Letter to our Friends - September 3, 2019

Michael C. Garrett

Pastor and Overseer

Dear Friends:

Greetings from Owensboro, Kentucky.

We trust you had a most positive and Godly character building week!

Integrity Is Important

God’s living Word teaches us:

“Cursed is he who does the Work of the LORD deceitfully, …” – Jeremiah 48:10; NIV unless otherwise noted.

As most of you are aware, since the year 2011 I had been searching earnestly for God’s people – the remnants of the churches of God descended from the Worldwide Church of God – and I came across a devastating and grave problem – I couldn’t find them! I had contacted numerous splinter-groups of the WCG – Grace Communion International, Restored, Philadelphia, Continuing, and ICG – only to see in full view their “fruits” on display and the utter lack of love, and might I add – their lack of integrity.

Then, after much prayer and fasting, on July 18th, 2018, God changed my direction and my focus. Through Almighty God I was led to my brethren at the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ, with Minister Garrett exclaiming, “The more a person or a group becomes absorbed with the teachings and practices of the Old Covenant the more distant that person or group will become from the teachings and precepts of the New Covenant!” I then knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what God was saying to me – WE HAVE A NEW COVENANT, a BETTER COVENANT!

After much biblical study – comparing those organizations “fruit” (or lack thereof of the fruits of God’s Spirit) which included lies, and their vehement hatred for anybody which they deem undesirable. I discovered through spiritual discernment that the so-called leaders of those organizations were not and could not be of God.

Indeed, God’s living Word – the Holy Bible – shows us that dealing with people who have integrity issues is nothing new with God’s Church – recall Simon Magus – cf. Acts 8:13. The Apostle Paul had terrible issues with many he worked within Asia Minor – cf. 2 Timothy 1:15; 4:14. Including the Apostle John – cf. 3 John 9-10.

Our Master and Savior – Jesus Christ – also had to deal with a devil – cf. John 6:70. Also, He prophesied that His Church would one-day ‘make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are [chosen people] and are not, but lie … come and worship before [our] feet, and to know that [He has] loved [us].’ – Revelation 3:9. And us being - individuals (men and women) in whom the Spirit of God resides, people’s whose names are written in the Book of Life, people who have truly experienced that phenomenon – Christ In You! Through His Spirit!

The Holy Sabbath by Minister Guy LaMar

When someone says something against someone keeping the “Sabbath” from Friday Sunset to Saturday sunset they prove that they do NOT know Jesus Christ.

Why?

Because it was the Roman Catholic Church that started this Sunday keeping. Jesus kept the Friday sunset to Saturday sunset Sabbath.

Adam and Eve kept the Sabbath!! – cf. Genesis 2:1-3. God rested, blessed, and hallowed the seventh day.

It was intended as an institution of the Sabbath command.

Adam and Eve would have kept the Sabbath in Eden and beyond.

There are lots mentioned about keeping the Law or commands of God long before Moses brought the tablets of the commandments off Mt. Sinai as a reminder to the stubborn people of Israel.

The Sabbath is the 7th day! Not on the first day! – cf. Ex. 20:10.

Jesus is the very God of the O. T. ! -cf. John 1.

God / Jesus NEVER changes! God / Jesus is exceedingly established in their ways and commandments. God / Jesus expects for those that are called to apply to the commandments given – cf. Num. 23:19; Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8.

Jesus said that the heavens and earth would pass away before one single line of God’s laws would – Matt. 24:35.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man (JESUS CHRIST) is Lord even of the Sabbath – Matt. 12:1-8; Mk. 2:23-28; Lk. 6:1-5.

Jesus preached - taught from the Old Testament - it was the ONLY bible - Jesus was Living the New Testament – Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; Matt. 5:17, 18; Matt. 12:40; Matt. 19:4-6; Matt. 22:29; Matt. 23:35; Matt. 24:37-38; Mk. 13:19; Luke 24:27; Jn. 10:35; Jn. 17:17.

So when people say “my Sabbath” is on so and so day, it’s meaningless.

First off, the person has put themselves before God.

So don’t make any mistake of it, God is NOT involved.

God has no respect for people’s opinions. But God takes note to those that obey Him – cf. Acts 10:34-35.

If we TRULY care about God then we would apply our lives to His will.

Anything else is simply following the traditions of man of which Jesus said its vain worship towards Him – cf. Matthew 15:9.

Prayer Request

Minister Michael C. Garrett wrote:

“Friends – there comes a time in the progression of the downfall of a society or a group or a nation, a time when God says, ‘I’m just done with it!’ ‘I’m done messing with them!’ At that point you’re wasting your time even praying for them. I mean when Noah was in that huge boat, and the rains fell and the waters rose, do you think Noah was on the top deck praying for the people!? The judgment of God had already been made! Do you think that Lot and his two daughters when they were struggling to get away from the plain of Sodom and Gomorrah, do you really think that God wanted them to turn around and go, “O’ these poor people”!? “O’ God help them!” … There was no praying for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was over! God had rendered His judgment and He was executing it. And so, the people of America, the people who say, ‘In God We Trust,’ but a society which is so mucked up now, it sometimes will get you in trouble if you even say the name Jesus Christ in public. There’s going to come a time when God Almighty and Jesus Christ say, ‘I’m just done with it!’ ‘It’s over!’ ‘Let the end-time trauma begin!’ Are we there yet!? No. Are we near!? Probably.” – cf. Jeremiah 7:15-16.

(Notes Regarding the Day of Atonement – Prophetically the Day of the Lord!).

So friends, while it is still day (cf. John 9:4) let us continue to pray dear friends for those impacted by Hurricane Dorian, along with praying for the families and friends going through the sorrow of the atrocity committed in Midland - Odessa, Texas! The Apostle Paul exhorts us to pray and intercede for all men – 1 Timothy 2:1. And also, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” – Ephesians 6:18.

Let us dear friends – “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem OTHERS better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was [and is] in Christ Jesus” – Philippians 2:3-5.

World News Items

The G-7 nations (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan) met in a three-day conference in France which ended August 26th. The leaders have grave concerns involving trade, Iran, and climate change, yet appears to have not accomplished anything noteworthy. For the most part – the leaders would like POTUS Donald Trump to change his views (See: ‘Trump at G-7 Optimistic About Deals with China, Japan, Iran’).

UKs Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues pushing the UK to exit the EU – even without a deal. This position is also backed by the POTUS Donald Trump (See: ‘Johnson acknowledges touch and go prospects for Brexit deal’). The PM also got Queen Elizabeth II to approve a temporary closing of the UK Parliament next month, which he believes will help shed themselves of the EU (See: ‘Parliament suspension: Queen approves PM's plan’). As for now, neither the UK nor the EU will give way to negotiations (See: ‘Brexit is back, and investors should buckle up’). Surely, the EU will likely not forget the Americans nor the British for this – cf. Daniel 8:24-25; 11:39.

The nation of Judah – aka Israel – took what has been called a preemptive strike against the number-one terrorist-sponsoring nation’s drones inside Syria (See: ‘Netanyahu: Syria Strike Shows ‘Iran Has No Immunity Anywhere’). Israel, despite the fact that their military ranked 17th of 137 1 is at high risk of being greatly damaged by Iran and/or Syria (cf. Isaiah 22:1-14).

1 “For 2019, the nation of Israel is ranked 17 (of 137) out of the countries currently considered for the annual GFP review.” 2019 Military Strength Ranking. Global Fire Power. Retrieved 3 September 2019.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is this weeks suggested Sabbath service:

● 2-3 hymns. (a free printable “Old Time Gospel” hymn site is The Old Time Gospel).
● Opening prayer.
● Sermonette (if you choose). The one suggested is Anti-Christs – Part 1. There is also an accompanying article - antichrists - in the last hour.
● Announcements (if any) and one hymn.
● Sermon. The one suggested is You Will Know Them By Their Fruits - Part 1. (Many more sermons are available at http://www.owensborochurchofjesuschrist.com/).
● 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. We also – as a reminder – have a BitChute channel.

Concluding Comments

Minister Michael C. Garrett was inspired to write:

“ 1st Corinthians chapter 15 … Verse 50 – “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” – did you know the Mormons, I am told, believe that you enter eternal life as a physical human being!? In a physical state!? That’s what they told me out in Arizona! Every time I read this verse I go, “What do ya do with that one!?” “Well, we just don’t read that one! We read something else, from the Book of Mormon.” Verse 51 – “Behold, I tell you a mystery [a great unknown because the people of the world do not understand this!]: We shall not all sleep, …” – again, death is portrayed as sleep. “but we shall all be changed – 52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” – and that is what all of us – that is the hope of eternal life – which all of us, at one level or another, that is why we’re here!! That’s why we, the collective group, is here!! Because we’re hoping and praying that God will grant us the mercy of giving us eternal life. And we want it for ourselves, and we want it for the ones we have loved. And all of you reading this, know people who now sleep. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait. But someday – if you believe there is a God, and you believe in the Bible – you know that someday you are going to see them again! And, every time I think of that, I think about the idea of ‘what if.’ What if I didn’t make it!? What if I go haywire and go off into the deep end!? I will never have that opportunity to see them again! And can you imagine how sad, how broken-hearted they would be, when they come up out of the grave and say, “Where’s my wife/husband/child/friend!?” And you’re not there! For their sake, we simply cannot fail to hang onto this gift that God is freely giving to us. We just have to hang on!

Hang on to the end! He says in Verse 53 – “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54) So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” – where we will actually have the opportunity to mock death! “You had your icy fingers around me once, but no more fella – get outta here! Because LIFE has won out! Because Jesus Christ has won out! Because the power of God has won out over you!” “Death – you are now vanquished!” That’s a great day to look forward to!”

(The Confusion About Death).

With love and gratitude, in Jesus' Name,