Good Warfare? Or Shipwreck?
The Friend Of God
God's Law Used Lawfully
Divorce and Remarriage: How Not To Test Positive For Willful Ignorance
In this message, Brother Mark warns the congregation against the dangers of "shipwrecking" their faith by swerving from the uncorrupted pattern of sound words, reminding believers that salvation is a continuous walk of probation on the narrow road that requires ongoing justification through Christ, our heavenly High Priest. He emphasizes that the primary priority of the church is to engage in sincere, honest prayer for all men and governing authorities, creating an environment where the body of Christ can actively evangelize without provoking unnecessary persecution or falling into isolation. Finally, he outlines practical instructions for maintaining godly order in the public assembly, calling for the brethren to be united in a single, fervent purpose and for women to reflect reverence and true scriptural modesty in their lifestyle and apparel.
In this message, Pastor Mark Bullen discusses the biblical concept of becoming a friend of God. He begins with the account in 2 Samuel 21, where Abishai protects aging King David from a Philistine giant, and connects it to Onesiphorus, who searched for and refreshed the imprisoned Apostle Paul. These examples illustrate attentive friendship that recognizes need and responds with action. The central point of the message focuses on Abraham, described in Scripture as “the friend of God” for believing God, obeying His commands, and seeking the heavenly city instead of earthly comforts. God blessed Abraham and his descendants as a result and was not ashamed to be called their God. Brother Mark explains that God values those who pay attention to Him, align with His ways, and walk in faith and obedience in a time when many overlook the Creator.
In this message, Brother Mark teaches from 1 Timothy 1:5–16 that God's law is good when used lawfully — meaning applied toward its intended goal of genuine charity from a pure heart. He challenges the common misreading that Christ replaced the law, arguing that "end" means goal, not termination. Using Saul of Tarsus as a warning, he emphasizes that zeal without God's mind on the purpose of the law leads to misapplication, and that human attempts to improve upon or go beyond what God prescribed always come at someone else's expense.
In this sermon, Pastor Mark Bullen shows that Jesus fulfills (does and teaches) God's Moral Law rather than abolishing it, particularly as shown in His words on marriage in Matthew 5 and 19. Brother Mark explains that God joins husband and wife as one flesh; under God's law divorce is permitted for immorality, not as a broad concession. Brother Mark warns against misreadings that create contradictions between Jesus and Moses, stressing continuity in God's unchanging ethic (supported by Malachi, Luke 16, and Romans 7). He urges anchoring in Scripture to avoid willful ignorance on this topic.
In this message, Brother Nathan Bullen challenges believers to stop tolerating persistent sin and spiritual strongholds in their lives. Rather than ignoring, minimizing, or learning to coexist with the problem Brother Nathan urges us to rise up, confront the issue directly, and deal with it decisively through genuine repentance, obedience, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.