BDCMINISTRIES
Greetings dear friends,
I’m Bruce Collins. I am an evangelist and teacher of the Bible. I became a child of God by faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ on November 24, 1963 and have tried to serve the Lord in various capacities since then. I am presently a self-employed minister of the Gospel. I do not work for an organization but I try to serve the Lord in the best way that I can wherever He leads. That means that my wife and I have our financial needs met by the Lord as we do not have a salary from any church or organization. We believe that the Gospel is free so we have never made a charge for our services.
I am available for Bible studies, conferences, Gospel meetings, children’s meetings and camp work. I have traveled throughout much of the United States and Canada in my service for the Lord. My wife helps me, and we attend the Bethany Bible Chapel in Cedar Falls, Iowa. They have encouraged us by commending us for this work.
My wife, Geneva and I live in Waterloo, Iowa. We have four children. One of them is married and has provided us with two grandchildren.
This web site has a weekly meditation that I hope will encourage you. It has links to literature and organizations that I think are helpful. You can also listen to my weekly radio program here.
Yours because of Calvary,
Bruce Collins
4008 University Ave., Ste 1
Waterloo, IA 50701-5651
319.230.9140
collinsbd@hotmail.com
INDEX:
If you would like to read a classic Gospel Tract called GOD’S WAY OF SALVATION go here
For another classic Gospel Tract called God is Satisfied! Are You go here
For Important Personal Scriptures go here
For an open letter to my friends and neighbors go here
For the story of how I was saved go here
For the story of how my wife was saved go here
For the story of Merlyn VandeKrol–You Have About a Year to live! (a friend who died from cancer) go here
For the Rest of the Story–Merlyn’s Wife Karen go here
For answers to questions that I have been asked go here
For a women’s perspective on head coverings go here
For a manual on how to preach the Gospel that has been used with camp counselors go here
For an OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE AND SOME PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION go here
For a PROPHETIC CHART go here
For a published article on FAITh, What is it? go here
For the story of the George Street Evangelist go to George Street
For links to other helpful websites go here
For the On-Line Blue Letter Bible go here
For the On-Line Bible Studies Tool go here
Bruce and Geneva
Beware!
Matthew 7:15 NKJV — “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
What does it mean to beware?
Beware means to be careful or to be on your guard–to watch out for someone or something. The word sounds a warning.
False Prophets
The Bible has a lot to say about things and people of which we are to "beware.“ We are to be careful not to be covetous. We are to be careful with regard to "leaven" or evil doctrine. Leaven is the teaching of the false prophets and false teachers that arise among God's people. These prophet and teachers are energized by Satan to destroy the confidence and the reputations of real believers. Some of those warnings are given below:
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.' " And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” (Jeremiah 14:13-14, NKJV)
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24, NKJV) (Note: this will be fulfilled in its entirety after the rapture, but the present day seems to be ready to embrace the false today).
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.” (2 Peter 2:1, NKJV)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1, NKJV)
How do we recognize and deal with False prophets?
The Lord gives us guidance. He says, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (Matthew 10:16-20 NKJV).
I am not quite sure how to be wise as serpents but I assume that means that we are to be a bit suspicious of people who want to be in control of others. Satan and his angels first flatter and if that doesn't work, they confront. As children of God, we should be controlled by the Holy Spirit and we are told that the Holy Spirit will guide our defense of the Lord and the Gospel when ungodly men who claim to be religious leaders persecute us. We who are saved are no match for the enemy who uses people who claim to be saved to weaken and destroy the true believer.
We are told that the US treasury department teaches people to recognize counterfeit currency by studying the real thing and not by studying the counterfeits. In like manner, a person who has been walking with the Lord and who has been studying His Word in a prayerful way should know when they are being taught truth and when they are being led astray by those who claim to be speaking for the Lord. The history of Christianity contains example after example of those who have used the Bible to control people. They have burned witches at the stake (the Lord never did that). So called Christians have burned Bibles, they have persecuted and even martyred those whose doctrines differed from theirs. They have used the Bible to justify crusades and other wars.
So What Do we Do?
Today we can find authors and schools of thought that agree with our preconceived notions. We can find those who believe that Christians are chosen to be saved rather than being chosen because they are saved. We can find those who preach that eternal life is not eternal and that a person can lose their salvation. Of course some of the Scriptures that they use deny the "backslider" the right to ever be saved again if they once believed and now have turned away from the faith. Of course those doctrines, though popular, are simply not true and a true believer knows that.
Satan is a great adversary. He is evil. He operates as a subtle liar until that doesn't work (flattery). Then he confronts as a roaring lion. He uses false prophets and false teachers in his war against the saints. The only solution is to rely on the Holy Spirit when we are confronted and when Satan puts doubts in our minds (the fiery darts of the wicked one), and we need to get back to the simple truth of Scripture.
Yes, we need to beware because Satan is a great adversary, but our God is a great God and He has provided us a great Savior. So let us be wise as serpents but harmless as doves.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the weeks of April 14 and 21, 2024
PROGRAMS
- May 5, 2024, Come
- April 28, 2024, Look
- April 21, 2024, Blood
- April 14, 2024, Joy
- April 7, 2024, Repent
- March 31, 2024, Unbelievable, Easter Sunday
- March 24, 2024, Prophecy, Palm Sunday
- March 17, 2024, New
- March 10, 2024, Mercy
- March 3, 2024, Grace, the Free Gift Continued
- February 25, 2024, Grace, the Free Gift
- February 18, 2024, Saved from What, For What
- February 11, 2024, Lost, Perishing, Useless
- February 4, 2024, Faith in the Truth
- January 28, 2024, Hope vs No Hope
- January 21, 2024, Trusting and not Worrying
- January 14, 2024, Heeding the Warnings
- January 7, 2024, Once Upon a Time
- December 31, 2023, God Gives Each of us a Gift for Service
- December 24, 2023, God Gives Eternal Life
- December 17, 2023, God Gave Living Water
- December 10, 2023, God Gave His Son
- December 3, 2023, Pleasing God
- November 26, 2023, Repeat of 11/27/22
- November 19, 2023, God Speaking
- November 12, 2023, Recap:Law vs Grace
- November 5, 2023, Don't Covet
- October 29, 2023, Don’t Bear False Witness
- October 22, 2023, Don’t Steal
- October 15, 2023, Don’t Commit Adultery
- October 8, 2023, Don’t Murder
- October 1, 2023, Honor Father and Mother
- September 24, 2023, The Day of Rest
- September 17, 2023, No Irreverence
- September 10, 2023, No Idols
- September 3, 2023, No Other Gods
- August 27, 2023, Law
- August 20, 2023, Fruit of the Spirit
- August 13, 2023, Prince of Peace
- August 6, 2023, Everlasting Father
- July 30, 2023, Almighty
- July 23, 2023, Counselor
- July 16, 2023, Morning Star
- July 9, 2023, Beloved
- July 2, 2023, Birthdays
- June 25, 2023, Worm
- June 18, 2023, Branch and Vine
- June 11, 2023, King
- June 4, 2023, Priest
- May 28, 2023, Prophet
- May 21, 2023, Replay 060219
- May 14, 2023, Replay 051219
- May 7, 2023, Replay 052619
- April 30, 2023, Replay 051919
- April 23, 2023, Replay050519
- April 16, 2023, Replay042619
- April 9, 2023, Resurrection Sunday (replay)
- April 2, 2023, Friend
- March 26, 2023, Servant
- March 19, 2023, Redeemer
- March 12, 2023, King
- March 5, 2023, Man
- February 26, 2023, Light
- February 19, 2023, Love
- February 12, 2023, Christ
- February 5, 2023, Savior
- January 29, 2023, Lord Lord
- January 22, 2023, Holy
- January 15, 2023, Meek
- January 8, 2023, Ready and Suddenly
- January 1, 2023, New, New Years
- December 25, 2022, Peace, Christmas
- December 18, 2022, Sin and Sinners
- December 11, 2022, Glory
- December 4, 2022, Truth
- November 27, 2022, My Thanksgiving Story
- November 20, 2022, Be Anxious for Nothing
- November 13, 2022, The Lord as the Altogether Lovely One
- November 6, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord Encamps around Believers
- October 30, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Joshua the High Priest)
- October 23, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (King David)
- October 16, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Elijah)
- October 9, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Gideon)
- October 2, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Balaam)
- September 25, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Moses)
- September 18, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Abraham)
- September 11, 2022, The Lord as the Angel of the Lord (Hagar)
- September 4, 2022, The Lord as the Vine, Labor Day
- August 28, 2022, The Lord as the Resurrection and the Life
- August 21, 2022, The Lord as the Door
- August 14, 2022, The Lord as the Way the Truth the Life
- August 7, 2022, The Lord as the Shepherd
- July 31, 2022, The Lord as the Man of Sorrows
- July 24, 2022, The Lord as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah
- July 17, 2022, The Lord as the Everexisting One
- July 10, 2022, The Lord as the Rock
- July 3, 2022, The Lord as Captain of our Salvation, Independence Day
- June 26, 2022, The Lord as a Marvelous Counselor
- June 19, 2022, The Lord as a Good Son to a Pleased Fathers, Father's day
- June 12, 2022, The Lord as Immanuel
- June 5, 2022, The Lord as Living Water
- May 29, 2022, The Lord as Bread and Wine
- May 22, 2022, The Lord as Bread from Heaven
- May 15, 2022, The Lord as the LIght
- May 8, 2022, The Lord’s Mother, Mother's Day
- May 1, 2022, The Lord as a Lamb (Our Sacrifice)
- April 24, 2022, The Lord, He Comes to Judge
- April 17, 2022, The Lord, Hearburn, Easter
- April 10, 2022, The Lord, High and Lifted Up
- April 3, 2022, The Lord, Some of His Titles
- March 27, 2022, The Lord, Fulfilled Prophecy
- March 20, 2022, The Lord, The Expression of God
- March 13, 2022, Dorcas and Lydia, Showed their faith by their works
- March 6, 2022, Phoebe and Priscilla, Key Helpers
- February 27, 2022, Martha, a True Servant
- February 20, 2022, Mary of Bethany, Anointed the Lord for His Burial
- February 13, 2022, Mary Magdalene, A Devoted Worshiper
- February 6, 2022, Bathsheba, A Picture of God’s Grace
- January 30, 2022, Hannah, a Woman of Prayer
- January 23, 2022, Deborah, the Judge
- January 16, 2022, Miriam, the Prophetess
- January 9, 2022, Sarah, Noble Woman
- January 2, 2022, Eve, First Mother
For Archived Radio Programs go here
For Archived Meditations go here
THREE MUSTS:
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' (John 3:7 NKJV)
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15 NKJV)
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
(Acts 4:12 NKJV)