TEXT OF DISCOURSE: ACTS 10: 1-48
DO AWAY WITH DIVISIVE TENDENCIES:
In the past the Word of God was an exclusive preserve of the Jews.
That was why when Christ came, He only concentrated His teachings on them. Any
house He went into and discovered there no Jew, He would pass from there onto
another. Read Matthew 10:1-7. The Jews were the chosen race and others were
known as pagan and heathens. This was because one who was not a Jew was
regarded as the one who did not know God. Thus the Jews did not interact with
others because they regarded others as children of perdition. Can you imagine
that? Up to this time, people are still behaving that way. If the Roman Catholics
go to any place, they would ask whether any of their members are there. When
Christ concentrated His teachings on Jews, He was still in the flesh, now we
know Him no more in the flesh.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was concerned with Israel. That was why He
was referred to as the God of Israel; God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. God was
only limited to them, and others were not of God. For instance, when the first
set of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star members went to Lagos, it was only the
Efiks and Ibibios that they preached to. This was because, others would not
listen to them. When Our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, the people tore His
garments into four parts signifying the four corners of the world. Thus,
signifying the universality of His mission for eternity.
What is known as flesh is divisive. Any time you are selctive,
then, it means you are in the flesh. Read Luke 19:1-12
Christ was in the flesh and if you imbibe the teachings of the
flesh, then you have failed. Christ told Zacheus that He came to save the lost
sheep. The people regarded Christ as an Israelite and because He concentrated
His ministry on the Jews, people have held unto such teachings even till today,
without knowing that the blood of Christ had reconciled the whole world unto
God.
There is no more division among the Jews and Gentiles. Before now,
the world had been in total confusion because the Samaritans did not
communicate with the Jews and vice versa. This is because the world was deep in
iniquity. During the time of Christ, He never charged the disciples to preach
to the Gentiles. They were only directed to the Israelites. But for the coming
of the Father, the world would have perished. This is why you have to thank and
rejoice in the Father because what He has done had never been done by anyone.
See Luke 23:10-12
The death of Our Lord Jesus Christ has brought salvation unto the
whole world and we have been made children of God through His death. Recall
what happened at that time? Herod and Pilate were not friendly, they were at
daggers drawn, but on that fateful day, they became friends. The death of Our
Lord Jesus Christ brought salvation to onto the entire world. How did the word
of God come to the Gentiles? It was through the work of Charity. See Acts
10:3-4.
THE WORK OF CHARITY:
Charity has brought salvation unto the entire world. Consider this
case, Cornelius was a Gentile and the Gentiles had nothing to do with God. But
because of the good life of Cornelius, salvation was extended to the Gentiles.
Being charitable to the destitutes gives you salvation. Being generous brings
you nearer to God. All the benevolence and charity you show to people have been
seen by God. Salvation is also derived from the benevolence and charity.
Nobody knows how the salvation of God gets to him. Even as you
come in here do you know why and how? At times you must have been defrauded and
God decides to salvage you. Or you must have been merciful to people and with
this God decides to call you into his kingdom. You did not come here for
nothing. How many rich men have you seen here? Do you think God is not aware of
everything? Anything you do, He is always taking note. There was nothing that
would have made the gospel of Christ reach the Gentiles but for the love
Cornelius had for God. That is why it is said that God is no respecter of
persons.
Do you think as you come in here if you do not do any good thing
God will salvage you? It is your good works that makes God to consider you and
call you into this kingdom. YOU CANNOT COME INTO THIS KINGDOM EXCEPT YOU WERE
CALLED BY GOD. Many people claim they are poor and are so sinful that they do
not know why they have been called. Do you think if you were as bad as you
think God would have called you? There must have been a little good thing you
did and because of it God considered calling you to come and receive this
salvation. Read Acts: 10:5-6
Why was the call extended to Cornelius? It was because of the good
things he had done. That is why you are enjoined to be charitable, go to the
hospitals and destitute homes, go to the prisons and orphanage homes and
minister unto the inmates. Help all the people you come across, for by so doing
you are helping God. Anything you do, be it in secret, God is recording it for
you. What do you think is the cause of the salvation of Calabar? The way the
indigenes treated God, nobody would have believed they can be saved but now
their little benevolence has been recognised by God, hence He decided to
salvage the town.
You must never regard anybody as a stranger because all of you are
Children of God. There is no more division among the different races of the
world. Do not impute sins to anybody because Christ died for all sinners. No
matter the type of sins committed by anybody, all have been washed by the blood
or Our Lord Jesus Christ. When you say someone is not a Brotherhood member,
what is he? Henceforth, desist from all acts of segregation because the blood
of Christ has reconciled everybody unto God.
When you start saying someone is not a Brotherhood member, what is
he? All are the children of God; therefore right from today, do not consider
people the way you did because everybody is Brotherhood. It was for the sake of
man that Our Lord Jesus Christ came to shed His blood for the redemption of man
and so there is no son of satan any more. All are the children of God.
Everybody is your brother and sister and you are all saved by the precious
blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Read Acts 10: 16-29
God is the one who sends you on an errand and goes with you to
accomplish it. Everything has been made bare unto you, there is nothing left.
Therefore, do not impute sins to anybody, for His blood has been used to
salvage everything, including the animals. Hence, if you count sins on anybody,
then, it means you do not believe that Christ did come. Anyone who counts sins
on people does not believe in God. Whatever has been made clean, do not
consider it as unclean. Read Acts 10:43-35
From the aforesaid, you are commissioned to go to all the nooks
and crannies of the world to preach this Gospel and not to segregate because
the whole world belongs to the Father. Stop saying the other person is not
Brotherhood, afterall you were a member of one church denomination before the
call was extended to you. Even, most people who did not attend any church were
still considered by God.
Anybody who was created by God is a child of God. Even if you stay
inside the water or you stay in a house where only thieves live, He can
manifest Himself there and He can rejoice with the thieves to your amazement.
Anyone He pleases to take to Himself, no one can stop Him because He does
everything at will.
Any little good thing you do will qualify you for the salvation of
God. Forget about whether you are a murderer or thief, once you do any good
thing in the sight of God, then salvation will be extended to you. There is no
division in this kingdom for Christ had nailed all divisions and sins on the
cross. The time of lamentation is gone, this is the time of joy.
Thus everybody is enjoined to rejoyce in the Father all the time.
Read Acts 10:36-48
THE NEED FOR BAPTISM:
I want you to understand that through baptism, your sins are
washed away. You could be baptised yet you do not receive the Holy Spirit and
you can receive the Holy Spirit while you are not yet baptised; but in the
latter case, you will be mad. This is so because your body is impure. Many
people who are in the psychiatric hospitals are led by the Holy Spirit and
people think they are mad. There are many in the hospitals who are sick because
the Holy Spirit has descended on them and once such persons are baptised, they
will be well. Others are in prison who are taken there because of what the Holy
Spirit led them to commit. In a nutshell, if the Holy Spirit descends on you
when you are not yet baptised, it can lead you to commit any crime because your
body is not pure.
The Holy Spirit is fire and once He comes to you, all the dirts in
you will be burnt but once you are baptised all will be well. There is no other
thing in operation in the world apart from the Holy Spirit. Many people have
gone on transfer when the Holy Spirit gets into them. This is so because when
the Spirit gets into them and causes them one problem or the other, they go for
othodox medicine against the dictate of the Holy Spirit. As a result of this,
they die. However, once you confess your sins and receive baptism, all is well.
This is why it is pertinent for all to be baptised.
Anyone who receives the Holy Spirit must be baptised and if he
does not want to be baptised, then leave him alone because he is only doing
himself harm. This is the secret in this kingdom. Read Acts 2:35-42
Have you seen His promises? Have the different church
denominations received this promise? Once you do this all your sins are
forgiven and you will receive the Holy Spirit. Then death and sickness will be
subjected under your feet and you will go about freely without any molestation.
Stop committing fornication,go and make the whole world become one fold. Is
salvation gotten through payment of money or catechism? Your duty is to go out
and disseminate the gospel of the Father to them. Tell them to repent of their
sins and get baptised so as to receive the Holy Spirit, because with the Holy
Spirit, you can cast away any sickness with the mere pronouncement of
"LET."
THE SECRET IN THIS KINGDOM IS THE ESSENCE OF BAPTISM. ONCE YOU GET
SOMEONE BAPTISED, THAT IS ALL. YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEACH HIM ANYTHING AND WHAT
DO YOU EVEN KNOW TO TEACH? HE IS TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ITS ONLY JOY
THAT ABOUNDS EVERYWHERE. It is the Holy Spirit that does the preaching,
visioning, dreaming and everything because He is the SUPERNATURAL TEACHER. He
is the LEADER and before He tells you to go somewhere, He has already gone
there to accomplish the work. You only go there to bear witness of His work.
Read Acts 8:34
WHEN YOU COMPLAIN THAT SOMEONE HAS NOT COME TO THE BETHEL AFTER
BAPTISM, WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS IN THAT? RECALL THE CASE OF THE ETHIOPIAN
EUNUCH. THE MOMENT PHILIP BAPTISED HIM BOTH DEPARTED AND WENT THEIR SEPARATE
WAYS. THE SIMPLE THING IS THAT, HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTISED IS SAVED. SO
ANYONE WHO HAS ACCEPTED BAPTISM SHOULD NOT BE DISTURBED ABOUT ANYTHING, FOR IT
IS THE DUTY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH HIM WHEREVER HE MAY BE. ANYONE WHO
RECEIVES BAPTISM AS WELL AS THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SAVED. ANYWHERE SOMEONE MAY LIKE
TO GO, ALLOW HIM BECAUSE THE WHOLE WORLD IS THE GARDEN OF GOD.
The Holy Spirit has come to lead all to the acurate knowledge of
truth. Anyone who has not received this baptism needs to be pitied and if you
receive the baptism without receiving the Holy Spirit, then pray for it because
without Him dwelling in you, you cannot even forsake sins because you are
empty. Thus, you will not be able to attend prayers. This is your source of
trouble. The moment you accept baptism and receive the Holy Spirit which is the
Promise of Christ, everything will be well with you.
May my peace and blessing abide with with the entire world, now
and forever more, Amen.
Thank You Father.
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