Leonard V. Johnson
Pastor/Founder
Greetings from the Tampa Bay Florida Area:
Again, due to some “family dynamics” at the moment, I’m having to take a short “sabbatical” from filming sermons. And here I believe that it warrants I explain a little further. One of our good friends is in poor health and will soon need dialysis, she lost her place to live and asked if she could move in with my wife and me - and we agreed. She'll be staying with us for a few months. What does this have to do with filming sermons you ask!? Well, it's now difficult to film in our office which is in our home due to noise quality, so I will be looking for a quieter location to film. In the meantime, I’m hard at work catching up on other IMPORTANT work of God.
A Morning Bible Study
We’re pleased to announce that we’ve been putting together Morning Bible Studies. There are four completed at the time of this writing:
For this Letter to our Friends, we’d like to ask three questions with short answers to help you and others today.
Question 1: Why don’t we keep Christmas, New Year’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Easter, or other popular holidays!?
Answer: Because we have learned from God’s living word that He does not teach keeping them. Be sure to read and study Leviticus chapter 23 in which the LORD our God lists for us – the “children of Israel”; the spiritual New Covenant Church of God – His feasts which are commanded to be kept and proclaimed as holy convocations – “these are My feasts.” Also, the Apostle Paul WARNED about this present evil age and its practices and what is associated with them –
“Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and NOT TO GOD, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22) Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” – 1st Corinthians 10:20-22.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15) And what accord has Christ with Belial [another name of Satan the Devil’s]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16) And what agreement has the temple of God WITH IDOLS? For you are the temple of the living God [CHRIST IN YOU!]. As God said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. …’”
And brethren, this includes NOT playing their violent and vulgar saturated video games!
“ … ‘Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.’ 18) ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.’” – 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18.
Even secular history books and encyclopedias show us that this world’s holidays were never originally true Christian celebrations.
Question 2: Why don’t we eat pork or shellfish!?
Answer: Because God’s living word says that they are forbidden to eat. Be sure to read and study Leviticus chapter 11 along with Deuteronomy chapter 14. Also, it is medically documented that eating them has potential health issues.
Question 3: Why is it that you don’t have any parties or events Friday nights or on Saturdays!?
Answer: Because we keep the holy SEVENTH DAY SABBATH, which begins Friday at sunset and ends Saturday at sunset. This is something that God commands -
“’ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10) But the SEVENTH DAY [which is known as Saturday] is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11) For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and RESTED the SEVENTH DAY. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.’” – Exodus 20:8-11.
Now, while God’s living word tells us that we are to “be ready always with an answer” – 1st Peter 3:15, KJV. It may be that we can only – because of circumstances – give short answers to questions. Like the other day, I was asked question 2 by some unconverted friends. And the answer I gave was the same as I have written here. They finally answered: “Oh, well, the Bible was written by men.”
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In the glorious and holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Minister Leonard V Johnson
Suggested Sabbath Day Services
Here is our suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and friends around the world:
TWO songs of praise. (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, is suggested, there is some Instrumental Accompaniment to the Bible Hymnal available on our website).
Opening prayer.
A song of special music. Might we suggest “Hold On To Me” performed by Minister Guy LaMar!?
Sermonette – “Are Two Able To Walk Together?” Additional sermonettes are available on our BitChute channel – URL: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/U3xLiHjo9y45/. Along with our other video platforms.
Announcements – from the deacon or pastor.
Sermon – from the pastor or a guest speaker. The one suggested for this week is “Cry Aloud, Spare Not.” Other sermons are available on the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries’ UGETube channel.
Closing song.
Closing prayer.
In case you do not receive a ‘Letter to our Friends,' remember that there are many sermon messages on the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries YouTube channel, as well as our Soundcloud Radio channel.
Some World News In Relation To Biblical Prophecy
In Iran this week they’ve been complaining that the United States of America isn’t moving fast enough towards another nuclear “deal.” (See: ‘ZeroHedge: Iran Slams US For Procrastinating On Nuclear Deal’). Notice this from last month with Israel365News –
“The United States would use military force “as a last resort” to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.“Iran cannot get a nuclear weapon,” Biden told Channel 12 in an interview that aired shortly after his arrival in Israel for his first official visit as president.The U.S. president emphasized, however, that his administration remains committed to reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran.“I think it was a giant mistake for the previous president to get out of the deal,” said Biden, in reference to former U.S. leader Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw from the accord.According to Biden, now the Iranians “are closer to a nuclear weapon than ever before.”However, he continued, “We can act against [Iranian terrorism] and still have a deal that can curtail the nuclear program,” he said. “I still think it makes sense.”Asked whether he would authorize the use of force if need be to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons, Biden answered: “As a last resort, yes.”(Israel365News - BIDEN: US WOULD USE FORCE AS ‘LAST RESORT’ TO PREVENT IRAN FROM OBTAINING NUKE – July 14th, 2022).
So, the Biden/Harris Administration has publicly stated that it may be willing (personally, that type of statement airs a sense of weakness, compared to President Donald Trump’s warning to North Korea – ‘Pyongyang faces fire and fury like the world has never seen if it continues to threaten the United States with nuclear weapons!’) to engage Iran militarily!? With Iran’s frustration and the fact that it sees the USA as the demonizing epithet The Great Satan and Israel as The Little Satan – as we’ve been WARNING this may provoke IRAN (which anciently is considered Persia) to strike out at the tiny nation in the Middle East known as Israel and its attempt at destroying and taking over Jerusalem in a show of force to help unite and lead a prophesied ‘king of the South’ – a final end-time ‘king of the South’ which will rise to power and lead a confederation of predominantly Muslim lands in the Middle East and North Africa (cf. Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8). It could be possible that Iran – the number one terrorist nation in the world – may cause many of the ‘troubles’ our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ prophesied would occur in this 11:59 hour! – see Mark 13:8.
And Israel was shown – along with the whole world – the utter weakness of the Biden/Harris Administration – e.g. the Afghanistan debacle! Israel is more than capable and willing to attack, even without US approval!
Yet, Iran does have the ability to cause great damage and destruction to Israel, as well as cause some damage to the United States of America along with our interests abroad. Let us notice something that the Prophet Isaiah was inspired by the LORD God to warn concerning grave damage which is soon to come to JERUSALEM –
“Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7) It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.”
Continuing with verses 8 & 9 – “He [Almighty God] removed the protection of JUDAH. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9) You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; …” – Isaiah 22:6-9.
Elam is a reference to at least some in Iran.
God’s living word – and I say “living” because His word is “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword”! – Hebrews 4:12, NASB. As a background, we wrote in the article “Our Roots” –
“In the span of 19 different kings and seven dynasties, the kings of Israel rebelled against the Lord our God, the Creator of heaven and earth. And finally, the LORD God warned them that He would drive them out. And He did. The HOUSE OF ISRAEL was taken captive to Assyria on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. In 2nd Kings chapter 17, we read of this very thing!“Now the king of Assyria [King Tiglath-Pileser III] went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for THREE YEARS. 6) In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel [not the Jews] away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” – 2 Kings 17:5-6.Verse 18 – “Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone.”So, only the Kingdom of Judah remained.Verse 23 – “Until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day [meaning, as it was when this was written]. 24) Then the king of Assyria brought the people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.”In other words, the people called ISRAEL were forcibly relocated by the Neo-Assyrian Empire! They were all moved from their farms, from their cities, and from their homes!So now they were the ones being called Samaritans in the time of our Lord Jesus. The Jews in the time of our Lord Jesus were from the Kingdom of Judah.”
With that being said, God’s living word has the expression “the Syrians from Kir” – Amos 9:7. Which is a confirmation that Kir of Isaiah chapter 22 includes Syrians. His word also tells us that in the time of the end Kir will be utterly destroyed! – cf. Isaiah 15:1 – “ … Because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste And destroyed.” Since Syria is Iran’s closest ally, certainly military cooperation between the two will occur when Iran finally decides to strike against Israel.
The LORD God’s two-fold prophecy in Isaiah 22 references “Judah” which is the land commonly called Israel. The LORD God will soon allow Israel to be viciously attacked! And certainly relying on her own military and Iron Dome will not be enough!
Grave death and destruction are coming to the modern nation of Israel.
Now, it should be noted that God’s living word shows us that Iran will not end up faring too well. Notice the following in this dual prophecy which does indicate at least a partial destruction before the ‘latter days’:
“The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam [ancient Persia/Iran], in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35) ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam. The foremost of their might. 36) Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all these winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. 37) For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies And before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, My fierce anger,’ says the LORD; ‘And I will send the sword after them Until I have consumed them. 38) I will set My throne in Elam, And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the LORD.” – Jeremiah 49:34-38.
Indeed, this latest Israeli air strike against Syria is a cause to ‘WATCH’ – cf. Mark 13:37. Again, sadly the Iron Dome will not prevent this two-fold prophecy of Isaiah chapter 22 from being fulfilled ):
Also in world news – and we’ve mentioned this scourge before in one of our The WatchMan Report’s – the infectious viral disease Monkeypox is continuing. And, as we had mentioned - Monkeypox is chiefly transmitted through sex between homosexuals! As the CDC appears to partially acknowledge as experts look more closely into the details (See: ‘FoxNews: Monkeypox chiefly transmitted through sex between men, suggests CDC update communications strategy’). Sexual immorality continues to contribute to many of our Lord Jesus Christ’s prophesied ‘pestilences’ – Matthew 24:7.
Notice this report from Vanderbilt University –
How Does Monkeypox Spread?Monkeypox can be spread from person to person through close, personal contact (often skin-to-skin contact), including:• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.• Touching objects, particularly porous surfaces and fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), or surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.• Contact with respiratory secretions.• A pregnant person can spread the virus to a fetus through the placenta.This direct contact can happen during intimate contact, including prolonged face-to-face contact, hugging, massage, kissing, or sexual contact.(Health and Wellness, Vanderbilt University, How does monkeypox spread? Retrieved 26 August 2022).
This report, however, completely overlooks the FACT that this is almost entirely spread through homosexuals outside of Africa!
Sadly, the majority of the mainstream media is PUSHING an inaccurate narrative concerning Monkeypox. All you need do is a quick Google search and you will see - listed at the top of your page – ‘USA Today: Fact check - Monkeypox can spread to anyone through close contact’! Which states unequivocally that “the claim is wrong on multiple fronts.” Then goes on and actually quotes Dr. Matthew Hamill, an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, “While the outbreak at the moment has predominantly affected the LGBTQ community, that is bound to change.” Touché! USA Today along with a whole plethora of Left-wing news media outlets needs to make up their mind!
Friends, national sins affect us all – certainly, this will spread to heterosexual partners!
But sexual immorality – and in this case sodomy – is the cause of what is now happening with Monkeypox!
Notice the following in this time of the end prophecy –
“THIS know also, that in the LAST DAYS perilous times shall come. 2) For men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, PROUD, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. 3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. 4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – 2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV.
Sodomites – as we have been witnessing; especially since June 26, 2015 – are certainly lovers of their own selves, PROUD, without natural affection, and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God! And much of the same is true of those who are involved in prostitution.
Also this week in the news – apparently this “Global Warming” is at it again! Europe and much of the Western United States of America are under a severe drought – whereas Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and even Death Valley have seen torrential heavy downpours of rain! (See: ‘CBS News: Europe's drought is the worst in 500 years, officials say, as two-thirds of the continent is under distress’).
Also, notice this from Dr. Dominic Royé who tweeted – “A single map for the worst #drought in 500 years in Europe.”
God’s living word directly connects sin and drought. His word shows us that water, rain, and drought will become an even worse problem for various disobedient nations in this end time –
"'I also withheld rain from you [drought], When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 8) So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; YET YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED TO ME,' Says the LORD. 9) 'I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And your olive trees, The locust devoured them; YET YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED TO ME,' Says the LORD" - Amos 4:7-9.
"The LORD said: 'Surely it will be well with your remnant; Surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you In the time of adversity and in the time of affliction. 12) Can anyone break iron, The northern iron and the bronze? 13) Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder without price, BECAUSE OF ALL YOUR SINS, Throughout your territories. 14) And I will make you cross over with your enemies Into a land which you do not know; FOR A FIRE is kindled in My anger, Which shall burn upon you'" - Jeremiah 15:11-14.
Back in Deuteronomy 28, we’ve read it before, He talks about the BLESSINGS and He also talks about the CURSES! God is a generous God – we know that. But He also at times said, “I’m tired of fooling around with you! Here’s what you get!” And there are curses listed back in Deuteronomy 28, and they’re a bit chilling. And I have a feeling as a nation we aren’t far away from finding out what that means.
“’ But it shall come to pass, IF you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, [for there is but ONE God, and ONE Mediator between God and all men, Jesus Christ; Isa. 44:6], to observe CAREFULLY all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: ….’” – Deuteronomy 28:15.
“’ I will take away its hedge, and it SHALL BE BURNED; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6) I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I WILL ALSO COMMAND THE CLOUDS THAT THEY RAIN NO RAIN ON IT.’” – Isaiah 5:5-6.
“’ And it shall be that IF you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [life], 14) then I will give you the rain for your land IN ITS SEASON, …’” – Deuteronomy 11:13-17.
Severe droughts and various weather problems, including floods and high heat, can contribute to food shortages, higher food prices, and even famine!
We are seeing areas of massive drought and excessive rain.
Also notice that the LORD our God uses weather to WARN our peoples to turn to Him – yet, the majority ignore this –
“’ I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you DID NOT turn to Me,’ says the LORD.” – Haggai 2:17.
Friends, God’s living word shows us –
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but NOW commands ALL MEN EVERYWHERE TO REPENT.” – Acts 17:30.
Concluding Comments
The prophet Micah wrote:
The prophet Micah wrote: “Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD [the Kingdom of God], To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion [New Jerusalem] the Law shall go forth, And the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem” – Micah 4:2.
Minister Michael C. Garrett stated:
“I do not know what my Protestant and Catholic friends do with these verses! I can only imagine that they never read them, or if they do read them they take out a black magic marker and just mark them out. Because it’s the exact opposite of what their religious leaders are teaching them. And I don’t know why they just can’t look into the Word of God and say, “You know, they’ve been lying to me! My religious leaders have not told me the truth! And I’m just gonna reevaluate everything I ever thought I knew about God and the Bible, and the Plan of God.” Well, the reason they don’t do it, is because at this present time, they’re not being called. But, someday they will be. And then they will finally understand. Zephaniah chapter 3, verse 14 – “Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15) The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.” Verse 17 – “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, …” God, living on the Earth! Isaiah chapter 2 – which is almost identical to what Micah wrote in Micah 4.”
Dear friends, as we keep this Sabbath let us go forth as our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to, as shining examples of those who strive to live according to the Law of God – the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God.
In deep gratitude and love, in Jesus' name,
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