"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

 Jesus, the Effective Mediator! by D.G. Miles McKee   “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” -I Timothy 2:5 [KJV]   If Jesus is to be considered an effective mediator, there are certain things He must be able to do.  First, He must be able to reach down to the lowest of the low and the worst of the worst.   Why?   Simply this. If we are stuck on the top of a building and use a ladder to try to climb down, the ladder is of no use if it doesn’t go all the way to the bottom.  Spiritually speaking, that’s what Jesus did. He came all the way down.  He reached the lowest of the low.  In gospel terms that means there is no sin so terrible that the blood of Christ cannot reach and take away. Nothing you have done is too powerful for the blood to forgive.  Indeed, a mediator who could not save the worst of sinners is no mediator at all.   What kind of mediator do we need? We need a mediator who has taken away all our sins.  Only Jesus has

" Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me, a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury, yet every one of them doth curse me." — Jeremiah 15:10 [KJV] It is sweet consolation to new-born souls to know the state they are come to. Verily, saith Paul, "unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, and unto the heavenly Jerusalem." — Hebrews 12:22 . Even to all the glorious privileges of Jesus' church and kingdom, of love, grace and peace. The utmost stretch of thought comes infinitely short of our highly favored state. See also the blessed company you are come to, "an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling." vss. 23, 24 .

" By grace ye are saved." —Ephesians 2:5 [KJV] O thou man of God, "let not this truth forsake thee; bind it about thy neck, write it upon the table of thine heart; it shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." — Proverbs 3:3, 8 . In the faith of this, thou wilt live in love and gratitude to God, in cheerful obedience to His sovereign will, and in confident hope and earnest expectation of eternal glory. While thou wilt be daily dying to every carnal hope and legal confidence, by the atonement and righteousness of Jesus, His grace will be all thy plea, all thy hope, and all thy glorying. Hereby thou wilt be kept humble, and walk safely. That "the foot of pride prevail not against thee," is a happy part of this glorious salvation, so as to submit to receive it as entirely of grace, free favor, unconditional election, unmerited love, "according to the good pleasure of the will of God the Father." — Ephesians 1:5 . It is SOV

" In the L ORD have I righteousness and strength." — Isaiah 45:24 [KJV] To trust in our own righteousness, and to glory in our own strength, is natural to us all. But when a poor sinner "knows himself, even as he is known of the Lord," he thinks otherwise. When he becomes a follower of the Lamb, he learns the language of Canaan, and says, "I have no confidence in the flesh." I subscribe with my whole heart to this confession of faith, "In the L ORD have I righteousness and strength." That the Lord Jehovah is a God of righteousness, and that He is almighty in strength, who will dare deny? But by faith we speak the most comfortable knowledge of covenant grace: I, a poor sinner, who am without strength, destitute of righteousness in myself, have both strength and righteousness in Jehovah . What I am, a sinner by nature and practice, that Jesus became by imputation. What Jesus is in His nature, and by His life, perfectly RIGHTEOUS,

" These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." — 1 John 5:13 [KJV] Little Benjamin was as dear to his father Jacob as his elder brethren. The child Samuel was as truly a priest to the Lord as old Eli. So the feeblest lamb in the flock of Jesus, though ever so weak in faith and knowledge, yet is equally dear to the Father as the strongest believer—loved with the same everlasting love—alike interested in the salvation of Jesus— and as certainly an heir of eternal life. Many weak children are ready to own this; but they doubt in their minds, and suspect in their hearts, not happily knowing, nor being comfortably assured of their own interest in the salvation of Jesus. There were such in the apostle's days; therefore the Comforter inspires the beloved John to write to them. He condescends to their weakness of knowledge and co

Most important Gospel sermon: please forward to everyone you know. The Time is Short, dear friends. " Entering into the Kingdom of Heaven ," (parts I & II) re: the warning message of our LORD JESUS Christ in Matthew ch. 7, vss. 21-23 [KJV]. Bottom Line? trust Christ JESUS alone for your salvation; by His shed blood that's washed our sins away and that He has clothed us with the garments of Salvation: robed in His perfect robe of pure, eternal righteousness! Sent with love. The LORD JESUS be magnified!  Sermon Audio link: https://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakerWithinSource=&subsetCat=&subsetItem=&mediatype=&includekeywords=&exactverse=&keyword=Jim_Byrd&keyworddesc=Jim+Byrd&currsection=&AudioOnly=false&SpeakerOnly=true&keywordwithin=Entering++the+kingdom+of+heaven&x=2&y=6  

" I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, such an one caught up to the third heaven." — II Corinthians 12:2 [KJV] Visions, manifestations, raptures and ecstacies of soul, though even from God Himself, (which there is every good reason to suspect, unless they sink the soul in humility, and excite such love to Jesus as is founded in knowledge and productive of obedience), are not to be gloried of. St. Paul says, it is not expedient for ME to glory. I know the danger, I fear the evil of it; from the pride and treachery of my nature. It tends to exalt one above measure; and to make others think more highly of one than they ought to think. Therefore, on these accounts glorying of these things is to be avoided. Indeed the cause of truth may require it, and the glory of God may be promoted by it. Though on these accounts it may be expedient to glory; yet it is not expedient for the Christian's own sake to do it. So Paul declared. Yet he did glory; for necess

  God’s Blood by preacher D.G. Miles McKee   “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28.   Since when we must ask, does God have blood?  Surely God is a Spirit and a Spirit does not have blood?  Exactly right! But that does not mean God does not have blood.  Jesus Christ, the man, had blood which blood is expressly called ‘God’s blood’ proving once more that Jesus is God.    Let me say the same thing another way: since this scripture plainly tells us that God purchased the Church with His own blood and we know that it was Christ Jesus who shed His blood for the purchase, then we must conclude once more that Jesus Christ is God.   To know that He who hung upon the cross was our Lord and God must surely move us to a life of dedication to His plans and purposes. It is this knowledge that has motivated countless numbers of

" The L ORD God is a sun and shield: the L ORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." —Psalm 84:11 [KJV] Vulgar minds have but very contracted ideas of the magnitude of that glorious luminary, the sun. The most knowing of the children of men, form but very inadequate notions of the nature and properties of that grand source of light and heat. We daily see his power and feel his influence. This he incessantly sheds upon the whole creation FREELY. How vain and arrogant would he be deemed, who should pretend he could procure the cheering light and comforting warmth of the sun! Dwells there, in the breast of man, a thought, that he can procure the light of grace; or by his doings entitle himself to the comforts of salvation from Jehovah? Yes: so vain, so arrogant is that vile worm, that weak creature, proud, fallen man. By sin how stript of all but shame! by pride, he "opposeth and exalteth himself above all

"Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me." — Psalm 55:5 [KJV] Such was the mournful complaint of David; yea of Jesus too, the root and offspring of David. "Lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon Abraham the father of the faithful." — Genesis 15:12 . So the Lord suffers His dearest children to be distressed; yet it is their privilege, and they are again and again exhorted to "rejoice in the Lord alway." — Philippians 4:4. Under such frames, let not disciples entertain hard thoughts of the God of love; but ever remember they are heightened by our adversary. Least of all should humble followers of the Lamb judge themselves not to be true converts, because they have not experienced such dreadful terrors of hell and damnation in their conscience, as some talk of. It is an unscriptural notion; the word of God lays down no such rule, that the soul must be under such deep convictions of horror, must be as it were

" But He giveth more grace." —James 4:6 [KJV] It is a sure mark that the true grace of God, by Jesus Christ, is conceived in the heart, when the cry of the soul is for more grace. Thus there is a harmony between the Father's promises and the children's wants. God giveth more grace: I daily need more, saith the sensible soul. "He that drinketh of the water of life, saith Jesus, shall never thirst again:" he shall never thirst after any other fountain; he shall seek to no other spring but ME. There is no grace, favor or good will from God to sinners, but what is by Jesus, through Him, in Him, and communicated from Him. Here is the believer's mercy; he has not a stock of grace stored up in his own heart to live upon, which may be expended, and he is at last lost for want of more. No. But all the kindness and love of God towards him is treasured up in Jesus. Here is the humility of believers; they come, like Joseph's brethren, to Jesus, W

" My son, give Me thine heart." — Proverbs 23:26 [KJV] Many are the competitors for the heart of man. Though our dear Father and best Friend, lovingly calls for the free-will offering of this precious jewel, yet we are foolishly inclined to give it to our worst enemies. This pleasing world, with all its gay scenes of happiness and joy, attracts our affections, enchants our minds, and bewitches our senses; so that we love it dearly, devote our hearts to it cheerfully, and dread the very thoughts of leaving it greatly. "Thou shalt have no other gods but Me , " saith Jehovah. We own the duty, and decry the wickedness of worshipping an idol; though all the while we are serving the god of this world: he blinds our eyes, and we see it not. The grace of God, though sovereign in its operations, yet acts not by force and compulsion as upon mere machines, destroying the will, and dragging men to heaven by the hair of the head, as some in contempt please to ass

" Behold, the L ORD God will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him." — Isaiah 40:10 [KJV] What was foretold in prophesy, is fulfilled in the faith and experience of saints. Here are two notes of attention. "Behold ; " it highly concerns thee. Take special notice. When the Lord God, our Immanuel Jesus, came to His temple, He found the beautiful building in sad disorder; His spiritual worship lost; and "His house of prayer turned into a den of thieves." Behold, with a strong hand and stretched-out arm, with no weapon, but an insignificant scourge of small cords, He drove the multitude from the temple. Amazing miracle!  The meek Lamb is also "the lion of the tribe of Judah." So He came not only with a strong hand, but against the strong, as some render it. So, behold, He comes to take possession of the temple of His people's hearts. This temple He finds

" If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." — Exodus 33:15 [KJV] Happy for us if this was our address to the Lord under every enterprise; how many distresses and difficulties should we avoid! how much more peaceful and comfortable should we be in our journey through life! It is a blessed thing to have an especial eye to God's presence, as well as to His providence. The Lord may permit His children to succeed in their schemes and undertakings in the course of His providence, when He doth not accompany their souls with His favor and presence. Yea, believer, canst thou not see in many of thy ways wherein thou hast been permitted to go, that they have proved the very means of losing the sweet sense of thy Lord's presence? whatever outward profit or pleasure thou hast gained, verily thou must confess to have sustained an inward loss. How doth it behove every disciple of Jesus to "consider his ways!" It is thy wisdom daily to reflect, w

Bruising Satan’s Head by D.G. Miles McKee Since the first word of the gospel is ‘CHRIST’ (see 1 Corinthians 15:3) it is of no surprise to discover that the first prophecy of the Bible was one concerning Him.  We discover this prophecy in Genesis 3:15 where the Lord says,   'And I will put enmity between thee ( the Serpent ) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy (the serpent's) head, and thou shall bruise his heel.'   Notice how, according to this prophecy, the seed of the woman and not the combined seed of the woman and the man is to bruise Satan.  This is striking because, in Scripture, we usually read of the seed of the man.   We read, for example, of, “the seed of Aaron” (Leviticus 21:21), not the seed of Aaron and his wife. We read of "the seed of Abraham" (Isaiah 41:8), not the seed of Abraham and Sarah. We discover, "the seed of David" (Romans 1:3), not the seed of David and Bathsh

" The liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things he shall stand (or be established) ." — Isaiah 32:8 [KJV] We all naturally act from selfish principles, and with mercenary views, because we are under the legal covenant, "Do this and live." Hence saith one, 'If doing righteousness and performing good works will not justify and save me, as good sit still and do nothing, no matter how wicked I am.' Saith another, 'To be sure, we are justified by faith only, but then I must fulfil the terms and conditions of the gospel, for my holiness and obedience secures my salvation.' Such poor creatures reason carnally; their principles are only selfish, their views are mercenary. God is not served at all, but pride and self are at the bottom of all they do; to establish a righteousness of their own is their chief aim. The glory of God is not sought; His grace is overlooked; Jesus is depreciated in His work and office, as though all His to

"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." — Hebrews 13:12 [KJV] Sin viewed in the glass of God's holy law, fills the soul with terror, works wrath in the conscience, and leaves the sinner under the curse without hope: but while the infinitely precious sacrifice of Jesus is beheld, sin appears exceeding sinful; the sinner is truly humbled, sin is loathed, Christ is cleaved to, and hope springs up in the sin-distressed conscience. In the tabernacle of old, as there were no windows in it, a lamp was to burn always, that the house of God might not at any time be in darkness: this the Lord ordained unto the children of Israel— Exodus 27:21 . As the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth, we see Jesus, Who is the altar, the Sacrifice, and the Priest, by and through Whom we are sanctified. This truth is to be kept daily burning bright in the lamp of faith, in the temple of the heart. The man J

" My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken Thou me according to Thy word." —Psalm 119:25 [KJV] One would dread that state most of all others, which St. Paul describes, "being past feeling." — Ephesians 4:19 . True, there is this alleviation, such are insensible of their deplorable condition. But if the great trumpet of the gospel awakes not the soul in this life to spiritual sense and feeling, verily the loud archangel's trumpet will awaken it to hear its awful sentence and feel its dreadful doom in the last day. O what a miracle of grace to be quickened, to know one's misery, to feel one's wants, to believe the remedy, and cry for relief! This blessed work is not of the will of the flesh. No man can quicken his own soul; it is the sovereign work of almighty power; it is equally ascribed to the loving Father, the redeeming Son, and the sanctifying Spirit— John 5:21 and 6:63 —therefore gracious souls give all the glory to the ever-blessed Trin