested through her, in our

own lives. This woman of God

raised so many people from the

dead; she would also simply pull

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out broken or cut

limbs. She would get

to about 50 miles of

where she was going

to minister, and

people would be slain

under a very potent

anointing - 50 miles

away!

There was Williams Seymour, the African

American revivalist of Azusa

Street, who preached with such

f i r e a n d i n d i s p u t a b l e

supernatural power of God. It

was reported that the city's fire

service once rushed to the little

manger where he was preaching

– he literally preached in a

manger! The fire service rushed

there because they saw a blazing

gulf of fire consuming this

manger where he was preaching, yet there was no

physical fire. It was just like Moses and the burning

bush that did not burn, all over again.

“I asked God to give me the power he gave the Galilean fishermen - to anoint me for service. I came like a child asking for bread. I looked

for it . . . God did not disappoint me.

Mariam Woodworth Etter

8

We lamented and interceded for our deficiency of

this dimension of God's power. This was what true

Christianity was all about. Oh, oh, where did this all

this fire go? What happened to Christianity?

We provoked another other and set one another

ablaze for more of God and godliness, as we

enmeshed ourselves in the exploits and godly

testimonies of these our great role models. Our

prayer lives took such fantastic new turns, as it wasn't

unusual for many of us to pray for much over five

hours at a stretch or go to some mountain or desert

to pray for days. This was how Christianity used to

be. Eventually, little by little, we began to experience

the supernatural - I remember praying for a dead boy

who came back to life, but how can I say that today

"So many today are worshiping in the mountains,

big churches, stone and frame buildings. But Jesus

teaches that salvation is not in these stone structures--

not in the mountains--not in the hills, but in God.”

William J. Seymour

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without being scorned? Who would believe? I

remember how the evil spirits that possessed people

would burn and be tormented just at my presence.

Nevertheless, how can I say that today? Wouldn't it

sound outrageous?

We treasured holiness and strived so sincerely and

passionately just to be like Jesus, who went about

doing good and healing all that were oppressed of

the devil - for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). We

wanted so much to manifest more than one of the

nine gifts of the Spirit, and we desperately coveted

these gifts (1 Corinthians 12 - 14).

Oh, what happened to me? What happened to the

glorious Christianity of yesteryears?

Things are different today. Professing Christians

seem more interested in how much money they're

making, and the type of cars they're riding than in the

pursuit of true godliness and the divine power to win

souls to Christ and heal our world. Our television

programs are full of pastors who've become money

doublers and success peddlers. Oh, oh, what has

happened to Christianity? Our youth are being

preoccupied with empty entrepreneurship

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programs, which have little or no real bearing on

things of eternal value; yet they remain trapped in

pornography and bound by all sorts of terrible sins.

How then can they hunger for the power of old or

thirst for God's holiness, which once saturated the

hearts of young men and women of times past?

Where is the holy contagious fire that once burned

from our pulpits? Where are the men of God whose

lives and testimonies provoke us to greater depths of

holy passion for God? What has happened to the

books that once set a whole generation on fire for

God?

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Books such as the following:

• Colin & Mary Peckham's

“Sounds from Heaven”

?Frank Bartleman's “Azusa

Street or Fire fell in Los

Angeles”

?Wesley Duewel's “Revival

Fire”, John Greenfield's

“Power from on High”

?Oswald J Smith's “The

Revival We Need or The Man

God Uses”

?Mel Tari's “Like a Strong Wind”

• Dr. R. Edward Miller's “Secrets of the Great

Argentine Revival”

• Kevin Adams' “A Diary of Revival: The

Outbreak of the 1904 Welsh Awakening”

Oh Lord! Where are the contemporary Christian

authors with the unction that can lead our generation

back to the deeper things of God? Where are the

messages and messengers that once lit up a whole

generation, such as Leonard Ravenhill's “Why

Revival Tarries”, A.W Tozer's “In Pursuit of God”,

and David Wilkerson's “A call to Anguish”?

I miss those days when we all rushed to get the latest

Kenneth Hagin book and waited in queue just to read

these books, because they fired us up for God. I miss

the times when we had asked each other if we had

read “Good Morning Holy Spirit” by Benny Hinn

and watched those awesome healing and Holy

services that were so rich and alive with God's

presence. They made us want more of God.

We hungered for righteousness and true holiness,

not just the power and presence of God. Oh, oh,

how we wanted so desperately to be just like Jesus.

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We thirsted for deep intimacy with the Holy Spirit

and were really tasting the powers of the world to

come. How we yearned so eagerly to manifest the

wonderful glory of Almighty God, who lives in His

people.

And then, it began to happen again. Hordes of hell's

chariots marched against the church, and even some

of the heroes of righteousness began to miss their

way - satan did not fold his ugly hands. Many not only

went astray, but took whole communities of

unquestioning seekers along with them. The call to

true holiness which makes alive God's reality in His

people was not spared, as doctrines of demons

began raining down freely from hell upon the church.

The cross was replaced with self-seeking and the

discipleship which leads to Christlikeness was

relegated for a discipleship to make great

entrepreneurs.

God's gospel of His true grace which brings

salvation, which teaches us to say “no” to

ungodliness, to deny worldly passions, to live soberly,

righteously and godly, while fixing our focus on the

second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was

relegated and sacrificed on the altar of “mammon”

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by many church leaders - even some who were once

great heroes of holiness and power, some even

mentioned in this booklet.

What has happened to Christianity and where did all

our passion for God go? Where are all the God

chasers who desperately desire to behold His Glory

and Beauty, His Majesty and Power? Oh, how my

soul pants and longs for those days of holiness and

power to return again?

Take me back; take us back dear Lord, to the burning

bush of indisputable revival fire and proof

producing reformation in true holiness and glory.

Build your church again, oh Lord, and let the gates of

hell not prevail. We want to see your glory and power

and walk in the beauty of Your holiness. Restore the

true gospel of grace which is able to build us up and

give us an inheritance amongst the true saints (Acts

20:32).

Acts 20:32So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the

word of His grace, which is able to build you up and

give you an inheritance among all those who are

sanctified.

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2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:114 Do not be unequally yoked together with

unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness

with lawlessness? And what communion has light

with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with

Belial? Or what part has a believer with an

unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple

of God with idols? For you are the temple of the

living God. As God has said:“I will dwell in themand

walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall

be My people.”17 Therefore “Come out from amongthemand be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch

what is unclean, and I will receive you.”18 “I will be a

Father to you, and you shall be My sons and

daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”

7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us

cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and

spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

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We Need Revival & Reformation

We need a holy revival from the sleep of coldness,

lukewarmness and death in these last days.

We need a true reformation of the church from a

false witness of Jesus to the true resemblance of

Christ.

Lord, revive and reform your church again.

When we see professing christians living

comfortably in sexual sin, because they are under the

"finished work of Christ", we need revival and

reformation (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).

When we see raw iniquity being referred to as mere

inconsequential weakness, we need revival and

reformation (James 3:13-14).

When we see the grace of God being watered down

to exclude a divine chastening for evil, we really need

a revival and reformation (Proverbs 8:13; Hebrews

12:28).

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When we see prophets prophesying peace and safety

to an adulterous and sinful generation, we need

revival and reformation (Jeremiah 23:16-22; Luke

6:26; Mark 8:38).

When we see christian ministers competing to outdo

worldly superstars, we need revival and reformation

(2 Peter 2:1-3).

When we see the church of God being used for

comedy and entertainment, even where sin and

lukewarmness is so prevalent, we need revival and

reformation (2 Timothy 2:19).

When we see financial success becoming the

yardstick of true success and not conformity to

Christ, we need revival and reformation (1 Timothy

6:3-11).

When we see motivational speaking replacing the

preaching of the cross of self-denial and crucifixion,

we need revival and reformation (Romans 16:17-19;

Colossians 2:5-9; Mark 8:34-38).

When we see our parishioners dressing like

seductresses and pimps, we need revival and

reformation (1 Peter 3:1-7).

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When we see our churches become more like a

ground of business and social networking rather

than the ground and pillar of truth, we need revival

and reformation (1 Timothy 3:15).

When we see pastors scrambling for juicy positions

of power in the local assemblies and denominations,

we need revival and reformation (Matthew 23:5-13).

When we see our preachers downplaying or even

deny the urgency of Christ's imminent return, we

need revival and reformation (2 Peter 3:1-14).

When we see the quest for glamorous outward

appearances becoming so much more alluring than

the tangible and beautiful glory of God’s holiness, we

need revival and reformation (2 Corinthians 7:1).

When we see our ministers more interested in filling

their church pews, instead of filling heaven’s golden

courts, we need revival and reformation (Matthew

7:21-23).

When we see the type of evangelism that brings

people into our churches, yet makes them twice more

likely candidates for hellfire by their lack of

transformation into Christ, we need revival and

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reformation (Matthew 23:15; Galatians 4:19).

When we see that raising rich entrepreneurs has

taken centre stage instead of raising truly holy

disciples of Jesus, we need revival and reformation (1

John 2:3-6).

When we see sinners feeling comfortable in our

church services and professing believers feeling no

sense of divine chastening for their sinfulness, we

need revival and reformation (Jeremiah 23:25-32;

Hebrews 12:5-17).

When we see vain and worldly musicians take centre

stage in every so called “church growth initiative”, we

need revival and reformation (2 Peter 2:10-22; 2 John

9-11).

When we see serial divorcees and homosexuals

becoming bishops, deacons and role models in our

churches, we need revival and reformation (Romans

1:24-3; 2 Peter 2:18-19).

When we see the celebration of lascivious singers,

who are more performers and entertainers than

consecrated saints and role models, we need revival

and reformation (Galatians 2:17; Revelations 2:18-

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29; 1 Timothy 5:22).

When we see our pastors preach using more

references to billionaires and Hollywood superstars

than to Jesus Christ, we need revival and reformation

(2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

When we see pastors more interested in tithes and

offerings than in the offering of our bodies as living

sacrifices unto the LORD, we need revival and

reformation (Philippians 3:17-21).

When we see such blindness of which most in the

church can no longer discern the difference between

the Holy Spirit and familiar spirits, we need revival

and reformation (Acts 16:16-19; Revelations 2:12-

28).When we see our churches filled to the brim with

people who are not mirroring Christ, exuding divine

love, nor displaying true fruit of the Spirit, we need

revival and reformation (Matthew 7:13-15).

When we see preachers preach with fire for financial

giving, and not fire for holy living, we need revival

and reformation (2 Peter 2:13-19).

When we see our professing christians and ministers,

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more easily identifiable by material riches and

flamboyance than righteousness, meekness and love,

we really do need revival and reformation (Matthew

11:28-30; 2Timothy 2:19-26; 1Timothy 6:10-11).

Oh, how much we need revival today. How much we

need to see a change and transformation of the

church of Christ.

We are tired of all the vanity and emptiness: we need

revival and reformation.

We are tired of all the materialism and worldliness:

we need revival and reformation.

We are tired of all the pomp and pageantry: we need

true Holy Ghost Fire, revival and reformation.

We are tired of this contemporary "Sodom and

Gomorrah": we need revival and reformation.

We are tired of boring church programs: we need the

burning fires of revival and reformation.

We are tired of all the entertainment and razzmatazz:

we need a true baptism of the Holy Ghost revival

and reformation.

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In this sinful and adulterous generation, Lord give us

revival and reformation once again.

In this era where preachers are everywhere, but

God’s word is scarce, Lord give us revival and

reformation once again.

In these times when the watchmen are sleeping and

snoring unto death, Lord give us revival and

reformation again.

In this generation of false eternal security just like

with Sardis and Laodicea, oh Lord give us revival and

reformation again.

In these days where men are ever learning, but not

coming to the Truth which is in conformity to Christ,

Lord give us revival and reformation once more.

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Lord, reawaken our souls!Send us a rushing mighty wind again

Re-establish the ancient landmark and standard of holiness

Let our dry bones live againOpen our eyes unto Your Truth

Restore Your Glory that has been missingPour out Your Spirit for we are hungryTouch Your people once again, oh Lord

Make us hear Your Voice againMake us seek Your Face againMake us do Your Will againRestore Your church again

What are all these "tongues" for, if there is no tangible divine power in display?

What are all these sweet messages for, if there is no sanctification unto true holiness?

What are all these churches for, if there is no transformation into the likeness of

Christ?What are all these people for,

if their eternity will be utter devastation?

Lord, give us true revival & reformation once again!!

23

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+234 809 TESTIFY (+234 809 837-8439)+234 809 REVIVAL (+234 809 738-4825)

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T H E R E M N A N T C H U R C H

“...I remember praying for a dead boy who came

back to life, but how can I say that today without

being scorned? Who would believe? I remember

how the evil spirits that possessed people would

burn and be tormented just at my presence.

Nevertheless, how can I say that today? Wouldn't

it sound outrageous?

We treasured holiness and strived so sincerely and

passionately just to be like Jesus, who went about

doing good and healing all that were oppressed of

the devil - for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). We

wanted so much to manifest more than one of the

nine gifts of the Spirit, and we desperately coveted

these gifts (1 Corinthians 12 - 14).

Oh, what happened to me? What happened to the

glorious Christianity of yesteryears?”

Be challenged unto a fresh passion for God as you

read the few words contained within this booklet.