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June 2025 is now posted.

We will be posting the Glorious Gospel articles individually below. A PDF file (large print) can be downloaded under the Archives tab and printed if desired, as well as past editions.

 Forty Four Years and Counting

This month of June marks 44 years printing the Glorious Gospel magazine. My husband Jack Davis was lead of the Lord to start it and He named it the Glorious Gospel – II Cor. 4:4 and I Tim. 1:11.

  When he told me about it, I went along with him for I knew he was led of the Lord. But I must confess that at the first I drug my feet because I knew it meant a lot of work. Later on Jack told me that when I finally got in harness, he could not catch up with me (his words).

We knew nothing about how to layout a magazine. The Lord used Jane (Matney) Dean to teach me the cut and paste method using a light table to lay it out. I also had not typed since High School, so Lydia (Matney) Davis was our first typist until I got in practice.

Jack’s first printing machine was a multi-lift off-set printer that Don Rogers found and Jack purchased. Don had experience at printing and was our first printer until Jack learned the ropes.

The Lord has faithfully supplied many writers that have contributed to the magazine and also different willing workers have helped with the work through the years. My pastor Gordon Crook helps me in so many ways with the computer and forming the magazine. Thank God for everyone who has shared in this ministry. 

Of course through the years we experienced many up-dates and more modern equipment. The Lord has led and supplied all the way. Thank God! All glory to Him. By His grace we still print and mail out monthly the magazine to many individuals and meetings, even to English speaking foreign countries at no charge.

 

Earlene Davis – Editor

 Crucified in Weakness – Raised in Power

Gordon Crook, Pastor

Grace Assembly, Wichita, Kansas

“For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” 2 Corinthians 13:4

This verse captures both sides of the redemption story; Jesus’ death and resurrection. There is much we can learn from breaking down this verse to understand the accomplishment of our salvation and what it means for us. Last month we considered that Jesus died in weakness; that is the weakness of a human body. This month we will consider the He “liveth by the power of God.”

I want to consider two main things here. Our Lord and Savior is ALIVE. There is nothing more important than this statement. All religions throughout history have had their “prophet” or “leader” that is now in a grave somewhere. We serve a living Savior who sits at the right hand of God interceding for us. The second thing is the power that is mentioned. It is by God’s power that Jesus was raised from the dead.

In the Old Testament, God had already prophesied that Jesus would raise from the dead. “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Psalms 16:10. Peter quotes this passage in Acts 2:27 which let’s us know with certainty that it refers to our Lord. God foresaw this because He foresaw that Jesus would satisfy the penalty for sins.

From Romans, we realize that baptism represents our death and burial with Him, but also, and very importantly, our rising with Him. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. It is then, this resurrection life that is in us and gives us life and hope. It is because of the risen Jesus that we can live a life that is pleasing to our Lord. We no longer have to “walk” (conduct our lives) according to the old nature because we now “walk” in newness of life; His resurrection life.

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:5-6. Not only are we able to be pleasing to our Father, we are actually sitting provisionally in the heavens because of the resurrection life of Jesus. We are made alive. Not just life, but “abundant” life. John 10:10.

Secondly, we have to consider the power of this resurrection life. The power it took to raise Jesus is beyond what we might really understand. Consider the moving of the stone that was needed to reveal the empty tomb. I really don’t think God needed to move the stone to get Jesus out of the tomb, but it was necessary so all could see the empty tomb. But more importantly, the power to raise a person from the dead. Power beyond ours.

That same power that God used to raise Jesus, is available to us to empower our life and our walk. “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” Ephesians 1:19-20. We may not understand well exactly how much power is at our disposal, but Paul prays for us that we would get a revelation of that power that will work in our lives to produce a life that is pleasing to God.

Paul himself wanted to have that same revelation. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10. While Paul did not claim to have attained to that ultimate prize at this point, he desperately wanted to know and understand the power that would get him to that prize. How about you? Are you longing to understand and know the resurrection power in your life?

The resurrection matters, because it is our eternal hope. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3. We are looking forward to a time when we will be raised and receive a glorified body. That hope should keeps us going in this word of turmoil and distress. 

The resurrection encourages us to keep our focus on our Lord Jesus. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1. The original translation should say, “Since you are risen with Christ.” That resurrection should keep us pointed towards Jesus and the heavenly things that are most important. 

I encourage you today to seek to know Him in the power of His resurrection. To seek to be changed by that power, to press towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. 

 Open our Eyes

Vicky Moots

In II Corinthians 4:4 the apostle Paul explains the reason for spiritual blindness: “…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Who is the god of this world? It is Satan himself. Mankind has been spiritually blinded by his lies.

Paul knew this by experience because he had been blinded to the gospel by Satan. Prior to his conversion, he had sought to destroy those who had become followers of Jesus. Paul, who was named Saul at the time, was a very religious Jew, a Pharisee, who strove for righteousness through the works of the law, and thought he was blameless before God. 

Acts chapter 9 records the story of Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Verse 3 tells us that a bright light shone from heaven, and he fell to the ground. He then heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him and revealing who He was. When Saul arose he discovered that he was blind. What he hadn’t realized was that he was already blind spiritually.

Three days later, God sent Ananias to him to pray for him to receive his sight and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 18 states, “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received his sight...” God opened his blinded physical and spiritual eyes and called him to preach Christ, the one whom he had previously rejected and persecuted. 

Paul’s eyes were not only opened to the gospel, but to many other spiritual truths which he has since revealed to us through his epistles. His desire was for our eyes to be opened also. In Eph. 1: 17-18 we read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Saints, and for us also: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” 

Satan not only blinds the eyes of unbelievers to the gospel, but he also tries to blind us as Christians to keep us from seeing the spiritual riches that go beyond initial salvation. He tries to keep us from laying hold of our inheritance and the fullness of God’s grace. 

Jesus wants to reveal Himself to us through the Scriptures, as He did to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32, after His resurrection. In vv. 15-16 we find that Jesus drew near to them, “but their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” Then v. 27 states, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” In vv. 30-31 we read, “... he took bread and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him....”

The eyes of these disciples had been blinded to the Christ of the resurrection. Many Christians today, likewise, only know Christ as a man, but do not know Him in the power of His resurrection. May the Holy Spirit enlighten the eyes of our understanding as we study the Scriptures and feast upon the bread of life, so that we may truly know Christ in His fullness.

Luke 4:18-20 records the account of Jesus standing in the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath and reading from the book of Isaiah. The words which He read in v. 18 were a prophecy which was fulfilled by Jesus Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind...”

Yes, Jesus came to recover sight of the blind and praise the Lord He is still delivering captives that are bound by Satan and opening blinded eyes today through the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit.

 Spiritual Awareness

Jack Davis

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemeth good in thy sight” Luke 10:21.

Solomon requested, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in…Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart…” Read I Kings 3:5-12.

It is interesting to consider what Jesus prayed for, and how He prayed. It is enjoyable to think of what He enjoyed while here as a man. The Scriptures record His rejoicing and thanksgiving, and we attend to them to our benefit, for they are very instructive.

We know that He delighted in the  Father’s will. Psalm 40; Heb. 10. From our text, he seemed to be enjoying the manifestation of God’s choices for divine revelation. We do well to follow suit.

We notice His rejoicing over things hidden, and from whom they were hidden, and of things revealed and to whom they were revealed. Would it not be better for us to do likewise instead of crying why, why, why? It is wise to give thanks to the Father who is omniscient. He always has His right reasons for all things. It is unwise to think we can judge God and justify ourselves, Rom. 12:3,16.

There are times when that which our Father permits, purposes, and provides for, may seem very contradictory to our reasoning. And even when we have attempted extensively with prayer to understand, they still remain a mystery.

We rejoice that sacred secrets are divinely revealed at our all knowing Father’s discretion. In the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, there are judgments unsearchable, and ways past tracing out –  Rom. 11:33-36. Yet, in Christ Jesus, God hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence – Eph. 1:8. For in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge – Col. 2:3. 

Glory to God, we are so glad to recognize the wisdom of our Father in choosing what He chooses, and using what He uses unto His eternal glory. Jesus is made to trusting hearts wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption that no flesh glory in His presence – I Cor. 1:26-31. Praise God, in Christ there is indeed a wealth unsearchable – Eph. 3:8. There is a love that passes knowledge – Eph. 3:19.; a peace that passes understanding – Phil. 4:6-7, and a joy unspeakable – I Pet. 1:8.

“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable (inexpressible free) gift” – II Cor. 9:15.  Whether we are able to tell all this gift is, and contains or not, we do have the wonderful privilege of giving thanks for all that we have and see in Him.

God has given mankind reasoning faculties, (Prov. 20:27) yet  they must be submitted to the Holy Spirit in order to grasp what all He has in mind for us. I believe He would have us know that intelligence is a hindrance only if we allow it a place over God’s Word. We cannot allow any thing credence above, “thus saith the Lord.” Let  us not permit anything to get in the way of faith – Prov. 3:5-7. All that reason contrary to faith are fools, in danger of shutting themselves out of God’s best blessings.

“I thank thee”

When Jesus spoke this as recorded in Luke 10, it seems to be a confession of full acknowledgment of God’s will, as well as an expression of praise. “That thou hast hid…and revealed…” Whatever God has hidden who can uncover? What He reveals who can hide? Prov. 25:2. 

“Unto Babes”

We are given to know that spiritual awareness is not arrived at by human intellect, and not dependent on human reasoning – I Cor. 2:9-13. There are “babes” unlearned and learned that recognize their need, even helplessness in things spiritual, that are totally dependent on the Lord. These are privileged to receive in child-like faith, divine revelation. “For so it seems good in the Father’s sight.” REJOICE WITH JESUS!

 CONTINUE

Earlene Davis

While meditating on the Word for a message, the Holy Spirit brought one word to my mind – “Continue.” I feel the Lord has instruction and also encouragement to give us. It is not always correction, but it is God’s desire that we increase spiritually, growing in Christ, that we might be perfected to win Christ’s best for us. 

Satan would tempt us to slow our pace in running to win Christ, perhaps even to give up. That would please Satan. As that would allow him to rob God of the perfecting that He is doing  in our lives that would bring Him glory. In what would the Lord have us to increase that He may bring us to perfection? Let us consider what our Apostle Paul has written to us of this Grace Age. He wrote as the Holy Spirit gave it to him. 

We read in Acts 14:22, that Paul returned to the churches he had establish to see first hand of their faith. He found it necessary to exhort them to Continue in the faith, as they were experiencing tribulations. Paul’s words have much weight to me, for his own trials were so great that he was stoned and left for dead – V. 19. He did not give up, but continued to travel and preach the Gospel and exhort the saint to continue in the faith.

In Col. 1:22-23, Paul says, that Christ suffered that He may present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight; If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.

In Col. 4:2, we are admonished “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” This is taking hold of God in earnest prayer. As we pray and continue in the attitude of prayer, thanking God that the answer is on the way even when we see no evidence of it. Delayed answers, causes the muscles of our faith to be strengthened. Let us keep on believing, seeking the Lord and His will. Acts 6:4, to give ourselves to an attitude of prayer continually. 

II Tim. 3:14 – Continue in the truth of God’s Word and be not entangled with every doctrine of men that comes along. Read this whole chapter. II Tim. 3:16-17, All Scripture is inspired or “God breathed,” it has life, for it is the living Word of God. That is why when we believe God’s Word, it works effectually in  us. God’s truth becomes a part of our very being and gives us spiritual strength. It is profitable, for doctrine, (accept no other doctrine), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (we learn how to walk pleasing to the Lord). Praise God, His Word refutes the reasonings of our mind and keeps us from error. If we be otherwise minded, God will correct us by His Word. 

Thank God for His working in us as we yield to His Word. He would have us to be made perfect in Christ and known for all good works of faith. In Acts 13:43, Paul and Barnabas persuaded the Jewish believers who formerly had trusted in their own works, to continue in the grace of God. And in Heb. 13:1, “Let brotherly love continue.”  The love of Christ shed abroad in the hearts of the saints makes for healthy growth. We will bear one anothers burdens and provoke one another to good works. 

Heb. 13:2 – Sometimes we can get so self-contained. The Lord has other children who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. But we must try the spirits of professed people, who are religious runabouts. V. 9, It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.

V. 15 – Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. V. 16 – To do good and to communicate. With these sacrifices God is will pleased. Spiritual fruit is what God wants. Praise is the fruit of the lips. Doing good to others by pointing them to Jesus as Savior. And communicate, giving of yourself, the fruit of the hands and feet and of our earnings in support of the Gospel. V. 17 – Loyalty to our spiritual leaders that God has appointed to lead and teach. Vs. 20-21 – not that we did not know these things, but as Paul said in I Thess. 3:12-13 & 4:10, that we increase more and more in love toward all men. That we may be found establish in holiness before God our Father at the coming of Jesus Christ. Shall we continue? Yes, by the grace of God.

 “OCCUPY”

Becky Swank

“…And He called His ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come…” Luke 19:12-28.

As we read this parable, we find that when the nobleman returned the first servant came saying, “Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.” He was given ten cities. The second came saying, “Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.” He was given five cities. “Another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou did not sow.” So his pound was taken away and given to him that had ten pounds.

The Lord wants us to occupy till He comes, being fruitful through Him. He does not want us to be as the other servant and lay up in a napkin the Word which He has given us, and just “kill” or waste away time till He comes. We all have had disappointments, let downs, and many trials. It is so easy to get preoccupied, dwelling on situations; and before we know it days, weeks, months, possibly years have gone by, and we really have not occupied in the way He planned at all. Occupying is not just for the ministers, Sunday School teachers, elders, and so forth; we all are to occupy. We do not have to find something to occupy ourselves either. As we read in verse thirteen – “He delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” He gave to them. And the Lord has given to us!

Ephesians 2:1-10, “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Colossians 3:1-17, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth…For which thing’s sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience; in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these…seeing that ye hath put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him…but Christ is all, and in all. Put on 

therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…and be ye thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in you hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to  God and the Father by Him.”

Oh, it is so important to fill our time occupying in the Lord! It is the only way we can put off the old man and put on the new man. That in itself will keep up busy till our beloved Bridegroom comes! In verse eight we read, “But now ye also put off all these.” It is not that we put off all these last year, or last week. But now! This is daily yielding to the new man. If we are doing that, we are occupying! It is a living testimony which will bring forth fruit! In Luke, we read how the servants were rewarded as much as their pound had gained. The pound of the one who laid his up in a napkin was taken away. Oh, let us not lay up in a napkin God’s precious Word; but let us be fruitful and receive the maximum reward, Jesus Christ as our Bridegroom!

I Corinthians 9:24-27, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the Prize? So run, that ye may obtain…I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…”

Philippians 3:8-14, “Yea doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win  Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness…but that which is through the faith of  Christ, and righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection (out from) the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”