A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

Proverb 28:3, 6

Pray and Stay

Someone said, “Two little words are good for every believer to learn and to practice, PRAY and STAY!” We have enough exhortation and encouragements in the Scriptures to pray without ceasing, about everything, and in the spirit of thanksgiving, that I do not need to elaborate on this.

But PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE in trial, in place of service, in faithfulness to worship, the gospel, and our calling are so needful! “STAY and wait on the Lord.” God is in no hurry because He is all-wise and almighty.

We have a way of wanting everything to be done within the hour, and not to accomplish it right away discourages us. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (Ps. 27:13-14).

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1983)

God has revealed unto the true believer the true nature of sin and his wound grows deeper with the passing of time, as God gives him more light. Consequently, his need, his hungering and thirsting for Christ also increases with time. The deeper his wound, the deeper his repentance, and the more he loves to hear of the all-sufficient Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who profess faith in Christ and do not, with the passing of time, have a deeper sense of their sinfulness, and thus live in a deeper state of repentance, have never likely experienced anything but a superficial religious scratch, not Holy Spirit conviction and repentance. This condition is nearly always manifest in their lack of an increasing hunger and thirst for Christ, and the indifferent manner in which they hear that precious gospel of God’s glory and grace. They would just as soon, or would rather hear other things than the things of Christ.

Contrariwise, the true believer can never hear too much of that glorious message of “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” The true believer is described in Philippians 3:1-14. May we, you and I, be found in that blessed number.

Mr. Spurgeon once said, “After some years of experience, the Christian comes to know, better than he did at first, how much the gospel suits him. He finds that its simplicity suits his bewilderment; its grace suits his sinfulness; its power is suitable to his weakness; its comfort is suitable to his despondence; and the more he grows, the more he loves the gospel of the grace of God.”

Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

The gospel can't be understood by human logic. Don't bother trying to understand the gospel before you believe on Christ. Just believe Christ. Nowhere in scripture are we told to understand the gospel. The only thing we are commanded to do is believe Christ. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Pastor Frank Tate

THE BODY OF CHRIST
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular “(1 Cor. 12:27).

All of God's elect make up the body of Christ, His church and His bride (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:3-6). All who Christ Jesus redeemed with His precious blood, make up the body of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18; Rev. 5:9-12). All who are regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, make up the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:1-4; 1 Peter 1:23). All who are made to believe the true gospel, make up the body of Christ (John 5:24; Gal. 3:26).

Therefore, any earthly organization or religious cult that sets itself as the, "body of Christ" proclaiming they have authority to put sinners into Christ or remove them at their own discretion and power to wash away sin, is truly an abomination to Almighty God, a discredit to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and totally contrary to the whole testimony of God. Salvation, as it is taught from Genesis to Revelation is of the Lord; from election, to justification, to sanctification, to reconciliation, to regeneration and to glorification (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:30-31; 2 Tim. 1:9: Titus 3:5-7).

WHAT A CONTRAST
Acts 7:54-60

What a demonstration of contrast between the way of the wicked flesh and the way of sovereign grace in Christ. When God’s servant, Stephen was being stoned to death for the gospel’s sake; the enemies of the gospel were filled with rage, Stephen was filled with joy in the Lord (Acts 7: 56; Phil. 3:3). They were occupied with hatred; Stephen was bursting with the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). They were packed with fear; Stephen was occupied with faith (Heb. 12:2). They were chock-full of persecution; Stephen was jam-packed with prayer (Acts 7:60).