This Sunday we will be baptising the next group of people who have come through our membership class. I would encourage all of you to be in attendance as this is a great encouragement to those who are coming to profess their faith in Christ. By being present it also blesses each of us and strengthens our faith. How good our Lord has been these last few years in adding to our flock many who have come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dr. John MacArthur of California gave these reasons why some people have refused to be baptised.

A person who claims to be a Christian and has not been baptized, fits into the following categories.

1. One, ignorance—that is, they’ve never been taught about baptism and that’s very possible in many, many places. From time to time, we have people baptized here who were converted years ago but never were taught the significance of baptism.

2. Secondly, pride is an issue. People who have allowed a long period of time to go since their conversion—they’ve named the name of Christ for a long time, they are involved with the church, they are known as Christian people, they have never been baptized—it’s a little bit embarrassing to acknowledge that failure and that disobedience for such a long time and so they’re not willing to humble themselves, admit they’ve been disobedient, and be baptized. So, it could be ignorance, it could be pride.

3. It could be indifference. There are plenty of people who just can’t be bothered—they can’t find a spot in their daytimer for it, it doesn’t fit into their schedule, it’s not a priority. They know it’s commanded in the Bible, but obedience isn’t the main thing with them—they have other priorities. That’s a sad situation—to be apathetic toward a specific command, to be indifferent toward a very direct command from our Lord, Himself, which brings honor to Him and blessing to the one who is obedient. But, there are people who are just indifferent—they just can’t get around to it, "I’ve been planning to do it, I’ve thought about it; it just doesn’t fit on the priority list."

4. And, then fourthly, could be the defiant people—those who basically aren’t baptized because they are just rebellious—they refuse to obey. Usually those kinds of people are sinning…they’re in a pattern of sin and it would just sort of elevate their hypocrisy if they were to have to come up and give a testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ and celebrate His wonderful redemption on their behalf. So, people who are defiant and rebellious and just won’t be baptized, generally are in a pattern of sinning.

5. Then, fifthly, it’s possible that you’re unregenerate—you’re just not a true Christian, you have no desire to make a public confession of faith in Jesus Christ because you don’t want to be identified with Him in a public way. You may come and you may like to kind of hang on the edges and on the fringes here, but you’re not about to take your public stand with Christ. Those are the only reasons I can think of. Either you’re ignorant, you’re too proud to humble yourself and be baptized, you’re apathetic and indifferent toward that matter of obedience, you’re defiant, or you’re not a believer. That puts the issue squarely where it belongs and it backs you, if you’ve never been baptized, sort of into a corner to sort that out. It could be a combination of several of those things in some cases, but you’re in there somewhere.

Come out to church tomorrow and support all those who are getting baptised! If any of you have not been baptised please let Heather know at the office and we will be pleased to arrange for you to make your profession of faith.

Happy Mother's Day

I trust that all of you had a wonderful Lord’s Day! Celebrating Mother’s Day is always a special occasion. You can hear our messages from today by going to our web site at Allgrace.com. I want to put a special tribute to mothers from Charles Swindoll on my blog. I trust that it will be a blessing to you.

Charles R. Swindoll
Insight for Living

If there's one attitude families are guilty of more than any other when it comes to mothers, it's presumption... taking them for granted... being nearly blind on occasion to the load moms carry. This was reinforced in my mind last week as I was thumbing through a row of crazy greeting cards at a local drugstore. Time and again the joke in the card drew its humor from this obvious attitude that pervades a household: Forget the housework, Mom. It's your day. Besides, you can always do double duty and catch up on Monday!

Like this one: On the front of the card was a beleaguered mother. Draped over her neck were three unmatched socks and at her feet was an enormous stack of unwashed clothes. On the stove was a hot skillet burning the food. A cold, stained coffee pot needed attention. The refrigerator door was ajar and milk had spilled in it. The dishes, naturally, looked like a homemade Eiffel Tower reaching out of the sink. Inside the card was scribbled: "Look, lady, nobody said it was gonna be a free ride!"

But my favorite was a great big card that looked like a third-grader had printed it. On it was a little boy with a dirty face and torn pants pulling a wagonload of toys. On the front it read: "Mom, I remember the little prayer you used to say for me every day . . ." and inside, "God help you if you do that again!"

Jimmy Dean, the country-western singer, does a number that always leaves me with a big knot in my throat. It's titled "I Owe You." In the song, a man is looking through his wallet and comes across a number of long-standing "I owe yous" to his mother . . . which he names one by one.

Borrowing that idea, I suggest you who have been guilty of presumption unfold some of your own "I owe yous" that are now yellow with age. Consider the priceless value of the one woman who made your life possible - your mother.

Think about her example, her support, her humor, her counsel, her humility, her hospitality, her insight, her patience, her sacrifices. Her faith. Her hope. Her love.

Old "honest Abe" was correct: "He is not poor who has had a godly mother." Indebted, but not poor.

Moms, on Mother's Day Sunday we rise up and call you blessed. But knowing you, you'll feel uneasy in the limelight. You'll probably look for a place to hide. True servants are like that.

If you don't watch it, you'll be planning lunch during the sermon. But that would be a waste of time. Especially since you're going to be taken out to eat (which will add to our indebtedness!). But in all honesty, it won't come anywhere near expressing our gratitude.

So, live it up on Sunday. It's all yours.

My advice? Shake up the family for a change. Order steak and lobster.

This week Pastor Eric and I will be heading to a pastor’s conference in California. Please keep us in your prayers. We will see you all next Sunday! God bless you. Love in Christ, Pastor Dickie

Dear Berean Family,

This Sunday we will continue our series of messages on the Great Questions Of The Bible. In the afternoon service we will continue our study in the book of Hebrews. If you wish to look ahead to the text please read Hebrews 3:1 and Isaiah 44:1-8.

I have ordered a wonderful book that I highly recommend all of you to read. The title is This Way To Godliness by Stuart Olyott. We have 25 copies coming to the Berean book store. Please read this and let me know how it impacts your life. This book is on developing a godly life that is pleasing to the Lord. Walking in godliness is something that we all should have a passion to do. Here is a test for each of you. What does it mean to be godly? Who is the godliest person ever mentioned in the Bible? Is godliness something we do or don't do? Or does it involve both of those things or neither of them?

One important aspect of developing a godly life is the importance of prayer. I read something recently from an interview that a minister had with the late Oswald J. Smith. Dr. Smith made some comments on his early morning prayer time that he referred to as his morning watch. Here are the comments:

"How were you led into your prayer life, Dr. Smith?"

"I was led to observe the morning watch very, very early in my life, soon after I was converted, and from that day to this, I have observed the morning watch. I have written all about this in my book, The Man God Uses. I meet God before I meet man. I spend the first hour alone with God, first of all, pouring over the pages of the Bible, and then walking back and forth, up and down the floor in my study, pouring out my heart in prayer. Iv'e done that 365 days of the year for over 50 years of my life now, and I intend to do it the rest of my life."

Essential to our walk with God and developing a godly life is the habit of spending time with God in prayer. May the Lord enable all of us to develop our morning watch with the Lord Jesus! The book that Oswald J. Smith mentioned, The Man God Uses, was one of the books I read as a young ministerial student. It had a profound impact on my life as a new Christian. This book was one of the books that created in my heart a deep hungr for God. I can remember praying and longing to be a man of God, and also praying to be used by God to honor Him and to glorify His Son Jesus Christ. I would recommend that book as well for you to read.

God bless you all! Have a wonderful Lord's Day and a good week.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

This Sunday our message in the 10:00 service will continue with The Great Questions of The Bible series. The text for this week’s message is found in Matthew 20:32. Here in this passage Jesus asks two blind men who called out to Him, “What will ye that I shall do unto thee?” I would like to ask each of you to think about that. If you had the opportunity to ask the Lord for a request what would you ask of Him? Think about this carefully. How we would answer this question reveals a great deal about us. You can listen to my sermon on this text by going to our sermons on line at allgrace.com. I trust that you will have a blessed Lord’s Day this week and that each of you will consider going to the Lord in prayer and giving Him your personal requests for you own soul and for the people that you care for and minister to.

God bless you all!

Pastor Dickie

Dear Berean Family,

I will be traveling this week to England to attend a board meeting for Evangelical Press. I leave Wednesday and will return the following Wednesday. Please keep me in prayer as I travel. Mary will be going with me and we will have the privilege of seeing Dewi and Mari Higham in London. While I am away I will keep you all in prayer. I am pleased that we have such wonderful deacons and elders who are so competent and spiritual to watch over the church. And of course I cannot say enough about Eric Stewart who has been such a help to me and a great assistant. Eric continues to develop and shows tremendous ability to step up to the challenges of a growing and hungry church. Keep Eric in prayer as I am away this week.

I am finishing up work on my next book on Christian living. I am praying that this book will be a blessing to all our church family and that it will enable our brothers and sisters to grow in the grace that is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will keep you posted on when this book will be available for you to read. I am hoping that it will be ready by June or July.

I leave you with the challenge of Colossians 3:1-16 one of my favorite passages in the New Testament.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him."

Our God is a great God whose Word is full of precious promises to those who have put their faith and trust in Him. Tomorrow’s message will be on the text in Lamentations chapter three that teaches us that God’s faithfulness and mercies are new every morning. It is my desire that all of you will be encouraged and blessed by the words of Jeremiah the prophet from this text. When we are going through difficult times in our lives it is wonderful to remember how gracious and kind our heavenly father is. Indeed, His faithfulness to each of us is truly great. Pray over this passage and come prepared to worship and to give God glory for all of His many blessings in your life.

I also want to share with the Berean family that my dear friend and fellow worker in the Gospel Pastor Jim Jones went home to be with his Savior on Friday. I am deeply moved to think that my dear friend is in the presence of Jesus today. O how blessed he is to have this wonderful inheritance in Christ! I smile when I think of his joys around the throne with all the redeemed in glory. May we each so live our lives so that when our time of promotion arrives we too, like Jim Jones, will have a triumphant home-going. God bless you all. I look forward to seeing in the Lord’s house tomorrow. Yours in Christ, Pastor Dickie

Dear Berean Family,

We have come through the Easter holiday and are swiftly heading towards summer. As I have contemplated our future as a church I have felt led to share with you the great need for all of us to live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit. Especially we need to remember the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us with agape love. The Apostle Paul taught us the importance of agape love in our lives by giving us I Corinthians 13. This chapter is powerful in its challenge to our lives. Here is the text from I Corinthians 13:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

In this chapter Paul shares within the first five verses that without (agape) love all the things we may be trying to do for Christ mean nothing. For example if we 1. Speak in tongues. 2. Have the gift of prophecy. 3. Have the gift of faith to trust God for great things. 4. Give all your goods to feed the poor. 5. And give your body to be burned, but have not love it profits us nothing. Someone said this is 5-1 = 0. God’s math is not different from ours but His prospective certainly is. This equation means that if I have these 5 gifts mentioned above but lack love it equates to zero in the eyes of God. Let us not forget then the importance of true agape love that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Please read this chapter and meditate on the qualities that Paul tells us are the signs and evidence of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives.

If we fail to apply the teachings of this chapter to our personal lives and to our church family and how we interact with each other we are really not any different from the Corinthians. The Corinthian church was known for its strife, division, lack of love, judgmental attitude, and pride. May we not be modern day Corinthians. Rather, may we be Spirit filled Christians who display the love of Christ in our daily lives. God bless you all as you seek to live a life filled with the fragrance of the love of Jesus Christ.