Ministers of Jesus Christ
Church of The Lord Jesus Christ
Assemblies of The Apostolic Faith
Atlanta, Georgia - USA
Apostle Dennis G. Smith, Pastor and Spiritual Overseer

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APOSTLE'S MESSAGE


Date: December 27, 2020

To all the Saints of God,

     Grace and peace be unto all the Saints of God around the World.  As this Coronavirus Pandemic continues, we are continually reminding the Saints of God that we are obeying the magistrates and following the guideline of the health and governmental authorities for the safety of all people. 

      Health authorities and governmental officials continue to strongly encourage people to wear face coverings in public and use social distancing, wash your hands, and get tested to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus.  In some places wearing face mask is mandatory in all indoor and outdoor public spaces. 

      As of December 23, 2020, the City of Atlanta, Georgia remains in Phase I of the Reopening Plan due to the increasing spread of the coronavirus.   Throughout the State of Georgia businesses must continue to operate with social distancing and sanitation rules to keep customers and employees safe. The Public Health State of Emergency remains in effect through January 8, 2021.  

     We are continuing online service through Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.   Baptism and prayer service are available using social distancing and personal protective equipment.

      As we obey the Magistrates, we have complete faith that God will continue to hear our prayers and provide a way for us through these uncertain times.

 Romans 13:2-4 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

 TITUS 3:1-2 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

 This week’s encouraging words of growth focuses on: 

Telling the Simple Truth about Salvation

By Apostle Dennis Smith

 JOHN 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. JOHN 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. JOHN 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. JOHN 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. JOHN 8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. JOHN 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. JOHN 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. JOHN 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. JOHN 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; JOHN 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

      As many people around the world who govern their lives by the Gregorian Calendar bring their year to an end, they are also closing out the year end celebrations.  Many will end the year believing the lie that the birth of Jesus Christ was on the 25th day of December and will set themselves to look forward to the new year celebration and epiphany generally called the manifestation most of which is a result of the Catholic Church.  

      Many of the pagan belief in multiple false gods or tribal, ethnic traditions tied to the ending of the year clearly are not recorded in the records of time as originating from the Bible but from various pagan traditions around the world.  People of different nationalities, ethnic, or the various racial families had various events during the different seasons of weather climate changes during the year.  Some of their days of celebration involved wild social parties encompassing sinful behavior and false worship of statues made or carved out of wood and rocks which they called gods. This is the general meaning of paganism the belief in multiple false Gods. This is what the Prophet Jeremiah is speaking about when he said, “Learn not the way of the Heathen.” (Jeremiah 10 Chapter)

      They excited the social gathering of the people which in their mind exhibited political and economic power.  While it may be true that the convocation, which is large assembling or gathering of the people indicates social or economic power, it is equally true that the result can be the spread of false doctrine and sinful ways if the gathering promotes sin and ungodly behavior.  From this you should recognize how that many people today see the gathering of crowds and so-called followings of many people as celebrity status even if they are promoting sinful and lewd behavior. 

      When some people, even various nations declared themselves to be Christian, many times they intermix their pagan traditions with the worship of Jesus Christ.  There is nothing wrong with having a joyous social gathering that does not promote sin or tell lies.  This is what most people mean when they use the word “Merry”.  If you are having a special celebration on a particular day, and you called it family day, there would be nothing wrong with saying merry family day.  When the Church scheduled various conventions, it was common to say we had a wonderful, joyous time at the convention or in essence saying we had a merry convention.  From this you can see that the words Merry Christmas contain no sin in the general sense of the salutation.  It is the lie about Christmas being the birthday on Christ that is the sin and is the reason “Apostle Johnson wrote that he defy any preacher in the world to prove that it is right for God’s Church to celebrate Christmas.”  Many Churches now say it is not the actual birthday of Christ but the day we commemorate his birthday in response to the pagan worship of the sun.  Nevertheless, you can see that this may also contain error in that we should live each day of our life in remembrance and worship of Christ even though we may observe communion and foot washing service during various scheduled times of the year because the Lord Jesus Christ said “… this do in remembrance of me.”

     This does not mean that it is wrong for Saints to give or accept gifts in the general sense of giving but they were not to declare it is in honor of Christ being born on December 25th which is a lie.  Many Saints now understand that we celebrate Jesus Christ every day of the year, so the term Merry Christmas may speak of the joy of the celebration of Jesus Christ any day of the year including December 25th and not that he was born on that day.

Luke 22:19 - 20 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

 1Corinthians 11:23 - 26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  1Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 1Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

 In other words, there is no sinful day in the year.  Sin is a result of our own actions, thoughts, conduct, or behavior not a particular day.

      The Gregorian calendar which is a reform of the Julian calendar was instituted on February 24, 1582 by Pope Gregory of the Catholic Church after whom the calendar is named to bring the date for the celebration of Easter to the time of year in which it was celebrated when it was introduced by the early Catholic Church. The error in the Julian calendar that there were exactly 365.25 days in a year had led to the date of the equinox according to the calendar drifting from the day it occurred on, and thus an error had been introduced into the calculation of the date of Easter.  The recommendation of the First Catholic Church Council of Nicaea in 325 specified that all Christians should celebrate Easter on the same day.  

      From this you can clearly see that the Gregorian calendar reform was about the Celebration of Holidays for Christians.  Up until the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar by civil authorities in different countries, Christians celebrated or commemorated various devotional events during different times of the year.  This would indicate that the commemoration of the birth and the death of Christ had no specific dates for a celebration by all people at one time in the Catholic Church or throughout the world.  

This should also give all definitive proof that December 25 is not the birthday of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because the actual date is not known. But it is the intermixing of pagan and so-called Christians celebrations to achieve a date in which all people throughout the Catholic Church and the world would celebrate the birth of Christ at the same time.  Many Protestant countries initially objected to adopting a Catholic innovation.  Some Protestant Christian Churches feared that the new calendar was part of a plot to return them to the Catholic Church fold. 

     You can also see the intermixing of paganism in the names of the months and days of the week. Many of the names of the months and days of the week are for pagan false gods or other Roman Empire Events.

January …the Roman god of gates, doorways, beginnings and endings.

February… the Roman festival of purgation and purification, the Etruscan death god Februus.

March… the Roman war god.

April… the name of the goddess Aphrodite.

May… a Roman vegetation goddess.

June… the Roman goddess of marriage, childbirth, and rule.

July… "Month of Julius Caesar", the month of Caesar's birth.

August… Augustus, "Month of Augustus", instituted by Augustus important events during his rise to power.

September… "seventh month", of the ten-month Roman year of Romulus.

October… "eighth month", of the ten-month Roman year of Romulus.

November…"ninth month", of the ten-month Roman year of Romulus.

December… "tenth month", of the ten-month Roman year of Romulus.

 You will also see from the simple truth about the following list of item and events that they involve the intermixing of truth with paganism or false god traditions. 

 Calendar.  A calendar is a system of organizing days. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years usually with the cycle of the moon and the sun. The course of the sun and the moon are the most easily seen or noticeable natural, regularly recurring events useful for timekeeping, thus in most societies around the world lunation or the lunar month, which is about the time it takes for the moon to circle the Earth, and the year which is about the time it takes for the Earth to circle the Sun is the most commonly natural occurring events that are used as time units.  From this you can see that many celebrations are occur in connection with the weather seasons of the year.  It then would not seem unusual to hang up lights during the time when the dark period of the night were longer, and the light period of the day was shorter.  From this you can see the development of many traditions.

 Christmas tree…A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine, or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas, originating in Germany associated with Saint Boniface.  In Germany, German Protestant Christians brought decorated trees into their homes.  During the Roman mid-winter festival of Saturnalia, houses were decorated with wreaths of evergreen plants, customs now associated with Christmas. The Vikings and Saxons worshiped trees and these pagan practices from among the Germans were intermixed with Christianity when many of them became Christians.

 Christmas lights…Christmas lights, fairy lights, festive lights, or string lights used for decoration in the celebration of Christmas is a custom which goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which some use to symbolized Christ being the light of the world.   Christmas lights is a custom reported to be borrowed from pagan yule rituals that celebrate the return of the light of the sun as the days grow longer after solstice: the evergreen trees symbolizing the renewal and continuance of life in dark times.  The evergreen tree was used as Christmas trees and brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany.

John 3:14 - 21 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

     There is no Sin in lighting up nativity scenes that depicts the Birth of Christ and joy to the world though it is probably best to used words only and not statues or figurines that choses a racial profile, but when a big fat bearded Satan Claus is lighted up next to a Star or Cross it is intermixing true with a lie.  This is one of the greatest tricks of Satan used to deceived people my mixing lies with the truth.

Mistletoe…The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love and understanding and hung it over doorways to protect the household.   Hanging mistletoe was part of the Saturnalia festival.  In the Christian era, mistletoe in the Western world became associated with Christmas as a decoration under which lovers are expected to kiss, as well as with protection from witches and demons.  Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century it had also become incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world.

Yule or Yuletide ("Yule time" or "Yule season") is a festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples and Norse religions connected to the original celebrations of Yule and the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon female goddesses Mōdraniht or mothers night usually seen in groups of three female deities.  Yule was changed from its pagan origin and Christianized resulting in the term Christmastide.  The Yule log, Yule clog, or Christmas block is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a Christmas tradition derived from Germanic paganism.

 Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary character originating in Western Christian culture who is said to make lists of children throughout the world, categorizing them according to their behavior, and bringing gifts on Christmas Eve of toys and candy to well-behaved children, and coal to naughty children with his elves, who make the toys in his workshop at the North Pole, and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

The modern character of Santa Claus was based on traditions surrounding the historical Saint Nicholas (a fourth-century Greek bishop and gift-giver of Myra), the British figure of Father Christmas, and the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas (also based on Saint Nicholas). Like other gift-bearing figures of the season, Santa Claus also absorbed elements of the Germanic deity Odin, who was associated with the pagan midwinter event of Yule and led the Wild Hunt through the sky.

 Merry…  an occasion or season characterized by festivity and rejoicing cheerfully and lively.  "Merry Christmas Everyone is terminology and songs used to tell every one to rejoice for the birth of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was born for the salvation of all Human beings in the world. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. …John 3:16

 Jeremiah10:1 - 6 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:  Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. Jeremiah 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. Jeremiah 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Jeremiah 10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Jeremiah 10:6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

 People bring plants into their homes all the time for decoration and other reasons.  Bringing a plant into your home is no sin, it is the lies you tell about the plant that is the sin. Notice that Jeremiah says the tree cannot do evil.  Once again it is your own actions and thoughts that produces the sin.

 Acts 17:22 – 30 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Acts 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;  Acts 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

 We continue with a Message from Apostle S. C. Johnson …. It Is Here Now ……… 

IT IS HERE NOW

By Bishop S. C. Johnson

      Greetings everyone! This is the Church of the lord Jesus Christ of the Faith: The Church that started on the day of Pentecost------ this is it!  We believe, we preach, and we practice that which the apostles believed, preach, and practiced.  Bible tells me when the Church first started on the day of Pentecost the people were pricked in their hearts “… and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, “Men and Brethren what shall we do?”

  Acts 2:37 - 42 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

      So then, this is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith.  We are glad again to have the privilege of bringing to you the one and only plan of salvation by which everybody must be saved.  One thing!   Nobody will have an excuse it is given to us: it is here.

      I know unbelief is in the earth now and ungodly men have changed the plan of God.   They have turned it into lasciviousness, but they will not have any excuse.  It is all on record.  If you want to know about it, it can be obtained.

    The Lord never left the world in such a condition that the gospel could not be found anywhere.  I will admit that it has been and is yet scarce but, He always had it so that somebody could direct and help you if you wanted to be helped.   There is no excuse. Help is around.  I do not care how things look. If you want to do something, there is a way.  All you have to do is just believe God.   If you believe God for that thing, God will make it possible.  

      My mother used to tell me when things looked impossible, "Son, where there's a will, there’s a way."  She did not know the Bible, but she knew that much.

 The Bible says, John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.  (John 7:17) 

       Oh, you will know it! All you have to do is to get willing.  Of course, some don't look for an opportunity. Some are not willing.  They don't pray for it. They don't ask for it.  Why? Because they do not want to do God's will.  People who want it are crying out, asking to make it possible for them to hear the Word. You will have no excuse.  Never mind your nationality, your kindred, or your tongue—you will not have any excuse.  If you want to be a fool that's your business.  It is on record, and you are going to have to give an account to for what is recorded here.  God had it put on record so that nobody would have an excuse.

      Listen to what the Bible says: Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:  Jude 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. JUD1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1: 1 – 3)

      There was written in this book deliverance for everybody.  I do not care what it is, you can get delivered from it.  Why?  Because something is written here in this book to let you know that there is deliverance.  That sounds good.  Anytime, you are captured and want deliverance and can hear tell of a way of escape, it is wonderful.  It was not done for fun, but it was "needful" to let everybody know that they can be delivered from whatever they are entangled in. It is needful to bring this gospel to you. You may throw it aside and not accept it; nevertheless, God Almighty moved on Jude and made him tell you that "it was needful" to write it.  You will not get anywhere.  The only place you are going to hit will the lake of fire.  “…, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1: 3)

      Now, you have to earnestly contend for it. You have to put up a battle to get it.  Do you think you are going to walk in on the enemy's territory and spoil his goods?

 Jesus said, "No man enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods except he will first bind the strong man. Mark 3:27

 You cannot serve God on the devil's territory until you bind the devil, because the devil is against you.  That’s the reason he has pumped into the minds of fools all these different opinions, faiths. beliefs and ideas.  He will tell one fool that the "King James" version of the Bible is wrong.  He will tell another fool that you do not speak in tongues.  He will pump into another fool that you do not have to be baptized. 

      It was needful, and it is needful now for this gospel to come to you telling you what you must do.  The thing you must do now is to earnestly contend. You must have a will in you to do what God wants you to do.  If you are honest in heart. then God Almighty will certainly bring you out of darkness into the marvelous light of the gospel. He will make it known someway, somehow so that you will be able to reach it—or it reach you. Then, you will be guided according to the will of God.  You will come out of the darkness that you are now in by being baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ; receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost as they did on the day of Pentecost when the Church was started.  There is only one thing for the Church today, and that is already written. It CANNOT be changed. What is written, is written, and you have to accept that in order to be saved. God bless you.

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you and eternally hold you in the center of his will, may he open your understanding that you will come to know that you must repent of your sins and be baptized by immersion in water in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, then continue in prayer, tarrying until you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost with the sign following speaking with other tongues as the spirit gives you utterances.  Then you must leave the principles of the doctrine and go on to perfection overcoming the love of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and continue steadfastly in the Apostle’s Doctrine remembering always that he that endures until the End, the same shall be saved.  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who is God Almighty. Amen


With perfect love,
Apostle Dennis G. Smith

Present Guidelines for Individuals and Businesses in Phase 1:

·        Stay home except for essential trips

·        Wear face coverings in public

·        Frequent hand washing

·        Social distancing followed and enforced where practical

·        To-go and delivery orders from restaurants

·        Continue practicing teleworking

·        Frequent cleaning of public and high touch areas

  Social Distancing guidelines:

When to Wear a Mask:

Those who are staying home and have no close contact with people who are infected with COIVID-19 do not need a mask most of the time. However, wearing a nonmedical or homemade mask may be helpful in certain situations or for certain populations. Wear a Mask when:

Because homemade masks protect everyone else from the droplets created by the wearer, it is important that as many people as possible wear these masks when leaving their homes. This helps prevent those who may be infectious but are only mildly symptomatic or not symptomatic from spreading the virus to others in the community.

Everyone should remember the phrase: “My mask protects you; your mask protects me.” By increasing the overall number of people who are containing their coughs, sneezes, and other droplets, it will help us control the overall spread of the virus.