THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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How to be a good preacher:
Preach about yesterday.
Preach about old sins.
Preach about the world's decay.
Preach about other men.
Preach about the man of strife,
Him whom everyone can see,
Who drinks and beats his wife,
But don't preach about ME!
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Eph 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
KJV
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As God was using Paul to write a "How To" section for husbands and wives, He included this wonderful verse.
Now, everyone knows that the church as a whole, and saints in particular, are not presently glorious. We are all individually and conjuntively habitual sinners! But when Christ presents us to Himself in heaven, we will not be out of place for lack of beauty!
First, we will not have any spot! Our wonderful Lord has washed us in His own blood! And not even a hint of sin will remain when we come to heaven. We shall then be holy, even as He is holy!
Second, we will be without wrinkle! Jesus will dress us in His own righteousness! We will be given the robes of His glory! We shall then be without blemish!
When all the saints are gathered in heaven, the whole of the church shall be glorious!
We will not be glorious because of our riches. All the wealth in the world will be totally insignificant in that city whose streets are paved with gold!
We will not be glorious because of our goodness. All our righteouseness shall appear as "filthy rags" before Him Who is perfect!
We will not be glorious because of power or prestige we have attained. The "who" we are shall bow humbly before Him Who IS!
We will be glorious because He LOVED us! He loved us so much He "gave Himself for us!" He loved us so much He "sanctified" us! He loved us so much He "cleansed us" with His own blood!
Husbands, pay attention to God's "How To" for His Bride!
Love ya,
Bruce