"Going To Bat For God" - Bro Mark Bullen

July 30, 2023

Bro. Jesse Herr - What Vision Drives Your Marriage?

In this message, Brother Mark Bullen explores how the character we cultivate today determines the direction of our lives tomorrow. Using the illustration that "feathers determine flock," he shows from Scripture that the attitudes, affections, and habits we develop shape both the company we keep and the decisions we make when our faith is tested. Drawing lessons from the lives of Peter, Joseph, Saul, and other biblical examples, he encourages believers to surrender every area of life to Christ, faithfully building godly character through daily obedience before the critical moments of life arrive.

In this message, Brother Phillip Herr examines the biblical meaning of justification, showing that it is more than the common expression "just as if I never sinned." Using the illustration of a redacted record, he explains how Christ's atoning work covers the sins of those who repent and walk by faith, while also emphasizing God's expectation that believers abound in good works. Through a survey of Scripture, he challenges listeners to focus not merely on avoiding sin, but on faithfully serving Christ and building a life that reflects genuine faith and obedience.

In this message, Pastor Mark Bullen addresses the question from Matthew 4:4, “How Do You Live By Every Word of God?” He explains that Jesus’ command requires embracing the whole of Scripture as a unified revelation rather than dismissing parts as irrelevant or outdated.

He stresses that God’s book is not on trial — we are — and that every word serves as history, a test of the heart, a revelation of God’s character (His order, justice, mercy, values, and plan of redemption), and a gold mine of principles for victory, even when specific commands (like gathering manna or temple rituals) do not apply directly today.

Living by every word means studying all of Scripture in proper context, learning the intended lessons, obeying what applies, agreeing with God’s ethics and judgments, and rejecting selective or out-of-context use (like the devil in the temptation or modern dispensational/gnostic-like approaches that pit Old and New Testaments against each other).

The Old Covenant functions as an object lesson and shadow of the New, so believers must know it to rightly understand Christ, the heavenly priesthood, and covenant faithfulness from Genesis to Revelation.

n this message, Pastor Mark Bullen expounds 1 Timothy 4:8-16, stressing that godliness — right doctrine combined with faithful daily practice—is profitable for this life and the one to come, carrying conditional promises of fellowship with God and eternal life.

He warns against “once saved always saved” presumptions, emphasizing the need to continue in the narrow way, labor, suffer reproach, and be an example to others in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity so as to give no occasion for stumbling.

Paul’s charge to Timothy culminates in the call to take heed to oneself and the doctrine, continuing in them, “for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee”—pointing to final salvation at the end of the race rather than a one-time event.

This sermon urges diligence in reading, exhortation, and sound doctrine while living out the faith once delivered.

In this message, Brother Phillip Herr teaches from Exodus, Psalms, and Deuteronomy on the children of Israel's journey from Egypt through the wilderness, highlighting their repeated pattern of witnessing miracles, rejoicing, then quickly murmuring and forgetting God's deliverance.

He contrasts their dramatic highs—such as the Red Sea crossing and receiving the Ten Commandments—with lows like complaining over bitter water and food, and the golden calf idolatry, showing how a short memory led to disobedience despite God's constant provision and presence.

This sermon calls believers to remember God's past faithfulness, benefits, and chastening during hard times, so we obey His commands, avoid murmuring, and walk in steadfast trust rather than repeating Israel's cycle of spiritual ups and downs.

In this message, Pastor Mark Bullen teaches from 1 Timothy 3:8–4:8 on the qualifications for deacons and the church's role as the pillar and ground of the truth, emphasizing the need for honorable, honest leaders who hold to sound doctrine without double-mindedness or worldly excesses.

He stresses that the church must actively steward biblical truth through pure doctrine, godly leadership, and faithful practice rather than relying on fables, human traditions, or false piety, and warns against departing to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

This sermon calls believers to value truth highly, avoid compromise or itching-ear teachings, and maintain the church's commitment to apostolic faith as its foundation.