Date: August 14, 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 continue to strongly encourage people to wear
face coverings in public gatherings 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 indoor public spaces.
-
As
of August 12,
2022,
community transmission of Covid-19 remains in the high-level Red Zone.
-
Social
distancing is
no longer required but face masks are recommended for
gatherings to control the spread of Covid-19 or for individual safety.
-
Gatherings
indoors is allowed but face mask is recommended for individual safety.
-
Vaccinations
and boosters remains 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.
-
Wear a
well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status ✓ If
you are high risk for severe disease: (1) wear a mask or respirator
for greatest protection, (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, and (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: (1) consider selftesting to detect infection before
contact, and (2) consider wearing a mask when indoors with them ✓ Stay
up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters ✓ Maintain
improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible ✓ Follow
CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including testing
guidance.
We are continuing 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:
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
Power in Prayer and Fasting” (Part 3)
By
Apostle Dennis G. Smith
During this 40-day fasting period we want to continue to increase
your confidence in the power of prayer and fasting. This will change
the way you view each situation that you are confronted with in your
life. You will be able to say without any doubt that you can do all
things through the Lord God Jesus Christ that makes you victorious and
strong.
James 5:16 - 20 Confess
your 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
5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by
the space of three years and six months. James 5:18 And he prayed
again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her
fruit. James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and
one convert him; James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the
sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and
shall hide a multitude of sins.
Apostle James teaches us that the effectual fervent Prayer, which is
our daily prayer with intense
sincere emotional feelings that are true and righteous will be
answered by the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the
one Almighty God producing the effect of genuine communication with
God. This is the Prayer of a Righteous Man, one who makes all effort
to overcome sin and live a holy life. This type of prayer produces a
character change in that the righteous person will humble themselves
before God Almighty. The sincere praying person will approach God as a
child making a request from their father.
We receive whatsoever we ask in
prayer,
when we ask it according to the will of God because we obey the
commandments of God and seek to please God in everything that we do.
When we do not receive an answer
to our prayer, we must examine ourselves to see whether or not we have
made our request according to the will of God or have we failed to
live a holy the Christian life or
whether or not our request is the will of God Almighty.
When we learn to live a holy life that pleases God, we ask God for
things that are righteous according to his will and God will give us
what we ask him.
John15:7 -
11 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be
my disciples. John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved
you: continue ye in my love. John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,
and abide in his love. John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
King Solomon prayed unto the Lord God before the congregation of
Israel with a sincere prayer which can serve as an example of the
fervent prayer of a person who prays to God with a sincere heart and
lives in obedience to the commandments and
will of
God Almighty.
2Chronicles 6:12 - 14 And
he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the
congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 2Chronicles 6:13
For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five
cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of
the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees
before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands
toward heaven, 2Chronicles 6:14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there
is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest
covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee
with all their hearts:
And the Lord heard the prayer of King Solomon and promised to hear the
prayer of the people who humble themselves and pray and turn from
their wicked ways. From this text, you should come to realize that
you can have complete confidence in prayer if you will humble yourself
and turn from your sinful ways.
2Chronicles 7:11- 16 Thus
Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king’s house: and all
that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the LORD, and
in his own house, he prosperously effected. 2Chronicles 7:12 And the
LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I
have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to
myself for an house of sacrifice. 2Chronicles 7:13 If I shut up heaven
that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land,
or if I send pestilence among my people; 2Chronicles
7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:15 Now
mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is
made in this place. 2Chronicles 7:16 For now have I chosen and
sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and mine
eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
The prayer of Jabez is also known
to us because he was more honorable than all his brethren. This is
another example of a
person having the desire
to live a righteous lifestyle rejecting the ways of the world.
1Chronicles 4:9 - 10 And
Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 1Chronicles 4:10
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest
bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be
with me, and that thou
wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And
God granted him that which he requested.
Living a righteous and holy lifestyle involves confession of our
sinful ways and our trespasses to each
other,
and praying for each
other,
that we may be healed. Sins committed against one another must be
acknowledged for us to have mutual forgiveness and reconciliation to
each other which should bring healing for all
of our shortcomings and conflicts.
A righteous,
holy man in
the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is
a person who is justified by repentance from their sins and who have
been baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of
his sins and has received the gift of the Holy Ghost with the signs
following speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives him
utterance. The righteous holy person is one that loves the Lord God
Jesus Christ with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their
mind, with all their might, with
all their strength, and with
everything that they have.
The righteous holy person is one who will
also loves
their neighbor as themselves and lives peaceably with all men when
possible.
The sincere effectual fervent daily constant prayer without ceasing
has the power to deliver a righteous holy person from the troubles
that they face each day, heal sickness in their body and change a bad
situation in life to a victorious outcome because their prayers will
be answered by the Lord Jesus Christ who is the one and only Almighty
God who loves us all.
We
continue with the Many Infallible Proofs for Why Pray from Apostle S.
McDowell Shelton:
Many
Infallible Proofs for “Why Pray.”
13. Psalms 4:1 To
the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. Hear
me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when
I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my
prayer.
14. Psalms 39:12 Hear
my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my
tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a
sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15, Psalms 54:2 Hear
my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
16. Psalms
84:8 O LORD
God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
17. Psalms 102:1 A
Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his
complaint before the LORD. Hear
my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
18. 2nd Samuel 22:33 God is my
strength and power: and he maketh my
way perfect.
19. Psalms 68:35 O
God, thou art terrible out of thy
holy places: The
God of Israel is he that giveth
strength and power unto his people.
Blessed be God.
20. Matthew 9:6 But
that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy
bed, and go unto thine house.
Matthew 9:7
And he arose, and departed to his house.
Matthew 9:8
But when the multitudes saw it, they
marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
We
will continue with part 4 of this message on next week...…
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 God asking him for the Holy Ghost,
calling on the Name of 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.
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 11:00 am 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 and 7:30 pm each Thursday Evening
for Bible Study and Auxiliary meetings.
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
•
Vaccination remains the most effective protection against COVID-19
•
Frequently wash hands
•
Frequent cleaning of public and high touch areas
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.
Wear a Mask when:
•
Shopping at essential businesses, like grocery stores or pharmacies.
•
While visiting your health care provider.
•
Traveling on public transportation.
•
Interacting with customers/clients at essential businesses.
•
When feeling sick, coughing, or sneezing.
• In
all public spaces indoors and outdoors.
Because 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.