Welcome To The Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

The True Gift Of Christmas Is Christianity

2011-12-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

Christianity celebrates two great festivals, both are joyous, but one speaks of humility and the other of horror, one takes place in a manger behind an inn while angels choirs rejoice, and the other takes place on a cross of wood stained with blood and in the triumph of an empty tomb.

We are about to celebrate the first great miracle of the Christian age when God united divinity with humanity in the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us make no mistake; Jesus Christ was wholly man and wholly God, the Bible makes this clear, the angel Gabriel said to Mary -

"You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus" - Luke 1: 31

The Bible tells us that -

Being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death - Philippines 2: 8

He experienced all that we experience as a human being, yet he did not falter, stumble, or sin, but the Bible also tells us he was God too -

In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form - Colossians 4: 9

So the apostle Paul could declare -

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together - Colossians 1: 17

All this began when the angel Gabriel said to a young pious Hebrew girl -

"Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son - He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most high - his kingdom will never end" - Luke 1: 29 to 33

Of all the Bible stories the miraculous conception and the birth of Jesus is perhaps the most beautiful of all. We can imagine Joseph trying to tidy the manger spread around clean straw and hay and fetching water for Mary as she washed the tiny child and wrapped him in cloths according to the custom of those days.

Think for a moment of the awe of the humble Bethlehem shepherds as they found themselves looking up at a great heavenly host praising God and saying -

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests" - Luke 2: 14

And how the shepherds hurried to the manger and found things just as the angel had told them, I am sure that they knelt humbly and worshipped him.

We are told that Mary treasured up all these things in her heart and meditated on them, and when she visited Elisabet John the Baptist’s mother she broke out in prophecy and declared -

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty one has done great things for me - Holy is his name - Luke 1: 46 to 49

But it was not only the poor and humble Jewish shepherds who worshipped the Christ child, but learned strangers from a great distance away, journeying many weary miles, stage by stage, following a brilliant star, also came to Bethlehem; and so Matthew tells us -

On coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh - Matthew 2: 11 & 12

Myrrh for his sacrificial death, incense for his priesthood and gold for his kingship!

Mary prophesied: "All generations will call me blessed". What a great a great example she is to us all: together with Joseph she played a decisive role in all that took place during the months before the birth of Jesus and the following months and years too until the call of the Father came to Jesus and he began the ministry which was to lead him to the cross, the resurrection, and home to heaven. The thing above about Mary is her joyful obedience and her response to all that the angel told her -

"I am the Lord’s servant - May it be to me as you have said." - Luke 1: 38

May this Christmas be a very special one for you? Will you respond to the Lord’s call as he did because Jesus is saying to you now? -

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light - Matthew 11: 28 to 30

The members of the "Church of the Good Shepherd" take this opportunity to wish all who read this article a very happy Christmas.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

True Christianity

2011-11-14T12:25:00.001-08:00

Christianity and belief in the existence of God are inextricably linked. You can believe in the existence of God without being a Christian, and many do, but you can’t be a true Christian without believing in God the Father -

Anyone who comes to (God) must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him - Hebrews 11: 6

Behind the superstitions and the multiple gods of the pagan religions, there is always a vague, imprecise belief in some overall godlike figure. The false cults of Christianity believe in God too, but refuse to believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, however, the Bible is quite clear about who Jesus really is; he told his disciples -

You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God, believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on me - Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father - cause us to see the Father, that is all we ask; then we will be satisfied. Jesus replied: Have I been with you for so long a time and you do not recognise me yet Philip? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say then, show us the Father - John 14: 1, 8 & 9 Amplified Version

The Bible abounds, directly and indirectly with proofs of the deity of Christ, I quote but a few. The title "the Son of God" is given to Christ forty times along with the expressions "my Son" and "his Son". That this name as used of Christ is a distinctly divine name is clearly seen from the Jews reaction to it -

Jesus said to them, "my Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working. For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God - John 5: 17 & 18

Jesus further said to them, "I tell you the truth - before Abraham was born, I am!"John 8. 58, "I am" was the description of himself that God gave to Moses from the burning bush. Both the divine titles - "The First and the Last" and "The Alfa and Omega" are given to Christ in the New Testament of the Bible - Revelation 22: 12, 13 & 16.

Thomas said to Jesus after his resurrection - "My Lord and my God". He called him "my God" and was gently rebuked for not believing it before.

Do you believe it? You can’t be a true Christian unless you do.

Believing in God the Creator of heaven and earth excludes belief in any other solution to the mystery of the universe and the astonishing variety of life on earth -

I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strength you though you have not acknowledged me, so from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know that there is none besides me. I am the Lord there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things - Isaiah 45: 5 to 7

Up until the 19th century is was hardly necessary to make a case for the existence of God, and so one could immediately challenge anyone with the gospel (the good news) about Jesus Christ. Today the increasing inroads of sin and unbelief, particularly in the western world, make the words of the Psalmist reverberate anew in our ears -

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" - Psalm 14: 1 & 53: 1

Give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the lord’ - Proverbs 30: 9

It is interesting to note that while references to man’s wickedness and sin abound, there are few references to atheism in the Bible, because, until recently, such foolishness was rare, whereas today it is dogmatic and aggressive.

But to believe, as many millions do, that God exists, and is the Creator of heaven and earth does not save us, in fact it condemns us because, although we believe in his existence, we do not obey his commands but rather ignore them.

To be saved and on our way to heaven and not hell we must believe in and follow Jesus Christ. His words, either read in context or out of context are very clear -

"Trust in God; trust also in me - I am the way and the truth and the life. No - one comes to the Father except through me" - John 14: 1 & 6

The apostle Peter told the Jewish leadership -

Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved - Acts 4: 12

The apostle Paul states -

For no-one can lay any other foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ - 1 Corinthians 3: 11

So convinced was he that Christ and Christ alone is the only answer that he wrote this to the Corinthians -

I was resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified - 1 Corinthians 2: 22

Jesus Christ is the true Isaac the miraculous Son of Promise, The true Passover Lamb that delivered the Israelites from Egypt. He is the Eternal High Priest who leads us to God the Father and his kingly throne is everlasting.

So that all might be fulfilled he died for your sins and mine of the Cross of Calvary.

You believe in God? I hope so. Now believe in Jesus Christ and follow him as his disciple and you will be saved. Seek out an active church where he is loved and worshipped and the Bible is taught so you will grow in grace and knowledge of the truth.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

Christian Good Shepherd - We are the Alicante Church of the Living God the Pillar and Foundation of the Truth

2011-10-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

We are often told that the Bible is not relevant to modern life, and that it seems to answer questions that no – one is asking. I believe that is very relevant and it may not answer some of the questions that are being asked, but it does answer the questions that ought to be asked – the greatest and most important being “What must I do to be saved” – Acts 16: 30

Regarding relevance: God does not have to be relevant to man, but man must come into line with God’s will, and do, and be, what is relevant to God. The Bible says this of the Church world – wide – “The church of the living God the pillar and foundation of the truth – 1Timothy 3: 15

It must declare Jesus Christ and live for Jesus Christ’s and proclaim the apostle’s teaching which does not change with the changing fashions and cultures of the world It must tell the world that Christianity is not so much a religion as a relationship with the unchanging God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul’s words have come to pass in many European countries – “The time will come when men with not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” – 1 Timothy 4: 3

If you are invited to a cocktail party, you can talk about Buddhism, esoteric new world teaching, the occult, even, with care, you can speak of certain aspects of Islam and you will have an interesting audience, and, of course, sex, providing the words used are witty and not too coarse, but mention Jesus Christ and the cross and you can guarantee not to be invited again.

Many local churches are seeking prayerfully to reach the lost generations of the western world who are either ignorant of spiritual matters and have no time for it, or have been led astray into the stagnant waters of error. Christians are concerned for such people because they are very aware that the Bible says – “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement” – Hebrews 9: 27

Evangelical Christians everywhere long for others to enjoy the abundant life (that Jesus promised) and the assurance that their faith gives them, but they know that it cannot be done by surrendering to the ways and desires of the world around them.

The true church of Jesus Christ consists of people from every race, social category and nation, who have been born from on high when they believed gospel about the death and resurrection of Christ. And furthermore, the church is growing in many parts of the world, with the exception of Western Europe, and even here there are many green shoots springing up among the shrivelled remnants of dead stylised Christianity.

Do you know what it is to have something more than religion? Maybe you have been hostile because of something that happened in the past. Perhaps you have been indifferent to spiritual things through unbelief, or you just haven’t had the time, and I am sure that there could be other reasons too.

I appeal to you, who are reading this article, turn to Jesus Christ today, once you have come to him for forgiveness and received the new life that he offers you will see all the other aspects of Christianity from a new perspective; the change will be radical.

Jesus compared it to being born anew, and the apostle Paul to a new creation, and Christ is saying to you even as you read this –

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me – and you will find rest for your soul” – Matthew 11: 28 - 29

“Whoever comes to me I will never drive away”– John 6: 37

“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” – Luke 11: 10

Come to Jesus now for forgiveness and a new life, then find a good local church and rejoice with others who have found him too.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

Jesus Christ - Believe His words Today And Be Saved!

2011-09-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of the extraordinary sweep of history that we find in the Bible - the Word of God - it goes right back to the beginning and takes us right through to the eternal future; it prophecies of things to come, it is history written before it takes place.

The Bible never tries to explain the inexplicable, and so it begins where we should always begin with God -

In the beginning God - Genesis 1: 1 and finished as it should with these words - Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

If we come to the Bible by faith, and read it for what is, the Word of God, we shall find that there is a unity of thought throughout, indicating that one mind inspired the Scriptures (as the Bible calls itself) and formed the series of books (39 Old testament/ 27 New Testament) so that they carry the seal of their author - Almighty God himself.

The Bible has been written by many men through many centuries. Men of many different vocations and callings and from different social statuses, nevertheless it is one single book; this in itself is a miracle and shows its supernatural origin.

Not only must we come to the Bible by faith, but we must depend on the Holy Scriptures for guidance, Jesus Christ promised his disciples that -

"These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" - John 14: 24 & 25

Both the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter testified that the Bible is inspired -

Paul -
You have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is God - breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work - 2 Timothy 3: 15 to 17

Peter -
Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along be the Holy Spirit - 2 Peter 1: 20 & 21

Jesus said to the Jews -
"The Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled." - John 10: 34 Amplified version& 35

Jesus spoke very strongly against those who put tradition before the Word of God -
"You nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition. You Hypocrites!" - Matthew 14: 6

As the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the Bible so he will guide you as you read it. The Holy Spirit is God’s representative on earth to lead those who believe into the truth as it is in Jesus Christ.

But you must ask God the Father in the name of Jesus that he may give you the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself put it this way -

"If you then, though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" - Luke 11: 13

Have you come, personally (I can’t emphasize too much the need to do this personally- you yourself) and ask God to forgive you your sins for Jesus Christ’s sake, if you do this you will be saved for eternity and you will receive the Holy Spirit. The apostle Peter gave this promise when the church was born in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost -

"Repent (that is change the direction of your life and believe) and be baptised (that is as a believer) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far of - for all whom the Lord our God will call" - Acts 2: 38 & 39

Pray to the Lord now and ask his forgiveness and he will come into your heart by the Holy Spirit and your life will be changed for eternity; the Bible will then come alive for you and God will speak to you through it.

Jesus said the Jews -
"It is the Spirit that gives life - He is the life - giver; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever - there is no profit in it. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life" - John 6: 63 Amplified Version.

Believe his words today and be saved!

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

Is Christianity declining in the UK?

2011-08-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my son brought me a BBC 4 debate that he had recorded on his lap - top; it was very interesting. The subject was "Is Christianity declining in the U.K?" Well, let me say that I believe that what has often passed for Christianity in Britain is certainly on the way out and we should let it go and not bother to send any wreaths.

I once, together with my wife, attended a cathedral service, the nave was cold and damp and around twenty people, if that, were scattered around, seemingly trying to sit as far apart from each other as possible. The singing was less than half hearted, and the sermon. Well! Twenty minutes of waffle. The speaker had the whole of Scripture to choose from but his theme, as far as me and my wife could discern was, ‘in spite of what people say there must surely be something.’ No wonder churches are empty!

Now the interesting thing is that the Elim Pentecostal Church was a stone’s throw from that Cathedral and it was necessary to hold two Sunday morning services, as well as the evening service in order to get everyone in who wanted to come. Maybe many in Britain are looking in the wrong place, and possibly for the wrong reasons, in order to find out about the growth or decline of Christianity in the U. K.

Forget for a minute the epithets ‘happy clappy’ or ‘sad, sorrowful and traditional’. What you want to look for is a local church that exalts Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, worships in spirit and in truth as Jesus himself tells us that God requires - John 4: 23 & 24 - A church that expounds the Holy Scriptures with power and enthusiasm. Look for a local church where there is deep joy and a fellowship that is close and loving and drawn from a wide cross section of British society. Above all a church where lives have been, and are being, changed for all eternity.

In the programme that my son recorded the best defence of Christianity came, not from the platform, but from two fine young men who spoke and argued very positively with the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon them.

There was an interesting intervention at one point by the compare. He asked the Christians on the platform, "Why is it that there are more atheists in the most developed countries with better educational possibilities than in the less developed ones?" That question is of course open to debate, but even if true, I feel that the New Testament of the Bible gives the best answer to it. I therefore make no apology for the following very long quote from the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth

"Christ - (sent) me to preach the gospel - not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied (of its effect).

For those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts." Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish?

For since in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.

For the Jews seek a sign and the Greeks (gentiles) seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks (gentiles), Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Brothers consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen the world’s foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things - the things viewed as nothing - so that he might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, so that no one can boast in his presence. But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification and redemption. In order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the lord.

When I came to you brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I was determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness and fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.

However, among the mature we do speak wisdom, but not a wisdom of this age, which is coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery which God predestined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew it, for if they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written; "What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, and what has never come into man’s heart, is what God has prepared for those who love him."

Now God has revealed them to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God. We speak these things not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

But the natural man does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually. The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. For "who has known the Lord’s mind that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2: 1 to 16

Holman’s Standard Bible Knowledge and a good education is not to be in any way despised, and a high IQ is a great blessing, but we can never know God and come to Jesus Christ and be saved through worldly knowledge and education, but by taking Jesus’ words seriously and having confidence in them; he said to his disciples -

"Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you" - John 14: 1 & 2 Holman´s standard Bible

This is an invitation to trust and many simple and uneducated people world - wide have done so and found Jesus’ words to be true, and life changing. If you who are reading this are well educated be thankful to God for it and for the gift of intelligence to benefit from it.

But come to Jesus Christ in faith confessing your need. for both the educated and the uneducated must come the same way and be saved. Afterwards the Lord will use that intelligence and that good education you have been blessed with for the extension of his kingdom.

Come now! Come to the cross! Begin a new life through the Holy Spirit...

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

What The New Testament Teaches About Mary

2011-06-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

In my last two articles I have sought to show how evangelicals differ from the Roman Catholic Church on certain important issues. I would like to say here that I am no lover of controversy. I feel sure that I would not make a good debater; I lack that killer instinct, and feel that, as a Christian minister, I ought to always try to see the other person’s point of view even if I cannot agree with it. But I think that it is necessary to point out the differences clearly; and this week I would like to speak about Mary the mother of Jesus.

I well remember many years ago a youngster bursting into the church, during a service, and shouting: "You cursed people, you don’t believe in either God or the Virgin". Of course the poor lad was only reacting to what he had been taught; and we thank the Lord that those days have long gone and that we enjoy, by and large, in Spain, the blessing of religious liberty. Everyone is free to believe according to personal conviction, and to change that belief, if he so wills without fear or favour - this surely is a basic human right.

Evangelicals’ belief all that the New Testament teaches about Mary, we honour her and see her has one of God’s great examples of faith and fidelity,

Think of her faith when the angel Gabriel announced that she was to conceive although she was a virgin, and that the Holy One who was to be born would be called the Son of God - Luke 1: 35.

One of the most extraordinary announcements ever made, and she was only a very young women, no wonder that she was troubled, nevertheless her faith did not fail and she answered the angel with those timeless words -

"Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word." - Luke 1: 38. AV.

Here we see a tremendous example of faith in God and submission to his will. Can I ask you? Are you ready to submit to God’s will for your life as Mary was? Are you ready to thank and glorify God for his goodness to you, as she did in that great prophetic utterance that we call "the Magnificent".

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name." - Luke 1: 47 to 49

Blessed indeed to be the chosen instrument through whom the Son of God would take upon himself and become flesh.

If you are a believer thank him for being your Saviour as she did, if you are not, then ask him to become your Saviour and he will.

We read that - "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" - Luke 2: 19. The visit of Gabriel, her visit to Elizabeth, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the visit the Magi and their gifts. Faith always treasures up and meditates on the greatness of God both in the past and for eternity, and the apostle Paul tells us that - "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God - Romans 10: 17 AV.

Throughout his childhood, adolescence, and his young manhood Mary was mother to the Son of God, what a privilege and what a responsibility, and she carried it out faithfully until the day when his Heavenly Father called him from Nazareth and he began his intense and miraculous ministry that terminated in the cross and the victory of the resurrection.

We see Mary again at the cross where Jesus himself commended her into the hands of the apostle John who took her into his home, where inspired by the Holy Spirit she related to Luke all those things about Jesus’ birth that she had treasured and meditated upon through the years.

The last time that we see her is with the 120 on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind and filled them all with ecstasy and they worshipped God in other tongues.

There are many great figures in the Bible apart from Jesus himself - Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David and John the Baptist to name just a few, but Mary was unique, chosen as God’s instrument for the greatest miracle since man was created, to be the mother of the Saviour of mankind. The first woman (Eve) failed and sin corrupted mankind, but God chose another woman whose faithfulness brought salvation to mankind, therefore evangelical Christians honour her and call her - "blessed" just as she said.

But to elevate Mary to a level which neither Jesus nor the New Testament give her does not honour her. Jesus told the Pharisees "You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down" - Mark 6: 13. And this is what the Roman Catholic Church has done where Mary is concerned.

For many Roman Catholics, although not all, she is as important as Jesus himself, and for many Catholic women she is approached in prayer more than Jesus, and her images are worshipped, which is clearly idolatry in its most blatant form. The New Testament is quite clear about worship and prayer; we are to pray to the Father, in the name of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Then there is the doctrine of the "Immaculate Conception" of Mary. There is no scriptural warrant whatsoever for this. The only immaculate conception that there has been is that of Jesus Christ.

One of the most important doctrines about Mary is her perpetual virginity when Matthew clearly tells us -

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary into his home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus - Matthew 1: 24 & 25. Emphasis mine

When Jesus visited his home town he did not receive a very good reception; this is what the people said - "Isn’t this carpenters son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers names James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us - and they took offence at him - Matthew 13: 55 to 57. And, of course his family is mentioned in other places.

The argument that these were all cousins is weak and does not convince. There is no doctrinal reason for Mary to have remained a virgin after the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus. This is man’s tradition once again taking precedence over the word of God.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

Understanding Christianity With A Special Look At Holy Baptism

2011-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I wrote an article referring to a programme on Spanish television when the presenter asked the participants whether they felt that the Roman Catholic Church needed modernising, and that the majority felt that it should.

I then explained what I felt from an evangelical Christian’s point of view, and I showed where we had a number of things in common that should never be changed to suit modern tendencies, because these things are part of eternal truth and therefore not subject to the whims and fashions of the world.

Some would answer that unless you change you will lose many from the churches. I am not at all sure that that is true, but if it were, although I should be terribly sad, I would have to say: So be it. Truth must not be changed for error just to try and get people into church.

However, I then went on to show where evangelicals differ from Roman Catholic dogma, and why we do so. I dealt with the question of the mass, and the priesthood. Today I would like to deal with the question of baptism.

One of the most pernicious errors of Christendom has been the doctrine of ‘baptismal regeneration’, that is, that if a baby is correctly baptised by sprinkling water on him or her and pronouncing the correct scriptural formula that child then becomes a Christian (In the Eastern Orthodox churches the baby is dipped completely into the font).

There is no scriptural warrant for the baptism of babies; Baptism is for believers. Those who have made a clear decision to follow Jesus Christ, and are showing, in obedience to God’s Word, what has already taken place in the hearts when they repented and believed the gospel. On the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem the apostle Peter declared to the crowd -

"Repent and be baptised - in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" - Acts 2:18

Personal repentance and personal faith is essential for salvation - salvation cannot be by proxy. You may well ask, "What about children". There is no example of a baby being baptised in the New Testament.

Evangelicals, generally speaking, practise ‘believers baptism’ and, of course, if a child can satisfy the elders of a local church that they understand salvation and have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour, then they can be baptised, until then, all children belong to God, Jesus himself said -

Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. When he had placed his hands on them he went on from there - Matthew 19: 14

We dedicate babies to the Lord and baptise them when they are old enough to confess Christ as their Saviour themselves. While it is difficult be more specific in a short article, it does seem that the doctrine of "baptismal regeneration" came into the church as a result of the ending of the Roman persecution of Christians, and the church became flooded with unconverted people who took advantage of the fact that it was now beneficial to be known as a Christian, Coming from superstitious paganism they must have thought that baptism was some kind of magical process.

Without in any way wishing to minimize the importance of baptism it should be understood that the Old Testament believers were not baptised - the outward ritual, for males only, was circumcision. The thief who hung on a cross at the side of Jesus, and believed, was told by him - "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" - Luke 23: 43

He was never baptised, but he is in heaven with his Lord. Evangelicals believe that baptism should be by immersion, all the baptisms mentioned in the New Testament imply this.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch "went down into the water" and "came up out of the water" Acts 8: 38 & 39

When Jesus himself was baptised we read that - "He went up out of the water"·.

When John the Baptist was baptising in the river Jordan we read that - "Now John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water" - John 3: 23

Finally, in the book of Romans the apostle Paul tells us -

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life - Romans 6: 2 to 4

The symbolism here of death, burial and resurrection, in my view, clearly implies baptism by immersion. Baptism is very important in order to fulfil the Lord’s commands. When the Holy Spirit fell on the first gentiles to be converted the apostle Peter "Ordered them to be baptised".

Remember no ritual, however important and sacred, is a substitute for personally believing and in faith following Jesus. Millions, over the centuries, have been baptised as babies and yet have shown no interest in spiritual things, and yet, in some vague way, think of themselves as Christians. Somebody once said to me "I am a Christian but I don’t practise my religion" and that person couldn’t seem to see how illogical and contradictory this was.

Have you asked Jesus Christ to forgive your sins, take over the direction of your life and save your soul? If not do so now: And then be ready to obey his command to be baptised and show that you have been died with him and been buried with him and been raised to newness of life with him.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

Just How Should The Roman Catholic Church Be Modernized

2011-03-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

During a recent programme on Spanish television people in the studio were asked whether the Roman Catholic Church should be modernized, and it appears that the majority were in favour.

But, in my opinion, the question should be more specific, more clearly defined. As an evangelical pastor, if modernisation means that the RC Church should approve abortion, and the type of anti -contraception pills, which are really not anti-conception but that destroy the ovule after conception. If it means approval of sex apart from within the bond of marriage, approval of euthanasia, and that homosexuality is a normal lifestyle and further that same sex couples should be able to make a religious commitment in church; then I would clearly say no!

Because each of these things as well as many others - adultery, bigamy, fornication in general and other things accepted by the western world go completely against what is commanded in God’s Word.

Before I go on to say more about the Roman Catholic Church and its teachings let me make this statement as an evangelical pastor - Truth cannot be modernised, it is not pragmatic, it is not in any way merely relative and if it is altered it becomes a lie.

However, what the Roman Catholic Church needs to do is to seriously consider getting rid of much of its ritualistic scaffolding, artistically beautiful as it may appear to some, and replace it with anointed worship and anointed teaching from God’s Word because without the third person of the Holy Trinity however well everything may be organised it is a dead letter.

As the Bible says: "having the form of godliness but denying its power" - 2 Timothy 3: 5

A common statement of the R. C. Church is - ‘As the Church has always taught", but much of what is taught is not the teachings once and for all given by the apostles, and much of what the R.C. Church declares as infallible is in fact erroneous -

The Mass - is declared to be a true sacrifice performed by priests thousands of times a day around the world, while the New Testament clearly states in the book of Hebrews, speaking of the Old Testament priests of Israel -

"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus Christ) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy" - Hebrews 10: 11 to 14

"We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" - Hebrews 10: 10

"Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy " - Hebrews 10: 14 emphasises my point.

The priesthood - When the New Testament speaks of priests it is either referring to the priests of Israel or of Jesus Christ himself who is our high priest in heaven, it never speaks of a separate body of men that are apart from the rest of believers. The true doctrine of the church is the priesthood of all believers. The apostle Peter in his first general epistle to the churches clearly states -

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" - 1 Peter 2: 9

There is no sacrificing priesthood in the New Testament, but all believers in Jesus Christ are called to the priestly task of worship and good works, and to declare that if a person will confess his or her sins and believe and follow the Lord that person is saved and that his or her confession will be registered in heaven.

Above all in these turbulent and uncertain days when it is increasingly difficult to analysis coherently all that is taking place in the world, Christendom needs to return to the teachings of the New Testament which Luke summarised at the beginning of the book of Acts -

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer - Acts 2: 42

The need is to preach that Christianity means a radical change in outlook and a radical change of lifestyle; Jesus himself put it this way -

No-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again - you should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again - John 3: 3 & 7

The apostle Peter in his first epistle refers to this radical change that true conversion brings -

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! in his great mercy has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" - 1 Peter 1: 3

Have you experienced this? If not confess your sins and ask Jesus to come into your life by the Holy Spirit and you will be saved.

In my next article I hope to write about baptism, how we should pray to God, and the importance of communion or the Lord’s Supper.

God bless you!!!
Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

What The Bible Says About "The Last Days" - Are You Prepared?

2011-03-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

With all that is going on around the world, civil war, revolution, extreme weather conditions, earthquakes, fears of nuclear contamination etc., Christians, while they are as concerned as anyone else, are glad for their faith which sets them on solid, immovable ground.

The Bible says -

No-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ - 1 Corinthians 3:11

Jesus Christ is an immovable rock, an oasis in a desert, a shelter in time of storm, and a strong tower which provides a safe refuge, and, in all these things, not only for time, but eternity.

It is true, that some still say that all the things that are taking place world - wide have always been the same, but there has never been some many different kinds of disasters, wars and threats of war as in the recent decade; and for practically all of the last century.

Jesus said, "When these things begin to take place, stand up lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" - Luke 21: 28

While it is true that Christians everywhere need to stand up and proclaim their faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ the Lord, it is time, as never before, to show the reality of their faith by their lives and good works.

The apostle Peter wrote challenging Christians about these days -

What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of the Lord and speed its coming - Since you are looking forward (to Christ’s coming) make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that the Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him - 2 Peter 3: 14 & 15

The fountain head of all good works is love. The apostle John tells us that "God is love" - 1 John 4: 16 he doesn’t have love, he is love, that is, the source of it.

The late Welsh tenor Harry Secombe used to sing "Love is a splendored thing" and so it is. We can perhaps see this clearly where the New Testament speaks of the fruit of the Holy Spirit -

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self - control. Against such there is no law - Galatians 5: 22 & 23

Love does not seek its own selfish ends, but the good of others. It has many facets as the apostle Paul writing to the Galatian Church tells us.

Joy - is deep happiness born of a personal relationship with God who is love.

Peace - tranquillity of mind and spiritual well-being based on forgiveness.

Patience - the thought here is of steadfastness and forbearance.

Gentleness and kindness - speaks of character - remembering how fragile the human personality is, and how easily people are hurt; consideration should be shown to all.

Self-control - how often the lack of it has caused great harm.

True love never condones sin and evil, but loves the sinner, even the most depraved, and imagines what he or she could be if they came to Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us clearly that good works, of themselves, cannot save us -

For by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no-one can boast - Ephesians 2: 8 & 9

The apostle James says the same thing from another point of view when he tells us -

Someone will say, "You have faith I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do - James 2: 18

The reality of a Christian’s faith is proved by a completely changed life - style full of kindness, forgiveness and good works. However we cannot boast about our good works because they are the result of being saved by God’s grace - that is, his favour towards us although we have done nothing to merit it.

Dear friend, do not rely on rituals, or liturgy or baptism, you need to repent, come to Christ personally just where you are and how you are, ask his forgiveness and that he will take control of your life.

Christianity is not meant to be on the periphery of your life, a kind of decorative religious façade; it should central in our lives reflecting in everything that we do.

God bless you!!!
Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor (Church Of The Good Shepherd)

Present Day Signs Of The Second Coming...

2011-02-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

Doctor Antonio Cruz - is the winner of the Premier Gold Medallion 2007 and Director of "Desarrollo del Liderazgo". (Mature Leadership) FLET University Miami, Florida. He also holds various doctorates and is a member of a number of international scientific institutions and in his book "El Dios Creador" (God the Creator) he writes -

"An important sector of the western world began the 21st century with an attitude of indifference to spiritual questions, as if the centuries long debate about the existence of God had become obsolete and irrelevant - Statistics indicate that many unbelievers no longer consider themselves militant atheists or agnostics, but simply just disinterested people living in a post - Christian world." (My paraphrase from Spanish)

However, while this is true, probable of a majority, especially in Europe, there are militant atheists who wish to marginalize Christianity completely and other religions too although, out of fear, they handle some of them with kid gloves. Melanie Phillips writing in the Daily Mail said this -

"The campaign to "Stamp out Christianity in Britain appears to be gathering pace" - Look at what happened to Dale McAlpine. Preaching to shoppers in Cumbria last month about the sin of homosexuality, he found himself arrested, held for seven hours and charged with a public order
offence. This for simply voicing the principles of his faith in a peaceful manner.

It was shocking enough as a single event, but McAlpine is just one of many people to have fallen foul of the authorities for practising their Christian beliefs. Just last week, judges upheld a case against Gary McFarlane, who was dismissed as a Relate counsellor because he refused to give advice to same-sex couples on sexual relationships.

Giving legal protection to Christian beliefs, opined Lord Justice Laws, was "deeply unprincipled" and "on the way to a theocracy". On the contrary, it is a ruling that is draconian. "It mistakes secularism for neutrality" and ignores the fact that freedom of conscious is a right for all. "The decent impulse to protect the rights of gay people" should not be pursued at the expense of other less fashionable groups."

The growing apostasy of the western world, and the world - wide and growing persecution and marginalisation of the Christian faith, especially that of the Bible believing evangelical section of Christendom, is clearly prophesied in the Scriptures; and points to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says -

"But mark this. There will terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" - 2 Timothy 3: 1 to 4.

All this we see today as never before, but so many are indifferent to it, and again this is foretold by the apostle Peter - "First of all you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of waters and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and the destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" - 2 Peter 3: 3 to 9

The last days are here and now as the nations arrange themselves for the final holocaust, are you ready to turn your back on indifference and unbelief and embrace the good news of the gospel while there is yet time?

Jesus Christ the Son of God, sent by the Father, died a hideous death for you on the cross so that you might live and not die eternally. Come to him now, ask him to forgive your sins and give you new life, here is his promise - "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away" - John 6: 37b

God bless you!!!
Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor (Church Of The Good Shepherd)

Just How Can We Return To Our Father In Heaven...

2011-02-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

I have a calendar that gives a Scripture reading for every day of the year with a commentary. The one for February 8th I found quite impressive, especially in view of the unstable situation worldwide that we are currently experiencing - economically, socially and financially; so I thought that I would quote it entirely.

"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in
quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not - Isaiah 30: 15 AV.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and
assurance forever - Isaiah 32: 17

The world cannot offer quietness or assurance. Those without Christ run frantically to and fro seeking both because they refuse to accept these gifts from the Saviour. Only where righteousness prevails will quietness and peace be found. If you’re still looking, the key is, "In
returning and in rest ye shall be saved." Come to Christ and trusts him today. Daily Reading for 8th February 2011 form "Choice Gleanings".

Righteousness is, of course, a very religious sounding word but it means - justice, integrity and
rectitude, qualities that are approved everywhere. The only truly righteous person who ever lived was Jesus Christ and if we will come to him, ask him to forgive us our sins, and then follow him as a disciple, God will count our faith in him as righteousness and we will be saved for time and eternity.

There have been, and are, many weird and way -out religious cults that offer an infinite number
of remedies and some brain wash and strictly control their adherents. Some have thousands of
followers, others just a few, but they are one and all false. There has also been a resurgence of the old major religions, most of them older than Christianity and they hold millions in their thrall;

But are they right?

Today in the Western world a number of people hold the opinion that there are many ways to God - if indeed there is a god - and that if a person is sincere in what he or she believes then everything will be al-right. While sincerity is a good thing, it is useless if a person is sincerely wrong. We need to be sincere and we need to be right as well.

Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ declared: "I am the way I am the truth and I am the life no-one can come to the Father (God) except through me - John 14: 6

I want to tell you that with all that has taken place in history since that time, with its philosophies, its struggles and its alternative life - styles Jesus’ great statement remains unchanged and true, and if you want to know peace and certainly in the midst of turmoil and uncertainly come to him today. The truth hasn’t changed in two thousand years because truth is objective not relative, it cannot change, and Jesus himself is that truth.

The Lord Almighty speaking to the Jews about obedience said - "Test me in this" - and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it " - Malachi 3: 10

Jesus made this promise "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away" - John 6: 37. Come to him today and find that what he promised is true...

God bless you!!!
Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor (Church of the Good Shepherd)

The Truth Only Comes From Above

2011-02-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

I recently read an interesting; and I thought surprising, article taken from "liberation (Paris)" that had the title "Surely it’s not racist to attack Islam". Before I quote from it let me say that, in general, there seems to be a growing reaction against religious terrorism and secular attacks on the faith - Satan, of course, who is behind all this, is, after all, a loser - As the apostle Paul wrote -

"Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" - Ephesians 6: 12 But those "powers" fight what is to be a long defeat, they will not prevail.

But let me quote fully from the article: "Of the great monotheistic religions, it is Christianity that is currently the most persecuted", says Paul Bruckner. Christians can’t worship openly in many Muslim countries; in Iraq they are being killed for their faith. Yet no-one complains of "Christianophobia". So what’s all this stuff about "Islamophobia"? The term was coined by Iranian fundamentalists in the 1970’s "To make Islam an untouchable subject". And how successful they have been. Criticise the religion and you’re branded a racist.

"But faith is not a race", it’s a school of thought, and under our democratic system we have the right to judge any such school as false or reactionary. And given its "aggressive proselytising, its claim to hold the only truth and its penchant for sacrificial protest", we’ve as much reason to be wary of Islam as we once were of Catholicism".

This is very much a French and secularist point of view, but it does underline a change of attitude from the appeasement of Islam in the past and the constant denigrating criticism of Christianity - Of course, people who denigrate have little to fear from Christians, but violence world wide from large sectors of Muslims is always inevitable.

There was an article by a Muslim in one of the British broadsheets recently where he stated that he was accused of being a traitor to his people because he had openly criticised certain aspects of his religion. He went on to say that a few brave Imams have also done so. I thought this extraordinary, if Christian pastors and ministers condemned some atrocity or immorality by a Christian sect they would not feel that they were being in anyway brave as they would be unlikely to be in any danger.

The article from France that I quoted was, of course written from a secular point of view, but I agree with much of it. However, Christianity too claims to the truth, and that that truth is not to be found in abstract statements but in the person of Jesus Christ, he himself declared - "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father but by me" - John 14: 6.

At the "Dome of the Rock" in Jerusalem written around the base of the dome itself are the words in Arabic - "God has not begotten, neither does he beget". This is a direct attack on Christianity because we read in the inspired Word of God - "And the Word (Christ) became flesh (Human incarnate) and tabernacled - fixed his tent of flesh, lived awhile - among us; and we (actually) saw his glory - his honour, his majesty; such glory as only a begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favour and loving kindness) and truth" - John 1: 14

The word "begotten" is used in connexion with Jesus Christ at least 8 times in the New Testament, but I will only quote one more - "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that he (even) gave up his only - begotten (unique) Son, so that whosoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) him may not perish, but have eternal life and (actually) live forever." - John 3: 16

I have used here the Amplified Version with these two quotes from the New Testament because it gives all the nuances of the original Greek of the New Testament.

Have you believed in Jesus Christ? Do you trust him? Are you relying on him? If not please put aside all past prejudices and ask him to come into your life through the Holy Spirit, save your soul and cleanse you of sin through the blood that he shed on the cross, and you will receive the gift of eternal life.

If you do this contact us through our Alicante Church Facebook or come to our Sunday morning service in San Juan de Alicante...

God bless you!!!
Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor (Church of the Good Shepherd)

The Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd New Year Message

2011-01-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

With the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century we can definitely say that we are now well into the century. Children born in 2000 are 10 years old, they will never remember the 20th century and the 20th century is now history. For someone over eighty this is not always easy to grasp because we were children of the twentieth century and the second millennium.

However, although the calendar changes, lifestyles change, and people change, God does not change and calendars are of little importance to him. For him, as the Scriptures say - one day is as 1000 years and 1000 years as one day. It is the apostle Peter who tells us this, and I will quote the complete biblical passage -

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and the destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:- With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought we to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming
- 2 Peter 3: 7 to 12

Are you ready at the beginning of this second decade of the 21st century to really live for God as a disciple of Jesus Christ? You cannot do this on your own, but Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to those who would believe in him and follow him. The Spirit is the Divine helper who will be at your side today and always.

The Apostle Peter declared this when he preached at the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost - Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"
- Acts 2: 38

In the early church baptism was by immersion, and that practice should never have been changed because baptism represents death with Christ, burial with Christ and resurrection with Christ.

You will notice that Peter says first "repent": the word means a radical change. Change your mind, change the direction of your life, change your lifestyle, be sorrow for your sins, believe in Jesus Christ and be ready to follow him. Baptism should be the result of having done this and it ratifies and confirms it.

When the children of Israel slew the Passover lambs and were freed from Egyptian slavery God told them, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year"
- Exodus 12: 2

Jesus Christ was the true Passover lamb and he shed his blood for you on the cross at Calvary. Ask him now to come in to your heart and life and 2011 will be the first month of your first year of a new life in Christ..

God bless both you and all those you love throughout the coming year, and let the love of Jesus Christ reign in your hearts!!!

Pastor Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Alicante Church of the Good Shepherd

The Only Perfect Pastor Is Jesus Christ

2010-11-13T02:24:00.000-08:00

In its basic teaching the Christian faith is fundamental and exclusive, and those fundamental truths are found not in abstract moral statements but in a person - Jesus Christ. He himself said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me". - John 14: 6

But Christian teaching for daily living is very practical and balanced, and while its core teaching is inviolate - truth never changes - Jesus Christ is not inflexible or arbitrary, but sympathetic and understanding.

This is not the image, of course, that many would wish to project. For example: you can almost guarantee that in 19 out of 20 novels, where an evangelical pastor is mentioned, whether as a minor or major character in the story, he will be shown as a hypocrite, or an unbending killjoy unable to show any emotion other than scorn and anger.

If he is moderate and a bit apathetic then he is unbearably dull, if he is enthusiastic for Jesus he will be shown as a hell fire preacher condemning even mild legitimate pleasures as sinful - these are completely false and mischievous caricatures. Many of the most caring, patient and loving men and women have been and are evangelical pastors, they often pray for and never give up loving people who the world has long since turned its back on.

Such men and women are not perfect of course, and many of them are well aware of that, but they do not make excuses for themselves as many people like to do.

However, if you are looking for the perfect pastor (shepherd), there certainly is one and his name is Jesus; in John’s gospel Jesus says -

"I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" - John 10: 11

Jesus is loving, kind and understanding, he attended a wedding feast, he enjoyed close and happy fellowship with a humble family, he loved children, he had compassion for the outcasts of society, he loved them as human beings and he ate and drank in their homes; but he did not sin, because sin spoils everything, and he came to show us all a better life style.

In John’s gospel we read -

"God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" - John 3: 17

Have you turned your life over to him asking him to forgive the past and strengthen you for the future, if not do it now? Put your trust in this promise of Jesus -

"If anyone loves me, he will obey the teaching. My father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him" - John 14: 23

Both the Father and the Son will come to you by the Holy Spirit, for there is one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit and where one is the others are too.

The Christian life, even in this turbulent world is a wonderful life, but to know that you must experience it. Your life will take a new direction and the greatest of your problems - sin - will be solved eternally. But I must not deceive you, the Christian life is a constant challenge, the Apostle Paul writes -

I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord and I will receive you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God - 2Corinthians 6: 16 to 7: 1

May you turn your back for a moment to all other distractions, and there are many, and seek God in prayer.

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor Church Of The Good Shepherd
San Juan De Alicante

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Why Christians Need To Avoid Temptation

2010-11-06T04:01:00.000-07:00

Let me begin with a Bible quote from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Church at Ephesus -

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, and you must no longer live as the gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all insensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more" -
Ephesians 4: 17 to 20

In his book "O Brave New Church" Mark Stibbs speaking of addictions points out that Paul very clearly describes what addiction is in the above Biblical portion, and he insists that Christians must no longer live as they did before when they were addicted to many evil things. Mark Stibbs then lists various verses from the 4th Chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and I want to comment on three from his list.

Speaking lies - Each one of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body -
Ephesians 4: 25

God comes down very heavily on liars, because lying can cause such lasting harm. False witnesses, false prophets, deception, and poisoned lips are roundly condemned throughout the Bible, and the New Testament is very clear about lying.

The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the adulterers and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death -
Revelation 21: 8

Stealing - He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work - that he may have something to share with those in need -
Ephesians 4: 28

In these difficult financial times those of us who have work must be prepared to help, as we can, those who have lost their jobs and are in need, because stealing is sin and finally there is no excuse for it.

Unwholesome talk - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen - Ephesians 4: 29

I'm afraid that many of us are guilty of this one, and it can take many guises. A good guide in everything we say is - Is it appropriate, is it necessary, is it true, is it kind.

This is the message that I believe the Lord would have me remind fellow believers at this time -
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows -
Galatians 4: 7

It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God -
Hebrews 10: 31

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for "God is a consuming fire" -
Hebrews 12: 28

There is a phrase in the apostle Peter’s pastoral letter which shows how serious all this is -
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners" -
1 Peter 4: 18

You who are reading this article: have you made your salvation secure? Maybe you have relied on culture, rituals and ceremonies and the occasional prayer when you need to make a clear commitment to receive Jesus Christ into your life and follow him.

Pray now confessing your sin and your need: and begin a new life in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Remember, although God is awesome beyond our imaging, he is also love: love in all its many splendored fullness!

He is not willing that you should perish and so he sent his only Son into the world to live a life without sin and to die on the Cross that you might be saved.

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor Church Of The Good Shepherd
San Juan De Alicante

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Just Who Should Christians Listen To?

2010-11-06T03:51:00.000-07:00

It is important that Christians should understand who is the Vicar of Christ on earth? Who it is who represents the Father and the Son until Jesus returns, it is the Holy Spirit and no - one else, either angel or man, can usurp his place; and anyone who tries to is inevitably an Antichrist.

Is this strong language? Yes it is, but it is basic to the understanding of spiritual things. No one wants unnecessary controversy, but when fundamental truths are involved it is essential to combat error.

For example: Jesus tells us that we are to give no-one the title - Father - except our Father in heaven.

"But you are not to be called Rabbi’, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father’, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher’, for you have one Teacher, the Christ" -
Matthew 23: 8 to 10

How far much of Christendom has strayed from these principles: it is time to return to them, so that the Lord may revive us again and we may successfully combat resurgent false religions and the aggressive atheism that threatens the Church.

But let me encourage you by quoting again Jesus’ words -

"I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it" -
Matthew 16: 18

In the western world today relativism rules the minds of many, it can be summarised like this - No-one is completely right or completely wrong. The only people who are wrong are those who insist that they are right - Relativists are people who tell us that "it is better to travel than to arrive", and who the apostle Paul condemns as "always learning, but never able to acknowledge the truth".

But the Bible insists that there is objective truth and that it is, above all, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ, he himself said -

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me" -
John 14: 6.

This is, of course, much too exclusive for the relativist, who will always want to say, "Yes but -". However, when God’s Word states a basic truth there are never any "buts", or maybe’s or grey areas.

The Bible tells us that God himself is the Truth and the fountainhead of it, so we read -

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he -
Deuteronomy 32: 4

Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge -
Romans 3: 4

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged -
Hebrews 6: 18
Jesus declared -

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free -
John 8: 31

I would like to ask you if you have come to Jesus who is the truth and the life and experimented freedom from the curse of sin. If not: why not now this very minute?

Pray this prayer to Jesus:-

"Lord Jesus I come to you, just as I am, a sinful man/woman, and I ask you to forgive my sin, change the direction of my life and teach me the truth that I may be free from the bonds of the past and follow you. Thank you for saving my soul on the Cross of Calvary and giving me the hope of eternal life - Amen!"

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor - Church Of The Good Shepherd
San Juan De Alicante

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A Message From Alicante Church Pastor Guillermo Burgess - Listen To Jesus For God's Blessings

2010-09-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

Greek scholars tell us that this common form of Greek, in which the New Testament of the Bible is written, lends itself very easily to translation into other languages.

The Authorised or king James Version of the English Bible was made by 47 Godly men in 1611 and was used by English - speaking peoples for over three hundred years, it forms, with Shakespeare, the two glittering jewels of the English language.

There are a number of modern translations however, and the one that has superseded the A.V. in many churches today, is the New International Version.

Sometimes free translations, or paraphrases are made that seek to interpret Scripture using completely modern idioms, the danger, of course, with this, is that it tends to be more an interpretation of the translator than a translation.

One of the most popular of these is "The Message" by Eugene H. Patterson. This is how he translates the Beatitudes of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount - Matthew chapter 5.

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are- no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought".

"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat".

"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourself cared for."

"You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."

"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family."

"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom."

A paraphrase must never take the place of a true translation, it is not intended too. But it is valuable because it gives the opportunity to see God’s Word from an unusual angle.

When we know that we cannot save ourselves and we give our lives over to God we shall certainly be blessed. It is He who loves us more than anyone and from him comes all other loves. We cannot buy happiness at any price, and those who try, end up less happy than they were before. It is still true that the basic things that really matter cannot be bought, and the greatest of these is the salvation of our souls. Jesus said: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Matthew 16: 26.

Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty - John 6: 35. If you care for others you will know a satisfaction and a blessing that those who always take can never appreciate, and what is more, you will please God. Even so, the care that you show must be the result of a heart in harmony with God, the inner motive must be right.

If you always try to bring about reconciliation instead of conflict you will know that God’s blessing is with you, but if you stand firm for the truth in all circumstances do not expect to be loved and appreciated by all. Some will go to all lengths to crucify afresh the Christ in you, because they are opposed to Him and want to do the will of their Father the devil.

Come to the Heavenly Father right now, in the Name of Jesus Christ and you will be forgiven your sins and begin a pilgrimage that ends in heaven.

Gordon Guillermo Burgess,
The Pastor.
Church Of The Good Shepherd
(English Speaking Church In Alicante)

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Taking A Look At Christianity According To The New Testament

2010-09-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Puritans have always had a very bad press, and certainly they had their faults, and by the end of the English civil war politics had largely superseded spirituality among their leaders. However, at their best, the puritans were humble, sincere groups of Christians who never merited the harsh unrelenting criticism to which they are still subjected.

When I was a boy at school the "Cavaliers" were always the heroes and the "Roundheads" the baddies. Whereas if you look carefully at the historical facts, many of the "Cavaliers" were proud and haughty, they thought themselves to be infinitely superior to others and especially to the ‘lower classes’ and treated them accordingly.

Cromwell’s soldiers have been severely criticized for their "wanton" destruction of many statutes and religious shrines during the civil war. However, it must be understood that many of these shrines were objects of superstitious idolatry and if anything is condemned by God it is any form whatsoever of idolatry.

At nearly the beginning of the Ten Commandments God declared "You shall not make for yourself any idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow done to them or worship them - Exodus 20: 4. The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian Church says - "Flee from idolatry" - 1 Corinthians 10: 14, When Cornelius the centurion fell at the feet of the apostle Peter, he told him to get up - "I am only a man myself ". When the apostle John was caught up to heaven he fell at an angel’s feet to worship him and the angel immediately said, "Do not do it - Worship God!" and in John’s first letter he ends saying - "Dear children keep your-selves from idols."

We must also remember that the Lord has never authorised special buildings dedicated to God for New Testament times, the church is not a building but a body of believers. The skill used for those beautiful religious buildings, screens, reredos’s etc. could have been used in other ways, equally beautiful. It always seems to me contrary to the compassionate character of Jesus Christ, that we see in medieval paintings of these great cathedrals rearing up in the midst of poverty and squalor.

Nevertheless, I still feel that Cromwell’s troops, in their sometimes wanton destruction, that caused the loss, or mutilation, of so many beautiful things, not directly connected to idolatry, was shameful and way over the top.

The Puritan’s theology was undoubtedly Biblical and faithful to New Testament teaching. Among other foundational truths that they taught, their pastoral teaching can be summed up in the Apostle Paul’s words to his fellow missionary Titus -

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world - Titus 2: 12

Donald L. Norbie comments on this verse as his contribution to the devotional calendar "Choice Gleanings" -

"God’s grace does not condone sin. God’s grace introduces us to a life of discipleship and teaching at the feet of our Lord. Ungodliness, lusts, worldly desires, irreverence and disregard of God must be rejected. Grace encourages us to cultivate sensible, righteous, reverent lives. Let us not bring God’s grace into disrepute by godless living. The goal should be, "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" - Matthew 5: 16

God’s grace is his unmerited favour, and if you are not a practising Christian, and you have never experienced that radical change in your life the Jesus called, "(being) born again",

Here is a word for you from the New Testament -

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" - John 3: 16.

Put your name in place of the word "whoever". Ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and to come into your heart and make you truly his disciple and he will.

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor.

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Christianity In Spain By Pastor Guillermo

2010-08-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Christianity at the end of the first decade of the 21st century is like a piece of solid gold jewellery that has fallen from a sunken Spanish galleon. Encrusted now with centuries of marine growth its true beauty is hidden, but here and there one can still catch a gleam of gold. Whether the mass of marine growth seems ugly or, for some, to have a strange artistic beauty depends on the person. Nevertheless, in spite of the gleams of gold, the piece of jewellery is very different to its original appearance.

So is Christianity, like marine growths around ancient gold jewellery, the elaborate man made rituals, some perhaps quite beautiful to watch, mask the true gold of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elaborate rituals, priestly clothing and sacred furniture belong to the Old Testament not the New. The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews contrasts the God ordained rituals and ceremonies given to the ancient Israelites as shadows and patterns of reality to come. He calls them - "An illustration for the present time - external regulations applying until the time of the new order" Hebrews 9: 9 & 10

When Jesus met with a Samaritan woman she said to him - "Sir," - "Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Jesus replied to her - "Believe me, woman, a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth - John 4: 19, 20, 23 & 24.

When Jesus cried out on the cross - "It is finished" John 19: 30 The huge heavy curtain that divided the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the Temple at Jerusalem was torn in two from top to bottom showing that a new way had been made into the presence of God.

When some Jews went from Jerusalem to the believers in Galatia telling them that, although they had believed in Jesus, they must submit to Jewish rituals and ceremonies if they wished to be saved, the apostle Paul wrote them, a very straight letter in which he said, among other things - "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the (Holy) Spirit, are you now trying to obtain your goal by human effort? - Galatians 3: 3

There are only two rites that belong to the New Testament, communion, or the Lord’s Supper and baptism by water, representing the death, burial and resurrection of the believer together with Christ, as the Bible tells us "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5: 17

What Almighty God has always been looking for is faith, a faith that results in a changed life. Way back in the time of the book of Genesis we read - "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness" Romans 4: 3.But he just didn't believe, he obeyed, his life style changed forever.

The prophet Amos sums up perfectly what God has been looking for at all times - "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God"- Micah 6: 8 No rite or ceremony ordained by God or invented by man can be a substitute for believing and obeying God’s commands.

Come to Jesus Christ today, ask his forgiveness, and begin a new and challenging life as a true disciple whose goal is heaven.

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
The Pastor
Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

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THE TREE ( and Its Significance in our lives)

2010-08-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 17 v7-8 "Most blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies upon the Lord, whose confidence the Lord is for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river (of life?) and it shall not see and fear when heat comes but its leaf shall be green.

It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought nor shall it cease bearing fruit"

I want us today to look at the trees in our world from the humble fig to the mighty redwoods. They are mentioned so many times in the Bible and we take them so much for granted don't we?

They bring beauty into our lives and unless you are one of those odd people who go around their local parks hugging the trees we on the whole accept them as a fact of life.

But Jeremiah who is sometimes not the most cheerful of prophets likens the man who trusts in God as a tree planted by the waters.

A tree has many different parts to it as we do and I `would like today to explore this most apt of metaphors.

John 15 starting from v1

Jesus likens Himself as the true vine and ourselves as the branches with His father as the gardener who waters ,feeds and dresses or prunes the vine to make it fruitful.

He instructs us to Abide in him and thereby allowing Him to abide in us so that we can bear fruit .

A slightly different metaphor but I'm sure you can see the relevance.

A tree has to have roots buried deep in good soil for it to flourish.

We are no different.

And that need doesn't change whatever root stock we are formed from.

Some of us were born into good Christian root stock, some of us were born into very different root stock which has resulted in damaged or weak saplings.

Some of us don't even know what kind of root stock we come from. But I've got some news for you today my dear woodlings

GOD DOESN'T CARE

He can take the most damaged , broken twisted little sapling and grow it by His grace and care into the finest ,straightest tree in the forest.

But He has to be allowed access to the root.

As Christians our root should be firmly entrenched in The Lord so that we can absorb the nourishment and nutrients which only comes by the Word of God , opened to us by The Holy Spirit

As some of you may know I have very little knowledge of my own rootstock having been adopted at an early age after some history of abuse.

I really wouldn't recognize my mother if she walked next to me in the street

But I do know that the Jesus , described in revelation ch 22 v 16 as the root and offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star, is my Jesus and my root.

I would like to be a little presumptuous today and ask you where are your roots today?

Are you rooted in Jesus or are you getting substandard nutrition from the world , tv, Internet, alcohol, addictions to various life styles? ,

If you are please don't put up with the substandard any longer but accept the help of the Master gardener today and start growing and producing fruit!

This Jesus , Son of God ,Bright morning star, who was born to Mary a young virgin, lived for 30 yrs as the son of a humble carpenter , was baptized by John the Baptist, who healed the sick. Fed the hungry, gave hope to the rejected and disowned, was nailed to a tree to put right the balance between good and evil, he hung on that tree so that we would never be condemned of our sin by almighty God. He died that we might live forever. With Him. Because when He rose from the dead 3 days later it meant that we couldn't be held by death either.

So when we commit our lives to Christ, we are as Jeremiah described at the beginning ‘like a tree planted by the water and we shall not see or fear when the heat comes"

Now--.We all have times when the heat seems to be turned up on our lives, when times are tough and panicking seems easier than abiding. When worry is the option of choice ,but if our roots are in the Lord then all our panicking and worry won't make a halfpence of difference to the deliverance that God has planned for us in the situation. For surely as Paul says, nothing can separate us from the love that is in, or abiding, in Christ Jesus.

Not death, not bereavement, not life, not financial disaster, not war or peace or sickness or famine or anything life throws at us can ever make Him give us up. Truly, as the old song says" Just like a tree a standing by the

waterside we shall not be moved!"

Another thing about trees is they mostly bear fruit. Even the mighty oak produces acorns if it is well nourished. It can't help it .It isn't a conscious choice it just does.

And so do we.

Whether we believe it or not.

Matt 12 v 33 (amp ver) says "Either make the tree sound (healthy and good) and its fruit sound or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten for the tree is known by (recognized and judged by) its fruits.

This is a good basis to assess a person or situation. What fruit is it bearing?

Is the fruit of my behaviour for instance good and pleasing to God or does it sadden and disappoint Him?

Paul, in his letter to the Galations describes what fruit we can hope for when we have the Holy Spirit as the sap running through our lives as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness.

That is fruit we can expect when we know Jesus.

So we should ask "Am I going to reap reward or judgment from the fruit of my life?"

And the answer is----

Do you know Jesus? If you do then you do not have to fear judgment and any bad fruit in the past is already dealt with and in the compost bin being made into fertilizer to help you bear good fruit in the future. Praise God!

Thank you Jesus!

But if you don't-------be careful my dears.

Jude 1 v12 uses this metaphor to describe wicked men , revellers , and scoffers as --.trees without fruit at the late autumn gathering time , twice dead, lifeless and plucked up by the roots.

Now I'm not standing here saying that partying or feasting or having an odd drink is a bad thing not at all, or that I would describe anyone here as anyone like that and after all , Jesus must have loved a wedding or a feast, His first miracle was to turn water into wine but Whilst we all may enjoy a good revel sometimes, I somehow think that the prophet is saying although not wrong in itself if your reason for being or root is the next party, the next toke, the next drink, the next lover, the next new car and you scoff at the things of God as being of no importance to your life and other people don't matter then I'm afraid that sad as it is to contemplate you are already as the prophet describes twice dead. A dead man walking because our God is a just and Mighty God and will not wait forever.

But when you come to Jesus everything changes in a second and you are saved .

Our Father is a stupendous gardener! But how is your root system?

Trees have another part to them and that is they have branches.

A branch of a tree cannot grow on its own separate from the tree as we as humans cannot grow independently from God.

We have to abide in Him and accept that there are in our lives things which need to be pruned away as withered parts of a branch on a tree are pruned for the sake of good health and growth.

Some parts of a tree can be infected with a fungus and have to be destroyed just as some things in our lives have to be destroyed .Addictions, unhealthy relationships, reliance on financial wealth , idols ,involvement in the occult, I'm sure you can think of a lot more dead twigs invading peoples lives ,stopping their growth and stifling their fruit growing capacity .

I'm really glad that God cares enough about me to prune off the fungally bits in my life which are affected by failure and sin, and I'm afraid that there is probably a lot more to go yet!

And you know sometimes a tree can look pretty healthy and still have a canker growing inside it and it can be the same with mankind.

The branches may be rotten and withering but if rotten and withered is all you've ever experienced then it can be hard to know the difference.

Just as a man born blind can be told about the blue of the sky and the yellow of a daffodil in spring he can only experience those colors if by miracle or operation he regains his sight .

We as Christians know the joy Jesus brings into our hearts and can tell others about that joy but they can only experience it for themselves by committing to Christ for themselves.

Then the difference is real.

Pruning can often be a painful process because sometimes we can be quite fond of the parasitical growths strangling our fruit bearing future.

Mistletoe can be very pretty growing on an apple tree in the winter months but left to itself it will kill the tree!

Some sins and weaknesses are like that too.

But remember--before we look at the other trees in the wood and start pointing out the fungus we must remember that it is Father God who does the pruning . Not us.

And sometimes new growth can look a bit curled up to start with.

After all-.

Acorns do not become oak trees overnight .,

And vines do not often bear fruit in the first or even second seasons.

Just like the trees in the field which David somewhat strangely describe as clapping their hands we do not stop growing until the day we are uprooted in this world and are transplanted into richer soil than we could ever imagine
But back to the tree--

Branches also have leaves and these leaves give shade to the fruit and give the tree some shape. Leaves change colour at different times of the year can dry out and die and fall to the ground. Some leaves can be blown off in high winds or curl and fall in times of drought.

Some leaves are perpetually green

Others are most beautiful in the autumn when the richness and diversity of colour can be spectacular.

I would like to think our human relationships within our Christian family can be like leaves on our branches.

Some only stay for a growing season and then fall away.

Some are blown away by circumstances

Some die and fall to the ground where they turn into leaf mould to nourish the rest of our lives.

We can think of those in our fellowship who have gone to be with Jesus as like that.

With their memory being left as an illustration as to how to live and leave in Christ.

We have relationships which shade our fruit from the heat of disapproval and scorn or want.

Precious ones-

I'll leave you with just two more thoughts if I may-..

Genesis tells how

Adam and Eve lost it all by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity in defiance of God and reaped death for humankind.

But The Revelation of John, the last book of the Bible describes for us a new trees in a new city of God through which runs a river and on either side of this river is the tree of life with its 12 varieties of fruit yielding each month its fresh crop and the leaves of the tree are for healing and restoration of the nations.

I don't know about you brothers and sisters but I really want to see that tree don't you?

If anyone here this morning wants to talk about how to meet Jesus, or growing pains , or pruning methods please feel free to talk and I or anyone in the fellowship would, I know, be so glad to pray or meet with you today,

Thank you for reading and God bless you!!!
Sister Sarah.

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Alicante Church Pastor Guillermo Reflects On Pilgrimages

2010-07-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

The pilgrimage through Europe to Santiago de Compostela in North West Spain is becoming ever more popular. Folk of all ages and different nationalities, on foot with back packs, or by bicycle, make the long hot and dusty journey through the arid uplands of Leon and on through green and mountainous Galicia. Many towns and villages along the route have simple hostels where pilgrims can wash their clothes, eat, sleep and rest before continuing their journey.

The dictionary describes the meaning of the word pilgrimage as "a journey to some holy place or shrine; a visit to some place revered by its associations (fig) the journey of human life."

I am not too happy with the first meaning because it almost always involves idolatry and superstition of one kind or another.

The second is better, and can mean a number of different things. Children of immigrants returning to the country and place where their parents were born. Journeying to see the house where a well known author, artist, composer or statesman lived or to the place where they are buried and we can think of many more examples. This kind of pilgrimage can be very rewarding and gives a definite purpose to a journey.

The third one that the dictionary calls figurative is the journey of human life. Well: I certainly agree that life is a journey, but a pilgrimage? That depends. If you believe that this life is all there is and death brings the end of existence, then life is hardly a pilgrimage because it has no lasting purpose or destination.

Perhaps you believe in a vague sort of afterlife, insubstantial like a mirage, but a pilgrimage has a definite goal in view and a place to arrive at when the journey is over.

The Bible has much to say about pilgrimages and tells us about those that believed in the promises of God, it says -

All these people - admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own - they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them - Hebrews 11: 13 to 15 now that, indeed, is a pilgrimage!

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, the patriarch Jacob believed that his long life with all its ups and downs was a pilgrimage as had been the lives of his ancestors, and he told the king of Egypt -

"The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers" - Genesis 47: 9. In spite of his complaint Jacob knew why he was on earth and where he was going.

The apostle Peter in his pastoral letter exhorts Christian believers on how they should behave during their pilgrimage.

Dear friends (he writes) I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul - 1 Peter 2: 11

The greatest pilgrim of all was Jesus Christ himself, he was the pathfinder opening the way to heaven and so the Bible tells us to -

Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God - Hebrews 12: 2

Are you a pilgrim? If not, why not begin today the greatest of all pilgrimages whose goal is heaven. Seek Jesus Christ in prayer, ask him to forgive your sins and plant your feet on the narrow way that leads to eternal life. There are many others making this pilgrimage, you will not be alone, and there are refreshments for your soul as you journey.

The Pastor

Gordon Guillermo Burgess
Church Of The Good Shepherd
(San Juan De Alicante)

Church In Alicante Pastor - "Knowing Our God"

2010-07-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

The well known Christian writer C.S. Lewis is rightly praised for the clarity of his defence of Christianity and I would like to quote him as an introduction to this blog post.

"We are in no position to draw up maps of God’ psychology, and prescribe limits to his interests - The doctrine that God is love and that he delights in men, are positive doctrines not limiting doctrines. He is not less than this. What more he may be, we do not know; we only know that he must be more than we can conceive. (Therefore) it is to be expected that his creation should be, in the main, unintelligible to us". - Quoted from "God in the Dock".

Well, Professor Lewis was writing in 1943, we know much more about the universe than in the 1940’s, but although we may know more of "how" we still know little of "why".

In its very first phrase the Bible makes a statement about God that would be impossible to simplify - "In the beginning God" - Genesis 1: 1

Then it goes on to say what God did, "(He) created the heavens and the earth". But no effort is made to describe God, because in the main he is indescribable, and inconceivable to man. The apostle Paul in his pastoral letter to Timothy declares -

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no - one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen - 1 Timothy 6:16

Much of God’s thinking, much of what is of interest to him, is quite beyond our conception. But we do know some things about him through the wonder of his creation; the Psalmist writes -

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world - Psalm 19: 1 to 6

God has also revealed himself to us through his Word -

"Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens" - Psalm 119: 89

And -"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" - Psalm 119: 105

It has been said that we should not worry too much about what we don't know about God, but rather, we should be doing something about what we do know about him. To know more about him, and more importantly, to know him, we must come to Jesus Christ his Son. The writer to the Hebrews begins that great Biblical book declaring -

"In these last days (God) has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" - Hebrews 1: 1 & 2

Referring back to Professor Lewis, he tells us that one of the things that we do know about God is that "God is Love" - I John 4: 16. He calls this very positive, and so it is. Do you realize that God loves you, and that he wants you to know him?

In the Apostle John’s gospel we read -

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life - John 3: 16.

You, who are reading this blog post, are one of the "whoever". Will you pray to him now, recognizing your need of forgiveness, and have your life transformed from today to eternity?

Gordon Guillermo Burgess,
The Pastor.
http://www.christianchurchofthegoodshepherd.blogspot.com/

God The Creator

2010-07-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

The new satellite telescope that is probing the depths of the universe is showing that God’s creation is far more wonderful, awesome and exciting than we could have imagined; it is literally unimaginable!

Yet while we marvel at creation, how much more should we be awestruck by the Creator himself.

The psalmist thinks of all this and worships his Maker in Psalm 104 -

"O Lord my God you are very great; you are clothed with splendour and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent - He sets the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. The moon marks off the seasons and the sun knows when to go down.

How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all: the earth is full of your creatures."

Don't limit God, he is without limits. Rejoice in him and meditate on the greatness of his creation, as the Psalmist does -

"I will praise the Lord as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him as I rejoice in the Lord - Praise the Lord O my soul."

God’s boundless energy made the elephant and the ant, a man and a mouse, and yet such is his greatness that even the smallest thing does not escape his notice. Man has never actually seen an atom, but God sees them, he created them.

Yet, of all creation, it seems that he has a special purpose for mankind, and again it is the Psalmist David who tells us that - "You made him (man) a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour" - Psalm 8

However, man, for all his knowledge has fallen, and is a sad morally deformed creature. But the Creator came in the person of his Son to redeem him from his fallen estate, and so the Bible tells us that - "Once you were alienated from God - because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." - Colossians 1.

Ask Jesus Christ into your heart now and then kneel and worship him as your Creator.

Gordon Burgess
The Pastor
The Church Of The Good Shepherd In Alicante

A Message From The Pastor - Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd

2010-06-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

I recently received copy of "Prophetic Vision" which is the magazine of Evangelist David Hathaway, and I was so impressed by the prophecy that he quotes at the beginning of his article - "Is the World in Crisis today?" that I felt that I should give it verbatim -

David writes -

"I have a clear word of prophecy for you today - with the certainty that it will be fulfilled!

"There will be no more despair for those of you who have been in difficulty. For those who live in fear and desperation - there is a promise of an end to your distress and a light in the darkness - for those who live in poverty, hunger and fear of death a new hope has dawned that you will be rescued.

All military hardware, guns, tanks, ships and aircraft, landmines and IED’s will be destroyed. For God has given us a Son who although he was put to death many years ago, will personally come back to earth to become World Ruler. A man powerful enough to overthrow world rulers and even the Antichrist, who will, not by armed might, nor by earthly power, but by his Spirit, defeat all military power, bind the very devil himself and take absolute control of the whole world!

Once established, his kingdom will be without end - with wise counsel, total power and in absolute peace, he will govern from Jerusalem, an undivided city in a peaceful land and, under his authority, there will be world peace an d no more bloodshed."

Then David, before going on to write the rest of his article says -

"I am quoting a prophecy from the Lord which will be fulfilled shortly although first given 3,000 years ago - Isaiah chapter 9."

The Son who is to come, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in the New Testament of the Bible that -

"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven" - Acts 1: 11

If you have never, with an act of personal faith, asked Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to come into your heart and life, forgive your sin and save your soul - Do it now!

The Alicante Church Of The Good Shepherd - The Gospel Revealed

2010-06-26T02:54:00.000-07:00

Jesus gave some really revolutionary teaching and many people acknowledge that if we all followed his teaching the world would be a different place. But almost always they speak about it in the third person - they, he or she; very very seldom do people use the first person "I" or "me". Or they may say: "I'm no saint, but I would never have done what he, or she, did" etc. Or others may say. "After all I'm only human". But that, of course, is the problem, we belong to a fallen race, the New Testament of the Bible tells us -

There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - Romans 3: 23

Let’s remember that when we accuse others of sin we accuse ourselves. It is true that not everyone sins in the same way, but all sin in one way or another. The great Christian writer C.S Lewis said that for us sins of the flesh often seem especially repugnant, but in God’s eyes spiritual sins are often worse, because behind them lurks the greatest of all sins, pride. This was Satan´s sin and from it stems all the others.

Someone will say: "But I have been deeply hurt", but what has really been hurt is pride, it is impossible to hurt true humility. Jesus was hurt many times by what his disciples said and did but we read: that "Having loved his own - he loved them unto the end." - John 13: 1 AV.

And on the Cross he said this about his enemies, who at that moment seemed to be triumphant - "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" - Luke 23: 34.

I think that Jesus had the sin of pride in mind when he said: "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a speck in your own eye" - Matthew 6: 3 to 5.

We must always deal first with the plank of pride in our own eye, because, if not, we risk damaging our brother or sister permanently.

When I was a child and I got a speck of something in my eye my mother, who had very good eyesight, would get a clean handkerchief, and using a corner of it, with great delicacy, would gently brush the speck away. I am glad that she had good eyesight and a delicate and loving touch otherwise she could have done great damage.

Jesus Christ did not have even a speck in his eye, and it is through his love and his sacrificial death on the Cross that he can forgive you your sins and by the Holy Spirit renew your life for all eternity.

He invites you to join with him in an eternal relationship - "Take my yoke upon you -he says - and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" - Matthew 11: 29

Pastors of Alicante Church "Cristo Vive" visit the Leadership Convention of the British Assemblies of God

2010-05-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

This took place in Huddersfield in a magnificent purpose built building complete with a book shop and cafeteria. The new leader of the Executive Committee of the A of G and others gave new guidelines for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in these days.

While not for a moment giving way to complacence the news worldwide shows that the Church of Jesus Christ is growing everywhere; with one exception - Western Europe!

What was once, in New Testament times, the ‘nursery slopes’ of Christianity has become shriveled and dead, and where it stills seems culturally powerful, it is an ugly caricature of what it should be - a cracked and broken façade for national pride. There are green shoots here and there but in some countries they are few and far between.

When we speak of growth right across the world we can point to Latin America: a few thousand 50 years ago, millions today. In China, even government estimates speak of several millions, and the reality is far greater. We could go one speaking of South Korea, South India and, of course, Africa. Even in Muslim countries, where churches are few and far between, they are growing not declining.

The phenomenon that, I feel, brings hope for Western Europe is immigration. Our local churches are becoming multinational and multiracial and showing the world where true unity is to be found.

Meditate on these Scriptures -

"So in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others." - Romans 12: 5

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3: 28

"For he himself (Jesus) is our peace who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" - Ephesians 3: 14.

Every Blessing!!!
The Pastor,
Gordon Guillermo Burgess.

English Speaking Church Easter Celebration Lunch At CJs

2010-05-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

The Carvery lunch at CJs restaurant along the El Campello seafront was absolutely spot on, with a variety of roast dinners to chose from. We enjoyed the atmosphere in a restaurant with an English tang on a fine Summer like day.

Pastor Ivan and his wife Sadys were out guests of honor after having participated in our Sunday worship, with Pastor Ivan delivering yet another powerful message from the Word of our Lord, which filled our small Church here in San Juan de Alicante with the Holy Spirit.

We are so pleased that Pastor Ivan will be able to join us again as his stay in Alicante has been extended. He now preaches in A Church in Villajoyosa (in Spanish), so we all would like to join in prayer for both Ivan and Sadys during their time in Alicante, and that the Church in Villajoyosa grows in numbers every Sunday.

Pastor Ivan speaks fluent English although he has never visited an English speaking country, so it is more than clear that he has been truely blessed by God.

Christian Contact Within The Church Of The Good Shepherd (Alicante)

2010-04-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Alicante has fellowship very high on our list of priorities, to reach out to anybody who either just needs more Christian fellowship, but also to anybody who needs answers to a question that gets to us all in the end. "What's next and why are we here?" -

We certainly have something to say on the matter of faith in God, and even though it may sound difficult - It's not!!! - We open our arms to your interest in our Church and would invite you to join us here at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Alicante.

If you already attend a Church in the area of Alicante, we would be very much interested in having more spiritual contact, as we firmly believe in the power of prayer.

Christians only need to understand why we follow Christ and then everything seems so obvious.

The Church Pastor "Gordon Burgess" is certainly gifted in explaining the message of Christ - "A true story found in the New Testament"... A story we may all know, but do we all know the hidden message? - God doesn't always make everything so self explanatory, and sometimes we need to listen to others for guidance. Well, we invite you to come and listen to Pastor Gordon Burgess; who with almost 50 years of service to the Church, has preached in Spanish as a virtual pioneer in evangelizing the Spaniards. Now though we have the opportunity to listen to the Pastor in English, every Sunday at 11:00 in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Alicante.

If you would like to get to know us a bit more, you are very welcome to join us on Facebook -
www.facebook.com/Church_of_the_Good_Shepherd_in_Alicante

You you are a Twitter fan then you can find us here;-
www.Twitter.com/Alicante Church

Or you can email us at christianchurchthegoodshepherd@gmail.com

Keep in touch with the Alicante Church Of the Good Shepherd!!!

Looking For A Church In Alicante

2010-04-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to tackle the question of looking for a church in Alicante. Looking for a church in the modern western sense of the word, is to look for one that one would perceive to be relevant to their needs, and that appeals to their temperament and has the facilities that one would consider necessary - "the priority being, not God, but me"!

We should seek God in prayer that he may lead us to the local church of his choice which might not be the one that we would have chosen ourselves. We should certainly expect that he will lead us to a church where the gospel is preached, the Bible believed and the theology conservative. But even these requirements should not be written in stone: God is sovereign we are his servants and we should be ready to obey him. I realize that there are many things to be taken into consideration - distance, transport. children etc.. Nevertheless, we should keep this principle in view: the choice is God's not ours.

Love is the great eternal principle on which God's new heaven and new earth will be based. As the apostle Paul writes - "These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13: 13

Earlier in the same chapter he describes the characteristics of love - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

The Bible tells that "God is love" and because of that God is not easily angered, but I have to tell you that he is angered at sin and rebellion and they will be judged. If you want to experienced his love and not his judgement come to Jesus Christ God's Son and ask his forgiveness for wrong doing, and let him take over your life and experience the wonder of God's love.

This is what we here at the Church of the good shepherd in Alicante preach anyway, so if you feel that you seek the Love that I have spoken of, and an eternal future under the umbrella of God, then you are more than welcome to come and join us here in San Juan de Alicante on Sundays at 11:00.

Join us on Facebook

Church Wedding In San Juan De Alicante - 03/10/2009

2010-04-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

Pastor Gordon Burgess blessed the joining of Andrew and Patricia on October 3rd 2009, and was quite a memorable day, joining brothers and sisters and respective family members for what was a traditional Evangelical wedding.

Apart from all of the photos which show this as having been a really joyous day, Pastor Gordon finished the ceremony with these words...

..."Andrew and Patricia have made their vows and we have witnessed their exchange of rings and the lighting of the candle, and so I declare them to be husband and wife". - "They are no longer 2 said Jesus, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." - (Matthew 19:6).

- We read in the holy scriptures that - "Marriage is honorable among all" - Hebrews 13:4 And it is especially sacred as a symbol of the mystical and union of Christ and his Church.

A Question Of Christian Devotion - A Message From Pastor Gordon

2010-04-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

With the ever increasing pressures of modern life in every area - work, recreation, domestic, administrative and financial, it seems, at times, for the Christian believer, that the deadlines for things to be done continually interfere with prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance. As a pastor I a very conscious of this, because although I obviously ought It have more time at my disposal for spiritual things than many, nevertheless, I find that my time is continually being eaten into by the things of this world that must be done now. As we used to say, when was in the navy - immediately if not sooner!

Why all this you may say? Because if Jesus Christ is Son of God, raised from the dead, and coming again, and we are his disciples, then, however difficult, however it may be necessary to tread on a few toes, even if it might upset someone we love, or it means missing ·'match of the day' or having to postpone or cancel something we would have like to do or see, then whatever the cost we must give God the priority that heed demands - "Seek ye first the kingdom of God".

We can tell, if we are honest with ourselves, what is the level of our spirituality. If, for some reason, totally beyond our control, it is just impossible to attend church, are we truly sad or secretly glad.

May this Scripture portion challenge and encourage you -

"Let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up, stimulate and incite to love and helpful deeds and noble activities. Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together as believers, as is the habit of some people, but admonishing - warning, urging and encouraging - one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10: 24 & 25 Amp: V.

See you on Sunday!
Gordon Burgess,
The pastor.

The Easter Newsletter By Guillermo Burgess

2010-04-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

The apostle Peter declared in his Pentecostal message -

This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him - Acts 2: 23 & 24

There is a downside to having fixed religious dates in that it gives an opportunity, even in these days of secularism, to attend a church service perhaps twice a year, and feel good that you have not totally abandoned religion. Nevertheless, for me, the opportunity for believers to evangelize on these special dates overrides any misgivings.

On Good Friday we held a service in the English speaking church, with various readings by members of the congregation, centering on that week that changed history. The next day we gathered at the Campello esplanade with tracts for Spaniards and invitations for English speakers. There were very few British about (the recession stills bites) but one dear brother, on holiday from from Nottingham, was thrilled to meet us and a member brought him to the Sunday morning service.

It was a joyous Sunday morning as we remembered the angel’s words - "He is not here; he has risen!" And the singing was greatly anointed, the songs having been specially chosen.

MARGARET’S FUNERAL SERVICE - The Lord took my dear wife Margaret to be with himself on the 9th February, she is now more alive than ever, and rejoicing in his presence. What a wonderful wife and companion she has been. God gave her a love for Spain and the Spanish people; and she was especially delighted to have three Anglo - Spanish Your browser may not support display of this image. grandchildren. She gave 48 years of her life to Spain and her body now rests here waiting the day of resurrection.

The service was held in the "Cristo Vive" Church and convened, in English and Spanish, by Peter Austin and Antonio López. The presence of the Lord was very real as different folk came forward to share their memories of Margaret, there was as much joy as sadness as we rejoiced that a servant of the Lord had gone to her reward.

ENGLISH SPEAKING CHURCH SAN JUAN ALICANTE - The central photo that heads this Letter shows just how world - wide the Church of Jesus Christ is. From left to right we have Brazil, Venezuela, Scotland, Srilanka (they are Londoners really), Nigeria, Filipinas and England; and this is only a sample, even in our small church. Every time I minister I am reminded of those thrilling words from Revelation - "They sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God - Revelation 5: 9 & 10 ¡Hallelujah!

BIBLE SCHOOL MURCIA - It was good to be back after two years of absence, I was asked to fill in for one of the teachers who was visiting Cuba. It was good to see the, more or less, same number of students, in spite of the opening of a new school near Valencia so that students from that area can avoid the long journey to Murcia. I have now been asked to take on two classes at least to the end of the school year.

We often talk of the ‘generation gap’ but I can only say that I greatly benefit being with young people, and if you are one with them they don’t seem to worry too much either at your white hair. You will remember that the students come from the East Coast and Murcia only and inland from Albacete, which area has now been added to our region. A dynamic missionary planted a church in the city of Albacete a few years ago. Omar Arteaga and his wife are from Venezuela and now have over 100 in the congregation and several outreaches; he has sent a number of students to the Bible School.

SPANISH A of G CONVENTION - It was convened, as it has been for several years now, in Gandia on the Mediterranean coast, which is only just over an hour’s drive from Alicante, I had been unable to attend for 3 years and so it was great to see both growth and vision at the Convention. With ministers, delegates and visitors the attendance neared 1000, I can remember when I interpreted John Philips in a convention back in the 80’s, we were around 40 to 50 ministers, attending, if that, in a Madrid church building. In Gandia, we had to have the use of three large hotels.

EVANGELICAL RADIOS - The Spanish Government (in desperate need of cash it seems) have come down heavily on some 3,000 unregistered radios in Spain telling them to close down or face massive fines. This, of course, has affected many evangelical radios including "Ondas Amigas" ("Friendly Waves"· managed by ex - IBTI student Constantino Justo and is wife Jopie. They do ask for prayer that this situation may be resolved.

You may ask why these radios haven’t registered with the government. Believe me, it would mean months and months of paper work, only at the end to be told - no! Pray that the Lord will open the way for evangelical radios to operate afresh and propagate the gospel without hindrance.

The daily program by the "Cristo Vive" Church has not been affected, because they pay for an hour each morning on a secular radio. It is Colombian, targeted for Latin Americans, who are, generally, in no way prejudiced against evangelicals. Pray for them as they prepare these daily programs, it isn’t easy.

I take this opportunity to thank all those who have called or wrote to sympathize with me over my loss. As a pastor I have had to sympathize with many, but it seems impossible to know what it really means until you experience it for yourself. But, of course, knowing that your loved one is with the Lord makes all else bearable.

I have answered many of those who so kindly wrote, but if I did miss you out please forgive me, because, as you can imagine, it has been quite a hectic time. I do specially thank those who so kindly sent gifts to help with the extra expenses - may the Lord bless you greatly! There were one or two whose names I can’t seem to match to any address, and so I take this opportunity to thank them here.

Please take a look at our blog - http://www.christianchurchofthegoodshepherd.blogspot.com It is updated regularly with photos and comments.

Gordon Burgess tel. 34 595 02 31 mobile 6809621484 Email guillermoburgess@gmail.com

Guest Preacher - Juanita De Justo

2010-03-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

A thousand thanks to Juanita who preached the word of our Lord to us all today at the Church of the Good Shepherd, and helped us all focus on the importance of the work we all do for the Lord. She went on to quote from "Ecclesiastes 3" that in our lives there is a time for everything... "and a season for every activity under heaven, - a time to be born and a time to die - a time to plant and a time to uproot" - But that everything is in God's time - even the sacrifice of his son Jesus...

Juanita talked about how the Christian radio stations have been attacked here in Spain; now they have so many listeners, and how they have been forced to be closed down. It appears that here in Spain, whenever people talk about the love of Jesus Christ, they are soon silenced. We will all be praying for every Christian radio station in Spain, which have been doing such a wonderful service for Spanish people in receiving Christ's message of love and salvation.

Juanita has been preaching in Spain for many years now, and she really does have a gift from God to explain the sacred word to his children, and you really did leave us with a feeling of gratitude for everything God does for us throughout our lives... Thank you again Juanita and may God bless you with eternal blessings for everything you do for his Church...

Pastor Ivan From Cuba

2010-02-14T10:29:00.000-08:00

We were truly blessed today with the visit of Pastor Ivan from Cuba accompanied by his wife, who really did send over a powerful message of just how much God loves every single one of his children, and how special each and every one of us are to him. He read from Lucas 15 "8-10".

The music was as wonderful as ever, but today included some of the late Pastor's wife "Margaret", including "The Lord's my Shepherd" and "There is a Redeemer". Gordon reminded us again that trumpets of jubilee would be heard in heaven with her arrival, and even though it has been a great loss for us, Margaret will have been reunited with her heavenly father.

We really did feel the presence of the Holy Spirit today, and God's message of love reached every single one of us. It really was a perfect Sunday of Christian fellowship and of praising the Lord!!!

Tuesday Evening Prayer Meeting And Bible Study

2010-02-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday at 7:00 PM we hold our weekly bible study and prayer meeting in the Church of the Good Shepherd in San Juan de Alicante. If you would like to join us in prayer you are very welcome to attend.

The power of prayer can produce modern day miracles, so please don't hold back and ask God to help you, and he will respond.

We are a small but growing family of Christians from every corner of the world, and benefit from the power of prayer by meeting together and sharing our thoughts. We are a very supportive fellowship and invite you with open arms to join us either for Sunday worship or at our Tuesday prayer evening.

If you would like us to pray for you, a family member or somebody in need you know, please phone Gordon on 965 95 02 31.

English Speaking Church In Alicante

2010-01-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone who speaks English or understands English is welcome to join the Christian Church of the Good Shepherd on Sundays at 11:00 am. Pastor Gordon Burgess, who has just turned 82 still has so much energy, and he really comes alive on Sunday mornings while preaching the word of our Lord.

Our congregation consists of Christians from 4 different continents, but we all have one thing in common - A complete and total faith in our heavenly Father, and that one day we will return to his side.

On Tuesday evenings at 19:00, we hold Bible study and prayer meetings for anybody who wants to find out even more about the teachings of our saviour Jesus Christ, who revealed to us the real power of prayer.

Join Us In Alicante For Christian Fellowship

2010-01-17T11:23:00.000-08:00

Pastor Gordon Burgess formally invites all those who wish to discover the truth in the message left by our saviour Jesus Christ, to join us in Christian fellowship on Sunday mornings at 11.00 am in the Church of the good shepherd, in San Juan de Alicante.

If you are travelling by car, there is a map on the sidebar. For anybody needing to travel by bus, the 20C bus from El Campello will take you to within a five minute walk from the Church. The bus leaves from El Campello at 10.30 am, but please phone Andrew on 620879319 to arrange a meeting point.