Psalm 10:16-17

FAITH

“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” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Faith is not life giving, but proof of life. Faith is not a work for salvation, but a work of salvation. Faith is not what saves us but is certain proof God has saved us. Faith is not a condition we meet, but the condition God’s Spirit puts in us to “make us meet” (Col.1:12). Is all this important? Do we split theological hairs here? NO! NO! For the Glory of God is at stake! That other (false) gospel says faith is man’s work, man’s will. But no, faith is “not of yourselves, but the gift of God” (Eph.2:8). Faith is “according to the working of His mighty power” (Eph.1:19). Therefore, it is “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (Eph.1:6)…and not rather “to the praise of our faith.”

Pastor Paul E. Mahan

I Will Help Thee

“Fear not, thy worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I WILL HELP THEE, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:14).

God’s WILLS and SHALLS are the sweetest words in the Bible. God says to true Israel, “I WILL HELP THEE.” And, when God says, “I will help thee,” there is something to it, brethren! The will of God started the world into existence; the will of God sent Christ into the world and to the cross; the will of God called you by grace to faith in Christ. And if God says to you, “I will help thee,” there is no doubt about it.

He does not say, “I will PROBABLY help you,” or “I MAY help you if you fit certain requirements,” or “It is possible to obtain help of the Lord.” No! Without any qualifications the Lord our Redeemer says, “I will help thee!”

Now, there is comfort there. That is enough to cheer the heart of every believer. Why should He not help us? Consider what He has already done. He loved us, chose us, died for us, called us, and intercedes for us.

If this be the case, He will surely help us at every point along our way; for, without Him, we can do nothing.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1991)

A FAITHFUL MESSENGER OF THE GOSPEL

When Stephen went into the synagogue of the Jews to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, they could not resist the wisdom by which he spoke, nor could they collect any evidence to argue against him, “They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:10). Instead of listening and taking heed to the gospel he preached, they went about to set up false witnesses to say they heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, God, the holy place and the law (Acts 6:11-14). Stephen was a faithful servant of God who would not speak any evil words about the things of God. The Scripture says he was, "A man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 6:8).

I will tell you what he actually preached that made them so angry. Stephen, when he preached about MOSES, preached that Jesus Christ was that Prophet that Moses said would come (Deut. 18:18). Moses wrote about the coming of the Just One. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:46). When Stephen preached about GOD, he plainly told them that Jesus Christ was God almighty manifested in the flesh, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14; 1Tim. 3:16). When he preached redemption from sin, it was not through the deeds of the law (Gal. 2:16), but rather through the effectual sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb.9:12). When he preached about THE HOLY PLACE, the mercy seat, the ark of the covenant and the Day of Atonement, he preached unto them that they were only pictures pointing to the real Lamb, Mercy Seat and the only atonement for sin, Jesus Christ the Righteous (John 1:29). When Stephen preached about THE LAW, I am sure that he told them that Jesus Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill, honor and magnify the law on the behalf of His elect. Our Lord through His blessed obedience obtained for us eternal redemption and perfect righteousness (Matt. 5:17, Isa. 42:21).

This true messenger of the gospel was faithful to declare that Jesus Christ is "ALL AND IN ALL" in the gospel (Col. 3:11). Even though this message cost him his life, he never compromised the message of the gospel to pacify his enemies, but was faithful to glorify Jesus Christ.