Ministers of Jesus Christ
Church of The Lord Jesus Christ
Assemblies of The Apostolic Faith
Atlanta, Georgia - USA
Apostle Dennis G. Smith, Pastor and Spiritual Overseer

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APOSTLE'S MESSAGE

 

Date: November 13, 2022

 To all the Saints of God,

      Grace and peace be unto all the Saints of God around the World.  As this Coronavirus Pandemic continues, we are continually reminding the Saints of God that we are obeying the magistrates and following the guideline of the health and governmental authorities for the safety of all people. 

       Health authorities and governmental officials are now advising people to wear face mask in public gatherings, use social distancing, and get vaccinated for your own health and safety from the Covid-19 virus.  In some places wearing face mask is no longer mandatory in indoor public spaces. 

·         As of October 28, 2022, Covid-19 data is now reported about every two weeks. The latest report indicated that community transmission of Covid-19 remained in the green level which indicates that community spread is low. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has not declared that the pandemic has ended.

·         Face masks are recommended in public gatherings for individual safety based on your individual health condition and risk.  

·         Gatherings indoors is allowed without face mask, but each individual should be aware of their health risk.

·         Vaccinations and boosters remain the recommended most effective way to control the spread of Covid-19 by health authorities. 

·         Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters are offered to everyone in the State of Georgia. 

      We are open for indoor in-person services with face mask, social distancing, temperature checks and Covid-19 testing. We are also continuing online services through Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.   In-person Baptism and prayer service are available by attending our local service on site, attending our services on Zoom, or emailing your request to:

 info@ministersofjesuschrist.com or prayerrequest@ministersofjesuschrist.com.

         As we obey the Magistrates, we have complete faith that God will continue to hear our prayers and provide a way for us through these uncertain times.

   Romans 13:2-4 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

   TITUS 3:1-2 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

 

   This week’s encouraging words of growth focuses on: 

 God is with us right now and forever

by Apostle Dennis G. Smith

     The Lord God Jesus Christ is here now in spiritual invisible form known to us as the Father, the Holy Ghost, and He will return and reveal himself in a visible body which is his glorified bodily form which was once flesh and blood known as the Son. He is not in the sacrificial role known as the Son anymore. 

 Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Lord God Jesus Christ is the one Lord God alone and there is no other God but him. He is not three separate and distinct persons as the false teachers have said, but He is one person which means that He is one individual invisible spiritual being that is present everywhere on the Earth, and in the Heavens, and throughout all of the universes.  He covers all these places at the same time, because He is not limited by size, time, or space.  He reveals himself in different ways when making himself known to mankind and throughout all the universes. 

Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

1Timothyt 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

1Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Romans 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

We all live within him and have our being within him.  He is the only Eternal Spirit which is invisible to the natural eyesight of man so he has used different forms in which to reveal himself and he has created different bodily forms in which he has used and will use to make himself visible so that he can be seen.  

Acts 17:27 - 28 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  ACT17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

When we understand the bible proven factual statements, we know that he is with us right now and forever. 

The Lord God Jesus Christ is always holy, which means he does not ever commit sin or condone sin.  He is merciful and will forgive the sins of all people who turn from their sinful ways in obedience to his commandments with a sorrowful heart and with an honest desire to stop the practice of living an unrighteous lifestyle.

The Lord God Jesus Christ will hear any person's prayers when they are asking for things that are according to his will, which would refer to righteous prayers for forgiveness, healings, victory over evil, daily bread or provisions to survive in life, but he will not hear sinful prayers that are evil and for selfish desires because he is always holy and separate from sin.

 

1Timothy 2:1 - 4 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

So a man must first approach God with a sorrowful heart and turn to God in worship and turn from their sinful ways which is to repent of their sinful ways if they want to have a personal relationship with God.

Notice how we the Saints of God pray for all men because we have a relationship with God, but the sinner must first repent to establish a relationship with God.  The sinner's prayer of repentance is not the new birth as false teachers have spread, but a sinner can approach God in prayer if they have a sorrowful heart of regret for their sinful ways and repent which means to turn from their sinful ways and ask the Lord Jesus for forgiveness through belief in his blood shed upon the cross.  Then they must be baptized by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ and ask God for the gift of the Holy Ghost in order to be born again and enter into the Kingdom of God.  This is the only plan of salvation from the Lord Jesus. This plan is the one faith which will give a repentant sinner a new nature and make them a new creature.

 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

      The Sinner's prayer which some call the Consecration prayer for Salvation is an evangelical term referring to any prayer of repentance, prayed by individuals who want for be forgiven of their sins and have a personal relationship with the Lord God Jesus Christ. It should not be understood to be a replacement for the salvation teaching of Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38 which is the initial keys to the kingdom which commands us to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It should also not be used to replace the need for confession and repentance of open sins which are known by others or has caused harm to others which we admit to and ask forgiveness during the altar call.

 

Acts 2:37 – 40 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do?  Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

     The sinner’s prayer is a popular prayer method which is not found in the bible that is used by some evangelical teachers that is intended to be an act of initial conversion to Christianity.  Some falsely see reciting the non-biblical sinner's prayer as the moment that people are saved from their sins, while others see it as the first step in repentance from sinful ways by confessing with your mouth belief, faith, and obedience in the commandments of the Lord God Jesus Christ. 

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 At the end of a worship service, during the altar call, the minister will invite those desiring to receive salvation from their sins to repeat with him the words of some form of a sinner's prayer. It also is frequently found on printed gospel tracts, asking the reader  to "repeat these words from the bottom of your heart".  But because no such prayer or conversion is found in the Bible as a method to receive salvation, or to be born again, this method is not the one plan of salvation taught by the Apostle’s Doctrine.

     This is the reason why we teach all Ministers to ask during the altar call, “Is their anyone who would like to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins”, because repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is the plan of salvation that is recorded in the scripture as the Apostle's Doctrine.  Most people who believe will say, “I want to be baptized or they will say I want to repent of my sins and be baptized” and the minister does not have to ask them to repeat any words of a prayer made up by any particular person.  Even little children know how to ask for baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.  No one has to make up something to avoid the work of baptizing the person by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ.

 Everyone must completely understand that the Lord God Jesus Christ is here at all times waiting with His arms stretched out saying to all people, “Come unto me and I will give you rest”.

 

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 But we must all must come according to His will which is the one and only plan of salvation. You cannot make up your own plan!!!!  In other words God does not hear sinful prayers for sinful or sensual lustful desires that are not according to His plan.  Neither or you born again by repeating words of prayer made up by any person. But he will hear the prayers of all people that is according to His will which is his plan of the salvation of all mankind. When you pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins, you must be baptized by immersion in water in the Name of Jesus Christ to receive remission of you sins and have a new beginning under the Blood of the Cross because this is the way that the Lord God has commanded it to be. You must reject the good feeling false teaching of fake so-called Christians.  If anyone has not obeyed the one plan of salvation, they are not yet saved from their sins.  You must remember that the Lord God Jesus Christ does not resist the faith of anyone who ask for blessing according to His will.

      So, when we speak of the coming of the Lord God Jesus Christ, we are only referring to God returning in visible gloried bodily form.  This should never be confused to mean that God is not present with us each day of our lives. When you know that He is always present all around you, you also know that you can call on Him in your moment of need or during whatever situation that may be present at any moment of time. 

 

     This means that you must learn to communicate with him.  You must come to know that He is always Holy; therefore you must become holy to have fellowship with him. Fellowship can mean to have a constant friendly loving relationship by communicating and working together with another person or persons.  When you have fellowship with God, you are obedient to his commandments, and you function as his child. And since God made us creatures that have free will, He does not force Himself upon us, but He gives us the choice to call upon Him or not.  So, if you do not call upon Him or pray to Him which means to ask Him to intervene and guide you, you will receive nothing from the Lord God Jesus Christ the one almighty God.

     The Lord God Jesus Christ is building His Church, which is a gathering of human beings who have fellowship and communicates with Him at all times.  These are the people that He will change to glorified bodily forms to reign with Him for all eternity.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 We must all come to understand that when the Lord God Jesus Christ is speaking of coming quickly, he is speaking of gathering the holy people to live eternally with Him.

 

Revelations 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

We must live a righteous lifestyle because we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth where only holy people of God will live.  All who continue in sin will not be in the new heaven and the new earth, but they will be suffering eternal punishment in the lake of fire.

2 PETER 3:13 - 14 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

     All people must overcome sinful ways through the power of the blood of the Lord God Jesus Christ.  We must not become deceived by false teachers seeking to attract a following of people for financial gain by not teaching the truth of the Gospel.  When they donot teach that we must turn from our sinful lifestyle in order to be saved, this may draw a large following of people because there is no requirement for them to change their sinful lifestyle, but this false teaching will not save their soul from the lake of fire.  We all must ask the Lord God Jesus Christ to sanctify us completely; and preserve our whole spirit, soul, and body blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His holy Saints.

1Thessalonians 5:21 - 23 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil.  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we understand that God is here now and forever, then we know that when the bible speaks of the coming of the Lord, it is referring to the return of the Lord in His glorified visible bodily form to gather His Church in the translation of the Saints of God to be with Him forever.  To be with the Lord forever, we must overcome our sinful ways.

JAMES 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you and eternally hold you in the center of his will. 

May he open your understanding that you will come to know that you must repent of your sins and be baptized by immersion in water in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. 

 Then you must continue in prayer to the Lord God Jesus Christ asking him for the Holy Ghost, calling on His Name which is the Lord Jesus Christ and waiting or tarrying until you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost with the sign following speaking with other tongues as the spirit gives you utterances.  This experience with God will endow you with power.

 Then you must leave the principles of the doctrine and go on to perfection overcoming the love of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

 Then you must continue steadfastly in the Apostle’s Doctrine, remembering always that he that endures until the End, the same shall be saved.  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who is God Almighty. Amen

 With perfect love,
Apostle Dennis G. Smith

   The online service Zoom link is sent out each Sunday at 9:50 am for Eternal Life Church of the Living God and 12:00 noon for the general Ministers of Jesus Christ Church services to the Saints and friends who sent in email addresses.  If you wish to worship with us, please send you email address to: info@mininstersof Jesuschrist.com and we will email you a link to join the service.  We start the zoom services 10 am each Sunday morning. 

  We also start the Thursday Evening Bible Study and Auxiliary meetings at 7:30 pm.  You should attend the meetings for as long as you can to learn all the Doctrines and Rules of the Church and to participate in the operation of the Church. Thank you.

       You are invited to attend and be a part of the Ministers of Jesus Christ Church Services each Sunday which are also published on Facebook through Holy Tabernacle, Ministers of Jesus Christ Apostolic Church, and Ministers of Jesus Christ Church or Dennis Smith Facebook timeline.  

 You will need to download the zoom app to your cell phone, laptop computer, or tablet to activate your connection.  Go to Google Play Store to get your free zoom app and install it on your cell phone, laptop computer or tablet.  When you see the zoom link sent to your email address, click, or tap on the link to open the connection.  Then click or tap on the camera and microphone icon to join the service and select internet.  We look forward to seeing you and worshipping with you in the Lord!  

 You may also give freewill tithing and offerings through Givelify, Cash App, Visa, Master Card, American Express Credit and Bank cards or PayPal.  For cash app use the cash app link name ($MinistersofJesus935).

  ONGOING GUIDANCE 

 (1) Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status if you are high risk for severe disease.

(2) consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public,

(3) talk to your medical provider about other precautions to take,

(4) have a plan for rapid testing if you are exposed and experiencing symptoms,

(5) talk to your medical provider about treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies. If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease: consider self-testing to detect infection before contact and wearing a mask when indoors with them. Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible. Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including testing guidance.

 Everyone should remember the phrase: “My mask protects you; your mask protects me.”