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

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised." -Hebrews 10:23 [KJV] Faith cannot rest upon fancy; it can only rest upon the solid truth of God, as revealed in the Scriptures. And when it comes into the truth of God, as Noah's dove came into the ark as its own nest and home, then it finds rest and peace. Many persons think we build our faith and hope, not on the Scriptures, but on some mental feelings, or fancies of our own, distinct from the word of God. I do not and cannot build my faith on anything but what is revealed in the Bible; and I must do it because I have no other foothold for it to stand upon . Do you not feel the same, you who know anything of the trial of faith? You have had many a tossing up and down, and have often wanted a foothold for your faith to stand upon. You have tried to believe this or that doctrine, or to get into this or that experience; but you kept still falling short, for you found that yo...

"The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."   -Matthew 20:28 [KJV] Most gracious words to me, who am a poor sinner, and have nothing to bring to Christ, but an empty hand, to receive most precious ransom for me, who have the sentence of death in myself. May faith be high, and self low to-night! The poor disciples were now wrangling about precedence and supremacy. What was the consequence? They were moved with indignation. They strangely forgot the end of Christ’s coming, and the nature of His kingdom. God knows we are poor as beggars, yet proud as devils. The very same spirit works in us all, as did in them. Lord grant that the evil which occasioned these words, may be made a blessing to us. Consider,    (1st.) Our proud notion of ministering to Christ. Some indeed did minister to Christ of their substance, (Luke 8:3.) But this was of natural things. Though empty of all good, and full of all evil, yet we vai...

"For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink, in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily, I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." -Mark 9:41 [KJV] How little is this attended to in the charities of life! I fear, that even the soul which loveth Jesus most, doth not regulate his alms, whether of this world's goods, or of prayer, or of good wishes, when he giveth them, by this blessed standard. Dost thou not, my soul, plead guilty to this charge? Heavenly Lord! enlighten mine eyes to see Thee in all Thy representatives. And when I have only the cup of cold water to bestow upon any poor needy creature, yet let me give that in Thy name!    'Do you belong to Christ?' should be the only question. This is a claim which carries every thing before it. Is it Jesus, Who, in the person of His poor members, asketh the alms? Doth the Lord of life and glory condescend to be beholden to the poor creatures of His bounty; and of His own absolutely receives as...

"For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings." -Job 34:21 [KJV]   The Christian has to prove that nothing escapes the eye of a just and holy God; that He lays bare every secret thought, searches every hidden purpose, and scrutinizes every desire and every movement of the mind. He thus discovers and brings to light all the secret sins of the heart. Men in general take no notice of heart sins; if they can keep from sins in life, from open acts of immorality, they are satisfied. What passes in the chambers of imagery they neither see nor feel. Not so with the child of grace; he knows the experience described in Psalm 139. He carries about with him the secret conviction that the eye of God reads every thought. Every inward movement of pride and self-righteousness, rebellion, discontent, peevishness, fretfulness, lust, and wantonness, he inwardly feels that the eye of God reads all, marks all, condemns by His righteous law all, and because He is so intrinsi...

"...the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD, He is their strength in the time of trouble."   -Psalm 37:39 [KJV]   We may say of righteousness, as Job says of wisdom, “Where shall righteousness be found? And where is the place of perfect righteousness? Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it to be found in the land of the living , ” (Job 28:12, 13.) The Patriarch says, It is not in me . The Prophet says, It is not in me . The Apostle says, It is not in me . The Lord saith, “All flesh hath corrupted his way , ” (Genesis 6:12.) “There is none righteous, no not one , ” (Psalm 14:3.) Why then do the Scriptures speak so much of the righteous, if there be no such persons upon earth? Indeed there are. This is a point of great importance .    The Lord settle it well in your heart and mine. We are guilty sinners in ourselves. We have no righteousness of our own. Yet, saith the Lord Jesus, the righteous one, “Their righteousness is of Me , ” (Isaiah 54:17...

"I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit." -I Samuel 1:15 [KJV]   My soul, look at Hannah at the mercy-seat, and mark the sorrowful spirit with which she there appeared. Blushing and sorrow, at the feet of Jesus, are among the highest tokens of real heartfelt communion. Perhaps there never was a moment in the life of Hannah, in which faith was in more lively exercise, than in that memorable season. And, perhaps, never did she speed with more success than then; for it is said, that when she arose from before the throne, "she went her way, and her countenance was no more sad."   Now, my soul, take a precious instruction from her example. Do thou go to the throne, and present thyself at the feet of thy Jesus. Let grace have a full and lively exercise in thine heart. See that thy prayers be really and truly heart prayers, and not lip-service. Tell thy Lord how greatly thou needest His grace and mercy; and tell Him, also, how much thy Lord Jesus will get glory in being grac...