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

“Search me, O God: reveal me to myself.  If I am deceived undeceive me ere it be eternally too late.  Enable me to measure myself faithfully by Thy Word, so that I may discover whether or no my heart has been renewed, whether I have abandoned every course of self-will and truly surrendered to Thee; whether I have so repented that I hate all sin, and fervently long to be free from its power, loathe myself and seek diligently to deny myself; whether my faith is that which overcomes the world (I John 5:4) , or whether it be only a mere notional thing which produces no godly living; whether I am a fruitful branch of the vine, or only a * cumberer of the ground; in short, whether I be a new creature in Christ, or only a painted hypocrite." -preacher Arthur W. Pink, Exposition of Hebrews , pg. 605 * https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Cumbrous

" Strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." -Hebrews 5:14 [KJV] It is almost impossible for any who are called to minister in holy things, or who write about the truths of God, to please every one. Babes, who are unskillful in the word of righteousness, can only like milk. They cry out against strong meat, it offends their stomach.  But such should consider, (1st.) That they are not always to continue babes, to feed upon infant nutriment. The tender mother tries her infant, again and again, with meat, though its stomach heaves against it, and it has not the art to swallow it. So they must learn to eat strong meat, that they may grow thereby.  (2d.) God’s children are not all of equal age, therefore strong meat is as necessary for adult men, as milk is for babes; those of full age, or perfect. Not so, compared with the perfect law of God. There is no one upon e...

"Nevertheless, I am continually with Thee." -Psalm 73:23 [KJV] Yes, my soul, and well it is for thee that it is so; there is a nevertheless in the precious redemption by Jesus, which secures thee, amidst all thy languishing seasons, when to thy view it sometimes appears as though the Lord had forgotten to be gracious, and had shut up His loving-kindness in displeasure. And whence this security but in Jesus, and the covenant engagements of God thy Father in Him? The everlasting worth and efficacy of the Redeemer's righteousness and death, are the same amidst all the changeable circumstances of His people's warfare. By the expression of being continually with Jesus, is meant, no doubt, that union with His person, as the sinner's Surety, which gives security and firmness to the everlasting state and happiness of His redeemed. And it is this which constitutes, not only the safety of His people now, but the happiness of His people for ever. Heaven itself,...

"For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." -Romans 7:9 [KJV] The apostle describes in his own case how men are affected toward the law before it enters as a condemning sentence into their heart. "I was alive without the law once." The law was hanging over him as a condemning sentence, as a minister of death, as a messenger of wrath, as a consuming fire, but he felt it not. As with a thunderstorm in the remote distance, he might hear the low mutterings of the thunder which once rolled over Sinai's fiery mount, or might see from far the play of those lightnings which scorched its top.  But at present the storm was in the distance. He went about without thinking, or feeling, or fearing, or caring whether the law was his friend or enemy. In fact he rather viewed it as his friend, for he was using it as a friendly help to build up his own righteousness. He had gone to it, but it had not come to him; he...

The Gospel Believer, Part I   by D.G. Miles McKee   Christ Is All and In All— Colossians 3:11. The Gospel believer holds that Jesus is the sum and substance of our wonderful gospel!    In the Gospel, we are presented with the Lord Jesus Christ, the God/Man. The Gospel declares the wonderful facts of His incarnation and impeccable life. These indeed are wonderful truths, but they are not the sum total of our Gospel. There is much more! By the way, if the Gospel stopped with the incarnation and sinless life of Christ then no one would ever have been saved! That God came to earth as a genuine, sinless human being is a precious Gospel truth, but it is not the entirety of the good news!  The incarnation in and of itself saves no one! The incarnation, however, is the beginning of the good news; it is the Alpha, but not the Omega.   The Gospel in its fullness tells us more. Yes indeed, it tells us that Christ was born and lived sinlessly, but it goes...