Recent Articles and Sermons

A Tribute to Mark W. Downey

“Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD [Yahweh].” – Job 1:21

Mark Downey passed from this life, March 26, 2018, about 7 a.m. He was nearly a week from his 69th birthday. He died at home in the mercies of our God, without pain, and in dignity and honor, after a long struggle with a cancer. He will be greatly missed by his church, the men of his prison ministry and many others all across the nation.

by J. Christian

May 20, 2018

Scripture Reading Acts 5:29:   We ought to obey God rather than men.

Unless you’re not watchful, you know that there are severe issues in our land that need attention. We are not sure our country is moving in the right direction. Our core beliefs once assumed seem to be in shambles. One area of concern is our justice system.

Do we have swift justice anymore? Do we have justice anymore? Do we have borders anymore? Is there a basic sense of decency still there?

How we handle justice has evolved over the decades in our land. We’ll look at different approaches that have been taken, and hopefully see where we have gone wrong.

How many murders occur in America each year?

Are we dealing out justice as it should be?

What does the Bible say?

Let’s look at some facts about murder.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

May 13, 2018

Scripture Reading:  Deuteronomy 11:1-7

What an opening introduction of verses! How can anyone read these verses and still believe that the Bible teaches that all races are of an equal standing? There is no difference in God between the races? There are differences even between the same race! Moses is talking to the older generation rather than the younger.

Let’s look at a couple of things that the first verse tells us.

The first verse repeats that we [Israel] are to love the LORD our God, and are to “keep His charge, and His statutes, and His ordinances, and His commandments, _ _ _ _ _ _ .” What word in missing? What word should go in the blanks?

Celebrating the Life of Pastor Mark Downey

May 6, 2018

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:1-2

Mark Downey passed away from this life on March 26, 2018.  He was nearly a week from his 69th birthday.  He died at home in the mercies of our God, without pain, and in dignity and honor after a long struggle with cancer.  He will be greatly missed by his wife, his church, the men of his prison ministry and many others across the nation and around the world.

The Fellowship of God's Covenant People held a Christian Identity tribute service to Pastor Downey on Sunday May 6th.  The audio portion is complete with shared testimonies and memories of Mark's life and ministry and the impact he made on others as a friend, brother and man of God.  What follows is the text of Jim Jester's and Debra Downey's contributions to the service, as well as a few other testimonies that were sent by e-mail.

By Jim Jester

April 29, 2018

Doctrine: Music

Scripture Reading: II Chronicles 7:4-6

What about music in the Bible – is there a doctrine on music?

Music plays a major role in most people’s lives – as much as what we eat, wear, or in our personal relationships. As seen in this passage, it certainly played a major role in Israel; and, it still does.

Music should be addressed from a biblical perspective as well as any other doctrine of the church: the Godhead, the covenant, the church, redemption, sanctification, etc. Did you know there are about 600 references to music in the Bible? That is more references than many of the other doctrines that we teach on a regular basis.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

April 22, 2018

Scripture Reading:  Deuteronomy 10:1-5

Moses is retelling the Israelites that their LORD God spoke the Ten Commandments to them with His own voice. Who says God doesn’t exist? Over one million Israelites heard God speak with His own voice the Ten Commandments to them accompanied by lightnings, and thunders from a dark cloud on the mount. Even the mount was on fire, and smoke was present on the top of it. They became so afraid that they went afar off and told Moses to go relay the rest of the message from God.

Moses traveled back up the mount where God told him that He would write the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone, with His finger. There Moses talked with God for forty days and forty nights. And as Moses and Joshua returned to talk to the people, Moses broke the tables on the ground because he was so angry and disappointed at Israel’s behavior. The Israelites, along with Aaron, had quickly took up the worship of an idol.

After this happened, God told Moses to come back up the mount and God would once again write with His finger the Ten Commandments on new tables of stone, replacing the one that Moses had broken. This time, Moses was told to put the tables of stone in the Ark of the Covenant, which would be in the inner sanctuary in the tabernacle of God. There it would be safely kept for many years until the House of Judah’s captivity.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

April 15, 2018

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 9:1-3

Were all the Canaanites who lived in the Palestinian area very tall and were they all the children of the Anakims? No. But the giants who lived among them made up a large portion of the Canaanites. And one of the fiercest of all the Canaanites were the children of Anak, the giant.

Were these giants mentioned before in scripture? When the 12 spies were sent into Palestine to search out the land to see exactly what kind of land and what kind of people were living there, they came across this powerful group of giants.

The spies departed from Kadesh-barnea and “…they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Taimai, the children of Anak were” (Numbers 13:22a).

Ahiman, Sheshai, and Taimai were tribes of giants who were descended from the giant progenitor Anak. When the spies came back to the congregation of Israel, they reported that they “…saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). The giants were living in the area called Hebron.

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

April 8, 2018

Scripture Reading:  Deuteronomy 8:1-6

The Bible is basically a history book. A history book about whom? Does it tell us about the origin and happenings of the:

1. Asians? Very little.

2. Africans? Very little.

3. South Americans? None.

4. Central Americans? None.

5. North American Indians? None.

6. Pacific Island inhabitants? None.

7. Kenites/Canaanites/Edomites/Jew? It tells of their origin and how they would have enmity between the woman (Eve) and her seed (Genesis 3:15) forever. It tells that their land would be given to God’s covenant people; that the covenant people would live in their homes, farm their olive gardens and raise their herds and flocks of animals that they would need. The children of God were commanded to destroy all the idols, rituals and way of worship that the Canaanites worshipped their god(s). All the Canaanites who lived in the land of Palestine, were commanded by the God of the Israel people to be destroyed—it didn’t matter if they were a man or a woman, a child or an infant. They all were to be annihilated.

8. The family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and Abraham’s grandson Jacob and Jacob’s seed? The Bible tells us how they grew in multitude within 430 years to several millions of people, how they totally defeated the Amorites east of the Jordan River, and how they won great victories west of the Jordan River, but did not completely destroy all the Canaanites who lived there because of a lack of faith.

It also tells how they first became a mighty united nation, then later became two divided kingdoms, then later only the southern kingdom remained.

by Pastor Brian Jones

April 1, 2017

Scripture Reading:  Mathew 13:10-17

The following scriptures were discussed and are recommended for a bible study.

• James 1:22-25
• Malachi 3:6-7, 16-18
• Romans 2:13-15
• Isaiah 66:1-2, 5, 15-17, 22-24
• James 2:17-23
• Acts 13:22-30
• I Peter 2:5-10
• Galatians 4:16
• Proverbs 8:13
• Proverbs 6:16-19
• Philippians 2:12-16
• Matthew 10:32-38
• John 3:18-21
• I Corinthians 13:1-3
• Mark 14:32-36
• John 18:11

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

March 25, 2018

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:6-9

There are 12 duties that the parents are commanded to perform to help their children understand the power and goodness of God. These dozen duties are all contained in the 6th chapter of the book of Deuteronomy:

1. Love God wholeheartedly.

2. Have God’s words in the heart.

3. Teach them diligently to your children.

4. Talk of them when sitting in the home, walking by the way, lying down, and rising up.

5. Bind them for a sign upon the hand and on the forehead.

6. Write them upon the door posts and gates.

7. Remember God and SERVE Him in prosperity and success.

8. Fear the Lord, SERVE Him, and swear by His name.

9. Detest idols.

10. Refrain from tempting God.

11. Diligently keep the commandments, testimonies, and statutes of your God.

12. Do that which is right and good in the sight of God and man.