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

"Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" -Galatians 3:3 [KJV] While beholding the church of Galatia, which set out upon true gospel principles, and before whose eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth as crucified among them; yet after this, turning aside to seek justification by works; let thine evening meditation, my soul, be directed to this heart-searching inquiry: upon what art thou building thine hopes of salvation? Is it simply on Christ; or art thou mingling with the blood and righteousness of Jesus, somewhat of thine own, by way of justification ? The question is exceedingly important; and the clear answer to it, of the first consequence to thy present peace, and everlasting welfare. See to it then, that there be no reserves, no limitations, nothing to qualify the plain and direct answer to the apostle's words; but that having begun in the Spirit, thou mayest truly say, thou dost not seek to be made perfect by the ...

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." -Revelation 2:29 [KJV] These words extend the message beyond the church to which they were spoken, and address themselves to every one to whom the word comes, and to whom an ear is given to hear and receive it. Thus each message sent to the churches becomes a message sent personally to us. If we have a spiritually circumcised ear, if we are willing to listen to the voice of the Lord, He speaks to us in every message as personally and as distinctly as He spoke to each individual church. It is indeed an unspeakable blessing to have this ear given to us that we may receive in humility, simplicity, and godly sincerity what the Lord speaks in the word of His grace. It is by His word that He knocks at the door of our hearts; and what a blessing He has pronounced on the man who hears His voice and opens the door when He hears the knock, like a fond and affectionate wife when she hears the knoc...

The Gospel and Authentic  New Testament Ministry , Part IX by D G Miles McKee   Preaching the Gospel and instructing believers how to live are not two separate unrelated things. Mark it down, believers will not be empowered to live as Christians if there is no Gospel ministered to them.   Why not? Simply because the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (see Romans 1:16) .   For example, there’s the matter of forgiveness. Have you ever heard a sermon on forgiveness? I wish I had a dollar for every teaching I’ve heard on that subject. However, merely telling people to walk in forgiveness does not make them do so.   Why not? Again, it’s because there is usually no Gospel along with the exhortation. But here’s how the apostle Paul taught on this matter, “ And be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you"   (Ephesians 4:32.) “--forgiving one another, if any man have a qua...

"And what is death to those that are born of God? It is but another gathering of them unto Christ.  The soul of a saint is gathered from the body as a flower from the stalk; to adorn the court of heaven, and to bloom for ever in the bosom of God.  They who are gathered to Him by grace are, at death, only gathered into glory. Their bodies too shall be gathered from the grave and rescued from the dominion of death; when Shiloh comes, the second time, to renew the face of the earth, and to begin His millennial reign. He whose voice is as the sound of many waters, will say to His angels, when He appears in the clouds of heaven, -- Gather My saints together unto  Me, who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice: who died, trusting in My righteousness, and depending on the merit of My blood, which I shed for the remission of their sins, when I offered Myself up in sacrifice on the cross ."   -preacher Augustus Toplady , ‘The Works of Toplady,’ p.427, Reprint...

"The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity." -Psalm 125:3 [KJV] How shall we draw the line between the righteous and the wicked? How shall we distinguish them, seeing they are both alike the subjects of a wicked nature, derived from Adam the sinner, their father? The Holy Ghost does this. He sets a mark upon the righteous, by which they are essentially distinguished from the wicked, in the first verse of this Psalm: “They trust in the LORD.” The wicked trust in themselves, that they are righteous; trust in their own power, to make and keep themselves so; and hope for God’s favour and heaven, because they are so. They trust in their own wisdom to guide them through life, and to their own goodness to make them happy in death. The righteous are stript of their righteousness: they are convinced of sin: they are poor, hopeless, desperate, and in a forlorn and wretched condition as to th...

"And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me:  for she said,  Have I also here looked after Him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called *Beer-lahai-roi."   - Genesis 16:13-14 [KJV] * Well of a living One (Strong's Concordance H883) Behold, my soul, what very blessed instructions arise out of this scripture. Beg of God the Holy Ghost to make thy present evening meditation of it sweet. The words themselves are the reflection of Hagar, the handmaid of Sarah, when she fled from her mistress into the wilderness. In a situation of great distress, the Lord manifested Himself to her, and the conclusion she drew from it, was, as is expressed, "Thou God seest me." This indeed, was the name she gave unto the Lord, as if henceforth she would know the Lord in all His mercies by this name. Sweet thought! Jesus is known by His name; and in His name His grace is revealed. But Hagar added another delightful reflection, "for sh...