The best Christian is still a poor Christian

“The best Christian is still a poor Christian” - R.B. Kuiper


The Sins of Babylon

Habakkuk 2:8-14

8 Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed man's blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
9 "Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain
to set his nest on high,
to escape the clutches of ruin!

10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.

11 The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

12 "Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and establishes a town by crime!

13 Has not the LORD Almighty determined
that the people's labor is only fuel for the fire,
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea.

Matthew Henry comments:

"All the remnant of the people shall spoil thee." The king of Babylon thought he had brought all the nations round about him so low that none of them would be able to make reprisals upon him; but though they were but a remnant of people, a very few left, yet these shall be sufficient to spoil him, when God has such a controversy with him, First, For men's blood, and the thousands of lives that have been sacrificed to his ambition and revenge, especially for the blood of Israelites, which is in a special manner precious to God. Secondly, For the violence of the land, his laying waste so many countries, and destroying the fruits of the earth, especially in the land of Israel. Thirdly, For the violence of the city, the many cities that he had turned into ruinous heaps, especially Jerusalem the holy city, and of all that dwelt therein, who were ruined by him. Note, The violence done by proud men to advance and enrich themselves will be called over again (and must be accounted for) another day, by him to whom vengeance belongs.

See what good God brings out of the staining and sinking of earthly glory; he thereby manifests and magnifies his own glory, and fills the earth with the knowledge of it as plentifully as the waters cover the sea, which lie deep, spread far, and shall not be dried up until time shall be no more. Such is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ given by the gospel (2 Cor. iv. 6), and such was the knowledge of his glory by the miraculous ruin of Babylon. Note, Such as will not be taught the knowledge of God's glory by the judgments of his mouth shall be made to know and acknowledge it by the judgments of his hand.

Here is my prayer, "Lord, I am sorry, because I did not love my neighbor, I am selfish, I repent today, forgive me for all the hurt and troubles I had given to my neighbor, may God bless my neighbour in this hour, I promise to be good to my neighbour. Please help me, forgive me for all the sins I did, which purposely and intentionally hurting other, please search my heart. Pray in Jesus' name.

There will be wars and famines

Revelation 6:3-5, When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given the power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. 5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart[a] of wheat for a day's wages,[b] and three quarts of barley for a day's wages,[c] and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

That the sword of war is a dreadful judgment; it takes away peace from the earth, one of the greatest blessings, and it puts men upon killing one another. Men, who should love one another and help one another, are, in a state of war, set upon killing one another. A large sum to give for a quart of wheat The famine of bread is a terrible judgment; but the famine of the word is more so, though careless sinners are not sensible of it.


In time like this, we are asked to do everything in Love,

1 Cor. 16:14. Let all your things be done with charity. Our zeal and constancy must be consistent with charity. When the apostle would have us play the man for our faith or religion, he puts in a caution against playing the devil for it. We may defend our faith, but we must, at the same time, maintain our innocence, and not devour and destroy, and think with ourselves that the wrath of man will work the righteousness of God, James i. 24. Note, Christians should be careful that charity not only reigns in their hearts but shine out in their lives, nay, in their most manly defenses of the faith of the gospel. There is a great difference between constancy and cruelty, between Christian firmness and feverish wrath and transport. Christianity never appears to so much advantage as when the charity of Christians is most conspicuous when they can bear with their mistaken brethren, and oppose the open enemies of their holy faith in love, when everything is done in charity, when they behave towards one another, and towards all men, with a spirit of meekness and good will.

What is the true religion in end time

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Compassion and charity to the poor and distressed from a very great and necessary part of true religion: Visiting the fatherless and widow in their affliction. Visiting is here put for all manner of relief which we are capable of giving to others; and fatherless and widows are here particularly mentioned because they are generally most apt to be neglected or oppressed: but by them, we are to understand all who are proper objects of charity, all who are in affliction. It is very remarkable that if the sum of religion is drawn up to two articles this is one—to be charitable and relieve the afflicted. Observe, an unspotted life must accompany an unfeigned love and charity: To keep himself unspotted from the world. The world is apt to spot and blemish the soul, and it is hard to live in it and have to do with it, and not be defiled, but this must be our constant endeavor. Herein consists of pure and undefiled religion. The very things of the world too much taint our spirits, if we are much conversant with them; but the sins and lusts of the world deface and defile them very woefully indeed. John comprises all that is in the world, which we are not to love, under three heads: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; and to keep ourselves unspotted from all these is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. May God by his grace keep both our hearts and lives clean from the love of the world, and from the temptations of wicked worldly men.

Do you remember anyone needed your care? There was a principal, he worked in "Halfway home" in Singapore, he killed himself by jumping from a tall building, some people said that, before he committed suicide, he made a phone call to a pastor, maybe it is last chance for help, but the pastor is too busy to talk to him, he killed himself. Are you too busy with our doctrines and theological argument? And we have no time to visit someone? Are you, one of your brother's keeper? Please ignore this article if you have paid the visit.

Take note: Article 4.2.1 is like a time bomb, it explodes. Use your pen to write "1300177" on a piece of paper, , what it looks like? BOOM...run, run, run...