ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The
author wishes to express his thanks to all those who had a part in the
publishing of this book. Thanks to all
those who participated in the prepublication sale, helping to make the
publishing of this volume a reality.
Thanks also to Elder Milburn Cockrell of Mantachie, Mississippi for
reading and correcting the original manuscript. Brother Cockrell has provided help and encouragement as the
author’s mentor in the writing ministry for many years. Thanks also to Brother Joe Pemberton whose
computer expertise made this book possible as he patiently helped the author in
getting the volume ready to print. A
hearty thank you must also go to Elder Dan Ferrell who systematically taught
the truths of premillennialism from the pulpit while the author was a member of
Wilmington Baptist Temple from 1980 to 1985.
Many
thanks to the author’s faithful wife Tammy, and their three children, Katie,
Joshua, and Aaron for their patience, understanding, and support of his writing
ministry.
A
special thanks goes to the saints at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Chesapeake,
Ohio whom the author has the privilege of pastoring. They had to “endure” the contents of this volume on Sunday
evenings for several months.
While
preparing this volume, I came to appreciate the valuable and untiring
assistance of Brother Terry Morgan on previous projects. Though Terry did not assist in the
publication of this volume, he and his wife Debra, have always encouraged the
author in the writing ministry. For
this the author is eternally grateful.
Proverbs 3:27 declares: “Withhold
not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to
do it.”
The author wishes to
dedicate this volume to Brother Greg Rittenhouse. Brother Rittenhouse was the first man to ever witness and preach
the true Gospel of the grace of God to me.
He would often remind me of the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the
wrath of God that awaited me if I did not repent and trust in the Lord. Even though my life was characterized by sin
and wickedness, Brother Rittenhouse never gave up on me but consistently
witnessed to me and prayed for the Lord to save me. God was pleased to open the eyes of this blinded sinner in
Brother Rittenhouse’s living room in November of 1980. Ever since I first met Brother Greg he has
always manifested a sincere desire to see sinners saved by the sovereign grace
of God. I am eternally grateful to God
for using Brother Greg as the instrument to preach the Gospel of Christ to me,
and for patiently discipling me while I was a babe in Christ. He has proven to be a true and faithful
friend to me through the years demonstrating the truth of Proverbs 17:17 and
18:24 which state: “A friend loveth at
all times, and a brother is born for adversity...A man that hath friends must
shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a
brother.”