Monday, August 28, 2023

Think About This... The LORD God Does Not Change!


by Guy C. LaMar




If the LORD God – the family of God which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ – places Their wrath in a certain way onto a nation, a country, or a province, that has done certain abominable things that are against Their divine will thousands of years ago, make no mistake about it, the Eternal our God will do the same to the wicked nations, countries, and provinces in this 21st century world – this present evil age!

The United States of America has fallen into the filth and mire of duplicating former heathen nations that the Eternal One has utterly destroyed and eliminated.

The LORD God’s protection will not be on any nation that REJECTS Their Way.

If you would like to know what the results are of what is truly happening to the USA, then let us read Isaiah the 1st chapter – a two-fold prophecy –

Verse – “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning JUDAH and JERUSALEM …”

Verse 2 – “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken:

‘I have nourished and brought up children, AND THEY REBELLED AGAINST ME; 3) The ox knows its owner And the ass its master’s crib; But ISRAEL DOES NOT KNOW, My people do not consider.’

Verse 4 – ‘Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, CHILDREN WHO ARE CORRUPTERS! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.’”

Verse 5 – “’ WHY should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. 6) From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.’”

Verse 7 – “’ Your country is desolate, YOUR CITIES ARE BURNED WITH FIRE; Strangers devour your land in your presence; …’”

Sadly, the vile Antifa and the BLM types used violence and burnt down cities, destroying property, stealing, and even murdering to achieve their goals of abominable activities and mentally deranged propaganda!

Also, here in the United States of America, there is an invasion of illegal strangers coming into the nation, with our borders and many major cities nothing but cesspools – an overwhelming influx of criminals and mentally deranged flooding our nation! The once great USA now has a weak and fickle leadership that is allowing invaders to take over!

Verse 9 – “’ Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.’”

God’s living word tells us in Ecclesiastes “that which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun” – Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Brethren and friends – the once great and powerful United States of America is at the end of its rope! And, because of the vast influx of so many people from different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles – truly the non-vetted masses! Most of them are not yearning to MAGA, but rather to take advantage of an already weakened America! There are growing cultures and ideologies that are foreign to the founding stock of Americans, and there is a complete rejection of Christianity.

The United States of America has turned her back on God in such a way that there is no doubt of her imminent fall. She has completely embraced Sodomy along with paganism and is allowing Satan the devil to rule her.

When a nation, country, or province, completely rejects God – it crumbles to the ground. As the LORD says in this two-fold prophecy, “’ Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant,’” the only saving grace that the USA still has is the fact that there is a very small remnant of His true servants who reside within the nation. □


Additional Things To Think About...

A New Sodom and Gomorrah - A guy that is involved with the University of North Alabama (UNA) posted something against homosexuals on his own PERSONAL social media account. [...]
Could Jesus Christ Return in 2029? - What about 2030!? What about 2031!? Or, 2039!? [...]
A Soon-Coming Kingdom - Personally, I firmly believe the following – and it surely makes a lot of wonderful sense. It certainly beats believing – and having never been shown God’s truth [...]

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Saturday Sabbath with Jews and Sunday with Gentiles?


Don't buy into Satan the devil's lie that Sunday is "the Lord's Day."

by Guy C LaMar


You can also listen to this article. Click the orange play button below



I noticed a video on social media where a person was ranting about how Sunday was “the Lord’s Day,” and that the Sabbath was only for the Jews.

Here is a collection of vital information that we would like to share with you on this MOST IMPORTANT matter. We can assure you, there is a whole lot more that can be said than just what we have here in this article.

The book of Genesis─the name means “beginnings” ─ speaks almost immediately about the subject of the holy Sabbath─the seventh day of the week. It is as though the LORD God wanted this vital issue clearly established in the minds of people from Their “Instruction Manual” from the outset.

Near the book’s beginning, immediately after the “Creation chapter” concludes, God’s living word states this –

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2) And ON THE SEVENTH DAY God ended His work which He had done, and HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY from all His work which He had done. 3) Then God BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” – Genesis 2:1-3.

Now, while no one should have missed, or misunderstood, the importance of this passage, nearly everyone has.

There is a belief in the minds of a great many regarding the Jewish people, and whether these ONLY were, or still are, to observe the holy Sabbath. Then there are still others who wonder which is the seventh day of the week on our modern Gregorian calendar. And, can we really know which day should be observed? Still, others do recognize that our Lord Jesus Christ kept the holy Sabbath, but are taught and believe that He “kept it for us.” Or, “He kept it because He was Jewish.” And still yet, there are a great many that teach and believe that the holy Sabbath is and has always been the seventh day of the week, but that “the Roman Catholic Church,” and the supposed authority granted to Saint Peter, changed observance to the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK─SUNDAY.

In God’s living word, when the LORD God (Matthew 4:4) mentions the word Sabbath or the seventh day, it is referring to the day we call “Saturday” on the Gregorian calendar. Nearly every reputable biblical commentary will point this out. Most people do know that the holy Sabbath is taught repeatedly in the Old Testament. Yet, most people reason amongst themselves that this is for the Jewish people. And, they continue to reason that when our Lord Jesus Christ came, He changed the holy Sabbath to Sunday in the New Testament.

Did He!?

The word Sabbath or Sabbaths is mentioned 172 times throughout God’s living word. You may be shocked to learn that 60 of these words are found in the New Testament.

Throughout the New Testament, you won’t find any proof that Jesus ever changed the holy Sabbath day.

Early in our Lord Jesus’ ministry, we find that He taught on the holy Sabbath day (Mark 1:21; 6:2; Luke 4:31; 13:10). In fact, Luke 4:16 says this was His custom! Mark 2:27-28 says, “And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28) Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.’

Yes! Our Master Lord Jesus is the Master of the Sabbath! Which was made for you and me!

If our Lord Jesus had changed the holy Sabbath to the first day of the week─Sunday, the apostles who were taught directly from our Lord Jesus would have known about it. The Apostle Paul and those with him who were traveling to Antioch went into the synagogue on the Sabbath to preach (Acts 13:14-15). This was many years after the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

In verse 42, after the Apostle Paul’s Sabbath sermon, many of the Jewish people who heard him became offended and left. But notice –

“On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God” – verse 44.

Glorious!

The Gentiles, those who had no prior knowledge of a holy Sabbath observance, begged that these glorious words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now, why didn’t the Gentiles ask him to come back the following day─Sunday? Because the Apostle Paul, like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, kept the holy Sabbath!

Notice Acts 17:2 – “Then Paul, AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.” Friends, this occurred some twenty-eight years after the death and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! And, we see that it was the Apostle Paul’s custom to remember and keep the Sabbath holy, just as it was our Lord Jesus’ (Luke 4:16).

Within those same years (Approximately A.D. 65), the Apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews. After discussing the Millennial rest (denoting or relating to a period of a thousand years) in the first few verses of chapter 4, the Apostle Paul then shifts to the weekly holy day that pictures that Millennial rest –

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” – Hebrews 4:9.

The Koine Greek word for rest is sabbatismos, which simply means “keeping of the holy Sabbath.”

Many Holy Bible margins point this out. The Apostle Paul taught in the book of Hebrews that we are to remember each week on God’s holy Sabbath of a soon-coming Millennial rest for the entire world.

Now, there is another verse that adds to the verses we have thus covered. It is found in Matthew 24:20 – our Lord Jesus speaking to the Israelites –

’ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.’
(In the end-time when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ get out of Judah, flee, and when a lot of the Jewish people see their torment coming, are going to attempt to leave what we call ‘Israel’ today. Many are going to head north and try and cross Turkey over into Europe. And the Turks will NOT allow them. The Turks will round them up and sell them or kill them. Horrible end-time trauma comes upon the nation of Judah; modern-day Israel. (Again, be sure to read our two-part article “The Day of the LORD” in which more can be found concerning this ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Jesus Christ). This whole passage in Matthew 24 is prophetic. Our Lord Jesus is talking about a future ‘great tribulation’ that is so terrible that it involves the whole world, and if the LORD God didn’t cut it short, ’ no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.’ – verses 21-22.

This ‘great tribulation,’ such as has not been since the beginning of the world, has not occurred yet in the history of mankind. But it is soon coming onto the world scene. When it does come, God’s people will be protected. Minister Michael C. Garrett speaks of this period of time –

“Now, I’ve always thought: well, IF God resurrects His people – His spiritual people; the spiritual House of Israel – ON THE SEVENTH TRUMP, and we know that the Battle of Armageddon is about the Sixth of the Seven Last Plagues – the Day of the LORD, theoretically, everyone who should have been resurrected has already been resurrected, so, to whom was He referring!? I think most of the decades I’ve been around … it was sort of assumed, and I think incorrectly, that those ‘elects’ were somehow the Church members. But keep in mind, IF you properly understand the order of events, the Church members – the people who have God’s Spirit – will at that time have been resurrected already. So, who is the ‘elect’? Well, notice what it says in Isaiah 45:4 – “’ For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, …’” Who’s He saving the earth for!? … He’s saving the elect as in physical Israel. For the sake of the physical people of Israel, those days will be shortened.”

(Garrett, M.C., Feast of Trumpets – ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ 29 Sept. 2019).
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells His followers in Judah to pray that at the time of the end of this age, their flight will not be on a holy Sabbath.

There are lots of New Testament teachings about the Sabbath.

In God’s living word, there is little said about the first day of the week─Sunday. While God’s holy Sabbath on the seventh day of the week is mentioned 60 times in the New Testament. The first day of the week is mentioned eight times.

In 1st Corinthians 16:1-4, the disciples were told by the Apostle Paul to take up a “collection for the saints” “on the first day of the week.”

There are many who use this as a proof text to show that people should go to church on Sunday, and should collect money each Sunday. One should read the entire passage!

Romans 15:25-28 shows that this collection was taken for the saints in Jerusalem because they were extremely poor. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul said he would help carry the collection if they needed him – 1st Corinthians 16:4.

Surely, this was a collection of food and clothes items─not money. It was for the saints in Jerusalem, not for all the churches. And, they were instructed to lay something aside on the first day of the week─Sunday. This is not a command to gather together and worship the LORD God on Sunday!

In Acts 20:7, we find that the disciples gathered together on the first day of the week to “break bread” (which simply means to have a meal). This was an evening gathering that lasted until midnight. To better understand this passage, we must understand when the LORD God’s days begin and end. A “Day” begins at sunset. The LORD God’s holy Sabbath is to be remembered and kept holy from Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset wherever you are. If this gathering in the book of Acts was at night on the first day, then it would have been on what we call Saturday night. The Apostle Paul preached until midnight. And, he was left behind by his companions that night (see verse 13). Now, if it was a commanded assembly on the first day of the week, they would not have left him. But, they left Brother Paul and began sailing that night. The following day (Sunday), Brother Paul proceeded to walk some 20 miles to Assos. Be sure to read the whole story and you will begin to see that this is in no way a command to observe Sunday! The Apostle Paul was merely taking advantage of his last opportunity to meet and speak with the brethren at Troas─which was on Saturday night.

Colossians 2:16-17 is also misapplied by a great many to supposedly “do away” with the LORD God’s holy Sabbath. It reads –

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17) which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
(Verses 16-18 do not abolish the dietary laws of clean and unclean meats, the festivals, or the weekly Sabbath of God. Rather, Paul is clearly affirming that the Gentiles in Colosse were to continue to observe these commandments as they had been taught. Paul was instructing the Colossians to disregard the criticisms and harsh judgments of those outside the Church because the observance of these days is a continuing foreshadow of the things that are yet to come in God’s Plan. By being faithful and keeping these commandments of God, they would always be worshiping the true God, be built up in Jesus Christ, and never lose the understanding of God’s Plan. By true repentance to God the Father and Jesus Christ, they would not be deceived by the vain philosophies of men, nor would they be seduced into the worship of fallen angels ─ Satan and his demons. The Holy Bible In Its Original Order A New English Translation by Fred R. Coulter. York Publishing Co., 2007, 2009, pg. 1199).
God’s living word shows us that the “Body of Christ” is the Church – see 1st Corinthians 12:27. That is the point that our beloved Apostle Paul was making. Brethren, we can’t allow any individual or group of people determine for us what is God’s Way─ what day we should or shouldn’t remember and keep holy. The LORD God tells us and reminds us through Their Spirit within us─ the “body of Christ.” The Lord Jesus─the Head of the Church determines what is doctrine. Not any man. God’s living word COMMANDS us that we are to “’ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy’” – Exodus 20:8.

Yet, let us not overlook this important part that the Apostle Paul spoke of –

“which are a shadow of things to come, …”

The General Sherman Tree, in the sun, casts a shadow. Follow the shadow, it leads to the largest tree in the world! If you cut down this enormous tree (the holy Sabbath in this metaphor), then there is no tree.

The Lord Jesus’ holy Sabbath, as this “shadow,” is a weekly reminder of not only the spiritual rest this world will have in the Millennium, but also a weekly reminder of the LORD God’s awesome Plan for the redemption of all humanity─past, present, and future!

Sadly, the majority of new easy-to-read Bible translations have greatly bastardized verse 17 to make it sound like our Lord Jesus Christ “kept it for us.”

As a note: Compare the original Authorized Version, the King James Version, with the New English Bible. The only mistake in the KJV is the word “is” was added by the translators.

It’s also important to note that this Epistle of Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles at Colosse, “the uncircumcision of your flesh.” The Gentile converts had no prior understanding of the holy Sabbath, or of a physical circumcision of the foreskin of the penis. Yet, the Apostle Paul discusses it with them. He told them that not only are they “dead” in their sins against the LORD God upon conversion, but also they are no longer required to receive a “circumcision of the flesh,” because that was part of the Old Covenant─our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it [the Old Covenant] to the cross.”

This world’s Judeo-Christianity, along with this world's Christianity, has never properly understood God’s living truth in this matter. Also, the Sabbath that was drawing near when our Savior Jesus Christ was being tortured, humiliated, spat upon, rejected, scourged with a whip, and eventually murdered, was NOT a holy seventh-day Sabbath─it was an annual Sabbath─one of the LORD God’s annual holy days (John 19:31).

In A.D. 31, the year that our Lord Jesus was crucified, that annual Sabbath occurred on a Thursday. Our Lord Jesus died on the afternoon before─on Wednesday.

Three full days and nights bring the actual glorious resurrection to the afternoon of Saturday, shortly before sunset. By the end of that Sabbath afternoon, our Lord Jesus was already gone – Matthew 28:1. Do you realize what this means!? The main “proof” that this world’s Christianity uses to allow for a Sunday observance is that “our Lord was resurrected on that day.”

No, He wasn’t!

So, there is absolutely no biblical proof whatsoever of a Sunday observance. Where did this damnable belief originate!?

Changing the official holy day of gathering together and worship from the LORD God’s seventh-day Sabbath to the first day of the week─Sunday, was ordered by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. On March 7th, 321, he issued a civil decree – making Sunday a day of rest from labor. Stating, “All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable day of the Sun.”

Here is a portion of the Edict Against the Heretics by Constantine – 
“FORASMUCH, then, as it is no longer possible to bear with your pernicious errors, we give warning by this present statute that none of you henceforth presume to assemble yourselves together. We have directed, accordingly, that you be deprived of all the houses in which you are accustomed to hold your assemblies: and our care in this respect extends so far as to forbid the holding of your superstitious and senseless meetings, not in public merely, but in any private house or place whatsoever. Let those of you, therefore, who are desirous of embracing the true and pure religion, take the far better course of entering the catholic Church, and uniting with it in holy fellowship, whereby you will be enabled to arrive at the knowledge of the truth. In any case, the delusions of your perverted understandings must entirely cease to mingle with and mar the felicity of our present times: I mean the impious and wretched doublemindedness of heretics and schismatics. … from this day forward none of your unlawful assemblies may presume to appear in any public or private place. Let this edict be made public.”
Friends, here is historical proof of the enforced observance of Sunday. To assemble together for worship on any other day was considered heretic!

In the fourth-century A.D., the Catholic Council of Laodicea affirmed Sunday worship and declared that all Sabbath-keeping Christians are heretics. At that Catholic conference, it was determined – Canon 29
“Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema [meaning cursed or excommunicated] from Christ.”
Today, many Sunday-observing “Christians” admit the holy Sabbath was changed by the Roman Catholics

Roman Catholics and Methodists Confessions –
Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism 3rd ed., p. 174. “Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?
“Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”

CLOVIS G. CHAPPELL, Ten Rules for Living, page 61. “The reason we observe the first day instead of the seventh is based on no positive command. One will search the Scriptures in vain for authority for changing from the seventh day to the first...”

Charles Buck, A Theological Dictionary, Sabbath – “Sabbath in the Hebrew language signifies rest, and is the seventh day of the week... and it must be confessed that there is no law in the New Testament concerning the first day.”

Sunday School Advocate, Dec. 31, 1921 – “… In those days the people worshiped the sun because many words were made to tell of many thoughts about many things. The people became Christians and were ruled by an emperor whose name was Constantine. This emperor made Sunday the Christian Sabbath, because of the blessing of light and heat which came from the sun. So our Sunday is a sun-day, isn't it?”

New York Herald 1874, on the Methodist Episcopal Bishops Pastoral 1874 – “The Sabbath instituted in the beginning, and confirmed again and again by Moses and the prophets, has never been abrogated. A part of the moral law, not a jot or a tittle of its sanctity has been taken away.”
Biblical scholars will try to reason their way around the LORD God’s immutable living truth! But, the LORD God DOES NOT command nor endorse any kind of Sunday gathering or worship. Instead, the LORD our God commands –

“’ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy’” – Exodus 20:8.

The LORD God’s Law commands us to remember and keep the Sabbath day holy. Throughout God’s living word in the Old Testament, you will find it repeatedly. And, when the children of Israel began defiling the LORD God’s holy Sabbath, it led to their captivity – see Jeremiah 17:27; 52:12-15.

The children of Israel were commanded to remember and keep holy the Sabbath day. The LORD God’s prophets kept the holy Sabbath! – see Ephesians 2:19-21. Our Lord Jesus Christ remembered and kept holy the Sabbath day. Again, it was His custom (Luke 4:16). All of the apostles observed the seventh day holy Sabbath (Acts 17:2). They FOLLOWED our Lord Jesus Christ’s example! In 1st Corinthians 11:1, our beloved Paul says, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

The LORD God’s holy Sabbath day was “made for man, not man for the Sabbath” – see Genesis 2:2-3. And, the Eternal God made it by not working on that day, and resting and sanctifying it – setting it apart.

The holy Sabbath is not just for Jewish people – it’s for ALL MANKIND

True Christians follow Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Who is now an awesome being sitting at the right hand of Father God in the upper heavenly realms! He remembered and kept the holy Sabbath. The apostles ─long after the glorious ascension of our Master Jesus Christ remembered and kept the Sabbath day holy.

Sunday keeping is something that Satan the devil instituted to deceive all mankind from properly learning of the LORD God’s FOURTH COMMANDMENT. But, mankind being stiff-necked in his religiosity, refuses to accept that he has been beguiled. Because their traditions are what they prefer over observing a command from the LORD God.

Friends, our Lord Jesus warned that people would worship Him in vain by teaching and observing doctrines of mankind.

It’s simple – we can either do the things that Almighty God commands, or the ways of this world, which are under the influence of Satan the devil – as he is the “god of this age” – 2 Corinthians 4:4.

The holy Sabbath day ─Friday sunset to Saturday sunset was not instituted by the Jewish people. It was instituted by the LORD God. The holy Sabbath day was kept long before the Jews were ever even mentioned in God’s living word!

And, as already mentioned – our Lord Jesus makes it abundantly clear that the holy Sabbath day is vitally IMPORTANT – even in the times of the end of this age.

DO NOT buy into the lie that Sunday is “the Lord’s Day.”

Sunday keeping is not the Lord’s Day – nor is it the holy Sabbath day.

The holy Sabbath ─ the seventh day ─ is the day to remember and keep holy.

The holy Sabbath is known today as Saturday. The day instituted by the LORD God – the family of God.

The 7th Day.

It is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset as the LORD God instituted from the beginning.

The Day of the Sun is a man-made idea influenced by Satan the devil to get mankind away from properly keeping the Ten Commandments! □

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Letter to our Friends - August 11, 2023


CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST ONLINE MINISTRIES
We are based upon the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God

P.O. BOX 6458
SPRING HILL, FLORIDA 34606



Leonard V. Johnson
Pastor and Founder


Dear Friends and Associates in Christ Jesus:

Greetings from Spring Hill, Florida.

We are continuing to Proclaim and Preach To Jesus Christ’s Spiritual “Lost Sheep” and To His Potential “Sheep”

A great many are focusing on the wrong things to work at, proclaim, and preach. As we’ve mentioned before –
“ … many of the descendants of the [Church of God] continue to practice the misappropriation of Matthew 24:14. They continue to teach it as, “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a WARNING and a WITNESS unto all nations, …” It does NOT say that! Jesus Christ said – quoting from the Authorized Version – ’ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ The word witness is from the Greek word marturion, meaning testimony. And, testimony is almost always rendered “witness” in the Revised Version (RV). The New American Standard Bible (NASB) renders it, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Jesus Christ just said the TRUTH OF GOD will be preached. But human beings have incorrectly come up with the idea that THEY are going to be the ones doing the preaching! …

… in T R U T H – in the end-time – that TESTIMONY will come from Jesus Christ through His chosen ‘witnesses’ (possibly 12) – the “end-time prophets.” Friends, it is not referring to printing presses, radio stations, or TV, and all of that …

… as I had written in May 2019 - Matthew 28:19-20, though preaching as a witness is included within the scope of the commission – it is actually placing MORE emphasis upon the ENTIRE PROCESS OF CONVERSION, of feeding, of growing, and of overcoming – than merely witnessing. The keyword is “process.”

The word “teaching” in verse 19 is the key to this understanding. The New King James English more accurately translates the word “teaching” to “make disciples.” And, this is not that teaching is wrong as long as you understand that teach means a process. All the teaching required to make disciples doesn’t take place merely in making a witness. There are huge differences between the two.”

(Letter to our Friends – January 21, 2020).
And I’d like to add one of the greatest and most difficult jobs that our Lord Jesus gave us brethren – love our enemies

’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you’ – Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:35-37.

The true spiritual individual can confidently say, as the Apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” – Galatians 2:20. When you can honestly and sincerely say this, then you truly have the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ within you!

A true spiritual individual does not flip-flop on doctrines or spiritual issues – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of A SOUND MIND” – 2 Timothy 1:7. We are not, brethren, one of those carried away with every false pseudo-spiritual or occultism, in which false manifestations of God’s divine Spirit is being counterfeited by demonstrations of self in nothing more than a fanatical emotionalism. The Apostle Paul writes – through the very Spirit of our great and powerful God – “ … we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” – Ephesians 4:14. And, as the Apostle Paul said to the Church in Corinth – “ … in understanding be mature [spiritually] – 1 Corinthians 14:20.

’ By their FRUITS,’” not by their fanatical emotionalism – such as their supposed ability to babble in an “unknown tongue.” Or their empty profession or confession of faith. And, I’ll address this below. Or, their self-righteousness. It’s by their “ … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These are the things which expresses – in living character – and witnesses to others true spirituality. These things are the expression of God’s love “poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit [which] was given to us” - Romans 5:5. Truly, the Holy Spirit within us is GOD’S LAW in action in our lives! “ …love is the fulfillment of the Law” – Romans 13:10. And this is true spirituality.

“Though I speak with the [languages] of men and of angels, but have not love [agape love; Godly love], I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” – 1 Corinthians 13:1.

There were pompous and self-righteous people there in ancient Corinth – as there are even today in this world – who spoke with eloquence. And there were those who spoke in various languages which they abused for purposes of mere ostentation.

“And though I have the gift of prophecy [also, inspired speaking], and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” – 1 Corinthians 13:2.

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned [cf. Daniel 3:28], but have not love, it profits me nothing” – 1 Corinthians 13:3.

What is it to have Godly love!? Notice –

Love suffers long [is patient] …” – under the provocation of evil. “ … and is kind; love does not envy [also the Greek includes jealousy]; love does not parade itself [in words; such as those who use words and languages as mere display], is not puffed up [as with entertainment zeal]; 5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked [easily], thinks no evil [basically, imputeth not evil]; 6) does not rejoice in evil, but rejoices in the TRUTH; 7) bears all things [as in – we should endure without divulging to the world our personal distresses], believes all things [as in – unsuspiciously believes all that is not palpably false], hopes all things [what is good of another, even when others have ceased to hope], endures all things [as in – persecutions in Christ Jesus in a patient and loving spirit] – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

Sadly, a great many worldly churches – including many of the churches of God we know – DO NOT properly follow the LORD God’s admonition in taking care of our own before we help others by sending money, bibles, or additional supplies to foreign nations. Now, if indeed the brethren in nations such as Africa are true brethren – in other words they exhibit the living fruits of God’s Spirit and are indeed classified as true begotten children of Father God under His classification (Romans 8:14), then surely that is another matter. But, all too often there are empty confessions of faith that come to us from such nations. We receive dozens of such e-mails monthly. Here is one such e-mail sent to us as an example –
Dear servant of the Most High,I am glad indeed for the first time to
write to you and share what I have learnt from your website and our
interests.
Please receive much greetings in Jesus name. We are a young growing
group into a church.
We have looked through your website and really been blessed.We request
you to come and train pastors and other laymen about GOD'S WORD.
We
would love if it is possible for you to come visiting and minister in
our fellowship and mentor us in ministry. We also request for teaching
materials such as Bibles in our local language that is,(EKEGUSII)and
other teaching materials for the church. We invite you to come as soon
as possible in our fellowship.
God bless you as I pray to hear soon please.
PR.SAMSON BOSIRE OTOTO.
Here was our response:
Dear PR. Samson Bosire Ototo,

Thank you for recently contacting the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries. We sincerely appreciate your interest in this great Work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We thank you for your invitation to come visit there in Kenya East Africa and to minister in your fellowship and mentor the ministry. Unfortunately, we are unable to come visit now, due to financial reasons.

We do not currently have teaching “materials” such as books and booklets. You can find our teaching’s however at https://www.owensborocojc.com/.

Please stay in touch with us dear brethren. You can always contact us at pastorleonard1@yahoo.com, or write to us at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries P.O. Box 6458 Spring Hill, FL. 34606.

Sincerely in Jesus’ name,
As usual, we never heard from him again. Here are seven logical principles for funding foreign missions. I especially like number 5 - Don’t Just Give Money; Give Yourself.

We do, however, work on producing and publishing a growing number of audio articles, online books, and booklets, in foreign languages for the convenience of our brethren and associates scattered abroad. The following are some of what we have so far –

Audio Articles in Swahili.
Proving the Truth online booklet in Spanish.
Is God a TRINITY? online booklet in Swahili.
What Is “The Unpardonable Sin”? online booklet in Swahili.
From the Beginning… God’s Master Plan online article in Swahili.
Is God Listening? online article in Swahili.
Do you understand Ezekiel 37? online article in Swahili.
‘The Firstfruits – Unto God’ online article in Swahili.
‘No One Has Ascended To Heaven’ online article in Swahili.
Repent For Salvation online audio article in Swahili.
Will God Truly Save His People? online article in Swahili.
He Who Follows Me Will Not Walk In the Dark online article in Swahili.

This understanding is supported in the Book of Revelation in trying to reach as many people as possible through multiple languages before the glorious and powerful return of our Lord Jesus Christ –

“After these things I looked, and behold, A GREAT MULTITUDE which no one could number, OF ALL NATIONS, TRIBES, PEOPLES, and [LANGUAGES], standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes [which symbolizes righteousness], with palm branches in their hands [which symbolizes victory]. … 13) Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?’ 14) And I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’

So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who [will come after] great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” – Revelation 7:9, 13-14.

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day will begin next month!


Services are to begin the evening of September 29th and continue until sunset ending the Last Great Day which is October 7th in 2023.

Everyone, if you are able, is welcome to attend and observe with us the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day in Owensboro, Kentucky.

We plan on holding services at the Logsdon Community Center. Its address is 2400 Friendship Dr. Owensboro, Kentucky 42303.

We should already be saving our second tithe so we can afford to go and observe the Feast of Tabernacles joyfully, as the LORD God’s living word declares we should.

Do not put it off – time marches fairly quickly.

According to TripAdvisor – Owensboro has some 161 restaurants and some 18 places to stay.

The closest airport is Owensboro–Daviess County Regional Airport (OWB / KOWB), 5 miles from the center of Owensboro, KY.

If you have yet to let us know you are attending with us, please do not delay. Please send Minister Michael C. Garrett an email letting him know at garrett158@roadrunner.com.

Suggested Sabbath Day Service

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 are some Instrumental Accompaniment to the Bible Hymnal available on our website).
• Opening prayer.
• Announcements – from the deacon or pastor.
• Sermon – from the pastor or guest speaker. The one suggested for this week is in relation to what I spoke about earlier – many people’s empty profession or confession of faith – "Do You Have God's Spirit?"
• Closing song.
• Closing prayer.

Some World News In Relation To Biblical Prophecy

In the United States of America, a great many place their confidence in former President Donald Trump. While others believe that the former president will cause the destruction of the USA! Still, others are loosening the blindfold and seeing for the first time the utter corruption of the Biden Crime Family.

The heavily Satan-influenced Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, thinks that if former President Donald Trump is re-elected the USA is doomed! Notice –
Nancy Pelosi Declares America Will Cease To Exist If Trump Becomes President Again

When asked about the possibility of another Trump presidency, Pelosi commanded the reporter “Don’t even think of that.”

“Don’t think of the world being on fire,” she continued, adding “It cannot happen, or we will not be the United States of America.”

“If he were to be president, it would be a criminal enterprise in the White House,” she added, without a hint of irony.

The “irony” is that if the Biden Crime Family, as corrupt as they appear to be, is re-elected, the USA may cease to be a sovereign nation his next term – should he live and stay in office long enough. I personally believe that within the next several months he will step down as president-elect. Even though Mr. Fact Check tells us otherwise. And, could it be that Vice President Kamala Harris moves on to the Supreme Court? She can legally vote herself as a new Supreme Court Justice. This possible change was floated last year when Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer retired. And, calls are getting louder for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign. Her appointment to the highest court would certainly allow the unofficial presidential runner Gavin Newsom to slip in when or if President Biden steps down – or is deemed too incompetent. Notice this report from The Hill last November –
Here’s a game plan: Biden replaces Harris with Newsom and then resigns

“… Newsom won reelection easily and now has the luxury of turning his ambitious eyes completely toward the White House. The question then becomes, will his party turn its eyes toward him as the person who might save it from the Biden-Harris dilemma it is surely about to face?

If the answer is “yes,” the “solution” is really not complicated at all. In one scenario, Biden could ask Harris to resign and replace her with Newsom, who then becomes the heir apparent for 2024. Or Biden could replace Harris with Newsom and then resign himself, making Newsom the president before 2024 and arming him with the full force of the Oval Office. …

Might the Democrats leapfrog him into the Oval Office before 2024? It would be political malpractice for them not to consider the option.”

It’s certainly a head-scratcher! However, let’s be perfectly clear – without national repentance, the United States of America will come to its destruction! (cf Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Also in the News – there appears to be a new strain of COVID-19 that is concerning many (See: Zawya‘New Covid-19 variant detected: What we know so far about EG.5.1’).
August 9, 2023

A new Covid-19 variant, EG.5.1, has been linked to an uptick in hospitalizations in the US and UK. The World Health Organization (WHO) has added the Omicron subvariant, nicknamed Eris, to its monitoring list …
Of course, we can trust WHO about as far as we can throw them! But, that being said, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied of grave pestilences in this end-time –

’ … And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places’ – Matthew 24:7.

Instead of promoting people improving their diet and health, this Biden government and his pharmaceutical cronies are working on MORE VACCINES! And, more than likely will push for a vaccine for this latest variant. Question: Why was there an illegal Chinese-owned bio lab in California!? It still remains an under-discussed issue when it should be treated as a national emergency! As we get closer to the return of our Lord Jesus, there will be even more deadlier pestilences! (cf. Revelation 6:7-8).

Concluding Comments

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote the following:

“Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: ‘You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings, ‘ says the LORD. … 10) For the land is full of adulterers – Jeremiah 23:2, 10.

Minister Garrett wrote:
“God says He will repay them the way they deserve to be repaid. Now, people can say, “To whom is He speaking!?” Is He talking about the physical people of Israel, who have been misled by their false religions!? It’s possible. I think that is part of the implication. But I think it is also referring to the Churches of God – the Body of Christ – and there are in these different organizations pastors who seem more concerned about their own needs, their own sense of power, their own sense of control, than worrying about the spiritual health of people who are a part of their organization. And I do believe every human being who thinks he is a leader in the Body of Christ – you need to read these words very soberly because if you’re not careful you might be on the receiving end. … “For the land is full of adulterers; …” – Now, I’ve tried pointing out before that the word “adultery,” it might, in part, refer to the physical sin of adultery. Sex outside of marriage. Breaking those bonds of loyalty. But, most of the time, not all of the time, when you see words in the Bible such as fornication, adultery, whoring, those types of words, if you read the whole passage, it is God’s pronouncement against people who are engaged in false religion. You see, at one time God married Israel. And when Israel, the people of Israel, leave God and go – in His own terminology – a whoring after other gods and other religions, God looks upon that as the highest form of adultery. Of the betrayal of wedding vows.”

Now, you might very well say to yourself, we don’t have to worry about “adultery” or any false religion. Yet, friends, we are in a world that often promotes evil as good and good as evil. Their “false gods” (as Mr. Garrett teaches in the sermon series “Toxic Philosophy”) are distorted worldly philosophy and public opinion which continues to rapidly sway further away from Almighty God and Jesus Christ.

In deep gratitude and love, in Jesus' name,

Thursday, August 3, 2023

A Morning Bible Study ─ You Were Born to Be a Ruler! Part II


Leonard V Johnson   About



In our previous A Morning Bible Study, we covered the awesome fact that the LORD God – the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ – is in the process of expanding the family of God. That the LORD God is actually reproducing Themselves through human beings!

It’s vitally important to know exactly how the LORD God is accomplishing this glorious Masterful creation. When can we become a literal member of the God family!? What will we be doing as a member of the family of God!? This portion of this study reveals these answers and more.

Human reproduction pictures the very process by which the LORD God is reproducing Themselves. Notice our Lord Jesus Christ’s clear answer to Nicodemus – “ … ‘You must be born again.’ – John 3:3-8.


So, each human being since Adam started life from a tiny human female reproductive cell called an ovum. If this reproductive cell does not become fertilized within 24 hours of its eruption, it begins to degenerate. Human life begins ONLY when the male sperm cell penetrates or enters the ovum.

And here is a truism that truly makes ABORTION MURDER! And I realize that this still is a controversial subject - which it shouldn't be. The Lord our God commands, NO MURDER - then we are to commit no murder of any kind - physically or spiritually - including murdering an innocent potential child of God within the womb. But, here is a truism –

The prophet Job wrote – through the inspiration of God’s Spirit – “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” – Job 32:8. And, this human spirit enters the human ovum upon penetration of the male sperm cell. The spirit is like the “hard drive on a computer” – it stores information. The spirit essence is NOT an immortal soul or an eternal spirit. The spirit in man is NOT the man. It is something in the man. It has no life of itself, for the life of man is in the air he breathes, and in the blood that circulates through his body (Genesis 2:7; Leviticus 17:11). It does not of itself see or hear. And at death, it has no consciousness of itself, for it sleeps (1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Like a tape recorder, it forms a permanent record of the qualities of mind and character built by a man during his lifetime. And much like a used tape is stored lifelessly on a shelf till activated in a recorder, so also does the spirit of man “return to God who gave it” after death, until the resurrection when life is again given to a person (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

So, spiritually speaking, each human being is like an unfertilized reproductive cell. If the human being is not fertilized with God’s Spirit, it begins to degenerate. And will eventually die. We were created to need the fertilization of God’s Holy Spirit within our minds so that we can begin to spiritually grow before being born again and live forever in the family of God.
1) Does God’s living word plainly show that it is His Master Plan to increase His divine family by bringing many sons and daughters to glory!?
You know, in Romans 8 – you read through there – you hear phrases like, “sons of God,” “the Spirit of sonship,” and “children of God.” You can go through Galatians 3 and hear, “children of God … heirs according to the promise.” There are many more such Scriptures – also Hebrews 2:9-11 – talking about Jesus Christ and saying, “bringing many sons into glory.”

We will be like the resurrected Jesus Christ!
2) According to God’s living word – the Holy Bible – who must all Spirit-begotten true Christians strive to “grow up in all things”?
Notice what our Lord Jesus expects from His servants –

’ Therefore you shall be PERFECT [or complete – spiritually mature is what the word means], just as your Father in heaven is perfect.’ – Matthew 5:48.

“till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” – Ephesians 4:13.

The word “perfect” in Matthew 5:48 is the Greek word teleios, meaning “perfect, mature, finished.” (Strong’s Concordance #5046). So, what our Lord Jesus is saying is that His followers are to become spiritually mature.

Of course, we cannot become absolutely spiritually mature – perfect – until the glorious resurrection.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. [See: Revelation 1:12-16] … 9) Whoever has been BORN of God does not sin, for His seed [the Holy Spirit] remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been BORN OF GOD.” – 1 John 3:2, 9.

In the meantime, God desires us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” – 2 Peter 3:18.

“He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and DOES NOT keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” – 1 John 2:4.

“But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6) He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked – 1 John 2:5-6.

Anyone who does NOT obey and DOES NOT keep God’s commandments is NOT His! Thus, they DO NOT have the Holy Spirit of God. They have their own idea of just what the Holy Spirit actually is – but they truly are NOT His!

God does not bend His rules to fit people’s imaginations of what their religiosity or tradition claims.

The Holy Spirit is only within those who are TRULY OBEDIENT TO GOD and forsake their own lives for Jesus Christ and who OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS – summed up with the TEN COMMANDMENTS!

’ IF you love Me [‘If you are loyal to Me’], keep the commandments – namely, My commandments. 16) And I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that it may be with you throughout the age’ – John 14:15-16, NET.

What is the end result of this spiritual process of growth!?

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” – Galatians 4:19.

And, this is an aspect of the Days of Unleavened Bread that many are not aware of. Instead, the remnant churches of God continue to preach – “Go around each year and look for old crumbs of bread!” That is a Judaic concept! And then somehow that was supposed to make you put sin out of your life – totally illogical. Can’t do it! Can’t put leavening out of your life – it’s everywhere! Just like yeast – it’s everywhere! And evil thoughts exist in you at every cellular level! You – of and by yourself is carnal – born into sin! cf. Psalm 51:5.

We are flesh and blood, and we’re not subject to the will of God! – Romans 8:7. But, the glorious Spirit of God begins to make a change – which is called conversion. Bit by bit – step by step. And, looking for crumbs doesn’t make it happen!

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live [meaning not of and by our own volition, our own willpower], but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” – Galatians 2:20.

Truly, it means exactly what God’s living word says - ‘Christ lives IN me!’ and for seven days we have this physical ritual of imbibing unleavened bread to remind us WE NEED JESUS CHRIST in the innermost parts of our being!
3) WHEN will this spiritual birth of the true saints take place!?
Book of Acts, the 14th chapter –

Verse 22 – “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’” – we will need to endure and keep the faith as God’s begotten children go through the FIRST SIX TRUMPET BLASTS – cf. Revelation 8:7-12; 9:1-11, 13-19. But then the SEVENTH TRUMPET BLAST will be blown “and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” – cf. 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 10:7; Revelation 11:15. So, here the apostle Paul is saying that it will be through ‘many tribulations’ – and all of us can attest to this. Once you set your heart on obeying Almighty God’s Law, like keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, it becomes ever more difficult to swim upstream against this world.

Friends, when the SEVENTH TRUMPET IS SOUNDED, the Spirit-begotten children of God who have died through the ages will be resurrected to spirit life by the Spirit of God, and those still alive will be instantly changed into spirit beings – cf. Matthew 24:40-42. At that very moment, they will be “born again” members of the God family.
4) To what did our Lord Jesus compare one who is born of the Holy Spirit!?
’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is BORN of the Spirit.’ – John 3:8.

When you are “born again” – meaning, born of the Holy Spirit of God, you will be “like Him [Jesus Christ], for we shall see Him as He is.” You will not be seen by mortal eyes (unless you choose to manifest yourself), and you will be able to move like the wind.

Our Lord Jesus is comparing spiritual birth to physical birth.
5) After our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection, with His wholly Spirit-composed body, was He able to suddenly appear and disappear?
“Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’” 37) But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit – Luke 24:36-37.

The Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary add, “the ghost of [our] dead Lord, but not Himself in the body (Acts 12:15; Matt. 14:26). Thoughts [supposed] – rather, reasonings; i.e., whether He was risen or no, and whether this was His very self.” 1

Was our Lord Jesus able to pass through solid walls?

“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ … 26) And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, ‘Peace to you!’ – John 20:19, 26.

Was our Lord Jesus able to eat?

“And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39) Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ 40) When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41) But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ 42) So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43) And He took it and ate in their presence – Luke 24:38-43.

If Jesus Christ wants to – in the Old Testament, and also during his human lifetime, and after He’s been resurrected and came out of the tomb – He appeared in front of His disciples multiple times and they ended up touching Him, having a meal with Him – we’re told that we are going to be like Jesus Christ someday in the future. Jesus Christ has always been able to appear as a human being – if He wants. And He has always been able to appear as a great almighty God – if He so desires. An idiom often attributed to Mark Twain says, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” No piece of science fiction can compare to this glorious, marvelous, and awesome TRUTH about our potential as revealed in your Bible!
6) Will the LORD God also glorify all Spirit-begotten children of God at the resurrection by giving them great power and glory as Our Lord Jesus has!?
Jesus Christ comes back and RULES from the throne of the earth – on which Satan the Devil is currently residing (cf. John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9) – just as the angel told Mary, “’ He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob [a united kingdom of Israel as well as all other kingdoms of the world] forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’” – cf. Luke 1:32-33.

“Then the SEVENTH ANGEL sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven [the atmosphere], saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord [God the Father] and of His Christ [Jesus the Christ], and He shall reign forever and ever!’” – Revelation 11:15.

“The Spirit [itself] bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 17) and if children, then heirs ─ heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together – Romans 8:16-17.

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory – Colossians 3:4.

Just WHERE will He establish His headquarters on earth!?

In New Jerusalem!

Notice: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven [the atmosphere], prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” – Revelation 21:2.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain [which represents the kingdom of God], and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem [the New Jerusalem], descending out of heaven from God. … 22:3 the throne of God [God the Father] and of the Lamb [our Lord Jesus Christ] shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” – Revelation 21:10; 22:3.

“’ At that time [the Millennium Reign of Christ] Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations [all the leaders of these nations] shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.’” – Jeremiah 3:17.

Will God’s Spirit-born children – the Spirit-begotten true Christians – who ‘overcome’ and are faithfully obeying Him and prove their loyalty to Him during their mortal lives – co-rule with Jesus Christ in His Millennial Reign!?

Notice the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ – ’ And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – 27) ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ – as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the Morning Star [a reference to Himself].’ – Revelation 2:26-28. See also Revelation 3:21; 5:10; 20:4.

The kingdom of God is a ruling family. And those who become a member of the glorious family of God are destined to be co-rulers of the EARTH with our Master, Elder Brother, and Savior – the King of kings and the Lord of lords – for 1,000 years and beyond.

As we read in the likes of Revelation 5:10 – the LORD God will make us a kingdom of “kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign ON THE EARTH.”

Literally, billions of people will come to learn to live the LORD God’s Way and will eventually be born into the family of God during this Millennial reign of Christ Jesus! Then, after the Millennium, still, more billions who had died (or were aborted) throughout the history of mankind will be resurrected, and they too will be given this glorious and awesome opportunity to become literal born-again sons or daughters to Father God, and brothers or sisters to our Lord Jesus Christ! A period known as the “Great White Throne Judgment” – Revelation 20:11-13.

Notice Minister Michael Garrett’s teaching concerning this time period –
“Isaiah 65:17 - The Feast of Tabernacles is prophetically linked with the Kingdom of God. Verse 20 – The WCG taught as a doctrine, and I would imagine if they knew it, the descendants of that organization to this day still teach this as doctrine. … Isaiah 65 verse 20 was taught by the WCG 2 that proclaimed the length of a human existence in the Great White Throne Judgment. This verse here in Isaiah 65:20, it’s NOT talking about the White Throne Judgment. It’s not talking about that time when people come up out of their graves like Ezekiel 37 talks about. As Ezekiel was told, “These bones are the whole House of Israel!” Every Israeli, meaning descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who’s ever lived will live again.

So, who is this referring to!? This is referring to the people who live in the Kingdom of God AFTER it is established by Jesus Christ upon His return! Talking about the Millennium!

Now think about it. If He’s contemplating a hundred years, how thick-headed are you!!? If you’re living on the Earth, Jesus Christ and God the Father on the Earth, the very throne of GOD and New Jerusalem is on the Earth, the resurrected saints are on the Earth, all of the holy angels are on the Earth, and it takes you a hundred years to figure it out!!? You’re a pretty slow learner, or mighty thick-headed. … This is speaking of the Millennium.”

7) Will the LORD God’s family continue to expand for all eternity!?
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7) Of the increase of His government [as well as His family] and peace There will be no end, …” – Isaiah 9:6, 7.

“ … And they shall reign forever and ever – Revelation 22:5.

Now, ‘the new heavens and the new earth’ is equal to ‘the Kingdom of God’ and is also equal in meaning to ‘the Millennial reign of Christ.’ They all sort of mean the same. ‘‘So shall your descendants and your name remain.” Now, it is unfortunate that the WCG taught – and many of its descendant churches continue teaching – that as time goes on after the Millennial reign of Christ, that human beings would stop being produced. Why!? Why did they teach this!? Because they simply didn’t understand the very Plan of God! Not really. The TRUTH OF GOD is that LIFE GOES ON FOREVER! And, the earth goes on forever!

Now, one of the great meanings of the Feast of Tabernacles is that God will someday ‘TABERNACLE’ in His Tabernacle on the earth for all eternity! GOD THE FATHER is going to Tabernacle with men! Again, the WCG taught – along with many of its descended churches continues teaching – that the earth was going to be melted down like liquid glass! A teaching which they most likely got from Ellen G. White’s book The Great Controversy Between Christ And Satan.

The New English Bible translates Hebrews 1:2 – “But in this the final age [H]e has spoken to us in the Son whom [H]e has made heir to THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. …”

Friends, as incredible as it may sound, your ultimate potential and the potential of every human being that’s ever lived (or was aborted before birth) is to co-rule THE UNIVERSE with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God the Father!

This is your awesome potential – the glorious and awesome destiny that the LORD God has in store for those who ’ seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ and do the will of the LORD God and follow Their Way!

Yes – You Were Born To Be A Ruler! □

1 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pp. 1024.
2. Mr. Garrett used the whole name, Worldwide Church of God. We here have used the acronym WCG.

Scriptural Index:

Old Testament ─ Genesis 2:7; Leviticus 17:11; Job 32:8; Psalm 51:5; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 9:6, 7; 65:17, 20; Jeremiah 3:17; Ezekiel 37:11.
New Testament ─ Matthew 5:48; 6:33; 14:26; 24:40-42; Luke 1:32-33; 24:36-37, 38-43; John 3:3-8; 12:31; 14:15-16; 20:19, 26; Acts 12:15; 14:22; Romans 8; 8:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:51, 52; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 2:20; 3; 4:19; Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16; Hebrews 1:2; 2:9-11; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:4, 5-6; 3:2, 9; Revelation 1:12-16; 3:21; 5:10; 8:7-12; 9:1-11, 13-19; 10:7; 11:15; 20:4, 11-13; 21:2, 10, 26-28; 22:3, 5.