The Xt's Students 11th Anniversary Week

"In this Kingdom, nobody is

known by the number.of structures
he can put up; nobody is known by
singing, dancing or feastingj nobody
is known by taking drugs; even if you
sleep in the altar'or vestry, yOU win
not be known; being fastidious or
giving visions are things done by
even small children and all these
things already exist in the world.
But what have never been in exis
tence are love and holiness. And
unless you practise holiness, you will
not be knwn in this kingdom.'
The above was enunciated by the
Holy Father Leader O. () Olll! during
the divine gospel to declare open the
Christ Studen1s' 11th Anniversary
Week in Calabar recently.
In Ihe gospel whose texts were
drawn from 1 Peter 1:14-15;
Ephesians 4:31-32 and 2 Timothy
2:21, the Leader emphasised that
neither wisdom, position, riches,
beauty nor handsomeness is needed
in this kingdom but holiness.
. 'He cannot use you in His service
if y,.)u arc not pious. If you want to
.enjoy this kingdom to the fu1lest,
du 1101 indulge yourself in the commit
tal uf a acts of sinfulness" the Fa
ther pleaded, adding that nobody
is ,lskcd tl) come to Brotherhood to
build schools, colleges and
universities for numerous others
have already been built.
He said that all children of God
ought to he Hply. in thoughts.
actions and in our daily communica
tion with others and "anything apart
from the above requirements,
you are operating in the flesh which
will bring problems to you."
-The Leader intimated .that, "you
can never see Him with a snuff box,
palm wine or other drinks, while
committing fornication, adultery,
stealing or lying," for, committing
all these sins separate one from God's
willand purpose.
He saM that immediately Jesus
Christ seperatM and sanctified
Himself so that God might use Him,
He (Jesus Christ) was seen at various
places at the "ame time.
The Leader assured that anybody
who keeps himself holy as a vehicle
of service, can he seen in various
places simultaneously, adding that
even the 144,000 who are supposed
to reign with Him would be seen
at many places at the same time.
He finally urged all to - purify
themselves to be fit for this new dis
pe.nsation and enjoy the benefits and
priviledges thecefrom.
The week speeches, sin
ging, dancing, recitations, testimo
nies,. visions and visit to the Garden
of Eden. A memorial event was the
release of latest melodious renditions
by the Christs' Students' Natural
Choir.
A prominent feature during the
week-long activities were
made to thank the Holy Spirit tor
making the institution of the Christ
StUdents a reality.
Christ Emilia Asuquo
Efiong in her comments, thanked the
Holy Father for fulfilling His divine
promises to them, thus removing the
.uncertaintry of what will be their fate
from their mind,
She said that they have been
taunfed with provocative innuen
dos by people who used to ask them
when the indefinite studies shall
end for them to graduate, pointing
out that .. the Holy Father affirmed
our faith by assuring us that those
who serve Him deli gently to the end
shall have glory, riches and eternal
life." _r,
Elder 'Edward Ette, a senior re
porter for Herald Press Ltd. who
participated fu1ly in the week-long
activities in his testimony during the
celebration, thanked the Holy Fa
ther for giving the Christ Students
the ability to bear the uneasy burden
of carrying their cross for the past
19 y,-,ars.
He said that the Students bear
with fortitude the burden because of
the divine manifestation in fulfilment
uf G"d's words: 'All that the Father
give-th me shall come to me, and
him that cometh to me, I will in no
wise cast out." the Elder added.
The Holv Father in His closing
advice. that as from next
year, 1988: the Christ's Students
Week should be celebrated under the
auspices of the Spiritual Council
of Churches throughout the entire
Br<itherhood world.
He said that the Students have
been promoted from the Cross to the
Stal. To this end, the Holy Father
appealed to all men and women ot
substance to donate generously for
the Students' up-keep, adding that,
in due course, any student who
studies for a period of twenty years
wm be issued with certificates
of merit on graduation.
In the Spiritual advice, the text
which He drew from Rev. 17: 14,
the Sole Spiritual Head, Leader O.
O. Obu explained that the expression
of joy and appreciation is clearly
seen on the faces of every true Bro
therhood member because the text
has beell consummated intnis age.
He pointed OHt that the ('i-}i'ist's
Students .ire those who have surren
dered themselves to God. denied
themselves of all earthly things,
as well as have their implicit faith
and hope in God.
The Leader said the Christ
Students are a special group for
"they have realised that this world is
no place for them. and are seekin,g
and anticipating the new city 01
God," explaining that that is the rea
son wherever they go to and there
are lions, elephants, tigers, w,)lves
and other wild animals and things
that offend, "these youngsters
would step in and subdue all of
them."
He :,i.!tct mat the Christ Students
are greater than the people whn
came down with the Father from
Eton Street. Calabar to 26 Mbukpa
Street, Calabar because they have
fulfilled the conditionalities c('ntained
in Luke 14:26-27.
He agreed that in the past, they
were refered to as house boys and
girls and they were often worried
because of carnal tendencies, "but
right now, their rightful place and
positions have been restored to them
f-or the most humble is the greatest
person in the kingdom."
The Leader said that He is. nol
however urging all to leave their hus
b?J.1ds and wives and become Christ
Students, because according to him,
"if all were soldiers no one will give
them food".
He finall urged all to support
morallvand financially, the Christ
who are now embarking on
world-wide ministry work to ensure
their success. warning all to be
content with positions gIVen to them'
by the Father for "if He Ukes, He
can elevate you to do His will and
purpose, hence, do not struggle for
anything, wait patiently and pray
for your turn."
OrdaIned Sisters Fellowship Meeting with Father
Advising those present after
rectifying the appointments, tb,e
Ffoly Father who drew His text from
1 Peter 3:12, . evil doers
to think of themselves and their
families because the eyes of the Lord
are always on the righteous
while His ears are wwltys open to
their prayers..
The Father told those present that
our Lord Jesus Christ was chosen
as the only Son of God because He
(Jesus) accepted to suffer in
obedience to His Father.
He said that it is self-afflicting for
anybody to commit vices such as;
fornication, murder, anger, theft
and segregation because they do
. more tha.n. good to our body.
He mamtatned xf we turn away from
acts of sinfulness .after receiving that
day's Gospel, then God win listen
to llS.
Quoting from Isaiah 1:10-20, the
Leader opined that it was clearly
!stated that if Sodom and Gomorra
should make their sacrifices, he (Thp.
: Lord) would turn His eyes away
from them, adding that since God
is that of the living He has
nothing to d() wi!h sinners, necro
. juju-men, id())-worshippers
.I'ld drunkards.
Many people. the Father went on,
are saying that tliey love
Brlllhcrh()od, but as far as they are
cuncerJIcd, Brotherhood would be
not hing. However. since it is built
on rightcl)Usness. there should be
l1p fcars because upon all the evil
words spoken about the organisa
tion and its leadership, it is still
spreading like a wild fire.
This. the Father said is because
Jehovah God and His Christ have
'opened their eyes on Brothe'rhood,
and they are always listening to
its prayers.
When you go to some rural com
munities you will see huts being
Broth,erhood bethels, but it
is in these huts, that man's inexpli
cable . problems are solved with
. prayers only; the Father said,
advising that while medical and juju
doctors cannot perform is because
God listens to only the prayers ot the
righteuus ones.
"Th,)se who are not of this
kingdom only come here when they
have pnlblcms to be baptised and
han' their fheir problems solved, but
there is Ol1e thing which is unique in
BI'"ti1l'rho()c1. And it is the fact
thut if (me is not called by the Father
he cannot come here on his own be
cause God Vindicates only those that
he has called "The Fat her intimates.
In conclusion, the Father enjoined
all to differentiate between the
group that are still doubting the
power in Brotherhood and the
group that believes in Brotherhood
as the Kingdom of God on earth and
note that just as the Father was with
our Ldtd Jesus Christ when He
(Jesus) was nailed to the Cross and
did not fail Him, so (God) will
he be with all those who will be un
shakable in their belief and also
endure patiently to the end.
More than one thousand Naira
was realised that day and a love
feast was served to all present to
divinely bring the days meeting to
an end.