|
PART 35 RED ALERT: AS PAGAN OBSERVANCES OF “LENT AND FORTY DAYS FAST” CONTINUES, MILLIONS OF SOULS OF MEN ARE DYING DAILY JESUS CHRIST EXPLAINS: Just as the trend in our present world system where people wear the cloak of Christianity without actually becoming true Christians and like many ministers who claimed to be servants of God when they know in their heart that they are like whitewashed tombs painted white outside but filled with dead men’s bones inside, so also is Lent and Fasting; a well packaged pagan observances Christianized and safely delivered to the entire Christian faith to be observed as a yearly ritual by the Roman Catholic Church. Jesus Christ said He was coming to make the crooked places straight when He appeared to me. We should ask how the observance of Lent relates to us Christians when it is not found in the scriptures. Why is it so attached to the practice of Fasting as a bird on a tree to be noticed and its widespread influence swept the entire Christendom off their feet to adopt and practice it? How come the Passover season is almost erased in the heart of Christians and substituted with the Lenten season? Did Jesus Christ instruct His Apostles to observe Lent or the feast of Passover? What about the first century Church did they observe Lent? What has Ash Wednesday got to do with Lent and how does this pagan belief creep into Christianity? What does the scripture teach about Lent? In the Roman Catholic Church Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the Lent season which begins a forty day fast prior to Easter. During this period denominational Churches spearheaded by Catholics prepare themselves for Easter by observing the forty day fast merely to sanctimoniously satisfy the demands of the Lent season which are repentance, moderation in all things and a disciplined spiritual walk. During the Ash Wednesday service the sign of the cross is written with ashes on the forehead of worshippers by the minister undermining the fact that Cross is a curse. The scripture in Galatians 3:12 revealed that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us. Details of this message can be found in the Book titled ‘Beloved, let us visit the Cross.’ And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Gal 3:12-14KJV It is noteworthy to mention here that the sign of the cross with the ash on your forehead does not in any way command blessing but curse on your soul. Our forehead is our soul which has four parts; our mind, desire, will and emotions as illustrated with the diagram below. This diagram passes vital information to us as we take a good look at ourselves through it that any spiritual work done in our body does not have any impact on our soul but every carnal work done to our body will affect our soul adversely. Proper spiritual growth led by the Spirit of God originates from the spirit of man to his soul then finally into his body. Therefore the submission of our body and soul to the application of the use of Ash which is a carnal tradition of men to depict ‘sorrow and mourning’ and the sign of the Cross which connotes ‘Curse’ profits us nothing but Curse mixed with Sorrow and Mourning. It is observed that not all denominational Churches participate in the observance of Ash Wednesday or Lent, but every church joins in the Celebration of Easter. Apart from the Roman Catholic Church that introduced these pagan observances, her daughters, the Lutheran Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Anglican Church and Eastern orthodox Churches are observing Lent. Ash Wednesday is foreign to the scriptures however the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes found in 2 Samuel13:19, Esther4:1, Job 2:8 and Matthew 11:21 and the forty day fast of our Lord Jesus Christ does not in any way suggest we should practice and follow the observances of the children of Israel else we should all be led to marry seven hundred wives each and have three hundred concubines like Solomon to have Solomon’s experience. The scripture in 1Kings 11:1-8 confirms this thought: But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 1 Kings 11:1-9KJV We have to study and rightly divide the Word of Truth; this means that there is a possibility for one to divide the Word of Truth wrongly though being sincere. We have to understand that the natural Israelites have access to the natural Word and God backs them up but for us spiritual Israelites we are meant to feed on the revelation of God’s Word. The scripture says that the Letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15KJV Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 2 Corinthians 3:6KJV The scriptures below show those events that called for the pouring of ashes on one’s head in the dispensation of the Law. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. 2 Sam 13:19KJV When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; Esther 4:1KJV Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Matt 11:21KJV These passages do not erode the fact that God had previously warned that He is not interested in the act of mourning and in pouring of ashes on the head as a sign of repentance by the mouth of the prophets. He chose a pattern of fast for us to follow but we rejected His pattern in Isaiah58:1-14 and try to force Him to accept our traditions even the pagan observances that have been Christianized and handed over to our generations. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Matt 15:3KJV The all knowing God chose only one type of all the Fasts which is richly explained in the passage for believers to practice all through ages but we kept on with our own way pouring ashes on our heads. God queried: Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Isaiah 58:1-5KJV WHAT IS LENT? The word ‘Lent’ is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word called ‘Lenten’ meaning ‘spring’. Lent originated in the Ancient Babylonian mystery religion. The forty day fast often declared during lent was borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess and adopted by the Roman Catholics, Christianized and presented to the entire Christendom. This lent in the pagan world seems to kick start the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz. The Babylonian religion developed around traditions that concerned Nimrod, his wife Semiramis and her child Tammuz. History revealed that when Nimrod died his body was cut into pieces, burnt and the ashes sent to various nations. Similar practices are even mentioned in the scripture (Judges19:28-30; 1Samuel11:6-8). Babylonians followed his death with a great mourning occasion as his wife Semiramis claimed he was now the sun-god. Later when she delivered her son by name Tammuz, she declared to the nations that Nimrod had re-incarnated. The mother of Tammuz had probably heard of the coming of the Messiah to be born of a woman so she quickly claimed that her son was supernaturally conceived and that he was the promised seed the ‘messiah’; thus was the development of the religion of the worship of the child and the mother also. Most of the Babylonian worships were carried on through mysterious symbols. It is a mystery religion. Since Nimrod was considered to be the sun-god or Baal, ‘fire’ was believed to be the earthly representation thus candles and ritual fires were lighted in his honor. In other forms, Nimrod was symbolized by ‘sun’, ‘fish’, ‘pillar’ and ‘animal’ images. The scripture in Romans 1:21-32 described the tradition of the Babylonians which is very similar to the practices going on in our denominational Churches. 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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Rom 1:21-32KJV The feast of Tammuz which was usually celebrated in the month of June also called the [month of Tammuz] was shifted to the period called spring. Lent is held forty days before the feast which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing. It is recorded in Ezekiel 8:14-16 that Judah worshipped this false savior. This is a great abomination in the sight of God. God has said that “His name is JEALOUS” and He is a jealous God. We should not worship any other god. By keeping to the pagan observances of Lent and joining in the forty day fast and the celebration of Easter we are knowingly or unknowingly worshipping the Babylonian god Nimrod Christianized and presented to us by the Roman Catholic Church thus provoking God to jealousy. Many claimed that they joined in the forty day fast to imitate Jesus Christ’s forty day fast in the wilderness. There is nowhere in the scriptures Jesus asked us to fast for forty days as to purify our souls. No work done from the outside that is within our body that can be profitable to our soul and our spirit. Spiritual reformation and purification starts from the inside to the outside that is from our spirit to our body. Christians who religiously observe lent as dedicated and sincere they may be are sincerely wrong. The observance of Lent is a mere tradition of men and Jesus rebuked the crowd for their hypocrisy and traditions in Mark7:6-9. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mark 7:6-9KJV According to the Catholic encyclopedia ‘the real aim of lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ’. This is a lie. The celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ through other ways cannot make any impact in our lives if we fail to follow the guiding instructions delivered to us by Christ Himself. The content of this mystery is found in 1Corinthians 11:23-27 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:23-27KJV According to the Catholic encyclopedia: ‘The purpose of lent is to provide that purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and make his kingdom come first of all into their heart.’ The people who believe this concept should realize that in these last days knowledge has increased and the aims and objective of pagan observances cannot create in anyone the desire to do God’s will nor His kingdom to come into their heart. The truth of God’s Word cannot be fulfilled with a measure of lie. The scripture states that there is no lie in truth. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:8KJV I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:21-22KJV For the scripture states that the carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit for they are foolishness unto him however sincere he may be. The scriptures states in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.1Corinthians 2:14-16KJV Any concept that does not agree with the scriptures which is the only true source of true spiritual knowledge however it appeals to the senses of men is contrary to the mind of the Spirit and is drawn from the Antichrist spirit. John17:17; 11Timothy3:14-17. The scripture states in John 17:17: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17KJV But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim 3:14-16KJV The Passover celebration also includes the feast of the unleavened bread. These were observed by Christ. When Christ left He instructed His disciples to observe them as part of the Christian practice to remind us of His death before His return. This is revealed in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 KJV It should be clear that the several days of fasting and abstaining from physical pleasures that satisfy the desires of the flesh which is self denial results to self righteousness; nevertheless if it is not led by the Spirit of God it cannot purify our soul. The scripture in Romans 8:5-7 states: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8KJV The scripture in Philippians 2:13 states that for us to will to walk in righteousness is God, therefore to be part of the kingdom of God one must be born again to see the kingdom then be born of water and Spirit to enter into the kingdom. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil 2:13 KJV God is not setting up His kingdom in the heart of men but through the heart man believes unto righteousness and through the mouth confession is made unto salvation. New birth starts from the spirit of a man and with full allegiance to Christ and the Spirit of God a work is done in the soul of the man which eventually affects the body. TO BE CONTINUED.LOUISASIKIBARASIKA BASSEY OKOKON MAKING THE CROOKED PLACES STRAIGHT PLEASE JOIN US AND LAUNCH OUR WEBSITE. www.manchildpromotions.com THE WEBSITE IS OUT AND OPEN FOR OUR FANS, FRIENDS, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS IN THE LORD TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREAT KNOWLEDGE FROM GOD THESE LAST DAYS.DANIEL 12:4. PLEASE KEY IN AND ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. SPECIALTHANKS TO OUR BELOVED MEMBERS OF THE WORLD NEWS USA, OUR AMAIBLE GOOGLES STARS, OUR GREAT FACEBOOK FRIENDS, OUR WELL CHERISHED HOMEBASED NAIRALAND AND OTHER FANTASTIC WEBPARTNERS IN THE BUSINESS. YOU ARE ALL AWESOME. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. YOUR SERVICES IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS MESSAGE REACHES THE WORLD TIMELY IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED.. THIS YEAR SHALL BE A YEAR OF GREAT BLESSING S TO YOU ALL AS YOU ENCOURAGE THE MOVEMENT OF THIS MESSAGE FROM THE LORD. PLEASE GREAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL IS NEEDED TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE THROUGH CDS AND IN AUDIO FORMS AS SUCH YOUR SUPPORT SHALL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED. The website have enough space to advertize all your products at a reasonable rate. Please contact us and God bless you .Louisadikibarasika Bassey Okokon
Related Articles -
LENT,
|
