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

" Nothing is so well fitted to put the fear of God--which will preserve men from offending Him--into the heart, as an enlightened view of the cross of Christ. There shine spotless holiness, inflexible justice, incomprehensible wisdom, magnificent grace, omnipotent power, and holy love.  None of these excellencies darken or eclipse the other, but every one of them rather gives a lustre to the rest. They mingle their beams, and shine with united eternal splendour: the just Judge, the merciful Father, the wise Governor. Nowhere does justice appear so awful, mercy so amiable, or wisdom so profound."   -Jerry Bridges , 19th century Scottish pastor and theologian

" Believe in the L ORD your God, so shall ye be established: believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." -II Chronicles 20:20 [KJV] Such was the advice of good old Jehosaphat, in a time of invasion by a powerful army. Precious words! at all times seasonable. What can a child of God desire on this side glory, so much as establishment of mind and prosperity of soul? Both are obtained by faith. As the mind is established, so the soul prospers.  (1st.) What is implied in being established? It is to be fixed and settled in the confidence of our mind, and not to halt between two opinions, as those of old did, between God and an idol (I Kings 18:21.) To halt, is to be lame on both sides. Thus, their minds were in suspense, agitated between two objects, and not steadily fixed upon either. So many sincere souls are tossed to and fro, by every wind of doctrine. They are like children, not steadily fixed in their judgment, nor settled in their confidence in the Lord: ye...

"The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." -Revelation 19:7, 8 [KJV] Behold, my soul, behold that day, that glorious day, in which redemption is to be consummated, and in the kingdom of heaven; when the Son of God brings home His bride, the church, the full celebration of God's glory in the happiness of the redeemed in Jesus, everlasting joy will burst forth. See how thy nature is then to be adorned. The whole body, the church, is then to be arrayed in the robes of Jesus' righteousness, having been washed from all their sins in His blood .  And these nuptial ornaments are to be granted or given to the church; for she hath no righteousness of her own; but as all along in this world she had professed, so there in the upper world she triumphantly sings, "I will greatly rejoice in the L ORD...

"The God of all grace." -I Peter 5:10 [KJV] All we have and are, everything we know and feel, comes from "the God of all grace." We have nothing spiritually good in ourselves; all therefore that we have is the free gift of His hand, and comes from the ever-flowing Fountain of mercy and truth. It will be our mercy, then, as the Lord may enable us, to be ever looking to Him, not looking to books, not looking to ministers; these are only instruments, and in themselves but poor instruments. The soul must look through all and above all to "the God of all grace." The Lord enable you to examine every truth as it is brought before you by the light of God's Spirit in your heart, to "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." And however deeply you may feel the vileness of your heart, remember this, there is "the God of all grace" to go to. If you feel yourself the vilest of sinners, He suits you the more as "t...