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

"Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me . " -I Samuel 28:15 [KJV]   A more awful speech is scarce to be found in the Bible. A more dreadful state a soul cannot be in, on this side of hell. To have potent enemies in battle array: to have the guilt of abominable sins staring one in the face: and to be sensible that the Lord is departed from one, how horrid to think of! O come here, and see the terrible effects of trifling with God, and disobeying His commands! For we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul—that God gave him another heart— that he was turned into another man—and that he prophesied (I Samuel 10:6.)     And yet, such was his dreadful conduct, as to bring upon himself such sore distress. How does he act under it? Does he humble himself, as heretofore before the Lord? No. But he adds this evil to all his abominations. He seeks to the witch of Endor: desires her to raise up S...

" And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole ." -Acts 9:34 [KJV]   My soul! look at this man, Aeneas: consider his circumstances of bodily sickness, and the long period of eight years, in which he had been bed-ridden. And when thou hast duly pondered the subject, behold the sovereignty of that all-powerful, all-prevailing name of Jesus Christ, though pronounced only by a servant, and see the blessed effects of it. And wilt thou, after such an instance, go lean under any spiritual sickness? Shall it be said that Jesus Christ cannot make thee whole? Surely, thou wouldest tremble at harbouring such a thought, even for a moment!    And if thou darest not think such hard things of Christ's ability, why shouldest thou not equally shudder at supposing thy Lord's want of inclination? Hast thou not found Him gracious in times past? And was that grace the result of thy desert? Was it not the pure effect of His own free love? And ought not past...

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come." - John 16:13 [KJV]   There are two grand lessons to be learnt in the school of Christ, and all divine teaching is comprehended and summed up in them. One is, to learn, by the Spirit's teaching, what we are by nature; so as to see and feel the utter ruin and thorough wreck of self, and the complete beggary, weakness, and helplessness of the creature in the things of God. This is the first grand branch of divine teaching.    And we have to learn this lesson day by day, "line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Through this branch of divine teaching we have almost daily to wade, and sometimes to sink into very painful depths under a sense of our depraved nature. And the other grand branch of divine teaching is, "To ...

     "One does not evidence that he has salvation until he is interested in and is influenced by doctrine. Not until then is he equipped to give the message of God to others that the regenerated elect may be brought to the knowledge of their salvation."   -preacher Wilbur Elias Best, excerpt from The Elect Bring Forth Fruit

"But ye have not so learned Christ."     - Ephesians 4:20 [KJV]   Believe, and live as you will. Love, and walk as you please. Will any say, This is fine licentious doctrine? We answer, Such do not know, nor consider the power of faith, nor the influence of Christ’s love. They are strangers to His teaching. Christians are His scholars. Christ is our one Master. He graciously condescends to teach us. He kindly says, “learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls ” (Matthew 11:29.)    Our grand business is, to sit at His feet. We have no just ideas of the sinfulness of sin, the vileness of our nature, nor the preciousness of His person, but what we learn of Him. Christian, what hast thou learned of Christ this day? If thou hast not learned somewhat of the heinous nature of sin, so as to abhor it, and of the preciousness of Christ’s person and salvation, so as to cleave to Him, verily, thou hast lost a day. Thou d...

Justified by Faith | The Bible’s Clear Teaching on Salvation Message from preacher Henry Mahan (27 minutes). Link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JroW3ZwtVwo Romans 5:19 is one of the clearest declarations of how God justifies sinners: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”  This sermon explores the contrast between Adam and Christ, and the glorious truth that salvation comes not by our obedience, but by Christ’s perfect obedience on our behalf. In this message, you will learn:   • What Paul means by “the obedience of One”  • How Adam’s sin made humanity guilty  • How Christ’s obedience restores righteousness  • Why justification is rooted in Christ’s finished work  • The difference between being made righteous and becoming righteous  • How Romans 5 shows the heart of the Gospel  • Why our assurance rests in Christ—not in ourselves  This sermon ma...