The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Psalm 50:1-3

Do Not Be Ashamed

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:8-9).

If I truly believe the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus, I will not hesitate to be fully identified with those who believe and preach that gospel IN MY DAY and IN MY AREA! Paul wrote from prison to Timothy and cautioned him, "Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner." It is of no use to brag on dead preachers like Spurgeon, Pink, and Barnard nor to drive miles to meetings in other towns while I refuse to encourage, support, and identify with those who preach and believe the gospel now in my area. Those who never suffer with Him will never reign with Him, and those who wear no scars of battle will wear no crown of victory. Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1994)

THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING CHRIST
Philippians 3:1-11

I know that there are some things that are important to us; there are some people that are important to us. However, in light of our great need of Christ nothing else is that important. We need His blood for cleansing, His righteousness for acceptance, His intercession for forgiveness; the list goes on. We need Him. As the woman with the issue of blood said, “If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made whole.” Without Him we are lost, undone, and unaccepted by the Father. There is no material thing or human relationship that can supply my spiritual need; however, in Christ we are complete. In Christ we have all that we need to stand in God’s presence accepted. I cannot express how important it is to know Christ; all material things will burn up, and all fleshly relationships will be dissolved. However, our relationship with Christ will never be dissolved nor diminished, and it will only grow sweeter. Judge the importance of everything in light of Him. Pastor John Chapman

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:” (Job 19:25-26).

The Holy Spirit revealed through a man named Job that God’s saints, those who experience the natural process of physical death and decay, those who are buried in a natural body and raised in a spiritual body, those who are sown in weakness and raised in power, will be raised to actually see their glorious Redeemer…the One who has eternally stood for them as their Surety and Savior standing on the earth in the latter day. And according to that revelation, though we see through a glass darkly now…in that day we who know Him shall also see Him with perfect sight…never to be without that sight again! O the glorious and inexpressible consideration of that sight. Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

Natural Or Spiritual

The Apostle Paul in these verses divides all men into two groups of people, the natural man and the spiritual man (1 Cor. 2:14-15).

Who are these natural men? “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.” They are what they are by nature, by birth, by practice and by choice (Eph. 2:12; 4:18). Our Lord said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). The natural man will not receive, believe, embrace or welcome the things of the Spirit of God. These things of the Spirit of God have to do with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:13-15); His person (1 Tim. 3:16), His work as High Priest and Mediator (Heb. 2:17; 9:12) and His glory (Rev. 5:9-14). All the scriptures have a clear and unwavering message that Jesus Christ Himself is everything in salvation (Col. 3:11). These are the things the natural man and the carnal mind counts as foolishness and will not receive (1 Cor. 1:18). He has no capacity to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. He has no appetite to feed upon Christ (John 6:35), no thirst for the water of life (John 4:10-14), no eyes to behold the beauty of Christ (Isa. 53:1-3). To sum this all up, the carnal mind lacks the spiritual nature and life in Christ which can love, believe and appreciate the glorious truths of the word of God. The carnal mind is enmity (deep seated hatred) against God (Rom. 8:7).

Who are these spiritual men?