Goodevening brethren. Hope we are all doing great.
Here are some of the lessons i learnt from today's mass indoctrination;
There are two(2) types of tables ; the lord's table and the devil's table . and we can not drink of the two, it has to be one. Christ has a table and He feeds His people on this table.
In our time, we see people whose table are full of vomit because they just see the word as a tradition where they just follow order upon order, precept upon precept.
*Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
*Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
It is not everything we are to wait for God to tell us before we do them.
We are to use our disposition to do what we know is good. They are things we should voluntarily do without anyone pushing us to do them in as much as we know ot gives glory to God.
*Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
It's about our willingness. There is reward for been willing to do good works.
One doctrine to be done willingly without anyone pushing us is vow. It is about our willingness. There is reward for being willing to do good works.
*Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Are there things we do willingly that God does not commend? Yes, an example is making vow that we can not fulfill. Making vow should be voluntary and not an instruction like in the case of the Catholic priest; not marrying is an instruction and not a vow because it is being forced and not determine by the individual.
*Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
When we make vow, we should do well to fulfill them. According to the Bible, it is a foolish act to take pleasure in making vow and not fulfilling them.
*Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
A vow is a good thing. We can make a vow when we want to ask God for a favour;if we are sick,we can a vow and fast and pray for the sickness to go.
Concerning giving, the true church allow the members to give as they are willing ie according to as their heart desires.
In the area of offering, we are the one that should decide what to give.
*2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
The Mecedonian church gave according to their power and sometimes above their power but they were not detected what to give. A situation where brethren pay fixed amount for things, it is no longer a donation but a payment because it was detected to them what they should pay.
*2 Corinthians 8:3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 8:5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
In giving offering in the church, the brethren in the Bible approach the offering box and not the offering box being brought to them.
*Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
The Brethren in Corinth church were also recommended to give their contribution upon the first day of the week.
*1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Contributions are collected because the services in course of doing the work of God requires money to carry out.
Barnabas gave as he purposed; he gave freely after selling his land. Giving should be voluntary and should be for the furtherance of the work of God.
*Acts 4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Ananias and his wife also gave but lied in the process and they died in the process.
*Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
We should also have the habit of giving thanks to God for what He has done for us.
*Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
*1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
We should not be like those that who when to come to know God, they still don't give thanks to Him.
*Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Even for the fact that we can defecate is worth thanking God for.
There is also a thanksgiving for the whole church.
*Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
*Exodus 23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. 23:17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
Giving should be a sacred thing between us and God.
*Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Report should be made concerning contribution collected in the church. Brethren of good report should be appointed to do this. This is necessary to avoid any form of theft.
*1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
*John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Reaching out to the needy is also recommended to christains by the Bible.
*James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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