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

“Trust in Him at all time; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.  Selah.” -Psalm 62:8 [KJV]        Child of God, come to the throne of grace and let your innermost thoughts and feelings be poured out like water before the secret presence of the Lord.  Hold nothing back, for nothing is hidden from His eyes.  Turn the vessel of your soul upside down and let your private thoughts, desires, sorrows and sins gush out before Him.  Never think that prayer must wait until you are more spiritual.     Feelings of spirituality are dangerous for in reality, they are feelings of self-righteousness.  In and of ourselves we are never more than sinners needing the blood and righteousness of Christ.   “In my flesh dwelleth no good thing”   (Romans 7:18) .     What warrant then, and what worthiness do we have to draw near so holy a Being?  Our warrant for coming is that H...

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." -John 14:26 [KJV] Oh blessed Spirit, to whom I owe such unspeakable mercies, let me, Lord, contemplate Thee this day under this gracious, kind, compassionate office of the Comforter. Thou art indeed the Holy Ghost the Comforter. And how mercifully dost Thou sympathize with all the followers of Jesus in their various afflictions, both of soul and body. How tenderly doth thou shew us our sins, and lead to Jesus' blood to wash them away. How sweetly dost Thou visit, encourage, strengthen, instruct, lead, and guide, into all truth. And how powerfully at times, by Thy restraining grace, dost Thou enable us to mortify the deeds of the body, that we may live. Hail, Thou holy, blessed, almighty Comforter! Oh let Thy visits be continual. Come, Lord, and abide with me, and be with me for ever. ...

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."   -I Corinthians 6:11 [KJV] Justification and sanctification are distinct blessings. The first springs out of, and is connected with, the finished work of the Son of God; the other springs out of, and is connected with, the work of the Holy Ghost on the soul. Sin has defiled our persons externally, as well as polluted our souls internally.  We cannot, therefore, stand before God unless washed in the blood of the Lamb, and clothed in His spotless righteousness. This righteousness forms our title to heaven, as holiness constitutes our meetness. The former is our wedding robe, the latter our spiritual qualification. The hymn well draws this distinction: "'Tis He adorn'd my naked soul, And made salvation mine; Upon a poor, polluted worm He makes His graces shine. And, lest the shadow of a spot Should on my soul be fo...