A Quick Prayer Request Please

Phillip Dickinson here.  We are now in our last city / congregation in Colombia.  God has blessed tremendously in the services in Medellin and Cartegena.  Tonight we began in Bogota.  Jimmy and Farly Ramirez and David Spivey and I noticed that the service tonight seemed strained, dry, and difficult.  The message was anointed and led of God and preached out of a heart of prayer and compassion.  But we feel that there is a Spiritual battle here and we need God.  Also, Bro. Spivey needs a physical touch.  Thanks for Praying! 

Peru and Colombia trip

In Lima, Peru

Thanks for praying for Bro. Byron and I as we are in Lima, Peru.  We have been seeing the hand of God in all of this and are leaving tomorrow greatly encouraged in God's providential working.  God has been sending people across our paths and we are expecting to see a holiness church here someday.

Please Pray for the trip to Colombia now.  Bro. Spivey and I will be traveling to each of the congregations and preaching and teaching.  I greatly feel the need of the Holy Spirit to do HIS office work.  I appreciate you praying!    -pdd

Evaluating God's Church

Oh, how sad it makes me when people try to evaluate the condition of God’s holy church by appearances, by surveys, and by comparisons.  I cannot watch.  I have to look away lest my faith be hindered or lest I be tempted to contend.  Why must I look away?  Most evaluations are done by those who are impressed with numbers and with influence.  Why must I look away?  Because the kingdom of God cometh not with observation.   

The “numbers and influence” evaluation game is a dangerous two edged sword.  1.) If all seems to be going exceptionally well, many fall into pride at the survey results and then God’s Spirit is grieved, leaves us, and we are left operating and progressing in the flesh.  2.) If the survey results are not what the leaders think they should be, the sheep are often browbeat to do something, change things, or start being like another part of the religious or secular world which has the results which they like.  Then methods, mission statements, grand causes, long term strategies, and much more human machinery is dreamed up by men who presume to take upon themselves the work of the Blessed Holy Spirit.   

These movement evaluators long to have a better plan, to hire a sharper strategist, or to form more clever think tanks with more titled and successful members to this end.  These self-appointed strategists compare the tiny bit which they can see of Christ’s holy church with unfair growth models.  They whip the faithful few they see around them with guilt for not equaling past moves of God which are not how God Spirit is choosing to move today.  In an indirect way they compare those few of Christ’s church whom they see around them with carnal churches which are filling their fine auditoriums by appealing to the flesh and tossing to the wind so much precious truth.  They unwisely compare the wee bit of Christ’s holy church which they see to smart Fortune 500 business type principles.  With a heavenward sigh they say “if only the deacons, presbytery, and bishops could be taught the right growth principles or be able to articulate the right passion, others would follow and our part of the church would grow.”  God’s conditional promises are forgotten for Dale Carnegie’s smooth winsome and influencing principles.  It’s as if they think that Jesus said, “YE will build my church.”  Now if only we could just get it right, we’d see things start to happen.   

Powerful alliances must be won for their funds and for their influence.  We have articulated well our missional and doctrinal statements and have ensconced them in bronze and polished walnut.  And we have seated our abrasive prophets lest they thunder a mispronounced word of God’s message to us and cause confusion and lost momentum.  Formidable academics and gleaming genius are praised and exalted as if they were the key to usefulness in Christ’s great kingdom.  And the same ones wonder why God isn’t moving as much in the most lettered nations.  Also, scary screams and cries from shouting simple saints make some feel squeamish, so the services are carefully controlled with the secret hope that emotional saints stay away.  Venerable guests from the “mainline” churches might be offended by such uncalled for outbursts.  These church evaluators don’t appreciate the spirit of these noisy outbursts.  These sincere praises and emotional noises bubble up from the same full heart of worship as the childish cries of praise to Jesus Christ in Jerusalem’s temple.  They forget that these emotional ones are often those needed saints who are filled with the Spirit of God and have been moved upon by the blessed Holy Spirit.  They don’t realize that to despise them is to despise the ways and the workings of God’s Holy Spirit.  Those trying to steer the services and the movement are in danger of setting themselves up as judges of what is and what isn’t of God’s Spirit and of calling the shots of what God should and shouldn’t allow.  Remember misjudging God’s Spirit is very close to blasphemy.  So little by little the warming fire of God’s Spirit is grieved away and the evaluating gate-keepers are left to their lukewarm selves and to their cold church growth principles.   

Leaders must never forget that most of the church is made up of crude, unlettered, uncouth, and ugly men who have been confronted by the Holy Spirit, given a new heart, filled with love, and then sent to go and confront others while employing all of their awful personality quirks but now with the blessing of God.  These unrefined members of Christ’s body don’t understand the “power” of positive thinking nor the “importance” of impression management, nor would they care if they could understand.  They do not feel the need to wow the world in order to draw men to Christ, for they know they must glorify Christ and He will do the drawing.  They don’t usually win prestigious awards, titles, degrees, or competitions.  Often they are the most untalented, unnoticed, and unwanted people in God’s church.  Remember, Jesus Himself taught us about the kingdom of heaven with leaven.  And unlike that of earthly kingdoms, the leavening agents work unnoticed, unseen, unheard, and untasted until after the bread goes through the fire.  If the leaven is seen, heard, noticed, and lauded for its fine flavor, it probably is not leaven but something else. 

 

It is good to look to mighty moves of God in the past and the present to be challenged, encouraged, and to follow them as they follow Christ.  But we must not compare God’s church around us to others to induce guilt, to horse whip others to get movin’, or to speak disparagingly of Christ’s despised and underestimated body.  If we think we see cause for alarm we must not wag the finger at the faithful, but rather cry out to God, for God is He who moves men’s hearts.  And we must compare ourselves with the Word of God only, for God’s Spirit will use His Word to give faith needed for God to work in us and through us.  For they that compare themselves among themselves are not wise.   

Also those leaders who compare their followers with others whom they admire often end up causing their followers to be like those with whom they are compared with.  The church leader who gushes about corporate growth models turns his church into a secular type entity.  The church leader who compares his church with more worldly churches creates in his flock an admiration for worldly type churches.  The church leader who always talks about performance, growth, methods, and evaluational surveys takes the focus off of Christ and His promises.  He also creates the danger of following man’s reasonings and missing the direction in which the Holy Spirit would want to lead them.  For the ways of the Spirit are not known to man and can be revealed to us only by the Spirit of God, not by group powwows. 

If there be a problem in any holiness churches, the answer lies not in fresh vision, newer plans, fresh styles, or in articulate leadership, but rather in God’s promises.  Look at the unlimited potential in the following promises.  Then note any conditions.  For when we live in conformity to God’s conditions, God lets us be a part of His holy church which is already victoriously marching forward and will triumph. 

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; (Isaiah 44:3-5a)

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

The LORD preserveth all them that love him:   (Psalm 145:18-20a)

The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.   (Psalm 147:11)

Ask, and it shall be given you…   (Matthew 7:7)

For every one that asketh receiveth…   (Luke 11:10)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.   (John 15:7)

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?   (Jeremiah 32:27)

The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

So we fasted and besought our God for this:   (Ezra 8:22b-23a)  [if the context of “seek” is fasting and prayer, then does “forsake him” imply neglect of fasting and prayer?]

…your heart shall live that seek God.   (Psalm 69:32)

God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you:   (1 Samuel 12:23)

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.   (Psalm 126:5-6)  [The context is God turning the captivity of Zion; the Gentile church also is now grafted into / a part of Spiritual Zion!]

the desire of the righteous shall be granted.   (Proverbs 10:24)

The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us;

He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.   (Psalm 115:12a,13-15)

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

For I will not contend for ever…   (Isaiah 57:15-16a)

Those of us who believe the Wesleyan interpretation of the Bible believe that Christ will cause His church to fill the earth.  The Gentiles will greatly turn to God.  Israel will see this great blessing of Christ on His church and will be jealous and will all be saved.  This great final ingathering of Christ’s church will be the latter rain corresponding to the early rain.  Some think that this great harvest might be brought on due to great afflictions caused as the earthly kingdoms break up and fall so that Christ’s kingdom can fill the earth.   

So, brethren, there is no need for us to browbeat one another.  The kingdom of Christ, the stone will become a mountain and will fill the earth.  It is Christ, not us but He who will build His church.  Our simple task is to abide in Christ -- in simple faith do His will -- and to expectantly hope in His promises.  Let us diligently and individually study to be found in Christ without spot and blameless.    For He will carefully guide us as a shepherd lovingly leads his flock, and the meek shall inherit the earth.  Soon it will be Holiness Unto The Lord everywhere, throughout the whole church.  Keep preaching that Christ came to make all holy in heart and in life!  The holiness church will not be confounded; Christ will triumph!  Don’t look around you; look up!           

-pdd, Feb. / Mar. 2013

Benefits Of Walking With God

 

And Enoch walked with God.  Genesis 5:22

And Noah walked with God.  Genesis 6:9

If you long to receive rejuvenating energy, and to know secrets and life changing thoughts, go for a walk with God. 

God whispers to the man (or woman) and empowers him when he lives walking with Him. Many times that walk need only be as long as the distance from your comfortable bed or from the company of chattering friends to that lonely kneeling spot away from the rabble of life. 

When walking with God, the best is that he comes to know God Himself as an intimate friend. 

                                                                                                - Phillip

Easy Way To Measure Spiritual Growth In Christ!

12 Evidences Of Advancement In Holiness.

1.  An increasing comfort and delight in the Holy Scriptures.

2.  An increasing interest in prayer, and an increasing spirit of prayer.

3.  An increasing desire for the holiness of others.

4.  A more heart-searching sense of the value of time.

5.  Less desire to see and hear for mere curiosity.

6.  A growing inclination against magnifying the faults and weaknesses of others.

7.  A growing readiness to speak freely to those who do not enjoy religion.

8.  More disposition to glory in reproach for Christ’s sake and suffer for Him.

9.  An increasing tenderness of conscience.

10.  Being less affected by changes of place and circumstances.

11.  A sweeter enjoyment of the holy Sabbath and services of the sanctuary.

12.  An increasing love for the searching means of grace. 

  

                         -- from J. A. Wood in Perfect Love 

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, GREATHEART?

Where are you going, Greatheart,
With your eager face and your fiery grace?
    Where are you going, Greatheart?

"To fight a fight with all my might,
For Truth and Justice, God and Right,
To grace all Life with His fair Light."
   Then God go with you, Greatheart!

Where are you going, Greatheart?
"To beard the Devil in his den;
To smite him with the strength of ten'
To set at large the souls of men."
   Then God go with you, Greatheart!

Where are you going, Greatheart?
"To cleanse the earth of noisome things;
 To draw from life its poison stings;
To give free play to Freedom's wings."
   Then God go with you, Greatheart!

Where are you going, Greatheart?
"To lift Today above the Past;
To make Tomorrow sure and fast;
To nail God's colors to the mast."
   Then God go with you, Greatheart!

Where are you going, Greatheart?
"To break down old dividing lines;
To carry out my Lord's designs;
To build again His broken shrines."
   Then God go with you, Greatheart!

Where are you going, Greatheart?
"To set all burdened peoples free;
To win for all God's liberty;
To 'stablish His sweet sovereignty."
   God go with you, Greatheart!
                              John Oxenham

How I Want To Treat Others

Romans 12 teaches us how to order our daily relationships.  In reading and studying Romans, I found some jewels from others which I want to share with you. It shows how I want to be through Christ. 

John Fletcher was a dear minister and a friend and defender of John Wesley.  The following incident speaks of Fletcher's loving Christ-like spirit.

Thomas Reader became so angry at John Fletcher's Last Check to Antimomianism that he traveled all the way to Madeley to rebuke the author.  Upon his arrival Fletcher exclaimed, "Come in, come in, thou blessed of the Lord!  Am I so honored as to receive a visit from so esteemed a servant of my Master?  Let us have a little prayer, while refreshments are getting ready."  Reader reported that he never so enjoyed three days of such spiritual and profitable conversation in all his life, but was never able to muster enough courage to even allude to the purpose of his visit.

I want to be so Christ-like and have so much of God's love that all around are drawn toward heavenly things and away from petty strife.  I want to be magnanimous with even my enemies.  Joseph Benson told us, "Be generous with our enemies.  Be patient with God.  Be humble toward self."

John Wesley wrote, "The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities.  I exact more from myself and less from others."

This is similar to the words I have written in my Bible.  "To others a heart of love, to self a heart of steel, to God a heart of fire!"   

I want to bless ALL with my prayers; yes, even my enemies.  Adam Clarke said, "Pray for the same good for all which you desire for yourselves."

And to my brethren, I want to esteem them better than myself, I want to show them honor and preference.  I like how Clarke put it, "Consider all your brethren as more worthy than yourself."

When we walk in perfect love toward God and others, we will not return evil for evil, but rather good for evil.  And in so doing we will heap coals of fire on their head.  This will help lead them to repentance.  In reference to heaping coals of fire, Samuel Wesley wrote,

"So artists melt the sullen ore of lead,                                                                                 
By heaping coals of fire upon its head:                                                                                
In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow,                                                                    
And pure from dross the silver runs below."

The Amplified Bible mentions that heaping coals of fire is a picture of the ministry of the high priest on the day of atonement (Lev. 16:12).  The coals of fire created a fragrant cloud which covered the mercy seat and which God accepted for atonement.  I think that Romans 12 is hinting that by returning good for evil, we help save their souls.  We help save them, not only in the way that Moses prayed for those who were against him, turning God's wrath away from them.  But also as said Augustine, that the coals of fire heaped upon our enemies heads are the burning pangs of shame or anguish which lead them to repentance.

And remember, showing mercy and loving one who doesn't deserve it, makes us like God.  God in His great grace enables us to be like Him in order to show others how loving and merciful is God really is.

- Phillip

[some of the quotes found in A Fundamental Wesleyan Commentary on Romans, by Vic Reasoner]  

Thanks for praying; God was truly glorified!!!

Thank you, thank you for praying for our Colombian revival services last week with Bro. Becker and Bro. Eisenhart preaching!  I know that people from all over the world have been fasting and praying for this effort.  God has been glorified!  

The teaching and preaching were anointed of God.
God came with a special sense of His presence.  Nearly every service brought praying around the altar.  And most present sought after God, if not for themselves, in helping to pray for others.

God brought several new ones in and saved several souls from their sins and at least three more were sanctified wholly.  Tears, crying out to God, and victories marked the services.  Several ladies came from the beauty salons around the church and to my understanding two of the beauticians sought God around the altar and became believers.  Praise God for making them hungry for the beauty of holiness. 

How we appreciate your prayers!  God is answering them.  Let's keep praying!
            
- Phillip

Please pray, especially this week

I ask for your special prayers this coming week.

January 14, our pastor Carl Eisenhart and our mission director Mark Becker should arrive in Colombia to preach a revival effort through the week and teach Bible classes.  We desire God.  God has been answering your prayers.  Over and over again in these special efforts God has melted the church here with love, tears, and seeking after Him and His holiness.  Last time, when Joseph Smith and Stephanie Smith came various ones testified to God entirely sanctifying them.  Different ones walked in new light and visibly changed.  Since then we have been seeing more growth both spiritually and numerically.  Just in the last few weeks a couple with deep spiritual needs have started coming and plan to be at the revival effort.   

God's precious Holy Spirit is moving upon hearts so please continue to pray, and pray for our brothers preaching and teaching.  Pray for the one translating.  Pray for those listening.  Please continue to help us pray that Christ is enthroned in every heart and that all continue to grow in the knowledge, wisdom, and love of Jesus Christ.  If God enables you to fast too, that is always a great blessing.  May God save, entirely sanctify, and help every one possible to grow in Him.  Pray that holiness advances into other parts of Colombia and beyond!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Phillip Dickinson 

Bible Standards of the Purified Remaining Church

Imagine!  When all industry promoting the last word in glamour around the world are destroyed by fire, when her supermodels and jet set have passed away like a trail of vapor, when all profane fashion designers are but dust and ashes, and when the makers, promoters, and sellers of jewelry, makeup, and sensual trends are perished from the earth, then the remaining church having passed through the fire will no longer concern themselves with their vanities.   

Salon sculpted eyebrows, the most recent eyeliner technique, or which makeup foundation seems most natural will be so old-world.  The cut and color -- obsolete -- will no longer be associated with women’s hairdos.  Instead, natural length, simple femininity, and glory will describe our ladies’ tresses.   

Name brands in vogue today will be decidedly passé to the remnant.  Words describing dress such as “hot,” “cool,” “trendy,” “sassy,” “curvy,” “leggy,” “revealing,” “split,” “low cut,” or “short” will be considered so yesterday.   

The new fashion will be quality which reflects modesty, humility, and sobriety.  And it will not be a passing seasonal fad.  The popular “name brand” on many items will be Holiness Unto The Lord™!   

The remaining church with a passion for this beauty of holiness will display Bible standards to the survivors on earth.  And this fashion standard will be backed by the Lawgiver who designed it.  For He will rule the nations with a rod of iron.

Note:  The coming fire means different things to the world and to the church.  To the world it will be judgment fire.  To the church it shall be refining fire.  All works of wood, hay, and stubble will eventually burn up and pass away.  Only works of gold, silver, and precious jewels will survive, be purified, and will shine even brighter throughout eternity.  
Remember, precious flock, the lesson found in the great flood, in the plagues of Egypt, and in Sodom.  Every time God’s judgments rained down upon the earth, God mercifully protected His elect.  Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh!   

- Some thoughts I had on January 13, 2013, 

- Phillip

What is the best thing that I can do to build the kingdom of God?

"Thy kingdom come."  - Matthew 6:10a

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink."  – Romans 14:17a

What is the best thing that I can do to build the kingdom of God?  Is it excellence in Christian education for my children?  Is it rich tradition and pinpoint doctrinal accuracy?  Is it warmly talking of our heritage in order to produce a love for this in others around us?   

As much as I love all of these, I have seen this often mistaken for what is best, for what is necessary.   

To build the kingdom of God, I must build the kingdom of God.  I know that this sounds silly, but many Christians do the first three points but never do anything to build the kingdom of God.   

• I can educate and refine my children until they be slick, CEO type, motor-mouths capable of running any Christian organization -- all vanity, unless they are humble and filled with the Holy Spirit. 
   
• I can lovingly publish, talk, and embrace our rich traditions and doctrines for my children and others until they be rooted in the richest traditions of the most orthodox doctrines -- good.  But they could also become formal and liturgically sound in their worship, thinking, and ways -- not good.   

•  I can gushingly tell of our heroes, saints, and ministers until our children love the same and follow them as they follow Christ.  And this is good.  

But unless I build the kingdom of God I am only building tradition and human machinations.   

What does it mean to build the kingdom of God?   

It first means to let this kingdom reign in my heart.  This means a clear testimony to salvation from all sins and a cleansing from all inbred sin.  This means forsaking all to follow Christ – forsaking self, lesser things that I love, comfort, rights, opinion, popularity, power, authority, and anything else that we humans try to manipulate to “build” our personal reputation, empire, or comfort zones rather than God’s kingdom.  This means praying and interceding much until I know what God wants me to do and be for Him, even at the cost of never being known or noticed.   It means to even then to continue to pray much and for others.  It means forsaking all in order for yourself and for others to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.   

We often speak of the act of forsaking all necessary to know Christ.  But so few after the initial forsaking, continue to forsake all in order to help as many as necessary know Christ.  But this very thing is building the kingdom of God.   

We often have not forsaken enough to spend much time in prayer or in seeking to know Him through His Word.  Nor have we forsaken enough to bring as many as possible to Christ.  Our lives are too cluttered and busy with other things we love.   

We love our fine education and other ways of bettering ourselves, our doctrines and theology, our traditions and our heritage, our comforts and our high culture, our reputations and self promotion, our fellowshipping and our mingling, our organizations and our planning to promote such.   

But in the end we have just that and no more.  Where is God's glory and presence?  Where am I?  Am I dead to sin and the flesh and alive unto God?  Where are the new souls won and discipled to Christian perfection and beyond?  Where are the new churches -- not new church buildings -- but rather where are the new congregations?  Where are the new mission fields, not hand-me-downs as precious and as needed as they be also?   

I know that many play a hidden part in such highly visual works and this is good, for God does not call many to full time ministry.  But we all must ascertain that all our passions are in building God’s kingdom and not in building pious but lesser interests.  Nor am I speaking against local church loyalty, for I know that God has ordained His kingdom to be advanced from the framework of loyalty to the local church.   

But our greatest longing and striving must be to love and glorify God, and then labor to bring souls to perfection in Him.  This alone will build the kingdom of God.     

- Phillip, July 19, 2010         

You – God’s SPECIAL creation

A nice house is cheapened

if painted the wrong colors;

no Jaguar needs “racing stripes.” 

You, as God’s SPECIAL creation,

cheapen your appearance with false colors

and/or earthy bangles.

 

 Credit: Edgar A. Bryan I, found on www.separateholy.wordpress.com