Have a Wonderful New Year!

Have A Happy New Year!

As we face a new year here are some things to consider. I exhort each of you to examine yourself to make sure that none of these things are true of you. May we all live for the glory of God this coming year. God bless you all.

10 Signs That Our Spiritual Foundation

Is Eroding

1. When we neglect our quiet time with God.
2. When we refuse to listen to godly counsel.
3. When we begin to demonstrate the attitude of pride.
4. When we develop a critical and negative spirit.
5. When we are no longer approachable.
6. When we are becoming fleshly.
7. When we forget that true spiritual greatness is being a Christ-like servant.
8. When we are no longer willing to die to self.
9. When we no longer spend time in prayer at the throne of grace.
10. When we measure success by man-made benchmarks and not by the timeless principles of God’s Word.

Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last!

This is an article posted on the Gates Of Vienna Web site. In the light of the most recent terrorist attack in California it is something that should be read by all.

Islam: A Permanent World War

If you appreciate this essay by Fjordman, please consider making a donation to him, using the button at the bottom of this post.

Islam: A Permanent World War
by Fjordman

On the evening of Friday November 13th 2015, Paris was shaken by a coordinated series of extremely brutal Islamic terror attacks that left at least 129 people dead and hundreds wounded. It is strongly suspected that the Jihadist group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was behind these bloody attacks against multiple targets in the French capital.[1] This happened after the city had barely recovered from the Islamic massacre on the staff of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo some months earlier.

On October 31, 2015, a Russian passenger plane crashed over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, killing 224 people. Russian and Western intelligence services have concluded that the crash was an act of terrorism caused by a bomb.[2] Jihadists associated with the Islamic State have claimed responsibility for this terror attack. If this is true, it means that militant Muslims from the Islamic State brutally murdered more than 350 Europeans in just two weeks.

Apologists claim that Islam is a religion of peace and that Islam means peace. This is not true. The Arabic word Islam means “submission,” not peace. A Muslim is a person who submits. Technically speaking, it is true that the terms Islam and Muslim are derived from the same three-letter root (s-l-m) as the word salaam. Salaam means peace, just as shalom does in the related Semitic language Hebrew. Yet that does not mean that Islam is peaceful. On the contrary, it indicates that peace is only possible after submission to Islamic rule and Islamic law. Peace is identical with submission to Islam. The absence of sharia law is the absence of peace. Islam is therefore essentially an ideology of eternal global war. It advocates the permanent incorporation of the non-Islamic Dar al-Harb, the “House of War,” into the Dar al-Islam, the “House of Islam” or “House of Submission.” The term “House of War” indicates that all areas under non-Islamic rule are viewed as a place of war until such areas cease to exist worldwide and submit to forces which are loyal to Allah and his Prophet. Some Islamic theologians use intermediate categories where Islam is making progress, yet does not yet reign supreme. However, the basic divide in Islamic theology is between the House of War and the House of Islam.

“It follows,” wrote the Islamic scholar Majid Khadduri, professor of the Middle East Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, “that the existence of a dar-al-harb is ultimately outlawed under the Islamic jural order; that the dar al-Islam is permanently under jihad obligation until the dar al-harb is reduced to non-existence… The universality of Islam, in all its embracing creed, is imposed on the believers as a continuous process of warfare, psychological and political if not strictly military.”[3]

Western audiences are perhaps familiar with the Muslim Brotherhood, a revivalist organization founded by Hassan al-Banna, which has included such individuals as the al-Qaida ideologue Sayyid Qutb and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS). Abul Ala Maududi, founder of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami (Party of Islam), was also one of the most influential Islamic ideologues of the twentieth century. He explained that the objective of Jihad, Islamic Holy War, “is to eliminate the rule of an un-Islamic system and establish in its stead an Islamic system of state rule. Islam does not intend to confine this revolution to a single state or a few countries; the aim is to bring about a universal revolution.” Maududi emphasized that while Jihad involves armed combat, Jihadists include all those who help achieve the ultimate goal of worldwide Islamic domination. Not just those who fight in the battlefield, but also the millions behind them who contribute to the effort.[4]

The scholar Andrew Bostom and others have clearly proven that Islamic culture has never been “tolerant” in any meaningful sense of the word. This is a modern myth. Constant humiliations and occasional outbursts of deadly violence against non-Muslims have been a continuous feature of Islamic life for centuries, encouraged by Islamic religious scriptures. This is not a recent phenomenon, and it goes for both major branches of Islam. There are theological differences between Shias and Sunnis, but while these matter to Muslims themselves, they are of secondary importance to non-Muslims. Both Shia Islam and Sunni Islam encourage Jihad expansion, doctrines of Islamic supremacy and violent hatred of non-Muslims.

According to traditional Islamic history, the Treaty of Hudaybiyya was an agreement between Mohammad and his early Muslim followers in Medina, and the pre-Islamic pagan Quraysh tribe of Mecca. This is alleged to have taken place in the year 628 of our era. It affirmed a ten-year truce, a “hudna” or period of temporary calm. However, this truce was broken as soon as the Muslims felt that they were in a stronger position vis-à-vis their non-Muslim neighbors. A true and lasting peace on equal terms with non-Muslims is impossible, according to Islamic law. In the end, Islam can and should be globally triumphant. It is important to recall that the Sunna or personal example of Islam’s founder Mohammed and his early followers is intended to be valid for all times and all places. The Treaty of Hudaybiyya is therefore not merely of historical interest; it remains crucial for understanding how devout Muslims relate to non-Muslims today.

The traditional hadith literature of Sunni Muslims confirm Mohammad’s tactical formulation when waging Jihad: “War is deceit.” (Hadith Bukhari 4:269).[5] In addition to this, we encounter the Islamic doctrines of taqiyya and kitman (concealment and disguise). This allows for Muslims to lie and cheat to others, if this can be used to further Islam’s cause. Such tactics are employed by Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims alike.

Jihad is eternal. It entails a conflict that will never end, until the supremacy of Islam, Islamic rule and sharia laws have been established worldwide. Any agreement with non-Muslims is viewed as a hudna, similar to the Treaty of Hudaybiyya which Mohammed himself made with his non-Muslim opponents. Such a truce exists only so that Muslims can grow in strength and regain the upper hand. As soon as they feel they have the advantage, Muslims are encouraged to go on the offensive against the infidels again. As Andrew Bostom notes:

“In fact the consensus view of orthodox Islamic jurisprudence regarding jihad, since its formulation during the 8th and 9th centuries, through the current era, is that non-Muslims peacefully going about their lives—from the Khaybar farmers whom Muhammad ordered attacked in 628, to those sitting in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01 — are — muba’a, licit, in the Dar al Harb. As described by the great 20th century scholar of Islamic Law, Joseph Schacht, ‘A non-Muslim who is not protected by a treaty is called harbi, — ‘in a state of war’, — ‘enemy alien’; his life and property are completely unprotected by law…’ And these innocent non-combatants can be killed, and have always been killed, with impunity simply by virtue of being ‘harbis’ during endless razzias and or full scale jihad campaigns that have occurred continuously since the time of Muhammad, through the present. This is the crux of the specific institutionalized religio-political ideology, i.e., jihad, which makes Islamdom’s borders (and the further reaches of today’s jihadists) bloody, to paraphrase Samuel Huntington, across the globe.”[6]

Islam contains elements of a traditional religion, but also elements of a totalitarian belief system centered around a personality cult of Mohammad. Islam is a creed of war, not a religion of peace. In theory, this war will end when all human beings on Earth have submitted to Islamic rule and eventually become Muslims. In practice, experience show us that Muslim societies are far from peaceful. Muslims will continue to fight amongst themselves over who are the best and truest Muslims. Islam can with some justification be classified as a permanent world war, a war that has so far been raging for fourteen centuries and claimed countless lives.

Notes:

1.		www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/17/france-carries-out-fresh-isis-airstrikes-as-report-claims-allies-targeted-paris/ Russia joins France striking ISIS stronghold in Syria. November 17, 2015.
2.		www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34840943 Russia plane crash: ‘Terror act’ downed A321 over Egypt’s Sinai. Nov 17, 2015.
3.		Majid Khadduri, War and Peace in the Law of Islam (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1955), page 64.
4.		Quoted in the book Marked for Death: Islam’s War Against the West and Me, by Geert Wilders, page 78.
5.		www.sacred-texts.com/isl/bukhari/bh4/bh4_272.htm Hadith 4:269. Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: The Prophet said, “War is deceit.”
6.		Iran’s Final Solution for Israel. By Andrew G. Bostom, 2014. Page 44.

The Danger of Conspiracy Theories

The pastor of a church must exercise discernment to protect the flock he has been called to oversee. It is not an easy task when so much foolishness is now available to every member of the church on the internet.  Add to this, the spirit of the age, that is anti-authority and narcissistic, and you have the makings for the perfect storm in the body of Christ. The apostle Paul, when departing from Ephesus, said to the elders he was leaving behind:

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all he flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves."  Acts 20:28-29

Recently I have been confronted with a series of weird and absurd conspiracy theories. Over the past year of more I have listened to hours of videos, youtube clips, read books and spoken to other pastors, scientists and sought to understand where this nonsense is coming from. The list of things below shares just some of my conclusions as they relate to some of these bizarre ideas floating around and parading as true science.

Pastor Bill Tipton gave our leaders a clear, powerful and helpful talk on how to evaluate evidence when trying to discern what is true or false. If anyone would like to speak to Pastor Bill I am sure he would be willing to share that material with them.

The Danger 

Of

Conspiracy Theories:

1. Conspiracy theories foster a spirit of rebellion against the government and cause us to disobey the Scripture. (Rom. 13) We are to take seriously the biblical call to submit to and pray for our government.
2. Conspiracy theories distract people from the things that matter most. (Read my book The Foundations of Godly Living) I Timothy 6:20-21, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it some have stared concerning the fiath. Grace be with you. Amen.”
3. Conspiracy theories waste enormous amounts of time and energy on things that are not reality.
4. Conspiracy theories fill the one who buys into them with pride as they conclude that they have more wisdom and insight than those around them, which is not the case. Proverbs 14:15, “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps.”
5. Conspiracy theories cause division as those who don’t accept the views of the people holding the conspiracy theories are viewed as part of the duped and deceived.
6. Conspiracy theories promote slander, false rumors, and gossip.
7. Conspiracy theories give the church a bad reputation among the watching world and gives our enemies an occasion to ridicule our stupidity. Romans 2:24, “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you…”
8. Conspiracy theories have the potential to divide, distract and even destroy the church.
9. Conspiracy theories undermine the authority of the pastor of the church. People will listen to these so-called conspiracy theory experts and reject their pastor’s counsel. Hebrews 13:1, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account…” 
10. Conspiracy theories are often built around a faulty eschatology.
11. Conspiracy theories cause people to reject sound and logical thinking and to accept the most bizarre and absurd unprovable theories.
12. Conspiracy theories vilify our own government and take true guilt and responsibility off  Muslim extremists. (Something the Islamists must surely be pleased with.)
13. Conspiracy theories are a distortion of reality and a false view of history.
14. Conspiracy theories harm Christians in their daily walk with God as they lead God’s people down a rabbit hole of nonsense and despair.
15. Conspiracy theories contribute to social unrest, civil disorder, and chaos.
16. Conspiracy theories distract the church from its main mission of preaching the gospel and calling people to repentance. Those who are sucked into the black hole of conspiracy theories usually have lost sight of the true mission and purpose of the church.
17. Conspiracy theories are often held by those who either refuse or cannot apply logical thinking to their unproven absurdities.
18. Conspiracy theories are often held by those who have limited skills in critical thinking, investigative research, logical analysis, and quite honestly simple common sense.
19. Conspiracy theories are a sinful waste of time and energy and lead people into a cult like world of fantasy.
20. Conspiracy theories are usually based on suspicion, mistrust and fear and foster fear and paranoia in the church. But God has not given us a spirit of fear. II Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sions mind”
21. Conspiracy theories are far from being harmless. They will eventually lead to anarchy, chaos, and civil unrest. No nation can survive when vast numbers of its citizens believe that their government is secretly planning on their murder.
22. Conspiracy theories lead to scapegoating as the list of those who are blamed for social ills may include: the white man, the jews, the CIA, the Illuninati, the secret world order, the Catholic Church, the Russians, the left, the right, the religious community, etc. 
23. Conspiracy theories do not have a solution to the problems in society. The elimination of the so-called conspiracy theories will not solve any national problems. Only repentance and  a return to biblical righteousness and the keeping of God’s laws will promote a true biblical restoration.
24. Conspiracy theories and those who hold them fail to take into account the providential ruling of God over all events, nations, and circumstances.
25. Conspiracy theories tend to leave people thinking that God is not on the throne and that evil men, sinister governments, secret societies, shadow governments, and the like are ruling the world rather than God.

This Pastor Is Taking A Courageous Stand For Christ

I thought this brief video would be an inspiration to those who take the time to listen to this German Pastor's testimony and his love for Christ. In a country where it is not politically correct to speak the truth this man is showing us what it means to be faithful to the gospel and to the Lord who called him to proclaim it to all the world. It is disgusting that the ones who are attacking this minister of Christ are other ministers who should be standing with him.

This man is correct when he says that Jesus is the only way to heaven. This is what Jesus Himself has told us. Either Jesus is correct or He is not correct. If what Jesus said is not true then He was either lying or He doesn't know what He is talking about. Either way it means He is not God. This pastor is telling the truth. Jesus is God. The God of the Bible is not the same God Muslims worship. The Bible is true and the Quran is not the Word of God. I am grateful that this man does not fear man and is willing to pay the price to preach the Word regardless of what others might think of him. May we all be encouraged by his boldness for Christ. 

Dear Bereans and friends, this is our time. This is our opportunity to stand up for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless you all.

Pastor Dickie

The Evidence Of A Spiritual Leader

 The Spiritual Qualities Necessary in Christian Leaders

There are also spiritual qualities that are necessary in Christian leaders. These spiritual qualities are the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in a believer’s life. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul reveals the secret as to how spiritual qualities are formed in a Christian’s life. Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” 

A spiritual leader is a person who has been born again, who has presented himself to the Lord and who is therefore being transformed by the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. The life and character of the spiritual leader has been shaped and molded by the Holy Spirit. The result of the Spirit’s work is that the believer is filled with the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). It is this great work of God through His Spirit that makes a spiritual leader different from all other leaders.

Not every Christian will be called to serve the Lord as a pastor, missionary, or  lead a company or organization. But every Christian will have these spiritual qualities—and they are absolutely essential to spiritual leadership. Unlike the natural qualities that all leaders may have, these spiritual qualities are only found in those who have been born again. These spiritual qualities set apart spiritual leaders from all other leaders. Spiritual leaders should be head and shoulders above others in leadership because of the added benefit of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The spiritual qualities that I have in mind are:

• A deep love for Jesus Christ
• A love for all those who profess faith in Christ
• A life spent in following Christ
• Love for the Word of God
• Wisdom
• Humility
• A life devoted to the ministry of prayer
• A Spirit-filled life
• Brokenness
• The fear of God
• Living for the glory of God
• Discernment

Are you a spiritual leader in your life,  home, at work, and in your church? This should be the goal of every Christian. May the Lord help us in this great work of serving and honoring His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

Psalm 48 Reveals The Secret Keys To Evangelism!

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King. 3 God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge. 4 For behold, the kings assembled, They passed by together. 5 They saw it, and so they marveled; They were troubled, they hastened away. 6 Fear took hold of them there, And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs, 7 As when You break the ships of Tarshish With an east wind. 8 As we have heard, So we have seen In the city of the Lord of hosts, In the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah 9 We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple. 10 According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. 11 Let Mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; 13 Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.”

The author and date of of this Psalm are unknown. But the purpose of this Psalm is to praise Jehovah, to praise Mt. Zion (Jerusalem), and to praise the holy temple where worship takes place in the presence of the living God.

In the Old Testament Israel was seen as the wife of Jehovah. Israel has been an unfaithful wife an has broken her covenant with God. As a result of Israel’s disobedience God has turned Himself away from her. Forsaking Israel God is now working among the gentiles as was prophesied in Hosea, “…And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not my people, ’you are my people.’ and they shall say, ‘You are my God.’”  Hosea 2:23.

Psalm 48 gives us the real reason why so many people today have not considered Christianity as a possible choice for their worldview. This Psalm is about the church and the glory of the church. This Psalm was written about Jerusalem. But Jerusalem is a type or picture of the gospel church and the kingdom of God. John Gill, Spurgeon’s predecessor, said about this Psalm, “The Ancient Jewish church considered this a Messianic Psalm that referred to the Messiah and to the glory of His church.”

When people understand the beauty of Christ and the glory of His gospel as it is displayed in His church they will be drawn to Christ. This Psalm reveals the glory and the wonders of Christ and His church. Christ and His church serve as a powerful motivation to stir our hearts to evangelism. We know that evangelism is very important. The last command Christ gave to His church was to evangelize the world. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.

C. S. Lewis said:

“The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christ’s. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons…are simply a waste of time.”

C. H. Spurgeon said:

“I remember, when I have preached at different times…that my whole soul has agonized over men, every nerve of my body has been strained and I could have wept my very being out of my eyes…in a flood of tears, if I could but win souls.”

I have often wondered why everyone does not become a follower of Christ. When I consider the  glorious nature of our Savior, the wonders of His redeeming love, the beauty of the doctrines of salvation, and the glory of God that resides in the Church I am completely baffled as to why people do not come to the church in droves and why so many all over the earth embrace false religions. I am also surprised by the fact that so many professing Christians rarely if ever witness for Christ.

The questions I am struggling with are:

1. “Why do people convert to false religions?” or “Why don’t people take Christianity seriously?” 
2. “Why do so many professing Christians fail to witness?”

We know that the Bible itself teaches us that there are reasons why people reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are spiritual reasons and there are human reasons:

Spiritual Reasons that men reject Christ and do not consider Christianity as a worldview:

1. Men are spiritually dead and cannot come to Christ apart from the sovereign work of God’s grace. Eph. 2:1, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,”
2. Men are spiritually ignorant and cannot understand the things of God apart from God’s grace in revealing Himself to them. I Cor. 2:14, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
3. Men are spiritually blind. The god of this world—Satan, is active in deceiving and blinding the eyes of those who do not believe. II Corinthians 4:6, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
4. But there is another reason. Many people have never heard of the beauty of Christ, the glory of His church, or of His great salvation. 

Human Reasons that men reject Christ and do not consider Christianity as a worldview:

1. We have dumbed down the church so much that we have removed the mystery and the beauty out of our faith.
2. We have made our worship so shallow, silly and trite that the world takes little note of it any more.
3. We have lost the power of God and have tried to build the church with clever innovations that have not had any impact on the culture.
4. We have not been faithful to tell to the generations coming behind us of the great things that God has done.

Why is Mormonism the fastest growing religion in North America?

Why are so many movie stars, athletes, and famous people converting to Islam?

Why are so many people today fascinated by the Eastern religions?

Why are so many people today not even giving the Christian faith any consideration at all?

As I said at the beginning of this that there are spiritual reasons and human reasons. Let me suggest a few other reasons:

We have not taken people by the hand and walked them about Zion.

We have not pointed out the glories of the Church.

We have not preached the precious doctrines of the gospel which is God’s gift to the church

We have not exalted the Lord Jesus Christ who is the husband to the church.

We have not shown people the glory of the church in her relationship to Christ.

We have dumbed down the teachings and the worship of the church so as to make her silly, and irrelevant to serious thinking people.

We have not nourished the souls of those who sit under our ministries.

There are many who are not living a life that draws attention to the Christian faith.

There are so many in the church who do not witness and share their faith with others. Have they ever had someone to walk them around the church and point out it's beauty and it's glory?

“Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; 13 Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following.”

What religion compares to Christianity? Hinduism? They have no proof of reincarnation and besides it is a terrible and horrible message (an endless cycle of death and rebirth)  Buddhism? It is an empty shell that has no  hope for the sinner. Islam? They have no  gospel. Mormonism? Judaism? They have no temple and no sacrifice. But oh the glory of the church of Jesus Christ! It is in the church that we find the gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are we a witnessing church? Do we have a clear vision of the glory and the wonders of Jesus Christ and His gospel? Where  do we find these things? In His church!

May the Lord enable all of us to focus on the things that matter most in our lives. May we exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaim the greatness of the Lord to all we meet.

A Very Good Article by Jerry Marcellino on The Supreme Court's Decision

My Response to SCOTUS's Decision on Homosexual Marriage - June 26, 2015

I will remain on the RIGHT side of history WITH the God of History (Daniel 4:34-37) * Why? Seven reasons:

1. Because Truth is unchanged and unchanging (Ephesians 4:15).

2. Because God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Psalm 119:89).

3. Because Jesus is the embodiment of Truth (John 14:6).

4. Because God's Word is objective Truth (John 17:17).

5. Because the SCOTUS's decision will lead to further moral, domestic, and spiritual chaos in our nation (John 8:44-45; Romans 1:18-32).

6. Because the Gospel is still the answer for the sin of all mankind (John 3:16; Romans 1:16; Acts 5:29; 24:24-25; John 8:31-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans 5:20; 2 Timothy 4:1-5).

7. Because our Hope must always and only be in God (Romans 15:4, 13; Psalm 42:5,11; Matthew 16:18).

So, I will continue praying to my God for our whole nation. For: ...it's leaders, individuals, and families; ...this present generation and the ones to follow; ...and for All true gospel-preaching churches in this great nation, to be: …clear on the gospel, … courageous for Christ, …spiritually-healthy, …humble and loving, …unified around the truth, and …fearless in their faith toward God, and faithful until the end (Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 4:19).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Jerry Marcellino

(Habakkuk 3:2)

Thank you brother Jerry! The Lord will defend His people and promote the gospel of His Son. We must be sure we are all on the Lord's side. In eternity that is all that matters.

The Foundations Of Godly Living

The book I've been working on is finished and ready to go. I pray that this will be a blessing to our entire Berean Family. 

The

Foundations

of

 Godly Living

This book is designed to help Christians focus on the things that matter most in the light of eternity. We must all appear before the High King of Heaven to give an account of our lives. For many of us, that great day will reveal that we wasted precious time on things of little importance. I am praying that this book will be an inspiration to the Lord’s people to live in the presence of Christ with their eyes continually on the throne room. Someone once said, “Visit many books but live in the Bible.” That is my prayer for all who read this book. May you visit these pages and be refreshed and stirred in your hearts to walk with God. But my exhortation to you is to live in the sacred book that God has given us. Live in the Word of the Living God.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:10

Dedication

To my Berean Baptist Church family whose prayers, love and support have been an unceasing joy to me over these past thirty-four years. I pray that this book will bless you and nourish your faith so that you will live godly lives for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our full devotion and our constant praise! Give Him glory.

Table of Contents:

       

     Introduction

1. Being Devoted to the Person and Work of Christ- Christology
2. Having a Correct View Of God-Theology
3. Living For The Glory of God-Doxology
4. Holding a Biblical View of the New Testament Church-Ecclesiology
5. Being Covered by the Righteousness of Christ- Soteriology
6.  Being Committed to the Lordship of Christ-Christiology
7. Living in the Spirit of Prayer-Ecclesiology
8. Practicing the Presence of Christ-Christiology
9. Maintaining a Clear Conscience-Theology
10. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit- Pneumatology
11. Having a Positive View of History-Eschatology

Conclusion

I wrote this last summer when I was recovering from my accident and surgery. May the Lord bless this to you and your family.

The Prince of Preachers

"It is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible until, at last, you come to talk in Scriptural language, and your spirit is flavoured with the words of the Lord, so that your blood is Bibline and the very essence of the Bible flows from you." 

C. H. Spurgeon

What a great example and blessing this man is to all of those who serve the Lord. May we be faithful students of the Word of God.

A Word To Our Mothers

This is a special word to our church family on our mothers. I pray that it will encourage our mothers and inspire our men to love their wives and to be helpful and considerate to the special women in our lives. God bless you all.

In Christ,

Pastor

Interview With Dewi Higham

Interview With Dewi Higham on Dangerous Trends Facing The Church Today

This brief interview was taken in Cornwall, England during my trip to England and Wales in March. Dewi shares some insights into the dangerous trends that are creeping into the church in these present days. I trust this will be a blessing to you.

Preaching Christ At The Tabernacle Cardiff

I've been having a wonderful time with Dewi Higham and have enjoyed the privilege once again to open God's Word in his church. It is always a joy to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ found in the gospel. 

I have been praying for our church family at Berean and have kept you in prayer before the throne of grace. May the Lord bless you all and give us a wonderful service on the 29th. Please pray for me that I might finish the various meetings with a great sense of the presence of God as I deliver the gospel and minister to the saints here in Wales. It has been such a joy to see and talk with so many friends around the UK and to seek to be a blessing to them all.

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

Heart Warming Preaching By Conrad Mbewe

Are the doctrines of grace important? Here is a passionate clip by a preacher who is being greatly used of God in Africa and around the world! When I was recovering from my knee surgery I had a special visit from this dear man of God. This clip was not at Berean but it is such a blessing I wanted to share it with our Berean family. Thank you Conrad!

We had a wonderful time at our men's retreat with Jerry Marcellino. The Lord was truly with us and many were touched by the powerful preaching and teaching of this man of God. I praise the Lord for what He is doing among us at Berean. 

Please keep me in prayer as I travel to England and Wales once again. Pray that I will have the anointing of the Lord upon me as I minister and serve the  Lord and share the gospel over there. There are two dates to remember that are very important, March 27th we have a men's night at the church with a table tennis tournament and March 29th we are  having a number of guests with us that Sunday. Pray for the messages that I will be speaking on those occasions. 

While I am away pastor Eric Maynard will preach the first Sunday and pastor Bill Tipton will preach the next two.

God bless you all and give our Berean family a measure of His manifest presence!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made- A Message From Carlos

This was a wonderful message from Carlos that touched the hearts of those who heard it. We were so blessed by the teaching and preaching of these two brothers from Brazil. I urge all our Berean Family to listen to the Cd's of their messages. Two of them are on my blog and you can hear them here.

Please pray for the men's retreat coming up next week. Jerry Marcellino will be with us and I am expecting the Lord to bless us in a wonderful way. 

I will soon have my book available "The Foundations of Godly Living." I am praying that this book will be a blessing to those who take the time to read and study it. Please pray with me that many in our church will be enriched by the doctrines and principles that it shares.

May the Lord smile upon us all and use us all for His glory!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

Serving The Lord During a Time of Judgment

We have been having a wonderful time with our brothers from Brazil. Last night and this morning were wonderful times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Here is a true servant of God whose life and message exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. 

This is a special message to some of our pastors and leaders at Berean Baptist Church on January 30th. I trust that this message will be a blessing to all of you. God bless you all,

Love in Christ, 

Pastor Dickie

A Message To Berean

We are having a wonderful time with our dear  friends from Brasil. Their preaching and teaching has been so Spirit filled and convicting. What a blessing to be a part of the family of God. I want to thank all of our friends in Brasil who have allowed their loved ones and their elders to be in our midst to minister the Word of God to us in these days.

It's been nearly 11 years ago that I first met these dear brothers at a Fiel Conference and the blessing has been so precious. 

I will see all of our Berean family in the Lord's house tomorrow. God bless you all.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

Planting The Seeds Of The Gospel

I Cor. 3:6, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." A few days ago I met with a friend from high school that I had not seen in over 45 years. His testimony was such a blessing to my heart. I will let you listen to this message. I pray that you will be encouraged to scatter the seeds of the gospel and water them with your prayers. Perhaps now or in the years to come you will see the Lord of the harvest bring home some of those who heard you share the gospel of Christ.

May we all plant and water the seed of the gospel for the glory of God.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie