BDCMINISTRIES

BDCMinistries--The Website of Bruce and Geneva Collins

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
3828 Memory Lane
Waterloo, IA 50701-9351

319.230.9140
collinsbd@hotmail.com

My Two Cents Worth

 

 

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

My Servant
 
 
“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.” (Isaiah 52:13-15, NKJV)
 
 
People with this dignified Status
Moses, Caleb, Job, and David were all considered servants of Jehovah.  But they were not just servants, Jehovah says they were "my servants."  Moses was probably the one with the most intimate relationship with the Lord since he talked with the Lord face to face and he spent a lot of time alone on a mountain with the Lord.  Caleb was a faithful servant.  He saw possibilities and not problems.  Job was a suffering servant.  He reminds us of the sufferings of the Lord.  He justified God even though he knew his afflictions were allowed by God.  David was certainly a flawed servant and yet he was considered to be a man after God's own heart.  But there was one servant who always pleased the Father (John 8:29).  That was the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 
The Lord Jesus
He was crucified, yet He is going to be exalted and extolled.  He was more marred or disfigured than any man. That may mean that He was unrecognizable as a man after the crucifixion.  But it may also mean that while others have been just as disfigured from burnings, torture, etc., all others were marred by sin before they were disfigured.  He was not.  So HIs marring was greater because it started from a man not marred by sin as we are.  But as the Father's servant, He suffered in the Garden as Satan made one last attempt to keep him from going to the cross.   He suffered at the hands of the Jewish leaders, the Roman leaders and was mocked by the soldiers and by the religious rulers and by "those who passed by."  But there was a thief that started out "reviling" the Lord but had a change of heart (this is called repentance) and ended up in heaven with the Lord after he died.  A centurion and some with him also had that same change of heart.  The Lord did this as the Father's servant so that a few of us could truly trust Him and have our sins forgiven.  Then we become His servant.
 
 
We Were the Slaves of Sin
Romans 6 makes it clear that by nature we are the servants (or slaves) of sin.  Satan enslaves us but thank God that bond can be broken by faith.  Paul says of believers, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17-18, NKJV)  Sin in the chapter seems to represent Satan and righteousness seems to represent Christ.  Christians are not set free to do as they please, they are set free to serve a new master.  This master was God's servant. The one God calls "my servant."   I believe that while the Lord was a servant, His service was voluntary and not compulsory.  He was willing to be marred more than any man.  
 
 
Whose Servants Are We?
We are not saved by what we do, but it seems that what we do reflects what we believe and whom we trust.  I hope that those of us who are saved are voluntary slaves and not compulsory slaves.  I hope that as the Lord did all things that please the Father, we will do all things that please the Lord.  We know many people are trying to please the Lord without the change of heart that the thief had on the cross.  While they may be good people as far as society is concerned, they are still sinners that need to be saved or forgiven.  Only then will they understand why those who are saved do some things that the Lord has asked us to do simply because he has asked us to do them.  We are voluntary servants or slaves of the Lord.  
 
 
Wouldn't it be an honor for the Lord to call us "my servant?"
 
 
Bruce Collins
 
Meditation for the week of March 19, 2023
 

PROGRAMS

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)