From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part five of a series. Read part four.

Editor's Note: We live in a time when materialism has corrupted much of the church. According to Wikipedia (not the most reliable of sources, but probably trustworthy for this data), five of the world's six largest "evangelical" churches are located in Nigeria. Their six buildings, which reportedly are usually filled to capacity, can seat 385,000 people combined at one time. (The largest so-called "evangelical" church in the United States is Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, which seats a comparatively paltry 16,000.) But none of these are truly evangelical churches. All preach the false health-and-wealth "gospel" that has such great appeal in times of economic upheaval, deceiving the souls of multitudes, leaving them lost in their sins and trusting in things that cannot possibly save them.

As we continue presenting the full text of Arthur Pink's Profiting From the Word, some of which was written nearly one hundred years ago, Pink deals with this very problem from the pages of Scripture - clearly demonstrating the spiritual profit of firmer trust in God's sufficiency, and not in the things of this world. - Dr. Paul Elliott

Whatsoever or whomsoever a man most trusts in is his "god." Some trust in health, others in wealth; some in self, others in their friends. That which characterizes all the unregenerate is that they lean upon an arm of flesh. But the elect of grace have their hearts drawn from all creature supports, to rest upon the living God. God's people are the children of faith. The language of their hearts is, "O my God I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed" (Psalm 25:2). And again, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). They rely upon God to provide, protect and bless them. They look to an unseen Resource, count upon an invisible God, lean upon a hidden Arm.

True, there are times when their faith wavers, but though they fall they are not utterly cast down. Though it be not their uniform experience, yet Psalm 56:11 expresses the general state of their souls: "In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." Their earnest prayer is, "Lord increase our faith" (Luke 17:5). "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Roman 10:17). Thus, as the Scriptures are pondered, and their promises received in the mind, faith is strengthened, confidence in God is increased and assurance deepened. By this we may discover whether or not we are profiting from our study of the Bible.

Dear reader, may each of us gain courage by taking Arthur Pink's Biblical exhortations to heart in these times when, even in many churches, "men's hearts [are] failing them for fear" (Luke 21:26).

Next: The Spiritual Profit of Fuller Delight in God's Perfections

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