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

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

Surely This Is What God Wants
 
(1 Samuel 15:13-15 NKJV) (13) Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
 
(1 Samuel 15:20 NKJV) (20) And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
 
I Have Obeyed, I Have Performed the Commandment of the Lord
When I go to a funeral and hear people say, "He or She would have wanted us to do this or that" I always cringe.  Because sometimes I know the person in the casket and I doubt very much if they would have wanted this or that.  Perhaps memorial money is to be given to certain charities that I know the person did not support.  Perhaps a preacher that I know preaches things that the deceased did not really believe is asked to take part in the funeral.  I could go on and on.  Usually, when I hear the phrase "that is what so and so would want, I assume that this is what the living want and not what the dead want.
 
Again, I have noticed that many people want recipes from those who have baked or cooked something that they really liked.  But when the person who asks for the recipes serves the food they have prepared, it doesn't really taste like the original dish tasted.  So when the person who used the recipe is asked, did you follow the recipe that you were given?  The answer is usually, yes, but I thought the original recipe called for too much sugar and so I didn't put as much in as the recipe called for.  The recipe called for nutmeg and I didn't have any so I used all spice.  And then they wonder why the new dish doesn't taste like the original.
 
Following Directions
The point is that we all have trouble following directions and because of that we really are not obedient.  Saul feared the people but he also assumed that the Lord would want the "best" of the animals that were supposed to be destroyed.  After all, sacrificing them would destroy them, would it not?  God said he disobeyed
 
When we change a recipe and expect the finished product to be as good as the original, we are certainly exhibiting pride in our own culinary skills.  We shouldn't try to make something better that is already good without specific instructions dealing with the changes.  
 
Lessons
Let's don't disobey thinking we are pleasing God by doing so.  Let's don't change the recipes (the new testament directives for Christians) and assume that the end result will turn out "tasting" good.  If we aren't careful we will be like Laocicea and God will vomit us out of HIs mouth.  He says, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see (Revelation 3:18)."
 
Bruce Collins
 
Meditation for the week of April 11, 2021

Archived Meditations

RADIO 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)