Ministers of Jesus Christ Church

Date: November 1, 2020

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:

Remaining Steadfast Until the End (Part 1)

Acts 2:40 - 42 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Can you imagine the increase from the day of Pentecost? Which resulted in the additions of three thousand souls to the Church. I have never seen such an outpouring in my entire life in a particular location. Just as there was a great increase in the beginning, we have seen a steady increase toward the belief in the Apostle’s Doctrine reported from different parts of the world from different local congregations and organizations. And when we see a period of calmness and outpouring, people began to forget about the enemies of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Most of us love to see increase. Some even assume that because of growth, no one is against the faith which can lead them to complacency and blind trust of mankind.

But the word of God warns us of a time recorded in the past when God saw that the thoughts of man's heart was evil continually. You may think that this time has already passed away and does not necessarily apply today since most of those people were destroyed by the flood. But all we will have to do to come from our high hopes for mankind and our dreaming assumptions is to look at the weapons of war today to return to the reality of what the imagination of man’s heart is.

And just as most people turned to evil in that time, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, so it is today that most choose evil while the Saints find grace in the eyes of the Lord. So that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the Day of the Lord.

Genesis 6:5 - 8 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

When we gladly receive his word, then we can put trust in all that he said and remain steadfast and not be moved from the word of God. Because it is so easy to be distracted by entertainment and opportunities for wealth, we must be reminded continuously to trust only in God. Achieving natural goals in life is a good thing when it does not cause us to become engrossed in material pursuit. But this is what deceivers will do, and we see this in the advertisement of products, how they work to appeal to your fleshly appetite and can sometimes change your thoughts from what is needed to what is desired for recognition and pleasure.

Psalms118:8 - 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

In the mist of this outpouring and increase many forget the enemies who seek to persecute and destroy you as they have done in the past. We will take Deacon Stephen for our example. He was a chosen man full of faith which it eventually led to his death.

Acts 6:1- 5 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

He was a chosen man full of faith and the Holy Ghost and yet the wickedness in man rose up against this man of honest report. This should cause you to respond to man with great cautiousness knowing the history of what people will do. If you want to continue steadfast until the end you must be alert, aware, and always know the possibility of betrayal. Some will say that you are paranoid, or overly suspicious of evil as a cause of harm to you. But as the saying goes it is better to be safe and on guard than to be sorry and paining when we have suffered from the unseen enemy.

Acts 6:8 - 15 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Was he a thief? Was he doing them harm? Was he doing evil among them? No, but he did great wonders and miracles among the people. Can you now see that miracles, wonders, or others great and righteous works can lead to persecution and disputes from evil people, yet you must remain steadfast until the end.

We continue with a Message from Apostle Shelton…Let Him That Is on the Housetop, Not Come Down…

LET HIM THAT IS ON THE HOUSETOP, NOT COME DOWN (part 1)

(Matthew 29 :17)

By Bishop S. McDowell Shelton

Wherever you are, you had better stay there. This is what the scripture is saying. Destruction is going to so great and so swift, until you will not be able to gather up your belongings; no time to pack" your bags, rib time to buy a plane ticket or a train ticket. Whichever way the Lord comes and finds you, that is the way you are going to be. If He finds you holy, then you will be holy still. If He finds you unclean, you will be unclean still. Think of it! In a position that you will not be able to rectify, nor will you be able to manipulate, because the event is going to happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

'Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take out of his house." (Matthew 24:17) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes." '(Matthew 24:18)

If you are out working, do not return and try to save any of your possessions, because by the time you return, either you or your house (perhaps both) are going to be destroyed. The Lord is speaking to His disciples and bringing out a three-fold answer to their question. One was the destruction of Jerusalem; another, the second coming of the Lord; the third—the end of time. These are three profound situations.

Matthew 24:1-4 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 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.

Remember that my message for this past Sunday noonday "Watch and Pray". Watch and pray that no one deceive you with lofty and pious words with religious overtones, or long drawn out theatrical prayers. with high sounding sacred tunes or hymns, with monotones of sermons with moaning and groanings with deep sayings (so-called). You take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in God's name and say that they are Apostolic. Many are going to come and say that they have the truth. Many will come and profess religion or profess to be of the truth. You will hear about wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled. Why? Because you have a hope of a better day. When calamity and destruction is eminent or prophesying, only those that do not have a hope beyond the grave are overly concerned. If you have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; if you have been walking upright and have the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues, then you have a hope beyond the grave. You know that if your earthly tabernacle be dissolved, you now that you have another building eternal in the heavens; a building not made with hands.

Matthew 24:5 – 6 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.

You are not going to get off that easily. There shall be a period of distress, tribulation, sorrow a time that the prophet Isaiah and Daniel speaks about; also the Apostle John. All of them agreed in a central point, that things are going to be so troublesome. You are going to wish for death and not find it. People are going to run in the cliffs of the rocks, in the mountains, caves, and holes of the earth. They are going to cry out to the rocks, “ Fall on us”! Hide us from the wrath of he that sitteth on the Throne. He has that cup in his hands. He is going to pour out among all the inhabitants of the earth. If you have not been baptized in name of Jesus Christ, or if you have not obeyed His word, you shall be lost.

Matthew 24:7- 8 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.

You think you have been having trouble, but you have not seen anything, yet. A time is going to come when they shall knaw their tongue for pain: when newsome sores shall break out the inhabitants of the earth that are left. There will be no healing balm or healing virtue; when the rivers shall be dried up, or when the waters shall be turned to blood. Think of it! You will be going to your faucet to turn on water and out comes blood! Are you on the housetop? If so, DO NOT COME DOWN! Are you on the mountain up on the Lord's house which He, himself, has established? Do not come down. Are you living holy; are you in a lofty place in the will of God; do not come down. Do not come down for that second companion while the first one lives. Do not come down for the short fancy dress; for the beauty parlor ; do not come down for money which you might receive by some illegitimate or unspiritual means. Stay up.

Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

He spoke particularly of the times during when the Gentile nation shall gegin to suppress the state of Israel, or all those that called upon the name of the Lord. However, this scripture also speaks to the church because Jesus was talking to His disciples.

Before the great coming of the Lord, there shall be a great persecution and affliction upon the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you had better get ready for it. This is before the time when God shall catch away the church—a time of sorrow, which has already begun, shall become more intense. It shall reach a peak after the Church has been taken out of the land. Then that man of sin, or that son of perdition, that one who has been preserved unto fire; the one that has been kept in store for that dirty work, will get free sway.

The daily sacrifice shall have been ended. The prayers of the saints shall have ceased. The devil will be given a free hand to deceive, molest, to trouble, destroy and to kill. During this frightful period, the Church will have the assurance and the security of being with the Lord. But …they will not escape all of the calamity and turmoil that is to come upon the earth. As the natural Israel were to suffer at the hands of the devil; also spiritual Israel, which is the Church is to suffer.

It is not these trivial things of name calling; not the trivial things of someone mocking you of your long dress. But there will be actual affliction and criminal action taken against you. Affliction, murder and slaying for the name of Jesus Christ's sake. I do not know if any of you in this congregation will be here during that time —but I have a strong feeling that you will and that you will remember this message. We will continue these messages in part 2 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 continue in prayer, 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 and 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

Coronavirus outbreak in Churches from health reports: November 1, 2020

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.