Good evening brethren and Happy Sabbath! As the heat wave rolls on, I hope everyone is staying cool. At the time of this writing, it’s expected to be 99 degrees the next four days in Charlotte, 100 in Columbia on Sunday and Monday, but only a chilly 95 tomorrow in Hickory.  Bundle up if you’re in the mountains!

A beautiful bride

There’s something special about a beautiful, blushing bride. Some much hope, anticipation and joy and excitement for the future. Then there’s the wedding itself and the joy that is shared amongst family and friends. A special time indeed.

You’ve probably got an image in your mind of a bride - perhaps your bride, yourself, your daughter or someone else.  Focus on that image for a minute and concentrate on it…

A not so beautiful, not so bride…

Take that image in your mind, whoever it might be, and now contrast it with a harlot, or prostitute. It’s probably a very sharp contrast. Inappropriate attire, filthy language and a generally seedy attitude and demeanor.

Comparing the two, there’s no comparison on who you’d rather be or marry.  But other than the obvious physical attributes, have you ever really considered what separates the two?

Which one are you?

The book of Revelation talks about both a bride and a harlot. One that is faithful to Christ, while the other sells herself for luxury, comfort and power. No one ever thinks themselves a harlot, but how do you know?

While obedience to God’s commands are a big part of it, there is more than that.  Why do you do the things you do and what is your motivation for doing them?  In tomorrow’s message, we’ll dig deep into this topic and look at what exactly separates the bride of Christ from the harlot that will be destroyed.