First Lesson: I Corinthians 10:12
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. "
Second Lesson: Galatians 6:1
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such
an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. "
Golden Text: I Corinthians 5:12
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
We are now going to be fed with another word of God. Look unto the Cross which is the word of God. Our salvation comes from this Cross. The word is salvation and good health. Those who are sleeping should wake up and those who are involved in unnecessary conversations should discontinue forthwith and fix their gaze at the word of God. Listen attentively to the word of today because it is going to be unique. If you go to somebody's house and you find that cane is kept somewhere in that house, know that there is an offender in that house who is always caned. All the things you see in the world come with their own temptations. If you find somebody always talking realise that there is somebody who excites him to be talking all the time. Also, if you find an individual who is given so much to patience, the day he will explode he will pull down the building. In the same vein, whoever laughs and smile all the time, you will think he is an easy going man, you have to beware, because the day he frowns you will become scared of him.
At times you call somebody to come and drink with you, but he gives you an excuse that since he was born he had never tasted drink, but for the sake of what he knows best he says: let me take a little bit of it. And he will taste a little of the wine but instantaneously, changed his countenance on the grounds that it does not taste good. He will ask whether that is what you people have been drinking; and will conclude "I can never take that thing, you are very strong to drink that!" The process of tasting the wine will continue unceasingly for many days. The man may be tempted to taste the wine a second day, a third day, and on the fourth day he will still taste a little bit of it and as he tastes the wine his taste increases to such a climax that he can consume a whole container of wine which you, who invited him cannot drink.
I have told you continuously that the wares that I have brought I am yet to open my bag. The only requirement I want from you today is that you should lend me your ears. I want you to listen attentively; I want you to fix your gaze at me and break the walls of your heart and receive the gospel of this day. I sincerely implore that nobody should disturb today. There is a local adage which says: "where a weeping child points at if you look at that direction, if the father is not there, the mother will be there." And whenever a little child cries if you observe closely you will discover that the child is afflicted one way or the other; or he is hungry, or the child is thirsty or looks for the mother or something else. There is no child who cries without a cause.
God made this covenant — Holy Bible, which contains His words, so that it could be used to groom us so that we will not perish. You have heard what our first lesson says: "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall," whoever thinks he stands should take heed lest he will fall. It could be light and unimportant as you have heard, but should I expatiate on that statement it will take us years to finish. That explains why you cannot find a man of God that will not forsake God either in life or death. But to such a person, at the sight of a minute temptation he becomes weak and unable to offer prayers, cannot sing, and discourages others from singing too. Did the Father not warn you that "whoever thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall." When the word of God falls on the ground it breaks mighty rocks and on getting up accomplishes the will of God. When you hear one aspect of the word of God, investigate it properly, pray fervently for the father to reveal same to you, else, if you take it less important, you will have yourself to blame. If you look at the entire world, mankind does not take anything seriously. And because mankind does not take anything seriously, he does not also give regard to his fellow man, and that accounts for man's demoralizing position now.
BE NOT CONTROLLED BY TRANSIENT THINGS
You have heard what our second lesson says: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." That is the tap root of the downfall of many people in the world. The golden text is more wonderful than the first and the second lessons. It says: "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient." You should not be ruled or controlled by anything. Every food is delicious; every song is melodious, and every dance is dexterous in the eyes of the beholders but do not allow these things to get control over you. If you allow yourself to be ruled by these things it means you have failed. That is why you are asked to be moderate in everything you want to do. Ask yourself this question and search yourself. Are you not controlled by anger? If you ask somebody what rules over him he will conclude that he is always impatient and easily given to anger. Are you not controlled by falsehood? For one minute if you do not tell lies you are uncomfortable. Are you not also controlled by food? At times, you argue that you cannot fast for even one minute nor can you stay for some hours without food, when you complain in this manner, don't you consider yourself being controlled by food? Are you not controlled by fish and meat? Are you not also controlled by the spirit of backbiting and despising others? If you stay without these atrocious behaviours you cannot sleep. What about wiles? Every person in the world is trickish; there is no straight-forward person in the world. The blacks and the whites have become tricksters. Is the entire world not controlled by sins? That is why it is said, all things are good but not everything is expedient to do.
If you do not take heed, there is abundance of drinks of assorted colours and tastes; abundance of all types of food; which you will drink and eat and meet your Waterloo. Even now, you indulge in medication, tablets, injections and syrup. There are so many persons who are drug addicts. Others cannot stay for one day without swallowing tablets or being injected in one form or another. Don't you realise that you are so used to all things and you have given yourself to them to control. There are also those who complain that they can't walk barefooted, that they have to put on shoes before they can go on a walk; were you born with all these shoes and slippers? Realise that God arranges His things accordingly. He has made the rain to fall and the sun to shine. If there is too much of rain there will be deluge and epidemic everywhere in the world. Also, if there is sunshine so much that there is no water, many people, including crops and plants will die. The same case is applicable to harmattan. If you have a violent kind of harmattan it will start to kill people. If we have only "Day" in existence, there will be this problem of pandemic death. God Himself has the power to cause the rain to fall until there is a deluge. As it happened during the days of Noah, the rain fell until the entire generation was exterminated, except Noah and his family. That was excessive indeed and such was not good for mankind. That is why you are warned not to allow anything to rule over you. Anything you do excessively is sin unto you. This explains why God has time for rain, there is time for sunshine, there is time for day and there is time for night. All these times and seasons are arranged in their order, because you are advised not to allow anything to rule over you. And that example, God has set by doing things accordingly. As a human being if you laugh too much it becomes disease unto you. If you drink too much it becomes a sin unto you. That which is called "fornication", what do you think it is? It is that lust for all things. Even the food you eat can be to you a disease if you sit down to consume at one meal a "mountain" of foofoo. If you eat like that it becomes a sin unto you. Water is necessary and is good to the body, but excess of water becomes a disease unto you. It is hygienic for you to have your bath but excess of it becomes a sin to you since you chose to bathe every minute and you will become controlled by water. And the golden text has rightly said: "...but I will not be brought under the power of any of these things." But your problem today is that you have allowed yourself to be controlled by all these lusts. Don't you know that to anything you surrender yourself unto you are a slave? Whether it is sin which leads unto death, or righteousness which leads unto life eternal.
Everyday, you find that you cannot engage in any activity except you have brushed your teeth with the twin-stick and this act goes on every morning as soon as you wake up from bed. If you get yourself to be controlled by the use of twinstick every morning you have created an avenue unto yourself to quarrel, fight and cause trouble indiscriminately with people if you don't get one: since you will decide not to eat except you use the twinstick first to brush your teeth. If you ask for somebody to always greet you first, realise that you have created an attitude which will bring trouble to you. At all times you expect benevolence, you want people to give you gifts, and except this is done you are not prepared in any way to be generous too. If you have given yourself to that kind of attitude and because you are controlled by that attitude it becomes to you a sin. The take-home-package is that, from this day do not allow yourself to be controlled by any attitude or lust. Food, water, sun, clothes, and all others are good for man, but do not allow yourself to be ruled over by all these things.
Our Lord Jesus Christ had hinted: "Love not the world and the things therein, for whoever loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." He also said: "He that loveth his father or mother, daughter, or son, is not worthy of me." It is because you have allowed yourselves to be ruled over by all these tendencies and lusts, that is why you cannot listen to the word of God, practise the word of God nor accept what you are told about the word of God. Because of snuff with which to load your nostrils, even though it is raining cats and dogs, you would not mind going under the rain to purchase some. You also derail from the path of God because of fornication. You deny God because of juju and food. Tell me, why you would not be ruled by all these attitudes and lusts. Can you see why our first lesson advises: "wherefore let him that thinkieth he standeth take heed lest he fall." You claim to be a man of God, but don't have enough food each day to eat nor handle enough money. You don't also feel comfortable as a man of God if you don't fornicate with a woman for one day; and if somebody does not show benevolence to you your heart cannot be at rest. If you behave in this manner why would you not stumble and fall? How can you, as a man of God, be ruled over by all these tendencies. You also claim that you want to serve God but you wish that God should show kindness in form of gifts to you every day; you want God to make things well with you; if you put up this attitude it means the day He (God) will not do those things to you, you will start to accuse Him. That is why our first lesson advises: "....Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Do not be surprised when you find somebody who claimed to be doing the work of God going to serve satan, because he is such a person who allows himself to be ruled by a particular situation.
You profess to be a man of God; you are diligent in the service of God; that is so because you have got money, you have three square meals a day, you wear whatever you like and drive in your car. In addition, people love, respect, and obey you. Supposing all these things are no more there, and nobody loves and respects you any longer, because you are enslaved to these things, will you continue to serve God? You will also discover that some people who have lusted after good things, when they come into Brotherhood they are given clothes, food and money which are baits. Beneficiaries of such benevolence claim that Brotherhood is so sweet and enjoyable; others avow that they will remain in Brotherhood forever, but when his needs are no longer supplied he will yell out that nobody loves him any longer and he will opt out. Others, arising from discontinuity in supply of their needs, conclude that the type of love they met when they came into Brotherhood initially is no longer in existence, and some maintain that it has died a natural death. By so doing you have fallen.
If you are the kind of person who is given to benevolence and you always often pray to people and they recover, and you are addicted to it, what will happen one day if you pray to somebody and the person does not recover? What will happen to your faith? What will also happen if you go to a certain place where people beg for alms and you have no money in your pocket to meet their demands? Will you not be troubled at heart? Don't you recall when Peter, James and John went to pray and they met that beggar. They charged the beggar to fix his gaze at them and the mendicant obeyed. They yelled out "silver and gold we have not, but in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise and walk," and immediately the lame man stood up and walked.
If your duty to God is giving somebody food whenever he comes to your house, he will always come to your house with the thought of eating and the day he will not come to find food already served on the table for him he will not be pleased with you and your friendship will end that day. This is true because by giving him food every time you have sold yourself to him and his insatiable act has seen him selling himself to you. Both of you have failed.
Brethren, the ways of God is not difficult and is less burdensome, the same is enjoyable and good; but once a particular situation, attitude or thing rules over your heart it means you cannot succeed and you have failed. The worst sin which the inhabitants of the world have ignorantly committed is for them to allow things to control them.
LIVE AN EASY LIFE WITHOUT EXCESSIVE LUST
When you say "I don't like somebody to be angry or fastidious with me, or abuse my mother or I don't like to be falsely accused." If you are ruled by these tendencies it means you will fall. That is why our first lesson says: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." So that we may not fall, henceforth, don't allow anything to rule over you. Whether it is life, or death, or food, or good health, don't be ruled over by any of them. Look at the whites, they take a little of wine at a time. But a black man can finish six bottles of wine at a time yet he looks for more. Whether it is food that a whiteman prefers to eat, he eats very small. He is moderate in his taste. He eats little and is satisfied. But a black man will pack the dining table full with all kinds of dishes and will consume all at only a meal. As he eats he defecates and goes on eating without ceasing. If you joke with a blackman's food he will kill you. The quantity of food a whiteman can eat for one month, a blackman can finish it at a meal. The whitemen were like you but have been changed by the word of God. Excess of anything is a sin unto man. If you drink much water it becomes poisonous to your body. If you talk so much it becomes a sin unto you. Whichever thing rules over you or whatever thing you do excessively is sin. Songs, prayers, dances are good, but don't do these things excessively and don't let these things, rule over you. To be patient is good; to be out-spoken is equally good. But don't be extremely patient and don't talk unceasingly, and if you dare act to the extreme it becomes sin unto you. Be moderate in all the things you do. Your take-home-package is what you are hearing. The word of God is preached unto you from 1st January to 31st December every year, yet you cannot grasp any of these teachings because you had allowed yourself to be ruled over by certain tendencies.
The scripture says: "surrender your heart not to anything except God." But now you have surrendered your hearts unto fornication, diabolical practices, drinking and food. This explains why you have problems arising from this ignorance of yours, which no man took as sinful, this gospel has been sent to you. From today take a little quantity of food, water, and don't let anything rule over you and you will witness a remarkable change in your life. The day you don't have anything don't bother yourself. Live your life the way you see it. If you have money use it. When the money is not there don't be bothered. Whether you have anything or not should not bother you. It is only when you lack God that you should be bothered. The ability to practise the word of God comes not from man but from Him. Faith comes not from man but from God. If you claim that you are steadfast, but covertly or overtly you are ruled by the urge for women, men, drinks and money, tell me why you will not fall. Are you aware that whatever thing a man surrenders himself unto that he is a slave unto that thing? Do you know that whoever submits himself to be ruled over by drinks is a slave unto drinks? Do you realise that person who allows himself to be ruled over by any mundane things of this world is a slave unto carnal things? This is why all those who profess to practise the word of God have failed. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not subject Himself to any mundane things nor was He ruled over by them. From this moment I charge that you should briskly withdraw yourself from the carnal things of this world which have been the major cause of your downfall in recent times. The book of Ecclessiates chapter three enjoins that God apportions time for everything under the sun; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time people love or hate you; a time you are rich and a time you are poor; having known this truth, why then would you allow yourself to be ruled over by anything?
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "I will dare not speak so much for the prince of this world cometh but he shall find nothing sinful in me." Recall when Christ was marching towards Jerusalem, as the disciples were used to people accepting them, when they came to a small city of Samaria which dwellers did not receive them as they expected, the disciples sought permission from Christ that they should command fire from above to consume them. But Christ forbade them. That is why you don't have to allow anything have dominion over you. If you allow yourself to be ruled over by any tendency, assuming you are always received wherever you go, but when, on one occasion you are not received you will get offended; and that will become a sin unto you. I started fasting when I was not up to three or four years old. I comported myself to such a fasting which I did not eat or drink because I realised that there was nothing in the world except Jehovah God and His Christ whom we should surrender ourselves to and obey. The carnal things of this world are deceitful to man. Has he not told you not to believe in anybody who breathes through the nostrils? And when you surrender your heart and body to somebody to rule over, is that not the fundamental cause of deaths and problems in the world? And if you surrender yourself to somebody, if he disappoints you, you will swear to kill him if he does not succeed in eliminating you too. At times you quarrel and fight and may even commit suicide because somebody you hoped on has jilted you. At some other time you allow your state of good health have rule over you, you brag and boast of how healthy you are; but when you start emaciating your faith deadens, you become troubled at heart and lastly you start to accuse people of bewitching you. It is in the wake of this our Lord Jesus Christ said, "be not troubled at heart, believe in God and believe in me also." Let Jehovah God and His Christ have rule over you. Do not allow the things of this world - money, building, man, food, cloth, etc. to rule over you. When they rule over you it means you are finished.
IN GOD THERE IS NO DUPLICATION
Recall when our Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples that he will "go to Jerusalem to be beaten, tortured and be killed finally by the Jews." Peter stood up and yelled that "such a thing cannot happen: far be it from thee, Lord." And Christ retorted: "get behind me satan, because ye thinketh not the things of God but that of man."
The situation of things in the world reveals that money rules over all of you, both great and small. If a meager sum of money falls to the ground now every person beholding it becomes alert and captivated. The infants and adults talk about money indiscriminately. You allow yourself to be ruled over by money. Tell me the profit derived if you allow yourself to be ruled over by money or be bought by fornication; you fornicate from infancy to death. What kind of human being are you? Or are you a ghost? What do you stand to gain having eaten meat, fish, and even frog and dog? Even at old age where you don't have teeth any longer you grind them and swallow as one does a bolus. What manner of man are you? There are many people in this hall uptill this moment they continue to snuff but I don't want to mention names. There are also many people in this hall who are so given to drinking. No matter the quantity of food the person will eat he will not fail to wash it down with at least a cup of drink. Though there are many such persons here, I will not mention names. There are men and women also in this hall who cannot sleep alone on the bed, and the person will exclaim "how can I sleep alone on the bed when I was not created alone, such cannot happen." There are others who are given to quarrelling. If such persons don't quarrel in a day they can't feel comfortable. Have you not heard the advice that you should not be so cool and do not be so hot; don't be so sweet and do not be so bitter. If you are so sweet you will be swallowed and if you are so bitter you will be spat out.
When you declare that one person takes the likeness of the other, or the other person resembles the other man, watch with extreme care because they do not resemble each other in all ramifications. On the course of looking closely you will discover that the two people have different ears, nose and other body members. That means you are seeing somebody close in likeness, or like the other person but not that person actually. God does not duplicate a human being. Each day changes. The first day cannot be the same with the second. Every man is sent into the world with a specific assignment. All of us have our assignments which we have come to accomplish. Nobody does another's duty. God does not subject Himself to any of the things He created. I don't intend to overload you, I believe that your eyes are opened today. The first lesson should be read.
First Lesson: I Corinthians 10:12
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. "
TAKE HEED
If you allow anything to rule over you, you will fall and you have fallen already. It is advised that nobody should be angry, or fight, or make noise, or quarrel. But eventually there is a power failure here at night, and surprisingly you begin to whistle, sigh, and make noise. By so doing have you not fallen? Are you not troubled at heart? You will start to run helter skelter to find lanterns or look for torch light, others will query why there is a power failure at all? Or why the plant operator has not acted promptly? But I will still remain at my corner unperturbed. Did I come into the world with light? You will also realise that any day you come in here and there is nobody to play the organ you will become disturbed. You ask to know the whereabouts of the organist or why the organ is not operated so that the songs in this place will be controlled? You will be so disturbed that you will find it uneasy to cope without the organ being operated. But I am not bothered whether it is there for twenty years and nobody operates it, because I did not come with it. Whether it is operated or not we are always going forward. But you have given yourself so much to the organ that any day it is not operated you are ready to fight and kill. Do all things moderately. Be moderate in your undertaking. It is good for one to drink. But when you want to drink or eat„take a little quantity of water and food. If you have no food the next day, control and adjust your stomach so that you may not be troubled. But now you are troubled at heart when you have been told already not to be troubled. This is eminent because you allow food and water to dominate your life.
If somebody went to the church with an intention that when he abstains from stealing, fornication, drinking and eating of meat he will have money, wife and children; and yet having abstained from these things he does not possess all that he wanted, do you think such a person will go to the church any longer? That is why sometimes you find somebody who decried meat and fish going back to eat them. By so doing he has failed. He will console himself that since those things — children, money and wife, are not forthcoming, he should go back to his old system, eating of meat and fish.
At times you find somebody being regular in the church for quite a long time but after sometime you find him with diabolical things all over his body preparing juju and charms. Why has he done that? He actually surrendered himself to one of these tendencies which flopped him, and because of that he derailed from the path of righteousness. Upon the numerous women that replete the world, for your wife to divorce you, you start to cause trouble and cannot even eat. With your luxurious cars and wealth you cannot endure that situation. Why is it so? It is because you have surrendered yourself to be ruled over by that woman. Upon all the women around you, don't you see them? Why then are you worried and peculiar about your wife? For your husband to divorce you, you become sick an lean as a result of not eating food because your husband has decided to divorce you? What should cause you to look so frustrated and desolate? What about these numerous men around you? It is because you have lusted for that particular man and that is your problem. Is that not what has kept you in the position you find yourself? Is that not what kills you? Then you begin to recount — I am always given up to anger and valour. Realise that whoever allows himself to be ruled over by anything is an easily angered human being, is a wicked man, a murderer, a thief and the same is satan. Sometime you give alms to a beggar and, expecting him to greet you or to appreciate your benevolence to him, but surprisingly he casts stones at you and curse you. Only that behaviour of the beggar will force you to think otherwise. By so doing, I ask, have you not fallen? You thought initially when you gave the beggar alms that he will kowtow and praise you with endless thanks but eventually he surprises you. You may also give somebody money with a motive of sending him on errand but as soon as you call on him he yells out an excuse. Will you, at such an instance, not be troubled? To you, it will seem you are tricked. You will even regret having given him money at all. Take heed, lest you fall. Have you not heard what our Lord Jesus Christ says: "that whoever looks at a woman lustfully has, in his heart committed fornication with her." It is further said that whoever covets his neighbour's property has stolen it, and therefore he is a thief. The bible enjoins that you should not covet thy neighbour's property. But if you do that you have offended, and you are worthy of death.
Your salvation lies in this gospel. The gospel of today is a powerful type of gospel. Have you not seen the degree of deaths, hatred, and sins in the world? The fact is that you have allowed yourself to be ruled over by the things of this world, if you go out from this hall, if you don't find a taxi cab you can't go to 26 Mbukpa, because you are used to plying this distance with vehicle. Man is like a fowl. And wherever you keep the fowl it starts to find its food there. That is the type of life you should live. If you don't give yourself to be ruled over by anybody or thing you will live a problem-free life; you will not be angry, tell lies, nor covet another's property: and you will dwell with the Father.
If God were to be confident in man or surrendered Himself to him, do you think He would have made the sun to shine upon the roof of every person, and will he send rain upon the just and the unjust? As long as you surrender yourself to a particular thing it means you are lost and there is no salvation for you because you have perished already. Whether money, man, life, good health, don't plunge your heart in them but have your hope on God, repose your confidence in Him, trust Him and surrender yourself to Him and you shall be free. But don't dare surrender yourself to the things of this earth else, you have committed sin.
NONE IS GOOD EXCEPT GOD
You can recall what Christ said when a certain young man approached Him and said: "Lord charge that my brother should give me my share of the inheritance; "Christ said: "0! man, who made me a judge and a divider over you? And he said: "take heed of covetousness, whatever a man owns, his life is not in his hands." But in your own case if one naira (N1.00) is missing, you consult oracle to find out things for yourself. You will continue to disagree and in the end you will even lose your life. At times you are troubled if somebody accuses you of stealing and telling lies. At that extent you become worried because in your heart you tend to believe that you are the only perfect human being; and because you are accused of what you think you have never done, you decide to teach him a lesson. While dealing with that person you incidentally deal with yourself. The situation of the people of the world and yours left much to be desired. I feel pity for you. You allow the fowl, goat, ant and all creations have rule over you. That is the cause of your problems even though you don't see it to be sinful. Whoever surrenders himself to anything is dead already.
You were born into this world and you grew up to be told that there are magicians, money doublers, swindlers, and extortioners, or that such and such a person's money was swindled from him; and even though you have heard the story about swindlers and dupes, have they not duped you? They will continue to dupe you even for one hundred years to come. Why are you still in this immature game? It is because you have surrendered yourself to such tendencies.
You have been told that Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel and others died. People have been dying from that time till date. But for mere hearing that your small child is dead you start to shiver and weep. Why are you doing such a thing? Is it for the fun of it? Are you not matured till now? Is death a new thing? It is bizarre for you to have surrendered your heart to such things.
The same thing is applicable to somebody who is sick. You have heard that right from Adam to the time of your forefathers people always desert the sick persons, and then because somebody is sick you consciously forsake him. Why is it so? The reason is not far-fetched. You have grossly allowed the things of this world to dominate your whole life. Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is God's kingdom. The Cross signifies sufferings and tribulations which one has to bear. But when we hob around somebody in time of plenty only to desert that person when riches are no longer there then it tells on us that we had our hearts and soul controlled by the man's wealth. Every person does the same offence, the children, mother, father and somebody deserts his friend and curses him because he does not swim in wealth any longer. Others will claim that nemesis has visited him, because he used his money for drinking and frolicking with prostitutes. Are you not the ones who caused his money to be exhausted? If we were to submit ourselves to God and keep his injunctions, and stand firm with whoever is sick or dead and live less worried, realising that there is no death, then you will be free. Why are you bothered because somebody is dead? There is nothing like death, sickness or lack; and there is no problem. Surrender yourself not to the things of this world, but to God. If you plunge your mind in the things of this world it shall yield you no profit and you will be troubled at heart but with God you are free. What manner of people are you that you cannot refrain from sins? Ever since Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel and others started committing sins in the past, are you not fed up now in this act? Can't you return home now? You realise that Brotherhood has no business with sinful acts. Why are you a Brotherhood and yet when somebody offends you, you vow that you will undo him so that he will know the type of family you come from. Your Father did same and had no reward. Enslave yourselves to God. Surrender yourself to God. Instead, you surrender your body and mind to mischievous activities that, you at times declare publicly that you are going to Akpabuyo, Uyo or Itu to prepare concoction to teach somebody a lesson.
What actually are you doing? You are bought over by the lust for these tendencies. There is a movement or organization in overseas called Moral Rearmament; that means when you are offended you do good to your offender. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe is a member of that organization. The motto of the organization is that when somebody offends you, if you are a member of that organization, it is your duty to go and beg that person and plead with him to forgive you. You have to settle peaceably your disputes. They are fed up with the atrocious life of the whole country and they decided to live that way. Such is the work of Brotherhood. Ever since we started taking vengeance what benefit have we and the inhabitants of the world achieved? When you argue that you don't give up things easily, what about your forefathers who did what you are doing today? Are they still living?
If you go to the prison overseas, you will discover that prisoners are not tortured and humiliated as done in Nigeria. Prisoners are not punished and they are paid salary, they wear what they like. But in this part of the globe prisoners are tied to stakes, and shot to death. Others are punished in various ways. Until now, are you fed up in this atrocious act of yours? I want you to listen to our second lesson as it is going to be read. That is your homework: Take a record of your wickedness from Adam, and since you started killing, disgracing, defiling, drinking, fornicating, indulging in diabolical practices and doing other unseemly things, yet to no avail. Now the whites have come to their wits end. They have seen their ignorance, the Germans are not left out in this issue of eye opening. You have been fighting, quarrelling and killing. Do you eat the corpse of those you kill? And even though you may eat it, will it satisfy you? If somebody dies, will somebody not be born? What indeed is relatively new? We look for a new thing now. This is the new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. That is the new thing which we yearn for.
Second Lesson: Galatians 6:1
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such
an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. "
RESTORE YOUR BRETHREN TO THEIR PREVIOUS STATE
Have you heard that? Realise that in overseas, if you are reported to the police the police will not come and arrest you indiscriminately. Your telephone number will be taken and somebody will dial your number and advise you to report at the police station and then will you go there. If any policeman attempts to arrest you, without following this protocol he will be charged for assault. That is the case over there. They have realised that all this time they have been beating mankind, punishing and torturing him, no benefit has come out of that. And all this time that you have been bullying, cheating, beating up people and bearing malice against others, discriminating and charging others to court; you have imprisoned, killed and tortured the rest, what good has come to your family? Have you lived long? Where are your parents and great-grand-parents? Are you not fed up with this act of gross sinfulness? Over here there is a death penalty for whoever commits murder, but in the western world such a thing does not arise. The culprit will be given life imprisonment over there. He lives there permanently without going out again. But logically, if somebody kills and you kill him, don't you know you will be killed? If you condemn somebody to death, note that you are also dead. The whites have started to realise things which they did not know in the past because they lacked the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is illuminating their path now. But imagine a large continent like Africa, instead for you to unite in one and form a formidable front, you tend to segregate and avenge yourselves.
Over here, if you happen to be the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident, and you have knocked somebody down, if you don't run away the inhabitants of that area will surround you with sticks, clubs, matches and guns, set your vehicle ablaze and finally kill you. At times it does not even concern them in any way, and if you were up to two people, both of you will be killed, making the number of corpses three. What profit is there in doing such a thing? In other words, you cause somebody you suspected to have stolen your property to be apprehended and jailed. By so doing, have you retrieved your property? Is that thief in the prison for your own good? What really is your gain? Combat does not terminate at throwing down an opponent. The family of the person imprisoned and their community members will challenge that act and it will not be that easy for you. That trouble caused by the two families or communities will raise dust. What goes on in the world is "tit for tat." A great many mishaps we have heard about in the western world occurred accidentally, but that of the blacks, they act devilishly and unjustly. You are ruled by sins and evils. Sin has eaten deep into you as a cankerworm. The infant, adult, young, old, man or woman commits evils. There is nobody who is ready to do anything good. You move about with your knife tied round your waist. And the blackman does not believe in the word "accident." That is why our second lesson says: "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." But if we beat such a person, or punish him in what ever way necessary, it means we have committed the worst crime. Who has not offended amongst us? Right now as we are sitted here listening to the gospel, should anybody now disturb either by shouting, or misbehaving any how, everybody will run to his direction. He will be captured; and before you know it he has been tied legs and hands and thrown on the ground, his legs twisted and his neck squeezed. He will be beaten and dealt with ruthlessly. When you act in this way, don't you know that your punishment is greater than his. As children of God if somebody does something which is not good admonish him peacefully and gradually he will change. And in the end you will show to him his fault without hurting his feelings and yours too.
If somebody steals your property don't broadcast it. But get closer the culprit and exhort him peacefully and gently, in the end you will successfully make him realise his fault without being angry with you. If you report a thief to the police and he is arrested don't you know that your sin is greater than his. If you take him to the soothsayer, juju priest, or witch doctor to cast lots and know the truth, don't you think that your offence is greater than his? If you curse and beat him up, don't you know that you have also offended? That is why you are asked to "take heed lest you fall." That is the constituent of the teaching I impart to you. Whoever says he stands should take heed lest he falls. When you curse people, get angry, beat somebody up and punish others, don't you fall by so doing? You give your car to somebody but incidentally he got involved in an accident and possibly damaged your car. You become so infuriated that you demand a new car as compensation from him. What happens if you were the one driving the car and had the car damaged? Would you not have said it was an accident? Why tell the driver to buy you a new car?
LEAVE VENGEANCE FOR GOD, HE WILL REPAY
You must have heard the testimony of that chief magistrate who said he had a case of manslaughter in court; it is because of that type of situation. He said his nephew was intimate with his daughter in his house the first time and he pardoned him. As if that was not enough, the nephew repeated that shabby act and because of that the chief magistrate admitted he sent the boy home and refused him education. But when the magistrate went home on one occasion he discovered that his nephew was still there. He was angry and he drove him away and got him seriously smacked. Along the line the young man died. When the boy died he was charged for manslaughter. Brethren, if you are observant and thoughtful, you will realise that the teaching I impart unto you is excellent.
Why is it that if you have a piece of land and somebody seeks for a portion of it, you go to charge the person to court? At that juncture the struggle starts. Apart from wasting your own money you are going to waste your time and energy, you will indulge in preparation of juju and concoction, tell lies and plot evil against your offender. There is a massive expense of land even from here to India. What do you do with this land? If a parcel of land is taken away from you give it out, for God will give you another parcel of land. For somebody to be indebted to you, you sue him to court. Realise that by this singular act you have erred and your sin is greater than this, and before you can collect your debt of say N10.00 from him you will spend well over N60.00 in the end. And if it is so, I ask, have you received back that money in essence? What is the wisdom in using over N60.00 to recover a debt of N10.00? What do you stand to gain?
You have heard the testimony given by one of our brethren, an army captain. He said somebody violently took ownership of his parcel of land. He admitted that if it were the time he was in the world he would not take it kindly with the man other than to deal ruthlessly with him, but having come into Brotherhood he cannot behave like that any longer. Furthermore, he added that his relations and friends rose clubs and other weapons to wage war and retrieve the land but he warned them not to do that, telling them assuringly that he will personally go to address the man. But the people threatened that the man will kill him but the captain said he debunked such negative perceptions. In the end that man came, called the captain's carnal father and told him that his son (the captain) was a man of God. The man surrendered the land and reconciled amicably with the captain's family. The brother said he had a revolver in his pocket the day the incident occurred, of which, with that gun, he would have eliminated the other man who boasted, and he had on him N10,000.00 which he would have conveniently bribed the police to squash the matter but he was tolerant. In the end he triumphed over the temptation. Leaving vengeance for God is the best thing a man should do. Your problem now is that any little thing you have, your heart and mind is plunge in that thing so much that if there is any trespasser you can fire a gun at him. If you find somebody going astray, instead of you to get close to him and rebuke him with meekness and love, you stand somewhere and conclude that nemesis has caught up with him; or that the person has backslided from Brotherhood. At times you ridicule, jeer, disgrace, and speak disdainfully against him; by so doing have you not offended? When somebody is faced with difficulty, instead of us to help him out, we discourage him and get such a person dispirited with obscene statements that his sins are the cause of his afflictions. What causes yours? Is it not your sins?
Somebody has a child and because the child is either seriously sick and dies in the end, people will begin to speak discouragingly that the man has killed or sacrificed his child for his diabology and juju. Instead of people to encourage the afflicted and feed him with the words of life they will discourage him with all types of obscene statements. If you have a husband and eventually he goes on transfer, your in-laws will conclude that you have killed your husband. Will you continue to live forever in a state of ignorance and foolishness? Killing here and there and leveling allegations here and there? If you watch the trend of things you will discover that wherever a man or woman dies those around will accuse the husband or wife of being responsible. If a child dies people will accuse the mother. If a person dies somewhere his close friend(s) will be accused. That is the only gratefulness man can show to God. What is the gain in doing these things? And having done so, have you not erred? It is said that a child of God should speak no guile, should not curse, abuse, punish or cast aspersions at people. The children of God are expected to exhort and rebuke with meekness, love, truth, mercy and the word of God so as to gain the offender back to the path of rectitude. But have you accepted to do that? As long as you have not done it, realise that your punishment is greater than the other man's. That is why Brotherhood encourages you to leave everything unto the Father because if he does not approve of anything, nothing can happen. Always surrender all things to the Father. Whether fire consumes somebody's properties, whether somebody's property got lost you have to encourage the person involved. You don't have to blame or beat the person up or do anything that will hurt his feelings. You have to bless, console, comfort and speak good words which will draw the person to God. Even here in Brotherhood, bickering and gossiping has its roots. A great many brethren here, because of indiscriminate gossiping, their absence for one or more days at evening prayers or services will be rumored that such persons have become ashamed of themselves and cannot embrace the kingdom as expected. You should get closer him and know his problem, exhort him and comfort him with good words. Regrettably, you take to speaking disdainfully against persons. Leave people to themselves because God is monolithic and Omnipresent. Wherever man is found God is there with him. As children of God you are expected to regard everybody impeccable before you, but you are expected to encourage, exhort, please, comfort and draw somebody who strayed back to God. That is the work of Brotherhood. If you don't do that it means you have offended. If you are reliably informed of your brother or sister's problems, if you don't go there and help sort out solution to his or her problems it means you have erred. If something happens and you begin to speak ill against that person it means you have also erred. At all times, "if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Let our golden text be read.
Golden Text: I Corinthians 5:12
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
BE NOT STRINGENT IN YOUR TASTE
Can you now realise the cause of the fall of the inhabitants
of the world. That is the worst of all the sins which you have committed, and the same is
the greatest sin. Why do you allow anger, drink, aggressiveness, money and a fellow man to
rule over you? It is said that "all things are lawful unto me, but all things are not
expedient." Do not allow anything to have dominion over you. Initially you had no
money but suddenly God gives you money. Whether a thief has stolen the money from where
you have kept it, you become aggravated and angry to the extent that you indulge in
preparation of juju or charms to eliminate that thief or quarrel with him if possible.
What are all these attitudes for? Is money God? Is money your life? What actually is money
to you that you cannot go your way and rebuff that? Don't take much food. Some days you
can decide to stop taking food at all. I told you that at my infancy, sometimes I do fast
for three or four days. I did stay without food for days (even when there was food, enough
and to spare). That means if I go to a place where there is no food I can conveniently
survive and I am used to this system of life but are you all attuned to this sort of life
style? I was born with these startling qualities. I can conveniently stand under the sun
even for twenty hours unperturbed. I can stay in the water with my head on the shore and
my body inside water and I am used to that. The rain has beaten me from here to a far
distant place without any umbrella; I don't complain but I enjoyed it. But your case is
different. You will complain unceasingly that you are a human being. Does that mean I am
an apparition? The contention is that you should not allow yourself to be ruled over by
anything. If you put on shoes for sometime go barefooted; if you eat meat and fish,
sometime take vegetarian delicacies. If somebody serves you, after sometime decide to
serve yourself and others so that the equation will balance. Don't be stringent, but adapt
yourself to situations and be moderate in your life-style. You are told not to lust
for the things of this world. But now all of you are lusting after the things of this world
thereby allowing these things to have dominion over you. That is a great sin before God.
One stroke of the cane is sufficient to the wise. I don't intend to take you further. He that has ears let him hear. May God bless His holy word. Amen.