James Russell, Elder:
Dear Scattered Brethren and Co-workers;
Brethren, finding where God's truth is being taught is a challenge, but when you find it, it is like a pearl of great
price. This priceless pearl represents those who have earnestly desired truth. Christ told His disciples, "Again, the
kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great
price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matt. 13:45-46), because of its transcendent value! In harmony
with this "Pearl of great price" is our Lord, Jesus the Christ. With the pearl, it was its size, shape and luster that made
it of value. With Jesus Christ it is His perfection of character and His out flowing love, sacrificing His life for all of
mankind.
As the covenant sacrifice that memorialized the death of Christ and as the Days of Unleavened Bread approaches,
we need to understand yearly the importance of coming under the umbrella of Christ shed blood that was sacrificed,
at its appointed time! If you miss taking Passover by one or two days or by one month, you are not drinking and
eating from the Lord's table. "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers
of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He? I speak
as to wise men; judge you what I say" (I Cor. 10:21-22,15).
Had the Israelites in Egypt not followed the Lords instructions given to Moses, and not put blood from the sacrificial
lamb on the door posts of their homes at the appointed time, they would have come out of Egypt without their first
born!
If one misses taking Passover at its appointed time, it will cause one to miss the first and last days of Unleavened
Bread that is a sign of God's people! "And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which you came out
from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there
shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came you out in the month Abib. And it shall be a sign unto thee upon
thine hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in your mouth: for with a strong
hand has the LORD brought you out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season (appointed
time) from year to year" (Exo. 13:3-4,9-10).
As first-fruits, first to be spiritually born, we need to obey the Lord's voice as He speaks through Jeremiah the
prophet! "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My
people: and walk you in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened
not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward,
and not forward" (Jer.7:23-24). Judaism Hebrew calendar is still doing that today, by counting 177 days backwards
from their postponed Feast of Trumpets to find the first day of their Hebrew year. Now is not the time to be counting
backward to find when Passover begins.
Jesus Christ became our Passover lamb on the 14th day of the first month Abib. “This new moon shall be unto you
the beginning of new moons: it shall be the first new moon of the year to you”(Exo 12:2). Christ instituted the
symbols of the Passover on the night before He was betrayed and crucified! The blood [drinking of wine] and eating
of Unleavened Bread [matzo], Jesus Christ is the seal of the New Covenant! "Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him
has God the Father SEALED. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of
the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, Unleavened Bread [matzo]
and drinketh My blood [wine], has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:27,53-54).
God has always used His sign of blood to identify His people, “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the
Lamb” (Rev 12:11), and only now does spiritual Israel truly have this sign. We need to recognize how God knew
the firstborn of Israel in Egypt, who was protected and who was not. How will God know which ones will be
protected in this end time? By the blood!! The sign of the Passover.
It has become clear, that the remnant we read of in Revelation 12:17 are those who take the Passover on a day that
has been postponed! They do not come under the protection of the blood of Jesus Christ! They are going to
experience going through the tribulation to make their robes white ( Rev 7:). They will have to learn to obey God
first, like they are told through Isaiah, who was inspired to write “When you come to appear before Me,.....Bring
no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies,
I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul
hates: they are a trouble unto Me; I am weary to bear them ( Isa 1:12-14). Words that identify those keeping the
Hebrew calendar.
PASSOVER THIS YEAR IS ON APRIL 2ND 2015, EVENING BEFORE,
ACCORDING TO GOD'S TIME CLOCK IN THE SKY.
James Russell, Elder Church of-God, In Truth Pete Fleming, Elder
Tel: 417-338-0033 P.O. Box: 1120 Tel: 830-885-5502
E-Mail: cogit@flash.net Kimberling City: MO 65686 E-Mail: pmf06@gvte.com
Tel: 417-338-0033
Fax: 417-338-0031
E-Mail: cogit@flash.net
Spanish Philippines
Martin Martinez, Deacon Romeo Samudio Tel:
787-786-5856 Tel: 096-8536-4415
E-Mail: marty@ucint.com E-Mail: romesamudio@ yahoo.com