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

" He will guide you into all truth." — John 16:13 [KJV] Our Lord here gives His disciples a farther exhibition of the covenant of grace, and a fuller display of the grace of the covenant. Here is a full proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit, and also of His sovereignty in His operations and influences upon His members. Christ did not tell His apostles, as some ignorantly talk, "If ye will but be yielding and tractable, and suffer My Spirit to lead you, ye shall enjoy His kind assistance." No: this were to degrade the glory of this divine agent, to exalt the pride of the creature, and render the gracious guidance of the Spirit dependent upon the will of the flesh . As though instead of being the cause of life, He was to be only a mere auxiliary to aid and assist man's pious motions and good dispositions. Far be such thoughts from our hearts. All glory to this heavenly paraclete, "He will work, and who shall let Him?"   He WILL GUIDE

"The L ORD is in His holy temple: Let all the earth keep silence before Him." — Habakkuk 2:20 [KJV] What God's people of old were favored with in type and figure, we now enjoy in reality and substance. The temple of old was an eminent type of the body of Jesus. In it Jehovah made His presence known. Here troubled consciences sought relief. The mercy-seat was set up for poor sinners to approach to. Here Jehovah was consulted. From hence He spoke in grace and love to His people, and silenced every guilty fear. Thus God was in His holy temple: thus God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Was this ministration glorious in the eyes of spiritual worshippers? How doth ours exceed in glory! The fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Jesus. This is the temple in which God delights to dwell. Hence grace is dispensed, peace communicated, mercy bestowed, life and salvation freely given. Here, Christian, believe and adore; behold and wonder; look and admire;

" Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life; and few there be that find it." —Matthew 7:14 [KJV] So Jesus taught. But teachers in every age have taught a broad way and wide gate. The greatest part of professors have readily received their doctrine. This is a melancholy truth. Therefore Jesus adds, "Beware of false prophets." It is the sole prerogative of the King of saints to open a gate and make a way to His own kingdom. Glory to our God, who in sovereign grace and everlasting love hath done this. The gospel proclaims, FREE WELCOME: COME WHO WILL: ENTER FREELY, WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE.  Jesus is the strait gate of God's love, the only gate of righteousness: by Him we enter with access to God, stand perfectly justified and graciously accepted before Him. Jesus is the narrow way. By the blood of His cross He hath made peace, atoned for the sins of transgressors by one offering. Hence called strait and narrow, because the only way

  Justice v Love by D.G. Miles McKee   “ For God hath made Him ( Jesus ) to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” -II Corinthians 5:21 [KJV]   God is Love, but He is also Just.  In His Justice, God demanded the death penalty for those who had sinned (Romans 6:23). But, at the same time that Justice called for the death penalty, Love called for Mercy. Now, here’s the problem, Mercy cannot be granted at the expense of Justice.  He who sits upon the Throne is "the high and lofty One, that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy." (Isaiah 57:15). The Holy God must ruthlessly punish sin because He is Just.   Now here is a divine fact that can’t happen in a human courtroom.  A man comes in to stand before the Judge. He is a lawbreaker. He is guilty; therefore, he must pay. But God takes this person’s sin and charges it to someone else and that other person has no sin of his own.  This is good news, (especially for the gu

"And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night to Him, though He bear long with them?" — Luke 18:7 [KJV] This question implies the strongest assertion. Thus our Lord concludes a parable He had delivered to this end, "that men ought always to pray and not to faint." Our Saviour well knew how ready His disciples' hands are to hang down and their hearts to grow languid and faint, so as to be remiss in this duty. Therefore His loving heart would stir up and encourage them to a constant perseverance in prayer; assuring them that God's ears are ever open to their cry, and His omnipotent arm would most certainly avenge the enemies of His own elect, and surely deliver them from all their troubles. Hath the Lord loved His people with an everlasting love? hath He chosen them in Christ Jesus from before the foundation of the world? hath He given them the precious faith of His own elect, and the cry of His children, Abba, Father? and sha

" And now, little children, abide in Him; that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." — 1 John 2:28 [KJV] 'A burnt child dreads the fire:' so a soul who has fallen into any snare of the enemy, when rescued by grace, fears the same evil and wisely cautions his brethren against it. I fell, do you beware. So it was even with the beloved disciple John. He did not abide by Jesus in the day of trial; but, with the rest of His disciples, forsook Him and fled. But who can tell the sorrow of his heart? who can paint the distress of his mind and the shame of his face, when Jesus appeared to them, and John said, "It is the Lord?" — John 21:7 . And is Jesus gone but for a season? will He assuredly come again and take all His little children home? and do we expect His appearance? do we believe we shall shortly see Him in the glory of His Father and of His holy angels? What constancy and courage should t

" When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the L ORD : and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple." — Jonah 2:7 [KJV] In the prophet Jonah's conduct we have a true picture of human nature, in its strong opposition to the power and grace of God. Though Jesus clothes His saints with righteousness, and the Spirit sanctifies and renews them in the spirit of their minds; yet pride, obstinacy, and self-will still dwell in their corrupt, fallen nature. The Spirit of truth and wisdom hath discovered the vile sins of His eminent prophets and faithful people, as well as their holy graces. This proves as a touchstone to us, to try whether we have received the true grace of God in our hearts. A regenerate soul will never draw any encouragement to indulge himself in sin and rebellion against God, because he reads of David's complicated sins of murder and adultery; of Jonah's fleeing from, and provoking behaviour to God; or of Peter's sad deni

" In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul ." — Psalm 94:19 [KJV] Vain thoughts and carnal reasonings, like impertinent visitors, often intrude upon the Christian's mind. In this depraved state it cannot be otherwise. Though born again of the Spirit, and our minds renewed by grace; still our old friends, our present foes, the world, the flesh, and the devil, will furnish us with various exercises, from troublesome thoughts. That they do cause grief, are prayed against, and resisted, is a blessed evidence of a regenerate soul; which is also fed, delighted, and comforted with the spiritual truths, of God's gracious word. There are frequent seasons when God's dear children are exercised with distressing, gloomy thoughts. Afflictions are painful and grievous to the flesh; then how naturally do these murmuring and repining thoughts arise? "Are these the tokens of God's love? how can I who am thus visited with such s

" And the counsel of peace shall be between them both." — Zechariah 6:13 [KJV] With what rapture and ecstasy of soul the good old patriarch Israel heard of his son Joseph? Not only alive, but also governor of the land of Egypt. "IT IS ENOUGH," said he. As though he could enjoy no more. How then ought the hearts of poor sinners to be filled with joy, and fired with transport to hear that their Friend and Brother, Jesus, lives for evermore; that "the government is upon His shoulders:" that He is their King and their Priest upon His throne: that the counsel of peace is established, fixed and unalterably established, between the Father and Him on their account!   Surely if we believe this, as verily as Jacob believed the report concerning his son, we shall also cry out with him, IT IS ENOUGH, perfectly sufficient. More joyful news cannot be heard. More comfortable truth cannot be believed. Fuller evidence cannot be desired. Stronger proofs canno

" Which is not another (- gospel ) , but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ." — Galatians 1:7 [KJV] Trouble us indeed! it is our wisdom to hear preaching with an attentive mind, a humble heart, and a godly jealousy over what is spoken. The sweet sound of the gospel is joy to the heart, and as marrow and fatness to the soul; for it proclaims nothing but good news or glad tidings. This is its name: its nature and properties perfectly agree therewith. Hence it is called,— Acts 20:24 , The gospel of the grace of God; or good news of His free favor. And Ephesians 1:13 , "The gospel of salvation; or glad tidings of salvation by Christ only." It was the wisdom of Adam to distinguish and give a proper name to every creature of God. Every Christian should imitate him in knowledge, to distinguish the law from the gospel, and to call each by its proper name. For when the law of works and gospel of grace are blended together, it p

"God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." — Acts 10:34, 35 [KJV] It is a common, artful device of the adversary to insinuate, "one part of scripture opposes and contradicts another." Hereby he aims to distress the minds, weaken the confidence of disciples, and to render the doctrines of grace of no esteem. The unlearned and unstable in the truths of free grace salvation, "wrest this, as they do also other texts of scripture, to their own destruction." It was farthest from St. Peter to make this declaration, to subvert the fundamental truths of the gospel, and the one only way of salvation taught by himself; namely, by "election, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." — 1 Peter 1:2 . But he now perceived of a truth that this blessing came eq

" Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel the Saviour." — Isaiah 45:15 [KJV] Mourning under a sense of sin, and complaining of inbred corruptions, are consistent with faith in Jesus, and rejoicing in His salvation. Sorrowing under the painful sense of an absent God, has been the experience of saints in all ages; few, if any, have been exempt from it. And this is an evidence that they have felt His comforting presence, enjoyed the smiles of His love, and rejoiced in the light of His countenance. So the life and love of the soul is manifested. A Christian is known by his sorrows, as well as joys. He sorrows after a godly sort. But why should a God of love hide Himself from His dear children? We may say, He is a sovereign, and answer in the words of Elihu, Job 33:13 — "He giveth not account of any of His matters." But it is most sweet to say with David, "Continually let the L ORD be magnified, Who hath pleasure in the prosperity

Hello dear brethren-in-Christ JESUS, "The LORD our righteousness!" Please find enclosed the most recent Gospel broadcast #7 on the 'American Vindicta' YouTube channel. See link below. Copy & Paste this linkey to your browser to listen in. The LORD JESUS Christ be magnified for ever and ever! With love, Sinner Saved, aka 'Billy' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s2oXBhzVA&t=2024s

" Let no man beguile you of your reward." — Colossians 2:18 [KJV] There is a present reward of grace enjoyed in the hearts of the faithful, which consists in pardon of sin, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These are the rewards of Jesus' toils and sufferings for us. Since an artful and subtle serpent hath gained access to the human heart, we can never be warned too much to beware of men . Satan deceived man at the beginning by means of part of himself. He still beguiles men by man. Though the adversary cannot pluck one of Christ's sheep out of his hands, nor rob the loving Saviour of one of the precious jewels of His mediatorial crown, still we are to consider him as a restless, implacable foe, who will strive by all means to perplex and distress our souls. Has Jehovah Jesus appeared to us in the vision of faith? Hath He spoke to our trembling hearts in HIS WORD and by His Spirit, as He did to the father of the faithful? [i.e., Abraham]. &q

"... Because in him there is found some good thing toward the L ORD God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam." — I Kings 14:13 [KJV] Such was the testimony which the Lord gave by His prophet of young Abijah, the son of wicked Jeroboam. The father was branded, even to a proverb, for his abominable wickedness. Behold, the son is recorded by the Lord for his goodness: singled out from the whole house of his father, to be blessed of his God, and to come to his grave in peace. Children of grace often spring from the loins of ungodly parents. The offspring of godly parents, often appear graceless. Grace is not hereditary. Grace is the sovereign gift of God. Parents may and ought to give good instructions, but God only makes them successful. Some good thing would not have been found in young Abijah, if the Lord had not put it there. It was of the will of the Lord, or because the Lord was his Father, as his name Abijah signifies. God's covenant children, though by na

" For the L ORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake: Because it hath pleased the L ORD to make you His people ." — I Samuel 12:22 [KJV] The prophet Samuel, like the apostle Paul, "shunned not to declare all the counsel of God." — Acts 20:27 . They feared no licentious consequences from preaching the faith-establishing, soul-comforting truth of God's unchangeable love to His people. Yet Samuel encourages the people to cleave close unto the Lord, and not turn aside from following Him; assuring them, if they walked contrary to the Lord, though He would never change in His love, or cast off His people, "whom He did foreknow," yet He would change in His conduct and dealings towards them. "God will surely visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, His loving-kindness He will not utterly take away, nor suffer His faithfulness to fail." — Psalm 89:32, 33 . Like a tender

" The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." — I Peter 3:4 [KJV] Godly parents are delighted at their very hearts, if they see their dear children partakers of the grace of God. How joyful to hear those, who are part of one's self, enquire after Jesus and His salvation! Love and duty unite to constrain us to teach our little ones the knowledge of Jesus; to instruct them in the ways of the Lord. And if the spirit of grace is pleased to crown such endeavours with success, infinitely more precious is the adorning of grace to their immortal souls, than all the gaiety of dress to their perishing bodies. As we to ours, so doth the Lord rejoice over all His dear children in Christ Jesus. He takes pleasure in their dress, which is the robe of His Son's righteousness. Their ornaments, which are the graces of His Spirit, are delighting to His eyes. "He makes them all-glorious within:" He loves His own image, wh