May the name of the Lord be praised! We are glad to be blessed with this privilege of hearing the true doctrines of Jesus Christ. As we keep being enlightened by the entrance of these teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that our lives will be illuminated with the true light which the Bible says lights every man born into this world.
The church is the family of God, as Bro Eli Soriano told us. We were also informed that in every household there are rules guiding the conduct of the members of such households. The church as a household has rules. These rules are the doctrines. To successfully please God in the church, we must accept and obey the doctrines wholeheartedly. If anyone has the Holy Spirit in him/her, he will discern and understand that these are the true doctrines of Jesus Christ.
THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYERS
One of the things we do as a church is prayers. We pray as a way of talking to God. We pray to make known our pains and needs to our loving and caring Father in heaven. But we don't just pray carelessly and randomly. We pray in such a way that God will hear us. There is a way our prayers must be offered if God is to hear us.
Vain Repetitions
Vain repetitions is what we must avoid in our prayers. Bro Eli Soriano pointed out to us that God is more than willing to answer us when we pray. He let us know that God has promised in His word that while we are yet praying, He will answer us, Isaiah ,65:24
Isaiah 65:24 (KJV) And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Also, the Bible says that God delights to hear the prayers of the righteous. If we are righteously following Him, He will delight to hear and answer us when we pray.
Proverbs 15:8 (KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Since, this is the attitude of our God towards our prayers, unnecessary repetitions of our prayers is useless. Ranting of words randomly during prayers should be avoided. When coming unto God we should make a request known plainly and simply.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 (KJV) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Bro Eli Soriano also explained vividly the issue of praying with the rosary. It is not a doctrine of Jesus Christ. Praying the rosary is not a true christian's way of praying. Let us henceforth learn to pray to God sincerely, plainly and truthfully without vain repetitions.
Praying Not For Showing Off
Most people pray in such a way as to be noticed by men that they are praying. That is wrong about the manner of prayers in the church. The Bible calls those who pray like that, hypocrites. We are admonished in the scriptures not to be like the hypocrites.
Matthew 6:5 (KJV) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Prayer is you talking to your father, making known your requests. It is not a fun fair. So, we should avoid praying as a way of calling the attention of others to our prayers.
Postures In Prayer
Bro Eli Soriano told us that it is right and disciplinary to adopt a humbling posture during prayers. This, he said, does not mean that God won't answer us if we don't kneel down. Kneeling down is recommended because Christ Jesus Himself and the early apostles adopted that posture during prayers. In whatever way the situation warrants comfortably to us, let us always come to God in prayers with humility and simplicity.
Covering Our Heads During Prayers
The instructions of the Bible as Bro Eli Soriano analyzed to us is that women should cover their heads during prayers while men should not cover their heads. This is a Bible doctrine. There should not be any argument about it. There should not be any traditional sentiment to it. We should learn to submit to God above our traditional and personal desires.
May God bless us and give us grace to adopt and follow these doctrines of Jesus Christ our Lord.
