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

Date: May 2, 2021

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 April 28, 2021, the City of Atlanta, Georgia remains in Phase 2 of the Reopening Plan due to the infection rate of the coronavirus.   

·        Social distancing is recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to control the spread or for individual safety.

·         Covid-19 vaccinations in Georgia are offered to everyone 16 years of age and older.  Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 16 and older.

     We are continuing online service through Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube.  We are also continuing limited in-person service to assist our online worship.  In-person 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:

 The Meaning of Judgement (part 1)

 By Apostle Dennis G. Smith

      The commandments and judgements of the Lord are not grievous if we want to live a Holy Life.  There is a difference between living a holy life and a sinful life.  Morality is understanding the different intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are correct, proper, or righteous and those that are improper, wrong, incorrect conduct or incorrect behavior.   Morality is standards or principles that conclude that certain actions is right or wrong conduct usually taught by a particular religion, or culture, that a person believes is the normal behavior guidelines for proper actions for all people throughout their known surrounding community.  So, Moral Law to most of us means good or righteous behavior, and integrity to most of us mean good and righteous character which is living by the principles of which we hold to be true. 

     Let us briefly look at the Moral Law.  In doing so we can clearly see that there are things that we should do and things that we should not do.  

     Does this then mean that we are judging a person when we teach them the Moral Law?   Religion and morality may not mean the same thing to most people.  Morality does not depend upon religion or worship in the mindset of some people because many people are unbelievers.  Most modern religions define right and wrong by the laws and rules set forth by their religious books as interpreted by their religious leaders within their respective faith.  

     As an example, religion deals with killing in different ways such as murder which is seen as killing of innocent life and punishment where killing is seen as necessary in certain circumstances.  Notice then that the prohibition or law against killing is dealing with innocent life.  From this point you can recognize the judgement that would be applied in cases involving the taking of innocent life.  But the thing to focus on in this example is that a proper judgement is applied.

 Certain value systems or moral judgments are common to all people such as:

 integrity meaning honesty and truthfulness in the things that a person does.  We may judge then that people have integrity when they act according to the values, beliefs, and principles that they claim to hold within themselves, or within their mindset or way of thinking.

trust meaning that we can rely on the actions of another person to do us no harm,

benevolence meaning that we expect all people to do what is good for the promotion of each other happiness, and

justice sometimes referred to as equal treatment or fairness in the pursuit of life and liberty. 

     These are common values among believers and nonbelievers.  This reveals to us as we examine the Moral Law that the Lord God Jesus Christ, the Almighty God teaches us, that there is a standard of right and wrong conduct which we are all measured by and are commanded to live by.  If you are a believer, there is a standard of our conduct in relation to worshipping the One and only God,  and a standard for the treatment of people who live around us whom we know as our neighbors and fellow human beings.

Deuteronomy 5:4 – 22   The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,  (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying, I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Deuteronomy 5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 

Deuteronomy 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 

Deuteronomy 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Deuteronomy 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Deuteronomy 5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 

Deuteronomy 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 5:17 Thou shalt not kill.

Deuteronomy 5:18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

 Deuteronomy 5:19 Neither shalt thou steal.

Deuteronomy 5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

Deuteronomy 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Deuteronomy 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

Once we come to recognize that there is a standard to live by in relationship to the One and Only God and our fellow human beings, we can begin to grow in our knowledge of building a prosperous lifestyle that will endure for all eternity.  When we do not have a standard of good conduct then we will do and say almost anything that will satisfy our selfish intentions.  Many people will come to God dictating to him the way they will like for things to go, rather than humbling themselves and summitting to his will.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only God, he is a Good God, and his mercy will endure forever.

The "Law" was given that men might know what sin is, "for by the 'Law' is the knowledge of sin,"

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Most people do not recognize or understand that  "covetousness" is sin, until they learn that  the "Law" has said, "Thou shall not COVET."

We will continue with this message in part 2 ……….

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

Currently the following groups are eligible for COVID vaccine in Georgia:

·         Everyone age 16 and older

 Present Guidelines for Individuals and Businesses in Phase 2:

·        Stay home except for essential trips.

·        Wear face coverings in public.

·        Frequent hand washing.

·        Social distancing of 6 feet recommended where practical according to CDC Guidance.

·        To-go and delivery orders from restaurants.

·        Continue practicing teleworking.

·        Frequent cleaning of public and high touch areas

 Social Distancing guidelines:

·                 Social distancing means staying away from close contact in public spaces. It includes actions like staying out of places where lots of people gather and maintaining distance — approximately 6 feet — from others. 

·                 Social distancing also includes minimizing contact with people by avoiding public transportation when possible, limiting nonessential travel, working from home, and skipping social gatherings. 

·                 All people should practice social distancing — not just those who are seriously ill or at high risk. 

·                 Social distancing is a proven way to slow the spread of pandemics. 

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:

·             Shopping at essential businesses, like grocery stores or pharmacies. 

·                 While visiting your health care provider. 

·                 Traveling on public transportation. 

·                 Interacting with customers/clients at essential businesses. 

·                 When feeling sick, coughing, or sneezing. 

·                 In all public spaces indoors and outdoors.

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.