FIRST BIBLE LESSON:
1ST CORINTHIANS 8:1
Now as touching those
things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge
puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
SECOND BIBLE LESSON:
LUKE 12:13-15
And one of the company
said unto him, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with
me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And
he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness for a man's life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
GOLDEN TEXT: 1ST
CORINTHIANS 1:25
Because the
foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than
men.
THE ORIGIN OF
POMPOSITY:
Brethren, what the world esteems so well is but
foolishness before God. The world regards wisdom as a very great gift. Once
some one is endowed with knowledge, either academic or esoteric, he is held in
high esteem. Such people are always very pompous. Those who claim to possess
wisdom are never humble.
All the problems you see in the entire world are
caused by the knowledge people claim to possess. The universities and other
schools of learning help greatly to actualize these problems. From the day
someone is admitted into a school, particularly a university, he becomes so
pompous. He becomes so arrogant that it takes much courage for a polite person
to approach him. Such people think that the world is in their pockets. This
explains why I pity the entire world. I am always sad about the pathetic
conditions of the human race.
In the beginning of the world, man and animals lived
together in peace. One did not feed on the other and neither was there any
hostilities nor fear. There was neither sickness nor death. There were no acts
of cantankerousness. What then brought about quarrels, hatred and cannibalistic
tendencies in our midst?
Man gained wisdom, and he saw himself as being better
than the other creatures. He decided not to live in the same tent with the
other animals. From the day man pushed the animals to their own separate tents,
the great division and discrimination started. There and then, cannibalism,
hatred, pomposity and aggression started in the midst of God's perfect handwork.
Human beings started attacking and destroying animals. The strong animals
equally did the same to the human beings.
Wisdom has caused great damage to the brotherhood,
which God initiated by Himself. For even among human beings, segregation over
color, race, status, stature, and birth cropped up. This is the cause of all
our sufferings and death.
1ST CORINTHIANS
3:18-20
Let no man deceive
himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become
a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with
God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again
the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
So you can realize that, that which is referred to as
wisdom of this world is vanity.
HUMAN WISDOM IS VANITY:
This vanity of man called wisdom has brought mankind
to the lowest rung of the ladder. Therefore, even though you may spend hundreds
of years in the university, you would only learn how to tell lies, steal, kill,
and deceive people.
When someone becomes an expert in secret killing,
duping, and falsehood, people call him a very wise man. You can see that the
wisdom of the world thrives on iniquity and immorality. This is the terrible
illusion that has thrown mankind into the depth of vanity.
WEALTH DOES NOT GIVE
LIFE:
There are two things which are the bane of the entire
universe- wisdom and wealth. In the Second lesson, you can read the reply of
Our Lord Jesus Christ to that young man who was so concerned with material things.
From here, you can see that one's life does not depend on his possession or
position. Let those who boast of their great possessions and wisdom brag no
more. For vanity of vanities is equal to vanity.
I know that many of you prefer illustrative stories to
the gospel, which is the main thing. So I want to use an earthly event to
demonstrate a heavenly situation.
GOD'S FOOLISHNESS
SUPERSEDES MAN'S WISDOM:
ILLUSTRATION:
The monkey had a friend who besought him (the monkey)
to escort him to a certain location where he needed to use the monkey's heart.
Along the way, the friend hinted the monkey that he was going to make the plan
effective. He told the monkey that it was for this reason that he wanted him,
in order to use him. So the monkey told his friend that he had done something
terrible out of error. He said that if he (the friend) had wanted to use his
heart, it was better he informed him, (the monkey) at home. The monkey
explained that he would always leave his heart at home whenever he was going out.
He then told the friend that the only alternative was for them to go back home
so as to pick up his heart.
Since his friend was determined to use the monkey's
heart, he accepted that they should go back. On getting to where the monkey
lived, he jumped unto the highest tree and he rained insults and abuses on his
friend. The monkey behaved foolishly and outwitted the friend who thought he
was wise. For he did not argue with his friend but only pleaded to be allowed
to go home and pick the heart that the friend demanded. You have to know that
money, wealth, wisdom, power, pride, does not help a man. But only supposed
foolishness can save a man. You have to follow God and surrender all things to
His will, if you surrender yourself to God, listen to the Holy Spirit and abide
by his words, you will have life. But if you brag on your possession, position,
and power, you have failed.
Do not even boast of your academic qualification but
let all your trust be in God, even the Holy Spirit. If you do this, He alone will
be your counselor and Comforter, and He shall over come all temptations for
you, in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Read the first lesson below.
FIRST BIBLE LESSON:
1ST CORINTHIANS 8:1
Now as touching things
offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth but
charity edifieth.
Wisdom leads to empty pride and death, you would
foolishly challenge another man to try you, that you would withstand him. In
that way, you would be killed. But one with the spirit of God would humble
himself in supposed foolishness, and would escape such temptation.
LOVE CONQUERS:
What makes the spirit to abide in you is love. Once
you have love, you are a source of unity and peace. If you possess love, you
have overcome the world. What Our Lord Jesus Christ used to overcome the world
is love. He both possessed and practiced unconditional, universal love. He
endured all that was done against Him in humility, to the end, without
complaining. He even prayed fervently for forgiveness of those who tortured
Him.
Do not brag that you have money with which you can
bribe people to go and deal with your opponent. Do not think that with your
much acclaimed wisdom and intelligence, you have the weapon to overcome your
enemies in court. All these are passing shadows. These are vanity and they are
of no substance. The only substance is love, and without love you are
practically empty.
Now you have power with which to murder people. You
have money with which to pay hired killers to eliminate your enemies. What gain
can you and the entire human race derive from your existence? It is known that
anyone who kills must be killed. If you steal another person's property, yours
must be stolen. But with love, you can overcome all enemies, powers and
principalities.
One with love looks stupid before the worldly, wise
people. In the wisdom of God, He uses the weak things to confound the mighty.
He uses foolishness to overcome the wise people of the world. I hope you have
now seen your nakedness. You who study hard to construct a jet or rocket, you
would study hard to know how to manufacture all the deadly weapons, with which
mankind is being destroyed daily, what really is the use of your learning?
A local adage says that the acclaimed wise man dies at
the verandah of a fool. The wisdom of this world is nothing. All the crafty
questions asked by lawyers and judges are mere vanity. They know the truth but
would ask questions that would merely turn away from the truth. When they ask
these questions, people would praise them for being so knowledgeable. The only
thing that can help man is love. Reexamine the second lesson.
SECOND BIBLE LESSON:
LUKE 12:13-15
And one of the company
said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with
me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And
he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
LOVE UNITES:
Recall that our first lesson had shown that wisdom can
never unite people in peace. No person is saved through wisdom. It cannot do
good, neither has it mercy, love, truth, humility, patience, unity, nor
salvation. Love unites us in righteousness. Only Godly love gives mercy, and
all goodness for mankind.
SONG: "WHEN YOU ARE CLOSE TO GOD YOU WILL CONQUER
ANY WAR."
When you come here it is purposely to learn
righteousness in its ramifications. For you are not given money or taught to
kill, cheat or tell lies here. Here, you are taught to love, be truthful,
merciful, peaceful, patient, joyous, humble, kind, benevolent, honest, meek,
loyal, pure and holy. You are not taught the ways of the world. Let us again
use an earthly event to demonstrate a heavenly situation.
THE AFTERMATH OF
UNGRATEFULNESS:
ILLUSTRATION:
A ram and a lion were to undertake a long jump
contest. The ram ran back a distance from where he could approach the wide and
deep trench. While the ram ran back to start from there, the lion was mocking
him. The ram did not mind the mockery, but took off from the distance and he
was able to jump over the trench. He landed safely on the other side of the big
trench. The lion laughed for a while, after which he jumped with confidence,
only to find himself inside the deep wide trench.
The lion stayed in the trench while other animals
passed by, So an elephant came along and the lion asked him to help him out of
the trench. But the elephant replied that he could not because he was never to
be trusted. Later the Hippopotamus came along and the lion pleaded with him to
help him out. The huge animal also refused to help the lion. Many others passed
by but none helped the lion. For each complained of the untrustworthiness of
the lion. They complained that the lion was always paying his helpers back with
a bad coin.
Fortunately, the monkey went that way and the lion
demanded for help. The monkey let down his long tail into the trench, so that
the lion could get hold of it and climb out. When the lion climbed out, he did
not let go of the monkey's tail, for he held tightly to him. So the monkey
pleaded with the lion to allow him to go but the lion said that he had not yet
rested. Becoming afraid or suspicious, the monkey asked whether the lion wants
to eat him up. The lion cunningly retorted that he could not do that. In his
mind the lion was secretly determined to eat up the monkey.
As the animals came by they blamed the monkey for
helping the lion. As the monkey continued to plead for freedom, the lion's ferocious
responses made the monkey to know that he wanted to eat him. Fortunately, the
tortoise emerged. He asked both of them what the trouble was and having known
the truth, he decided on a line of action.
The tortoise asked the monkey to raise his two hands
up to take an oath that he was telling the truth. The monkey did what he was
told by the tortoise. The tortoise then asked the lion to do the same.
Immediately the lion merely raised his hands up, the monkey, without warning,
jumped and ran away. Looking up, the lion beheld the monkey up on a tall tree.
He then turned around to see whether the tortoise was there for him but he
discovered that the tortoise had disappeared. Have you learnt another useful
lesson? Could any amount of money or power save the monkey from the lion? Is
there any wisdom in the world the monkey could use to save himself from the
claws of the lion? So you can see that the wisdom of the world is truly vanity.
BE VIRTUOUS:
You have to know the truth and abide by it as well as
love God. An English maxim has it that pride comes before a fall. Another says
that humility precedes glory. Do not follow after wisdom for wisdom is inimical
to the tenents of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.
Anyone who claims to be wise has no love, peace, patience,
truth, lowliness of heart, righteousness, purity, and tolerance. Wise men are
arrogant people. Let us abide by the instructions of the Holy Spirit, for He
alone can save us.
There is no position or possession in the world that
can give you salvation. You have heard that though you may give your body to be
burnt in fire, yet that would not save you if you have no love. Refer to
1st Corinthians 13:3
"And though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burnt,
and I have no charity, it profiteth me nothing."
It was written that when the Messiah comes His voice
would not be heard in the street.
MATTHEW 12:19
And He shall not
strive, nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
With this in mind, the Israelites were deceived by
their earthly wisdom. When they knew that the Messiah would come, they believed
that when He came, He would liberate them from the rulership of the Roman
Empire and give them independence. So in their wisdom, they concluded that He
would come with battalions of armies. Again they believed that with such great
army, He would defeat the formidable army of the Roman empire and give Israel a
republic. So when they beheld a man teaching love for one another, they were
disappointed. They were the more convinced of His madness when He told them to
forgive their enemies and that when they were slapped on the left cheek, they
should turn the right cheek, they were offended.
The Israelites were used to the Mosaic Laws of
retaliation, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, and they expected
something tougher. So they thought that Jesus was not the Christ, the expected
Messiah. So up till this time, they are still expecting the Messiah to come.
For the one they expected, by their reasoning, could not be talking about love,
truth, peace, mercy, and humility.
If the Israelites had listened to Christ, they would
have been saved. Even this day, if they listen to the Holy Spirit, they would
receive salvation. All their problems would be solved.
This is the cause of problems in the entire world
today. You all claim to be wise. The Father asks you to endure one another but
you cannot. He asks you to love your wife and the wives should respect their
husbands, but no one has practiced this injunction. You cannot love, neither
are you ready to be humble, truthful, and faithful. You feel that your wisdom
is above all that the Father is teaching in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.
You are only interested in learning the cunning ways of the world.
1st Timothy 6:17
Charge them that are
rich in this world that they be not high minded, nor trust in certain riches,
but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
Now let our boast be in God. Let our hope and trust be
in Him not in money, wealth or any form of mundane position. Let your joy be in
God who alone is able and willing to save us. If you do not have Him you have
perished. Read the text below.
GOLDEN TEXT: 1
CORINTHIANS 1:25
Because the
foolishness of God is wiser than man, and the weakness of God is stronger than
man.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE
WORLD:
Have you known that the foolishness and weakness of
God supersede man's? The weakness of God is indeed stronger than all the powers
of men and all other beings added together. His foolishness is wiser than the
wisdom of all schools, spiritual or academic. So behave as a fool at all times
and in every thing that you do. Whether you are a servant or a master, you have
to humble yourself and do not think you know more than any person.
This is the only way to survive and even overcome the
world. Endure whatever is done against you patiently, without complaining.
Accept any name that you maybe called by the wise and wealthy. That is the way
God won the wars.
Has God ever quarreled with man? Upon all the
scandalous calumny carried out against God, has he ever responded? You have
seen this in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. The Father keeps mute in spite
of all campaigns of calumny as though He is not existing. But is He not the
only Being who lives and gives life and vitality? So always emulate Him. Become
a fool before those who claim to be wise and wealthy. God is supposedly foolish
in order to overcome the world and behave as though he is weak in order to rule
man.
SONG: "IF YOU
DESIRE TO WALK WITH ME, HUMBLE YOURSELF LIKE A LITTLE CHILD."
The above also constitutes the teaching of the Holy
Spirit. Do not allow your self to be overcome by evil. Rather use good works to
win the devil. Do not hate any person, no matter how much he hates you. Love
all people and do good to them. If your enemy is hungry feed him. If he is
thirsty, give him water to drink. There is no other way that you can overcome
the world than to do good to people. Do not mind the derogatory names that you
may be called. Accept all but continue to love and do good to them
indiscriminately.
All of us in the world regard ourselves as being very
wise, wealthy and respectable. We think that we are so powerful, even more
powerful than the lion. I want you to know that all these do not save man.
These do no good to us, but lead to perdition.
HUMBLE YOURSELF:
Our Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that the greatest
among you should be the servant. That he who humbles himself most among you
shall be your leader. These admonitions are neither visions nor prophecy. They
are not dreams or fallacious statements, but facts from God Almighty. If you
give it a trial, it would prove itself beyond all reasonable doubts.
It is said that when all hopes are lost, the redeemer
appears. Should we surrender ourselves to the will of God, we shall rejoice. Do
not try to help yourself in any situation but let the will of God be done.
Allow people to play on your intelligence and even think that they have cheated
you. But I am assuring you that in the end, you will overcome. For God will
always prove himself as truth and His words true.
DO NOT AVENGE:
IF SOMEONE SLAPS YOU
AND YOU RETALIATE, HOW DO YOU WANT GOD TO MEDIATE. IT IS ONLY WHEN YOU DO NOT
FIGHT BACK THAT GOD FIGHTS FOR YOU. REMEMBER IT IS ONLY WHEN A WAR IS TOUGH
THAT THE KING HIMSELF TAKES OVER THE COMMAND.
ILLUSTRATIONS:
There lived a couple in a flat in a certain house.
There was a young man living in another flat in the same house. The married man
was a poultry farmer and he had a big poultry farm. The young man was a civil
servant. This civil servant daily sneaked into the poultry farm and stole some
fowls, slaughtered, cooked and ate them up. The poultry farmer's wife noticed
the losses they suffered. Whenever the wife would attempt to complain loudly
about the losses, her husband would caution her to keep calm. They continued to
suffer even more losses as the young man would sneak into the farm and steal
more chickens, but the man would not allow his wife to let people know about
it. He would always tell her that God will do His will over the issue.
The young man continued stealing until there was only
two fowls left on the poultry farm. The day the man stole one of the two fowls
marked the beginning of God's intervention. For the following morning, the
young man grew feathers all over his body. He looked exactly like a huge bird.
This young man could not get out of his house anymore, as a result of shame.
People noticed that the man was no more coming out of
his house. So one old woman went and tapped at his door. When the man opened
the door, she went in and asked him what the matter was. The young civil
servant told the old woman his whole story. He even told her he stole all but
the one fowl left on poultry farm. So the old woman advised him to go and steal
the last remaining one. After a long argument, he accepted to take to the
woman's advice. As he stole the last fowl, the poultry farmer's wife was
prompted to rain curses, abuses, and derogatory names on whosoever had stolen
all their fowls. She shouted for all the people to hear and know what had been
happening on their farm.
The young woman's reaction brought the desired effect
of what the old woman had envisaged. For from that moment, when she started
shouting and cursing, the feathers started falling off the civil servant. The
poultry farmer’s wife rained enough curses on the thief, and that paid for all
the stolen fowls. By the following morning, no feather was found on the young
man anymore. He was once again a normal person.
Have you seen why it is good to surrender all things
to God? If the woman had listened to her husband, and allowed God to do His
work to the end, the story would have been different. On many occasions, God
would want to help but we would not give Him a chance to operate. Make use of
this illustration and see what God can do for you. Once you start resisting you
have set your enemy free. You will have good testimonies if you put this issue
to test.
I am giving you the last illustration as food for
thought. NEVER TRY TO RETALIATE BUT LEAVE ALL THINGS TO GOD. HE IS A
PERFECT AVENGER AND REWARDER. FOR THIS REASON YOU HAVE TO ENDURE TO THE END. DO
NOT RETALIATE OR FEAR FOR GOD IS WITH YOU. Let this story be a
reminder to you. For if you want to witness the powerful hand of God in
any situation, or action, you have to endure to the end. If your
relation is killed and for that you kill his killer, you must be killed too.
For whoever kills must be killed.
A stroke of the cane is sufficient to the wise. Let
those who have ears hear what the Holy Spirit has imparted to the world. May
God bless His Holy words.
THANK YOU FATHER.
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