Mass Indoctrination Day 3 || 26th April, 2023
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Calvary greetings brethren, we appreciate God for the success of another teaching. I feel very lucky to be among those that were blessed. Here are some of the things I learnt from the meeting. May you be blessed as you read through.
Lessons
If during the days of the apostles, two thousand years ago there were false prophets, in our days there will be more. One thing we can't avoid is that people will mention wrong doctrines. Our teacher should be our Lord Jesus Christ, him alone was appointed by God to teach his doctrines. This is the reason why we must test and try every word or teaching before we should accept them. Instead being angry with false teachings when they are being pointed out we should examine them. The word of God should be our standard, it should be our weigh for balancing all things. If the things we hear doesn't weigh with what is in the bible then it is wrong.
As Christians we should take a look on all things and then abstain from anything that appears to be evil, this is the formula for being good. It is our obligation to find out what is good and what is evil so that we can cleave to what is good and throw away what is evil. No one will do that for us.
How to call upon God
When we have no one to turn to, no one to run to, the one that we can run to that will always be there with us is God. Prayer is calling upon God, it is part of the doctrines of our lord. it is important for us to know the right manner of prayers so that we will not be praying in vain. God doesn't hear sinners, many prayers are in vain. If an evil man prays, it is in vain God will not listen to it. If the person praying is upright doing God's will, God is pleased but if the person praying is wicked and evil, it is an abomination to God.
The lord Jesus said to the early Christians when they pray, they should not use vain repetition . It is wrong to keep praying, rounds of prayers, saying the same thing over and over. For example using rosary. It was in the years 1214 that the rosary was received by the Catholic church. It was given by St Dominic. it was 1200 years after Christ ascended to heaven that the rosary came. If it was the doctrine of Christ, he would have taught it to his disciples.
Christ commanded us not to use repetitive prayers because God doesn't answer prayers because of our much speakings. Christ said before we ask anything of him, he will answer because he knows what we are in need of before we ask him. He is not a deaf God, he can hear us, there is no need to repeat it again and again.
Let our words be few, if we have problems we don't need to speak too much words to God. Out prayers should be concise and be according to what we want for the moment. One way for our prayers to be answered is not to pray to show off. Prayer is supposed to be a private matter between us and God. It is prohibited to pray with the intention to show off to men.
We should not pray standing like the hypocrite who pray to show men that they are praying. We should pray with good intentions not to attract the attention of men. it is not prohibited to pray standing but our motives should be good
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As Christian it is not advisable to always pray standing, it is good we kneel down to pray unto God. The early Christians when they pray they knelt down. We can stand if the condition is not favourable but if the place is in good condition we can kneel.
The meaning of the word kneel down in Greek is tithemi, it is to place ourselves in passive horizontal posture. It also means folding knees, being in a horizontal posture with our faces facing the ground. It is not in a vertical position but horizontal position. That depicts a sign of humility, a sign of worship and respect to our God and maker.
There are also situation where we are permitted to pray sitting too, for instance when we want to eat. Jesus did that when he was going to feed the five thousand people. He commanded them to sit on the grass and he prayed giving thanks to God. There are exception to the rules of praying standing or kneeling, there are others who can't kneel or stand, for such God understands. Praying to God has statutes and discipline. We don't just simply pray, there are rules guiding it.
A man should not pray or prophesy with their heads covered because if he covers his head he dishonors his head and his head is Christ. But women should cover their heads, if they do not so, they dishonor their head which is their husband. A woman covering her head means she is under the authority of Christ and her husband.
Tomorrow will be day four of Mass Indoctrination, you are all invited to join us on zoom. For more information you can join the MCGI Cares community here