Dear Friends:
Greetings once again from Owensboro, Kentucky.
I hope and pray that you had a spiritually profitable Feast of Unleavened Bread this year.
Sincerity and Truth
The Apostle Paul, under inspiration of God’s Spirit, wrote, “let us keep the feast, … with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
“Therefore purge out the new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
The Holy Days are all Christocentric! The Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to one thing – Jesus Christ! He is that unleavened bread of sincerity and truth!
Sadly, more and more, we are seeing this world against even the most obvious truths, like gender. How many genders did God create!?
Take a look at this interesting article:
The rather uncreatively-named illusory truth effect describes the way people are more likely to believe something is true after hearing it said many times. This is due to the fact that the familiar feeling we experience when hearing something we’ve heard before feels very similar to our experience of knowing that something is true. When we hear a familiar idea, its familiarity provides us with something called cognitive ease, which is the relaxed, unlabored state we experience when our minds aren’t working hard at something. We also experience cognitive ease when we are presented with a statement that we know to be true. We have a tendency to select for cognitive ease, which is why confirmation bias is a thing; believing ideas which don’t cause cognitive strain or dissonance gives us more cognitive ease than doing otherwise. …
Science has been aware of the illusory truth effect since 1977, when a study found that subjects were more likely to evaluate a statement as true when it’s been repeatedly presented to them over the course of a couple of weeks, even if they didn’t consciously remember having encountered that statement before. These findings have been replicated in numerous studies since, and new research in recent years has shown that the phenomenon is even more drastic than initially believed. A 2015 paper titled “Knowledge Does Not Protect Against Illusory Truth” found that the illusory truth effect is so strong that sheer repetition can change the answers that test subjects give, even when they had been in possession of knowledge contradicting that answer beforehand. This study was done to test the assumption which had gone unchallenged up until then that the illusory truth effect only comes into play when there is no stored knowledge of the subject at hand.
“Surprisingly, repetition increased statements’ perceived truth, regardless of whether stored knowledge could have been used to detect a contradiction,” the paper reads.
As more people around the world continue to depart from biblical standards and morality the more they attempt to downplay the truth and accuracy of the Holy Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote – “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 11:3. Be not deceived friends, Jesus Christ stated emphatically, ‘My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.’ – Matthew 11:30.
The very use of a “big lie” is a propaganda technique used by Satan the devil in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-4). And, the very expression ‘big lie’ was somewhat expressed by Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf. He preached, the use of a lie so “colossal” no one would believe, would make them accept it as their own natural inclination to think that no one “could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.”
The lies against God’s Word – the Bible – is increasing exponentially! So much so that these lies are becoming ‘illusory truths’ to a great many.
More and more are prophesied to be deceived:
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, 10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12) that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.
It is galling to realize what this prophesied human being is actually going to do and say – this end-time false prophet!
Friends, we MUST be those who ‘have the love of the truth.’ Be not deceived by the lies of fake news in this society, and of conspiracy theories.
Godtube
Friends, some have asked if there is a way you can help the Work of God. Well, if you would like to assist us with Godtube, please go to: o'borochurchofjesuschrist channel and, if you wish, please watch each of the video sermons there (even if you have seen them already on our YouTube channels).
We currently have 6 video sermons on Godtube.
If you are able to watch them, it would greatly help the view count with this great assistance.
Hopefully, by your assistance, you will be reminded of various grave prophetic matters.
We are having suspected problems from ‘shadow banning’ from YouTube. Essentially, that’s a way that some companies use to make it harder to find certain videos that they do not care for (such as the series of sermons Minister Michael C. Garrett gave entitled Toxic Philosophy).
While we do not agree with all that Godtube supports, and may decide it is not a correct video platform for us, Godtube is indeed a more religious based platform than Vimeo or YouTube. Godtube manually reviews every video uploaded to its site, and encourages the user with the instruction – “Be inspired in your walk with Jesus Christ and grow in your knowledge of the Bible with videos highlighting inspirational messages and verses.” At this moment, we see Godtube as a platform that is currently more likely not to try and censor us.
We know that a ‘famine of the Word of God’ is soon coming (Amos 8:11-12), yet, we still need to do the Work while we still can (John 9:4), and be prudent and wise about it (cf. Matthew 10:16-18).
YouTube
Despite actual issues like a skewed view count and potential issues with YouTube, we ask that you subscribe to our YouTube channels – Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ; Trevor Koonce; and the Leonard V. Johnson channel.
World News Items
The United States of America continues to get more and more people announcing that they would like to become the President of the United States! According to CBS News, there are currently 22 Democratic candidates running for president in 2020. Former vice president Joe Biden announced his candidacy last Thursday (See: Can Biden’s Washington Experience Propel Him to the White House?). Newsweek announced 10 Republicans could run with the POTUS in 2020. Of course NONE has admonished the United States citizens to repent and turn to Almighty God, and ‘seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness’ – Matthew 6:33.
Also, speaking of the United States of America, her debt continues to rise (See: The Road to 2025 (Part 3) – USD Dominated Financial System Will Fall Apart). According to God’s living Word in Habakkuk 2:6-8, debt will be a major factor in the coming destruction of the USA! (Be sure to read the article – What Must I Do?).
There was ever-greater violence in Venezuela after Juan Guaido’s efforts to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro and install himself (See: Venezuela: 'Attempted Coup' Underway, as Guaido Calls for Military to Help Oust Maduro). There are calls for even more violence (See: Venezuelan Opposition Leader Tries New Tactic to Topple Maduro). There are grave economic problems in what once was South America’s richest country. Like the rest of this world in this ‘present evil age,’ Venezuela NEEDS to REPENT and seek the Kingdom of God.
Suggested Sabbath Service
Here is a suggested Sabbath service for this week.
* 2-3 hymns.
* Opening prayer.* Sermonette (if you choose). The one suggested for this week is: The Work of God’s Hand.
* Announcements (if any). And one hymn.
* Sermon: The one suggested for this week is: The Foundation Of Truth. Other sermons are available
* Final hymn.
* Closing prayer.
IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A ‘LETTER TO OUR FRIENDS’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER WE HAVE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ website. Also, there are audio sermons on our Soundcloud Radio channel.
Concluding Comments
Minister Michael C. Garrett wrote:
1st Corinthians chapter 13 – we’ve read this before! But again, it’s one of those verses where you say, “Can I hear that too often!?” “Is there a point where I just don’t need to hear that anymore!?” Probably not. Verse 1 – “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [godly] love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” – and I’ve often thought is there really a good reason for mountains to be thrown into the sea!?
I can’t think of many examples where, “Ah, I just think that mountain needs to go over there into that ocean!” If you had that much faith, and you did not possess godly love, your faith is simply like a wet bag of popcorn! You ever had a wet bag of popcorn!? It’s not very tasty. Verse 4 – “Love suffers long …” – it’s patient. And this is an issue which we in this age – this instant age of just go, go, go - I really think maybe we miss out on just the ability to be patient. “and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Verse 8 – “Love never fails. …” – well, that’s godly love, from God’s perspective. …
You might have a child that has done some thing’s wrong, but for most parents, they may be disappointed in their child, but they are not rejecting their child. They still love him, or they still love her. They still want to help them. Godly love endures. Think about all the people who say, “I love you!” And then they walk down the aisle at the wedding chapel, and then five-years later, “I hate you!” You get my picture. Human love, sometimes, doesn’t last very long. And any human love that does not last very long, is by its definition, not Godly love. Because, Godly love ‘never fails.’
Friends, let us ask Almighty God and Jesus Christ for His ‘godly love.’
Sincerely,
