Hello my fellow brethren. I'm glad to be a part of the indoctrination service held on 11th of December 2023, where we learned about prayers. There are many ways we Christians are doing things which are not in accordance with the rules and principles of God. Bro Eli Soriano explained deeply how we ought to stay as one as Christians and follow the same path
Brother Eli emphasized on the fact that if we confess our sins, God is so merciful that he would forgive us. If we offend anyone, we should go to him and ask for forgiveness. That's God's commandment. After asking for forgiveness, you ask for forgiveness from God, and both of you would pray for one another. We should not feel too big to ask for forgiveness from whom we offend if truly we want God to forgive us our sins. This is done so that God will have mercy and cleanse us from our iniquities
James 5:16 King James Version
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Also, Bro Eli talked about the swiftness of how God hears the prayer of a righteous man. He gave many instances. He talked about many times that he had encountered serious problems in the plane. A time when a huge vulture hit the plane and crashed the engine. He prayed and they landed safely. Not once, not twice. He also made mention of gun not going off when the army in a war wanted to shoot a brother. God always hears the prayer of the righteous before they even open their mouth. Another instance was taken from the Bible
Isaiah 65:24 King James Version
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Daniel 9:21 King James Version
21 Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
When Daniel was still praying, God sent angel Gabriel to him to tell him that his prayers had been answered. The vision he saw was explained, and he was the only one that understood what it meant. God always listens to the prayer of the righteous. When there was famine in the land for 3 and half years , God sent Elijah to a widow and his son (1 Kings 17:8-16) to tell them that oil will never dry in their jug and the jar of flour will never go empty until famine ends. The widow and her son were about to cook the last meal, and wait to die afterwards, but God saw in her heart that she was righteous, and he answered her before she even spoke. The book of Matthew says
Matthew 6:8 King James Version
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Discipline while praying
Brother Eli mentioned that it's good to do things decently and in order when praying just as 1 Corinthians 14:40 instructed us. We must kneel down when praying.
Ephesians 3:14-15, Exodus 3:5. When Moses was on mount Sinai, God told him to take off his shoes before stepping on the holy land, and he did so. Making where we are going to pray neat is a discipline, because no one would want to kneel in a dirty place. When Daniel prayed, he knelt down before God. Daniel 6:10
We must also face the east when praying because that's where the glory of God came from according to
Ezekiel 43:2 King James Version
2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory
Some people when praying face the altar, but it's good to face the east. When Daniel was praying, he shut his doors, and faced towards the temple in Jerusalem, because that is where the priests of God stay and it's where the commandment is being taught. We should also desist from eating when in the presence of God. While the sermon is going on, you see some people eating in the house of God even when they are praying. It's not a good practice. If we are hungry, we need to wait till the session is over before we eat. We must not eat in the presence of God. We all need to be disciplined
The time would come when we would need God in our lives. We must trust that he will always be there because he loves us. If we can seek his face, and do what he commanded us, he's ready to hear and forgive us. 2 Chronicles 7:14. John 3:16. James 1:6. Philippians 4:6. Hebrew 4:16. John 16:20
We should also not be deceived that the saints are in heaven. Brother Eli quoted a scripture that tells us that every dead is still in the grave. None has ascended to heaven
1 Thessalonians 4:16 King James Version
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first
It's clear that the dead will rise up only on the last day, and that is when the Lord Jesus Christ descends from heaven. We can also read this in John 6:44 that no one can come to Jesus except he's risen on the last day
Glory be to God for his word delivered by Bro Eli Soriano of MCGI. Please, you are welcome to join us. Let's listen to the word of God daily so we can grow in it
You are always welcome.
Thanks for reading.
This is ckole the laughing gas
One love
