Monday 29 October 2007

It has been a wonderful week all round for the church what with people talking to us and expressing there desire to be untied with us and their desire to help us in the work. We have some exciting news for everybody. It has been decided by the Prophet Matthew Gill that we shall make our sacrament meetings available on the internet. The Prophet has proposed that all Sacrament meetings shall be recorded and posted on our youtube page. It has also been decided that if people want to join us live then they can do so by logging on at a certain time on Sunday morning and joining us for the meeting live in real time. Also our General Assembly meeting which is set for the 16th of December will also be done in the same way, we will make an announcement before hand letting everybody know when to log on and you can join us live for our General Assembly meetingon the 16th od December, however it will also be available on our youtube site as will all our Sunday sacrament meetings. With the use of modern technology we believe that it is only fair that those who are not able to get to the meeting house can join in and feel the love of the Saviour and hear the Gospel.

Once again we would like to dedicate a little bit of this blog space to the cause of Zion’s Camp and what we believe that we should be doing to serve Gods purposes here on earth. We the members of the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ as you are aware have been commanded to build a safe refuge for the storms that are coming at this place of refuge we will be looking to create a new social order of peace built upon the laws of God. In this life no one has the right to be cold or nasty to his neighbour. Malice, put-downs and payback will be foreign to our way of life. The love that we shall try to institute will restrain us form striving to take advantage of one another, form turning our backs on one another when the times get hard.

All of you know that this world and its way of doing things encourage everyone to be responsible for his own life and the lives of their family. They make you think that once you have food, clothing and a place to live then it is okay to try and be nice to your neighbour, however they still put limits on how nice you can be or how much you can talk and what is acceptable, now matter how many laws they pass to try and make you unite as a community there are still barriers, for instance one person has his group of friends, another a different set, someone else another set, most family cant even sit down together to eat a meal without fighting and trying to get one over on someone else.

We want to create a new society were this is not the case. We have been given the building blocks for this new society were the chains of fear and guilt and hatred that bind us can be broken. The new order we are talking about is not ideal, its real. Ideal societies are the playground of the dreamer and the intellectuals of this world, not one person has ever built an ideal world or society that works. In fact there is not a location on this earth were you can observe an ideal society, all those society’s that profess to be ideal are all based on the laws of men and those laws can only limit evil not create virtue and godliness. Zion’s camp will not be perfect, but God has given us the plans and building blocks to get it done and make it real and living. In Zion’s Camp we will be able to shake of the natural man who is an enemy to God and has been since the fall of Adam and we will be able to forgive each other and press on toward the goal and that goal is that one day we will be able to stand at the feet of our saviour.

All the Prophets of the ancient times have spoken of a new order a new social order in which all things are restored. Joseph Smith established many places in America many places were this new order could take hold, but the people failed him they weren’t ready to live up to the laws of Kirkland, Kirtland was the first place were God established his vision for his people that vision that Joseph was given to fulfil was to establish a living place of God were his laws were real and meant something in peoples lives. But it is possible for Gods people to build a place were man can dwell at one with God, were the laws of the creator can be paramount in our hearts, were children need to be exposed to hate and fear where families can live together in peace and harmony. Many people reading this will not be able to see the difference between Zion’s Camp and any other idea that describes utopian ideals some will feel that its is to good to be true. But there are those of you who are ready to do the will of the Lord and you will know weather this is actually gods plan and that Gods wants his children to live in a place of love and peace you will know weather or not this is just something that we have made up or weather it truly is Gods will. Remember the city of Enoch that was translated remember that in that place there was no poor among them they truly were the sons and daughters of God. And now the Lord has asked that we do it again, that we establish this place for a refuge for all those that are seeking this new life. Read Luke 9:23 and take in your hearts what it says... If you desire to live a self sacrificing life of love, to experience the deep soul satisfaction doing what God wants and serving his law and doing what we were created for then Zion’s camp is for you.

If you want to see such a place built then please make a donation, pledge your money to help buy the land and build the buildings and put your name forward to come and join with us in Zion’s Camp and make it a reality for the benefit of all those that are seeking a better way of life, free from persecution, war, hunger, poverty and hatred. As the statue of liberty says "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

So once again if you can pledge £29.99 to us to help Zion’s Camp become a reality please pay through pay pal or a cheque if you are paying though pay pal please state that its is for the Zion’s Camp Fund using the following email latterdaychurchofchrist2006@yahoo.co.uk. If you are paying by cheque then make it payable to The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ and send it to the address below. If you wish to make a donation that is not money but other things then once again send them to our address:-
55 Sherbourne Drive,
Hilton,
Derbyshire,
England,
DE65 5NJ

May God Bless you and Keep You.

Friday 12 October 2007

Welcome to The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ Blog. This week’s blog is a call for help! In as much as we are reaching out to everybody today to help us fulfil the building and establishment of Zion’s Camp. The church under the direction of the Prophet Matthew Gill are asking everybody who reads this blog to help us build Zion’s Camp, and to make it a reality!

We have been asked by the Prophet who has been directed by God to build Zion’s Camp to ask every one who reads this blog to help us establish Zion’s Camp by giving a donation of £29.99 to The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ to help us with this cause. If you can not manage to pledge £29.99 then please pledge what you can or even pledge time or clothing or dried food to aid us in building a place fit for the saints of the most high and all those seeking peace and safety form the tribulation that is coming.

Zion’s Camp is to be a place that is a place of refuge and safety. The Lord has given us a command to “Gather together in one place that my saints should be separate from the world and I have commanded that the saints prepare now to be gathered in one place in my name” So Zion’s Camp is a to be a physical place but the Lord also say’s that other people not of the church will gather, for he said "Now I say unto you that the day will shortly come to pass, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbour must flee unto Zion’s Camp for safety. And there shall be gathered at Zion’s Camp all the righteous of thy seed and a nation will be formed and it will be formed under heaven; and it shall be the only place save Zion in Jackson County Missouri that shall not be at war one with another". So we can see that Zion’s Camp is not just for the saints but for all people seeking safety and peace were all those that do not wish to fight wars and who do not wish to have hatred thrust upon them, although Zion’s Camp will live the law of the most high this will not be thrust upon those that come who are not of our faith, but we aim to love all people whatever they believe, however the laws of Zion’s Camp will be framed by God, but for the benefit of all.

If you want to see such a place built make the donation, pledge your money to help buy the land and build the buildings and put your name forward to come and join with us in Zion’s Camp and make it a reality for the benefit of all those that are seeking a better way of life, free from persecution, war, hunger, poverty and hatred. As the statue of liberty says "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

So once again if you can pledge £29.99 to us to help Zion’s Camp become a reality please pay through pay pal or a cheque if you are paying though pay pal please state that its is for the Zion’s Camp Fund using the following email berwood2001@yahoo.co.uk. If you are paying by cheque then make it payable to The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ and send it to the address below. If you wish to make a donation that is not money but other things then once again send them to our address:-

55 Sherbourne Drive,
Hilton,
Derbyshire,
England,
DE65 5NJ

May God Bless you and Keep You

Monday 1 October 2007

We would like to thank every body for their support over this last month with their kind words of support and encouragement. We have fond your love and friendship encouraging and we once again would like to take e the time to thank you publicly for all your heart felt support and fellowship.

The Latter day Church of Jesus Christ has been inundated with emails over the last month and we have tried to answer as many as we can. On the whole the majority of emails we receive. Their have been a lot of you asking to speak with the Prophet Matthew Gill, if you address your email for his attention we will pass it to him and he will endeavour to answer the letter at soon as he can. I’m sure you can imagine that he gets a lot of requests to answer mail personally and he tries to find time to do each one.

We have had a lot of people asking us a lot of different questions this month. One of the questions that has arisen form a few people is do we believe in tithing? And what makes us different to the LDS (UTHA) church on tithing the answer is yes we do believe in tithing, and we do differ on the subject. In fact we were addressed by the Prophet on this issue this week in church.

We believe in section 119 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants so we believe in tithing. If you read section 119 of the D&C you will find that Tithing was a question for many in the Church, there were many views and people were paying different amounts and in different ways.

Section 119 was given through revelation by the Lord to be "and this shall be a STANDING LAW UNTO THEM FOREVER". Greatly distinguishing it from other Laws and commandments that God give and later might revoke or change and of course from the policies and teaching established by Church quorums or proposed by leaders that some time change and can have errors. Here the Lord revealed the Law of Tithing to be "a STANDING LAW unto them FOREVER". I remind you that this was for the whole Church, not for some group living a higher Law but rather for the general members and those entering the Church as the Lord clearly set forth in verses 1-7 the rich and the poor the strong and the week the young and the old.

In verses 1-3 the Lord commanded that members already in the Church to give all their SURPLUS property to the Bishop of the Church. The Lord declares what the funds are to be used for and this is the beginning of the tithing of my people. Everyone was to start off with only what they feel they need. All were to enter Zion equal.

In verse 4 the Lord declares "And AFTER THAT" see verse 1-3 (given their all their surplus property) "those who have thus been tithed" shall do the following. He states when they shall do it and what they shall do, the correct amount and on what. He commands: they "shall pay ONE TENTH" "of their INTEREST" and they are to do it "ANNUALLY"

Since the time the Lord gave this STANDING LAW UNTO THE CHURCH FOR FOREVER various leaders and member of other so called Mormon faiths have tried to improve or change the law to their own ideas, in fact if you read the many sermons on tithing in the conferences of the other Mormon churches you will find their leaders trying to be more righteous than the last speaker some how, some claimed the better way was to pay their tithing monthly another as soon as you get it and even another once you get word it is coming to you. These people have discarded the wisdom and law of the Lord, in preference to their ideas of righteousness and wisdom. Tithing is a commandment of God and its details are specifically given by God and are simple and fair to all, and with in it there is great wisdom. But yet we find that the many Mormon faiths including the LDS UTAH Church have rejected the Lords authority to make STANDING LAWS UNTO THE CHURCH. For instance the LDS UTAH church have enacted at least 5 different policy changes at 5 different times since they arrived in SLC and never was there a claim of revelation or inspiration to do it. What we see today is that many Mormon churches including the LDS Utah church, instead of following Gods command listen to mortal men speak and everyone abandons the words give by God to the direct the Church.

Verse 5 of 119 commands that all new members shall pay all of their surplus property too as they gather to Zion. Note this is not before they gather but after, the Lord did not want them not to have the means to gather. Today many of the Mormon Churches and by far the largest of these Mormon churches the LDS Utah church has grown to the point that new converts can gather in their own areas. In any case the command is after they gather they pay the same, no more or no less than those who are already there did. ALL OF THEIR SURPLUS PROPERTY AND AFTER THAT, ONE TENTH WAS AND IS TO BE PAID ON THEIR INTEREST OR INCREASE FOR THAT YEAR, AND IT WAS TO BE DONE ANNUALLY. And this is the reason for an annual meeting with the bishop.

You determine if and how much better off you are this year than the year before and you supply one tenth of that to the Bishop. It is your tithing, not the tithing the bishop determines for you. It is your responsibility to determine if you have prospered and give the correct amount to the Bishop and it is his responsibility to receive, record and do with the tithing properly as set for in verse 2 and not go off and do something else with it or change the Law to his own ideas.

You may have noticed in the above statement I used the term "interest" and "increase". The word "interest" is used by the Lord in verse 4 to define what you are tithed on. The word increase comes from many of the early sermons by the Leaders who had it explained and taught to them by Joseph Smith and were teaching the saints. Interest mean increase, In the early days most members were farmers and worked for themselves and had little certainty of if they were doing better this year than last - having an increase was not known until the crops where harvested and secured in the barn and or sold. In the great wisdom of the Lord, the determining of what interest or increase you had been blessed with was to be made on an annual basis. Everyone could do this. They were not tithed again on what they had only on their increased wealth.

What of the poor and those who had no interest but in fact were poorer this year than last? Tithing as revealed adjusted for that fact and does not add to their burden by taking the bread out of the mouth of the poor. But if a person be they wealthy or poor had an increase from last year they also are capable to pay the Lord his small tenth of that interest. Please note that the Lord did not use the term "income". The whole question of Gross or Net is just a one of many foolish things that has resulted from individuals, leaders and the many Mormon Churches trying to change or allowing attempts to ignore and change the specific commandment and instruction on who, what, when and who is to obey tithing. Live the commandments of God, pay your tithing as He revealed it, not someone else's way.

There is great wisdom in the Lords Law of Tithing I will just mention the few I have noticed, I am sure there are more.
· The individual counts his blessings and wealth.
· There is an appoint time to do this, annually.
· The amount is based on your ability to pay.
· All members were to enter the Church committed.
· All paid initially what they could - all of their surplus...
· All paid no more than they could or should.
· No extra hardship is placed on the poor.
· The Church receives resources needed
· The members are allowed and encouraged to be prosperous.
· The Church is limited to the resources the Lord establishes for them to receive. And will not put heavy yokes on the people in the Lord's name or for righteousness sake calling it - tithing, a commandment from God. But not to run faster than the Church had means.
· It is simple, only 7 verses.
· It is easy to follow correctly.
· It will make the people happy and make God and the people partners in their own prosperity and that of the Church.
· It is designed so that the weakest of saints have no excuse to obey it. And those who didn't obey it where to be kicked out of the Church.
· It is a Standing Law to the whole Church to obey from head to toe, not a just commandment for the members to follow. The leaders and the organization (the Church as a body) have to following this STANDING LAW as revealed.
· It is a commandment with a promise and a warning -- verse 6-7.
· The traditional form of tithing was "in kind" meaning a farmer might pay in crops, a rancher in animals and others in what ever they prospered in but it does not instruct that it has to be paid "in kind" or indicate or limit acceptable forms of tithing payment. Which would allow for changes over time, countries and individuals needs and ability to convert it to a currency?

The wisdom in this simple commandment always amazes me. The Lord knows what works and is righteous. Some people want to pay more, some less some something else, some gross, some net. But if we go beyond the mark and do it even with all sincerity we ignore the word of the Lord, and in our own way like those who refuse to obey His specific instructions, we ignore it. There is no wisdom in and the members and the leaders and the other Mormon Church have no right to modify the commandment that the Lord has given us as a Standing Law. Also to that effect we The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ have no right to change the law because we either do not understand or do not want to live his law.

D&C 119 is a Standing Law unto the Church forever, as given and does not admit modifications! Remember that tithing is what the Lord said it is - nothing more, nothing less and that you are responsible to make sure you obey this HIS LAW correctly in the prescribed way He commanded. It is not a free will offering it is a commandment of God we are obligated to obey, and obey as given. Pay your tithes annually, pay one tenth of you interest , your increase, not income, count your blessings the way the Lord has told you to, there is great wisdom in His prescribed ways, we should not, we must not adopt other ways just as other so called Mormon churches have done just because you do not want to. If you don't practice and obey tithing the Lord's way it's not tithing! It's some apostate form of what God revealed in clarity and simplicity to be a STANDING LAW UNTO THE CHURCH FOREVER!

So what do we say as members of The latter Day Church of Jesus Christ to other Mormon Denominations who refuse to see this law the way we do? I would encourage you to remind them of the story of the Rechabites, and the strong TEMPTATION that they were under when invited to the Temple of God, and there, in one of the apartments, ASKED by Jeremiah, one of THE GREATEST PROPHETS, to drink wine; or, in other words, TO DO SOMETHING THEY HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED by their father not to do. BUT THEY COULD NOT BE MOVED, the teaching of their father had found an abiding place in their hearts, and the consequence was that THEY UTTERLY REFUSED TO DO WHAT THE PROPHET OF GOD TOLD THEM TO DO. THE LORD HIMSELF ADMIRED THE COURSE THAT THEY TOOK IN THIS MATTER and was led as I before said, to make such a glorious promise to the house of Rechab.

If the Lord admired and rewarded these individual for refusing to disregard the instructions of their mortal father and obey the new direct instructions given to them by the prophet in the temple. How much more appropriate is it for you to refuse to disregard a Law of God declared by him to be a standing law forever and not follow numerous authorized changes made by mortal leaders. If you have to choose between your God's standing commandment and your so called bishops or other mortal leaders that instruct you, which will it be? If you or any body else in what ever Mormon faith is not obeying tithing the Lords way, you or they are not live tithing but some perversion of the truth ! Who convinced you to do it is no excuse and it doesn't change God's standing law, to you and to them and to his church!

If this church we to have a motto it should not be "do it" but rather it should be “do it the Lords way"


So there you have it that’s what we believe on tithing. Some people may have seen something similar to this on other sites that’s because common sense is common sense no matter who writes it. We believe in section 119 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants and we believe in tithing.

We hope you have a good week, and we are sure that this week’s blog will attract a lot of attention so we stand ready to answer your emails…God Bless

Welcome to The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ

We hope you find this blog a good source of information about the Restored Branch of Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or are interested in finding out more about the church email us at info@restoredbranch.com

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