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Ministers of Jesus Christ Assemblies of The Apostolic Faith Atlanta, Georgia - USA Apostle Dennis G. Smith, Pastor and Spiritual Overseer |
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 continue to strongly encourage people to wear face
coverings in public and use social distancing, wash your hands, and get tested
to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In
some places wearing face mask is mandatory in all indoor and outdoor public
spaces.
At
this present time, the City of Atlanta, Georgia remains in Phase II of the
Reopening Plan.
Large gatherings of more than 50 people are banned in Georgia unless there is
at least six feet between each person. We are
continuing limited in-person gatherings to maintain the requested social
distancing and online service through Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube. The medically
fragile are advised to continue to shelter in place. Baptism and prayer service
is continuing using personal protective equipment.
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:
The Events in the Day of the Lord (Part 3)
While many focus the day of the Lord on the concluding wrath and judgment
upon the wicked, we should now clearly see that the Day of the Lord is a long
day with various events and signs occurring leading up to the return or second
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew, the 24 chapter the Lord Jesus
Christ gives a breakdown of events before the rapture, events during the
rapture, and events after the rapture leading up to his second coming to the
earth and throughout eternity. When we experience the distresses coming upon
the earth many of us are not surprised because we have remained watchful in the
mist of the beginning and the intensifying of sorrows upon the world and the end
of this present age.
Matthew 24:3 - 8 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto
him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be
the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered
and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in
my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars
and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come
to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and
earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
We know that the present age will soon end and many of the things
happening in the world today reveal the signs of the closing of the dispensation
of Grace. Jesus Christ will soon return and rapture the Church in the midair
meeting and the Saints will be with him in the air while the great tribulation
occurs on the earth, then he will return to the earth physically with all his
Saints. Since no man knows or can set the time of His coming therefore the
Church must be Rapture ready at all times.
John 3:28 - 31 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ,
but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but
the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly
because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must
increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that
is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from
heaven is above all.
Matthew 25:1 - 13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them
were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and
took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at
midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish
said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the
wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go
ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to
buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the
marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know
you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the
Son of man cometh.
The Book of Revelation repeatedly mentions the appearance of the Bride of Christ
seen as the Holy City the New Jerusalem ascending out of heaven showing us that
we will dwell with God for all eternity. This is why we are comforted in life
or in death because we know that our eternal destiny is to be with God. Nothing
should move you from the word of God. Trouble should not move you, sickness
should not move you, monetary gain should not move you, fame and recognition
should not move you, and most definitely this covid-19 pandemic should not move
you because you know and believe that you are victorious over all sinful ways
because of the Blood of Christ and the indwelling Holy Ghost having no spots or
blemishes in your garment but will stand before God with a pure heart.
Revelations 21:2
- 4 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice
out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will
dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with
them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 6:12 - 17 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo,
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty
wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when is rolled together; and every
mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth,
and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men,
and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to
stand?
We
continue with a Message from Apostle Shelton…… Prince Michael and the Time of
Trouble………
PRINCE MICHAEL AND THE TIME OF TROUBLE (part 3)
By Bishop S. McDowell Shelton
Read
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that
time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the
book.
These scriptures are speaking of events that are going to take place in
the first resurrection, in that before tribulation actually begins the
troubled times, at the end of the dispensation of grace, there shall be an
awakening for those who sleep who sleep in the earth. There shall be a rapture
of the saints who are steadfast and living, as well as the ones who are sleeping
int the earth. Those who are alive here are going to be caught up and changed
all in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. They are going to be with the Lord
for this period of tribulation that is going on in the earth. And following
that, we will be with God in a of honeymoon type of bridal feast. When this is
over, the Church shall come back to this earth and shall be with God and the
people here----that is a natural people who are going to be having children---
and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
As times passes, we shall have the capacity to be here on this earth and other
places in the entire universe. However, there will be a period of time called
the millennium or a thousand-year reign at which time Satan is going to be
chained. He is going to be kept incapacitated for the thousand years and will
not be able to afflict the people. However, no sooner than the thousand years
are ended, he will start again but this time he will be defeated.
Daniel 12:2 states: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”.
This scripture is speaking of the first resurrection and the second
resurrection. Those who awake to everlasting life speaks of the first
resurrection“….And some to shame and everlasting contempt”. That is the second
resurrection. They will awake and will be cast in the lake of fire where there
will never be any relief, but will be tormented day and night and no one will be
able to go and give them mercy. No one will be able to go and help them for
they will be here in this hell, in this world that will lose its ability to keep
its movement going and shall fall into total space out away from where God and
the Saints will be. It shall burn and the people on it shall be falling with it
forever and ever.
Daniel 12:3 states: "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament . . ." I
want you to be wise. I haven't nearly begun to say all the things which I would
say to you, but I have covered all of them in the sense of just telling you
about them here and there. However, it is important to you and to your
salvation that you know these things. I want you to take heed that man deceive
you.
You see, it tells you about wars and rumors of wars; about things that are
going to happen, and the end would not be yet. Before you leave this earth, you
are going hear about all those things.
Matthew 24:26 – 28 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the
desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For
as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is,
there will the eagles be gathered together.
In other words, wherever there is anything that you can feast upon or the
fulfillment of a statement, you will always know because the eagles or birds of
prey will gather. It is difficult for you think about, but you have seen other
birds of prey gather together after a carcass has been lying on the heap. For
further reference see the 12th chapter of Daniel.
Someone’s carcass lying in the way. It might be yours. Someone's troubles are
upon them today. Someone’s end is near. Someone’s testimony has been quieted
and is not heard. Someone's sickness overwhelms them. Someone’s end is near
them today. In some case, it will not always the very oldest, but it comes upon
the young and those in their median age as well. The old close their eyes and
say "Amen" for their end is near them.
Trouble comes in the earth. The elements disturb itself. Famine and hunger
arrives at the different places and we can no longer hear the song that our
mothers love to sing. Someone’s end is near.
Michael has stood and will stand again, but you are going to have to stand
yourself. And it is near. What is near? Your end! Because you are in the
dispensation of grace and must make your calling and election sure. It is not
likely that Michael will dispute with Satan over your body nor will he dispute
with Satan as he disputed regarding Moses.
You speak about your enemies. Don't be your own enemy. You speak about time
and chance. Don't let it happen to you. However, when it does happen to you,
always find a victorious way out. In this time of turmoil, trial, and
temptation, you must have the ingenuity and the spiritual intelligence as to how
to survive and how to come out of it. Remember and search back those things
which I have said to you, those things which I have taught you. Remember those
things which you have learned and the days of the prophets.
Do not be so lightheaded, so easy to believe and be deceived. There is no one
really interested in delivering you, but me. When I say “delivering you”, I
mean the ultimate deliverance. There are plenty of people who want to project
their thoughts on to you and their ideas of what God said to them. There may be
some right with us, and I would hope there are, who want to encourage you with
the same doctrine which we teach. But to have the responsibility for your soul
is another matter to most of them. Most would not want it. There are those who
would carry out what God is saying to the Church at this time. There is only one
thing that God has for His Church today and that message is being brought to you
in these latter days by us. If someone comes to you with something different
than that what we preach, regardless to whom they are, something is wrong with
them. You had better examine that false doctrine which has had you bound, and
come and obey the Apostolic Doctrine.
It is time that you draw closer to each other and closer to God. The way
you can become closer to us is by obeying the Word of God and letting Him have
His way in your life. The more you obey the Word of God, more you begin to open
yourself up to the truth coming in your life, you and I will become closer and
closer. You must live in a way that when you close your eyes, it will be a thing
of beauty, that your sleeping in the Lord will become a precious thing. Don't
worry about staying on this earth for any long period of time. If God so
blesses you with a long life, that is a good thing. But if not, learn to
surrender yourself and give up the ghost. Try to live, if you can, but when you
see that the time has come, just make sure that your life is in order. And that
the things which you learned is that you are willing to leave everything.
With perfect love,
Apostle Dennis G. Smith
Coronavirus outbreak in Churches from health reports: October 25,
2020
More than three dozen coronavirus cases have been linked to a church in Maine
that held a fellowship rally earlier this month. The state's Center for Disease
Control and Prevention said Saturday that 17 cases were linked to Brooks
Pentecostal Church in Waldo County. By Tuesday, that number had climbed to 42,
Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah said at a news briefing. The
agency said in a press release on Saturday that the church held a fellowship
rally between Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. About 100 to 150 people, including members
from other churches, attended the rally. Masks were available but not routinely
used. The church also held in-person services where people did not regularly
wear a mask. "Based on what they know right now, they expect the number of
cases associated with this outbreak to increase significantly.
Present Guidelines for Individuals and Businesses in Phase 2:
· Small private gatherings
of no more than 10 people, with social distancing.
· Large
Gatherings of
more than 50 people are banned in Georgia unless there is at least six feet
between each person.
Social Distancing guidelines:
When to Wear a Mask:
Those who are staying home and have no close contact with people who are
infected with COIVID-19 do not need a mask most of the time. However, wearing a
nonmedical or homemade mask may be helpful in certain situations or for certain
populations. Wear a Mask when:
Because homemade masks protect everyone else from the droplets created by the
wearer, it is important that as many people as possible wear these masks when
leaving their homes. This helps prevent those who may be infectious but are only
mildly symptomatic or not symptomatic from spreading the virus to others in the
community.
Everyone should remember the phrase: “My mask protects you; your mask protects
me.” By increasing the overall number of people who are containing their coughs,
sneezes, and other droplets, it will help us control the overall spread of the
virus.