First Bible Lesson: Matthew 8:8
"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed."
Second Bible Lesson: John 6:63
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
Golden Text: John 1:14
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
Brethren, it is very pathetic that the inhabitants of the world do not understand the importance of the Word of God. The Centurion mentioned in the above Bible portion was a soldier. As was common with his associates, he was regarded as ignorant about God. More so, he was not one of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. He had faith in God.
It is an indication that the Father can pass through a tree, a stone, an animal, an insane person or a native doctor to reveal Himself. The songs that are rendered and the prayers that are offered are all the words of God. The word of God is all-achieving.
It takes away your problems, heals your sickness, discharges you from prison; gives you food, children, husband and wife. It also makes the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear and the dead to resurrect. The word of God has the power to solve all your infirmities.
The inhabitants of the world should be grateful to God for the emergence of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. In Brotherhood, the word has been made flesh and it dwells amongst us. This word is money, food, clothing, life and power.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, 'ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' (John 8:32). When the Centurion told our Lord Jesus Christ about his servant's illness, Christ told him, 'I will come and heal him.' The Centurion answered saying, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed."
How did the Centurion come to this understanding? The second lesson says; "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Food does not give you good health, clothing profit you nothing; money or house or man does not give you anything. It is the word of God that bestows all things unto you.
If you had really looked for this true wisdom, brethren, you would not have allowed one minute or one day to elude you because these words I speak to you are spirits, and they are the life eternal you are looking for.
All dreams and visions are good as well as faith, but the greatest of them all is for you to come here and listen to gospels from the horse's mouth unadulterated.
Do not joke with the word of God. Let your motive in Brotherhood be to assimilate and practise the word of God. The Word of the Father has all achieving powers. Merely listening to the words can solve your numerous problems.
I sympathize with those members who do not understand the operative strategies in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. They can be likened to the hunter who carries the carcass of an elephant on his head, but with his feet, fiddles for snails. What can the word of God not do unto you? If you quit Brotherhood, where else will you go to? When you stay put, what is your mission if you fail to receive the words of God?
Brethren, let us learn a lesson from the Centurion. He showed tremendous faith in God. There is nothing the word of God cannot bestow unto you. If you lack life, good health, clothing, food and shelter, the word of God is capable of endowing you with all of them and more. If we were to know the efficacy of the word, this hall would have been filled to capacity.
Many people are saying that the Father can no longer be visited for prayers and blessings. I ask you, what is this word? The golden text says that "the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..." Do you not know that the word is the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit? The word also is love, prosperity and all the good things. If you say that one can no longer see the Father, what about the words you hear? It means therefore that you are a Philip who requested that Our Lord Jesus Christ should show them the Father so that they would be satisfied. Our Lord Jesus Christ said unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: Or else believe me for the very works' sake." (John 14:8-11).
It is not an easy thing to know God. The Centurion knew the efficacy of God's word. He knew that the word can make the blind see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear. He understood that the word is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. But in your own case, you worship the holy oil; you want the Holy Father to pray for you, and touch you and you want to converse with Him. If all of us were to have this faith, we would have no problems. If you were to believe that it is the word that heals, and does other things, you would not lament and would not get tired of listening to it.
Why does the Father emphasize the Gospel of Love? Also, in Brotherhood, there are no ceremonies, no incantations, invocations or sinister practises. Only the word of God is preached. This is so because the word is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The word is love, truth and God who dwells in our midst. The word is the savior on earth, the light, and the one who has come to change us and cast away all of our problems. Therefore, we should have the same faith, and believe that the word has become flesh and dwells with men. If you believe in the word, all your afflictions are over.
You will have no need for the holy oil, vision, prayer; and you will cease to lament. What can holy oil or water, or man or science do for you? It is the word of God that you should cling to. If somebody is residing in America, India or Germany, it is possible to send words to revoke all unpleasant eventualities. This word is God. Consequently, it is an act of foolishness to question the possibility of seeing somebody who stations in Calabar, in America and other parts of the world. The Centurion believed in the efficacy of the word and that was why he told Jesus Christ that He was not worthy to have Him go under his roof, but that the Lord should speak the word and his servant will be healed. No matter what you do unto the Lord, except you believe in Him you cannot see the promised Kingdom. The word is Christ, Spirit and God. If, therefore you believe in the word, you shall have salvation. If you do not believe in Him whatever your number of years here, you stand to profit nothing. Read the first lesson.
First Bible Lesson: Matthew 8:8
"The Centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed."
Brethren, can you now realize what is the truth? Whosoever believes in the word of God, believes in God. Draw a lesson always from the Centurion. He had faith. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1). It is like the word of God. If you believe in the man you see, then you have no faith. If you believe in water, or holy oil, or tree that you see, you have no faith.
Let the words of God be the primary thing that attracts you into Brotherhood of the Cross and Star so that you will benefit more. No matter the weight of your burden of sins, the word of God can relieve you. Your sickness and trouble vanishes away, once you listen to these words and practice same. Do not seek after the laying of hands on your head or holy bath or money or holy oil. Sincerely, practice the word of God. When you listen to the word, believe in it and put it into practice.
It is the word of God that changes you, gives you life, and does everything for you. Always listen to the word of God, whether over the radio or on television, and if you believe, all your problems are solved. If you read the pamphlets that are published here in Brotherhood, your afflictions will be over.
A local adage says that, "at the direction a weeping child points, if the father is not there, the mother will be there." Why I preach without ceasing is because, I have realized this act as the only source of salvation. The word is the Holy Spirit that has come to save the world from iniquities. I know that you are heavy laden. I know that you desire salvation and that you desire to follow God. That is why I continue to feed you with the words of God. You are called in by the word and it is the word that changes you and gives you life, peace and prosperity.
Other than the word of God, nothing can save man from damnation. Apart from the word of God, no other things can give life, Holy Spirit and power. That is why I do not relent in feeding you with the words of God in the morning, afternoon and night. It is said: "except the tree falls, the axe will never rest." If you use an axe to hew down a tree but cannot cut it, is it the hatchet that will cut it? If you cannot fall a tree with an axe is it when you fold your arms and look at the tree that it will fall?
The peace that you are looking for, the mercy that you lack, the joy you seek after, the good health that you long to have, it is the word that can afford you all these things. Your childlessness, poverty and all your heart's desires can only be fulfilled by the word of God. We should the more practice the word of God throughout our life time.
Let us believe and have hope in the word of God. Let us put the word, into practice, and we shall be saved. What man cannot do, the word of God is capable of doing it. What money cannot do the word of God can do. Therefore, we should not toy with the word of God and do not relent in reading the Bible. There is nothing left or right that is capable of saving man other than the word of God.
Despite the fact that you lust after money, enjoyment, house, car and other material things, you do not even believe, that these things can be achieved by believing in the word. The word is food, water, cloth, shelter, life, good health, peace and all things. The word of God conquers all things. If you were to believe in the word, you would not come here every day. The Centurion said to Christ, just speak the word, and my servant will be healed. He did not request Christ to pray or do any other thing but to speak the word.
You come here every day because you are full of complaints of lack of money, food, shelter, good health, peace and so on. These complaints are borne out of your disbelief. That woman told our Lord Jesus Christ "Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked". What did our Lord Jesus Christ answer her? He said, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." (Luke 11:27-28).
It is now evident that we have no other friend or father or mother than the word of God. Seek for the word of God at all times. The Bible says, 'As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee oh! Lord.' (Ps 42:1).
Our Lord Jesus Christ compared the efficacy of word to the mustard seed. The mustard seed is about the tiniest of all seeds but when it grows, it becomes so large and shelters the birds, and animals. (Matthew 13:32). When the word is preached, it does not appear to be significant, but in the end, it becomes the living water and shelter unto mankind.
If you go to somebody's house and he does not offer you the word of God, leave such a house. If you enter into a church and find them drumming and clapping and they offer you something to drink without the word of God, leave such a church. God is not in such a place. If you meet somebody on the road and he offers you money or any gift other than the word of God, do not regard the gesture as worth anything.
The word of God is life, truth and the only way. That is why I will not relent in preaching the word of God to you. A local adage has it that "six days belong to the thief, but the seventh day belongs to the owner of the property." Each person has his own day, you shall hearken to the voice and be saved. Those who are meant to receive this gospel have received it and are saved. Those who are meant to have salvation tomorrow or next, shall hear the gospel of that day, repent and be saved.
Second Bible Lesson: John 6:63
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you; they are spirit, and they are life."
Can you now realize the appropriateness of the words spoken by the Centurion when he said, "I am not worthy to have thee come under my roof; but speak the word and my servant will be healed."
When Christ asked His disciples who people said He was, they told Him, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but My Father which is in heaven," (Matthew 16:14-17).
The same thing applied to the Centurion; it was not flesh and blood that revealed that power unto him, it was the Father who is in heaven that dwelt in Him. That is why Christ said, if the Father does not reveal the Son unto you, you cannot know Him. "No one knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal to him." (Matthew 11:27).
The Father is doing His work every day, yet the world continues to doubt Him. The Word also is working wonders daily, but the world continues to doubt the Word. The Holy Spirit is working every day, but the world doubts Him. It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you, they are life and spirit. You desire for spirit and life, and these are the things I have brought to you in the world. Whosoever had no life, no spirit, no good health and no relations to turn to has them now.
Therefore Brethren, from this moment, all our hope, belief, faith and love should center on the Word. When Christ revealed Himself to the eleven disciples, Thomas was not there. But when He came back and the disciples told Him they had seen the Lord, he disputed and believed them not; arguing that he would only believe after putting his finger through the nail prints. After eight days, when they were gathered, Christ called Thomas to draw closer and thrust his fingers as desired. And Thomas answered and said unto Him, "My Lord and My God." Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:28-29).
Who is the one who does not see but believes? He is the person who holds unto the word of God. How do you acquire faith? You acquire faith by listening to the word of God and practising it. Also, you acquire love when you comply with the word of God. You have the Holy Spirit by believing in the word of God. You have power by believing in the word of God. Faith is derivable from hearing the word of God and putting it into practice. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The word is truth, wisdom, power, gives you peace, children, money, blood and strengthens your bones and muscles. It is the word that heals and changes you. The word makes the poor to be rich and fulfills your heart desires; both physically and spiritually. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ said; "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6). If you continue to gaze at the sky expecting any other savior to descend from there, you are merely wasting your time and energy. The only savior is the word of God, which is God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. This is the only source of salvation.
The source of your problems is in belief. You do not believe in the word of God, and as such, do not believe in God. Those who listen to the word of God and believe, have faith and salvation. Even non-members have imbibed the Father's teaching and have been transformed. They listen to the Father's teachings at different places and have their problems solved. You claim to be members of Brotherhood for donkey years, yet your problems cannot be solved. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to the Samaritan woman, when He requested for some water. The woman answered Him saying; "How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me who am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. "Jesus answered and said to her, If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee Living Water. The woman said unto Him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our Father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." (John 4:10-15). What is that fountain of water? It is the word of God.
Meanwhile, when the disciples of our Lord Jesus demanded him to eat with them, He answered and said: "I have meat to eat that ye know not of... ...my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." (John 4:34). The word of God is food, clothing, shelter and everything. If you have the word of God, you stand to conquer the world.
Our Lord Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples saying; "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20). He is the one who sends you on an errand and also accompanies you to accomplish it. Therefore, He is the word. His words are your salvation. They are everything unto every man. It is the word of God that guides you. It is the word that stays in front of and behind you. Most people blaspheme against Brotherhood because they do not understand it. However, they believe that Brotherhood can help people solve their problems. What is it that solves people's problems in Brotherhood? It is the word of God.
A blind man cannot lead another blind man. If you were to know what Brotherhood is, you would be able to explain it to the outsiders. Did you know that the word is God? The word that you hear becomes flesh and dwells with you, and dines with you.
When you tell people that there is nothing in Brotherhood, it means that you do not know Brotherhood. You came into Brotherhood with diverse problems and had them all solved by mere saying "let"! If, therefore, you say that there is nothing in Brotherhood how do these things happen? When you come in here with a worldly person and try to show him the Father, he will look around everywhere and tell you he has not seen the Father. He will ask you why he cannot see the Father. Every person wants to know what is here in Brotherhood. Unfortunately, you do not know what is in Brotherhood; and so cannot explain anything about Brotherhood to any person.
In Brotherhood, it is the word that becomes flesh and abides with man. The word does all things and is in Christ, God, angel, life, good health and everything. Any time you listen to the word of God, believe fervently that there is the voice of God. Spread this good news to the world that God is dwelling with man. When you are on ministry work, do not ask for holy oil or vision or special prayer, but listen to the word because it is sufficient unto every one. Whosoever you come in contact with, do not discuss any other things with him or her except the words of God. Enlighten the world that the word has become flesh and dwells with man. It is the word alone that is capable of bringing things into existence and vice versa.
Golden Text: John 1:14
"And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
Brethren, you are witnesses to the fact that when I say to somebody: "go your problems are solved,' 'your sickness is gone,' your infirmity is healed,' 'you are blessed with a husband or wife, children, money and so on;" these spoken words readily come to fulfillment. It is the word that does the work here. When you are told to kneel down that the Father has come; if you kneel down, you will see the Father. When it is pronounced; 'go, your court case is ruled in your favor', 'you have been discharged and acquitted;' these words will readily manifest. Why then do you toy with the word of God?
Why is it that the word is in your midst, but you fail to recognize it? Why do you seek the living amongst the dead? Why seek ye the truth where there is none? The word becomes flesh and abides with man and we behold his glory. Therefore, the words that I speak unto you become man. They heal, raise the dead, give us peace and joy. They are food, clothing, shelter and anything you can think of. Whatever is your affliction and lack, the word of God is sufficient unto you. No matter how heavily laden, how sad, how sinful and ignorant, the word of God is capable of rectifying the situation. That is why, when you pray, you have all the words you speak fulfilled. The words you sing in a song also come to pass. That is why, when any person who is afflicted comes to you for prayers, whatever you mention in your prayers or songs will not fail to manifest.
On this note therefore, you are commanded not to allow evil communication to proceed out of your mouth. The scripture says: "That every idle word that man shall speak; they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37). The moment you start to plot, think or speak evil, you are covered with darkness. When you speak the word of God, you will not fail to see the children of God. All good things and God will appear before you.
Therefore, the light that we have today is derived from the word. The spirit we have today, is given to us by the word. The life that we live is given to us by the word. The God that is present in our midst is the Word. The joy and truth that manifest in our midst is the word. Therefore, we should believe in the word, have faith in Him, love Him and surrender ourselves completely unto Him. All the time and wherever we may be, we should not relent in listening to the word of God. What the word of God cannot do, no other person can do. There is nothing the Word cannot do, provided you believe in the Word.
May God bless His Holy Word. Amen.
REFERENCE:-Divine Sermon Delivered By The Sole Spiritual Head Of The Universe, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu