Letter to our Friends - May 14, 2020

Michael C. Garrett

Pastor and Overseer

Greetings from West Central Florida.

Pentecost

The Day of Pentecost will soon be here. In 2020, it is on May 31st – the actual observance begins the evening before at sunset on May 30th and runs through sunset on May 31st. As this means back-to-back Sabbaths, be sure to plan accordingly as God’s living Word teaches. “’ And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation [a holy gathering] to you. You shall do no customary work [labor] on it’” – Leviticus 23:21; NKJV throughout, unless otherwise noted.

On our blog page, we will be posting “Day of Pentecost – 2019”. And, on the Day of Pentecost, we will be posting part one of a seven-part series entitled “Pentecost”.

Feast of Tabernacles 2020

This year the Feast of Tabernacles’ services are going to begin the evening of October 2nd and will continue until the Last Great Day which is October 10th.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic (or scaredemic) there may be issues with our regular location – the Logsdon Community Center 2400 Friendship Dr. Owensboro, KY 42303. The services may be held elsewhere – please contact Minister Michael C. Garrett at garrett158@roadrunner.com for further information if you would like to attend with us this year.

Now, irrespective of the views of some (e.g. ‘Are In-Person Religious Services 'Essential' During Pandemic?’) – Back in the Letter to our Friends: March 24th, 2020 the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ wrote the following related to COVID-19 and church services:

Now, with all the quarantines and travel restrictions being imposed, what about attendance at weekly Sabbath services? Well, Mr. Garrett received a phone call this past Thursday from the manager of the Logsdon Community Center in Owensboro, Kentucky, and stated that the policymakers of the Center have determined that “no more meetings will be allowed to take place here until the Coronavirus scare is over.” Of course, our policy has always been, and still remains, if you have a contagious disease, you should not attend church services.

Now, as far as “social distancing” goes, church leaders in their respective countries and local groups should decide the relative safety of holding Sabbath services (though, as in Owensboro, some landlords and/or government officials are placing their own limits – the early Christian Church of God met in houses, and that is one thing which can be done – as Minister Michael C. Garrett is holding services at his home.

While we cooperate with government authorities when we can, we do not believe that government authorities should interfere with the ability to holy convocations or other biblical observances.

As the original apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” – Acts 5:29.

World News Items

In relation to governmental restrictions put in place after the COVID-19 outbreak – and indeed just what I’ve been telling my wife for months - Social conservative radio talk show host Dennis Mark Prager stated that the “The worldwide lockdown may be the greatest mistake in history” (see ‘PRAGER: The Worldwide Lockdown May Be The Greatest Mistake In History’). As Mr. Prager writes, “The forcible prevention of Americans from doing anything except what politicians deem “essential” has led to the worst economy in American history since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is panic and hysteria, not the coronavirus, that created this catastrophe. And the consequences in much of the world will be more horrible than in America.” In modern vernacular – true dat!

This COVID-19 is creating an ever-larger divide in the world – in particular within the United States of America (see OCOJC ‘Is Civil Unrest Increasing in America?’ also ‘America Has Become A Powder Keg That Is Ready To Explode At Any Time’). There is also great division related to the wearing of a mask:

May 10, 2020

Ken Hall, 38, walked toward his pickup truck in the parking lot of a shopping center along Highway 152 in Clay County. He wore no mask or concerns. Why? …“Because,” the tattooed business owner said of the coronavirus, “… It is what it is. You’re either going to get it, or you’re not. You’re either going to be afraid of it, or you’re not. I’m not afraid of it. We all live. We all die. When that happens is not your choice.” …

“Do I feel judged for it? Sometimes, yes,” he said, knowing people look at him sideways for not wearing a mask. “Do I care? Not at all.” …

Judy Morefield, 58, of Leawood, absolutely judges the no-mask crowd. She wore a mask and clasped her red shopping cart with blue gloves. She just recently moved in to help care for her 94-year-old father.

“You just put people at risk,” she said of those baring their faces in public. “Honestly, I think it’s selfish. Because it’s for other people.”

Beginning this week, even more businesses around the Kansas City area are setting to reopen, part of the dual goals of restarting a devastated economy — some 33 million people nationwide have filed for unemployment since the coronavirus outbreak — while also protecting public health.

Whether, or how fast, COVID-19 cases resurge will have much to do with how dutiful the public is about social distancing and other precautions. That includes wearing or not wearing face masks, acts that in recent weeks have become ever more politicized. …

It’s clear the issue splits across party lines, at least to some degree, with 76% of Democrats compared to 59% of Republicans saying they are more likely than not to wear a mask when leaving home, according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs.

But people, with and without masks, insist their decision has far less to do with their personal politics than it does with their sense of the COVID-19 threat and their own safety.

(Read More: https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article242563536.html).

I personally – even though my wife made a half-a-dozen masks – do not wear one. I guess that makes me “selfish.” Well, dear Judy, instead of placing your unwavering faith in God Almighty and Jesus Christ as your guardian and protector, you – like so many in America – would rather allow the government to encourage her people to essentially live a life of fear. As well as telling people to put their faith in the pharmaceutical industry as it works to develop chemical treatments and vaccines.

Also, this morning I posted on Twitter ‘Britain, EU dig in their heels in trade talks.’ The Europeans are reporting that the negotiations are not going well as the EU wants to insist that the UK accept its standards and the UK has basically stated that the point of Brexit was to NOT have to comply with the EU (see ‘German Foreign Minister Maas warns of hard Brexit as talks stall’). Well, sadly, what type of world order (or more to the point – European Order) is Heiko Maas pushing for!? He has made statements which plainly lets us know:

1. He spoke at the United Nations General Assembly and contradicted the POTUS Donald Trump’s nationalist agenda.
2. He pushed for the acceptance of the climate change agenda – which the US refused to be a part of.
3. He stated at the UN General Assembly, “Europe has proved to the world that multilateralism and sovereignty are not a contradiction in terms. On the contrary, in a world faced with immense global problems, we can only safeguard sovereignty if we work together!" – laying out his vision for a multilateral “United States of Europe.”
4. He had his first meeting for the Alliance for Multilateralism at the UN, he stated, “This is exactly what I had in mind when I first brought up the idea of an “Alliance for Multilateralism”: A network of countries coming together in flexible formats to address concrete policy challenges.”
5. He wants a united Europe to have a military independent of the US.
6. He has stated, “We need a magnanimous Europe that does not differentiate between larger and smaller states, between centre and periphery. When it comes down to it, one country [meaning Germany] on its own is too small to make a difference.”
7. He has stated, “Europe must play an active role in the world!” Which means a “United Europe” (see “‘The argument for “Europe United’”; retrieved 15 May 2020).
8. He has proposed draconian European internet censorship legislation.
9. He reiterated and pushed for – and got – a system that bypasses the US dollar (see ‘Germany urges SWIFT end to US payments dominance’).

Friends, it should be clear that leaders like Heiko Josef Maas are indeed pushing for a united Europe – which the Bible calls a final resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, or rather the ‘beast’ power. God says it is soon-coming to this generation.

As Minister Garrett wrote:

Here in Revelation chapter 13, we see John, inspired by God, … “And I [John] stood on the sand of the sea.” Now, he’s seeing a vision … “And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” – now this ‘seven heads’ are the seven resurrections of the “Holy” Roman Empire. And those ‘ten horns’ are the ten kings or the ten kingdoms that make up the final installment of the “Holy” Roman Empire. … after the seven heads and ten horns, it says in verse 2 – “Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard ... feet of a bear, ... and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.” … The final installment of the “Holy” Roman Empire, as it were, would be a bit of all of these kingdoms. And then it says Verse 5 – “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months [again, 3 1⁄2 years].” Verse 7 – “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life ...”

(Read More – “Prophecy Series – The Final Empire!”).

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested Sabbath service for this week.

● 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 “The Treasure of Your Heart” by Michael C. Garrett.
● Announcements (if any) and one hymn.
● Sermon. The one suggested for this week is “The Rest Of The Dead” by Michael C. Garrett. More sermons 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, we have a social network aggregation known as Flipboard with 160 “flips,” and 10 “magazines” at https://flipboard.com/@ocojc2019.

Concluding Comments

Friends, in our article “Glory in Tribulations - Romans 5:3” I had quoted the apostle Paul, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4) and perseverance, character [godly character]; and character, hope” – Romans 5:3-4.

We should also learn obedience to God Almighty and Jesus Christ through our suffering – as the Book of Hebrews has the following:

“though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9) And having been perfected, He became the Author of eternal salvation TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM, 10) called by God as High Priest ‘according to the order of Melchizedek’” – Hebrews 5:8-10.

Let us walk and follow our Savior Jesus Christ’s example – learning obedience through our suffering – which perfected Him. Let us always strive to be perfect – through and with God’s Spirit – Matthew 5:48.

Do not – like the apostle Paul says of some – become “dull of hearing.”

In deep gratitude and love, in Jesus' name,