Current affairs: The US empire will be replaced.

Over and over again God uses wicked pagan tyrants to punish His people who have forgotten him.  Likewise today He is employing wicked terrorists and tyrannical governments to chastise nations who once knew but have forgotten God.  For God aims to bring us to repentance.  I think that no matter what our domestic and foreign policy might be, tyranny, injustice, terrorism, and suffering will only get worse in our nation until we once again turn to God.  History shows dictatorial rulers and persecution at times bringing people to their knees and consequently the church grew even stronger. (E.g. ancient Rome, modern China)  We are to pray and labor for “Thy kingdom come.”  In elections and other current events Christians should not get too frustrated (tip: vent your frustrations in prayer) when the worst side of national leadership seems to prevail, for often God uses this to bring about His kingdom.   

We follow the Prince of Peace.  Are current unjust events bringing us to our knees or getting us up in arms?  Oh, you say you’re a patriot?  Just make sure that you don’t find yourself fighting against events that God uses to usher in His kingdom, nor that the great contention involved doesn’t rob you of the glory, faith, and love of God burning brightly in your soul.  And remember, the other side usually has Christian patriots too, who disagree with you.  Something to think about, thanks to my father-in-law is the following, "for Christ's kingdom to come, all other kingdoms must fall." 

"Our Heavenly Father, we turn to thee in repentance, may we do Thy will as it is done in heaven, so as not to frustrate Thee in the ushering in of Thy kingdom." 

              - Phillip

Darwin Edwards: A Noble Saint Has Gone Home

In Boise, ID when we stopped to see Darwin Edwards and his dear wife Miriam while on Deputation '09

I had the honor of being Darwin and Miriam Edwards' pastor for 5 years in Phoenix Arizona ('99-'04).  Darwin Edwards was exactly 50 years older than I, yet we were the best of friends.  He and I would spend hours every week in Phoenix knocking on doors, passing out tracts, witnessing of Jesus, and inviting others to church.  Heather and I, and our children loved him dearly.  We prayed together, cried together, talked together, and laughed together.  I began to call him "My Christian Grandpa" for he was like a dear grandpa to our family.  We later had the honor of having him visit us here in Colombia, for he loved missions and he loved us, and what a delightful and precious time we had together!

Noah playing with "Grandpa Edwards" when he came to visit us in Colombia in '06.

At nearly 10:00 Wednesday night while preparing for bed here in Colombia, South America, we received the news that Darwin Edwards had died.  (His obituary is here.)  It is at a time like this when I wish that I were in the USA rather than in South America.  We had always hoped for our whole family to be at his funeral for that was his expressed desire.  So almost immediately after hearing the news last night, I went online to see about buying tickets.  It was logistically and financially impossible this late in the game not just for the whole family, but even for just me alone.  So instead of boarding a flight, I wrote a poem.

Brother Edwards in church in Barrio Corinto, Bogota, Colombia.

Having family altar in Colombia.  It was in this visit when we discovered that we were expecting Elijah.  So "Grandpa Edwards" got the news hot of the press -- he was the first one to know.  He had been praying that we would have a brother for Noah.

If any of you get to heaven before me, tell Brother Edwards that I wanted to tell him goodbye, but I couldn't.  But don't tell him that we said, "goodbye."  Better to tell him that we said, "By God's grace, we'll see you later."

Darwin Edwards with Noah on his second and last Colombia visit in '07.

Goodbyes the last time he visited us in Colombia.  How I miss him.

Written upon hearing of the death of my dear friend and Christian “grandpa”

Darwin Edwards

Pause with me, good men, and weep.

A nobler man than you and me

                                                Has fallen asleep

But by now has wakened up in glory.

Heav’n to me will be more sweet,

A place of which he loved to sing,

                                                Now its King he’ll greet,

My dear friend who is blessed up in glory.

Hush all noise, ye saints, and kneel.

Thank God so good for giving him;

Through our tears we thrill

At the thought of him with God in glory.

Money scarce he gave to save

The needy in the name of Christ. 

Now all that he gave       

He now has, plus much more there in glory.

How he loved so much his wife.

He spoke to all about his girl,

The love of his life.

He awaits her in a place of glory.

         

He often laughed and cried with tears

Whene’er he spoke of his great joy,

His Lord through the years.

And to think he’s with Him, what glory!

“Hear me, all,” I know he’d say,

“Have faith alone in Jesus Christ;

Your sins wash away.

 And do join me in God’s holy glory!”

                                                       - Phillip Dickinson, 8/31/2011

Faith or presumption?

"By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." (Hebrews 11:29)

If the Israelites can run through on dry land we can too. So said the Egyptians. They really believed that they could. But we know better. They were not the people of God. So their faith was not real faith.

But often God's people have the same presumption. God's children say, "Let's go do the right thing and all will end well. " Not so. In Deuteronomy 1 God's people tried to take Canaan but also without real faith. God earlier had told them that they should conquer Canaan. But now Moses told the children of Israel that since they had been disobeying God by complaining (v. 27), not submitting to authority (v. 26), and not trusting God in their trials (v. 32) that God was not going to allow them to enter the Promised Land. So they "repented" (v. 41) and decided to go do the right thing and conquer the heathen for God anyway. But they "went presumptuously up into the hill." (v. 43) So they were "chased" by the Amorites and destroyed" and "wept before the Lord" but God would not hear them.

What's going on here? God's children thought that they had faith. But actually they were presuming on God. We also can do all the things that God tells us to do. Pray the prayer of faith, anoint with oil, take time out for spiritual disciplines, warn the heathen, preach, be instant in all seasons, finance God's work, reprove the works of darkness, forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, and ten thousand other things that God wants. But all is done presumptuously and without faith if we are harboring sin, walking against light, not single minded (Mt 6:22,23), or as the children of Israel, complaining, begrudging our authority structure, or not trusting in God in all circumstances. Or it may be that God doesn't want what we want and we need to listen to Him. Unless we do things God's way in order to have true faith our end result will also be a disaster like the Egyptians assaying to cross the Red sea or Israel going up and being smitten before the Amorites. Sure, God in his mercy may hear us and forgive us, but our work may be hindered or even lost. (1 Cor 3:13-15)

-Phillip      (First published on 12-29-2007 on my old blog)

Amparo

Thank you for your prayers for Sis. Amparo. This is the lady we lived with for the first 2 months when we moved here to Colombia. She has been/is very sick.~

~We bought some supper, and took it and went to see Sis. Amparo.  We had a nice visit with her.  Please keep her in your prayers. Thank you!~

Manipulate? Or pray.

Hudson Taylor

"Learn to change men by God through prayer."   - Hudson Taylor
                                                   
posted by Phillip

Adonai -- God's name, God's character

Adonai occurs 340 times in the Old Testament. Adonai has a very special meaning: Master, as of a slave of Master as a husband is to a wife. While the master expects service from his slave, he in turn guarantees to that slave that he will provide shelter, food, water, and protection. He will endeavor to keep that slave in good physical condition. A good man says to his wife, "As head of our house under Christ I will see that you have food, clothing, shelter, and protection. I will lay down my life for you because you are my wife." That is a picture of Adonai and His people: a relationship of a righteous master and his servant; of a loving husband and his wife.

-selection from High Conceptions of God by R. E. Carroll

Suffering brings blessing

We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.  (Acts 14:22)

"If you aspire to be a son of consolation; if you would partake of the priestly gift of sympathy; if you would pour something beyond commonplace consolation into a tempted heart; if you would pass through the intercourse of daily life with the delicate tact that never inflicts pain; if you must be content to pay the price of a costly education -- like Him, you must suffer."
       - F. W. Robertson in Streams in the Desert (August 15) by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
              -- Posted by Phillip

Please pray...

Please pray for a dear lady named Amparo.  We stayed with her our first two months here in Colombia.  She is having some physical problems.  She nearly died last Friday.

L to R  Phillip, TaTa (her grandson), Helbert (her son),  Elijah, Sarah, and Amparo.

- posted by Kimberly

Guitar pickin'

Kimberly is learning how to play the guitar.  Every spare second that she has, she is strumming away.  =)  In this picture she has a "helper" named "Mary" trying to help her learn.  =)  Last night she and Nataly played their guitars while our congregation sang "Amazing Grace"  in church.  =)

~God cares about Friends~

~As Mommy, I would like to Thank the Lord for allowing our girls to have dear friends here in Colombia.  "Thank you, dear Jesus, for sending such special friends for our girls!!"
The Lord planned that Kimberly would have a sweet friend named Nataly...~

~ And that Sarah would have a great friend named Gaby.  Sarah and Gaby are actually "TWINS" that were separated at birth.  HA!  They are EXACTLY alike.  They think alike, play alike, act alike and are hilarious together.   Gaby and Nataly are precious young ladies.
Please pray that God will guide the lives of all 4 of these girls and use them for Him.  Thank you!  =)~

Our last music lesson before we leave

We had our last lesson on July 14th before we leave for Argentina soon. So here I am playing with my teacher Adriana.

Sarah helped me and I made this blanket for her.  We are going to miss her but hope that next time we come back from Argentina she can teach us more violin and piano. :-) 

Last week during the classes on Holiness...

Last week during the classes on Holiness...The Lord really gave us a week of feasting on His Word and In His Presence.  The Lord really helped Bro. Daryl as he spoke Sunday, July 17th, and then as he taught classes on Holiness for 6 hours each day from Monday-Thursday.  The Lord helped Bro. Alberto as he preached on Tuesday night.  And the Lord helped Bro. Rigoberto as he preached this last Sunday.  We thank the Lord for His help, and His Sweet presence.  Thank you, Dear Jesus, for changing lives in a special way this past week!

A great event for the Colombian Church!

Tomorrow starts a big week for the Colombian church.  We ask your prayers.  One of our CNC ministers will be here for a week and preaching and teaching on second blessing holiness.  Pray for souls to be Entirely Sanctified.  The pics below from the classes in March 2009 bring a lot of precious memories.

Our children love Pastor Pilmore.

Waiting for a class.

GHM Director teaching.

Pastor Jimmy preaching a short message.

Pastor Eisenhart preaching on holiness.  Afterward there was a beautiful seeking after God.

Food and fellowship thanks to Heather and to the rest for coming.

Daryl Hausman and Mark Becker working in the kitchen.

Pastor Pilmore getting ready to preach in a house service.

This week leaders are coming from Medellin and Cartegena as well as those from the church here.  Also Pastor Luis is coming from Peru.  Please pray for wisdom, anointing, and an outpouring of God's Spirit. 
Thank you,  Phillip

Pics & video of our time in Peru

Here are a few more pics of our trip to Peru.  To read the previous posts click here.  Here Pastor Jimmy preached in a house service.  Downstairs they worked with fish (the cleaning not the cooking aspect) so imagine a rank odor filling the air as you look at these pictures.  Pastor Luis and his wife Natividad have been trying to point them to Christ.

Some of the people seemed hungry for Christ.  I found out later that among the people there was a drunkard and two people with AIDS.  What a privilege to point them all to Christ, the only one who can save them from their sins.

Another day, we went to Pachacute, a poor village outside of Lima, about an hour from Pastor Luis's house.  We took three different vehicles to get there.  I thought that these three wheeled taxis were pretty nifty.  After our two taxi rides we ended up taking a couple to get here on the last leg of the "journey."

Here we are in one such 3 wheeled taxi looking out at Pastor Luis and another taxi.

We arrived at Pachacute.  Notice the sand everywhere and the ocean in the background a few kilometers away.  No, we didn't take the time to go to the ocean while in Peru. 

We finally arrived at the just-built lean-to that was going to be the first service here.  No door, open gables, roof soon to sealed by laying a tarp over it, two light bulbs wired to a plug, sand floors and some bricks and boards to sit on made us just as happy as if we were in a cathedral.  Someday as the church takes off and the people get a vision, things get fixed up more.  But for now it doesn't look too out of place with the other poor shacks around there. 

 The first half of the service was singing led by Pastor Luis's wife Natividad.  Her voice carried well.  Good thing too because many didn't know the songs yet.  Between the songs Sis. Natividad gave some excellent exhortations along with a clear testimony of how God saved her from her sins.  This video clip shows them singing.

 Pastor Luis here is addressing the people.  And later he preached with fervor.

Pastor Luis gave me the opportunity to exhort the people to seek after Christ before he preached.  Notice that darkness has settled in.

Sunday was our last full day in Peru.  Pastor Luis gave me the opportunity to preach this Sunday in his church.  God led me to preach and use my testimony emphasizing salvation from sin and heart holiness.

God blessed the time with  a precious sense of His presence.  Different ones were weeping and seeking after God.  Afterward different ones gave their testimony.

Please pray for these different ones in Peru.  Pray that God will establish His holy kingdom there.  Pray that God will give us wisdom and holy fruit in working in Peru.

Sad goodbyes & Good news on our Visas!

Praise the Lord!  Good news on the Visas!  But first here are some pics of us seeing off Melanie.

Noah and I (below) are taking Melanie to the airport.  After which we had to run directly to the visa office.  Notice Elijah playing in the picture.  When Melanie started walking away Elijah began wailing and following her.

So Elijah walked with her to the guard house and amidst many tears gave her one last hug.  May God bless Melanie in Bolivia and in her last year of college at UBC.  She was a blessing to us and to the church here.

Now back to the good news on our Colombian Visas.  I just got home with all of our Colombian Visas! God is so good!

They are good for another 2 years.  And since this is our third Visa without problems, next year we are permitted to apply for a lifetime Colombian Residency.  And then no more of this constant paperwork.  Thank you for praying!    
Phillip

Where we are at on our Colombian visas

Praise the Lord!  Several days now we have been across town working on our visas.

Here we are at a park doing some last minute paperwork.

Today the lady said that she is going to grant our visas.  There were several issues, some unavoidable, yet she is going much beyond the call of duty to work with us.  This is not the norm.  By the way her name is Diana and she asks for prayer.  She would have granted us our visas today but I didn't have the money with me and she can't give it to us until it is paid in full -- about $1,400 for 2 years of living in Colombia.  This had to come out of our Argentina budget.  I had forgotten how much it was, and I don't carry that kind of money around.  But we are so happy for this progress, for they don't have to grant us permission to live in Colombia.  And a lot of work has gone into this with the help of others.  God is so good!  I'm supposed to go back Monday and pay the balance and receive our visas!  Praise God!

Kimberly and Melanie relaxing while we did paperwork.

Noah and Elijah playing on the playground while waiting.  Somehow I can't find a picture of Sarah and Mary with us at the park.

Just before going in to have our paperwork examined

Please pray that these visas come through as promised.  Thanks,
Phillip

God's how-to regarding fasting

(Republished from first post on 6/15/07)

Jesus said that some things happen “by nothing but by prayer and fasting” I would think any prayer warrior would want this spiritual bunker blaster. But some are afraid to handle such a weapon or don’t know how. Others don’t realize the benefits of such.
God tells us how to properly fast in Isaiah 58. In vs. 3 and 4 we find that we must be holy, sincere, earnest, and charitable and not fast to be noticed. Fasting is to humble ourselves before God. (v.5) And God knows our intentions.
But what are the benefits? (v.6) Fasting breaks strong chains of wickedness, cuts loose heavy burdens, frees the oppressed, and breaks bondage. No wonder the devil tries to make the saints steer clear of fasting! Also, when we are not eating it gives us more income to help the poor, (v.7) which God wants us to do. One of the greatest misconceptions is that fasting will harm you physically, but God (v. 8) promises that your health will spring forth speedily. Dr. Joel Fuhrman (see his book Fasting and Eating for Health)and other doctors who specialize in fasting for treatment prove that fasting is healthy. Besides, Jesus would not advocate something destructive to His temple. Those who fast much testify to improved health and vanishing infirmities. Scientific studies show that those who have lived under fasting type conditions have longer life spans. Deny yourself and step away from the table, for many are digging an earlier grave with their fork.
Another benefit (v. 8) is that the glory of Jehovah will guard your back, similar to the children of Israel with Pharaoh’s army. When you call (v. 9) God will answer. When you cry, God will say, “Here I am.” God reiterates that with fasting you must live a blameless, careful, God fearing life, but if so, He will exalt your light in the middle of nowhere (v. 10) and it will break forth as the morning. (v. 8) Commentators believe that “light” refers to prosperity. Your darkness will be like high noon. Your every step will be ordained of God, He will feed your soul in famine, give vigor to your bones, and you’ll be like a flourishing garden and an eternal, artesian spring. Also they that are of you will build the old ruins, you will build the foundations of many generations, and you’ll be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the paths to dwell in. Meditate on that! But God gives one final condition (v.13) if you want Him to heed your fast and bless you like this. Don’t meddle with His Day of Rest. That is, don’t do your tasks and pleasures, but honor God not walking in your own ways, not finding your own pleasure, nor even speaking your own words, and then to consider this type of life delightful. Then God will cause you (v. 14) to delight in Him, give your life the ride of its life with abundant blessing, and nourish you with the heritage that He has promised Jacob. That’s a fact; keep your end of the covenant and God will prove it to you.
For water-only fasts longer than several days or more: 1) Lead up to your fast eating raw fruits and vegetables. 2) Expect weakness, pain, dizziness, and cold from detoxification, slowed metabolism, and lower blood pressure. 3) Drink lots of pure water. 4) Come off long fasts (1 week – 40 days) with juices and broths for the first 2 days. 5) Then eat juicy fruits & vegetables (starting slowly) for the same amount of time as your fast. 6) Plan on loosing a pound a day. 7) If you break your fast with heavy meals or food too rapidly there could be dire consequences with acute pain or worse. For you must give your body time to build up its digestive enzymes again (yogurt cultures & probiotics help). There is a strong temptation to gluttony after fasting, but it is harmful and can go to accelerated weight gain with your slowed metabolism.  (If you are uncertain about fasting due to health problems, the above mentioned book would be an advisable read.)
-by Phillip