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

"Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone."   - Galatians 6:4 [KJV] “A day is coming, when the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. ”   -I Corinthians 3:13      O how much wood of pride, hay of self-love, and stubble of self-complacency, will then be burnt up; Yea, and it will be entirely owing to the rich grace, and finished salvation of Jesus (not for any work of ours), that our souls too, are not in that day cast into unquenchable fire.  Why then does the apostle bid us prove our own work? That we may be joyful? Alas! says the convinced humble sinner, I have not a work that I dare look at, but instead of giving me joy, it occasions sorrow. “God be merciful to me a sinner.”  Lord be gracious to me, an unprofitable servant. Is this the confession of thy heart? Prove it by the word of God. Thou wilt find it agreeable thereto. Rejoice in thyself for it.  Give glory to Him, ...

"Thou shalt weep no more; He will be very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee." -Isaiah 30:19 [KJV] Listen to this, my soul. Ponder over every precious word in it. Are not all tears dried from thine eyes, when beholding that complete salvation in which thou art interested in Christ Jesus? Believers are commanded to sorrow no more, as others without hope. And doth Jesus indeed wait to be gracious, nay, very gracious?  Is it possible to consider that He, who hath all power in heaven and in earth, waits upon a poor worm of the dust, and this in order to be gracious? Come then, my soul, unto the mercy-seat. Do thou wait for Him, who thus waits for thee. And as soon as thy Lord hath heard, and answered one prayer, do thou follow it up with another. Remember that He waits to be gracious; and Jesus is glorified, in giving out of His fulness to supply the wants of His people. And what petitions, my soul, hast thou now...

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." -Philippians 4:6  [KJV] What a word this is! "Everything!" You are privileged, saint of God, to go to the throne of God with everything. What, with every little occurrence? Yes. What, with things that people call trifles? Yes. With your daily concerns? Yes. If you feel that there is a God who can hear you, it is your privilege to go to Him in everything. All things are comprehended; nothing is excluded. In everything, and that by prayer and supplication. Sometimes we pray, sometimes we supplicate. Prayer is something more gentle than supplication, less earnest, less fervent, less powerful; yet not less effectual. I have sometimes compared prayer and supplication to two things in nature. The one to a river—a stream, such as we see in our low country that flows with gentle course to the sea; the other to the torrents found i...