“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” (Jude 24).

If we could enter into the joy our dear brother Jude spoke of, we would be overwhelmed on two fronts.

At that great wedding feast, “the bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegrooms face”. Because of love, there is great joy in a person! The Bride of Christ will have exceeding, exceptional, surpassing joy!

But so will the Bridegroom! What a thought!! Not out of necessity, but love! Because of HIS love toward us, He will have the same exceeding joy for His beloved! (Read Song of Solomon).

Pastor Kevin Thacker

The Wisdom of This World

“The Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED” (I Corinthians 1:22-23).

It is the same today; men want clever preachers, not Christ preachers, reason, not revelation, their minds challenged and not their hearts pricked. The wisdom of this world says, “If you wish to reach the people of this day, you must not be dogmatic; share, discuss, exchange ideas, and counsel people; DON’T PREACH!” I hear people say, “If you would enlist today’s youth, you must adapt to their lifestyle and their language; pick up the rock beat, use comedy, puppets, and social entertainment; DON’T PREACH TO THEM!” Others insist that, “If you would win the support and interest of people of education, influence, and wealth, you must curb your Calvinism, soften your stand on substitution, and DON’T PREACH CHRIST TO THEM!”

Can you imagine the Apostle Paul compromising with this so-called “wisdom of the world?” NO! His reply to what men require and seek is, “We preach Christ and Him crucified.” I desire to reach, enlist, and minister to young and old, wise and unwise, but not at the expense of God’s glory and truth! “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Cor. 1:21); and if depravity offends men’s dignity, revelation offends their wisdom, and substitution offends their pride, SO BE IT!

I find God’s prophets, apostles, and preachers, who have been used of God in past years, to be compassionate men but never compromisers, to be comforters, but never cowards. They were willing to take the offense out of their manners, but never out of their message. They all PREACHED CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED!

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1989)

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).

This declaration gives me four glorious things to contemplate.

First: If it is of the eternal God that I am in Christ Jesus, then there was never a time when I was not in Him. My birth, life and preservation were all considered according to my union with Him. God did not allow me to go too far or turn me over to myself. But He watched over me and when it pleased Him brought me to Christ.

Second: If it is of God that I am in Christ Jesus, then it cannot come to naught. No principality or power can snatch me from the hands of my Savior or the hands of my Father who put me there. Our Lord said, "My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." John 10:29)

Third: If it is of God that I am in Christ Jesus, then all that He has accomplished is for me. There would be nothing significant about being in Christ if he were not my representative and substitute. All of His glory, Greatness, and victory would be meaningless to me if we were not one by divine union.

Lastly: If it is of God that I am in Christ Jesus, then there is nothing left to glory in except the Lord. "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Pastor Darvin Pruitt