Everlasting Gospel
First lesson: Matthew 24: 9
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.”
Second lesson: John 15: 18
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
Golden text: Acts 28: 22
"But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is evil spoken against."
Everybody should listen very attentively to the gospel of today. Brethren, what are your problems now? You have heard about what happened; what is happening and what will happen. It is said that this sect is it spoken against everywhere.
1.1 Many can testify to falsehood
There are times you would say: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." That statement is not altogether true. A million persons can attest to falsehood. In fact, it is the order of the day today to bear false witness and get an innocent person convicted.
It is quite common to find people coming around to ask you why so many people speak disdainful words against Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. You may not realize immediately why he asks the question. In comparison, he may want to know why other churches are not so spoken against. I am now expatiating the necessary answers which you may have not known especially when confronted with such questions.
1.2 God is always blasphemed
By their estimation, if Brotherhood of the Cross and Star were to be good, no person would have embarked on calumny against it. But you have heard that even from Adam, no person has ever spoken good of God. During the time of Cain and Abel, you will recall, people never spoke good of God. The prophets of old, like Jeremiah, John the Baptist and Joseph the Son of Jacob were sent to languish in jail for telling the truth.
1.3 The world hates truth
If Joseph had, for instance, from the start, agreed to have sexual intimacy with his master's wife, he would have been accepted as the Lord of the house. He would not have suffered any imprisonment. If Jeremiah had toed the line of the kings by always prophesying good about the kings he would have been admired and loved. If our Lord Jesus Christ had approved and recommended the activities of the world. He would have been a beloved and not hated and despised.
Do not doubt what has been happening. Do not be troubled when you realize that all facets of the society hate Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. Necromancers, sorcerers. adulterers, idolaters hate Brotherhood. However, such claims are not relatively new to my ears. When you complain that people are speaking guile against you, you are yet reading an old chapter. The choice is all yours; to stand firm inspite of their ramblings or give in and backslide. Whichever way you may turn to, the word of God stands for eternity.
1.4 Stand firm for truth
Do not be deceived into believing that a person who hated your father can ever love you. The world does not love God or would it want to hear anything about or from God. If it is for their hatred for God that you want to go back to them and in the long run receive your reward, the option is yours. I do not want anybody to say that he is being punished because of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star or that he is suffering because of Brother Obu. If you should say you are suffering because of Brother Obu, then on whose sake is Brother Obu Himself suffering? You complain that it is because you are in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star that is why you are poor and ask people for money. Do not constitute yourself into a problem to the brethren. Go back and enjoy your affluence in the world if that is what you want in life.
Before any person embarks upon any programme, or is initiated into any organization it is only reasonable that he should find out its aims and objectives, analyzing the costs and the benefits. God cannot be compared to man. Before this fulfillment He had already revealed the implications to His children. All those who express their inability or unwillingness to come to Brotherhood of the Cross and Star have already examined and weighed the consequences of their action and based on this, conclude that they would not withstand all the allegations and calumny. But remember that our Lord Jesus Christ had said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me." Again it is written, "for which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he will be able with ten thousand to meet that which cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an emissary, and desireth condition of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”.
1.5 Everyone must carry his burden
Everyman has his own burden to carry. I am carrying mine and you are carrying yours. Already, I am a victim of all sorts of persecutions but you still would want to add more to it. Your mother cannot save you. Your father cannot save you. Your children cannot save you. Each person has himself to save. Our Lord Jesus Christ hinted on this when he said, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
Your problem is that you are not prepared to suffer. Many people do not like to read the Bible. Some read but are not appreciative of what are contained in it. There are some who believe and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ but are quite unwilling to let go carnal things of the world. Do not hold the opinion that many do not know Brotherhood. If that were right, from where would the propaganda come? You would come across people who, through their actions show their implicit faith in what you do here in Brotherhood. You may be amazed, questioning why such people have not come into the fold.
1.6 Saint Paul an example
Do you remember what happened to Saul, later called Paul? He was a lawyer and a strict Pharisee. When he heard about the strange teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ he thought the strange teachings would annul the Hebrew doctrines, thus he put up stiff opposition against them. He was the Youth Leader. He was also present when Stephen was stoned. Stephen's garment was even left in his possession. Under his leadership, many of the apostles were imprisoned, tortured, burnt at stake and murdered. You have also heard how he received authority from the Chief Priests and Pharisees to go to Damascus and persecute and arrest whoever would be found calling upon, and preaching in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, when he was caught by our Lord Jesus Christ, he became a wanted man in Damascus and in many other places. When his former colleagues and important friends heard that he was preaching the Christ more vehemently than any other disciple, they vowed to kill him. He had no way of escape and had to be lowered from over the city wall in a basket. From that time henceforth, he was persecuted against, even in Jerusalem.
1.7 You will be persecuted
For the sake of the gospel, James, the Brother of John was killed. For this same reason was Peter and others who preached in that name, tortured, imprisoned, crucified, and killed. Whatever was done to the Israelites will be done to the Gentiles. Many people are saying that such a thing is nonsensical, that it cannot happen in this age. Right now, is history not repeating itself?
Your parents, relations, thieves, necromancers, advise and pressurize you to withdraw from Brotherhood. Of the Cross and Star. They even refuse you any form of aid. Do not be annoyed with a backslider because he is a victim of calumny and threats which, weighing down and down, instills fear and forces him out of the belief he had.
You are true witnesses to the fact that if you do not sum up enough courage, you cannot put on your white soutane to the office. Have you not been called such names as priest, angel, Christ, Jehovah. For fear of this, you do not put it on? You can even find Civil Servants who are Brotherhood members putting on French suits or jumpers, in order to keep their jobs.
Every person has seen Brotherhood in its correct perspective but is only afraid of allegations and calumnies. They are not responsible for what is happening. What you see is the predictions of God, coming true. Listen attentively to the first lesson and take home what you hear.
First lesson: Matthew 24: 9
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.”
What lesson have you drawn from what you have heard read to you? Do you construe it to be the truth or do you think it is falsehood? Many of you are erring everyday but our Lord Jesus Christ had already told you what would happen. You persuade people to come to Brotherhood so that their problems may be solved and that they will be enriched. But Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide this hard fact. He openly told us "they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations"
You are not hated because you have committed any act of sin. These things happen in fulfillment of the scriptures. Why do you then constitute yourself as a burden to others? Why do you complain about one thing or the other? Withdraw if you care. You complain of having no more money, of friends deserting you, of losing your landed property to people all because of Brotherhood. You have the option to go back to the world in order to enjoy your landed property, friends, so that you have money. From time immemorial we have been used to such complaints.
1.8 Moses an example to follow
If Moses had accepted the sonship of Pharaoh's daughter, he would have remained in the exalted position in the King's palace. But he rejected the glory of this world for an eternal glory of the Kingdom of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ who was the Son of Man, Son of God and God Himself, left all His glories to suffer blasphemy, tribulations and death on the cross for the sake of this glory. The moment you declare in your office that you are a man of God, gird your loins because people will wage war against you. If you should declare for Satan, they will shake hands with you and embrace you.
This is not what you should be sad or sorrowful about. You do not need to ask people what to do in order not to be hated. This is why the doors to the Kingdom of God are opened but people cannot enter. As it is said in psalms, "Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Again our Lord Jesus Christ said, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven." Also He said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
1.9 Tribulation: the only path to God
Brethren, we have no reasons to complain about why you are hated or spoken evil against. It is the only channel through which we all must pass. Our Lord Jesus Christ has a share in it, you and I and all those who have the intention of entering into the Kingdom have a share in it. It is left for you to resolve whether you will withstand the persecution or allegation or storm of life or if you will fall out. It indicates why Paul the Apostle asked: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall it be tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
In answer to the question he said "Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
1.10 The Holy Spirit to our rescue
I do not feel that the conditions experienced are new to Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. They had existed from the beginning of time. The conditions had always been that he who fights and wins will be crowned at t he end. When a leopard cannot withstand a fight, it invites a lion. Our Lord Jesus Christ, understanding the intricacies said "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." We in this generation are the luckiest, because of the arrival of the Holy Spirit in our time. If the Holy Spirit had not arrived, we would have experienced untold situations. He has come to salvage us.
1.11 The wicked husbandmen
Remember the parable of our Lord Jesus Christ about certain house holder, who had a vineyard, and fenced around it. He dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went on a journey. When the time of reaping the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits. The husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent more servants and they did likewise to them. At last he sent to them his son, saying, "they will revere my son". But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, "this is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.”
1.12 Satan wages furious war
The Jews killed our Lord Jesus Christ because He said. 'I am the Son of God.' What you see is no child's play. The situation you find yourself is no joke. As at now, Satan knows that after he had been thrown out of the Kingdom, he is a finished man. For that reason, he is struggling with a strong determination not to stay alone. The situation can be compared to the behaviour of a murderer on realizing that he is finished. Any person around him is regarded as an enemy and can be injured.
However, "When the Lord, therefore, of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" They said unto him, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.”
1.13 Sanctify yourself in readiness
If you read through the Revelation of Saint John the Divine, chapters nineteen and twenty, you will come face to face with this truth. God had revealed all that would happen at this age. This is the final era. The world finds no pleasure in behaving as it does. It is the evil one infusing evil spirit into them to act. Remember that this is a spiritual war, the Armageddon. You are also being changed over. That is why you are adorned and advised to refrain from drinking, fornication, and taking any form of medication. These are the fruits of the evil one, the Satan.
1. 14 God, the Trinity has arrived
If the Father, Son and Holy Spirit had not arrived. it would have been a herculean task. You are enticed with wine, money, marriage, wealth and glorious names into perdition. Unfortunately for them, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit have come down. When first they sensed His presence, they thought Him to be a small cranky fellow who could be thrown out at any moment. But even the way He has come is not in consonance with their expectations of His flying down like a bird. The world expect God to crashland from the sky, but He has come in a way they did not expect. He is born of a woman.
Continually, Satan is devising ways and means of trapping you. Many times you are confronted with questions about the origin of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star and the deity of your leader. At other times, spies clothed in white soutane have come into your midst but you know them not. They have planned in their usual way, as in the days of old. They are now tongue-tied and do not even know what to say. All avenues and loopholes which could have enhanced their success have been sealed. Do you know what they now say? They are saying that Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is not a Christian denomination, that it neither knows God nor our Lord Jesus Christ. They end up saying that they do not welcome its existence.
1.15 Ignore the world's intrigues
Do not mind about them. I have out of my own freewill sent you to salvage them from their ruins, yet they are saying they do not want. Who loses?
Our Lord Jesus Christ had twelve disciples whom people thought would be left like sheep without a shepherd. It will not be so in this final period. Unexpectedly, He has come in fulfillment of that which is pre-ordained in the Scriptures, that He will come like a thief in the night. From all indications He has come. A careful look at all places you go to, reveals this fact. Anywhere you enter you find them confounded and confused. Some people have left their villages and clans to seek refuge in other places. The propaganda and allegation now going on is that Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is rendering their charms and juju useless and ineffective.
They have now exhausted all their avenues to salvation and have found no other thing to say. They are at their wits end. Now they have resorted to saying that Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is no Christian denomination. Truly, it is no church but the new Kingdom of God, It cannot be linked with any kind of religion. The churches are indulging in the very acts our Lord Jesus Christ condemned. They are neck-deep in such sin as drinking, fornicating, snuffing and hatred. Brotherhood people neither drink, fornicate, snuff, tell lies, nor do any of those things. Yet our accusers acclaim themselves as Christians. They are simply singing their nunc dimitis. It could be likened to a wife who, for want of what to tell the husband, would say that water had stuck in her teeth.
1.16 We are the heirs of God's kingdom
When they allege that you are worshipping man what are the Christian, Moslems, Hindus, Rosicrucians, Pagan, and others doing? They are crying wolf where there is no wolf. Can you not see that the world is lamenting? They are in peril but we have everything in abundance. There is food, love, wisdom, truth, power children, faith and other virtues of God. What is it that you want from them? They are those needing help from us. You are in heaven. You are more powerful, faithful and knowledgeable. I have told you to go and salvage them but they have refused. And I am saying that they will seek for you later. Brethren, the second Bible lesson will now be read.
Second lesson: John 15: 18
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
Is this statement strange to you? Now that you complain to our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom will He lay His complaints? If you complain that you are hated because of our Lord Jesus Christ, did they not first hate Him? For whose sake was He hated? The world hates you because it first hated Him.
I would disagree with any person who says that he loves somebody's children and not the Father. In the same token, if you do not honour the Son, you cannot honour the Father. Whoever does not love Brotherhood does not love God. Whoever loves God must love Brotherhood.
1.17 Our Lord Jesus Christ now on earth
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide anything when He said, the world hates you because it first hated me. But he consoled you when He said that He would come back to you. Tell me truly, if our Lord Jesus were not to be in the world with us, where do you think the world would have been?
Your enemy can never speak good about you. Upon all that our Lord Jesus Christ did, they did not believe in Him. Instead, they murmured and questioned saying: "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven?" He later told them to believe His works if they would not believe Him.
1.18 Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is well known everywhere
If somebody pretends to be asleep, he will not wake up no matter how much you shake him up. But if you shake a person who is fast asleep, you will notice him waking up with a start. I want to tell you that it is not the Herald nor the Television nor the Radio that reveals Brotherhood. People had already known Brotherhood to a great extent than yourselves. What you see them do is the work of their fathers. They have done everything their fathers did and have reached the blind alley. The plans and plots against Brotherhood are empty and void as far as this generation is concerned and forever.
1.19 Spiritual warefare is raging
Have you ever found Satan preaching the gospel? Necromancers and juju priests detest seeing the Bible. However, in this generation, it is Satan preaching the Bible.' When you sing spiritual songs and walk past the streets all elementary spirits of the universe are subdued. When they notice this they would warn you against rendering their charms ineffective.
We sing, preach and yet we are nicknamed vampire, draculars, beelzebub, and the like. They are only doing their father's work. Their cries, lamentations and mournings do not amount to anything. What is going on is a spiritual warfare. When they embark on blackmail, calumny and propaganda, they are merely engaging in that war.
1.20 We are winners in the war
Your duty is to rise up and preach the attributes of the Christ. Be not disturbed. The war our forefathers could not wage has been fought and conquered for us. They use empty and vain words to fight but we show the attributes of God.
You will recall that what led to Stephen's death was that he out-witted a Pharisee in a discussion. They were moving along the road, discussing. But on realizing that Stepnhen had out-witted him, the Pharisee planed with those around and they bore false witness against Stephen.
In a similar way was our Lord Jesus Christ conspired against. Again they have conspired to destroy this new Kingdom of God, saying that Brotherhood of the Cross and Star does not encourage their members to go to school. Upon what they say, here we have people in all spheres. There are lawyers, doctors, engineers, bankers, undergraduates, scattered all over in our kingdom. Members of the armed forces are surprisingly also here; some are holding high positions of responsibility.
1.21 Do not touch their shrines: they are already destroyed
Carnal weapons are not used in this war. I warn you against removing or destroying anybody's charms. Why do you even call such things evil? You should realize that they have been anxiously lying in wait to get hold of you and capitalize on the slightest opportunity. They can even call the police to arrest you for surrounding and offering prayers at a shrine. When singing, do not touch anything. Leave them all alone and watch the wonderful results. Their shrines are already destroyed.
1.22 Preach Christ and love to them
Today is different from yesterday. All their valour have failed. That is why they now argue that there is something demonic about what you have done and that you are simply camouflaging with Christ.
When you are preaching, do not speak about the Leader. Preach the gospel of God, telling them to refrain from such sins as drinking, smoking, fornicating, backbiting and whoremongering. If any of them should mention the name of the Leader in the course of your preaching, discourage him. Mentioning the name of the Leader is like casting your precious gem before the swine. You will recall when our Lord Jesus Christ asked His disciples: "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" They replied, "some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some Elias; and others, Jeremiahs, or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But whom say ye that I am?" And Simon Peter answered "thou art the Christ the Son of the living God." What was Christ's reply, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
He strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ. The disciples held all these things to themselves, and said nothing about it. If they had mentioned it to any man, our Lord Jesus Christ would not have operated for up to one year. Why Peter and others were killed was that they preached that our Lord Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Declaring that our Lord Jesus is God is not a way of assimilating or practising the words of God.
1.23 God is revealing himself
This chapter has, however, been closed. That is why it has been said, "this is the new covenant that I will enter into with the house of Israel: After those days. I will write my laws into their hearts, a neighbour will not teach his neighbour to know God for they will know me from the least to the greatest. I will have mercy on them and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more." You should realize that you are no longer living in the flesh but in the spirit. God is revealing Himself to the world. Now is the operation of the Holy Spirit. I tell you one thing, the Crusaders in Lagos simply go about preaching the gospel. When asked about the Father, they maintain that the Father would reveal Himself to them before long. And truly He has been revealing Himself to them, for which they testify.
Before the Crusaders arrived Trinidad, many had already known the Leader. The Police Officer who was with them had already known the Leader. There is no use telling a white man who Olumba Olumba Obu is. Take the person of Chukwu, who would have preached to convert him? The Father revealed Himself to him. In India, America and other places, the Father has already revealed Himself to the people. Quite unlike the kind of thing you do here, they have implicit faith. Sister Marts, an Irish American, testified here that the Father revealed Himself to her when she was still very small. Sister Gloria, who had a similar experience can tell you more about the Father than what you think you know.
The enmity that existed is no more. You are persistently told to separate yourself from the world. Listen to your spirit and not to any man. That generation hated me and did all kinds of things against me. Whatever was done to, or spoken against me must also be done against you. Whoever is a Brotherhood loves me and whoever loves me, loves you. Whoever loves you loves Christ and whoever loves Christ, loves God.
1.24 Do not tempt God
Sometimes, you place a condition before God that if a barren woman should give birth you would believe and worship God. Such cases do not need fasting; do not even pray. It amounts to tempting God. This is another strategy of Satan. You will recall that when the tempter told our Lord Jesus Christ, if you are the Son of God, command that this stone become bread; our Lord Jesus Christ did not do anything but rather answered, 'man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Why is it that when Satan questions you about the Leader, you begin to make statements. That is insolence. Sometimes you are summoned before the village Head or the Magistrate to answer certain queries. Whatever statements of defense you make before your enemies will pull no weight. Your case had already been arbitrarily predetermined. When the Chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority?" Jesus answered, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in Iikewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John whence was it? From heaven or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say, from heaven; he will say unto us, why did ye not then believe? But if we shall say, of men, we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, we cannot tell. And he said unto them. Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things."
1.25 What to answer the world
Can you not use the same method of answering questions with questions? When somebody asks you what you think your Leader is, ask the person who he thinks our Lord Jesus Christ to be. Where he says he does not know, tell him that you do not know because he knows that the moment he tells you that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God Himself, you will ask him to believe His words. If you are asked whether your Leader is God, ask the person whether he has ever seen God and if so what He looks like. He will be forced to end up. Do not bother your head in long and unnecessary explanation.
When they were in Capernaum, the tax-collectors came to Peter and said, "Doth not your master pay tribute?" He replied, yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus questioned him, about what he was thinking.
"Of whom do the Kings of the earth take custom or tribute: their own children, or strangers?" He asked. Peter said to him, "of strangers". Jesus said to him, "then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; take that and give to them for me and thee.
1.26 Be joyous in tribulation
The gospel of today is for those who think negatively. It is for those who feel they are hated and despised for being members of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. And those who think Brotherhood members are trouble makers before they hate the gospel of God, they first hated God. Do not pick a quarrel with any person for any reason, whatever. They are only staging a part of the drama in the Divine plan; each person playing his part. If they first hated our Lord Jesus Christ, and are now hating you, is it not a thing of joy to you?
I do not intend to take you further than this. Our golden text will now be read. This gospel should be shown to the world in black and white.
Golden text: Acts 28 : 22
"But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against."
1.27 History repeats itself
Do you understand that? Any village or city you enter, you are spoken against. They complain of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star causing insurrection in all nooks and corners. You are accused of destroying their diabolical powers. When they write to you to attend their functions, you donate generously to them, yet they still turn round to accuse you of many things. This is because it had so been written. History is simply repeating itself.
Any person who intends to be righteous is always hated and spoken against. This explains why many people digress from the way of truth. Everyone thrives in doing evil, and paying back evil for evil. Any person who does evil will be feared and respected by the society. No person ever tries to do anything offensive in his presence for fear of being rewarded adversely.
1.28 God's children are always hated
It was because the sacrifice offered by his brother was acceptable in the sight of God but his own sacrifice was not accepted that Cain killed Abel. When your work is good, you are bound to be hated by the world. In your family, if you are truthful, if you have love, every person, including your parents will hate you. If the village people want to burn somebody; if they want to extort something from a person and you appear to protest against such tendency, they will hate you.
Why was John the Baptist killed? He had shown to Herod the King his evil ways as he married the wife of his paternal brother. And also pointed out to him other evil things he had committed. It was from there that John the Baptist was killed. And that was why when that little girl was dancing before King Herod, he assured her that whatever she would pledge before him as a request he would do it for her. She ran to her mother, the very woman whom John the Baptist had advised Herod not to marry, and the woman seized that opportunity to revenge him.
We have a spiritual chorus which says, "Who will receive the grace of God?" And the answer is: "the children of God. Who will go empty-handed? Satan will go empty handed." This girl, her mother and Herod the King returned empty handed. This is so because Herod told her that whatever she requested of him he would give it to her. The mother would have advised her to tell Herod to abdicate the throne so that she might rule in his stead. That would have been a better offer. Instead of her mother telling her to go and tell Herod to split all his wealth and give her one part of it, she simply seized that opportunity and instructed her daughter to go and request for the head of John the Baptist in a plate. What was she going to do with John's head? It is true that the world does not love any man who tells the truth, But do you wish to perish in falsehood? Has history said anything about that woman or about her daughter or about Herod the King? Rather, you have only heard about John the Baptist. John the Baptist has a great name eternally.
To die with our Lord Jesus Christ is to die in the truth. And our Lord Jesus Christ said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
1.29 Satan is the origin of lies
All the lies flooding the whole world today, Satan is the father of them. You can see how the world has referred to the truth as falsehood. Look at how they have regarded what is white as black. Brotherhood of the Cross and Star which is of God, which is truth, which is love, which is every good thing, they rather call Beelzebub, ghost, apparition, witchcraft, vampire, and every bad name one can think of. They have reached their wits end and they are now faced with disgrace.
Therefore, do not lend your ears to them again because they have now been unveiled. You have been hitting your heads on the floor here and they always confront you to explain the precise meaning of such a mode of worship. Do not give them any answer at all. They will tell you that when the Leader bends to do likewise, He usually goes there to do certain secret things. They will criticize about the flowers placed here at the altar. And they will profess that the flowers are placed there as elements of charms. When they seek to know why each of the tables are kept in such positions, and you begin to elucidate you condemn yourself to their stupidity.
You have heard what has been read to you today that "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." Have these not been made manifest today? Why do they not hate necromancers? Why do they not hate soothsayers? Why do they not hate the members of Ogboni society? Why do they not hate those who profess to conglomerate in ecumenical council and plan that they are going to develop witchcraft and use it for the furtherance of God's work in the world? And they have done it indeed under a distinctive name known to many people.
All the unmarried women have formed themselves into an Association and have given it a particular name. Why are they not hated by the people of the world? In America, we have a church referred to as the church of Satan. Inside that church, they can kill, they can commit any atrocity. Why are they not hated by the people of the world?
In the European countries, people are making blasphemous statements against the personality of Our Lord Jesus Christ through television and radio media. Why are they not hated? The Russians do not allow anything about Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Moslems also do not accept anything about Our Lord Jesus Christ as Son of God. Why do the people of the world not speak evil against these persons? In the whole of the Federation of Nigeria, how many people call upon Our Lord Jesus Christ? How many of them know Our Lord Jesus Christ? In the western world, the Church accepts homosexuality and same sex marriage, yet such churches are not hated by people.
God himself knows that no person believes in Him. That is why He had asked the people why they called Him Lord when they did not carry out the will of His Father. But at this fullness of time when the Holy Spirit has started His work, He is in operation, the worldly people begin to talk and say all manner of things. Why do you look at them?
1.30 The world loves Satan and evil
We have to rejoice because all the words of God are fulfilled in you. With this gospel, you should not bother yourself about anything. When our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Pilate, the Governor, all evil things were said against Him. And Pilate said. "Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?" What do you think He would have given to them as an answer? What would He have said to satan? Have you ever seen a man of God discharged and acquitted before the court of satan? What did Oour Lord Jesus Christ do? And Pilate himself had declared, "Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverted the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No nor yet Herod: for I sent you unto him, and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him, I will, therefore, chastise him, and release him." But all of them said in unison. "Crucify Him, crucify Him."
They knew that Barabbas was a murderer. He was a thief, and he was a notorious prisoner. But they cried out all at once, “saying, away with this man and release unto us Barabbas.” And he asked them saying, “why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were indignant, shouting with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified.”
1.31 Distance yourself from the world
Would this alone not strike fear in you for always attaching yourself with the people of the world? Are you not always afraid to walk amongst the people of the world? The moment you go into their midst, they make certain allegations against you. They will surround you and speak in one voice because their duty is that of destruction. If you are taken before the village Head, is he not their Chief? What defense are you going to put up to exonerate yourself? Before you begin to say anything, he will demand that a bottle of strong drink be brought. And he will tell you', young man, Brotherhood members are very troublesome in the village. He will always speak in the favour of your accusers.
Should you be taken to the court, the magistrate will put up the same argument, that Brotherhood members are troublemakers. If you wish to make any defense, he would order that you shut up your mouth.
Can you understand what is happening in the world? And this is why our Lord Jesus Christ said, "My Kingdom is not of this world, if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servant fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my Kingdom not from hence." We are so numerous that we are capable of doing anything we want to do. When you are going among them be very crafty and keep in check the words which proceed out of your mouth. They are anxiously awaiting whatever comes out of your mouths in order to use it in calumny and allegations against you.
1.32 Disseminate the gospel to all
I want this gospel to be disseminated to everybody so that they realise what our Lord Jesus Christ said. "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." And also, "if the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
Are these not fulfilled today? Are all that was done to our Lord Jesus Christ, not repeated again today? The people consistently maintain that: "But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
Everywhere you go among the old and the young, people speak evil against Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. They allege that Brotherhood is Beelzebub; drinks blood; that it is an embodiment of all evil. They curse Brotherhood and claim that the members are damned. Have you not realised this reality?
1.33 Serve and listen to God only
Whatever happens from day to day is towards the manifestation of the word of God. Serve God, listen to God and do not lend your ears to the world again. Your brother or sister who is in the world does not love you and will never speak good of you. He will not like to see you and will be a party to any meeting held to hatch plans to kill you. He will conspire with others that you be killed because in his estimation, you have caused much trouble in the family. It is not their wish to show such a behaviour. It is the handiwork of Satan fighting against God’s rulership now on earth. It had been written.
If our Lord Jesus Christ had said, "Then shall they deliver you up to the afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake", why do you still doubt? I on my part, I am gladly receiving it. Again, He had said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you." That they first hated Him before hating you, what harm did they do to Him? Therefore, you should remain joyous over whatever confronts you. Our Lord was glorified from these tribulations. He endured gladly without complaint.
If from the time of our ancestors, every person had been speaking against this organization, what harm can they do to this Organization? They can do nothing because God Himself, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is here and has taken dominion over all creations. We, His children, are now heirs of this kingdom and shall rule with Him forever.
I shall not be tedious unto you. Let those who have ears hear. May God bless His holy words; Amen
THANK YOU FATHER