ARE YOU LISTENING TO GOD?

Many profess to be Christians but they interpret the Bible according to their own beliefs and intellect. This shows their disregard for the Bible teachings and think that their interpretation is right for they say God has given men wisdom and they use their evaluation of wisdom to interpret according to their own whims and fancies. God is a respecter of human beings and allows man free choice in their opinions. The Lord God does not force His authority over man. He, however, has shown us the way to love, respect and honour Him in every decision we make. The ultimate choice is ours to decide, whether good or bad as it may be. If we love and respect God, we would listen and obey His commands and reap peace, joy and blessing in our decisions. But are we listening to God or our ego overwhelms us that we interpret what we feel is correct.

Do you read the horoscope every day to see what the stars foretell in your every day life? Do you believe in Feng Shui, the Chinese superstitious belief of energy that also affects you in all walks of life? Do you believe in winning the lottery? All these are contrary to what Christians believe.

If Adam and Eve, our ancestors listened to the words of God, the world would be different today. Man would inherit living forever in an ideal world. There would be no sin and man would live forever. The seed of disobedience led man to fall from grace and be abandoned from Paradise forever by a flaming sword.

A. DISOBEDIENCE

The angels who disobeyed God were cast down to earth. The leader of the angels was Lucifer. He was good looking and had pride in himself and wanted to be like God. How can the created being be equal to the creator? How can the clay be equal to the potter who shapes the outcome of the design? God is the potter and we are the clay.

The first sign of disobedience is pride. Satan tempted Eve and she succumbed to the temptation . She gave the fruit to Adam who obediently took it from her and eagerly devoured the forbidden fruit. She believed her own selfish desire to be equal to God and fell precipitously into the pit. And Adam who loved his wife more than God also fell.jointly. Satan blinded Eve that she would become as God and know good and evil. The temptation was overwhelming for Adam and Eve and they thought they would be like gods (Genesis 3:5).

Pride comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18)

• Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

On the seventh day after God had finished the creation of the world, He was pleased with the work and God blessed, sanctified and rested. God is all powerful and need no rest for Himself but He created a day of rest for His people for He knew they needed rest after six days of work . "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27).

Failure of Keeping the Sabbath

After the Fall of man, the Sabbath was not mentioned until Israel came to the wilderness of Sin. The disregard or failure to keep the Sabbath resulted in the Assyrian and Babylonian Captivity as chastisement.

Jeremiah 17:27

• Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Isaiah 5:24

• Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumed the chaff so their root shall be as rotteness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
  
  

Baptism in the New Testament is for removal of sins. Not many believe that sins must be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and only the name of Jesus can cleanse away sins.

1a. Name of Jesus

Jesus in Matthew 28:19 said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Father and Son are generic names. Jesus is the name that was given to save all souls. "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ... and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:21, 23),

The name of Jesus is given by the Father and they are one (John 17:11). Jesus said, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not (John 5:43).

In the whole book of Acts, the disciples baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 8:16; Acts 2:38; Acts10:48; Acts 19:5). Were the disciples disobeying Jesus? No. They understood Jesus' instructions.

1b. Baptize in Sea, River, Much Water

Why are people baptized in baptismal tanks, pools and not God created water? Tanks and pools have to be heated up before the people are baptized in the right temperature. Do they have to be sanitized periodically? Why do they not all follow the example in the Bible and baptize in the sea, river, lakes or ponds and places of much water.which are scriptural?. Man has to invent tanks for baptism. If many people are baptized, the water becomes polluted. Do they have to refill or replace the water?

Israel was baptized through Moses' baptism in the Red Sea (1 Cor 10:1,2).

Isaiah 43:16:

• Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.

Micah 7:19

• And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Acts 8:36 -38

• And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

1c. Baptize Face Downward

When preparing for baptism, the sinner's attitude is contrite and does not look up, but face downwards.

Romans 6:5-8

• In the likeness of the death of the Lord

Psalms 38:4

• For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Ezra 9:6

• I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

Job 10:15

• If I be wicked, woe unto me, and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.

The second command is not to have other gods before the Almighty God, but people disobeyed Him and celebrated Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and Valentine's Day. Christians should keep the Commandments and stay clear of things connected with false gods and myths.

1a. Observance of Christmas

Christmas, the ancient Roman winter solstice was celebrated at the time about 21 June and 22 December at which time the sun was farthest from the equator. This was supposed to be the coldest day of the year, and the people used the day as merriment to pass away the time.

Exodus 20:3

• Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
  

Mistletoe

According to Christmas custom, a man and a woman who met under the mistletoe were obliged to kiss. This was Greek mythology and believed to be the Golden Bough of Aeneas, the ancestor of the Romans. Mistletoe represented the male divine essence, hence romance, fertility and vitality.

1b. Halloween or Festival of the Dead

The imagery includes themes of death, occult and evil monster.

Trick or treat

Children dress up in costumes and go from house to house begging for treats, dating back to the Middle Ages. It originated in Ireland and Britain. Christians are advised to stay clear of any festival having its origin as pagan.

The person who has the Holy Spirit must have the faith (Galatians 3:14). The first experience of the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongue by 120 members.

Do we really have the Spirit of God? What is the evidence we have the Holy Spirit in us? Do we have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our bodies? If we do not have, we should pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.

1a. The Holy Spirit is vitally Important and Related to Salvation

John 3:5

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

1b. The Holy Spirit Gives Man Everlasting Life

Ezekiel 37:14

• And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, ...

Romans 8:2

• For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

1c. Without the Holy Spirit, None Belongs to Christ

Romans 8:9

• Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1 John 3:24

• And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
  
  

1d. The Holy Spirit is the Pledge for Entering Heaven

Ephesians 1:13-14

• In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory.
  
  

1e The Holy Spirit will Resurrect Us in the Last Day

Romans 8:11

• But is the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
  
  

Finally, open your ears with understanding the precious words of the Lord God and obey without questioning His motives. Be loving God as a little child who obeys his mother without fear for he knows his mother loves him and would definitely care for his needs and would guide and protect him safely through any harm and danger.

Mark 10:15

• Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Luke 18:17

• Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.