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Obedience to Instruction Brings Results

Joshua 6:1, Proverbs 15:5, Respectively

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

 

Obedience the Bible says is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Obedience to instruction brings results. If we look at the word obedience it means to submit to the strength or command of authority. Instructions, lessons, precepts, demands, and orders; to teach orally; to inform.

If you want God to do something, then you need to be obedient to His instructions “will”. Today, people don’t want to listen to anybody. They have their own thought, they know what they want to do and say; they know what’s right for them and what’s right for you too. The Bible tells us, the blind will lead the blind and both will fall in a ditch. It also says they will heap unto themselves teachers after their own flesh. This is what is happing today. Obedience to the instruction of God allows God to operate on your behalf. You shouldn’t sit there and question God. Now asking Him how something should be done is good, but asking why you should do it, is bad.

If you look at your life, your marriage especially, when you say I do, and they get to the part where you must promise to love and obey, until death do you part. Many women are reluctant at the word obedient. The husband is not to be a tyrant over you, but you both are to be together in the household. The Bible says that we must obey the one that has rule over us.

Now, what would have happened if Joshua didn’t follow the plan that he was given from God about walking around Jericho? Nothing. He would have been defeated and over taken by the enemy because of disobedience. When you are given instructions, make sure those instructions are from God and not of your flesh because you want to see certain things go your way. If you continually disregard instructions in your life, then results that you would desire to happen in your life won’t happen. If someone is telling you to do something, follow instructions. Yet use wisdom, make sure the instructions make sense. Be obedient to instruction that is righteous, wise, logical, won’t put you or others in danger, and is clear instructions.

The Word says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God. The structure, the movement. So that when you are getting obedient instruction, God says He wants you to walk a certain way: Treat your neighbor as yourself, keep His words, don’t drink or smoke, go to this certain church because there will be someone there to train you to be what God wants you to be. So if you decide not to go to that particular Church because the church doesn’t have this and it doesn’t have that; it doesn’t meet your specifications so you don’t go to that church. So your result will be negative. God will put you through multiple tests to adhere you to his obedience. He chastens the ones He loves.

The point is you have to be obedient to instruction. If you are out of step, whose order are you in? When you are given instruction in the house of God, if the Pastor or Lady gives you instruction; if God directly gives you instruction, be obedient. Many people don’t want to do what the word of God says, but they think they will go to heaven. If several babies are in a room with their mothers, and one of the babies cries out, will all the mothers get up? No, only the mother whom that child belongs to. The same thing with God, He will take his children who have been obedient to Him, who has done His will. Not those who have never done anything for Him. Out of all of that, if we are obedient to the will of God, you will get the results that He wants for you.

Don’t be misinformed, don’t take everything for granted, don’t try to do things your way, do it God’s way. Take your instructions from the Holy Ghost, and He will lead you and guide you to all truth, and you will never fail.

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Christmastime: A Talk about the Holiday

This Sabbath, Pastor Catron took time to speak about the upcoming holiday of Christmas. What did it mean to us before we became Children of God, what did it mean to us after believing in Christ, and this year what it means to us now.

We were asked these questions. For many, Christmas is a time of warmth, joy, and merriment. It means we can see our families, and give gifts not only of physical things, but gifts of love, goodness, and compassion. During this time, we remember those in need all the more, and we are very generous. We establish our traditions of putting up the tree, lighting the yule log, singing carols, eating pumpkin pie, decorating with green plants and lights, hanging the mistletoe, and waiting for Santa Clause. In addition to these things, it is acknowledged that Christ’s birth, although His true birth is unknown, is December 25. This is what Christmas meant to some before they became Children of God.

After believing in Christ, He now became the central theme of why we celebrated the holiday. Yet, what does Christmas mean, why do we celebrate it, even though it is not Christ’s true birthday?

Lady Catron did a little research to answer these very questions, and the results were shocking. It was from her finding that we read from during service. Ark of Covenant Ministries does not celebrate Christmas because it was discovered that before our Savior Jesus was born, the traditions of what we now know as Christmas were practiced as rituals by those who knew not God our Father. Infact, the rituals were in reverence to other gods. These traditions have no bases in biblical teaching, and Christ became associated with these traditions because the Catholic Church moved His birthday to December 25. Those who already looked to December 25 as a day to honor a pagan god with the traditions we now know from Christmas, were those whom the Catholic Church wished to draw into the Catholic faith with compromise.

With this knowledge, we could no longer celebrate Christmas in good conscience to the Father and to Jesus. We realize also that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). A mid the world that we live in today, we realize that even though unseen, evil spiritual forces are still at work among us and we must put on whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

The holidays are no exception when it comes to spiritual warfare. Now that we realize the truth about Christmas, we should all the more be on guard against spiritual wickedness, tricks, and deception.

If you would like more information about our findings about the holiday, you can click the link bellow.

 

‘Tis the Season to be Pagan

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By the Leading of the Holy Ghost

The music of worship and praise played through the stereo as the congregation waited for Pastor Catron to arrive to give us a word from the Almighty God. He began to go right into teaching the word of God, speaking into the lives of everyone individually. By the time he knew it, much time had passed, and he suddenly exclaimed “I did not plan on talking about this, but the Holy Ghost has chosen to do this!” The Holy Ghost was using Pastor Catron to speak into our lives, giving us individual courage in the face of our individual needs and problems.

We were asked to turn in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 5: 1-10

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

In the face of serious problems we may be facing, because “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). 

This recently has become the motto of the congregation, as we put on “the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Ephesians 6:11. Lately, the spiritual battle has been raging tough for we know that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Ephesians 6:12. Yet we are encouraged that the name of Jesus and the power of God through the Holy Ghost, can cast down demonic strongholds if we have faith in Jesus!

We were encouraged this morning in the face of adversity,confessing our “faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” James 5:16.