tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78642750787406093992024-02-19T08:11:26.941-05:00The Dickinson JourneyThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-10253883961688389242018-03-02T13:54:00.001-05:002018-03-02T13:54:27.938-05:00Poem: Ruth Bell Graham’s prayer for a husbandThis excellent poem was read at her husband Billy Graham‘s funeral. God answered her prayer.<br />
<br />
Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid<br />
(as we're inclined to do),<br />
I do not need a handsome man<br />
but let him be like You;<br />
I do not need one big and strong<br />
nor yet so very tall,<br />
nor need he be some genius,<br />
or wealthy, Lord, at all;<br />
but let his head be high, dear God,<br />
and let his eyes be clear,<br />
his shoulders straight, whate'er his state,<br />
whate'er his earthly sphere;<br />
and let his face have character,<br />
a ruggedness of soul,<br />
and let his whole life show, dear God,<br />
a singleness of goal;<br />
then when he comes<br />
(as he will come)<br />
with quiet eyes aglow,<br />
I'll understand that he's the man<br />
I prayed for long ago.<br />
— Ruth Bell Graham<br />
<br />
<br />The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-74885894209367412522017-10-31T09:36:00.001-05:002017-10-31T09:38:41.978-05:00Waiting on God, Espere en DiosIf we only knew the blessings of waiting on God, we would be much more purposeful about it. It glorifies God to wait on Him in obedience, patience, and prayer.
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/238140024" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/238140024">Waiting On God.</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/globalholiness">GHM</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Si supieramos las bendiciones de esperar en Dios, lo dariamos mucho mas proposito en nuestra vida. Esperar en Dios en obediencia, paciencia y oracion dar gloria a Dios.
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/239671047" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/239671047">Espera En Jehová</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/globalholiness">GHM</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
I pray that you know Christ in His fullness,
Phillip
Oro que conozca a Cristo en Su plenitud,
FelipeThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-57946024252385959992017-09-26T16:35:00.000-05:002017-09-26T17:55:46.192-05:00What's the Most Important Thing You Can Do With Your Short Life?<b style="font-weight: normal;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAKWoMl5pnI5wYgeLSC3haQSa0PMf7wKfv97yn9fIh52q6WL-hhWz9VNVUoFqk0I5UGoSZj-WimJXloyUhgaXw0h1gEc7c79ZayquZ-UvZfwJlsSOUeZuek8LNbNKprExFH9JLosKbm9U/s1600/FrankDuveneck.Half-lengthProtraitOfaBeardedManwithArmsFolded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAKWoMl5pnI5wYgeLSC3haQSa0PMf7wKfv97yn9fIh52q6WL-hhWz9VNVUoFqk0I5UGoSZj-WimJXloyUhgaXw0h1gEc7c79ZayquZ-UvZfwJlsSOUeZuek8LNbNKprExFH9JLosKbm9U/s320/FrankDuveneck.Half-lengthProtraitOfaBeardedManwithArmsFolded.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: <i>FRANK DUVENECK</i><br />
<div class="bodytext">
</div>
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<i>oil ...</i><i><i>Portrait of a Bearded Man...</i></i></div>
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<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-517d8650-c009-22b8-85d9-1611201611c5" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the most important thing you can do with your short life? It is to please God by doing what He wants. </span></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And God wants us to influence others to do the same. Who would these “others” be? First, my family. As an adult, my spouse and children and later grandchildren are my first responsibilities -- in that order. I must serve my parents and carry a prayer burden for my extended family too. I am also responsible to be a faithful epistle to others. My spiritual flock must be cared for. How can I best accomplish that?</span></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First by fulfilling the two greatest commandments. (Matthew 22:37-40) I must ask God to fill me with perfect love for Him. I prove that love by obedience to His precepts. His Word, the Bible, teaches us what He wants us to do. I seek God in His Word, in prayer, and by walking before Him with a humble and contrite heart. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the second greatest commandment is loving my neighbor. I love them by praying for them. By giving them no occasion to fall or stumble in faith by my example. And by seeking their greatest good, first to my own household, to those found in the household of faith, and thirdly to others </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Often what I do or talk about becomes an amplified priority in the lives of those following me. Is this what I want -- in my children, my grandchildren, or in my little flock of influence? I must not let even good become enemy to the best.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Micah 6:8 He hath shown thee, oh man, what is good and what does the LORD require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Phillip</span></div>
</b><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-4963117019408345262015-11-04T18:26:00.000-05:002015-11-05T11:31:02.934-05:00Why Do The Heathen Rage? Acts 4 & Psalm 2<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We as a church must continue <span class="">praying earnestly</span> for a revival, an awakening, and a revival of
holiness in our own homes, our own church, our churches, our holiness movement, the worldwide church,
our nation, and our world. God sure is now moving the chess
pieces into place very quickly to do some quick work in this world for
His Kingdom. <span class="">Praise</span> the Lord! Historically when there w<span style="font-family: inherit;">as</span> great renewal in the church it often came when there was great upheaval among
the nations. This is key in Psalm 2.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfj_MvMzBYIXjSHhM8SQ6sTe0qUp1MY-nfd9KBKaLBoEWHL831g_MOYFG4qb5mV0ZHEi7Zj7WqXlymhI9RHirbVc55p1SdYYa2TivppHFhQ-xFD0Ibh70uAf8DYwONkdAuJQwGY_oxefJ/s1600/Harvest+Storm+Clouds+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfj_MvMzBYIXjSHhM8SQ6sTe0qUp1MY-nfd9KBKaLBoEWHL831g_MOYFG4qb5mV0ZHEi7Zj7WqXlymhI9RHirbVc55p1SdYYa2TivppHFhQ-xFD0Ibh70uAf8DYwONkdAuJQwGY_oxefJ/s400/Harvest+Storm+Clouds+cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only God's trees will stand in the harvest storm.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? <br />Psa
2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, <br />Psa 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. <br />Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. <br />Psa 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.<br />Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. <br />Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. <br />Psa
2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. <br />Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.</b></span></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In Acts 4 when under threat, the Christians referred back to this
passage in <span class="">prayer</span>. Then they prayed for boldness to proclaim this babe
Jesus which was born and caused the heathen to rage wanting to cast
aside the bands and cords of moral restraint caused by the Gospel of
Jesus and preached by His anointed ones. The early church prayed for
not only boldness to speak the truth, but also for signs and wonders and
miracles to be wrought. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a way we are entering
into the book of Acts again. Great persecution is sweeping across the
world. May God give us such a revival that we as His church BOLDLY proclaim
truth. And may God do signs and wonders so as to shut the mouth of those
rulers and people who are raging against God's Christ, His anointed, and
the wondrous change that preaching Christ creates. We are still in
Psalm 2. Except we are no longer in the holy child Jesus part of Psalm
2:7 at which the Pharisees raged against. We have been seeing little by
little over the last 2,000 years the foundation for Psalm 2:8 laid out
by the spread of the Gospel. And now I believe that we are much
closer to seeing the 2:9 part. Jesus was a holy child, but now He is
that holy KING who will rule with a ROD of IRON and will break all kings
and nations who come up against Him. May God give us the SAME
boldness as the church in Acts for we are living in days of Biblical importance. He has that
same triumph for the church today! <span class="">Praise</span> the Lord! Many have said that they would have loved to have lived to see Jesus or prophets like Elijah. Well,
we are living in days like the days of Elijah, and the more
opportunity presents itself, the more the world will see the grace and boldness
of God upon the church, the body of Jesus, His holy anointed! <span class="">Praise</span>
the Lord!!! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up
their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which
hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: <br />Act 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? <br />Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. <br />Act
4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the
people of Israel, were gathered together, <br />Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. <br />Act
4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy
servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, <br />Act 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. <br />Act
4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
they spake the word of God with boldness. <br />Act 4:32 And the
multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:
neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was
his own; but they had all things common. <br />Act 4:33 And with great
power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
and great grace was upon them all.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grace and peace,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Phillip, from our Prayer and Praise letter, September 1, 2015 </span></span>The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-62143353112490594572015-10-20T05:30:00.001-05:002015-10-20T12:02:24.187-05:00Is Fervent Prayer Necessary?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The other day a young person asked me something to the effect of,
“Is it really necessary to pray really hard like holiness people
do?” This is not the first time a young person has asked me that.
I'm glad that they asked <i>me</i>.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My answer in essence follows and applies to not just prayer, but
to all aspects of spiritual sacrifice. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7hHHcJ__zjKg7PvzRQrOIvg5btHtyBrUzufrTEIdOGVPA0Vem-25y75_am20NXDkryk5x1IrQXS5depRCyDTSbAlc_eg6TKxTrpdKIq8olLUPCJ1gXWsFXJ5N1bRweaMO7IkoCU9VdTa/s1600/Christ-Gethsemane2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7hHHcJ__zjKg7PvzRQrOIvg5btHtyBrUzufrTEIdOGVPA0Vem-25y75_am20NXDkryk5x1IrQXS5depRCyDTSbAlc_eg6TKxTrpdKIq8olLUPCJ1gXWsFXJ5N1bRweaMO7IkoCU9VdTa/s320/Christ-Gethsemane2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The the greater the sacrifice or the more that is given up as an
offering to God and others, the greater yield that God will cause its
seed to eventually bring forth. Although others may look at such as
foolish or as a waste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jesus for our full salvation laid aside His glory, left His
rightful place to humble himself and take upon himself a body like
ours, and then he offered up prayers and supplications to God in the
garden with “strong crying and tears.” And He later gave up his
life for us, for those who didn't even want Him.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">God says, “the effectual <i>fervent</i> prayer of a <i>righteous</i>
man availeth much.”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Should we pray like this only when we feel the urge. No, we take
ourselves by the nape of the neck and willfully do that which we know
we ought to do. If we wait til we “feel so moved” our
ease-loving, sluggish human nature may never do what's best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Souls are even now dropping into hell. There is spiritual warfare
to wage. Christ came to set the captive free, and I in prayer and in
life must fight to release souls from destruction. So should I spend
my days in wonderful “quiet times” of staring out the window at
the peaceful scenery over a steaming mug of coffee telling God how
wonderful He is? I'm not saying that this isn't good, but is this
the best that God wants from us? What soul saving, sin killing, fire
baptizing revival has ever broken out with this kind of prayer?
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it
by force. If a building is ablaze and people around me are sleeping,
this calls for more than cool contemplations. God uses us to set up
His kingdom, and His hard soldiers give all their strength to serving
Him and others. And when they reach the end of their strength, He
pours out His grace and His strength is made perfect in their
weakness. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTC-bXjT0C8A_CgFtcjhlt14uYOPenWDUe_qWBMwXA3Ywg6m_usMN7aiiJAnVH1syVoQQJjMACK2tdvdL1fFJ3HMqTIpfdwo-nsexD8sHoRdiuaDTp66idXcnlZVguUyi1Rzat0RXF00Z/s1600/Jesus-wept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTC-bXjT0C8A_CgFtcjhlt14uYOPenWDUe_qWBMwXA3Ywg6m_usMN7aiiJAnVH1syVoQQJjMACK2tdvdL1fFJ3HMqTIpfdwo-nsexD8sHoRdiuaDTp66idXcnlZVguUyi1Rzat0RXF00Z/s320/Jesus-wept.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Again, the greater the sacrifice offered up in the will of God for
Him and for others in His name, the greater yield its seed will
eventually bring forth, even though it seems to others a waste of
effort.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Abraham left his father's house and country. He wandered
aimlessly as a foreigner in obedience to God. Though he and Sarah
were old, he expected a son for years because God had promised him
such. He later offered that son back to God in the deepest act of
worship when it made no sense at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Robert Murray McCheyne, I understand, excelled in sports and
academics and loved studying Biblical languages and theology. But
even as a young man he left sports and laid aside the other
intellectual and spiritual pursuits to pray for revival and weep for
souls. Like his Saviour, he poured out his life as a sacrifice for
others. He died at the young age of 29 during an epidemic, but God
sent revival to his church in answer to his prayers and today many
years later, and his life still continues bearing ever more fruit,
much more fruit than if he would have lived is life pursuing his own
good interests. (A note of interest, I've found out that a good
number in Chinese churches and other churches across the world follow
the Bible study schedule which he laid out.)
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David Brainerd gave his short life to much and fervent prayer
while serving some wicked Indians. He carried such a burden it
carried him to pray much in spite of those bitter cold colonial New
Jersey winters. He was known to have prayed so much and so fervently
that the snow around him melted. Often deprived of needful food he
had little to eat due to lack of missionary support. Yet he carried
on pouring out his life in offering to God and others. Near the end
of his life God mightily answered his prayers and changed the
drunken, God despising Indians to the point that they feared God,
left sin, began worshiping God, and weeping at even the mention of
God. I've heard others criticize Brainerd burning out his life for
God at only 29 years of age, but many of the greatest of modern
missionaries took with them a Bible and Brainerd's journal to inspire
them while counting all things but loss to gain Christ. I believe
that millions of souls will have found Christ in part due to
Brainerd. Like his Saviour, he also ministered in a small location.
Like his Saviour, he offered up prayer to God with strong crying and
tears. Like his Saviour, he poured out his life in death. What an
offering to God, an offering which others may say was a waste! What
a harvest God will bring forth!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it
abideth alone...” Jesus is that first seed. And we also may be
crucified with Christ? Have we offered up ourselves once and for all
a holy, living sacrifice through faith? And now do we like Paul
offer up ourselves and die daily? “... and if that seed die, it
bringeth forth much fruit.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our heritage of great prayer, fervency, revival, and sacrifice is
much more than that of the holiness movement. It is born of the
heart throb of passion and hunger and more so from Christ himself.
And such has been shared throughout the history of Christ's church by
those who have shared the same fervent burden of prayer which was
also in Christ Jesus.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you lay aside something of value to spend that time with God in
costly, fervent prayer. You will reap much more than you can yet
know. If you lay aside popularity or favor to obey God or to lift up
Christ to others, you will reap from that seed planted. Some may not
understand your heart cry born of a fervent hunger for God. But God
understands. For He created that burning in your heart for His
glory. He fuels it. And He intends to answer such prayer. Give
much; you will reap many fold.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -Phillip </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-60850925756481753662015-09-29T10:02:00.000-05:002015-10-20T05:31:15.531-05:00Video update of Missions 9/28/2015<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/140785841" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/140785841">Intro, Testimony, & Prayer Requests from missionary Phillip Dickinson 9/28/2015</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user44358368">Phillip Dickinson</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
Thanks for watching and for praying for us!<br />
Phillip <br />
<br />
<br />The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-71334290518053861002015-08-01T18:50:00.000-05:002015-08-01T18:50:25.812-05:00A Dream That's a Challenge To Buckle Down In PrayerThis morning (7-1-2015) I dreamed.<br />
<br />
I was at an inter-church gathering. After the service Heather and I were at the back of the sanctuary talking with a dear holiness pastor and his wife. They faithfully labor without pay in a church plant and are faithful servants of God. We were talking about a problem with one of the pieces of church furniture on the platform. <br />
<br />
Out the corner of my eye I saw someone behind me so I turned with a big smile to greet the person. Durenda Bley stood there with tears running out of her eyes which were red from weeping. Her husband Lloyd Bley stood near her crying too. Bro. and Sis. Bley are a precious Godly couple in Nebraska who are holiness heroes of mine. <br />
<br />
I felt silly being light when they had been crying. I didn't know why they were crying, so without a word I raised my hand to take his hand and I just held it. As I held onto his hand my heart began to be touched by God and I cried with him and I cried more and more with him as I held his hand. <br />
<br />
Then I let go of his hand. <br />
<br />
I suddenly and spiritually heard a horrendous, agonizing voice which cried out from somewhere outside. It reverberated so loudly and so realistically that it startled me and I began to wake up.<br />
<br />
I thought, "What in the world? That didn't make sense." <br />
<br />
Then I was told, "That was the cry of the wicked who just died." That was followed by, "And they (Brother and Sister Bley) are praying for the wicked while you are talking." Then I completely woke up. <br />
<br />
<b>"As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked..." -- </b>Ezekiel 33:11a<br />
<br />
<b>"But the wicked shall perish..." -- Psalm 37:20b</b> <br />
<br />
<b>"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." -- </b>Ezekiel 22:30<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvW_ciGc4RvOesrKgOrzy2doagw2n2NfLgrHyn-3crli1vi1BJu80QFlwhKGM4JnFol8wYX-kGdJaLXtf-touoKITalOIEPSwvRY3J7EeuVUo_UNlvNWtHrxF2jFA-TP15R9voKZawtDI/s1600/prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvW_ciGc4RvOesrKgOrzy2doagw2n2NfLgrHyn-3crli1vi1BJu80QFlwhKGM4JnFol8wYX-kGdJaLXtf-touoKITalOIEPSwvRY3J7EeuVUo_UNlvNWtHrxF2jFA-TP15R9voKZawtDI/s320/prayer.jpg" width="320" /></a>"Oh, God, help me to be faithful in prayer for lost souls, so as to help bring as many into the safety of Christ as possible." Conviction upon the wicked comes through the prayers of God's saints. May I not be negligent and let them go to hell, but may I do my part to rescue them.<br />
-Phillip<br />
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-13112169301484118912015-07-26T06:06:00.000-05:002015-08-07T12:19:09.128-05:00President Barack Hussein Obama's Prophetic Words Regarding The Supreme Court's Judgment In Favor Of Abomination<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AgKG6ceFM-n52kM89kZhky3bBG3sRMTU9fkbiPaMDG74Pw8FVf-Gmnbv3l1Ouoelf4-p53W2rZeTe2CkMGBoA1A-KCFCKdzxNN6PNuyjThCkfrmrKyADNFVDd5u6Yih6xDSUZhkKa8Q2/s1600/lightning+over+white+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AgKG6ceFM-n52kM89kZhky3bBG3sRMTU9fkbiPaMDG74Pw8FVf-Gmnbv3l1Ouoelf4-p53W2rZeTe2CkMGBoA1A-KCFCKdzxNN6PNuyjThCkfrmrKyADNFVDd5u6Yih6xDSUZhkKa8Q2/s320/lightning+over+white+house.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>With Words from that Most Sure Word of Prophecy the Bible, Regarding Justice for National Sins.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
our country's early years, when deciding how to determine the
population of each American State, the delegates of the
Constitutional Convention came up against the issue of slavery. At
this Convention, many great voices were raised in favor of abolishing
slavery everywhere in the Union, but other voices were raised in
opposition. To present a united front to the world of the eve of
Independence, the Continental Congress in 1776 postponed the handling
of this explosive issue. (Under the Confederation, however, it did
abolish slavery in all areas north of the Ohio River, and later
formed states were “free states” where slavery was not
permitted.) </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not
much later, during Congress, the slavery issue arose again when
debating the question of controlling interstate and international
commerce. Charles Pickney and John Rutledge of South Carolina spoke
up in favor of continuing the importation of slaves. At this point
George Mason of Virginia could contain himself no longer. He rose
and sternly warned his fellow delegates: </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-size: small;">Every
master of slaves is born a petty tyrant. They bring the judgment of
heaven upon a country. As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in
the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of
causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national
calamities.” </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is tragic that Mason's timely warning went unheeded by a sufficient
number of delegates. Again, this explosive issue was shelved.
Congress gained the right to regulate the interstate and foreign
commerce which had been causing so much friction between the states,
but pro slavery forces achieved a deplorable victory: They succeeded
in preventing Congress from even considering abolishing the
importation of slaves until 1808! The handling of the slavery issue
was unquestionably a serious blot on the work of the Constitutional
Convention which opened itself up to divine direction in so many
other ways and accomplished so much of enduring worth. It should
serve to remind us what Madison understood so well: the sin nature of
man often prevents him from accomplishing all that God would have him
do. But God is not mocked. Although it took a disastrous Civil War,
His providence achieved the abolition of slavery through blood when
it could so easily have been achieved by the pen. It is a lesson
that God blesses us to the extent that we rely on Him – in regard
to slavery we did not. It's also a lesson that God will eliminate
evil through judgment if we will not willingly rid ourselves of
wickedness.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">George
Mason's words about national sins today ring more clearly: “They
bring the judgment of heaven upon a country. As nations cannot be
rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an
inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national
sins by national calamities.”</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today
the guilt of other sins bloody our nation's hands. Just one of these
sins is abortion. In 1860 there were over 3,950,000 slaves, which
was more than 12.5 % of the US population then. Today just since
1973 when the US Supreme Court legalized abortion we have aborted
nearly 60,000,000 babies. That is nearly 20% of our current
citizenship of 320 million, and that is babies just in our
country alone. (Nearly 2 billion babies have been aborted worldwide;
this blood cries out for global judgment. Will it be a WW3?) We
also send tens of millions of dollars annually to fund abortions
internationally. We also outlawed Prayer (in 1962) and the Bible
(1963) in our schools, we produce, consume, imitate, and export and
corrupt the world with wicked movies, abominable pornography and
satanic gaming. Our country's trade treaties with the world also
push “diversity education” (read: aberrant sexuality teachings)
in the schools in order to trade favorably with us. I learned this
when living in Colombia and our country was pushing Latin American
countries to join the free trade agreement with us. Space does not
permit to discuss more about the blood of multitudes on our hands.
But in it all, the US church in general has often courted and
eventually consumed rather then confronted the world's wantonness.
Our multitudes of false prophet libertines along with her sheep-goats
have embraced sin while naming it spiritual liberty and praising
God's grace. </span></span>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">The very, black Friday night of 6-26-2015, I
discovered that the US Supreme Court had announced their decision to
force all US States to recognize same-sex marriages. Our country's
president celebrated the decision of pronouncing a blessing on the
sin of Sodom by lighting up the White House with the colors of the
rainbow, that lovely and sacred symbol of God's promise that in spite
of man's sin – pride, sexual freedom, lawlessness, and violence –
He would never again destroy all the earth with a flood. President
Obama while celebrating the judgment passed by the Supreme Court
proclaimed, <i><span style="font-weight: normal;">“sometimes justice
arrives like a thunderbolt.”</span></i> I immediately thought,
“Our president has just spoken prophetic words.” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"> In spite of
fasting and praying before the court's decision, I have cried and
have had an even heavier heart since then and I spoke to Heather
about this the same night. I shared our President's quote and told
her of this verse that came into my mind upon reading Obama's
prophetic words.<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">
“Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to
fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">breaking
cometh </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><u>suddenly
at an instant</u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">.” </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"> The next morning my mind was still troubled by the decision to
promote this abominable sin. As I prepared to read my Bible for the
morning I prayed and hungered for a word from the Lord about this
situation. I then opened up my Bible and perhaps the first thing my
eyes fell upon was the same verse that God had brought to my mind the
night before upon reading that Mr. Obama said in so many words that
judgment sometimes</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
falls like lightning</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">.
With out even looking for it, immediately God gave me the same verse
as the night before. Isaiah 30:13, “Therefore this iniquity shall
be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall,
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><u>whose
breaking</u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">
cometh </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><u>suddenly
at an instant</u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">.”</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
“Oh, God, in wrath remember mercy,” has been my cry since then!
“Save and sanctify as many souls as possible before destruction.”
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Speaking of destruction. It makes me
nervous when someone says that they are proud of anything. But it
scared me when so many of our country's leaders said that they were
proud of the Supreme Court's decision and then the millions
celebrated not only in our land but around the world. For we know
that “pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a
fall.” </span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">“Woe unto those who call evil good.”
The man who lives in what is now a soiled White House</span> said
that the ruling "will strengthen all of our communities" by
offering dignity... to all same-sex couples. The president calls the
ruling "a victory for America." All this is opposite to
the truth found in God's Word the Bible. It will weaken and endanger our
communities while offering shame. And it was a downfall for America and a
smashing blow upon the world.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">After reading Isaiah 30:13, I immediately
read the chapter and these words also stood out to me.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Woe
to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but
not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that
they may add sin to sin: (Isaiah 30:1)</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Rebellious
– we used to follow God but have rebelled. Our chief men have
deliberated and passed counsel and judgment to reject God and sin
even more.]</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>That
walk to go down into Egypt... (30:2)</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Egypt
– represents sin, bondage, slavery, and is always down.]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...this
is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear
the law of the LORD: (30:9)</span></span></i></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[We've
known the truth, but are willfully rebelling, speaking lies, and are
trying to shut up God's Law.]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Which
say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us
right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: </i></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Get
you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of
Israel to cease from before us. (30:10,11)</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[We
try to ignore, shut up, intimidate, and even threaten God's prophets
the preachers proclaiming truth. And we promote, quote, and reward
those ministers who speak only a non-confrontational Gospel and that
which makes us feel good.]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Wherefore
thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and
trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: (30:12)</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Sin
and especially the sin of Sodom involves: "Oppression" – violence,
injury, fraud, distress, cruelty, extortion, and enslavement.
"Perverseness" -- iniquity, a literal and figurative departing,
frowardness, a distortion and twisted change.] </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Therefore
this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out
in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.
(30:13)</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[A
high, stone wall with a crack which has a swelling bow in it will at
any moment and when least expected suddenly fall. Such will be the
judgment for this sin. Sudden and unexpected judgment.]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">And
he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is
broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be
found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or
to take water withal out of the pit. (30:14)</span></i></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Complete
ruin and destruction. A smashing which leaves the vessel completely
useless for even the most menial tasks. These are the vessels
prepared for destruction. We must make sure that we are through the
power of the blood of Jesus Christ vessels of gold and silver which
will survive and only be purified by the judgment to come.] </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>For
thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and
rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your
strength: and ye would not. (30:15)</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[For
years God has been offering salvation from sin's bondage and
destruction by returning to God, but these sinners are rejecting
God's rest.]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>But
ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee:
and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue
you be swift. (30:16)</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Such
says, “No, God. We have a plan. We'll do things our way and we'll
be able to work out our own escape from judgment.”]</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">One
thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall
ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and
as an ensign on an hill. (30:17)</span></i></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[Judgment
will be so terrible, brutal, and fearful that in sheer terror a
thousand will flee with just one threatening them. So many will be
killed that only a few of God's children will escape.] </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">And
therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and
therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for
the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for
him. (30:18)</span></i></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[In
all this judgment as well as afterward, God still waits with His arms
open with grace and mercy. Those truly waiting on God will be
blessed in this.]</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Notice
more Scripture on this </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><b>Suddenness
</b></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">of</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
justice arriving like a thunderbolt, according to Mr. Obama, or </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">“a
breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>whose
breaking cometh suddenly at an instant</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,”
according to God in Isaiah.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Psa
62:3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>slain</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
all of you: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>as
a bowing wall</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">shall
ye be, and as</span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
a tottering fence. </span></span></span></b></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Psa
62:4 They only consult to cast </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>him</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their
mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. </span></span></b></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Jer
6:26 O daughter of my people, gird </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>thee</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>as
for</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
an only son, most bitter lamentation: for </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>the
spoiler shall suddenly come</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
upon us. </span></span></b></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Isa
47:11 </b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Therefore
shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth:
and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it
off: and </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><b>desolation
shall come upon thee suddenly</b></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>,
</b></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><b>which</b></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
thou shalt not know. </b></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This
same sudden judgment will come upon the sinning “Christians” in
the churches too: </span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa
33:14 The sinners in Zion are </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>afraid</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">;
</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>fearfulness</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
hath </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>surprised</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who
among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? </span></span></b></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Isa
33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that
despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from
holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and
shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; </span></b></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Isa
33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><b>shall
be</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><b>shall
be</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
sure. </b></span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Fearful
surprise” means to </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">suddenly</span></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
be caught with no time to prepare. Dwelling with fire, dwelling on
high, defense, and surety comes only from HOLY, PERFECT living before
God. No amount of prepping can save you if God says “enough” to
putting up with your sin.</span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Notice
that for the Christian, judgment fire will reveal the worth of his
work:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>For
other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. </i></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Now
if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, stubble; </i></span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every
man's work of what sort it is. </i></span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>If
any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive
a reward. </i></span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>If
any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself
shall be saved; yet so as by fire. - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15)</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(Some
Christians will be taken away too, but in mercy.)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="color: black;">The
righteous perisheth, and no man layeth </span><span style="color: grey;">it</span><span style="color: black;">
to heart: and merciful men </span><span style="color: grey;">are</span><span style="color: black;">
taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from
the evil </span><span style="color: grey;">to come.</span><span style="color: black;">
(Isaiah 57:1)</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; page-break-before: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Children
of God, take comfort. For God promises to protect and provide for His
who are holy in the midst of this sudden, terrible judgment. In the
previously mentioned sudden judgment chapter 30 of Isaiah, it is also
full of comforting promises to those who in times of judgment are seeking
and obeying God with all their heart.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isaiah
30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt
weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy
cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[Comfort
and answered prayer.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Isa.
30:20 And </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>though</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of
affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any
more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[Just
enough bread and water in hard times, and true spiritual leadership
present.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u> </u></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa.
30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>is</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye
turn to the left. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[God's
extraordinary guidance in every step we take.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa.
30:22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of
silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt
cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get
thee hence. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[Judgment
will cause God's people to abhor and to cast aside that which takes
God's place or grieves God.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa.
30:23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow
the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it
shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in
large pastures. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[God
will send rain upon our seed <preaching of the gospel, our
children, our converts, and that which we plant> when we are able
to sow the ground. Our flocks will be abundant, healthy, blessed of
God, and feed in large pastures.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa.
30:24</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat
clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with
the fan. </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[pure
and plenteous; the best feed and an abundance of feed for the even
the lowliest of beasts after the calamities of war. In the dark days
ahead, remember this hope. It will end and God will heal even the
food source as also mentioned in <b>Malachi 4</b></u></span></span></span><u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>:2-3</b></span></span></span></span></u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as
calves of the stall.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under
the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do </span></span></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">this,</span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
saith the LORD of hosts. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">4:1</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day
that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it
shall leave them neither root nor branch.</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>
]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa
30:25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every
high hill, rivers </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>and</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers
fall. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[Fountains
for the thirsty even on the normally dry and barren mountains when
God's many enemies are slaughtered and the great, the mighty, the
cities, the glory of man falls to the ground. What abundance of
water, like that in the days of Elijah after the drought and standoff
on Mt. Carmel.]</u></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Isa
30:29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>when</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth
with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One
of Israel. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>[In
the darkest of nights God's presence and grace will give joy as we
tarry in His presence in worship, in prayer, and in the Word. Like Job,
God's people will say, “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away,
blessed be the name of the Lord.”]</u></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">As
the universal law of justice for sin comes to pass, this involves not
only ever increasing natural disasters, catastrophes, and plagues as
we see now. But God's Word teaches that Justice demands certain
sudden and fearful retribution against sin. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I
sincerely think that aside from a miraculous intervention of God, for
the USA this involves the sword both internally and from without. For
we have sinned against our own and against others. And remember the
wolves who are watching from the outside hope for a civil internal
bloodshed to weaken the beast enough to pounce and consume. Why do I
mention killing and war? Because Divine Law speaks of this. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">So
ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye </span></span></span><span style="color: grey;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>are:</i></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of
the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed
it.” (Numbers 35:33) </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Divine
laws will come to pass. If life for life is required and it is,
justice demands nearly 60 million for murdered babies alone, and many
more millions for the many little ones offended by our anti-Christ
laws and for offending the least of these little ones. Let us continue to fast and pray that, like
Nineveh, our whole nation might turn to God in repentance. And like Noah,
let us warn the world as we forsake all and labor to bring ourselves,
our families, and others into the only ark of safety, Jesus Christ.
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Regarding
war, I recommend that parents try to win their family, teach their
children Bible, lead their children in the charge to fast and pray
for an awakening, and to learn to cry out for God's mercy and learn to depend on God's
mercy. This is the only sure refuge for our land. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">For</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
if [the judgment] be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be
found even to fight against God. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
(Acts 5:29) Lest he who lives by the sword die by the sword. And
perhaps God might mark those who sigh and cry for the sins of the
people and spare them. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">[</span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Eze
9:4</span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city... and
set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for
all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
9:6</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
Slay utterly old </span></i></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">and</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near
any man upon whom </span></i></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">is</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient
men which </span></i></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">were</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">
before the house.]</span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
We must teach others to take refuge in a close obedient walk with God
and to tarry before God in prayer and in obedience to the Word of God.
The next World War would likely be nuclear and the dead would likely
be counted in billions not millions like last time. In this
occasion, not even a bunker would be safe for the self-made-man who
is out from under God's protection.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">I
fear lest we Christians get too caught up in the entertainment
mindset and forsake our duty as priests to weep between the porch and
the altar. The attitude of, “let us live it up today because
tomorrow things are going to crash,” is a sin unto death. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“And
in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to
mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating
flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall
die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely
this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the
Lord GOD of hosts.”</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
(Isaiah 22:12-14) </span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">We
should cultivate joyful Christian homes and try to give our children
an innocent, happy childhood, but we must also be vigilant, sober,
Biblical, prayerful, and walk in the fear of God. In fact, God wants
us obedient Christians to not even fear what we see coming. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Say
ye not, A conspiracy, to all </span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>them
to</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
whom this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear,
nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and </span></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>let</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
him </span></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>be</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
your fear, and </span></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>let</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
him </span></span></span><span style="color: grey; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>be</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
your dread.” Isaiah 8:12-13</span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We
dare not say, “It's not my problem; for I didn't create those
unGodly laws.” We must remember that God often gives tyrannical,
sin loving rulers to nation of people who forsake Him in order to
cause them to cry out to God and repent of their evil ways. Am I all
that God wants me to be? Am I earnest pressing forward to obey God's
laws with all of my heart? Do I delight greatly in God's
commandments? (Psalm 112) </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Let
us read Isaiah 30 and the rest of God's prophecies, take heed to
God's warnings, and flee from the wrath to come by taking refuge in Jesus
our Ark of salvation. These great, precious promises of God are
sandwiched between predictions of horrendous judgments, death,
slaughter, and crumbling of all the glory of man. Truly God will
bless, purge, and prosper His holy children even through worst of
times. </span></span></span><span style="color: teal; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
“</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Come,
and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal
us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1)</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">............................</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">*
I recognize that the context of Isaiah 30 is to the Jews. But the
principle of judgment for sin there remains the same and applies to
all cultures. And it certainly applies to the USA, for as Peter
Marshall and David Manuel prove in their history of the USA, </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>The
Light And The Glory</i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">,
many early Christian Puritans settling our nation purposefully felt
they were creating a covenant with God as a new nation and asked for
God to bless them as a people as they remained Christian and chastise
the people as they wavered. Their history proved such to be true as
drought, crop failure, pestilence, economic failure, slaughter by
“Indians” and war, and death overtook them as they forsook God,
and blessing and abundance came upon them as soon as they turned to
God in repentance, obedience, prayer, and fasting. We can do the
same. I am not saying that America is the new Israel. We are not.
But John W. Whitehead's research reveals that when the constitution
was adopted the population of America was a bit over 3 million and
the Christian population numbered at least 2 million. And we saw
mighty revivals of Christianity before and after that. Our spiritual leaders
and government mandated days of prayer and thanksgiving. We prayed
to the God of the Bible and taught the Bible in our schools. Our
nation's Congress even mandated that thousands of Bibles be imported
for use as textbooks in learning. </span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">And
every nation can be a nation under God if it chooses to follow Christ
(Psalm 2:10-12; 33:12) Out of the group of Christians who met
together off the coast of New England, covenanting with their God to
form a nation that would glorify Him and spread His Gospel, many
others came and restated and strengthened their initial compact.
From this covenant with God and their willingness to apply His Word
to all areas of life came a Christian republic that has promoted the
greatest expansion of the Gospel since the early church, if not in
the history of man. We cannot rest now. Let us also forsake all to
obey Jesus Christ and His Word fearlessly before those who hate
Christ and hate us His followers. And when the dust settles, we will
find that we have inherited Christ's promises mentioned here and
throughout the Bible. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">**
Slavery history here as well as some other words used are from </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
American Covenant: The Untold Story. </span></i></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
By Marshall Foster and Mary-Elaine Swanson. 1993, The Mayflower
Institute. ISBN 0-941370-00-3</span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-pd,
The end of June through July 25, 2015</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
<br /></div>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-70297134388282391852015-07-21T12:12:00.001-05:002015-08-07T12:13:12.569-05:00Self Promotion: The Trap<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<span style="color: black;"><b>"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." - Jesus in Matthew 23:12</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Guard against
falling into the trap of self promotion. This causes self delusion,
for one blinds himself to God's ways when he seeks the glory of men.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="widows: 129;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeiAspw4vDjTWYrKPpP49LRmVBCnKjoJlEyBg5A3yI93Qh5yXwBGLceqCgMaCUn4j4v1AO4AwsQxUqRR4On4-B0yqqJOMuqrLMZ3lS_P-XDcni0ftgppsIvNrWWaFhAhVybp1m6Plj6pA/s1600/pride-fall.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeiAspw4vDjTWYrKPpP49LRmVBCnKjoJlEyBg5A3yI93Qh5yXwBGLceqCgMaCUn4j4v1AO4AwsQxUqRR4On4-B0yqqJOMuqrLMZ3lS_P-XDcni0ftgppsIvNrWWaFhAhVybp1m6Plj6pA/s320/pride-fall.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;">"How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and
seek not the honour that <i>cometh</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
from God only?" (</span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><b>John
5:44)</b> </span></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">The trap that many fall into is that of
trying to make themselves look good, bragging on self, self
exaltation, creating an image, pizazz and show, trying to impress
others, and seeking to be noticed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Not only individuals but organizations and even churches can easily fall prey to this trap. May God ever keep our church in teaching against recruitment practices. Let us pray and labor to see the lost saved and the Christians brought into perfect love, but let God alone chose who is a part of whose church. This guards against a lot of posturing and PR type tactics which leads us dangerously close to pride and depending on the flesh rather than God. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Self promotion also evades God's plan and God's
timing. This is never good. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">And it promotes pride and pride inevitably causes a fall. For God cannot extend grace to pride, for <b>"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."</b> God goes on to say through James (4:6-7) <b>"Submit yourselves therefore to God."</b> Let God choose your standing be it high or low in the eyes of men. Seek to be low before God and He will pour out His grace. How precious is God's grace, and how dangerous is high honor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Any supposed good that comes of self
promotion, even supposedly sought after "for the glory of God,” is in the end is lost. </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">At the very best self-promotion is vain and is
depending
on one's own arm of strength. <b>“For promotion cometh neither from the
east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he
putteth down one, and setteth up another."</b> (Psalm 75:6-7) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">It's not doing things God's way, so it is unwise. Letting God chose your lot in life is wise. <b>"The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools."</b> (Proverbs 3:35) And I long for God's glory! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">What's worse, is that self promotion</span>
sets a wicked precedent. It seeks to play the role of God and it Satanically seeks to usurp God's glory. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> -Phillip <br /><br /> </span>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-71705418920072160542015-05-23T16:43:00.002-05:002015-05-23T16:52:17.334-05:0021 Signs of a Healthy Christian and ChurchI weld influence by prayer and fasting, speaking the truth in
love, and personal strict obedience to God's law, rather than by control though
intimidation, clique techniques, and manipulation.<br />
<br />
I prefer to spend my time and resources on seeing souls saved and perfected, rather than recruiting Christians to my church.<br />
<br />
I love truth and holiness over friends, ease, and happiness. <br />
<br />
I have a spontaneous, living, high priority and delight in practicing prayer.<br />
<br />
I prefer to be spend my time in serving others rather than with entertainment. <br />
<br />
I consciously choice to not do some lawful things because it might give an
excuse for others to also follow me and do it and possibly loose their
souls.<br />
<br />
I have a disinterest in and fear of any carnal beauty, financial gain, and personal popularity.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_KSfOVu8lsKnf0paAFVXRFT8iy3k5zroupqJo6wqoqwk7k6gm6XCHh_7Jvt1OAXIDWRfZiu8YBLuhfz9_HPpIhnysoUvoFix7dhw-vLuEb21cldz3yYY0IAV3DumPFCt4z9fvri_Q3E3/s1600/spiritual-health-life-redwood-tree-near-water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_KSfOVu8lsKnf0paAFVXRFT8iy3k5zroupqJo6wqoqwk7k6gm6XCHh_7Jvt1OAXIDWRfZiu8YBLuhfz9_HPpIhnysoUvoFix7dhw-vLuEb21cldz3yYY0IAV3DumPFCt4z9fvri_Q3E3/s1600/spiritual-health-life-redwood-tree-near-water.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"...he shall be as a tree planted by the waters..." Jeremiah 17:8</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm consumed with having the approval of God rather than concerned with earning the respect of those respected by society.<br />
<br />
When learning of others' faults or sins I have a burden to pray for them and help them rather than talk about them.<br />
<br />
I constantly desire to turn the conversation to talk of God, His goodness, His works, His ways and what concerns God and I am unconcerned with sports, fashion, ease, the secular, and the stars and idols of the day.<br />
<br />
I am others minded flee self absorption or self promotion. <br />
<br />
I am heavenly minded rather than earthly minded.<br />
<br />
I am humble in action, unconcerned for favors, and grieved by the praise of others, rather than thinking that I make God look good when I get glory.<br />
<br />
I live with a deep feeling of unworthiness and feel that others are more worthy of God's grace than me.<br />
<br />
I consider it a privilege to work to serve those who don't deserve it because this following my Saviour's example. <br />
<br />
I instantly feel repulsion and deep sorrow at even the idea of sin, rather than a tendency of a carnal curiosity regarding sin.<br />
<br />
I fear and turning away from any alliances except those holy and pure alliances which are commanded by God.<br />
<br />
I feel a gratefulness to God in hard times because feel I deserve worse and because in time God can this to make me more Christlike.<br />
<br />
I love to talk to God just to be with Him, not just to get things from God as good as these things might be.<br />
<br />
I delight in obeying God as revealed in the laws of the Bible, because I have a love for God and His Word.<br />
<br />
I evidence God's love in my heart by seeking to bless my enemies and persecutors, forgiving those who sin against me, helping the poor, and defending God's poor and lowly lambs -- the least esteemed of others and those useless to society.<br />
<br />
<b>God's grace offers this and much more through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. We cannot esteem too highly the cleansing power of Christ's blood through faith. God has high privileges for all in Christ. God has us look to how Jesus was and by faith have Him enthroned in our hearts. </b><br />
<br />
<i>I know there are more signs to list. Please post what you would consider other signs of a healthy Christian and Church in the comments below. Thanks, Phillip </i><br />
<br />The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-53061258197550219712015-05-13T10:41:00.000-05:002015-05-13T10:41:49.117-05:00Un Joven Llamado Alejandro<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmu40bjQjCA5lC50_fU_kPOdpTsR6nsZNhB0RngD6eLNccnVXAueoMlY6cgxK8zxcGq5RFtL4753pRCrqnngLme0SJFx5xeK8hyc65-qsnJNoU9YHkoz-6WOSuENcgewgOmnhWO2EDw4oU/s1600/DSCN5935-las_pampas_argentina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmu40bjQjCA5lC50_fU_kPOdpTsR6nsZNhB0RngD6eLNccnVXAueoMlY6cgxK8zxcGq5RFtL4753pRCrqnngLme0SJFx5xeK8hyc65-qsnJNoU9YHkoz-6WOSuENcgewgOmnhWO2EDw4oU/s640/DSCN5935-las_pampas_argentina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foto: http://caminandolapampa.blogspot.com.ar/2014/08/san-emilio-buenos-aires-argentina.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Un Joven Llamado Alejandro</b><br />
<br /> Saladillo es el nombre de un pueblo grande―muy viejo―que queda ciento veinte millas al <br /><br />sudeste de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, país de Argentina, S. A.<br /><br /> Los primeros misioneros para llevar el evangelio allí fueron enfrentados con fuerte opresión, <br /><br />burla y piedras. Así comenzó nuestra campaña de carpa, en que varias personas se dedicaron a <br /><br />Cristo y a la “nueva vida”. Fueron unos de los más perversos; hacían negocios en trata de <br /><br />personas, emborrachamiento y pecados similares. Fueron los de más vil reputación en ese <br /><br />pueblo. Sin Cristo se hubieran quedado así.<br /><br /> Una se llamaba doña Rosa. Ello llego a la reunión por primera vez vestida completamente de <br /><br />negro. Llevaba pañuelo de cabeza negro, chal negro y vestido negro. Se podía ver en el lado <br /><br />derecho de su falda densamente juntada la punta horrorosa de un cuchillo grande. Ella tenía una <br /><br />mirada penetrante y su único ojo era más oscuro que la medianoche. Con razón: ella vino del <br /><br />mundo oscuro de trata de personas. Y por algo más llevaba el cuchillo. Como compraba y vendía <br /><br />muchachas inocentes y hasta niñas, siempre estaba en peligro de ser asesinada. Y los que la <br /><br />oponían estaban en más peligro aun.<br /><br /> Otro se llamaba Juan Iturri. Como no le satisfacía llevarse la hija de quince años de una pobre <br /><br />familia, quien luego murió después del nacimiento de su hijo, sedujo a la hermana de su mujer <br /><br />fallecida a vivir con él. Pero él se negó a casarse con ella porque quería asegurarse de que ella le <br /><br />iba a ser una buena ama de casa. Y no le preocupaba que ya tenían cuatro hijos. Su quinto hijo se <br /><br />les había muerto una noche por ser ahogado entre sus padres en una cama demasiada estrecha.<br /><br /> Otro se llamaba Rufino Paez, quien vivía en unión libre con una mujer. Tenían cuatro hijos <br /><br />chiquitos. Rufino pensó que su mujer tenía diecinueve años y que era menor de edad (veintidós <br /><br />es la edad núbil en Argentina), pero cuando se dedicaron a Cristo y les aconsejamos cazarse, él <br /><br />se asombro cuando se dio cuenta que ella tenía veintinueve años. Este descubrimiento casi <br /><br />impidió el casamiento. Y ¡era una boda maravillosa! Mientras mi esposo iba con Rufino a <br /><br />conseguir la partida de matrimonio y a investigar de la partida de nacimiento de su esposa, yo <br /><br />hice un pastel y cuidé a sus cuatro hijos. Yo también había fabricado un nuevo vestido para la <br /><br />novia. ¡Se casaron! Luego disfrutamos una cena de boda. Todo esto paso en el puesto de misión <br /><br />donde vivían los misioneros. <br /><br /> Y otro se llamaba don Fructuoso Moreira. Era un descendiente orgulloso de Juan Moreira, uno <br /><br />de los viejos guerreros argentinos de hace mucho tiempo, quien sentía la sangre del guerrero en <br /><br />sus venas, pero no cuando le tocaba trabajar para proveer para su familia. Así que su esposa tuvo <br /><br />que lavar y planchar ropa para ganarse la vida mientras él se relajaba en casa, soñando de batirse <br /><br />en duelo con cualquiera que lo cruzaría; especialmente si miraran a su Felisa, a quién fingía <br /><br />amar, aunque no la apoyaba económicamente.<br /><br /> Llevamos el evangelio a tales personas después de desembarcarnos en Argentina hace muchos <br /><br /> En la casa que arrendábamos había una sala de reuniones, una sala de recibir, una alcoba, un <br /><br />comedor, un cuartito que no ocupábamos y una cocina. Los pisos eran hechos de tablones anchos <br /><br />de madera áspera, excepto los pisos en el comedor y en la cocina. El piso del comedor era <br /><br />irregular y era hecho de ladrillos quebrados. La cocina no tenía piso porque era un adobe sin <br /><br />puerta con solamente una entrada y un piso de tierra. En la parte posterior había una parrilla para <br /><br />carbón; con el cual cocinábamos. Las ventanas de los otros cuartos estaban enrejadas y las <br /><br />puertas de doble hoja de los cuartos exteriores fueron serradas cada noche con poner una barra <br /><br />grande de hierro a través de ellas. No teníamos baño. Una letrina (como las de hace muchos <br /><br />años) estaba en la parte más trasera de la propiedad. <br /><br /> Los muebles (una mesa pequeña y tres sillas) habían sido comprados de segundas, los cuales <br /><br />pusimos en la sala de recibir. Las cajas (para los pocos libros que poseíamos) fueron usadas para <br /><br />una biblioteca en la misma sala. Los muebles de nuestra alcoba incluían un armazón de cama de <br /><br />hierro con un colchón de lana, una cuna para nuestra hija de seis meses y cajas de madera con la <br /><br />función de armario con una cortina de cretona que sirvió para una puerta. <br /><br /> Hay muchas ovejas en Argentina porque es un país herboso. Los colchones son fabricados de <br /><br />lana. Uno compra la lana por libra y contrata un “colchonero” quien fabrica los colchones. De <br /><br />vez en cuando, cuando los colchones se ponen tan duros como el piso, uno contracta al <br /><br />“colchonero” de nuevo, quien, por cardar la lana, hace que los colchones sean como nuevos. <br /><br />Entretanto la tela para el colchón se habrá sido lavada, la lana puesta adentro y después cosida <br /><br />otra vez para usar por otro rato.<br /><br /> En el comedor teníamos una mesa y sillas, y usábamos cajas ahí también porque eran muy <br /><br />útiles para construir un armario de porcelana, que contenía los pocos platos que habíamos <br /><br />comprado en una ferretería cercana a la casa. La cocina en el adobe ni siquiera estaba amueblada. <br /><br /> Esta era nuestra primera casa.<br /><br /> Al frente de la casa estaba un agujero de barro que solamente se secaba en los largos y <br /><br />calurosos meses de verano. Ahí vivían miles de mosquitos. Muchas veces un perro o un marrano <br /><br />se caía allí y lo hacía su sepulcro. Los del pueblo no se molestaban con sacarlos <br /><br /> Después de no mucho tiempo nos acomodamos en nuestro nuevo hogar y empezamos a conocer <br /><br />a la gente. El estudio del idioma ocupaba un papel importante de nuestras vidas, porque si uno va <br /><br />a ser efectivo en obrar como misionero en cualquier país, es muy necesario adquirir un <br /><br />conocimiento cabal del idioma hablado por la gente, para poder anunciarles el mensaje del <br /><br />evangelio en su propio idioma y en la manera más eficaz y entendible posible. <br /><br /> Una tarde, cuando solamente habíamos estado en el país por unas semanas, se nos vino a la <br /><br />puerta una anciana. La acompañaba un joven. Ella llevaba un pañuelo blanco y negro amarrado <br /><br />en la cabeza. Su vestido había sido una vez negro, pero ahora tenía un color verdoso por muchas <br /><br />lavadas y por ser colgado en el abrasador sol argentino. Hablaba español con dificultad. El joven <br /><br />a su lado—pobremente vestido—no tenía nada que decir. La anciana tomo la iniciativa en la <br /><br /> “Mi nombre es doña Fausta de Fanderwud. El joven es mi nieto. Soy Protestánte. Era la única <br /><br />Protestánte en este pueblo antes que vinieran. Vine aquí hace varios años de Holanda. Me vine <br /><br />aquí porque me dijeron que aquí me iba a ser fácil ganarme la vida, pues este es un país de <br /><br />mucho ganado, mucha pradera y pocos habitantes. Me di cuenta que no es cierto, porque ahora <br /><br />estoy prácticamente desvalida; no tengo suficientes recursos con que vivir. Tuve una hija <br /><br />hermosa. Se enamoro de un argentino. De este amorío”, miro al joven, “nació él. Ahora tiene <br /><br />catorce años. Mi hija se murió cuando él tuvo nueve años. Se murió de un corazón roto y <br /><br />tuberculosis; ambos causados por la desilusión que tuvo en su vida. Su padre nunca vino para <br /><br />ver a su hijo ni lo reconoció ante la ley. Por eso el joven tiene mi apellido. No tiene otro. Su <br /><br />nombre es Alejandro Fanderwud”.<br /><br /> El joven―parado a su lado―había mirado el suelo mientras hablaba la abuela. Era bastante <br /><br />alto para su edad. Pero era de tez amarillenta y su pecho estaba hundido. Parecía que ya se le <br /><br />había pegado la enfermedad que le había matado a su mamá: tuberculosis. <br /><br /> Los invitamos a entrar a la casa para continuar la conversación. Ella continuaba la historia <br /><br />mientras entrábamos a la casa. <br /><br /> “Se nos resulto bien costoso vivir aquí. Y ahora estamos casi desvalidos: sin lugar adonde ir. <br /><br />Por eso estoy aquí. ¿Podríamos vivir aquí con ustedes? Tengo un armazón de cama de hierro y <br /><br />un colchón: para mi nieto tengo un catre. Estoy segura que no les seríamos una molestia. Yo les <br /><br />podría ayudar con hacer la limpieza de la casa y con cuidar a su bebe, mientras estudien el <br /><br />español y hagan visitas pastorales. Mi nieto trabaja unas horas cada día en una ferretería cerca de <br /><br />aquí. Se gana unos pesos a la semana y eso es más o menos suficiente para nuestras necesidades <br /><br />personales e inmediatas, pero no es suficiente para comida ni para un sitio para dormir”.<br /><br /> Nuestros corazones fueron profundamente conmovidos al encontrar a una cristiana lejos de su <br /><br />hogar y muy necesitada. Entonces les invitamos (a la anciana, doña Fausta, y a su nieto, <br /><br />Alejandro) vivir con nosotros. <br /><br /> Doña Fausta trajo el armazón de cama, el colchón y el catre a nuestra casa y se acomodaron en <br /><br />el cuartito desocupado (que antes no había sido amueblado), entre la sala de reuniones y el <br /><br />comedor. Puso una caja de madera al lado de su cama; sobre la cual colocó su Biblia e himnario. <br /><br />Ella había puesto una cubierta de tela (que ella misma había fabricado) en su Biblia e himnario <br /><br />para protegerlos, porque los usaba mucho, pues era una cristiana devota.<br /><br /> Un lunes después de cenar nos dimos cuenta de cómo sería vivir bajo el mismo techo que ellos. <br /><br />El muchacho había comido apresuradamente y en silencio. Cuando había terminado, dijo: “¿Con <br /><br />su permiso”? y se levantó de la mesa. La abuela parecía tener vergüenza y estar poco molestada <br /><br />por el comportamiento y actitud de su nieto. <br /><br /> Con el tiempo Alejandro pasó menos y menos tiempo en casa. No sabíamos adónde íba. Su <br /><br />abuelita tampoco sabía. Y cuando le preguntábamos del lugar adónde iba, se enojaba con la <br /><br />abuela, y luego se ponía deprimido y triste―casi inconsciente de que pasaba a su alrededor. Pero <br /><br /> Entresemana teníamos una reunión de oración en nuestro comedor. Quince a veinte creyentes, <br /><br />quienes habían sido los “primeros frutos” del evangelio, se reunían fielmente cada miércoles para <br /><br />oración y testimonios. En una de estas reuniones―unos meses después de nuestra llegada a <br /><br />Argentina―doña Fausta―agobiada y llorando―pidió oración por su nieto. <br /><br /> “Oren por Alejandrito.”; (así lo llamaba con cariño), “Él no quiere venir a las reuniones de <br /><br />oración. Ni siquiera quiere ir a la escuela dominical. Tiene solamente quince años, pero ya <br /><br />frecuenta la cantina, que queda cerca de aquí. Me supongo que está allá ahora”.<br /><br /> Cuando tomó asiento, todos estábamos llorando. No creo que nadie se dio cuenta de los <br /><br />ladrillos fríos e incómodos cuando nos arrodillamos para interceder por Alejandro. <br /><br /> Nos turnamos para orar. Cada corazón estaba apesadumbrado. Después de orar nos paramos <br /><br />para irnos. Todos se asombraron al encontrar que Alejandro estaba parado en la puerta entre su <br /><br />cuarto y el comedor (en el cual estábamos). Su cabeza estaba inclinada. Cuando levanto su <br /><br />cabeza todavía tenía esa expresión triste que lo había caracterizado desde nuestro primer <br /><br />encuentro con él. Los hermanos se fueron uno por uno, dándonos la mano y diciendo: “Buenas <br /><br />noches, buenas noches.”. Echando una mirada de reojo a su nieto, doña Fausta también se fue a <br /><br />su cuarto. Solamente quedábamos nosotros y Alejandro; mirándonos el uno al otro.<br /><br /> Alejandro rompió el silencio. “Me gustaría hablar con ustedes. Sin duda, todo lo que les dijo mi <br /><br />abuela de mí es verdad. Estoy triste y deprimido. También soy irritable. Y ¿por qué no? Mi <br /><br />madre se murió cuando tuve nueve añitos. Nunca conocí a mi padre. Él nunca ha venido a <br /><br />visitarme. Ni siquiera me dio su apellido. Tengo el apellido de mi abuela. Así que no tengo <br /><br />madre, padre, hogar, educación ni apellido, y tengo muy poca salud. En otras palabras, soy un <br /><br />don nadie. Pero tengo un deseo: quiero conocer a Jesús como mi Salvador. Una vez en la escuela <br /><br />dominical, después de la muerte de mi madre, acepté a Cristo, pero no lo he seguido. Quiero <br /><br /> Nos arrodillamos y oramos con Alejandro en un rincón del comedor. El Espíritu del Dios <br /><br />viviente estaba ahí. Jesús lo recibió, porque en humildad de corazón y soledad de espíritu clamo <br /><br /> Cada día, después de regresar del trabajo, Alejandro se reunía con nosotros para leer la Palabra <br /><br />de Dios y orar. El progreso de su vida cristiana no era muy rápido por su naturaleza, pues era <br /><br />impetuoso, desanimado y melancólico. <br /><br /> Pero un día llegó a contarnos de una experiencia extraña que había tenido cuando regresaba del <br /><br />trabajo. “Estuve caminando por la calle, cuando, de repente, sentí un golpecito en mi hombro y <br /><br />oí una voz decirme calladamente: ‘Alejandro, ¡quiero que prediques el Evangelio!’ ¿Será que el <br /><br />Señor me esté llamando a predicar”? (No teníamos instituto bíblico en aquella época; ni siquiera <br /><br />había sido mencionado.) Mi esposo le dijo que el Samuel de la Biblia había sido hablado por <br /><br />Dios en una manera similar y que debería orar del asunto y estar atento a la vez; lo aseguró que <br /><br />él también oraría. Pero la misma cosa sucedió en otra ocasión. “Hoy también estuve caminando <br /><br />a casa del trabajo,”, dijo Alejandro, “cuando sentí el mismo golpecito en mi hombro y escuche a <br /><br />alguien decir en una voz baja: ‘Alejandro, quiero que prediques el Evangelio.’ Miré por todo <br /><br />lado. No vi a nadie”. Nos pusimos de acuerdo que tendría que ser el Señor que le hablaba y le <br /><br /> Habían pasado veinte meses desde llegar a Argentina para empezar nuestro trabajo misionero. <br /><br />El Dr. Walter Turnbull, Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores para la Alianza Cristiana & Misionera, <br /><br />se vino de Nueva York para celebrar una conferencia con los misioneros y para organizar el <br /><br />campo misionero en Argentina. Hicieron planes para abrir un instituto bíblico para entrenar los <br /><br />obreros argentinos. Fuimos elegidos para organizar, empezar y dirigir el Instituto Bíblico. Otros <br /><br />misioneros fueron escogidos para enseñar y para estar en la plantilla.<br /><br /> Siete jóvenes de los pueblos en que se había predicado el evangelio y en que se habían <br /><br />establecido puestos de misión, habían testificado que Dios les había llamado al ministerio. En ese <br /><br />tiempo no había iglesias organizadas ni pastores nacionales. <br /><br /> Cuando se propuso dejar a Alejandro ser un estudiante del Instituto, los nuevos creyentes y <br /><br />otros pensaron que era demasiado joven. Tenía dieciséis años y medio en ese tiempo. “No <br /><br />solamente es muy joven, pero también es demasiado impetuoso y melancólico para ser un <br /><br />ministro del evangelio. Llevamos menos de dos años viviendo la vida cristiana, pero, de veras, es <br /><br />una vida feliz, y Alejandro no se ve muy feliz ni está lleno de gozo”, razonaban.<br /><br /> La confianza que le tenía el misionero quien lo gano para Cristo―mi esposo―y la <br /><br />confirmación de Alejandro de la llamada de Dios en su vida, causó el consentimiento de los otros <br /><br />misioneros y creyentes para dejarlo ser parte de la primera clase de futuros obreros cristianos. <br /><br />Luego el misionero, que lo conocía mejor, prometió ser responsable por él. <br /><br /> El nuevo instituto bíblico fue establecido en la ciudad de Azul, unas doscientas millas sur de la <br /><br />ciudad de Buenos Aires, donde quedaba en ese tiempo la sede central de La Alianza Cristiana & <br /><br />Misionera en Argentina. El currículo, las reglas y normas y los detalles de la administración de la <br /><br />vida domestica de los estudiantes fueron decididos y puestos por escrito. Aunque era un instituto <br /><br />bíblico, también era el hogar de los muchachos y muchachas que lo asistían.<br /><br /> A mí me tocaba establecer unas reglas para el hogar; tareas domesticas incluidas. Los <br /><br />estudiantes las harían cada día. Nadie recibía sueldo por limpiar ni por hacer mantenimiento en el <br /><br />edificio de los estudiantes y los misioneros, porque casi no había dinero para el instituto. Una <br /><br />lista de deberes enumerados y los nombres de los estudiantes fue puesta en un tablero de <br /><br />anuncios mensualmente, durante el año escolar. De este modo los estudiantes turnaron el trabajo <br /><br />y no se le hacía pesado a nadie.<br /><br /> El instituto había marchado por varias semanas, cuando un día pasé la puerta de la cocina, <br /><br />después del almuerzo. Los estudiantes estaban limpiando la cocina. De repente vi una escoba <br /><br />volar por el aire. Luego―a mi asombro―vi un cepillo de fregar zumbar por el aire. Una toalla <br /><br />también fue tirada antes de que me diera cuenta de lo que estaba pasando.<br /><br /> Entré a la cocina para averiguar la razón por este comportamiento. Alejandro estaba trabajando <br /><br />en la cocina ese día. Les dije que ¡las personas, quienes son llamadas al ministerio, no se <br /><br />capacitaban lanzando escobas y cepillos de fregar hacia otras personas! Los dos otros <br /><br />muchachos, quienes estaban en la cocina, señalaron a Alejandro―parado en un rincón―con un <br /><br />dedo acusador y dijeron, “Todo es por culpa de él. ¡Es imposible trabajar con él!”.<br /><br /> La oficina quedaba en frente de la cocina. Caminaba en esa dirección para quejarme y contarle <br /><br />a mi esposo del problema en la cocina, cuando me acorde de la resolución que hicimos hace <br /><br />años, aun antes de tener hijos y antes de vivir en un instituto bíblico: no hablaría con mi esposo <br /><br />de problemas insignificantes. Los maridos normalmente tienen mucho que hacer y no tienen <br /><br />tiempo para preocuparse de problemas pequeños.<br /><br /> Me fui directamente a mi cuarto para orar. Le dije al Señor que seguramente cometimos un <br /><br />error cuando trajimos a Alejandro al instituto. Con cariño, el Señor me reprendió por mi oración. <br /><br />Me dijo que quiso que yo tuviera paciencia con Alejandro. El Espíritu me susurró, “Alejandro es <br /><br /> La mañana siguiente sentí que había encontrado la solución inmediata. Había un trabajo que <br /><br />Alejandro podía hacer solo. Entonces le di un cuchillo y un balde de papas para pelar. Comíamos <br /><br />un balde entero de papas cada día. Yo no le dije porque le había cambiado el trabajo. Él sabía. El <br /><br />próximo mes, cuando hice la lista de tareas domesticas, también le di un trabajo―cortar <br /><br />leña―que se podía hacer solo. Cocinábamos con leña. Y quedaba otro trabajo aun que se podía <br /><br />hacer solo. Ese se lo di el tercer mes. Le tocaba llenar el tanque grande encima del edificio, que <br /><br />proveía agua para todos en el edificio. Con eso se terminó el primer año escolar.<br /><br /> Durante los meses de verano viajábamos haciendo trabajo evangélico. Alejandro se vino con <br /><br />nosotros, pues no tenía hogar. Ni siquiera tenía apoyo financiero. Su anciana abuela se había <br /><br />mudado a la casa de otra familia cristiana en el pueblo en donde la habíamos conocido. <br /><br /> Recuerdo achicando la ropa que había pertenecido a mi esposo. Achiqué unas camisas, unos <br /><br />pantalones y un abrigo y se los regale a Alejandro con unas corbatas viejas. <br /><br /> Alejandro siempre estaba listo y dispuesto a trabajar. Nunca se quejaba de cuan duro era el <br /><br />trabajo o de cuánto tiempo le tomaba para completarlo. <br /><br /> Ahorramos suficiente dinero para comprarle una abrazadera para sus hombros. El misionero le <br /><br />invitaba a salir al patio del instituto y con mucha paciencia le enseñaba las reglas básicas de <br /><br />respirar correctamente, las cuales no había sabido. “Alejandro, Dios te ha llamado a predicar. No <br /><br />tienes que morir de tuberculosis como tu madre. Pero tendrás que hacer algo por ello. Ahora <br /><br />¡ponga tus hombros para atrás y mete tu pecho hacia fuera y respira profundamente!”. Al <br /><br />principio se quejaba de estar mareado. Pero poco a poco empezó a respirar más profundamente y <br /><br />tranquilamente. Nos dimos cuenta que, por los ejercicios respiratorios, sus hombros se habían <br /><br /> Cuando las clases se reanudaron en otoño, le di a Alejandro los mismos tipos de trabajos de <br /><br />nuevo. Me importaba mantener todo funcionando sin problemas más que poner a prueba la <br /><br />paciencia de los estudiantes.<br /><br /> Una mañana, casi al fin del segundo año, Alejandro no bajó para comer el desayuno argentino <br /><br />de café y pan. En cambio, mandó llamar al director. Toda la noche había dado vueltas en su <br /><br />cama. “Estoy enfermo; no en mi cuerpo, sino en mi alma. Dios me llamó a predicar; de eso estoy <br /><br />seguro. Pero estoy deprimido e inclinado a ser melancólico. Sé que no soy nadie, pues no tengo <br /><br />madre, ni padre, ni hogar, ni educación. Ni siquiera tengo un apellido. Gracias a usted y a la <br /><br />abrazadera estoy más fuerte físicamente. Pero, he escuchado sus enseñanzas por casi dos años y <br /><br />nos has dicho que Dios puede transformar a una persona, si está dispuesta y viene a Él; puede <br /><br />cambiar su personalidad, quitar las fallas y el vacio que tiene por dentro y puede de ellos crear <br /><br />algo de valor. Si eso lo puede hacer Dios para mi ¡quiero que lo haga”! El misionero le <br /><br />respondió, “Si, Alejandro, Dios puede hacer algo maravilloso de ti; te puede cambiar a un vaso <br /><br /> Alejandro se levantó con prisa y se arrodilló para orar. ¡Se entregó a Dios y clamó con toda <br /><br />sinceridad para la plenitud del Espíritu Santo! Esa mañana algo maravilloso sucedió en esa <br /><br />habitación en el Instituto Bíblico. Un Jacob se había encontrado con el ángel del Señor. Un Pablo <br /><br />había viajado por el camino a Damasco y se había encontrado con el Cristo de Dios. Un Pedro <br /><br />había sido cambiado por Pentecostés.<br /><br /> No había más problemas con los muchachos en la cocina. Alejandro no era un santo, que <br /><br />digamos, ni tenía alas de ángeles, pero Alejandro definitivamente se había encontrado con Dios y <br /><br />todos lo sabían. No había incerteza ni vaguedad de lo que había pasado en la vida de Alejandro. <br /><br />Su testimonio era simple, seguro y autentico. Su comportamiento dio evidencia de una <br /><br /> Alejandro era muy joven para graduarse; solamente tenía dieciocho años. También necesitaba <br /><br />más experiencia. Se consideraba mejor sacarle del instituto por dos años para darle más <br /><br />experiencia. Puan―un pueblo en la Pampa―fue elegido para ser el primer lugar en donde <br /><br />empezaría su ministerio. No había iglesia en ese pueblo. Dentro de poco se hizo amigo de chicos <br /><br />de doce, trece y catorce años y los ganó para Cristo uno por uno. Muchas veces Alejandro <br /><br />decía―refiriéndose a sus primeras experiencias―que pasaba más tiempo arrodillado ante Dios <br /><br />que en cualquier otro ministerio. <br /><br /> Cuando miramos el Distrito Argentino hoy día, vemos muchos quienes fueron ganados para <br /><br />Cristo siendo muchachitos. Uno de ellos es un hombre muy exitoso de negocios y, a la vez, es <br /><br />tesorero del campo misionero entero de la Alianza en Argentina. Él hace esto sin cobrar nada. <br /><br /> Alejandro después regresó al instituto para completar su tercer y último año. Tenía veintiuno <br /><br />cuando se graduó. El día después de graduarse, se caso con María Lateana, hija de una devota <br /><br />familia cristiana en la cuidad de Azul y estudiante del instituto.<br /><br /> Aunque Alejandro empezó a pastorear y era exitoso, se sentía indudablemente la llamada a <br /><br />viajar como evangelista. La llamada fue confirmada cuando multitudes de personas fueron salvas <br /><br />bajo su ministerio evangelistero, y se notaba que Dios le había dado el don de evangelismo. <br /><br />Alejandro quería una Biblia grande para poder llevarla consigo cuando se iría de nosotros. Se la <br /><br />conseguimos. Y quería una cosa más: una carpa para reuniones. La quería especialmente para los <br /><br />lugares en donde no se había predicado el evangelio antes. La carpa fue comprada con fondos <br /><br />mandados del Grupo Misionero de Oración de Mujeres de la Alianza Cristiana y Misionera en <br /><br /> Mi esposo y yo muchas veces acompañábamos a Alejandro a algún pueblo para cultos en la <br /><br />carpa para reuniones. Alquilábamos una alcoba chiquita y colgábamos una cortina en la mitad de <br /><br />ella para crear dos alcobas. En un lado poníamos una cocina temporal. Siempre llevábamos unas <br /><br />ollas y platos con nosotros. Alejandro siempre clavaba un clavo en la pared rustica detrás de su <br /><br />catre y siempre colgaba ahí su “mejor chaqueta, mejor camisa y mejor corbata”―todas fueron <br /><br />prendas usadas. Se levantaba antes del sol abrazador para sacar las malas hierbas del terreno en <br /><br />donde iba a estar la carpa de reuniones y después la armaba. <br /><br /> Después de regresar para tomar un café y comer un pedazo de pan, él se vestía y se salía con su <br /><br />Biblia y tratados en mano y la sonrisa grande que Dios le había dado para conocer a la gente del <br /><br />pueblo. Siempre daba la misma cordial invitación en las esquinas de la calle, en los pequeños <br /><br />negocios, en casas, en plazas de mercado y en edificios públicos: “Vengan al culto en la carpa de <br /><br />reuniones esta noche. Allí oirán las mejores noticias jamás oídas. Si tan solo las reciban como <br /><br />algo personal, ellas alegrarán sus corazones y les traerán paz, perdón, gozo y salvación eternal. <br /><br />Cuando escuchen la música, estaremos empezando el culto.” Antes que se acabara el día, habría <br /><br />recorrido todo el pueblo a pie. <br /><br /> Para anunciar los cultos habíamos comprado unos discos―los únicos disponibles en esa época <br /><br />en Argentina. Uno de ellos―uno de los preferidos―tocaba la canción “Las barras y estrellas <br /><br />para siempre.”. Era hermosa. La gente no sabía que fue una de nuestras canciones patrióticas <br /><br />favoritas. Incluso ahora, cuando escucho esa canción, puedo ver a centenares de personas <br /><br />caminar hacía la carpa para el culto. <br /><br /> Llegaban por centenares hasta que la carpa estaba completamente llena de gente parada. Había <br /><br />gente de la parte delantera hasta la calle. Eran gente de toda condición. Pero todos tenían algo en <br /><br />común: anhelaban a Dios. Y cuando Alejandro empezó a contarles de las maravillas de la gracia <br /><br />salvadora de Jesucristo, Lo anhelaban más aun. “¿Que es el Evangelio de nuestro Señor y <br /><br />Salvador, Jesucristo?” fue siempre su primera predicación a los quienes nunca habían oído el <br /><br />evangelio. La revelación era impresionante y no se puede describir cuan emocionante era ver al <br /><br />Espíritu Santo bajar sobre este siervo humilde de Dios. A veces, mientras escuchaba, pensé que <br /><br />mi corazón se me iba a reventar de pleno gozo. Tan reveladoras eran las maravillas de su gracia.<br /><br /> Las lavanderas estaban sentadas en la parte delantera. Tenían las caras y las manos curtidas y <br /><br />secas por el trabajo, el sol y el viento. Alejandro les dijo estas palabras suplicantes: “Ustedes <br /><br />tienen que dedicar su tiempo, desde la salida del sol hasta el atardecer, a fregar ropa en una vieja <br /><br />tabla de marera. Todo lo que saben de buscar a Dios es buscar a algún ídolo, que ni siquiera tiene <br /><br />oídos para oír ni ojos para ver. Acepten a mi Cristo. Él perdonará los pecados en sus corazones <br /><br />afligidos y traerá paz perdurable, gozo inexplicable y salvación real e indisputable a sus vidas. <br /><br />Entonces ¡ustedes experimentarán la presencia del Cristo viviente mientras frieguen y, mientras <br /><br />piensen en Èl, verán la gloria de Dios saliendo de la espuma de jabón!”. Inconscientes de las <br /><br />lágrimas que escurrían por sus caras curtidas y con las manos levantadas, abrieron sus corazones <br /><br />para dejar entrar allí al Cristo viviente. Y las caras de los hombres parados en el fondo de la <br /><br />carpa y vestidos de la indumentaria gaucha―botas, bombachas y cinturones de cuero con sus <br /><br />“falcones”―hacían notar que pensaban que la religión era solamente para las mujeres, y ¡no para <br /><br />los hombres fuertes de las Pampas! <br /><br /> A ellos llegaban estas penetrantes palabras habladas con cariño: “Quizás ustedes creen que la <br /><br />religión es para mujeres y niños porque siempre lo han visto ser así. Tal vez han sido <br /><br />desilusionados por la única religión que jamás hayan conocido. Acepten a mi Cristo. Esas <br /><br />tinieblas, que les atan con el temor de vivir y con el temor de morir, se irán cuando se vayan las <br /><br />sombras y cuando la luz del evangelio entre a sus corazones. Porque Jesús no es una religión: es <br /><br />una Persona y Él es la Luz que disperse toda oscuridad en el corazón humano.”. Así que muchos <br /><br />de los fuertes y robustos hombres de la Pampa han llegado a conocer a Jesucristo como su <br /><br /> En nuestro país el mes de junio es relacionado con un clima bonito y cálido y flores bellas. Para <br /><br />las personas que viven debajo del ecuador, es un mes frio y oscuro en el invierno. Si aparece el <br /><br />sol, solamente aparece por unas breves horas, y se va. La leña y el carbón son escasos en <br /><br />Argentina, entonces la gente se arropa mucho. Cuando hay cultos especiales en las iglesias y <br /><br />capillas, solamente los que están sumamente interesados asistan.<br /><br /> “Sin embargo”, nuestro evangelista, hermano Fanderwud, nos escribe desde las frías y ventosas <br /><br />llanuras lejanas: “capillas y salas están llenas noche tras noche con corazones hambrientos: <br /><br />algunos buscando la salvación y otros buscando más de Dios. Se ha podido ministrar en más <br /><br />hogares. Dios está salvando a niños, jóvenes y adultos. ¡El tiempo ha llegado!”. Eso escribió <br /><br />hace unos días, mientras viajaba por la Pampa con el mensaje de Cristo. ¿Quién puede cerrar los <br /><br />labios tocados por el fuego de Dios o callar una voz tan sintonizada a Su amor? <br /><br /> El Evangelio fue llevado a la plaza de la ciudad el domingo por la tarde. Hermano Fanderwud <br /><br />elevó el Cristo viviente como nunca en una predicación estupenda. Personas llegaron de todas las <br /><br />calles adyacentes para escucharle. Hay un hotel grande que tiene vistas a la plaza. Un sacerdote <br /><br />estaba parado en el balcón del segundo piso con la ventana bien abierta. Había venido de un <br /><br />pueblo cercano en donde había tenido conversaciones con uno de los pastores argentinos sobre <br /><br />su deseo de conocer a Cristo como su Salvador personal. <br /><br /> Inmediatamente después de la reunión, Fanderwud anunció, “Ahora regresaremos a la Iglesia <br /><br />Evangélica.”. La multitud marchó por la calle. Los cristianos cantaron “Firmes y adelantes, <br /><br />huestes de la fe.” a, sin exagerar, centenares de personas, quienes nunca habían escuchado canto <br /><br />cristiano. La sala, la entrada y la vereda estaban llenas de gente. Lo mejor de todo era que <br /><br />personas encontraron a Cristo. Entre ellas habían dos muchachos de la Acción Católica, quienes <br /><br />habían sido mandados ahí para ser “espías” (eso confesaron), pero en vez de eso ¡encontraron a <br /><br />Cristo! Esto era un día normal en el ministerio de este hombre de Dios. <br /><br /> Este Pablo de los tiempos modernos predicó el evangelio en carpas, teatros, hogares, iglesias, <br /><br />esquinas de las calles, en plazas públicas, debajo del sol abrazador de la Pampa y en las frías <br /><br />lluvias del invierno. Predicó por treinta y dos años sin tomarse unas vacaciones. Cuando visitaba <br /><br />a otro pastor―con la idea de relajarse unos días en otro pueblo―convertía el tiempo de descanso <br /><br />a un tiempo de predicar antes de haber estado ahí por veinticuatro horas. “Vivo para predicar” <br /><br />era lo que se le escuchaba decir, mientras que literalmente se quemaba la vida para Dios.<br /><br /> La gente al otro lado de los Andes en las republicas cercanas―Chile, Perú y <br /><br />Ecuador―escucharon de Alejandro y su mensaje extraordinario. Mandaron decir que viniera. Él <br /><br /> Cuando fue invitado a ministrar en la costa occidental, se vino hasta la ciudad de Buenos Aires. <br /><br />Él vivía en el interior. Una mañana llego al Instituto Bíblico. Su traje era muy gastado, pero bien <br /><br /> Con criar a tres niños robustos y con viajes continuos a reuniones con una mesada tan pequeña, <br /><br />no era extraño que su traje pareciera inadecuado para la ocasión. También, porque él fue el <br /><br />presidente de la obra―lo había sido por quince años― y evangelista del distrito, tenía que viajar <br /><br />y ministrar más. Ningún otro nombre fue propuesto y ningún voto fue emitido contra él mientras <br /><br /> Teníamos un poco de dinero disponible, que no había sido designado para algo específico. Mi <br /><br />esposo y yo fuimos con Alejandro al centro comercial para comprarle un saco y algunos <br /><br />pantalones. Al principio no quiso venir con nosotros y dio la escusa: “El traje que tengo no <br /><br />parece tan mal.”. Lo persuadimos venir con nosotros. Había una rebaja en una de las tiendas <br /><br />principales que vendía ropa para hombros. Fuimos ahí. <br /><br /> En la entrada de la tienda había una muestra de un saco barato con los pantalones que costaba <br /><br />diez dólares. Pero nos fijamos un traje de mejor calidad. El que miramos valía unos veinte <br /><br />dólares. Alejandro se había quedado en la entrada para admirar el traje de menos cualidad. <br /><br />Cuando le mencionamos que habíamos encontrado una buena compra, refiriéndonos al traje de <br /><br />más calidad, él respondió, “Yo vi uno que valía mucho menos. Es suficientemente bueno.”. No <br /><br />decidimos comprar ni el más caro ni el más barato. Encontramos un término medio por comprar <br /><br />uno que valía dieciocho dólares por el traje completo. Luego lo acompañamos al aeropuerto. <br /><br /> Empezó su tour en Chile. Predicó en todo el país: en las iglesias, en la radio, en las calles y en <br /><br />las plazas. Fue a Perú, donde ministró de una manera extraordinaria. Después fue a Ecuador. <br /><br />Hombres y mujeres encontraron a Cristo como su Salvador, como su Santificador y como su <br /><br />Sanador para sus cuerpos enfermos. <br /><br /> Hace poco en una campaña aquí en Los Estados Unidos, un misionero a Ecuador se me acerco <br /><br />y quiso apretar mi mano, justo cuando yo iba a subir a la plataforma. “Quiero apretar tu mano. <br /><br />Tú vienes de la tierra de Alejandro”. Miró a su hijo de doce años y dijo, “Mi hijo estaba muy <br /><br />enfermo. Una noche se estaba muriendo en las montañas de Ecuador, cuando llegó Alejandro. <br /><br />Cuando entró el cuarto en donde se moría mi hijo, se arrodilló al lado de la cama y, poniendo las <br /><br />manos sobre mi hijo, oró por él. Mi hijo fue sanado. Entonces déjame apretar tu mano de nuevo. <br /><br />Tú vienes de la tierra de Alejandro. ¡Que hombre de Dios!”.<br /><br /> Subí a la plataforma con sus palabras resonando en mi cabeza. La vieja visión se me presento <br /><br />de nuevo, ¡“La tierra de Alejandro”! ¡Todavía hay Alejandros viviendo en sombras de pecado y <br /><br />en una noche eterna, porque los obreros son pocos! Estaba en el tabernáculo del campamento. <br /><br />Miré hacía el lago y todo lo que pude ver, a través de mis lagrimas, fue “la tierra de Alejandro”. <br /><br />Hay muchos campos blancos para la siega sin nadie para trabajarlos.<br /><br /> Alejandro regresó a casa de la costa oeste un domingo por la noche y llegó justo a tiempo para <br /><br />hablar por el sistema PA a la gente del pueblo en donde nació. Predicó durante las últimas <br /><br />actividades de la campaña para niños y niñas, que en ese tiempo se llevaba a cabo en la plaza <br /><br />pública del pueblo. No había nada en su apariencia ni en su forma de ser que indicaba que esa iba <br /><br />a ser su última predicación a la gente de su pueblo natal. <br /><br /> Una noche, poco después, llego el llamado “Venga a casa”. “Alejandro está con el Señor.”.<br /><br /> Fuimos a Saladillo, en donde había vivido Alejandro desde llegar a ser el Presidente del Distrito <br /><br />y el Evangelista del Distrito y en donde había llegado a nosotros como huérfano, cuando tuvo <br /><br />catorce años. Era muy temprano. El tren de Buenos Aires llegaba ahí del norte. El tren del sur <br /><br />extremo también llegaba ahí. Se encontraban en Saladillo. Muchas personas se bajaron de ambos <br /><br />trenes. Notamos que muchas personas iban por la misma calle―algunas en camiones, algunas en <br /><br />carros, algunas a caballo, algunas a pie, algunas caminando y algunas corriendo. Nosotros <br /><br />también íbamos por esa calle. Mientras llegábamos a la casa (casi parecía un granero) ―hogar de <br /><br />Alejandro y su familia―, hombres y mujeres sacaban sus pañuelos para secarse las lagrimas que <br /><br />escurrían por sus mejillas. Susurraban casi al unísono mientras entraban a la casa uno por uno: <br /><br />“Quiero ver a Alejandro. Escuche el evangelio por primera vez cuando predicó en mi pueblo <br /><br />natal. ¡Nunca lo olvidaré! ¡Cuán grande es el Cristo de Alejandro!”. Muchos de ellos tenían el <br /><br />mismo testimonio: “Yo acepte a Cristo cuando escuche el mensaje por primera vez, cuando <br /><br />predicó Alejandro. Quiero vez su rostro de nuevo.”. Estaban parados ahí: hombres, mujeres, <br /><br />niños y niñas. Fue una multitud de personas. Los cuartos y pasillos, las ventanas y puertas, el <br /><br />patio y la calle estaban llenos de gente. Sin embargo, fueron solamente algunos de los muchos en <br /><br />el continente de Sur América quienes, por sus predicaciones y su vida, habían encontrado al <br /><br /> Si todos los que habían sido salvos por su ministerio hubieran podido estar presentes, <br /><br />probablemente habrían sido tantos como la populación entera de ese pueblo. Había ministrado en <br /><br />muchos lugares, incluyendo unas iglesias evangélicas y varios países del hemisferio sur. <br /><br /> La gente llevó el ataúd a mano desde la casa de los Fanderwud hasta la iglesia, porque preferían <br /><br />llevarlo así, en vez de dejarlo ser transportado por carro. Los floristas eran incapaces de cumplir <br /><br />el demande de flores, porque muchos querían coronas de flores. Un funeral se llevó a cabo en su <br /><br />casa y uno, en la iglesia. Las personas, quienes estaban en los funerales, fueron profundamente <br /><br />conmovidas mientras escuchaban a algunos de los seres queridos de Fanderwud hablar con el <br /><br />corazón de la vida de él. Varios jóvenes consagraron sus vidas al servicio del Señor y dos otras <br /><br />personas fueron salvas mientras escuchaban los testimonios de hombres y mujeres, quienes <br /><br />habían sido ganados para Cristo por Fanderwud. “¡Quiero este mismo Cristo que este hombre, <br /><br />Alejandro, tuvo!”, les escuchamos decir mientras confesaban públicamente a Cristo. Con la <br /><br />mano puesta en el hombre de su mamá, su hijo mayor dijo: “Madre, ¡papi aún predica!”.<br /><br /> La impresión que recibí ese día, mientras nos parábamos en esa sala grande y vacía, en donde <br /><br />estaba este hombre de Dios, siempre quedará conmigo. El ataúd fue una caja simple de pino. No <br /><br />era elegante. Solamente había estopilla para el revestimiento de su ataúd. (Pompas fúnebres e <br /><br />entierros en Argentina todavía se hacen en una manera muy primitiva.) No embalsaman ni <br /><br />maquillan a los muertos. Las tumbas no son muy profundas. La familia tira el primer puñado de <br /><br />tierra sobre el ataúd mientras que es bajado a la tumba. Hace poco, solamente los hombres iban <br /><br />al cementerio cuando habían entierros. Las mujeres se quedaban en casa tras puertas cerradas. <br /><br />Todavía es así en muchos lugares. Los cristianos fueron los primeros para dejar esta tradición. <br /><br /> En mi tristeza, mire hacia abajo. El piso árido me dio una bofetada. No había alfombra para <br /><br />cubrir los tablones anchos de madera áspera; ni siquiera un tapete. No había alfombra de <br /><br />bienvenida en la entrada. A mano izquierda estaba el comedor. Las puertas estaban abiertas para <br /><br />hacer lugar para las personas. Vi una mesa barata en medio de media docena de sillas―tan <br /><br />baratas como era la mesa. No había nevera ni muebles modernos. A mano derecha estaba la <br /><br />alcoba en donde había estado Alejandro cuando se fue para estar con el Señor unas horas antes. <br /><br />La cama era barata también. Ahí también estaba un armario. La esposa de él, María, entró al <br /><br />cuarto y abrió el armario para sacar su vestido negro. Adentro colgaba el saco que le habíamos <br /><br />comprado un año antes. A donde iban los codos, se sobresalía. Eso me mostro que, de verdad, el <br /><br /> Me olvidé de la gente. Parecía que estaba cara a cara con la vida y sus valores permanentes y <br /><br />con la muerte―algo muy seguro. Nunca había conocido a alguien tan pobre y tan humilde―sin <br /><br />madre, sin padre, sin hogar, sin salud y educación y sin ni siquiera un nombre. Siempre vivía en <br /><br />una casa arrendada. Nunca poseo una cama cómoda para dormir en ella ni una silla decente para <br /><br />descansar en ella. Ni siquiera tenía una nevera para poder tener agua fría. No vivía con <br /><br />comodidades ni conveniencias. Hasta el último traje que llevó le fue regalado. El dueño de la <br /><br />funeraria le dijo a la esposa de Alejandro: “¿Cómo puedo yo cobrar por un hombre así?”. ¡Fue <br /><br />enterrado a precio de costo! Sin embargo, nunca había conocido a alguien tan rico. Por su vida y <br /><br />mensaje, multitudes de personas han sido sacadas de las sombras a la luz de Dios. <br /><br /> Porque, de verdad, Dios había tomado a este chico―solo, triste, pobre, vacio, y huérfano―para <br /><br />salvarle, llenarle de Su Espíritu, darle un nombre y un mensaje y usarle para bendecir a un <br /><br />continente entero. Lo tomó para llevar centenares de personas a Cristo. ¡Cuán grande es el Cristo <br /><br />de Alejandro! Cristo llenó su mente y su corazón; llenó hasta su vida y todo su ser. Me acordaba <br /><br />de lo que decía Alejandro―“Vivo para predicar el evangelio.”―mientras pensaba en el milagro <br /><br />que pasó cuando este huérfano se convirtió a un príncipe de Dios. <br /><br /> Las iglesias en Argentina y en todo Sur América sienten profundamente la ausencia de este <br /><br />humilde y consagrado ministro de la cruz. Su ejemplo y su ministerio han hecho mucho para <br /><br />asegurar que otros hombres llenos del Espíritu Santo llenen este hueco y, por sus servicios, <br /><br />traigan gloria a Él, quién Alejandro amaba supremamente. El mismo día que lo enterramos llegó <br /><br />una carta de Perú con esta invitación urgente: “Regresa a nosotros, Alejandro; Perú te necesita. <br /><br />¡Perú necesita el evangelio que predicas!”. Doblé la carta y tragué mis lágrimas. Sin embargo, <br /><br />estábamos seguros que “Dios hace todo bien” y que otros seguirían los pasos de esta vida dada <br /><br /> Si fueras a visitar el cementerio solitario en el pueblo de Saladillo, encontrarías―al sur extremo <br /><br />del cementerio―una lápida hermosa de piedra rosada con esta inscripción: “La visión de un <br /><br />poderoso y glorioso Cristo fue el mensaje vivaz de Alejandro Fanderwud y la predicación de ese <br /><br />mensaje, la pasión de su vida.”. Y una Biblia abierta―hecha de bronce―adorna su lapida con su <br /><br />pasaje favorito de Pascua: “Porque yo vivo, vosotros también viviréis.”; del cual, predicó su <br /><br />última predicación de Pascua por radio en Chile.<br /><br /> Seis meses después, ésta misma predicación fue traída a Argentina para la convención anual, <br /><br />que se celebra en Buenos Aires. La predicación fue dada a petición al fin de la convención―el <br /><br />domingo por la tarde. Esa voz tan reconocida temblaba bajo la unción del Espíritu de Dios. <br /><br />Llorando y sollozando, montones de las seiscientas o más personas presentes se dirigieron con <br /><br />prisa al altar; entre ellos, el hijo menor de Fanderwud. Testificó entre sollozos: “El manto de mi <br /><br />padre cayó sobre mí, mientras escuchaba su voz desde el cielo”. En total, más que cien personas <br /><br />buscaron al Señor, después de esa predicación. El secreto de una vida tan bien gastada se <br /><br />encuentra en las palabras del Apóstol Pablo: “Con Cristo estoy juntamente crucificado, y ya no <br /><br />vivo yo, mas vive Cristo en mi; y lo que ahora vivo en la carne, lo vivo en la fe del Hijo de Dios, <br /><br />el cual me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí.”. El amor de Cristo moró en su corazón y vida; el <br /><br />Espíritu de Cristo adornó su caminar diario y el poder de Cristo lo usó para bendecir todo un<br />
<br />
continente.<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<b>El Clamor Misionero</b><br /><br />El ser un mensajero de la cruz<br /><br />A costas extrañas y no conocidas,<br /><br />Parecería a muchos una pérdida total<br /><br />De talento, tiempo y ganancia.<br /><br />Porque muchos son los años dados <br /><br />Y olvidados por el mundo,<br /><br />Al traer joyas preciosas a Él quien mandó<br /><br />Que se desplegara Su bandera.<br /><br />No dio años solamente, sino que también dio su vida,<br /><br />Para salvar a ti, a mí y a todos<br /><br />De muerte y de la eterna tumba de pecado:<br /><br />¿Quién responderá a la llamada?<br /><br />A ser uno de los que van<br /><br />Para impartir el mensaje de Dios<br /><br />A todas las tierras y costas;<br /><br />Para que todos sepan del Buen Camino.<br /><br />-V .F .B.<br />
<br />
-traducido por Kimberly Dickinson de un libro antiguo de unos misioneros a Argentina de la Iglesia Alianza CristianaThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-13086419755690487862015-05-11T22:09:00.002-05:002015-05-13T06:09:46.532-05:00Note to Wise Parents: Learn from King David<b>Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: <br />Rid
me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth
speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: <br />That
our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters
may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: </b><br />
<b>Happy is that people, that is in such a case: -Psalm 144:1,11,12,15a</b> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hBcsRAWeDNv9V8ZRDi05quEWV19tlWPQ_HSjkne56hTedyFgnjFAN6aRXyumfbYkVhhKIYwjg-SumbtMLUneyut3sVBjRckJFpohli-F5UXCMcZJeYaSd5DbZ4P0VXKX8IK-qN4g6F6Z/s1600/David_King_Israel_Judah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hBcsRAWeDNv9V8ZRDi05quEWV19tlWPQ_HSjkne56hTedyFgnjFAN6aRXyumfbYkVhhKIYwjg-SumbtMLUneyut3sVBjRckJFpohli-F5UXCMcZJeYaSd5DbZ4P0VXKX8IK-qN4g6F6Z/s640/David_King_Israel_Judah.jpg" width="555" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King David: Beloved of God and of God's people. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back when
David was a young man, God said that he was a man after His own heart
(of course when David later took it easy, lusted, schemed to commit
adultery and followed through with the sin, and then plotted and ordered
the murder of an innocent man to hide his own wickedness, God could not
say that of him).<br />
<br />
But David repented and aside from this black blot on
his life, David was a great man of God, a faithful servant, a righteous
and humble king, a praying man as well as a songwriter, a fearless
warrior and long-term soldier, a sacrificial giver, and an industrious
and a successful man.<br />
<br />
All this takes much time and it came out of
David's short life. Military campaigns alone could take dad away from
the home for weeks or months at a time. So sadly, David was an often
absent father and therefore woefully ignorant.<br />
<br />
Of one of David's sons
Adonijah, God makes us know that David had never displeased him at any
time. Note this example of a father who made a sad mistake here that
later caused him grief and troubled God's kingdom.<br />
<br />
But David feared God
and knowing the toll that war exacted upon the home earnestly prayed
for God to raise up good sons and daughters. (See Psalm 144 below.)<br />
<br />
And
God heard his prayer for David feared God. And God did bless his
descendants, but many still lost their way and were very wicked.<br />
<br />
If
only David could have dedicated his energy and time to training his
children as much as he gave of his strength to his other enterprises for
God, I believe that he would have seen even more of his descendants
fear God as their father did.<br />
<br />
I cannot be a father absent from the life
of my children and expect God to do all of my work for me.<br />
<br />
But I do
need to humbly and earnestly pray and fast as David did for God to save
our children. For training and teaching without God's great
intervention is never enough.<br />
<br />
When self ambition, plans, and pastimes
are laid aside by the father (or mother) in obedience to God and when they
might hinder teaching and leading the family in God's ways, God can
repay by doing what dad (or mom) could never do in his own lifetime of
strength. When God works there's usually a longer wait, however it
is always worth the wait. -pddThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-47840334073051689072015-04-27T17:31:00.000-05:002015-05-13T06:09:15.156-05:00Multi-Generational Christianity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdricFx2xlBxhTEd_23dD_BHZQsaG4JPfzh9tEGkb6DuUvOSo0nda7lN7y7CvBji5pZIgRux-QW0nqGgsK8Rb5KxPDyEIhCNzEX9GXIKo89g679bywahTKxmx_AfRET3Tcq7nyNYJnLTu/s1600/micah6.8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdricFx2xlBxhTEd_23dD_BHZQsaG4JPfzh9tEGkb6DuUvOSo0nda7lN7y7CvBji5pZIgRux-QW0nqGgsK8Rb5KxPDyEIhCNzEX9GXIKo89g679bywahTKxmx_AfRET3Tcq7nyNYJnLTu/s1600/micah6.8.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
The error which many Christians make out of a desire to continue advancing and prospering spiritually is to think that multi-generational Christianity comes from right methods. Methods such as isolation, recruitment, having a cause, busyness, better ministry / missions philosophy, better mission statement, highly tuned doctrine, resources, the right ministry team, correct alliances, influence, aggressive evangelism, and a plethora of other good things. Some of this has its place. But the only way to secure a spiritual future is for each generation to obediently and humbly walk with God and to cry out to God all of their days for Him to fully perform His work in their hearts and lives as revealed in His holy Word. -PhillipThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-61663052545649347972015-04-05T19:11:00.000-05:002015-04-05T19:11:26.881-05:00Resurrection Life, Thanks to Jesus.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. (1 Cor. 15:38) </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkwrEGBlIzDZ-eiG0MM4GKgwG9F88d4ZKI82mGaYCPPorE1rBhBg8LzWCCG_uqOgSB6UOexmSv6QqRsQ2o6ihqI-sbs3PZ9hGhqEXNd6Esb0z3s-6HsJQcI77ICVfcAH7B7rusP9zEnb-/s1600/buried+seed+to+living+plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkwrEGBlIzDZ-eiG0MM4GKgwG9F88d4ZKI82mGaYCPPorE1rBhBg8LzWCCG_uqOgSB6UOexmSv6QqRsQ2o6ihqI-sbs3PZ9hGhqEXNd6Esb0z3s-6HsJQcI77ICVfcAH7B7rusP9zEnb-/s1600/buried+seed+to+living+plant.jpg" height="270" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus, thank you for taking on a body, so that I might
someday be raised with a new and perfect body.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming corruptible yet without
corruption so that we might be made incorruptible.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming earthly yet without a bit
of worldliness so that we might become heavenly.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming flesh yet without
following the flesh so that we might be of the Spirit.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming dishonored yet staying most
honorable so that I could be raised in glory.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming weak yet staying faithful
so that I can be filled with your power.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for becoming flesh and blood and then being broken and spilled out so that we might become celestial.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus, thank you for dying in victory and then
resurrecting so that we might die to sin and enjoy eternal life. You
died to save your people from their sins. Your people are all those
who believe in Your name.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lord Jesus, I thank you for conquering sin and death so that I
through faith in you might be delivered from all my sins, original
and actual, past and present sins “of the flesh and of the spirit,”
and from the guilt and from the power of all sin. “For by grace we are saved through faith.” It is not only, “by grace we will be saved.”
I thank you, Lord Jesus, for present salvation and victory over all sin in my life
today. This miracle is only through Your infinite power.
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Phillip, based on 1 Corinthians 15:37-57 and Ephesians 2:8</span></span><br />
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-57002561170508010762015-03-02T16:25:00.002-05:002015-03-02T16:29:34.520-05:00The Coming of Christ in Scripture: One Literal Coming, Three Figurative Comings<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Adam Clarke's preface to 2 Thessalonians contains Bible truths which are helpful to those look for Christ's coming. The following is a part taken from his preface in which he also quotes Dr. Macknight.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As there have been some eminent Christian writers who have entertained
the same opinion with those at Thessalonica, that not only St. Paul, but
other apostles of Christ, did believe that the day of general judgment
should take place in their time, which opinion is shown by the event to
be absolutely false; But these learned men, and all who join them in
that opinion, have fallen into a most pernicious error; for thereby they
destroy the authority of the Gospel revelation, at least as far as it
is contained in the discourses and writings of the apostles; because, if
they have erred in a matter of such importance, and which they affirm
was revealed to them by Christ, they may have been mistaken in other
matters also, where their inspiration is not more strongly asserted by
them than in this instance. It is therefore necessary to clear them from
so injurious an imputation. </span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvZ9TVxS_nJ6qNbeDojlLf4aVjJVEW7e28xZYu7ux1vVjc7X8n4DCSzG0wm0ZlM2z_76hL3S_we3xu9N-EhZkx4LmMbZuyWISUY5zLMaiueO_UX0FgczKsak_YbIvTZRrJbQ5JjU2Pnl7/s1600/ascension+to+father+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvZ9TVxS_nJ6qNbeDojlLf4aVjJVEW7e28xZYu7ux1vVjc7X8n4DCSzG0wm0ZlM2z_76hL3S_we3xu9N-EhZkx4LmMbZuyWISUY5zLMaiueO_UX0FgczKsak_YbIvTZRrJbQ5JjU2Pnl7/s1600/ascension+to+father+-+Copy.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. -Mark 6:19 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. -Luke 24:5 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom... -Daniel 7:13-14a Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. -Acts 1:11b</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. And first, with respect to Paul, who was an apostle of Christ, and Silvanus, who was a prophet, and a chief man among the brethren, and Timothy, who was eminent for his spiritual gifts, I observe that the epistle under our consideration affords the clearest proof that these men knew the truth concerning the coming of Christ to judge the world; for in it they expressly assured the Thessalonians that the persons who made them believe the day of judgment was at hand were deceiving them; that, before the day of judgment, there was to be a great apostasy in religion, occasioned by the man of sin, who at that time was restrained from showing himself, but who was to be revealed in his season; that, when revealed, he will sit, that is, remain a long time in the Church of God, as God, and showing himself that he is God; and that, afterwards, he is to be destroyed. Now, as these events could not be accomplished in the course of a few years, the persons who foretold they were to happen before the coming of Christ certainly did not think the day of judgment would be in their lifetime. Besides, St. Paul, Romans 11:23-26, by a long chain of reasoning, having showed that, after the general conversion of the Gentiles, the Jews, in a body, are to be brought into the Christian Church, can any person be so absurd as to persevere in maintaining that this apostle believed the end of the world would happen in his lifetime?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, with respect to the Apostle Peter, I think it plain, from the manner in which he has spoken of the coming of Christ, that he knew it was at a great distance; 2 Peter 3:3,4,8,9 : ‘Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the time the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as at the beginning of the creation. But this one thing, let it not escape you, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord, who hath promised, doth not delay, in the manner some account delaying.’ Now, seeing Peter has here foretold that, in the last age, the wicked will mock at the promise of Christ’s coming, on account of its being long delayed; and, from the stability and regularity of the course of nature during so many ages, will argue that there is no probability that the world will ever come to an end; it is evident that he also knew the coming of Christ to judgement was at a very great distance at the time he wrote that epistle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The same may be said of James; for, in the hearing of the apostles, elders, and brethren assembled in the council of Jerusalem, he quoted passages from the Jewish prophets, to show that all the Gentiles were, at some future period, to seek after the Lord; Acts 15:17. But, if James looked for the general conversion of the Gentiles, he certainly could not imagine the end of the world would happen in his time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lastly, the Apostle John, in his book of the Revelation, having foretold a great variety of important events respecting the political and religious state of the world, which could not be accomplished in a few years, but required a series of ages to give them birth; there cannot be the least doubt that he likewise knew the truth concerning his Master’s second coming; and therefore, to suppose that he imagined the day of judgment was to happen in his own lifetime, is a palpable mistake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Upon the whole, seeing the apostles and other inspired teachers of our religion certainly knew that the coming of Christ to judgment was at a great distance, every impartial person must be sensible they have been much injured, not by the enemies of revelation alone, but by some of its friends; who, upon the strength of certain expressions, the meaning, of which they evidently misunderstood, have endeavored to persuade the world that the apostle ignorantly believed the day of judgment was at hand. These expressions may all be applied to other events, as shall be showed in the next section, and therefore they ought to be so applied; because candour requires that sense to be put on an author’s words which renders him most consistent with himself.” As the term coming of Christ has several acceptations in the sacred writings, and the applying any one of these to the subject to which in a given place it does not belong, may lead to very erroneous if not dangerous conclusions, as it appears to have done at Thessalonica; it is necessary to consider the different senses in which this phrase is used, that we may know its specific meaning in the different places where it occurs. Dr. Macknight, in the fourth section of his preface, entitled, Different Comings Of Christ are spoken of in the New Testament, has treated this subject also with considerable judgment, as the reader will at once perceive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the prophetic writings of the Jews (2 Samuel 22:10,12; Psalm 97:2-5; Isaiah 19:1) great exertions of the Divine power, whether for the salvation or destruction of nations, are called the coming, the appearance, the presence of God. Hence it was natural for the apostles, who were Jews, to call any signal and evident interposition of Christ, as Governor of the world, for the accomplishment of his purposes, his coming and his day; accordingly, those exertions of his power and providence, whereby he destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, abrogated the Mosaic institutions, and established the Gospel, are called by the apostles his coming, and day; not only in allusion to the ancient prophetic language, but because Christ himself, in his prophecy concerning these events, recorded Matthew 24:30 etc., has termed them the coming of the Son of man, in allusion to the following prophecy of Daniel, of which his own prophecy is an explication; Daniel 7:13,14: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days. And they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ This prophecy the Jewish doctors, with one consent, attribute to the Messiah, and of that temporal kingdom which they expected was to be given him. Farther, they supposed he would erect that temporal kingdom by great and visible exertions of his power for the destruction of his enemies; but they little suspected that themselves were of the number of those enemies whom he was to destroy; and that his kingdom was to be established upon the ruin of their state. Yet that was the true meaning of the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. For, while the Jewish nation continued in Judea, and observed the institutions of Moses, they violently opposed the preaching of the Gospel, by which the Messiah was to reign over all people, nations, and languages. Wherefore, that the everlasting kingdom might be established effectually, it was necessary that Jerusalem and the Jewish state should be destroyed by the Roman armies. Now, since our Lord foretold this sad catastrophe in the words of the prophet Daniel, Matthew 24:30, ‘And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;’ and after describing every particular of it with the greatest exactness, seeing he told his disciples, Matthew 24:34, ‘This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled;’ can there be any doubt that the apostles, (who, when they wrote their epistles, certainly understood the true import of this prophecy), by their Master’s coming and by the end of all things, which they represent as at hand, mean his coming to destroy Jerusalem, and to put an end to the institutions of Moses? It is no objection to this, that, when the apostles heard Christ declare, ‘There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down,’ they connected the end of the world or age with that event; Matthew 24:3 : ‘Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, και συντελειας του αιωνος, and of the end of the age?’ For as the Jewish doctors divided the duration of the world into three ages; the age before the law, the age under the law, and the age under the Messiah; the apostle knew that the age under the law was to end when the age under the Messiah began; and therefore by the end of the age they meant, even at that time, not the end of the world, but the end of the age under the law, in which the Jews had been greatly oppressed by the heathens. And although they did not then understand the purpose for which their Master was to come, nor the true nature of his kingdom; nor suspect that he was to make any chance in the institutions of Moses; yet when they wrote their epistles, being illuminated by the Holy Ghost, they certainly knew that the institutions of Moses were to be abolished; and that their Master’s kingdom was not a temporal but a spiritual dominion, in which all people, nations, and languages were to be governed, not by external force, but by the operation of truth upon their minds through the preaching of the Gospel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Farther, that the apostles, by the coming of Christ, which they represented as at hand when they wrote their epistles, meant his coming to establish his spiritual kingdom over all people, nations, and languages, and not his coming to put an end to this mundane system, is evident from what Christ himself told them, Matthew 16:28 : ‘There be some standing here who shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.’ And, agreeably to this account of the coming of Christ and of the end of all things, I observe that every passage of their epistles, in which the apostles have spoken of these things as at hand, may with the greatest propriety be interpreted of Christ’s coming to establish his everlasting kingdom over all people, nations, and languages, by destroying Jerusalem, putting an end to the law of Moses, and spreading the Gospel through the world. Thus, 1Corinthians 11:11 : ‘These things - are written for our admonition, upon whom τα τελη των αιωνων, the ends of the ages are come,’ means the end of the age under the law, and the beginning of the age under the Messiah. Philippians 4:5 : ‘Let your moderation be known to all men: the Lord is nigh;’ namely, to destroy the Jews, your greatest adversaries. Hebrews 9:26 : ‘But now once επι συντελειᾳ των αιωνων, at the conclusion of the ages, (the Jewish jubilees), hath he been manifested to abolish sin-offering by the sacrifice of himself.’ Hebrews 10:25 : ‘Exhorting one another daily; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching,’ the day of Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish state. Hebrews 10:37 : ‘For yet a little while, and he who is coming will come, and will not tarry.’ James 5:7 : ‘Wherefore, be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.’ James 5:8 : ‘Be ye also patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord (to destroy the Jews, your persecutors) draweth nigh.’ James 5:9 : ‘Behold the Judge standeth before the door.’ 1Peter 4:7 : ‘The end of all things (the end of Jerusalem, and of the temple, and of all the Mosaic institutions) hath approached. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.’ 1John 2:18 : ‘Young children, it is the last hour of the Jewish state; and as ye have heard (from Christ, in his prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem) that antichrist cometh, so now there are many antichrists, whence we know that it is the last hour of the Jewish state.’</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. There is another coming of Christ spoken of by the apostles, different likewise from his coming to judge the world, and to put an end to the present state of things; viz. his coming to destroy the man of sin. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 : ‘Him the Lord will consume by the breath of his mouth, and will render ineffectual by the bright shining of his coming.’ This singular event, which will contribute greatly to the honor of God and the good of his Church, being accomplished by a visible and extraordinary interposition of the power of Christ in the government of the world, is, agreeably to the Scripture style, fitly called the coming of the Lord, and the bright shining of his coming; but this coming is nowhere in the Scriptures said to be at hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. There is likewise a day or coming of Christ, spoken of by Paul, different from his coming to judgment, and from both the former comings; I mean his releasing his people from their present trial by death. 1Corinthians1:8 : ‘He also will confirm you unto the end, without accusation, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Philippians 1:6 : ‘He who hath begun in you a good work, will be completing it until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ It is true, the release of Christ’s servants from their present trial by death is accomplished, for the most part, by no extraordinary display of his power; yet it is fitly enough called his day and coming, because by his appointment all men die, and by his power each is carried to his own place after death. Besides, his servants in particular being put on their duty, like soldiers, must remain at their several posts till released by their commander: and when he releases them, he is fitly said to come for that purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Besides all these, there is a day or coming of the Lord to judge the world, and to put an end to the present state of things. This coming Christ himself has promised. Matthew 16:27 : ‘The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy angels; and then shall he reward every man according to his work.’ Now this, being a real, personal appearing of Christ in the body, is, more properly than any other of his comings, called the day and coming of Christ. And the purposes of it being more important than those of his other comings, the exertions of his power for accomplishing them will be most signal and glorious. Hence this coming is, with great propriety, termed the revelation of Jesus Christ, and the day of his revelation, when he shall be glorified in his saints, and admired of all them who believe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus it appears that, when the apostles wrote, there were four comings of Christ to happen, three of them figurative, but the fourth a real appearance; that these different comings are frequently spoken of in Scripture; and that, although the coming of Christ to destroy Jerusalem, and to establish his everlasting kingdom, be represented by the apostles as then at hand, no passage from their writings can be produced in which his personal appearance to judge the world is said, or even insinuated, to be at hand. The truth is, if the different comings of Christ are distinguished as they ought to be, we shall find that the apostles have spoken of each of them according to truth; and that the opinion which some Christians have unadvisedly espoused, to the great discredit of the inspiration of the apostles, has not the least foundation in Scripture. </span>The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-18472328204486195242014-09-06T21:04:00.000-05:002014-09-06T21:04:15.533-05:00God, Raise Up Faithful People Like This.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjoQri4G0FeW-FvIDfzYkGpHuiDUUfp0eV2-tqV36B1PMc1WqJVFhrTlJqZeuhEk2VzL2YLOwnKBYvgMMZQSsjg4VaCVQLRrL6OFL8es77Lk70hf0rby4ynA_ADM8YLt4jyQf56C01rAU/s1600/always+faithful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjoQri4G0FeW-FvIDfzYkGpHuiDUUfp0eV2-tqV36B1PMc1WqJVFhrTlJqZeuhEk2VzL2YLOwnKBYvgMMZQSsjg4VaCVQLRrL6OFL8es77Lk70hf0rby4ynA_ADM8YLt4jyQf56C01rAU/s1600/always+faithful.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. -Proverbs 20:6-7 </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. -Psalm112:1-2</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; -Isaiah 58:12</span></div>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-44207042697364723542014-08-31T16:17:00.000-05:002014-08-31T16:17:45.921-05:00Quotes heard at Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7x5RIJBHL7cR8P0cSmmZrmZBWWIQQUggblEhc8u4SxhlWX-fsDBofHuh1R66mVhIg_Iy1CJTB58XxeBd77q-UGD3aoAIT7bp7tvWJI_5UzcolnepTeCQdszW9CLIlFz9WMVVKFIf31rC/s1600/church_result.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7x5RIJBHL7cR8P0cSmmZrmZBWWIQQUggblEhc8u4SxhlWX-fsDBofHuh1R66mVhIg_Iy1CJTB58XxeBd77q-UGD3aoAIT7bp7tvWJI_5UzcolnepTeCQdszW9CLIlFz9WMVVKFIf31rC/s1600/church_result.jpg" height="200" width="145" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">It's no wonder there are riots in Missouri. They've kicked Him out of schools and so forth. The departure from God is a return to heathenism</span>. -Bro. Peytes testifying at CNC</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to understand sanctification to get sanctified. Just say, "Lord, I want it!" I didn't understand salvation when I got saved. </span> -Bro. Peytes testifying at CNC </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is a lighthouse not a bomb shelter. This isn't a hold-the-fort, but an expand-the-kingdom. </span> -Pastor Carl Eisenhart preaching at CNC </blockquote>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-62734284564057794532014-05-30T20:01:00.001-05:002014-08-01T05:51:42.674-05:00The Nations Roar, But God's Kingdom Triumphs<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In
his sermon on "Scriptural Christianity" John Wesley said,</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">But
shall we not see greater things than these? Yea, greater than have
been yet from the beginning of the world? Can Satan cause the truth
of God to fail? Or his promises to be of none effect? If not, the
time will come when Christianity will prevail over all, and cover the
earth. Let us stand a little, and survey this strange sight, a
Christian world.</span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXNwd0DuzFejhugZ3PpxRuAzJg5RI-HRR7bguHN5GpLhjklLmPxlnw01RaJwv_pGntFT8l7A8xGXlgw6PdZ6Z8S3Fhyphenhyphen_lvzVhbrfLi0c3UBpG6_llmIhzeJx8D7VQ10QjfIPhdVdN1aWQ/s1600/great+mountain_result.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXNwd0DuzFejhugZ3PpxRuAzJg5RI-HRR7bguHN5GpLhjklLmPxlnw01RaJwv_pGntFT8l7A8xGXlgw6PdZ6Z8S3Fhyphenhyphen_lvzVhbrfLi0c3UBpG6_llmIhzeJx8D7VQ10QjfIPhdVdN1aWQ/s1600/great+mountain_result.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Credit: http://kathrynwarmstrong.wordpress.com/</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="widows: 1;">Yet worldwide many of those who call themselves the church today love God with their mouth but love the world
in deed. </span><span style="widows: 1;"> How do we </span><span style="widows: 1;">know this? Just look at the evidence:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They seek influence with the world.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They follow the world's dress.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They imitate the world's music.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They say little commandments of God don't matter as long as we have
faith.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They desire power rather than Christ, and neglect prayer unless it's thought to bring
power.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They rarely read the Word alone, yet pride themselves in knowing so much about God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">They fight with the world and with other Christians.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sacrifice
is more important than obedience.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Size,
a following, and an impressive appearance is more important than
obedience.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Others' feelings are more important than truth.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fitting in with others takes priority over pleasing God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clout
is more important than prayer.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit; widows: 1;">But
Isaiah 2:2-4, Isaiah 11:6-12, and Romans 11:25-26 show a far
different reality for the church on earth. Some people would call this the millennium. Regarding these verses
Wesley preached,</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Against
hope believe in hope. It is your Father's good pleasure yet to renew
the face of the earth. Surely all these things shall come to an end,
and the inhabitants of the earth shall learn righteousness. "Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they know war
any more." "The mountain of the Lord's house shall be
established in the top of the mountains;" and all the kingdoms
of the world shall become the kingdoms of our God. "They shall
not" then "hurt or destroy in all his holy mountain."</span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Imagine
such a worldwide event which God could use to cause the current state of the church to change. Is an
unholy, worldly church as we see it today God's plan for the church?
What will it take to cause us to pray just for the sake of being with
God? For the world to appear detestable to the church? To desire
the Word of God alone? To crave to be hidden in Christ rather than noticed?
To deliver so many from proud and contentious hearts? To
unitedly cry out to God as a church worldwide, "Even so, come,
Lord Jesus?" What would cause such united, contrite, earnest
prayer as to bring a worldwide revival and usher in the kingdom of
God on earth?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">I
answer those questions with more questions.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>What
always caused God's people in the Old Testament to cry out to God and
be saved, healed from their backsliddings, and then wholeheartedly
serve God and begin to prosper?</b> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Calamities sent by God and
affliction at the hand of the heathens, which then caused a renewed fear of God and a return to obedience
of the Word of God.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Why
did the Spirit baptized church have such explosive growth in the
first centuries after Pentecost? </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The church then spread into all of
the known world. </span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God used the preaching of Christ and nearly unceasing
tremendous persecution, first by the Jews and then by the Romans.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>Why
did the Reformation have such explosive growth?</b> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">God used the demand
for the Word of God and the Inquisition, which meant much persecution.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>Why
did the Methodists have such Explosive growth?</b> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">God used their
radical sacrifice, demand for a return to the purity of the early
church as recorded by the Word, and persecution.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>What did God use to cause the success of the early Holiness Movement?</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Radical self
sacrifice and obedience to the Word, the preaching of heart purity
and holy living, and reproach and affliction by the rest of the
worldly church.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What did God use to cause marvelous growth of the church in China in the last generation?</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Persecution.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What is God using to cause a revival in parts of Muslim Africa today?</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Persecution. And </span>God's church worldwide has been praying for decades for revival.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Throughout
the history of the church God uses Calamity and Persecution to
advance His kingdom. And this always results a greater love of
Christ as demonstrated by obedience to His Word and holy living. </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">God has a remnant around the world are praying fervently for God's kingdom to come to hearts. The more the church is afflicted, the more earnestly we will pray. And this will bring to pass even greater spiritual wonders. </span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">So what
will God use to bring about His promise of Holiness Unto The Lord throughout the
whole earth? I believe that God will use such calamities, yea mighty
calamities such as never seen before, to take away many tares. And
God will use persecution such as never seen before as to purge away
dross from the gold.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">In
that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and
the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that
are <u>escaped</u> of Israel. </span><span style="color: black;">And
it shall come to pass, that he that is <u>left</u> in Zion, and he that
<u>remaineth</u> in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is
written among the living in Jerusalem:<br /> </span><span style="color: black;">When
the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion,
and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof
by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning."
(Isaiah 4:2-4)</span></span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And
Holiness Unto The Lord shall fill the earth. What an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will be, of which Pentecost was only the beginning and a foretaste of a much larger ending.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Be
patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath
long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
(James 5:7)</span></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">He
shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water
the earth... (Psalm 72:6 etc.)</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And
I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">The
glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith
the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the
LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:7a, 9)</span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">John Fletcher wrote, "The time certainly is drawing near when universal
peace shall bless the earth: when distracted Europe, superstitious
Asia, Blind Africa, and America shall more abundantly see the
salvation of our God." He also wrote, The coming of Christ is
near, even at the door when he will establish his kingdom. He is now
sweeping the earth, to plant it with righteousness and true
holiness."</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Francis
Asbury wrote, "We will not give up the cause -- we will not
abandon the world to infidels."</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Peter
Cartwright, in 1856 wrote,</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Nothing
but the principles of the Bible can save our happy nation or world,
and every friend of religion ought to spread the Bible to the utmost
of his power and means. Then let us look for the happy end of the
universal spread of truth, when all flesh shall see the salvation of
God.</span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nathanael
Burwash said that John Wesley's conception of the coming of Christ
meant:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">the
extension of Christ's spiritual kingdom in the hearts of men by
individual conversion such as was taking place in his own day. This
he expected to go on in still greater power till the world should be
regenerated by the saving power of the Gospel which was doing its
work in his own time.</span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though different Christians will disagree over when Jesus Christ will be visibly seen on the earth -- whether before this reign of righteousness or at the end of such, we do know that he shall not fail nor be discouraged until he makes Holiness Unto The Lord to fill the earth.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Behold,
the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the
midst of thee.<br /><span style="color: black;">And
the LORD shall be king over all the earth:<br /> </span><span style="color: black;">And
it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations
which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to
worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. </span><span style="color: black;">In
that day shall there be upon the bells of the houses, HOLINESS UNTO
THE LORD: </span><span style="color: black;">Yea,
every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD
of hosts... (Zechariah 14:1, 9a, 16, 20a, 21a) </span></span></blockquote>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But
remember, before the living stone which the builders rejected becomes a mountain and fills the whole earth, the
rest of the kingdoms of earth have to fall. And this will likely be a time
of great tribulation. And many will continue to deny Christ. But happily God
will preserve a righteous remnant. And, pure in heart, look up for
your redemption draweth nigh. While waiting on God in your secret chamber, God can hide you and keep you in this terrible time. (Isaiah 26:20-21) The nations and empires of the world
will shake and crumble, and the stone formed without hands will become a mountain and fill the earth.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And
it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the
LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And
many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the LORD, to he house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">And
he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4)</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">As Wesley put it, this is the "latter day glory" -- that which grows brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. This is "the Grand Pentecost" fully coming, when "all Israel shall be saved and fullness of the Gentiles shall come."</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> -pdd</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Early
Methodism quotes taken from
<a href="http://www.fwponline.cc/v25n1/The%20Hope%20of%20a%20ChristianWorld.html">http://www.fwponline.cc/v25n1/The%20Hope%20of%20a%20ChristianWorld.html</a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="page-break-inside: avoid; widows: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">All
Scripture taken from the King James Version.</span></div>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-32060058479754867132014-05-29T12:18:00.001-05:002014-09-06T21:17:01.290-05:00A Biblical and Holiness Perspective on Strong Drink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqtWm32_7lEaFfLl_SxgsR117kTuXjKxSfObqFH4fWyAX2bQip9Mqbaw8API3djZh3vleou3MU_-Z4kaEIf7_yOB0Pk6DnaTKXBy7-NzF7RsgYk_a_bfIvOzdcLzJf_l88w9IHLBx4tcB/s1600/Why+drink+alcohol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqtWm32_7lEaFfLl_SxgsR117kTuXjKxSfObqFH4fWyAX2bQip9Mqbaw8API3djZh3vleou3MU_-Z4kaEIf7_yOB0Pk6DnaTKXBy7-NzF7RsgYk_a_bfIvOzdcLzJf_l88w9IHLBx4tcB/s1600/Why+drink+alcohol.jpg" height="113" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Here's a work in progress that I started in Colombia in 2013. Maybe later the dangers of drinking can be covered.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Should I as a Christian Drink Wine or Strong Drink? What Does the Bible Say? What Do We Holiness People Believe? Why? </b>May the Holy Spirit of God help you find answers to your questions here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">First notice what God says in Holy Scripture. For the reader, I
listed in no particular order just some of Bible verses on this
subject:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth
after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or
for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the
LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">Deuteronomy 14:26</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto
her, Behold now, thou </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>art</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong
drink, and eat not any unclean </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>thing:</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall
come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the
womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the
Philistines. Judges 13:3-5</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with
the Spirit; </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Ephesians 5:18</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,<br /> </span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><u>drunkards</u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">1 Corinthians 6:9-10</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">His watchmen </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>are</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
blind: they are all ignorant, they </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>are</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to
slumber.<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Yea, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>they
are</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
greedy dogs </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>which</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
can never have enough, and they </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>are</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
shepherds </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>that</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his
gain, from his quarter.<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Come ye, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>say
they,</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and
to morrow shall be as this day, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>and</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
much more abundant. Isaiah 56:10-12</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>that</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>till</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
wine inflame them! Isaiah 5:11</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Wine </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>is</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
a mocker, strong drink </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>is</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Proverbs 20:1</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>It
is</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
not for kings, O Lemuel, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>it
is</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any
of the afflicted.<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto
those that be of heavy hearts. </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">Proverbs 31:4-6</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee,
when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>it
shall be</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
a statute for ever throughout your generations:<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between
unclean and clean; Leviticus 10:9-10</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Woe unto </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>them
that are</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Isaiah 5:2</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy
bottle to </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>him,</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
and makest </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>him</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Habakkuk 2:15</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are
out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong
drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through
strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>in</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
judgment. Isaiah 28:7</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given
to filthy lucre;<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy,
temperate; Titus 1:7-8</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb. Luke 1:15</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Convincing evidence has been given that in the Bible times,
fermented wine was used as a means to sanitize water. Just enough
alcoholic wine was mixed with water to kill organisms which might
cause stomach problems such as dysentery or parasites, but it was not
enough alcohol to cause drunkenness. This resultant mixture would be
called wine also. This would be similar to us adding chlorine or
iodine to our water today. This by some is believed to be what Paul
is referring to when He recommends that Timothy drink a </span><u style="font-family: inherit;">little</u><span style="font-family: inherit;">
wine for his stomach’s sake. Timothy could have experienced
chronic cramps or diarrhea caused by drinking unsanitary water. This
still happens to missionaries today on some mission fields, due to
bad water. This advice to Timothy also applies to other Christians
as well. “</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">Likewise
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"><i>must</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">
the deacons </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"><i>be</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">
grave, not doubletongued, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"><u>not</u></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">
given to </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"><u>much
wine</u></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">,
not greedy of filthy lucre.” (1 Tim. 3:8)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To say that whenever the Jews drank wine or strong drink in
the Old Testament, they were drinking this purified water, I cannot. I believe
that God overlooked several things that the Jews did in the Old Testament of which the New Testament Christian ought not stoop to do, due to our higher spiritual standard of living
though grace and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px;">But the wine then wasn't nearly as alcoholic then as it is now. Vic Reasoner stated in his commentary on Romans, “Until recent times the yeast used in making fermented beverages died off quickly at relatively low levels of alcohol – probably about 4%. Thus, the alcoholic content was low. Today wine has about 12% alcohol content. In addition, the wine was diluted with water in the ancient world. Only the uncivilized drank their wine unmixed.” [p. 554] This addition purified what might have otherwise been unhealthful water. Once diluted, it would have been nearly impossible to drink enough to make one drunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The following is from the <i>International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia</i> regarding “strong drink,”
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Its
immoderate use is strongly condemned (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isaiah 5:11</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">,
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Isaiah 5:12</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">;
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Proverbs 20:1</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">;
see DRUNKENNESS). It was forbidden to ministering priests (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Leviticus 10:9</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">),
and to Nazarites (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Numbers 6:3</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">;
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Judges 13:4</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">,
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Judges 13:7</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">,
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Judges 13:14</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">;
compare </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Luke 1:15</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">),
but was used in the sacrificial meal as drink offering (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Numbers 28:7</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">).
It is commended to the weak and perishing as a means of deadening
their pain; but not to princes, lest it might lead them to pervert
justice (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Proverbs 31:4-7</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">).”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Proverbs
31 mentions that King Limuel’s mother told him that wine was only
for the perishing or those with a heavy heart. Regarding this Adam
Clarke said, “Inebriating drinks were mercifully given to condemned
criminals, to render them less sensible of the torture they endured
in dying. This is what was offered to our Lord; but he refused it.”
“Of heavy heart” in the Hebrew means “bitter of soul”
according to the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>Treasury
of Scriptural Knowledge</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.
Today we have drugs, tranquilizers, anesthetic, and many other
medicines to alleviate those who are dying or in agony or pain. In
ancient days wine served this purpose. And as wine or strong drink
can be abused in this purpose, today many abuse drugs likewise. </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In
Jeremiah 35 God gave us a powerful illustration of the blessings
which come from very careful living. The Rachabites were commanded
by their ancestor Jonadab son of Rachab genarations earlier to drink
no wine them nor their sons forever. God tested them by having His
prophet Jeremiah set wine before them and tell them to drink. They
refused to drink. God pronounced judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem who later perished or were scattered due to not heeding His commands. But God commended the Rachabites for their carefulness in listening
and obeying. Furthermore God pronounced a blessing upon them by proclaiming,
“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab
shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.” Oh, as for me
and my house with all our future generations, let us fear God and
obey Him in this and in the very smallest of God's precepts!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">Points to Ponder:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">God
says that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. I want to
stay as far away from the line of getting drunk as possible. I
will not drink to be “cheered” by a strong drink; the Lord
is my joy. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">God
says that those who are deceived by wine are “not wise.” I want
to be as wise as possible. I will stay as far away from
intoxicating drinks as possible. I won’t even put it to my lips.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">God
says that it is not for kings. It is my hope to sit with Christ on
His throne someday. And even now through prayer and obedience I
must exercise dominion and subdue the earth for the glory of God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">God
says that it is not for ministering priests nor Nazarites. A
Nazarite was a Jew who professed extraordinary purity of life and
devotion. As a holy Christian, I am not only a New Testament priest before God, but I am a special
priest before God and a modern day Nazarite – one separated unto
God. I am one of the holy people, the careful, the earnest, the
revivalists, a possessor of Perfect love, and I desire to be the
most like the church of Pentecost. I am filled with the Spirit and
I minister to others in the Spirit. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">God
says that it is not for princes. We Christians are the sons of God;
we are princes in the noblest sense of the word.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">We
are not to do anything that could cause someone to fall. If were to
yield to a sip of wine others would lower their resistance too. I
want NOT ONE person to drink strong drink and fall.</span></li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>It
is</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>any
thing</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Romans 14:21</span> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom
Christ died?<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak
conscience, ye sin against Christ.<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh
while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 1 Corinthians 8:11-13</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And
I will drink NO intoxicating wine or intoxicating drinks while the world standeth.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">Some
would say, “But what if you were offered such during communion. I
have been offered such during communion, and I have quietly asked if
it was alcoholic wine, and when affirmed such, I politely said in a
kind and none judgmental attitude, “No thank you, this is no
judgment against you all, but I cannot drink alcoholic beverages.
Please don’t worry about me, I am okay.” Those who say that this
will offend the brother, are wrong. This will not cause a brother to
loose his soul. Yea, it might save a brother or cause a brother to
live more carefully due to a courageous stand and a blameless
testimony of his fellow brother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">Another
might say, “What if you are offered such at a wedding, will you
offend them by refusing to drink?” I have been served such at a
wedding, and I have politely refused. But know that even among the
world’s etiquette, it is completely proper to not taste the wine.
If offered wine, you may politely say, “No, thank you.” And if
there is already wine at your place setting you do not have to drink
it. Those who do not drink, but feel that they must toast to the
couple’s well being, may raise their glass in the air to health, long life, et
cetera, and then set the glass back down at its place without
drinking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">I
repeat, I will drink NO intoxicating wine or strong drink while the world
standeth, for…</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,
and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Please
follow my example in this. And in doing so you might have the honor
of restoring a fallen brother as mentioned in James.</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;<br /> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of
his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of
sins. James 5:19-20</span></span></blockquote>
Lovingly,<br />
Phillip Dave DickinsonThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-53628819999432178072014-05-21T12:16:00.000-05:002014-05-23T07:12:58.827-05:00On Humility and Pride, by John Fletcher<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC4KsCoL0CuqA6HMQFGeAJlau_fwesexKppxhhDgZab1WSM9eYI2AlNREXDYMR94_ikFLr_FOMbMF7Q147W1qSwaQXmIe55VQWNLFNMwe_-ILooLyMClz9RMc5SNLjDw0qycNNSnsyK-0/s1600/saintly+fletcher_result.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC4KsCoL0CuqA6HMQFGeAJlau_fwesexKppxhhDgZab1WSM9eYI2AlNREXDYMR94_ikFLr_FOMbMF7Q147W1qSwaQXmIe55VQWNLFNMwe_-ILooLyMClz9RMc5SNLjDw0qycNNSnsyK-0/s1600/saintly+fletcher_result.gif" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Minister John William Fletcher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
There is no evil disposition of the heart, with which the clergy are so frequently reproached, as pride. And it is with reason that we oppose this sinful temper, especially when it appears in pastors, since it is so entirely contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, that the Apostle Paul emphatically terms it, "The condemnation of the devil," 1 Timothy 3:6.</div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
There is no amiable disposition which our Lord more strongly recommended to his followers, than lowliness of mind. From his birth to his death, he gave himself a striking example of the most profound humility, joined to the most ardent charity. After having washed the feet of his first disciples, that is, after he had taken the place of a slave at their feet, he addressed them as follows:-"Know ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent, greater than he that sent him," John 13:12-16. Again he says to the same effect, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister: and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," Mark 10:42; 2:45.</div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
Real Christianity is the school of humble charity, in which every true minister can say, with Christ, according to his growth in grace, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." And unhappy will it be for those who, reversing Christianity, say, by their example, which is more striking, than all their discourses, "Learn of us to be fierce and revengeful, at the expense of peace both at home and abroad." They who receive the stipends of ministers, while they are thus endeavouring to subvert the religion they profess to support, render themselves guilty, not only of hypocrisy, but of a species of sacrilege.</div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
It is supposed that St. Peter had the pre-eminence among the apostles, at least by his age: it is certain that he spake in the name of the other apostles, that he first confessed Christ in two public orations; that our Lord conferred favours upon him; that he was permitted to be one of the three witnesses of his Master's transfiguration and agony; and that on the day of pentecost he proved the power of his apostolic commission, by introducing three thousand souls at once into the kingdom of Christ. Far, however, from arrogating, upon these accounts, a spiritual supremacy over his brethren, he assumed no other title but that which was given in common to all his fellow labourers in the ministry: "The elders which are among you," says he, "I exhort, who am also an elder: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock," 1 Peter 5:1, 3. A piece of advice this, which is too much neglected by those prelates who distinguish themselves from their brethren, yet more by an anti-christian pride, than by those ecclesiastical dignities to which they have made their way by the intrigues of ambition.</div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" style="background-color: white;">
<a href="http://www.imarc.cc/one_meth/vol-02-no-04.html" target="_blank">Continue reading here.</a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I've found that there's little online information on John William Fletcher (later changed from "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">de la Flechere")</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">. So I've gathered some links that I've found here.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Heritage/Fletcher.htm">http://www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Heritage/Fletcher.htm</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://christianheritagefellowship.com/john-william-fletcher-on-prayer/">http://christianheritagefellowship.com/john-william-fletcher-on-prayer/</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.goforthall.org/articles/jf_bio.html">http://www.goforthall.org/articles/jf_bio.html</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.theopedia.com/John_Fletcher">http://www.theopedia.com/John_Fletcher</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">One more quote (on predestination extremes) by John Fletcher:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">"The error of rigid Calvinists centers in the denial of that evangelical liberty, whereby all men, under various dispensations of grace, may without necessity choose life...And the error of rigid Arminians consists in not paying a cheerful homage to redeeming grace, for all the liberty and power which we have to choose life, and to work righteousness since the fall...To avoid these two extremes, we need only follow the Scripture-doctrine of free-will restored and assisted by free-grace."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">John Fletcher, "On Predestination", Checks to Antinomianism (New York: J. Collard, 1837), pp. 333-334.</span>The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-69151825342361757822014-05-16T11:46:00.000-05:002014-05-17T09:37:30.108-05:00Minister, Let Me Tell You A Secret (To Lasting Results)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggasUeiBXtpmmD6vqQxjOJwwyUEIXzQctjPmaXjHxi_7qMpYrheVEo1Pj0TBecCH4KZP0ORKx8x-RrnOnqxzv2NfzhUoxHDaQferoyF24Bfd54TolEFLjeY46Ho2gcBagxfcwap3kPjBQh/s1600/successful+ministry_result.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggasUeiBXtpmmD6vqQxjOJwwyUEIXzQctjPmaXjHxi_7qMpYrheVEo1Pj0TBecCH4KZP0ORKx8x-RrnOnqxzv2NfzhUoxHDaQferoyF24Bfd54TolEFLjeY46Ho2gcBagxfcwap3kPjBQh/s1600/successful+ministry_result.jpg" height="280" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: http://davidbrennen.com/jeremiah-177-8/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pastors, missionaries, and ministers, (and those who might be involved in ministry someday,) I'm going to let you in on a
secret. May God open your spiritual eyes to receive what I tell you
here.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pray big.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plan big.
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't manipulate in order to bring fulfillment to your petitions to God; this
limits God.
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Expect future blessings.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me explain. But first, this assumes that you have been
sanctified wholly. That's foundational. You must fear God greatly.
Live circumspectly. And walk humbly in Christian perfection.
Perfect love, cleansing from all inbred sin, and a baptism of the
Holy Spirit make up this Christian perfection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pray Big:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Learn to spend much time with God. Ask Him for big things for His
glory. Be an Enoch and walk with God. Be a Noah, perfect in his
generations, and listen to God so that He can tell you His secrets
for your generation. Be a Daniel and purpose to not only not defile
yourself with even the smallest negligence, but also to never miss
your appointment with prayer to God. Those who fast and pray raise
up the foundations of many generations. Think of Nehemiah. Pray
much, stand on the promises, and the passing of years will reveal
that you will have become a modern day Nehemiah. God right now
searches this earth for people through whom to show Himself mighty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Plan Big:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Prayer, much prayer, will bring unheard of blessings, fruit, and
power to your ministry. And with time faith will result – faith
that isn't affected by circumstances which seem otherwise. Earnestly
beg God to show you what He wants you to pray for. Then realize that
he wants to do a thousand times greater. Over the next years do
God's will in the great and small while asking God for what He has
showed you. Expect God to enlarge your vision and petitions as you
continue to pray and work for this. With time you might just simply
ask God to work out His will through you, for your faith may grow so
great that you will know that you can't even dream up all God wants
to do as you humbly stay on your face before Him. Pray enough and
God will send others to help you pray and bring this to pass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't just hope to maintain. Faith calls for so much more. God
wants to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think. What
are the hard cases? Ask God for these souls. Ask God for pastors
and missionaries and churches to result from your labors. Ask God to
give you your city, your state, your country, or your world. If your
eschatology limits your prayer, reexamine your position. You should
be praying, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is
in heaven.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile, work with who God tells you to work. Put faithful men
and women to work. Plan for succession. Mentor the younger
generation. Start giving work to those who seek God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Start making plans for missionaries to go out from you someday.
Don't send them away to a para-church organization, that's for those
who don't have a local church. You and your church raised them up;
YOU send them. Ask God you help you and your church serve them as
they go out into the whitened harvest field. The missionaries whom
God raises up under you need to be accountable to their local church.
Become a sending church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ask God to show you how you are going to put future preachers and
pastors to work. Plan to mentor, prepare, teach, and train them.
You, your local church should teach them. You don't have to send
them off to an “expert” in who-knows-where who questions some of
the very foundations in which you believe, whose teachings may
undermine what your church stands for. The local church is to equip
her own ministers. Para-church higher education is for those whom
God has called to such, it's an exception. But the rule is that the
local church is serve her own ministers and vice versa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plan to raise up laborers in the way your church believes. Not
only do our church's pastors mentor those coming up with a call, but
also her ministers have a reading course. This includes the themes
of prayer, revival, holiness, doctrine, church history, reliable
resources, and more. This writer has his own children reading key
books to prepare them and to teach them what they should know. Youth
can be challenged in the above themes as well as biographies of
spiritual giants, holy manhood and womanhood, parenting, marriage and
home, chastity, and holy living. But remember much more is caught
than taught. What you do shouts so loudly that people can't hear
what you say. But if your walk matches your passionate talk, you are
a powerful teacher.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Regarding
training the next generation. Laying a proper foundation will
eventually result in spiritual youth. Loving, devouring, living in, walking according to the Bible is a firm foundation. Both the mentor mentored must delight in God's law. And invest much in prayer. Walk
in holiness before God. Minister Christ, truth, and love to all
ages. Raise up children in Christ. Take time for the youth. The
Holy Spirit is working on them too. Know that they will be youth
(and need to grow in maturity) but also expect them to be spiritual.
Spend extra time with those to whom God directs you and to those you
feel has a call. Talk to them line upon line, precept upon precept.
Pray with them, love them, help equip them, and start using them.
Have patience and lovingly help them with their errors. Enable them
become faithful in little so that God can make them faithful in much.
Role model the ministry for younger spiritual ones, give them a
chance to practice ministry and then with much prayer gently offer
counsel for their shortcomings in ministry. Teach them all you know
and then as the Holy Spirit teaches them, they can far surpass you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Regarding Manipulation:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some say, “But where am I going to get the resources for such
big plans” Here lies the danger. You must guard against supposed
shortcuts. Much prayer, patience, work, and time is needed here.
Grass grows up overnight and dies in summer heat, but for an oak tree
to mature it needs years as well sun, winds, and rains that God
decides to send it. Do you want God to raise up a mighty and
fruitful work? Then work with God's time and with what resources He
sends you through prayer. Some look to speed up things up by
recruitment campaigns, trophy figureheads, soliciting, debt, impression management,
fake-it-til-you-make-it attitudes, glitz and bling and power-tie
bigness, plastic smile optimism, by pleasing the carnal, endorsement
seeking, partnerships with the world, secular alliances, and church
growth fads.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God can use any of this to build His kingdom and He has. But God
has a better way. Abraham had enough faith to let Lot choose the
best, for he had received God's promise and knew that no matter what
others did, God would give him the promise in God's time. And he by
patient pursuance in God's will inherited God's promises. You also
can pray until you know that God will work though your obedient life,
without you having to resort to pulling strings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">About pleasing the carnal,
it's like trying to build a church on sand. Many pastors yield to
the temptation to use people with sins in their life in order to
encourage them to keep coming to church. So people who are worldly
in their dress, music styles, or ministry philosophy are used to lead
in the service or music, to teach children, and even to participate
in decision making. At times they are given office in the church,
rather the ministry of the church appointing the spiritual ones as is
best. Attitudes, faithfulness, and direction are important indicators of usefulness. Are they Christlike, unchanging, and moving in the direction of God's will according to the Bible? These people are useful, even though they still might have blind spots in their life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many churches are grasping for straws to keep unspiritual
young people from leaving. So they cater to the worldly tastes of
the youths in hopes to keep them around. The atmosphere becomes
reminiscent of a pop concert rather than humble worship, Godly fear,
holy delight, and willful submission to God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The church can't
compete with the world. This grieves the Spirit of God pushes away
the spiritual people – both indispensably a part of the church.
Trendiness becomes a desirable characteristic in the leadership.
This minister often tries to make his messages palatable for the
worldly in the congregation. Messages become laced with jokes and
shallow stories and on "feel good, you're amazing" themes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is like raising children on candy and hoping for health and
growth. The pure milk and solid meat of the Word will work miracles.
In time the hungry will flock from afar to be fed the riches of the
preached full Gospel. Sinners will be converted and believers
sanctified and edified, because lifting up Christ will build His
church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">About recruitment campaigns, trophy figureheads, soliciting, impression management, and glitz and bling and power-tie bigness, the Apostle Paul didn't want to build on the foundations of
others and he disregarded the wisdom of this world. Through constant prayer, suffering, work, and preaching he became
known as the Apostle to the Gentile church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Constant prayer -- there it is again -- rather than manipulation and gimmicks. Barren Hannah carried
her burden to God in prayer, and it was God brought a national revival
through her son of which King David was just one of its many fruits.
George Muller chose not to tell anyone of His needs, nor go into
debt, but wait on God in prayer to build His work. And Muller housed
and fed thousands of children for decades as well as established
scores of schools which taught Christ to tens of thousands of
children many of whom were orphans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Future Blessings:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Look what God did through these common people. Once you decide to submit to God like this, you will find blessings and growth
much beyond human ability. You will see supernatural results. And
what you build up is not going to
pass away when you do. Rather growth and blessings will continue
mounting up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">John
Wesley said, "</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">Give
me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing
but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they
alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven
upon Earth." </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Today we still have not yet seen all the fruit of that revival; it
lives on and continues to grow. A revivalist once told young D. L.
Moody, “T</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">he
world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to
him.” And God spoke that directly to Moody's heart. Today even though Moody has passed on from this world, he continues to speak and bear fruit.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Today
also, God is looking for anyone with a perfect heart who depends
wholly on God to stand in the gap. Like Enoch, Noa</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">h,
Daniel, Nehemiah, the Apostle Paul, Hannah, Muller, Wesley, and
Moody, a mighty work will be raised up by God under their feet. And
the fruit of which will continue to grow and live on throughout
eternity. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> -pdd</span>The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-66587294678711934402014-05-10T22:11:00.001-05:002014-05-10T22:31:52.464-05:00Happy Mother's Day, Ladies of my life.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5QG2MEsOI6cDynwHZ-q2OygltzXEK6nh_HzQJVz53BM8KXChU-39DDo_t6GDqaWg48Ohl6WFnYryynjQiZH1VOQGTIIoVvcJR6sxJ2rYc0SdG9okTDaZl7bDF4y0u7DpYopidejN7cdQ/s1600/Heather+mother+of+six+and+wife.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5QG2MEsOI6cDynwHZ-q2OygltzXEK6nh_HzQJVz53BM8KXChU-39DDo_t6GDqaWg48Ohl6WFnYryynjQiZH1VOQGTIIoVvcJR6sxJ2rYc0SdG9okTDaZl7bDF4y0u7DpYopidejN7cdQ/s1600/Heather+mother+of+six+and+wife.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Heather at 5 months along.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I can honestly say that I profoundly thank God for giving me the mother, mother-in-law, and wife that He has given me.<br />
<br />
About my own mom, I cannot think of another mom (as well as mother-in-law or wife) that I would rather have. And I know that God in His wisdom and love gave me a mother who would best make me want to be a real man, love a woman, have a family and home, try to get them and others to heaven, and love and know God though Jesus Christ in prayer and through obedience to His Word. Thank you, Mother. <br />
<br />
Thank you, Mother-In-Law, for raising up a most marvelous daughter. God says that wisdom is justified of her children. I didn't know you until I after I met Heather. But obviously due to the fruit I see in your life today and in Heather, Heather had a wise and loving mother. <br />
<br />
For Heather loves God, loves me, loves her family, loves her children, loves the lost, loves the church, loves being a housewife and a minister's wife, and she just loves people in general. And she loves with an abundance, sincerity, and joy that only God can give. <br />
<br />
Thank you, Heather, for blessing me by being my wife. I'd choose you all over again. I am many-fold more the man I am, because of having you as my wife. Your children (in our household and around the world) and I rise up and call you blessed.<br />
<br />
- PhillipThe Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-82111319892000006952014-05-07T16:04:00.001-05:002014-05-07T16:04:41.835-05:00Once While Praying In A Garden<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9sWiQQ4PJKs0lCb98vytTkJLmjYbbX9x9Ega-yeJEXfb85OTyTSkcyG6esXgbxrmAtbCZ-G1RJILlt4ujC9Ak-MYdWbyKzKeLCtk3MDbmkXCMyXhNNCJ5NtNPMhfSOKq5vKXbAiosseR/s1600/lonely+faithful+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9sWiQQ4PJKs0lCb98vytTkJLmjYbbX9x9Ega-yeJEXfb85OTyTSkcyG6esXgbxrmAtbCZ-G1RJILlt4ujC9Ak-MYdWbyKzKeLCtk3MDbmkXCMyXhNNCJ5NtNPMhfSOKq5vKXbAiosseR/s1600/lonely+faithful+flower.jpg" /></a></div>
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Once while praying in a garden alone amidst the green <br />
Of trees and shrubs competing for their glory to be seen.<br />
Flowers too were growing; their rich colors charmed the eye.<br />
And their beauty was admired by each happy passer-by.<br />
And their beauty was admired by each happy passer-by.<br />
<br />
When I left the path to enter a certain lonely, shady space<br />
I saw with joyful wonder such a blossom in that place.<br />
No sunlight nor admir'rs smiled upon the bloom I saw<br />
Thriving hidden in the thicket with a glory rarely seen.<br />
Thriving hidden in the thicket with a glory rarely seen.<br />
<br />
God only saw her offering -- bright, delicate, and sweet --<br />
And beasts such as hummingbirds and the straying worker bees.<br />
God chose to plant her there, with sweet nectar, in His plan;<br />
Lost, lowly beasts are refreshed, but they do not understand.<br />
Lost, lowly beasts are refreshed, but they do not understand.<br />
<br />
I'm entranced by the God proved worthy of the sacred praise<br />
Of unseen, short lived, posies thriving gayly by His grace.<br />
(And in time God will bend low with pleasure in His face<br />
To pick His fragrant treasures to beautify His place.<br />
To pick His fragrant treasures to beautify His place.)<br />
<br />
Lord, I want to be Your flower in the lonely place You choose,<br />
Love and serve You without measure, though hid from public views,<br />
And wanderers may be revived, But always may I raise<br />
Off'rings alone for You, my God, of service, love, and praise.<br />
Off'rings alone for You, my God, of service, love, and praise.<br />
-pdd</div>
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(The flower I saw was a lone Bird Of Paradise bloom hidden away in the foliage by God somewhere in Argentina. But I caught a view of the otherwise undiscovered delight.)</div>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-65793087617792067872014-05-02T07:55:00.001-05:002014-05-02T07:55:46.043-05:00Jews and Chinese<b>I've found it interesting that...</b><br />
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There are similarities between the Jews and the Chinese. Notice just two: </div>
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1.
Ancient written Hebrew was a pictorial language; although also phonetic,
the letters came from images. Chinese is a pictorial language. Their
words come from images. Both languages are ancient and have many ancient seeds of truth. For instance...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyMzz3FEuqvJJ5jmt7jvBGAeCfhkzEbuW5_b0PfQ2knY3Ojs_mskhE7_1tMEKJ24D0jdbdRpax0WxTUOc-gYFBIl646H3YW4Citi9Hjbu_zOKlibJGnMBg__rKlEBakYRSpx4cqGrPImp/s1600/Hebrew+My+Covenant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyMzz3FEuqvJJ5jmt7jvBGAeCfhkzEbuW5_b0PfQ2knY3Ojs_mskhE7_1tMEKJ24D0jdbdRpax0WxTUOc-gYFBIl646H3YW4Citi9Hjbu_zOKlibJGnMBg__rKlEBakYRSpx4cqGrPImp/s1600/Hebrew+My+Covenant.jpg" height="165" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hebrew word picture</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxqcy7T6FHMhJgG08xGrmqECLuf7vjBC1IXAOySakEXskfpOX172gTzlAM5wDfGNLcHmtkXzMCbW4dJJZK8cpiZa5lMCGezC_Kz8aZnJc0_KmbXQ88istG17fWp_uKnly5TNAXYvg22Xr/s1600/bible+in+chinese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxqcy7T6FHMhJgG08xGrmqECLuf7vjBC1IXAOySakEXskfpOX172gTzlAM5wDfGNLcHmtkXzMCbW4dJJZK8cpiZa5lMCGezC_Kz8aZnJc0_KmbXQ88istG17fWp_uKnly5TNAXYvg22Xr/s1600/bible+in+chinese.jpg" height="87" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese word picture</td></tr>
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2. Both the Jews and the Chinese use a calendar based on the moon
and it's cycles. Whereas Westerners use a sun based calendar. </div>
<br />
Chinese
history on this is sparse and there are varying opinions, but some
historians and even some genetic mapping present some evidence that many of
the Chinese' ancestors seem to have descended from Noah's son Shem,
just as did the Jews. But go one more generation back and we ALL have
the same grandpa Noah. What a godly heritage we have!<br />
-Phillip The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864275078740609399.post-83107447391844674382014-04-29T09:33:00.003-05:002014-04-29T09:33:56.690-05:00Yield up the Love Of Life for the sake of the Life Of Love. Mrs. Cowman<div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit;">"I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3:8 (Weymouth)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0Gbk4_xLEzHIx94luPuq6Ps7L3kembr04EOxNohPNolv1REhXFTq2s1bV8czQTYOq2PZZPVm6-Uac-8s9QwUk6PLg0cjBnAaVctWnf1b5eCkOCDjAX0GCDWYf15ePD1g6yoNJVxb5VYh/s1600/life+of+love+jesus+god_result.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0Gbk4_xLEzHIx94luPuq6Ps7L3kembr04EOxNohPNolv1REhXFTq2s1bV8czQTYOq2PZZPVm6-Uac-8s9QwUk6PLg0cjBnAaVctWnf1b5eCkOCDjAX0GCDWYf15ePD1g6yoNJVxb5VYh/s1600/life+of+love+jesus+god_result.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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. <em><span style="font-size: x-small;">—Evening Thoughts</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“The glory of tomorrow is rooted in the drudgery of today.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many want the glory without the cross, the shining without the burning, but crucifixion comes before coronation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you heard the tale of the aloe plant,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Away in the sunny clime?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By humble growth of a hundred years</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It reaches its blooming time;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And then a wondrous bud at its crown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Breaks into a thousand flowers;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This floral queen, in its blooming seen,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is the pride of the tropical bowers,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But the plant to the flower is sacrifice,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For it blooms but once, and it dies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you further heard of the aloe plant,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That grows in the sunny clime;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How every one of its thousand flowers,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As they drop in the blooming time,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is an infant plant that fastens its roots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the place where it falls on the ground,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And as fast as they drop from the dying stem,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grow lively and lovely around?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By dying, it liveth a thousand-fold</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the young that spring from the death of the old.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you heard the tale of the pelican,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Arabs’ Gimel el Bahr,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That lives in the African solitudes,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where the birds that live lonely are?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you heard how it loves its tender young,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And cares and toils for their good,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It brings them water from mountain far,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And fishes the seas for their food.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In famine it feeds them—what love can devise!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The blood of its bosom—and, feeding them, dies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you heard this tale—the best of them all—</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tale of the Holy and True,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He dies, but His life, in untold souls</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lives on in the world anew;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His seed prevails, and is filling the earth,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the stars fill the sky above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He taught us to yield up the love of life,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the sake of the life of love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His death is our life, His loss is our gain;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The joy for the tear, the peace for the pain. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">—Selected</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">From April 26, <i>Streams In The Desert</i>, by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman</span></div>
The Dickinsonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01689122652341720167noreply@blogger.com2