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

"...lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the LORD reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me . Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. “Thou vauntest thyself against the LORD.”  Thou ar...

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."   -I Peter 5:7 [KJV] Yes, blessed Jesus, I would cast all upon Thee: sins, sorrows, trials, temptations. Thou art the Almighty Burden-bearer of Thy people; for the Lord Jehovah hath laid on Thee the iniquity of us all. And as Thou bearest all our sins, so Thou carriest all our sorrows. And dost Thou not bear all the persons of Thy redeemed? Dost Thou not bear all our troubles, all our exercises, all our temptations, trials, difficulties? The government is upon Thy shoulder; the care of the churches is all with Thee.  And shall I not cast all my care upon Thee? Shall I be careful for many things, while Jesus saith, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee?"  Oh for grace to sit loose to all things, and to leave all things with Thee. Lord, do Thou bear me up when I am falling, support me when weak, uphold me against all mine enemies, carry me safe through a life of grace here—an...

"And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."   -I Corinthians 3:23 [KJV] "Christ is God's."  These are remarkable words, and need to be carefully and reverently opened up. The fulness of the mystery is beyond our grasp. Still, we may attempt to look at it in faith and godly fear. How, then, is Christ God's? First, He is God's Son—not a Son by covenant or by office; in other words, not a nominal, but a true and proper Son—a Son by nature, by His eternal mode of subsistence as a Person in the Godhead. "This is My beloved Son"  was twice proclaimed by God the Father with an audible voice from heaven.  Second, but He is also God's servant. "Behold My servant whom I uphold" (Isaiah 42:1) . "It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob" (Isaiah 49:6) , and this He was as Messiah. But because He is by office God's servant, He is not less by nature God's Son. He...