Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Yield up the Love Of Life for the sake of the Life Of Love. Mrs. Cowman

"I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."  Philippians 3:8  (Weymouth)

Shining is always costly. Light comes only at the cost of that which produces it. An unlit candle does no shining. Burning must come before shining. We cannot be of great use to others without cost to ourselves. Burning suggests suffering. We shrink from pain.
 

We are apt to feel that we are doing the greatest good in the world when we are strong, and able for active duty, and when the heart and hands are full of kindly service.
 
When we are called aside and can only suffer; when we are sick; when we are consumed with pain; when all our activities have been dropped, we feel that we are no longer of use, that we are not doing anything.
 
But, if we are patient and submissive, it is almost certain that we are a greater blessing to the world in our time of suffering and pain than we were in the days when we thought we were doing the most of our work. We are burning now, and shining because we are burning.  —Evening Thoughts
 
“The glory of tomorrow is rooted in the drudgery of today.”
 
Many want the glory without the cross, the shining without the burning, but crucifixion comes before coronation.
 
Have you heard the tale of the aloe plant,
Away in the sunny clime?
By humble growth of a hundred years
It reaches its blooming time;
And then a wondrous bud at its crown
Breaks into a thousand flowers;
This floral queen, in its blooming seen,
Is the pride of the tropical bowers,
But the plant to the flower is sacrifice,
For it blooms but once, and it dies.
 
Have you further heard of the aloe plant,
That grows in the sunny clime;
How every one of its thousand flowers,
As they drop in the blooming time,
Is an infant plant that fastens its roots
In the place where it falls on the ground,
And as fast as they drop from the dying stem,
Grow lively and lovely around?
By dying, it liveth a thousand-fold
In the young that spring from the death of the old.
 
Have you heard the tale of the pelican,
The Arabs’ Gimel el Bahr,
That lives in the African solitudes,
Where the birds that live lonely are?
Have you heard how it loves its tender young,
And cares and toils for their good,
It brings them water from mountain far,
And fishes the seas for their food.
In famine it feeds them—what love can devise!
The blood of its bosom—and, feeding them, dies.
 
Have you heard this tale—the best of them all—
The tale of the Holy and True,
He dies, but His life, in untold souls
Lives on in the world anew;
His seed prevails, and is filling the earth,
As the stars fill the sky above.
He taught us to yield up the love of life,
For the sake of the life of love.
His death is our life, His loss is our gain;
The joy for the tear, the peace for the pain.  —Selected

From April 26, Streams In The Desert, by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Interchurch Holiness Convention

http://www.ihconvention.com/conventionherald/index.php

We are HAPPY to get to watch the Interchurch Holiness Convention via internet.  Imagine.  Missionaries in Buenos Aires, Argentina, getting to virtually attend a holiness convention in Dayton, Ohio, USA!

You may listen in here.  I hope you join us.  

*If the live streaming doesn't work, try again after a bit; they may be between services.*

You may view the preaching schedule here.

Please pray with us for God to be glorified at IHC and in all of us listening.

Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness.  
Psalm 29:2b 

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Yes, Jesus Rose From Dead After 3 Days AND 3 Nights.

Hallelujah!  Jesus is ALIVE! 
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  - Jesus in Matthew 12:40

Someday people will catch on.  I was slow; it took me several years to figure this out.
.
I have never doubted the resurrection of Christ.  Nor the infallibility of the Bible, God's Holy Word.

But for years I have scratched my head and tried to figure this "and three nights" matter out.  Because I just assumed that that Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose again on Sunday.  I could get three partial days out of this, but three NIGHTS out of a Friday crucifixion / Sunday resurrection was impossible.  So I settled it with, "I must not understand all the facts yet."

Because Jesus doesn't lie.  And we know that Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, the first day of the week.  (Just read your Bible.)  So somehow scholars have gotten confused about on which day Jesus was crucified.  (Again, just read your Bible; Friday isn't mentioned.)

Now, the day before the sabbath IS mentioned.  But people have forgotten that there not only is a Saturday Jewish sabbath, but ALSO a sabbath that falls in the middle of the week at certain times.

Simply put, in AD 32 on Thursday through sunset was the first day of the Passover, the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan.  On this day the Passover lamb was slain all across Israel.  The following day Friday was a special Jewish sabbath, also called a "high day" as mentioned in John 19:31. Jesus being crucified and then dying by sunset and then buried directly thereafter would place Him in the grave for three days AND three nights too, just as Jesus said.  Jesus, our passover lamb, then rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

Hallelujah!  He arose, and now we can have Abundant Everlasting Life through Christ!  This means you can be saved from sin and punishment, my dear friend.  Surrender you're life to God; cry out to Him for help. God will hear you and have mercy on you and abundantly forgive you and give you a new life in Christ!  You cannot overestimate the power of the blood of Jesus.  Through Jesus you can be freed from ANY sin which binds you!

The Berean Call, founded by Dave Hunt, the author of The Seduction of Christianity among other books, published this article.  I quote it below, for it explains the Jewish sabbath following Christ's crucifixion, which places Christ in the tomb for not only three days but also three nights just as Jesus promised.
Question: Recently I was presented some information defending the traditional Friday crucifixion.... “The day of preparation” (Lk 23:54) could only refer to Friday before the Sabbath since no work of any kind could be done on the Sabbath... [which was known as] “the High Sabbath.” To us three days and three nights generally means 72 hours, but...this could mean any part of the first day, all of the second day, and any part of the third day. In several passages (the majority) it is said Jesus would rise “on the third day.” If the resurrection occurred after a full 72 hours (three days) it would have been on the fourth day. The Jews put guards to make the grave “secure until the third day” (Mt 27:64) not until the fourth day. Please respond.
Response: There are several errors in the points you make in defense of a Friday crucifixion. First of all, you deal with the days and not the nights. The problem is with the three nights, not with the three days . A Friday crucifixion would give three days (one full day and part of two others), but not three nights as required. Next, you say that the only “preparation” was for the regular Friday/Saturday sabbath. Not so. In fact, we are told specifically that it was not in preparation for the regular sabbath, but “It was the preparation of the passover ” (John 19:14). That means that the passover lambs were being slain. That was the “evening” of Nisan 14. They would be cleaned and roasted with fire and eaten that night after sunset, beginning Nisan 15.
Third, you call the regular Friday/Saturday sabbath “the High Sabbath.” In fact, the regular weekly sabbath was never called a “high day.” The language in John 19:31 (“For that sabbath day was an high day”) clearly distinguishes this special sabbath from the regular weekly sabbaths. Nisan 15 began the seven-day feast of unleavened bread. Its first day was a sabbath with a “holy convocation” and “no manner of work shall be done...” (Ex 12:16). The passover was the most important of all the feasts, so obviously this was the “high” sabbath to which John refers.
Only once every seven years would the “high” sabbath coincide with the regular Saturday sabbath. In A.D. 32 the first day of unleavened bread, the night when the passover lamb was eaten, occurred on Thursday. Nisan 14 ended at sunset Thursday, and this fits perfectly with Christ riding into Jerusalem on the donkey the previous Sunday, which would have been Nisan 10 when the lambs were taken out of the flock and kept under observation for four days. It is thus no coincidence that Christ, God’s perfect Passover Lamb, presented Himself to Israel on Nisan 10. The tenth being on a Sunday (“Palm Sunday”), the fourteenth, when the passover lambs were being slain all over Israel, fell on Thursday—and that is when “Christ our passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7) was nailed to the cross and slain by “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel” as foretold (Exodus 12:6).
This special sabbath went from Thursday sunset to Friday sunset; the regular sabbath from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset, so the women could not get to the grave until Sunday morning.
You seem to assume that a Thursday crucifixion would mean Christ would have been in the grave 72 hours. No, the 72 hours and a full three days would not have ended until nearly sunset Sunday. So just as you explain was needful, Christ rose “on the third day” if He rose Sunday morning . But He was three nights in the grave as well as three days, which was absolutely necessary (Jonah 1:17, Matthew 12:40).  

For more fascinating reading on this go here.          

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16 KJV) 

Happy Resurrection Sunday!!!!  Thanks Be To God For His Unspeakable Gift!!!  
            - Phillip                

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Keep Praying For Colombia

Perhaps not a day goes by in which I do not feel gratefulness to God for our co-workers in Colombia.  We consider it a privilege to try to serve them as best as God enables us.

I've also learned a painful part of missionary work.  We already knew that we would miss our family, church, and loved ones in the USA when we were away from them.  But now that we are working more than one field, we are finding ourselves missing our national brothers also when away from them.

Jimmy and Farly Ramirez and daughters Nataly and Gabriela
Please continue to help us pray for God's servants in Colombia.  As you are doing in the USA, they are doing there in Colombia.  You are praying.  I know that our own Christian Nation Church is holding a special prayer meeting for Revival and for I.H.C.  And they meet weekly for fervent prayer.  I know that the prayer warriors of Rope Holders are praying.  I know that Shelbyville Bible Holiness Church, meets monthly to pray especially for their missionaries.  And I know that many, many of you are praying, daily, earnestly too.  Praise The Lord!  And I know that our dear Colombian brothers are praying much too.  This Friday is an all night prayer meeting in one of the churches.  And special prayer meetings like this are regular occurrences there too.

Rigoberto Burgos (& wife Ilse) in Cartegena
You have regularly prayed for the Colombians time after time and you still do.  They also regularly pray for you, for your churches, for the entire sanctification of believers, and for revival too.  Isn't it wonderful to be on the same team and on a growing team -- God's team!

Alberto Osorio (& wife Alba) in Medellin
We in the USA are burdened for our unsaved acquaintances and pray much for them.  The Colombians pray for lost souls there too.  You are praying for Argentina; they pray for Argentina.  You pray for us.  They pray for us.

You are giving sacrificially and we pass that on to the harvest fields.  The mission field hasn't made it to the same level of financial maturity yet to be able to give to foreign missions.  But I expect that with time God will prosper them to do so as they continue to tithe and pray.  But they love to give in other ways and they offer the sacrifice of much prayer and fasting as you do too.

Let's continue to pray for these pastors, their faithful wives, their families, and their congregations.  They and their families face battles and trials as do all Christian leaders, but they have few holiness people around for encouragement like so many of us do.

Jimmy Ramirez (& wife Farly) in Bogota
Thank you so much, dear Colombian Christian Nation Church!  God has done so much for you.
And thank you so much, dear Holiness Church in the United States and elsewhere.  God has given you a rich heritage and has set the special seal of His glory upon you.  Let's ask for, attempt more, and expect more from God!                    
                                                              -pdd                  

Saturday, April 12, 2014

The Ministry of the Unnoticed, by Oswald Chambers

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Matthew 5:3

The New Testament notices things which from our standards do not seem to count. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” literally – Blessed are the paupers – an exceedingly commonplace thing!

The phrase we hear so often, Decide for Christ, is an emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him – a very different thing.


At the basis of Jesus Christ's Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then Jesus says – Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.

The True character of the loveliness that tells for God is always unconscious. Conscious influence is priggish and un-Christian. If I say – I wonder if I am of any use – I instantly lose the bloom of the touch of the Lord. “He that believeth in me, out of him shall flow rivers of living water.” If I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.

Which are the people who have influenced us most? Not the ones who thought they did, but those who had not the remotest notion that they were influencing us. In the Christian life the implicit is never conscious, if it is conscious it ceases to have this unaffected loveliness which is the characteristic of the touch of Jesus.

 We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.

                                                                           - by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Multiply: The Thrice Repeated Command

Home Sweet Home.  After Walter Dendy Sadler [Public domain]
A commandment uttered by God is important, 
even if mentioned only once.  

Do not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden.  
Thou shalt not print any marks on your flesh.

Would not a commandment repeated again by God show greater importance if possible? 

For instance... And God sanctified the day He ended His work, and blessed it, and rested from all His work.  (Genesis 2)   Then later to His people He reminded them of this law already in effect when He said, “REMEMBER, the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.” “Don't forget what I have already told you. Remember, this law which had already been given long before Moses' law and which is so easily forgotten.” 

God rested on the eighth day of creation, and Jesus rose on the eighth day of the week as well. Eight symbolizes a new beginning.  Jesus Christ adjusted the day from the Jewish seventh back to the original eighth or "first day of the week."


So with this repeated law for about two millenia now, Christians all over the world have ceased from work, refused to participate in commerce and all common business, and have rested and worshiped on the Christian Sabbath, the Lords Day. 

The more earnestly Christians delight in this moral law, the more God blesses them. (See Isaiah 58:11-14 and Psalm 112:1-2 below.) Only recently with the God predicted apostasy sweeping over the earth is much of the church world making excuses to disregard this perpetual moral law.


Now think about this.  God repeated another commandment THREE times in various forms in just the first nine chapters of the Bible. 

“Be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.” (Genesis 9:7. Also 1:28 and 9:1)


Our un-Godly society today is opposing this with a demonic fervor.   The lies spew forth. 

You are overpopulating the world. Too many people harm the earth. You can't afford to have children. It's harmful for a woman to have babies. Children hinder a successful career. 

The world is overpopulated? According to whom? God called for an abundance of people on the earth. 

Humans harm the earth? Many people on the earth do not harm it; SIN wrecks havoc upon creation. God reminds us of this over and over in His Word. 

Children are expensive?  Good things do come at a cost.  But you cannot afford NOT to have children, when God pleases to open the womb. They are a heritage of the Lord. And when God sends into a home which fears Him little mouths to feed, He will send the food needed to feed them. 

Babies harm women?  Birthing a child and raising children are intense labors, but studies show that mothers of multiple children have lower incidences of several health problems and cancers. 

Wreck a successful career?  Children might hamper certain careers, but they do not hinder success. Wise, long-term planning parents know that sons and daughters wisely trained and aided by God can do much more than a career to perpetuate a legacy if God so allows.

Those who believe such lies are sadly ignorant.  Satan hates children.  He loves for people to believe lies like this.  Because God loves all children.  Jesus blood was shed to save every one of them.


Satan loves to cause many obstacles to obedience of God's commands. Persevering obedience in spite of seeming impossibilities proves our faith and willingness to obey God. 

Having children can seem a fearful responsibility, but God wants to cast out fear.


God uses more than highway and byway evangelism to fill the earth with His kingdom. God's kingdom comes also by filling homes with children to be dedicated to Him. 

God's Word and the onward march of history shows that with time the seed of the wicked are cut off from the face of the earth. God also tells us that he multiplies the seed of the righteous. The wicked fading away and the righteous replenishing the earth has a regenerating, blessing effect on the earth.


Satan has come to kill and destroy. Is it no wonder he hates holy, happy homes filled with the play and laughter of little children. 

But God delights in this sweet smelling offering for Him. Especially when Papa and Momma lay everything aside to follow God, to pray for the conversion of their offspring, and to teach these children the ways of God.  

Back when God gave the thrice repeated commandment to be fruitful and multiply, He envisioned blessings sweeping over the earth through this.   
                                                      -Phillip Dickinson


(Isaiah 58:11-14)
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.


(Psalm 112:1-2)
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.



Wednesday, April 2, 2014

~More pics from Sunday...and more about Phillip's youth service.~

~Aunt Yoli normally plays the piano at the Chinese church, but she and U. Charlie are gone for a little while visiting some family.
So before she left she gave me the hymns that she would like for me to play on the piano for the church services while she was gone.
It was little nerve wracking for me....since the service was all in Chinese...I was afraid I wouldn't know when we were going to sing the hymn, or when they were going to take the offering and sing that hymn, etc.  But Jesus helped me.  =)
(There is a hallway behind the glass door where the piano is up front, so Kimberly snuck and took this picture of me at the piano through the door. =) ~

~Then after lunch the young people had their service where Phillip was graciously invited to speak.  Our friend Leo stood behind Kimberly translating for her.~
~THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PRAYING!
God really helped Phillip as he spoke and our new friend Oso as he translated into Manderin!  =) ~
~Phillip spoke on living pure lives BEFORE AND AFTER MARRIAGE!
God gave Phillip the illustration or object lesson of using 2 matching coffee cups: One was Clean inside and the other was VERY DIRTY!!!
He then had a glass pitcher sort of representing the Holy Spirit.
He asked for a volunteer to come up to give them a drink of water.  From where we were sitting one couldn't tell the difference between the 2 coffee cups...but for some reason the volunteer who came up front...our friend Caro chose the CLEAN CUP!  =) ~
~Phillip talked about the Holy Spirit (the pitcher of water) wanting to FILL each one of us, but we have to be CLEAN inside before He can fill us.  ~
~We need to let Jesus clean us on the inside...and then the Holy Spirit wants to come in and fill us...so that we in turn can be a blessing to others.
No one would want a drink of water out of a DIRTY cup...but, oh the BLESSING it is to have a drink of water out of a CLEAN cup to quench one's thirst.
May each of us be the clean "cups" or temples that Jesus needs to use to touch other lives for HIM!!!~
~The young people were attentive listeners.~

~While we were in the youth service, Sarah was helping a group of people work on a bulletin board about the Resurrection story.~
Our family feels so blessed to be able to attend the Chinese church and it is our desire to help in any small way we can.
 
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