Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Why FAST on the Day of Atonement?


Why do so many FAST on the Day of Atonement?

The feasts and the holy days of the LORD's constantly remind us how - step by step - God is working out His Master Plan at the redemption of all mankind.

The Day of Atonement (or rather, AT-ONE-MENT) - pictures our Lord Jesus Christ deposing Satan the devil from his present position as this world's ruler, and removing him to the farthest reaches of outer-darkness and apart from mankind. He will be bound, no longer able to deceive the nations - for one-thousand years! - cf. Revelation 20:1, 2.

What is the purpose of fasting?

The purpose of fasting is to HUMBLE oneself - to help us see ourselves as we are! Also, to see God as He is!

Fasting on the Day of Atonement means denying yourself food and water for 24 hours - from sunset to sunset - if you are physically or medically able to do so.

Now, fasting is NOT penance - it's NOT a hunger strike to force your own will upon God.

A true Christian fast is to HUMBLE his or her own carnal mind with its own carnal will - to draw ever-closer to God. To acknowledge his or her own nothingness and ask for GOD'S STRENGTH.

The reason for fasting as being humbled is going by the example given by our Lord Jesus Christ. He received strength to resist the devil's strongest temptations by fasting without food 40 days and nights!

Spiritually, He was at His strongest at the end of the 40 days and nights, because He was completely HUMBLE before Father God.

God, of course, DOES NOT ask or expect us to fast for 40 days and nights. 

We are, however, commanded to "HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD" one day out of the year - and that is on the Day of Atonement.

Fasting is the greatest form of humbling ourselves because we deny ourselves a worldly distraction - eating and drinking.

Much too often churches make this Holy Day a DEMAND OF FASTING - completely missing the true reason behind the Day of Atonement, humility.

Fasting on the Day of Atonement is NOT a command from God or a requirement. It is, however, the biblical example given to best HUMBLE oneself, as shown throughout the examples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truly, to have a little hunger on the Day of Atonement serves to show that we, as the prophet Job states, are just as a maggot, or a worm! - Job 25:6. We are but a vapour, that appears but for a little time, and then vanishes away (James 4:14) - compared to the universe at large, tiny little creatures WARRING with one another!

How absolutely dependant we are on the food and water of this EARTH!

Fasting on the Day of Atonement truly shows God how much we completely rely upon Him. And, how difficult it can be to not focus on oneself.

The Day of Atonement is a day of TESTING ourselves to see just what we will put first. Will it be to the cry of our physical body for food or the spiritually sincere desire to obey God!?

When we fast on the Day of Atonement it pictures to us a future time when we will no longer be required to eat or drink. We, God willing, will no longer be earthbound - tied to a physical sphere with its source of physical food and water. It pictures a future time when we shall have the power to transverse multiple dimensions and go where we will - cf. John 3:8 - when we need to, and wherever we need to, to carry out the government of God, while we teach others how to live joyfully, happily, and godly - showing and teaching them how to inherit the same glorious and wonderful spirit bodies we will have.

Brethren, let us not sorrow as we fast and "humble" our souls on the Day of Atonement.

Though we sorrow because of sin, let us rejoice! Though we are subdued physically, in Spirit, we thrive with Life!

The Day of Atonement, like all of God's Holy Days, is a time of great hope and great rejoicing!

Indeed, fasting is NOT commanded, because God looks upon the heart of each of us. NO PERSON should judge another for what is in their spiritual mindset.

Brethren who don't fast (for one reason or another) on this Holy Day may have a humble approach that others can't see. However, the general example is the act of fasting. Truly, it is between YOU and GOD as to how far you are willing to humble yourself. We each are required to work out our own salvation. No other person can do this for us.

Sadly, as for those churches that JUDGE others for NOT fasting, they had better be careful because it's GOD who is our Judge, not them. We will be judged on how we judge others, so be CAREFUL.

Let us LOOK TO JESUS as our guide.

It is a matter of our mindset which brings on humility. And that is the MOST IMPORTANT. □


Other things to think about ...

A Message of Only Doom!?Is the Message that our Lord Jesus brought a Message of only doom!?
A "Roman" Mark!?the Roman government MARKED people by branding them on their hands and on their foreheads – like a tattoo.
A New Sodom and GomorrahIf the label fits then so be it!

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Personal From... Some Prehistory Facts


THIS EARLY MORNING – I had commented to one of God’s ministers – Mr. Guy C. LaMar – on his posting of the Church building he is considering renting there in Athens, Alabama – “I truly am overjoyed with the great blessings from the LORD our God!!!!” And I was thinking – just WHAT are our objectives, our goals, and our purposes!? Those of us who are close to this blessed and fast-growing worldwide multi-phased operation use the term “the Work.”

Now, many of you may know just what “the Work” is, and many may not. I feel sure that many of our brethren truly knows what “the Work” is. But many of our growing friends in places like Cambodia, Ireland, Brazil, Trinidad, or Barbados may not. They might think that it is a Protestant work – whatever that may entail.

Well, I thought that our brethren and our friends should know just what IS “the Work,” as well as its PURPOSE. What is behind the “Work,” and how it is financed. Why do we do the things we do!?

When we speak of “the Work” we, of course, mean GOD’S WORK! When we speak or write we will often use the term “God’s work,” or the “Work of God.”

Now, there is a vast difference between man’s work, and God’s. Going back to the early books of the Holy Bible we see that God (the great Elohim – the family of God) marked out, and gave mankind, SIX days of every week for our own work. Recall, He says within His Ten Commandments, “’ SIX days you shall labor and do all your work” – Exodus 20:9. Indeed, the anti-Semite and anti-Union inventor Henry Ford played a huge role in “inventing” the modern weekend.

But, I think we all understand well enough what we mean by “our work,” or “man’s work.” We are speaking of our labor, our job, our business, occupation, etc. God’s Work is God’s activity – His mission. And we are speaking of the activity or what is called the “Great Commission” which God purposes to accomplish in the world – throughout the world – by and through human instruments whom God the Father calls and uses.

Now, as an example, the blessing of this building in Athens – or any Church building elsewhere – is but another means to this great “Work of God.” But, just what is God’s Work – and WHY!? What PURPOSE is it for!? How did it begin, and just HOW does God maintain it through human instruments in this 21st-century world!?

Some Prehistory Facts

For those of our friends in faraway places, who may never have heard the FACTS of prehistory – which explains just why we have the conditions and troubles in this world today – let me take you back. God’s living word – the Holy Bible – records for us events that took place prior to any human recordings.

Now, friends, there is not enough room on a hundred pages for all the details. This glorious and surprising TRUTH is throughout our sermons and articles online. They’re all free and with no obligation to watch and read – at www.owensborocojc.com.

But to be brief here – God’s living word reveals to us a “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) – one who has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. A Satan the devil – and of his origin as a former “covering cherub” perfect in beauty. He had been at the very throne of the Master of the universe! In an article which I am typing up entitled “A Changing World!” I cover this. He – as the prophet Ezekiel was inspired to write – was on the very ‘holy mountain of God; walking among the fiery stones.’ He had been trained in a role of administration for the very GOVERNMENT OF GOD!

Now, we learn from God’s living word that angels were never meant to rule the earth or the universe – “the world to come” cf. Hebrews 2:5. However, prior to the creation of Adam and Eve – the very first true Homo sapiens – he was allowed access to the garden of Eden to tempt our first parents. This rebellious and prideful cherubim was on the throne of the earth itself, administrator of God’s GOVERNMENT ON EARTH and over legions of angels. All this is revealed to us in the Books of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28.

He purposely became a rebel, influencing a third of the holy angels to follow his rebellion and an attempted coup d'état of the third heaven – the very throne of the Master of the universe! He attempted to seize the very GOVERNMENT of the entire universe!

Now, a great deal of this prehistory is revealed to us in various parts of God’s living word – something to remember is that God’s living word is like a jigsaw puzzle that must be put together to see the full picture of “God’s Master Plan – From the Beginning.” - cf. Isaiah 28:10.

God – and the word here for “God” is Elohim, the family of God which consists at this present time of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ – is SUPREME RULER of the universe, HEAD of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD and over the finite universe.

* Now, you might notice that I underlined the word finite – as in “the finite universe.” It is my personal belief that what, of course, looks limitless (infinite) to us (relative to our size), may not look that limitless to God. I believe that the universe does have a certain “volume” or a “size.”

Hêlēl – meaning “shining one” – incorrectly translated Lucifer in the King James Version – along with his angels were thrown “like lightning” back down to the earth where they currently reside – disqualifying him as an administrator of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD on the earth. Satan – meaning “that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan” the very word meaning adversary; an adversary to God’s Government. This covering cherubim – and in that article, I mentioned typing up, we find out just what this evil and vile “serpent” looked like to Eve – became the devil. And his angels became demons. Their minds had become warped and perverted in thought and reason.

Now, because of the rebellion of Satan the devil, and his demons, physical destruction occurred to the earth! Notice this – Genesis 1:2, “The earth [became] without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.” And, we’ve covered this many times before – the Hebrew words which our great patriarch and prophet Moses used are tohu and bohu – which truly means “chaotic and in confusion.” God – “in the beginning created the heavens and the earth … And God saw that it was good” – Genesis 1:1, 10.

God did not create the earth in tohu and bohu – God is not a God of disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33). The earth became tohu and bohu. The earth was “GOOD.” Recall, “the morning stars sang together And the sons of God [meaning here, the angels of God] shouted for joy” upon the laying of the foundation of the earth – Job 38:1-7.

But then the family of God RENEWED the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30), causing the sun to shine through the darkness – dividing the light from the darkness, calling the light day and the darkness night, creating a twenty-four hour period of time.

* A great answer to the question: “Has the Earth's rotational period always been 24 hours?” is from Simon Ellingsen, Associate Professor in Physics, University of Tasmania, Australia: “ … Anything which changes the mass distribution of the Earth changes its rotational period. So heating of the atmosphere or the oceans makes them expand, the Earth's moment of inertia increases, and the length of the day increases. Large earthquakes are observed to change the length of the day as well. …”


God created an atmosphere – which is divided into five different layers, based on temperature, creating the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and the uppermost layer, that blends with what is considered to be outer space, the exosphere – Genesis 1:6-8. God created the seas with its different layers – in which the deepest level of the ocean lies the Mariana Trench, at a depth of some 6,825 miles! – cf. Genesis 1:9-10. God also created flora, fauna, and other forms of life – Genesis 1:11-13, 20-25.

Now, lastly, on the SIXTH DAY, God created MAN in Their ‘image and according to Their likeness’ - Genesis 1:26.

In a 2018 Letter to our Brethren I had written:
“Last night I caught a glimpse of a program that NOVA was airing on television called The Dawn of Humanity. And, it indeed was intriguing. Yet, pangs from my heart wept. They KNOW NOT GOD, nor HIS TRUTH! Yes, there were, definitively, creatures which archaeologists - and the like - have incorrectly been trying to link with Homo sapiens. Ape-like creatures which were bipedal and possibly used "tools." But this does not make them human.”
Not only did the LORD God form MAN of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, but MAN has a spirit – Job 32:8.

God created MAN out of matter, with the potential of being begotten, and then born of SPIRIT composition, immortal, into the very family of God!

But MAN – and by man I mean mankind – was given the option to choose (they were created as free moral agents) the tree of life (which represented God’s Holy Spirit) or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – which meant them taking unto themselves what is good and what is evil.

* Now, I’d like to note, that I wrote in a Letter to our Friends of the subject of decay: “The law of decay is a physical law described in mathematical manners that describes the properties of a nuclear atom in a state of decay. The radioactive decay law states that this decay is constant. For if nothing was done about this law of decay, this corruption will ultimately lead to the complete annihilation of the universe. For I refer to a little physics here, the laws of thermodynamics – 

• First Law - Energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. 

• Second Law - Entropy – or disorder – always increases. 

• Third Law - The entropy of a system approaches a constant value as the temperature approaches heat, and eventual death. 

So, truly, this law of decay proves that life originated from a Divine Being with intelligence outside of this physical universe.

Now, I want you to understand that mankind was going to die – no matter if they were to choose the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Had they chose the tree of life, they would still have lived out their days and died; and indeed we find this did happen, “So all the days that Adam lived were 930 years; and he died” – Genesis 5:5 – but would have, after losing consciousness, “in the twinkling of an eye,” been resurrected unto eternal life! But, we know of which tree they chose “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” – Adam and Eve will be resurrected in what is known as “the Great White Throne Judgment” (Revelation 20:11-13). Adam and Eve have yet to receive the precious gift of eternal life. They were driven out of the garden of Eden lest they received it.

* Note: God’s perfect and righteous character can only be created in us by and through God, but with our own individual free choice, decision, and will. God cannot create His character in us by fiat, character must be developed.

Because mankind was created with a carnal mind it is enmity against God; “for it is not subject to the Law of God, nor indeed can be” – because God’s Holy Spirit is not present (without being freely given by God) in the carnal mind. Mankind has what is called HUMAN NATURE. This nature is but an invisible pull toward the likes of self-centeredness, vanity, lust, greed, jealousy, envy, hatred, rivalry. It is a nature of rebellion, hostility against authority. And mankind has another pull in our nature – the inordinate desire of the FLESH – an unrighteous desire of our five senses.

Angels, however, are wholly spiritual beings – who have the ability to transverse different dimensions. Depending on which string theorist you ask, there may be upwards of 10 different dimensions. They were created long before mankind, but also with a free moral agency – the right of free choice. They are individually created beings of great and immense knowledge, holy and righteous. They KNOW the causes of desired results as well as the causes of evil results.

Here is a vital point: angels had no excuse for rebelling against God and turning away from the GOVERNMENT OF GOD. Hêlēl and his third of the angels rebelled against God despite what they knew was the utmost evil. God’s living word tells us that the severity of God’s judgment depends on how much knowledge a person possesses - Luke 12:48. The angels who rebelled against God, then, with the great knowledge they possessed, are greatly deserving of God’s wrath!

But friends, MAN is different. Man was created “in the image of God,” with the very potential of being begotten and eventually BORN of God – as God’s own child, having God’s own DIVINE NATURE!
“By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption [the decay] that is in the world through lust” – 2 Peter 1:4.
And we could easily say, ‘through pride” – cf. Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28.

MAN has the potential of being elevated to the GOD plane high above the angels.

Let us understand two things about the nature of mankind. Psychologists are utterly ignorant in their postulating that human nature is essentially good. MAN desires to be good but desires more to be evil. In the five decades I have been alive I have witnessed this firsthand. My own wife has a famous saying, “It’s good to be bad!” MAN resents being told that it has done WRONG – denies it – and justifies it, or blames the wrong on another!

Case in point: “’ The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, …’” – Genesis 3:12.

It is the very nature of MAN to have an attitude of hostility to GOD’S GOVERNMENT. It is completely natural to MAN that he sins – and sin is defined as transgression against the LAW OF GOD – 1st John 3:4. But, does it mean that MAN has to sin!?

No, not at all!

The Word (John 1:1, 14) was born a human being – of a human mother – was tempted in all points as we are (which means that He was subjected to all the same temptations as we are) – YET WITHOUT SIN! There has been no other that has ever done that – past or present. Besides our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23.

But I digress, getting back to the very creation of Man.

God the Father created “all things through Jesus Christ” – cf. Ephesians 3:9; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16. And, MAN was created with human nature.

So, here we have an adult man and an adult woman (according to the living word of God, a person becomes an adult when they reach the age of 20 – cf. Numbers 14:29) with the pull of human nature, with carnal minds – as yet unfilled with knowledge. But their minds were capable of receiving knowledge, instruction, reasoning – and choosing and acting according to will.

A Seventh-day Sabbath

Now, at sunset that SIXTH DAY of the week, “God ended His work which He had done” – Genesis 2:2. But He did not end creating. He then created His sabbath (the very word sabbath meaning - from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship) by ‘blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it,’ “because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” – vs. 3.

On this very FIRST SABBATH, the LORD God – the very One who would later become JESUS CHRIST – INSTRUCTED THE MAN AND THE WOMAN IN GOD’S WAY – in GOD’S GOVERNMENT! Instructing them in the causes of desired blessings or curses –
“’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20) that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; …’” – Deuteronomy 30:19-20.
’ Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14) Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15) Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves’ – Matthew 7:13-15.

 Satan the devil’s religion

As soon as the sabbath had ended, and the LORD God had finished instructing MAN in the Way of God, along came “the serpent” – the enchanting whisperer – an evil and vile cherubim – on the FIRST DAY of the week. Known today as the day of the sun.

He began instructing the first woman in the religion of Satan – teaching her that MAN has an immortal soul and that God had lied –
“’ You will not surely die. 5) For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’” – Genesis 3:4-5.
So, the woman reached out and TOOK! She rejected the LORD God and His revelation. She rejected God’s revealed knowledge – she used her own reasoning. She reasoned that the forbidden tree was “good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise” – Genesis 3:6.

* To note: ever since MAN has desired as the choicest of foods that which the LORD God has revealed as NOT GOOD FOR FOOD – Leviticus 11. See also our article “Is God’s Biblical Food Laws Still In Effect!?”

Now, understand, Adam was not deceived, yet he allowed his wife to lead him astray, and he too obeyed and followed Hêlēl, and DISOBEYED the LORD our God!

Therefore MAN DISQUALIFIED THEMSELVES to succeed Satan the devil as administrator of GOD’S GOVERNMENT over the earth, as well as the universe beyond – cf. Romans 8:21-22.

And ever since, mankind has followed the deceptions of Satan the devil, and of their human nature. Only two are ever mentioned in the living word of God has having followed the LORD God’s Way before the patriarch Noah – Abel and prophet Enoch.

Only Noah – who found grace in the eyes of the LORD, ‘a just man, perfect in his generations’ after some 1100 years Noah alone was obedient to the LORD God! – Genesis 6:8-9.

Then, the next recorded as being righteous was Abram (Abraham). And, the LORD God chose Abraham’s descendants – some 430 years later – for God’s service. He made them HIS NATION, and set up HIS GOVERNMENT over them, under prophet Moses. But they eventually demanded human government with a human king like other God-rejecting nations around them – cf. 1st Samuel 8:4-7.

‘the acceptable year of the LORD’

In the acceptable year of the LORD, God the Father sent His own begotten Son – Jesus the Christ – cf. John 3:16; Isaiah 61:2a; Luke 4:18-19.

* To note: When our Lord Jesus Christ was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah to read, He turned to chapter 61, but did not read the following verse. Notice what comes next – “And the day [the Day of the LORD] of vengeance of our God” – vs. 2b.

MEN rejected Him and murdered Him!

Now, our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to START God’s Work through humans in this world.

Yet, before even beginning this vital mission, He had to be subjected to the temptations of Satan the devil and His own human nature – to prove that He would qualify to ADMINISTER THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD over all nations on the Earth – replacing Satan the devil as ruler of the Earth! – cf John 14:30. Under the most extreme conditions of temptations, our Lord Jesus Christ resisted Satan the devil – He resisted the extreme temptations of hunger and His human nature – He quoted and obeyed God’s living word!
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2) And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

3) Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’

4) But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’

5) Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6) and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’

7) Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’

8) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. …”
Such as the kingdoms of Rome, the Hans Dynasty in China, as well as Gaul, Greece, and Egypt.
9) And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’

10) Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve’ – Matthew 4:1-10.
He proved in this most ginormous struggle, that He was loyal and faithful to God the Father and HIS GOVERNMENT, and that nothing could move Him to defy or disobey His Father.

JESUS CHRIST qualified to become King of kings and Lord of lords over all kingdoms of the world (Revelation 11:15) and to set up and administer the KINGDOM OF GOD in the WORLD TOMORROW!

He then built His Church upon HIMSELF! – cf. Matthew 16:18; Exodus 17:6; Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 10:4. He began His own personal phase of this Work. □

to be continued

Personal From... A Tribute To Mike Garrett


_______________________________________________________________

A Tribute To Mike Garrett

_______________________________________________________________



There was something that dawned on me today, and that was that I was ordained as a minister of Jesus Christ over two years ago!

As I look back over these two-plus years, I have witnessed a good deal of things.

In that time I had gotten four church groups started. Now, before I was ordained, I had helped in starting a church group as well as getting a feast site established.

Minister Mike Garrett, I was ordained by this great man – a man of God – who had his calling over 55-years ago!

He is the founder of the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA.

He had come to me about being ordained.

Now, originally I was cheerleading for him, to ordain a man that I saw a lot of good in. That man was Leonard Johnson. Mike agreed and then dropped a bomb on me.

He said to me that I had been dedicating myself for years to the Church of God and was being passed over and not being recognized for my efforts by the ministry that I was helping so faithfully. I had been giving sermonettes for years.

He said to me, “Guy, it’s time!”

Well, I really had to let that sink in as to what he wanted me to consider. It was HUGE!

I accepted the calling.

So, he summoned me to beautiful Owensboro, Kentucky – the fourth largest city in the state – and ordained me on July 13th, 2019!

I have re-watched my ordination video of his ordaining me, and I noticed that he did not use the term “elder” in the ordination prayer – but rather he used the term “minister.”

The following month, Mr. Garrett ordained Leonard Johnson as an “elder” in the ministry. And, Mike asked me to help in the ordination prayer and the laying on of hands.

So, when Mike was praying his ordination prayer for Mr. Johnson, I too was praying over him in a like manner – but with a few extra words in my thanksgiving to God for bringing Mr. Johnson into the ministry.

Mr. Garrett has been involved in the living Work of God for as many years as I have been alive!

He has made a huge sacrifice in traveling across the nation, fresh out of high school, with his parents grave concerns, so as to go into a ministerial college in Pasadena, California – where he became a life-long servant of God the Father and Jesus Christ, with the proper education to do the job to the best of his ability.

Witnessed Firsthand

This man of God who had ordained me has sat and ate with the late great Minister Herbert W. Armstrong and had long conversations with him. He indeed learned a lot from him, up close and personal.

He was taught in ministerial college classes by the late Minister Rodrick Meredith, and he was also very close friends with the late Minister Garner Ted Armstrong. He has learned a lot from them, up close and personal. He knew the sons of Garner Armstrong, Mark, David, and Matthew, he knew them all on a personal level since they were but teenagers. And he has known them all of their adult lives.

Also, while he was in ministerial college, he was roommates with Joseph W. Tkach, Jr. as well as knowing firsthand of the Tkach family's apostasy against God’s Church. To note: The Tkach family has a Catholic background.

In fact, many years after the Tkach family helped Satan the devil destroy the Worldwide Church of God, Mr. Garrett had traveled to California and had stayed with his old roommate at his home for a visit.

Mr. Garrett had spoken to Mr. Tkach, Jr. of his recent doctrinal change in the church (because he was the former president of the Worldwide Church of God renamed Grace Communion International) of embracing the false doctrine of the trinity.

During the conversation, Mr. Tkach, Jr. became extremely angry at Mr. Garrett because he had PROVED from the very living word of God that there are, at this present time, only TWO great beings in the God family – be sure to read, if you haven’t already, our free no-obligation online booklet “Is God a TRINITY?”

Sadly, Mr. Tkach, Jr. had rejected the living WORD OF GOD for his own ideologies and for his quest in bringing into that church Catholic doctrines.

Mr. Garrett exposed Joseph Tkach, Jr. in his own home! He was a servant of Satan the devil who had rejected the living TRUTHS OF GOD!

Mr. Garrett has witnessed other abominations and apostasies that had crept into the Church of God.

As an example: It was obvious to see that it was the attorney and accountant Stanley R. Rader who USED Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong to turn against his own son, Garner Ted Armstrong! Mr. Rader (whose funeral was presided over by Joseph Tkach, Jr.) had worked for years to create a rift between father and son because he knew that Mr. Garner Ted was a threat to his personal power. Mr. Rader used his own professional legal accounting practice and also incorporated new companies in order to conduct profitable business enterprises on behalf of the Worldwide Church of God. He knew that he was able to control, by this time an aging man of God, but not the younger. So he had worked on getting the younger out of the way. For Mr. Rader, it was all about power, control, and money. He was a complete biblical illiterate. He was a true servant of Satan the devil.

And, Mr. Garrett was witness to all this. He knew these apostates on a handshake personal level. And he discerned what these apostates were up to at the time that it was going on, but he was in no position to warn those involved.

In later years, Mr. Garrett was able to WARN Mr. Garner Ted Armstrong of certain things he was witnessing within the ministry that was underhanded. But, sadly, Mr. Armstrong didn’t want to accept that this underhandedness was occurring within the ministry.

Well, sadly, Mr. Garner Ted Armstrong had died, and those very things which Mr. Garrett had warned about came to fruition.

Onwards and Upwards

I myself, personally, had a conversation with Mr. Tkach, Jr. in which he became angry with me because I had PROVED from the very living word of God that he was in doctrinal error. I quickly discovered that Mr. Tkach, Jr. was a control freak who was spoiled and self-serving. God’s living truth was of no interest to him.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has said to us, “’ You will know them by their fruits’” – Matthew 7:16.

Mr. Garrett later became a traveling evangelist for the Church of God for many years. Traveling to many church congregations around the USA. He is a very read and articulate minister of God.

He had also taught as a high school teacher in Arizona for 25 years.

Mr. Garrett has ordained many men into the ministry of Christ.

I am very humbled by the FACT that God the Father personally chose me to be ordained as one of His ministers. I did not go to Mr. Garrett and ask for this great responsibility, he came to me and said, “Guy, it’s time!”

Several of the things I love about Mr. Garrett is that he is very approachable, a real person – not fake. He isn’t stand-offish like so many others appear to be. He isn’t someone that I find judgmental. And, he is more than willing to travel hundreds of miles, if need be, to preach the gospel message to those who need it.

Sadly, back in 2013, he was belittled by the leadership of the church which he represented and supported, because he had taught a message “Look To Jesus, Not Moses” – in other words, we should focus more on the GRACE OF JESUS, and of His spiritual blessings, than on prophet Moses with the physical aspects of keeping the Law.

In fact, a great many from his former church didn’t like his references of using the glorious and holy name – JESUS CHRIST. One of the members of that church audaciously said this to him to his face.

The LORD our God says of them, “’ Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!’” – Jeremiah 23:1; Matthew 18:6.

That church, sadly, is spiritually dead. And, in their spirit of death and hate, they began a smear campaign against him – as they do with many who leave them.

God’s living word is clear – if you hang out with evil people, then with time you too will become evil.

It was clearly a great blessing from God for pulling him out of the tar-pit that he had been stuck in. God placed him in a position to do ever-greater the Work of God.

As he has said to me – we each have a Work to do in the areas that we are located. He has inspired me in many ways to do the Work that I am currently doing. I am deeply thankful and very much affiliated with his ministry.

I have learned such a great deal from this particular spiritual mentor, Mike Garrett, and I am so grateful.

I can truly say that I was ordained by perhaps one of the most sound and solid servants of God on this entire planet! His faith and dedication surpass most ministers that I have come across. He knows the living word of God – the Holy Bible – like so few servants of God in this 21st century.

I am proud to say that he and I spend, on average, 4 to 6 hours of Bible study nearly every week over the phone and in deep spiritual conversation. And he is NOT all puffed up and full of himself – like so many worldly ministers appear to be. He is certainly one of four or five ministers that I have witnessed in my life that truly has God’s Spirit flowing through them like rivers of living water!

Minister Mike Garrett is a true man of God and I am truly blessed to have had Almighty God connect me to this great Work! □



Monday, September 6, 2021

A Roman "Mark"!?


Back in Rome, in the times before our Lord Jesus Christ, the Roman government MARKED people by branding them on their hands and on their foreheads – like a tattoo.

This MARK was a sign to the other people to identify them as rebellious against the government.

TODAY we have a US government that wants to “MARK” our people who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

They want to punish our people who choose not to allow this possibly dangerous drug to be placed within their bodies.

They do not appear to care if our people lose their jobs and be denied their unemployment benefits – thus bringing them to ruin! And, denying them employment elsewhere, unless they get the COVID-19 vaccination.

Is it about governmental totalitarian control, or is it about population control!?

My wife has been at her job for nearly 20 years working at the Lockheed Martin missile plant and as of the 14th of this month, or she will be FIRED from her job with no unemployment benefits allowed to her because she refuses to put this possibly dangerous drug into her body.

Regardless of religious or health reasons – they will still FIRE her!

Regardless of going against her constitutional rights – they will still FIRE her!

We currently have a US administration that is ruled and ran by an enemy of the United States of America – Satan the devil!

But of course, as we continue in this nation’s journey of ultimate demise, the US government changes its rules and laws to benefit their agenda of totalitarianism.

It may be easy for many to trust in the fastest ever developed vaccine in history, but there are those of us who do not trust in it, nor the government which is demanding its use. And because of this mistrust, we are being punished and brought to possible ruin by a government that we have supported with our tax dollars.

The US government looks at our people who “live off the grid” as unviable and as “enemies of the state.”

The government leaders generally will send a young gullible and duty-bound police officer or military personnel to arrest them.

This has been happening with ever more frequency!

The people that have faith in God are now considered enemies of this US government!

For our people who refuse to participate in this vaccination “MARK” are going to be persecuted and forced! Without a 'vaccine passport' will one be able to buy or sell food!? – cf. Revelation 13:16-17.

Is this the testing ground of the ‘mark of the beast’!?

The “number of the beast” spoken of in God’s living word, 666, was the name of the founder of Rome – ROMULUS. This blasphemous name is what all citizens of that governmental system are called – ROMANS. The Greek name for Romulus was LATEINOS.

L = 30
A = 1
T = 300
E = 5
I = 10
N = 50
O = 70
S = 200
______
      666

The U.S. government was modeled after the Roman Republic – and it is this same system that our people are under subjection to TODAY!

On a similar note: It is distressful how these frivolous and loose women in the United States of America can get pregnant, then abort the baby, and then scream, “My body, my choice!” – and this Satan-led government will support them. Whereas our people that do not want this possibly dangerous drug in their bodies cannot stand up and say, “My body, my choice” without the US government persecuting them!

I have prayed that God’s Law would be applied by the leaders of this nation unto our people. Sadly, this will NEVER be the case as long as Satan the devil is the ruler of this world! - cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4.

TODAY a true Christian can easily recognize the true kingdom behind the leadership of this land.

King David – a man after God’s own heart – in Psalm 109 gave a prayer unto God that we should be praying for our nation.

This is the proper prayer for this wicked and deceitful Biden/Harris Administration. □

Additional things to think about...

Idol Worship - A great many of our people are grasping hold of their idols! Politics can be an idol. [...]
Prophetic Events To Watch For - Here are things to ‘Watch’ for in the near future.
Are We Insane!? More and more people are becoming insane! [...]

Friday, September 3, 2021

A Message of Only Doom!?


Is the Message that our Lord Jesus brought a Message of only doom!?

Make no mistake, in my view, there are way TOO MANY "gloom and doom" messages being preached.

As I pointed out in a previous write-up, I think this point needs to be expounded upon.

I STRONGLY believe in preaching the TRUTH and the FACTS of the “gloom and doom” which is coming. But, how often do you go to church and hear a message of the POSITIVE messages of God’s living truth!?
  • The Way to live!?
  • The Way to conduct yourself!?
  • The Way to properly prepare yourself for these tribulations of “gloom and doom”!?
  • How to arm yourself from these coming tribulations!?
The fact is this: this world is decaying at a rapid pace! And our people are melting like butter in a hot skillet!

And, sadly, many of our brethren are NOT spiritually mature enough to take on all these terrible tribulations befalling all around them.

Why!?

Because a great many of these worldly churches DO NOT have enough ministers that are properly preaching just how to arm and wear the glorious armor of God!

Oh, they preach plenty of the bad but DO NOT preach much in the Way to overcome sin and the terrible times to come.

Now my track record is rather strong on the preaching of the terrible times to come – but I also preach of the Way in how to have God’s armor and of making the Way to the awesome rewards that will come in the Kingdom of God!

In fact, every sermon I have ever given does have some “gloom and doom,” but also HOW to overcome these terrible tribulations to come – according to God’s living word – A Message from God on just how to arm yourself for battle!

The ministry needs to make sure that they balance out their messages. So that when brethren walk away from a church service they don’t go away with only a “gloom and doom” message stuck in their minds.

Sadly, I know of a couple who has been in the church for 60-years, and they told me that they have only heard messages of “gloom and doom” week after week – for 60 years! They said that is all they have any memory of and that they have been preparing themselves for the end for all of these 60-years! And that now that they are in their 80s, they have finally come to realize that they have wasted their lives in a church that had nothing but negative messages!

Now that, my friends, is a crying shame!!

The ministry needs to learn to weigh the negative messages with the positive.

The apostle Paul went to his death in the joy of Christ Jesus!

The answer lies in JESUS CHRIST!

When you preach JESUS you can conquer every negative situation!

The “gloom and doom” truth and facts are properly placed in the perspective of the positive messages through JESUS CHRIST.

Our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, “ … ‘be of good cheer; …’” – Matthew 9:2.

And, to the frightened disciples battling the tempestuous sea, our Lord Jesus, walking on the sea, declared to them, “’ Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’” – Matthew 14:27.

Negative messages are nothing new.

Ever since Adam and Eve were banished from the garden of Eden, life has been difficult – and we have been complaining ever since! – cf. Genesis 3:23.

It is within our sinful nature to complain and to live for ourselves when our desires are not being met – cf. Galatians 5:19-20.

We tend to argue for “our rights,” to demand “our ways,” and to oppose ANYONE who disagrees with us. And this combination results in a general spirit of negativity toward life and the world in general.

It is completely understandable if those who do not believe or do not know Christ Jesus are – basically – negative. They have no hope (or the wrong kind of hope; hence “going to heaven”) beyond this life and this world’s utter deception and confusion.

Having a strong negative attitude as a Christian means that you are NOT seeing life from God’s perspective. When Christians join in with unbelievers – with their PRIDE, their HOSTILITY TOWARD AUTHORITY, and their incessant COMPLAINING, over time they begin to react and act the same way.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “ …’In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’” – John 16:33.

Grave negativity was one of the children of Israel's greatest of sins even after the LORD our God brought them out of the land of Egypt, had parted the Red Sea, and had utterly destroyed their enemy as the waters returned and covered them over – cf. Exodus 14:16-18.

For just as soon as the children of Israel were not getting what they desired, they began to grumble against the LORD God Himself! – cf. Numbers 14:27. For they, rather than continue to rejoice and praise the LORD God for what He had done for them and to trust that He would continue to provide for them, they began again to murmur and complain.

God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ hear us when we do that, and it greatly displeases Them! – cf. 1 Corinthians 10:10-11; John 6:43.

There is a difference between being grieved over sin and being negative.

ANYONE who agrees with God over the gravity of sin, also agrees with God that we should do something about it!

God knew that mankind would need the necessitation for an atoning sacrifice for sin – and God did something about it! – cf. John 3:16.

Jesus Christ was sent to show us the Father and to “’ preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD’” – cf. John 14:6-11; Luke 4:18-19.

And, He was not afraid to “roll up His sleeves and get His hands dirty” – cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

As His Body (1 Corinthians 12:27), we remain to carry on the Work He began for us.

True Christians can counter the “doom and gloom” mentality with a gentle, loving, and faith-filled approach to life – cf. John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:32; 1 John 5:14; 1 Peter 4:8. We can refuse to be caught up in the hopelessness and the #MeToo mentality that is too “normal” in this world – cf. Philippians 2:14-15.

We can offer our fellow man light in a darkened world (Matthew 5:14-16), the living truth of God in the midst of a satanic and deceived world (John 17:17; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4), and hope in the face of despair (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Romans 11:25-27; Acts 2:36-39).

The apostle Peter gives us a plain and clear guideline about facing tribulations –
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

14) If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer [spiritually or physically], a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16) Yet if ANYONE suffers as a Christian, let him NOT be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” – 1 Peter 4:12-16, NKJV.
True Christians are ambassadors for Christ!

In the Book of Luke chapter 6 – in what is called “the Beatitudes,” our Lord Jesus Christ told us the Way we should conduct our life – Luke 6:20-23. I suggest, however, reading verses 24-49 as well.

The apostle Paul, in 1st Timothy 4:12, tells us to “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

For ministers of God as well as the flock it is IMPORTANT always to keep this in mind – for those who do not believe – you might be the closest they will ever be to the glorious soon-coming Kingdom of God.

While so many Christians feel compelled to make sure the “gloom and doom” messages outweigh any solutions offered – and maybe they do this because of control – if we, as true Christians, focus on the positives of God’s truth and hope in this darkened world – then God’s Way of light will shine forth upon the negatives.

Brethren, we have been blessed with the Redeemer (Isaiah 41:14; 47:4; 48:17; Psalm 19:14; Luke 1:68; Romans 3:23-24; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:7, 13-14; Colossians 1:13-14; Hebrews 9:11-12) – the Holy One of Israel! And He will also bless us with the tools to combat this world’s negativity and to model the abundant life which He came to give us! – cf. John 10:10.

The ANSWER is found through JESUS CHRIST! □

Additional things to think about ...

Are We Insane!?More and more people are becoming insane!
Do They Have God's Spirit? -  ... Ask yourself – do they have God’s Spirit!? [...]
A Soon-Coming Kingdom!Personally, I firmly believe the following – and it surely makes a lot of wonderful sense. [...]