Ministers of Jesus Christ Church

Date: December 26, 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 gatherings 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 indoor public spaces.

We are continuing limited indoor, in-person services with face mask, social distancing, temperature checks and Covid-19 testing. We are also continuing online services through Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube. In-person Baptism and prayer service are available by attending our local service on site, attending our services on Zoom, or emailing your request to:

info@ministersofjesuschrist.com or prayerrequest@ministersofjesuschrist.com.

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:

What are you teaching about Christmas?

By Apostle Dennis G. Smith

Are you teaching your children that Santa Claus from the north pole will be sliding down your chimney? This is a great lie!!!!

According to most encyclopedias, Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek Catholic Christian bishop of Myra in the region of Lycia in the Roman Empire, today in Turkey. Bishop Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. In Europe he is usually portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes.

The fictitious character which represents the Catholic Bishop Nicholas as Santa Claus is usually a chubby jolly, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, red hat with white fur, and black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children and laughing saying, "ho, ho, ho". This is the popular image in the United States and Canada attributed to the cartoonist Thomas Nast that has been maintained and reinforced through holiday singing, radio and television commercials, children's books, family Christmas traditions, Hollywood movies, and sales advertising that promotes this deception. Most parents punish their children for telling lies and making false statements but at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children the lie that Santa Claus is coming to town from the North pole with flying reindeers in the sky and sliding down their chimney to leave presents under an evergreen tree as an example of Christian celebration!!! Once again this is a great lie and let it be reinforced today, that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire!!!

Are you teaching your family Rudolph the red nosed reindeer is the leader of a flying sled? This is a great lie!!!

According to most encyclopedias, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert Lewis May. Rudolph is said to be the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer guiding a flying sled in the sky using his glowing red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve.

Rudolph is first rejected or receives ridicule for his red nose as a young reindeer because he is odd or different from the rest of the reindeer. But the brightness of his nose is so powerful that it provides light for the team's path through the harsh winter weather. Rudolph's story is a fantasy made for American children to give each child the encouragement to express and receive approval for his or her special qualities. The fantansy story is supposed to help children realize that special qualities can lead to advancement when they are embraced. The story mixes encouragement with lies.

Are you teaching your family that Christ was born on December 25th? This is a great lie!!!! We commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ everyday of our lives for his birth, death, resurrection, and ascension is the Gospel that gives us Salvation!!!!

According to most encyclopedias many Christmas traditions are rooted in paganism. The date of the sun worshippers festival depended upon the Pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the new sun or what some called the birthday of the Sun.

The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in the popular custom of the pagan people to be set aside by Christian influence. The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular, that some Christians were glad for an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and in manner. Other Christian preachers of the West and the East protested against the falseness with which Christ's birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun-worship for adopting a pagan festival into Christian celebrations. Truth Apostolic Christian believers are to point out the unfruitful works of darkness and have no part with them.

2Corinthians 6:14 – 18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Most Christmas traditions have nothing to do with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh through the Virgin Mary but have their roots in pagan traditions and fantansy story telling that include Santa Claus, Yule log, mistletoe, flying reindeers, exchanging gifts and expecting gifts in return, caroling to establish an atmosphere of merrymaking, fantansy and falseness, Christmas lights, which do not have anything to do with the birth of Jesus Christ.

Revelations 21:7 - 8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

We continue with a Message from Apostle S. McDowell Shelton … "Will Your Christmas Doctrine Hold?"

Will Your Christmas Doctrine Hold?

By Bishop S. McDowell Shelton

I wonder will your doctrine hold? We are asking the false prophets out there, "Will your doctrine hold?" You probably and have not been to Church since your mind was not there even during that hour. Your mind was on that monthly paycheck that you usually get from your congregation.

You do not care what you teach them as long as a reasonable amount of people like you. You know what you do? You make friends with all those that have money, two cars—all the political pressures in the church so that you can insure yourself of a job; but remember, you are going to have to meet God for the gospel which you have been preaching.

Now, you have been teaching about the little baby that was born in a manger. I will tell you what to do. You tell your preacher to find any place in the holy scriptures where Jesus, the apostles or anybody ever kept "Christmas" and used the word Christmas; tell us when the date started. In fact, first tell us when Christ was born: You will find out a lot about Him in the Bible. You will find out about His mother and father: where they had to pay taxes during the time of taxation when each one had to appear from the various parts of the country to take care of his taxes. You hear a lot about the way John leaped in his mother's womb as she met Jesus' mother. You hear about the flight into Egypt. . You hear about how He called His son out of Egypt—all of that, but you do not hear the date of His birth.

Now, suppose the date of Christ's birth was recorded somewhere in the Chronicles (and they usually were in the town). However, it so happened that after Christ died, some years afterwards, the country was over-run by other nations at the decline of the Roman Empire and at the rise of Islam: when they began to overrun most of the East and burn and pit most of the places—I am sure you cannot find the record there. But you go to the city of David and don't you rest until you find it. Don't go over there and write a birth certificate.

Even with all the registration that they most certainly did have under that system and particularly for men and children. They would register the men, but sometimes they would not give the girls names. They would just say "A girl child." The way they felt about women in that part of the country at that time, they would name two and three sisters the same name. It would be Mary of this; Mary of the other, etc. The only way they could tell the difference would be by saying Mary, the tall one; Mary, the short one; Mary, the fat one. All of them were named Mary.

You go back to the city of David; try to find the birth certificate and see does it say that Jesus was born on the 25^th day of December. You will also find that the 25th day of December is a rather recent date—more recent than the others. You find out! Ask your pastor why was it that they celebrated Christmas in January; they celebrated it in April, May, and other times. Finally at Nicaea, I believe it was, they came to the conclusion (and that was late in the year of 400 when they made the decision) to have a special mass celebrating the birth of Christ. Not that only, but since you know so much—to show the hypocrisy of it even that same church proclaimed a "Christ Mass" and that is all Christmas means. It means a special mass in adoration for Christ.

In every Church service I go to I am having a special service in adoration and praise of Christ. That is all we do in this Church. Of course the word "mass" was not even used in the days of the apostles because the Bible was written mainly in either Hebrew or Aramaic and sometimes in Greek with a Jewish flare to it. The only time Latin got into it was after the Church backslid and they began to translate the Bible into the Latin tongue. Even though the Latin did have influence over Jerusalem during the time of Christ because it was a part of the Roman Empire. If you remember that is the reference when Jesus said " Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's " (Mark 12:17)

That is also why there was so much complication about Jesus' trial because He was a Jewish citizen. It would have been all right with them if He had broken the law of Moses. (They allowed Jerusalem or Israel a greater autonomy than they did some countries. Under certain laws with the exception of treason and other crimes directed against Caesar, the local people could try their own criminals as they thought). They did not say that Jesus was a criminal, but they classified Him as one. He really should have gone before the Sanhedrin and before the ancients and elders of the city. Instead of that, they were afraid (the priests were such hypocrites like your preacher is out there) if they did the thing openly, they would get a rebellion from the people.

Contrary to popular belief, everybody may not have obeyed Jesus, but Jesus was very popular in this sense: The people went out and He healed; He caused different things to come to pass. There was a Mass of people that followed Him: regardless of what reason, they followed Him. That great multitude out there: He fed them, and they stayed with Him as long as the food was there—Jesus was known.

So you must remember if you. Would read your scripture that it was the custom for them to release one prisoner on their special day. During or near their Pascha and some other celebration there was a custom of releasing one criminal. Don't you think the priests were just as much at fault: they were hypocrites—so were the folks. There was a lot of them there. That is why Jesus told them, . Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." (Mark 7:6)

That is just what you are. Here it goes on because Pilate's wife knew He was innocent. . his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." (Matthew27:19) The Lord had shown her and not only that, but Pilate realized it because one scripture refers to this: "For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy." (Mark 15:10)

"When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it," (Matthew 27 :24)

However, they continued on until they killed the Lord of Glory. (See Matthew 27:26-50) Of course, God had purposed that it should happen: . . none of the. Princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;" (I Corinthians 2:8)

So in all this from Christ's birth to His death and burial, you have no scripture in the Bible that states what day He was born. You have no scripture in the Bible that states what day He was put to death. You have no scripture in the Bible that states what day He arose. If your preacher has scripture, tell him I said to send it to us and we will make it very comfortable for him.

Now, may the Lord bless you. May the Lord open your understanding toward water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ: that you might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. May the Lord show you that although I may condemn your activities, I am your best friend.

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

The online service Zoom link is sent out each Sunday at or before 2:00 pm to the Saints registered email addresses. If you wish to worship with us, please send you email address to: info@mininstersof Jesuschrist.com and we will email you a link to join the service. We start the zoom service after 2:00 pm.

You are invited to attend and be a part of the Ministers of Jesus Christ Church Services on Zoom at/or about 2:00pm. Which are also published on Facebook through Holy Tabernacle, Ministers of Jesus Christ Apostolic Church, and Ministers of Jesus Christ Church or Dennis Smith Facebook timeline. You will need to download the zoom app to your cell phone, laptop computer, or tablet to activate your connection. Go to Google Play Store to get your free zoom app and install it on your cell phone, laptop computer or tablet. When you see the zoom link sent to your email address, click, or tap on the link to open the connection. Then click or tap on the camera and microphone icon to join the service and select internet. We look forward to seeing you and worshipping with you in the Lord! You may also give freewill offerings through Givelify, Cash App, Visa, Master Card, American Express Credit and Bank cards or PayPal. Use cash app link name ($MinistersofJesus935).

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

Everyone age 5 and older. Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 5 and older. People younger than 18 years of age are not authorized to receive either the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

ONGOING GUIDANCE for Red Zone

• Vaccination remains the most effective protection against COVID-19

• Practice social distancing

• Frequently wash hands

• Frequent cleaning of public and high touch areas

• Practice telework and staggered office schedules where feasible, with safety measures

• Non-essential City facilities may open to the public. Masking will be mandated for now and the number of persons indoors may be limited to avoid crowding

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 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.