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

UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL “These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.” -John 12:16 [KJV] When the Lord is pleased to glorify and reveal Himself to us and in us, in the way of mercy and grace, then He also gives us an understanding of the gospel of Christ (I John 5:20) . Consider these four things: When we see the glory of His electing grace (Ephesians 1:3-6) , then He gives us an understanding, that had Christ not chosen us we never would have believed and loved Him (II Thessalonians 2:13) . When we see the glory of His atonement for our sin, how complete, how eternal, how full and how powerful it is, that our sin is put away forever (Hebrews 9:26 & 10:14-17) , then He gives us an understanding to see and know the  absolute necessity for Christ to put away our sin (I John 1:7) and how  futile ...

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”  -Romans 5:21 KJV The fact that no part of our salvation is by our works but only by the grace of God through Christ does not make godliness and obedience an option for us.  Grace does not give believers the choice as to whether or not to obey the Lord. Grace that reigns through the righteousness of Christ imputed to us is the power that gives us spiritual life and faith, and the greatest motivator of obedience.  Realizing that our obedience to Christ and our struggles against the flesh do not  save us, make us righteous, nor secure us for glory, they do  express our love and gratitude to God for all the gifts of His grace freely given to us through Christ.   “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”   -I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV   -preacher Bill Parker of Ea...

“ The sovereignty of God is the stumbling block on which thousands fall an perish; and if we go contending with God about His sovereignty it will be our eternal ruin.   It is absolutely necessary that we should submit to God as an absolute sovereign, and the sovereign of our souls; as One who may have mercy on whom He will have mercy and harden whom He will .”  -preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758 A.D.)   OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST!  Oh, what a Saviour is ours! The Almighty God; yet the tender Man. One who is as far above us in His original nature and present glory as the heavens are above the earth; yet One who can be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.”   -Hebrews 4:15 One who is the Creator of the universe; yet One who became man, lived His life on the same plane ours is lived, passed through the same trials we experience, and suffered not only as we do, but far more acutely .  How well-fitted is such a One to be our Great High Priest! How self-su...

God reveals His glory to His people in His Word through the glorious Person and finished work of Christ – “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” ( II Cor inthians 4:6) .  To glorify God is to be the motivation and goal of our whole lives as sinners saved by grace in and by the Lord Jesus Christ – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” ( I Cor inthians 10:31) .  To glorify God is to be the motivation and goal of our worship – “I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore” (Psalm 86:12) .   To glorify God is to be the motivation and goal of our witness to the world – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt hew 5:16) . Our very existence as justif...

"...whose names are in the book of life." -Philippians 4:3 [KJV] How did the apostle know that? Had he seen the book of life, when caught up to the third heavens? No: but he very plainly and evidently saw, the work of God’s Spirit upon these persons’ souls, by their fruits of faith, and labours of love, to the glory of the Lord Jesus. Hence, he speaks so confidently of them. This furnishes us with these glorious truths.  (1st.) That the names of all God’s chosen people are registered in the book of life, called the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27.) This implies the eternal love of God to them, His choice of them, personal knowledge of each of them, value for them, care over them, and their certain enjoyment of Him in heaven and glory. For, Says the LORD of hosts, "They shall be Mine in that day when I make up My jewels.” (Malachi 3:17.)   But may not the name of a believer in Christ be blotted out of this book of life, and he suffered to perish? No; s...

"Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." -Genesis 22:12 [KJV] My soul, ponder these words. By whom were they spoken? It is said by the angel of the Lord; probably the messenger of the covenant; He, who in the fulness of time, was to make known, face to face, to all Abraham's seed, the whole revelation of Jehovah concerning redemption. It was a critical moment in Abraham's life, and a trying moment to his faith. It is said, "Now I know." Did not the Lord know before? Oh yes; but He that gave Abraham the faith, now afforded an opportunity for the exercise of it. My soul, how blessed is it to remark, that the largest gifts of grace are dispensed, when there is the largest occasion for them. "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." And, my soul, do not forget to remark also, that our Isaacs, our children, our earthly comforts, are most likely to be continued to us, when the Lord ...

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."   -Colossians 3:4 [KJV] If Christ be your life upon earth; if you have a living faith in His divine Majesty; if any drops of His love have ever bedewed your soul; if any sweet smile has ever comforted your heart, the apostle would say to all such, "When Christ, who is your life, shall appear with all His saints, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."   No longer pestered by sin and Satan, no longer carrying about a weak, infirm tabernacle, the seat of innumerable evils and maladies, but endued with a soul pure as He is pure, and a spiritual body capable of enjoying the bliss and blessedness of eternity, "then shall ye appear," ye suffering saints, who have set your affections on Him whom ye have not seen, and yet in whom ye believe, "then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."   And is not this worth struggling for? Is not this a bless...