DECISION PREACHED ON 30TH DECEMBER 2007 BY THE SON OF MAN APOSTLE PETER ODOEMENAAT THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD ONITSHA
I am HE. In me lies the power of life and death. Believe it if you can. – Son of Man
A word from the author
No matter what you read in this book, you stand to gain nothing from it until you make the content part of you by putting it into action. What made one to succeed and another to fail? I have examined this life and have come to the realization that lack of decision or
indecision has been the main cause of failure in life. Procrastination, the opposite of decision, is a common enemy which practically every man or woman must conquer.
Decision is the power of life. God enjoined us in time past to make decisions we know we can keep for decision is the power of life. At the end of every year, people make decisions in form of new-year-resolution but unfortunately failed to stick to those decisions. Then the question arises: of what use is that decision you know you cannot keep? While making decisions, great amount of courage is required so as to be able to stick to them.
Therefore, the value of decision depends on the courage required to carry it out. Socrates’ decision to drink the cup of poison rather than compromise his personal belief was a decision of courage. Ditto, Daniel took a decision that no matter the situation, that he will never compromise his integrity with the king. That he will never succumb to pressure. Because he was courageous to stand by his decision, he was willing to die for it. There is a price to pay. For you to be able to abide by the decisions you made, you must be ready to pay the price. You make the decision to succeed in life; you must pay the price of hard work. You take the decision to succeed in your marriage, you must pay the price. There is no decision you make and want to accomplish that you will not pay the price of metamorphosing it into reality. Sometimes, we ask others to make decisions for us concerning our personal problems. Personal problem solving is a do-it-yourself operation.
Don’t allow others to influence the decisions you make. Whatever was expressed by other people, keep in mind that they are putting forth “opinion.” The cheapest commodity in market is “opinion.” Base your decisions on facts and never allow yourself to be influenced from the truth by second-hand opinion. The opinions of others sometimes are never a safe guide. Master this rule: facts over opinions always.
Only facts are convincing. Little children take note. Indecision is a habit which usually begins from childhood. The habit takes on permanency as the child goes through primary, secondary school and even higher institution. Because of lack of decision on what he wants to become in life, the habit of indecision also goes with students into the occupation he chooses, if in fact, he actually chooses the occupation.
Usually when he comes out of school, as youth, he seeks any job that can be found. In addition, whatever he finds, he takes it because he has fallen the victim of indecision. Indecision comes as a result of lack of character, focus, enlightenment and courage. Many are going through sleepless nights in their marriages, occupations because they lack decision. Anywhere the wind blows them to, they will be there. As parents, what decisions are you undertaking to make your families paradise on earth? As a minister, what decisions are you making to improve on your “dormant” ministry? If your ministry is thriving well, fine, but what decisions are you making to improve on it? Remember that you are living in a dynamic world and God is not static. As a congregation, what decisions are you making to improve this Ministry? Do you want to progress or remain stagnant?
The most poisonous water remains a stagnant water. Take note. Before making a decision, you must first of all review yourself, your activities, both your strong points and your weak points, then you advance by taking decisions to improve. Those who reached decision promptly and definitely know what they want, and at the end, they get it. People that succeed in every walk of life take decisions and stick to them. That is why they succeeded because they had focus, they had target. Success only comes to those who show that they know what they are looking for.
Usually, you hear people say, “I have made so, so and so decisions most times and it failed me. This is so because an obstinate mind doesn’t absorb new ideas. Therefore, if you seem to make mistakes continually, it is because you are holding on to false beliefs, things you were told without investigating to know whether they are truth or not. Only facts are convincing.
You can correct your mistakes by correcting your beliefs. When you hold on to “fixed beliefs,” it is difficult to grasp fresh ideas. This is why many are not growing in this Faith because they are still holding tenaciously to what their fathers told them – religious beliefs without investigating them. Obstinate thinking leads to emotional confusion and poor decision-making. You do yourself an injustice by limiting your growth when you limit your inflow of new ideas. What is informing your decision? Is it your position as a husband or wife? Is it pride? Are you basing your decisions on past time beliefs? Because what is good yesterday might not be good enough today.
Remember that there is no point in making decisions unless you are ready to stick to them. You must discipline your mind to abide by your decisions. For a start, get into the habit of deciding on small things: Decide what you will wear tomorrow, your time plan for tomorrow’s activities, what you wish to eat at tomorrow’s breakfast. Stick to your decisions. As time goes on, gradually decide on more important issues be it in marriage, family life, occupation or studies. As you persist on your positive decisions, all your decisions – big or small— will be successful ones.
On a final note Brethren, for us to free ourselves from the shackles of poverty, unorganised life, ignorance, family and marriage problems, hypocrisy in the Bride of Christ, we must, I repeat, we must make decisions now and courageously stick to them come what may. I love you all; remain in your sanctified estate as we continue in Him. Remain blessed. Apostle Peter Odoemena (the Son of Man)8
PRAYER
Our heavenly Father, we have come to you this day because there is no other place that is better than your Presence. We have come, oh Lord, because your Spirit has bid us to come. We have come to express our satisfaction, our thanksgiving, our worship, our praise to you and to you alone thou the Creator of heaven and earth because you are the Realty worthy to receive all of them for besides you there is no other God. You are the only one and true God, the only God that watches over us, the only God that liveth and reigneth forever and ever; the God of all flesh.
Father, we come just as we are, thanking you, oh Lord, for all you have been doing for us; we will ever remain appreciative, we say, may all glory, honour, praise, exaltation, and adoration be thine alone through Christ our Lord . . . Amen.”
Father, we pray that you over look all our shortcomings for your Name sake. Let thy Holy Spirit saturate our hearts with love that we will worship you now and forever with love and no longer as a duty, for duty is very boring and very, very painful. But there is no pain in love. We therefore say that you bless us this day abundantly as many as are here today, as many as will gather in other Local Assemblies – wherever you have chosen to place your Name – bless all of them abundantly, young and old. We bring before your presence as many as travelled Father to different places. Please God of Mercy, be with them, safe-guide their lives from the cruel hands of the enemies that are everywhere. Keep them safe and secure from the evil one. Insulate them from every attack. See them through in all their journeys. At the same time, we have not lost sight of other people that are behind the highway today. Lord we hand it over to your care. Be with all flesh. Do not permit the enemy of mankind to shed innocent blood on the highways.
Father, we praise you because you are ever near us, and your ears are constantly attentive to our prayers, that is why we are energized everyday even to come closer and closer to you until we are transformed to be like you. Lord, do not relent in your efforts. Continue to rebuild us, re-mould us, renew us; until we become what you want us to be. Lord, we praise you, thank you, oh king of glory for taking away sorrows among us. Thank you for bringing back your Joy in our hearts. All you are going to use here today, may they become channels of blessings to all your children not only here, but everywhere your Name is called. I am standing here because you want me to stand here. Back me up. In the same manner, back your Ministers up; do not forsake them for any reason.
With thy mighty and out stretched Arms uphold them no matter the situation. Cause them to remain steadfast in their commitment to their service. Bless our little ones, even the sick among us; stretch forth thy healing hands and heat them all. Comfort the broken hearted, restore the backslidden in hearts and let there be revival, oh God, in the hearts of all today.
We are looking forward to the year 2008 with lively expectations, we are pleading with you, oh Lord of Hosts , that as many of us that are still breathing the breathe of life tilt today, may we all remain alive and be ushered into that New Year. May there be no death, may there be no trouble whatsoever.
Surround us with thy love, surround us with thy Power. May thy majesty reign supreme over the Bride of Christ. Saturate our hearts with your supernatural love, in everything we say may your Name remain glorified throughout all the ages. In any way the enemy may try to upset our minds by distracting our attention from your Word today; Lord, we pray that you resist such temptations for us. Lift up a standard in our hearts against such trials that we may remain here, Father, in spirit and in truth, and assimilate all we are going to hear from you that we may live. For we believe that the entrance of your Word in a man giveth life, for thy Word is Truth and Truth is life. Sustain us oh Lord, in your Presence forever through Christ our Lord we pray, amen.
PART ONE
INTRODUCTION
TOTAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2007 AND
COMMENTS CONCERNING THE ENROLMENT INTO THE YEAR 200813 Destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice. The way you have chosen to live your life is your destiny… – Son of Man
14
Chapter One
Looking at the Camp this morning, I can see that too many people travelled. Some informed me before they travelled, while some travelled because they have the power in their hands to make their movements the way they like.
2. But there is one unfortunate development I have observed among us, I have been condemning it but some people do not pay attention. If you feel I am not qualified to know about your movements, it is your right. When trouble comes out of your movements, which you made without my knowledge, keep it to yourself. I said it and I still repeat it: If you don’t inform me while going, when you are coming back go your way. But it is unfortunate when you want to make such reckless movements, you hide yourself away from me; when calamity befalls you on that trip, the Son of Man is held responsible; it is a crime before God. Children of God from the time of old do not move recklessly.
3. When Jesus appeared in his day, He made a prayer; “Father unite them in love. I am praying that they might be one.” And to Peter he asked him a question: “Do you love me more than these flocks?” He said, “Well, you know I love you, if you love me take care of these flocks.”
4. Therefore, I want to say that God has never permitted His children to move as sheep without a Shepherd. He has always entrusted the keeping of His flocks into the hands of one who He has found adequate enough to take care of them. He now selects those that will work for Him in our day.
5. Every day, we are becoming more and more senseless and careless. Sometimes we work recklessly, deliberately; not that we don’t know what we are doing, but when trouble comes out of it, we lack the courage even to bear
the shock alone. Instead, we will try to syndicate the sorrows. It is absolutely wrong.
THE BOW OF COVENANT IS WITH US
I have been telling you here for the past two weeks now that I don’t know who and who will be ushered into the year 2008. As members of Onitsha Household of God, you may have the right to worship with us today, but you may not have the right seven days from now. Moreover, I made it clear to all and sundry that we are not rejecting you because you committed any crime, no. We are not rejecting you because we hate you, no. we love you and will still love you. You committed no crime against us, but we don’t want you here. That is the reason why we are rejecting you.
7. There are too many Churches, there are too many Mosques; I mean Churches and Mosques here and there. Many will soon hear their names, maybe before we go today. You look around, find a convenient place and enter there. Find one that will suit your convenience and also one that will suit your nature because as long as you don’t have the nature of God, you cannot fit into the congregation of God’s people. For all the children of God must have God’s nature. Then if you look round and you cannot find any, you can start one even in your house.
8. It is also applicable to those that felt we are troubling them because if we remind you of fellowship, from time to time, you will be disgusted, it becomes a trouble. Any day you don’t come to fellowship we began to make unnecessary noise over your absence, it means we are troubling your peace. After all, it is not compulsory that everybody must worship God.
9. It is not compulsory that everybody must worship God and even if everybody must worship God, everybody must not worship God here. There are some other places people can go and worship god in their own way but we worship in the way of God – that is the difference. We may sing their songs, dance their dance and every other thing but the difference is clear – we remain the only children of Covenant.
10. The Bowl of Covenant is with us. I repeat: The Bowl of Covenant is with us. I do not mean the Ark of Covenant; I mean the Bow of Covenant. Since the world began, the Bowl of Covenant has always superintended God’s people, so He remains our General Superintendent and that has been the sign, which people have seen in every age and acknowledged that the Presence of God is among them. When they will see the Bowl of Covenant, then God will remember all His promises. He does not see Me, He does not see you, He sees the Bowl of His Covenant for we are all wrapped in that Bowl.
12. Remember it is not everybody. And if you watch all that are wrapped in the Covenant, nobody reminds them of the necessity of worshipping God. They can’t fit into Satan’s system because they don’t have his nature, they have God’s nature. If you want to punish them, stop them from coming to Fellowship. They will remain uncomfortable until you bring them back. But those that are operating outside the Covenant, I likened them to students that
“practise truancy.” When you put them away, they will rejoice. They will even be praying like the poor students and poor teachers used to pray. They will be praying that everyday should be a public holiday, so that they won’t go to school – so is it with such people among us.
13. Telling them to come to Fellowship, it is a big disturbance. They have better things they know they should be doing than coming to Fellowship. Are such people worthy to cross over 2008 with us? If we shall permit them, the Lord will wipe us off. We have tolerated them beyond measure because I remembered in 1996 the “prophecy” went forth on the cleansing of the Camp that He has endured these objects of wrath for a very long time. So, this is “harvest” period, there is no mistake again.
14. Let me tell you, our colours here have been made manifest, there is nobody here that is wearing false colour again. Whatever you are wearing now is your original colour because this is “harvest” time.
15. From your colour we can give you your name, no mistake for we can never say that this sheep is like a goat or that this goat is like a sheep. A sheep has become manifest, a goat has become manifest, no matter how long it has been “so journeying” with us. This is true. Amen.
DELIVERANCE FROM MENTAL SLAVERY
I am delivering all of you from mental slavery so that you can subdue this world. Until you are delivered from mental slavery, your salvation is incomplete. The worst slavery a man can undergo is mental slavery. Once your mentality is enslaved, you will become a perpetual slave. You can never move forward. Fear of tomorrow will grip you. You will always approach tomorrow with fear. That is why people cannot invest because they are afraid of tomorrow. Understand that I am liberating you from mental slavery, which is keeping you in bondage.
Chapter Two
Hear me very well; check every move of God, very few meet the end of the road. He has always halted them and asked the people to stand according to their own tribes and families. He has always separated strangers at the end of the road. Strangers have always been separated, check their histories. In 1993, in the Message Mixed-multitudes part 3, God said, “Towards the end, I must separate the sheep from the goat, the weed from the seed.” Am I bearing false witness? There must be a “separating line” because the battle is almost over, the battle is almost over and then the Bride will have real eternal rest for we cannot remain fighting. Solomon had rest. All the days he reigned in Israel, he had real rest; the Lord gave him rest, so we cannot remain fighting.
2. I don’t know who is who that will follow us into 2008. It is better we have one or two persons that are committed to the Cross of Christ than to fill this hall with people that do not believe in the Word of God. If you go to the book of first Peter chapter 2, Peter was talking to his people in his day. It says; “Seeing you have believed the Word of Truth, you now stand cleansed and sanctified before God.”
3. When you obey the Word of Truth which is God, you are cleansed, you are sanctified, but when you refuse to obey, you are dirty, filthy; you are not worthy to be here. Even Jesus said, “Father, sanctify them by thy Word, for thy Word is Truth.” Therefore, when you do not obey the truth, you are not worthy to be with us. We are here because of our obedience to the Truth, finish.
4. I remembered the Message preached by our former bishop some years ago, “It Must Be Believers, and Believing Means Obeying.” I want to tell you two things that depict human character, two things that reveal character: i. Your mode of speech ii. Your action
5. Two things that reveal character, attitude or personality or who you are. Your mode of speech will tell people how you reason. The way you behave will tell people who you are, what type of person you are.
6. Therefore, from the words that proceed out of your mouth from time to time before many witnesses, coupled with your attitude to Fellowship, we can tell you who you are. I cannot be a member of a family and use my mouth to run down that family and still expect that family to bless me. Is it possible? You open your mouth to blaspheme that family and by your actions everybody will know that you are a blasphemer indeed. Moreover, you still come and hide there, expecting blessings from there. Can it happen?
7. This is why strangers must go so that if calamity befalls us, we will halt the move and then look into ourselves to know where we have erred. Not when God punishes an evil person, we begin to shiver as if God has left us. We would not know that the Almighty God who knows the heart of everybody, whose eyes runneth to and fro must have captured the person. We don’t know that the person we are embracing, calling Brother, Sister, that God is holding him or her guilty. Who can believe this kind of nonsense?
8. Where is Sam Okoye? See, he is not here. I am vindicated and I will still stand vindicated. Elders that were with me yesterday in my house, am I not vindicated? Where is Bro Joe New-parts? Am I not vindicated? Thank you very much. Bro Johnson, you can be here today if you want with your wife, but you may not be here tomorrow.
9. Time will vindicate me, maybe before we shall go. Where is Bro Victor’s wife? Stand up there. Of course you know, even your husband knows. Your husband never told me, but he knows. Nobody reported you to me, but sit down.
10. Bro Goddy Tobechukwu, where is he? Thank God you are standing up there. I say praise God. That you walked from Egypt to Canaan is not a guarantee. What God is looking for is total obedience to His Word. God is not interested in nominal membership, are you hearing me? So feel free. But how long will you feel that free? I am just giving you “indicators.” I am not sacking anybody.
11. God told us that He will not destroy us, that we are going to destroy ourselves. But the words that proceeds out of our hearts, the thoughts of our hearts which speak loudest in His Presence even than the words of our mouth and that of our actions, will stand against us.
12. The words that proceed out of your mouth, the thoughts of your heart and your actions that will testify against you. Where is Sis Egbuna? I saw her this morning, she should have gone before now, there is no permission today. There is nothing you can do in the Presence of the Lord that will justify your inclusion in this Faith except total obedience to God’s Word. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
13. If you cannot obey God’s Word, forget about every other thing you are doing. I remembered when I handed that Message some years ago, “Obedience Is Better than Sacrifice.” Echezona, I know you are expecting your name and you are not surprised to hear it. Relax, nobody is sacking you today, but time will vindicate me. This is not why I have mounted this pulpit. I came here with something bigger than this.
NOTHING IS AS GOOD AS BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Today is 30 December, every intelligent family, every wise family must not enter the New Year anyhow. Even the governments that controls this nation, for the past one week they have carried out a review of thevarious government activities so that they can effectively budget for the New Year. If we are wise, since last week we should have been busy reviewing our lives, our live activities.
15. The various ways we operated within the year that is passing away, discouragements that came our ways and their causes, encouragements that came our ways and their sources; how far we have fared within the year 2007.
How do we intend to roll over to the New Year? Are we going to carry our shortcomings over to the New Year? Or can we remedy them before the New Year? Are there some regrets this year which we would not like to witness next year?
16. To what extent have we performed our civic responsibilities towards one another, towards the Ministry of Christ that is handed down to us? How responsive are we to the duties assigned to us within the period? Can I stand and say I was faithful in all His House? That I was faithful to all that was committed into my hands? How did you perform?
17. Hear me very well, do you know that it is better for you to withdraw from this Faith than to be excommunicated, how many knows it is better I withdraw than to be excommunicated? The worst thing that will happen to a human being is to be excommunicated from the Presence of the Almighty God.
20. Even to those that believe the Scriptures: it said, “Peter, to you I have entrusted the keys of heaven, anything you bind here on earth is bound there, and whatsoever you loose here is loose there.” And when Paul appeared, he was commissioned to carry the same salvation to the heathen and when they turned their back to the message, he said, “You have counted yourselves unworthy of everlasting life by rejecting our message.” I say glory be to God that we are alive but not everybody is alive.
21. That you are moving about does not mean you are alive; whoever that excused Sis Egbuna is blind with Sister Egbuna. There is no reason why you will permit anybody to leave this place, it is better the person did not come at all.
22. If you know you have your engagement to decorate hall and prepare cake or something like that, don’t ever come here because, coming here means disturbing your peace. Even whatever we may be preaching, your mind will not be here. Wherever your treasure is, there your mind will be. So, whoever that excused her is equally guilty of her crime. You are blind and she is blinder.
23. If there is a Fellowship day I should stay away it should not be today. This is the last Fellowship day for the year 2007. How many knows that to be true? Next Wednesday will be 2nd January, and is entirely a New Year, and we said we will not be gathering that day, instead, we will be gathering on Tuesday in the morning hours to thank God and to re-consecrate ourselves before Him, rededicate ourselves to His Service so that He can see us through.
24. Therefore, today is the last gathering for the year 2007. Anybody that is wise should not stay away from the Fellowship, not only in Onitsha, but elsewhere also. Amen.
SUCCESS AND FAILURE ARE TWINS
Where there is no failure, there is no success. Whomever that is planning for success is at the same time planning for failure. Failure does not mean death, it means growth. Many people are always happy, always joyful when they succeed but lack the courage to bear the loss when they fail. Must you succeed always? If life is very easy for you, whatever you place your hands on is moving smoothly, surely, you are dying quicker than your age. The person must die before his time. However, bear in mind that any way that leads to real success is full of obstacles. The obstacles are aimed at bringing you back to think about life so that your life will be prolonged. Therefore, failure is growth.
Chapter Three
I am really very grateful to God, and I will ever remain grateful that we are still alive spiritually and physically matching on, yet some are dead. It is very disheartening to notice or to hear that up till this very moment a husband and a wife can stay in the house even for two consecutive weeks without exchanging “good morning” to each other, no “good morning” to each other.
2. They don’t say “God Bless You” or “Remain blessed,” – husband and wife. Some can stay one month. Up till this very moment, a man can still run away from his house because of the troubles of his wife and passed some nights outside his house. Can we carry this type of mess into the year 2008?
3. Don’t you know it is better for us to know how many people that are really worshiping God? If it is a crime, I will commit it today. Once we put you out, we are putting out your entire household. Anywhere you want to take your family to, go there. Take your wife, take your children, take your parents, and leave us.
4. We did not see you here in the beginning and we were not complaining. I will not complain because we were told, “When all these seats will be filled with human beings that we should not rejoice, that it is going to be troubles upon troubles; that every kind of person will identify with us for reasons other than worshipping God.”
5. Can you imagine, someone who has been with us opening his mouth to tell us after many years that he felt disappointed in our midst. I said, “What is your disappointment?” He said, “I don’t mean that your Message disappointed me. What I mean is that the person that preached to me disappointed me. From all she told me, I was thinking that her father will give me enough money to boost my business, and for many years now, he could not help me.
6. Besides, he is very stingy and now he is bedridden to the point of death. When is he going to help me again? That’s why I am leaving. What she promised me could not materialize.” What can you gather from this story: that he believed the Message depending on the way they preached to him hoping that the person’s father will make him a millionaire?
7. So, while he was with us, his mind was in what his in-law will do for him and now the in-law is sick, nothing is expected from him again; he said he disappointed him. The same way will so many ladies here will feel disappointed with some mad boys we have here. But before they will begin to blame this Ministry, they and their “prospective husbands” will leave. They should leave us completely.
8. From the very beginning, God has stood againt and has preached against “convert and marry,” and no “convert and marry” has ever helped this Ministry. If you are coming to God, come to God without any other consideration except salvation, finish. Then if while you are waiting for salvation from God, many other good things begin to come your way, you rejoice.
9. Not when you stay in your home, you begin to enquire about Churches that are in Onitsha, what they believe and how they marry.
10. Where is Yemi? Time and events must vindicate the Son of Man. Where is Bro Amankem? Stand up there, praise God that you are here. If there is an “ancient fellow” that is still alive in this Faith, it is Bro Amankem, but he is an ancient man without experience. It is better I become a new fellow with experience than to become an old fellow without experience, sit down.
11. All I have called their names so far, if you know that I called your name in vain raise your hand, testify against me. If you know that you don’t know why I called your name, show by raising your hand. Bishops and Deacons watch out, how many hands are up? It then goes to show you have testified against yourselves, that all your actions have been deliberate.
12. You know what you have been doing both openly and secretly. You know what you are talking against this Faith, you know the type of discussions you are holding against this Faith and you know the people you are holding this discussions with. You know the extent you have compromised your holy and high calling interest. What am I trying to say? It is an unpardonable sin. Amen.
A LAZY MAN’S APOLOGY
Let us prove nature. Let us see whether we can survive.
Keeping your hope in the stories of the past, enshrined with the fear of the unknown will place you in perpetual poverty. One that is always thinking of death does not achieve anything meaningful because whatever he places his hands, he will say, “Why am I bothering myself? Am I sure that I will stay till tomorrow?”
Tomorrow, he is still there. He would even live longer than any other person in the village. But he will live a poor life, for he is always afraid of death.
Chapter Four
I thank God for Bro. Orjiakor. Today, I was praying that he should be here because I made a mistake, I didn’t invite him. I had the opportunity to ask him to be here today, but I missed it when he came to me on the 27th December, but now he is here.
2. I think I am blessed. He will be a relief to Pastor Dan. I lined up few things here I want us to listen to as a review of our activities. I am not preaching a new Message today.
3. If I have a new Message, the new Message will be for God’s children only; it cannot be for the mixed-multitudes. However, I will read many, many things here, which I believe will help you to re-examine yourselves and see whether there is a remedy even before the New Year.
4. I told my family: nobody should rejoice, 2008 is still very far from here; very, very far from here. That same day I told them that even today, we may lose people from among us through death. It is possible, but I pray let it not be in my house or in the house of the faithfuls. We have house of the faithfuls, we have house of the unfaithfuls.
5. Remember, God said, “In the end, He will bring in people He will use to fulfil all negative prophecies;” and we all prayed for it. That same day was the day Bro. Sam and the wife joined their hands together and killed their daughter only to blame it on death. I will tell you my experience with him, things that came out of his mouth before many witnesses.
6. I thank God Sis. Agubalu is still here. That little girl would have been here by now. Even by the time they were calling Bro. Victor to carry them, they never told Bro. Victor that the little girl has already died, and he gave them excuse and went away, not knowing that the girl was already dead.— wickedness!
7. The girl died and the mother hid it away because she knew what she did and the whole thing has been exposed. Then they came tempting me. Well, I thank God that I couldn’t allow myself to be tempted, instead, I gave them the hardest pill. If it were not amazing grace, Victor wife would have joined at that same hour.
8. If not for the sake of Bro. Victor, the love he has for the things of God, of course, Elders, I told you my mind: I wanted to round off the programme straight away and go my way, finish. – Nothing will happen! After all, I wasn’t responsible for the problem. It was her impenetrable heart that caused her problem, even Bro. Victor himself became a hypocrite before me. Maybe he thought that it would help him obtain my favour. Before that thing took place, Victor had not been communicating with his wife, it was death that came that brought the emergency, or temporary reconciliation.
9. For weeks, they have not exchanged greetings, it was that death that gave a sign that woke Victor up; and then he played the “role of Adam” immediately. He knew that if he had started narrating stories, I would have dosed my door. Of course, I said it and he saw it: I saw the problem and didn’t want to handle it, take your wife to hospital. Look at what the problem is, finish!
10. But pray hard, I wonder if she will survive it. Whether you like it or not, I provided a “temporary release” as a sign, and also as a “judgment.” Whatever miracle you have received in this Faith, whatever good thing you have received in this Faith, it is either a “blessing” of God to you or a “testimony” against you. No matter the way that thing comes to you, it is either a blessing to you or a testimony against you. Please bear with me.
YOUR LIFESTYLE REVEALS WHAT YOU BELIEVE
Bro. Orjiakor, please come to the pulpit, sorry to disturb your peace.
Come and help me do some readings here. Bro. Okey Ibeh supply Bro. Orjiakor with enough water. Bro. Orjiakor, you will be reading these books as I will be sending them to you.
12. I want to make this announce again: we don’t have a particular time we will dismiss here today. I never knew that Brethren from other Local Assemblies could be here. I have programmed myself to have an affair with Onitsha alone and I programmed it in such a way we could be here till the evening hours as the case may be. Since you are here from other places, relax your minds. You are at liberty, anytime you feel you are tired and you want to go, please go, it is not a crime against you or against us. Exercise your liberty.
13. Even if you belong to Onitsha Fellowship, you feel tired and you want to go, please go. However, as many as will remain here, we will remain here until we exhaust all that the Lord has for us today. I am saying this because I must leave you with at least a “ten-minutes” Sermon. A “ten-minutes” Sermon that will form your “prayer point” for next year 2008 so that when you get home and want to pray, you will know exactly what is to present before the Lord and how to you are going to present it, so that the Lord will pay attention to your voice.
14. When we were searching the Scriptures, it said we should not tear our garments but our hearts. We shouldn’t tear our garments, we shouldn’t roll on the ground, but we should tear our hearts. When you see the extent you have wandered from the Faith that has been protecting you and your family, you see the extent of your rebellion, you see the extent of your transgressions, nobody will tell you what to do. So, I really thank God.
15. Sis Ngozi, I called your husband, you are equally involved. If you are a married Sister in this Faith and you say you believe the Son of Man; that you are in the Faith of Son of Man, but the words of your husband do not mean anything to you, you are a liar. I repeat: You are a liar.
16. Charity begins at home. Any married woman that can never obey the words of her husband can never obey the words of any other person. The first god that speaks to you on a daily basis is your husband. That is why if you find it difficult to obey your husband; you can never have respect for any other human being.
17. Watch all women that do not respect their husband, do they respect other men? What you are “within” is what you are “without.” If little things can still cause trouble between you and your husband – I mean common wrapper: “You didn’t buy me new wrapper this time around, you didn’t buy me new wrapper for this new baby this and that,” well, we know where you belong.
18. No matter how we democratize and liberalize this Faith, we still operate within its boundaries. There are too many things that can never be associated with us. That “injunction” we received from the very beginning that we should make sure we do not conform to the world’s standard, rather, we should be transformed by the renewal of our minds, that injunction still holds sway over us; we have to obey it if we must live. That is why everything pertaining to us is different.
19. No matter how people look at you and admire you, both your dressing and everything is different. Your own does not conform to the world’s standard. If you are not a seed of God, well, people living around you must know you are not. That a heathen should come to me to tell me that I should discountenance so, so and so families that they claimed they believe me, that they are follow us, that they are not part of us.
20. Moreover, they gave instances. Then I called for investigation and they were proved right. The time has gone when you will call me and tell me that heathens are criticizing you because of your faith and I will believe it like that, no. If I carry out investigations and discovered that what they are saying about you is true, ah ah, where do you now belong?
21. Many of you do not know that even people living with you have read our Messages, attended our meetings and have seen many families that believed our Faith. So, they measure you with those they know. So, if you are counterfeit, they know. If you are original seed, they know.
22. Therefore, it is very disappointing that even people that started from the very beginning, up till this moment, have not come to the realization that the Almighty God whom they are mocking is One no one has ever mocked and got away with it. Be not deceived, be not fooled, God is not mocked.
THE SAME MEASURE YOU MEASURE UNTO GOD IS THE SAME MEASURE HE WILL MEASURE BACK TO YOU
Any seed a man soweth that he must reap. AII that Sam was denying has fulfilled today. Is there anybody here who doesn’t know Sam Okoli as a crafty and subtle unbeliever among us? As one who is here for us to bear his burden? So please, Bro. Amobi and the rest, Bro Mike Nwanga, the time is over, do not for any reason give out money for their collection without my knowledge. Our pastors have messed up that area by sponsoring illegalities, I say sponsoring illegalities.
23. We have legal and illegal acts. People, they ask me to give out money, most of them are people that are standing against this Faith both by words and by action. No wonder why God is punishing many. How can you be a hypocrite and you want God to bless you? (Are You In This Faith?)
24. That is why they labour extensively and they come back empty handed. Before you know it, frustration will set in. They labour from January to December, but at the end of the day, they are empty handed because the same measure you measure unto God is the same measure He is measuring unto you. Does your understanding of the Message reveal your life’s activities in line with what you have heard? Have we improved from what we heard from this Message preached in Dec. 2004?
25. Today is 30 December. How many years from here? Have we improved our lives or are we worse than what we were three years ago? We have to answer these questions.
26. I know some will be wondering why our Pastor Christian Dike is not here. He is conspicuously absent. He is not absent from today’s Fellowship because he travelled home for Christmas celebration, the Elders excommunicated him on 27 December 2007, because of his unfaithfulness and I approved it.
27. I confirmed his excommunication because our Message is very clear on that. We handle the Word of God without respect of persons. The same “rod” we use to punish a slave when he offends is the same rod we use to punish a prince. So, we believe in “equality” of all men before God. Amen.
BEARING FAILURE LIKE SUCCESS
Always bear one thing in mind that this world is a stage. Men and women will come here, play their parts and leave. When you cross over the “other world,” you will be forgotten, your place will be remembered no more and your achievements can never bring you back to life. You have played your part. You have given way for others to play their own role.
You must always remember that you may not be succeeding every time. Sometimes you may succeed, and you will be joyful. Sometimes when you fail, bear it with joy also. Remember that He that made you to succeed, the same made you to fail. You propose and God will dispose. It is not the way you think or the way you want, but the way God wants. That is all.
Chapter Five
or the past two weeks, we have been going through some Messages. If you go to the Message titled “The Image of God,” as we read it here last Wednesday, all of us felt astonished at the level of truth God revealed, the controversy with men which God has settled long, long time ago.
2. But due to the blindness of our hearts and ignorance, we could not break into that Message for which some are suffering untold hardship, while some have allowed themselves to be enslaved by their fellow human beings because of material possession. Nobody is born a slave and nobody should be a slave to his fellow human being, and we are not even slaves to Almighty God. When we obey God, we will become equals with God. However, when we disobey God, His Authority will come out. The same way, when a woman obeys her husband, they operate as equals in the family. But any day she disobeys, the “authority” of the man over her will come up. Any child of God that finds it difficult to obey God is an “impostor.”
3. Every true seed of God is born with the Spirit of God that is why we don’t teach people that there is one thing or the other they should do for the Spirit of God to dwell in them, no. The Spirit of God is inborn. It is not worked for, it is not prayed for, no, but we strive to renew that Spirit constantly the same way we oil the engine parts.
4. How do we renew it? Through the refreshing wind of the Word of God we hear because the Word of God we are hearing is nothing but spirit and life – words are spirits.
5. Therefore, we really give God the glory. But we praise Him the more individually. If we can lay hands on certain evidences that will convince us that we have improved from where we were three years ago; but if we notice that we never made any improvement, it is not yet too late because we are still breathing, we can also change our mind.
6. Before I will give you that promised ten minutes Message, I have to give you two more past Messages that will help you to renew your life activities because there is nothing in this life that has any guarantee of permanence.
7. Time, events and circumstances can change a human being. It can also change everything here. Remember the two things God said will remain permanent, and they are twins: they are LIFE and DEATH. They are permanent. Besides these two, nothing is permanent again. So please, while you are hearing the Messages, try to use it to reveal your life’s personal activities, your character, your attitude towards the Messages you have been receiving bearing in mind one truth: that God is not worshipped collectively.
8. God is worshipped individually. That we gather here, we gather like others, people still have that impression that we have gathered collectively to serve the Lord. No! God is dealing with us individually and He blesses us individually also.
9. I thank God for my friend Kenneth Amobi who is here today. I find it difficult to identify my friends in the Fellowship but I have to identify your presence. I knew you will be here, not because your brother told me, no. After all, you were two that made up your mind to be here, but you are here alone, what hindered “A” would have hindered “B”. That you are even here today is not of your own making, you braved too many odds to be here. Moreover, to the Almighty God, your coming here was fore-ordained before you were born. You couldn’t have been here any other time purposed for you today, amen.
Therefore, you are welcome to the House of Refuge. This is the House of Refuge, the Valley of Decision. 38
10. You know many do not know the name of this place because we do not announce it from time to time. The Almighty God never called us Church at Onitsha or Household of God at Onitsha. Are you hearing me? We picked these names from the Bible, but He gave us two names by which we shall be identified, and said we should never make it public.
11. The same way, He gave us His secret Name and asked us to keep it as our secret. If we say we are Church at Onitsha, we can balance it with the Bible, and that name stumbled people. What is your name? Why do you answer Church at Onitsha? You show them in the Scriptures: “To the angel of God at the minor writes, Church at Philadelphia at Philippi, Church at Ephesus, Church at Laodicea,” etc. oh no! Yet, they carry Bible and remain blind.
12. When they messed it up, we went further in the Scriptures in Eph. 2; 19-20 it said: “You are now welcome, He welcomed us into the household of God. You are no longer strangers, but fellow citizens in the Household of God, which is God’s Church.” This was documented in the Scriptures yet they are blind. We don’t quarrel with them over that nomenclature, do we? But we have two names by which we are identified.
13. When the Rainbow came, I mean the Glory of the Lord, the Bowl of Covenant was with us here, what we were called, He told us clearly:” It shall be called the Valley Of Decision and House Of Refuge for all God’s people. So, you must know where you are. It is just like the secret Name of God, which He has kept secret from everybody, but is only revealed to the Saints, hence we don’t quarrel over Jesus, neither do we quarrel over Jehovah. Anyone you want to say, we will join you there but we know better than that.
14. So please, follow us while we do a little review. Today is the last Fellowship day in the year 2007. It will be hard for me to begin to give you a New Year Message without carrying out a review of our activities both in our families and in every aspect of life; how we have fared before we can at least get few words that will enable us to pray for 2008, amen. 15. So, I really thank God for those that really paid attention to the Messages reviewed. I will also thank God the more for as many as will also pay attention to the remaining ones. Looking at this Message here, “As I Thought On My Ways,” chapter one says “Christmas spirit.” “As I Thought on Ways, volume 1 and 2;” you must think on your ways if you are a human being that is alive.
16. Watch all that do not ponder over Periodical Review of the year 2007 and the enrolment into year 2008, looking at their ways, they don’t make any headway in their lives. I call them anti-progressive elements and they hold antiprogressive views. They live frustrated lives; they are only here, to make people around them feel very miserable. Nobody comes into contact with them and feels happy and you will know why, I say you will know why.
17. Is Yemi here? Where did she go? Somebody that has no genealogy; she has no genealogy and I wanted to talk to her today because I have kept quiet for a long time and God has started to show me those good signs wherein I can now stand and make proclamations so as to save some foolish people from her devilish plans. Are you hearing me? Do you know that not all that walk upon the face of the earth are human beings? There are spirits that walk in form of human beings. Do we have living Bible here?
18. How I wish I had it, I left my own at home. If you go to Genesis chapter six – “Genesis” means the “origin” – from verse one. Living Bible translation written in today’s English made it clearer. It says: “The devil transformed into human being and married daughters of men, impregnated them and what they produced were men of renown who were of old ordained for perdition, who have no other work than to trouble mankind.” You see why we fear God.
19. The Almighty said that He is the One that created both the wicked and the good. That He created the evil man for the evil day and made him object of His anger, then created the good man and made him object of His praise. Yes, it is in conformity with our Message on the “Law of Diametric Opposition” which states: “There can never be light without darkness, there can never be right without left and without the bad man, a good man will not be revealed.”
20. Without a bad fellow, you won’t know what a good fellow looks like and since we know every bad man is destructive, every bad woman is destructive, God has decided to insulate us completely, and that is the only way we can escape their wrath.
21. Have you wondered why you are an abomination to the wicked, and the wicked is also an abomination to you? It goes to show that you are from two different species. Although you look alike, eat the same food but you don’t have the same nature. Watch the sheep and the goat, they looked alike: they are four footed animals, they feed on grasses, they have wools all over their body, sometimes they are kept together; I am I making sense – but do they have the same nature? Never! And there is no amount of transformation or metamorphosis or preaching that can transform a goat into a sheep, it is impossible.