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

"Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price."   - Isaiah 55:1 [KJV]   A free gospel is the glory of God’s grace, the joy of humble souls, the envy of malicious devils, and the contempt of proud, self-righteous pharisees. Milk is the pure, sweet, soul-nourishing doctrine of Christ. Wine is the generous, heart-reviving comforts of pardon of sins, and peace with God through the blood of Christ. The Lord knows we cannot grow strong, nor be comfortable in our souls, without this precious milk and animating wine.    Here is the Lord’s open house, public market, free invitation, and fixed price. Come: draw nigh to Me: keep not at a distance from Me, saith the Lord. Make no excuse, nor any delay: come now, this moment. Here is a free invitation, and a hearty welcome . O the love of our Lord’s heart! Buy. Art thou rich? such the Lord sends empty away. Hast thou brought a stock of thine own faithfulness, terms thou hast fulfilled, and conditions perf...

"An old disciple."   -Acts 21:16 [KJV]  My soul! of what standing art thou in the church of Christ? If there be any thing of real rank and dignity in human life, to cause one man to differ from another, certainly that age, which consisteth not in a multitude of years, but in fellowship and long acquaintance with Jesus, must be most honourable. But in this, as in all other distinctions, the believer's dignity is the reverse of the world's. He that is highest in grace, is the lowest in humility. How beautiful and engaging to this point are the words of Christ: "Whosoever will be chief among you (saith that divine Teacher) , let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."    Hence the simplicity and lowliness of the weaned child, Jesus, make the character and feature of those that are "greatest in the kingdom of heaven." And wherefore is this? Is ...

"That I may see the good of Thy chosen." -Psalm 106:5 [KJV] Did you ever see any good in God's chosen? Oh! "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!" Did you ever see what good God has blessed His people with, and how good it is to be one of them? All God's people see that there is a "good" in God's chosen family, peculiar to them, and that they sigh and long for. But some will say, Had David never seen it when he penned this psalm? Aye, surely; he had seen it. But did he not want to see it again? Yes; he had lost the sight of it, the sweet vision of it had retired, the old veil had come back, his eyes were dim, he wanted fresh "eye salve."     So with us; we have seen, we trust, at times "the good of God's chosen , " have felt our affections drawn towards them, and drawn up towards God, and have said, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desir...

Men often ask this question. Holy Scriptures answer it thoroughly.       1.  God does not love every sinner alike   (this truth is contrary to a popular opinion.) For God Himself said of certain twins, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Romans 9:13; Malachi 1:2f). God loved one of these sinners, but hated the other.       2.  God loved His people when they were sinners (Ephesians 2:4f): “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses ....” He tells them that “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). God loved His chosen sinners enough to draw them from sin to Himself.       3.  God loves His people even when they sin – and proves His love to them by chastening them (Proverbs 3:11): “My son, do not despise the chastening of Jehovah,...

"God can either bestow or refuse to bestow blessings on the children of men without prejudice to any of His attributes. He arbitrarily does as He pleases. God is the cause of the effect. God, the first cause, cannot create a first cause. God cannot create God. Everything He created is the second cause. How can the second cause let the first cause do anything?  The first cause planned, prepared, created, and controls everything. He is either God or He is not God. Although most people give the Son of God the name of Jesus Christ, they know nothing of His person and characteristics. The foundational truth of all truths is the absolute sovereignty of God."   -Wilbur Elias Best, excerpt from  'Is God the Author of Sin?'

"From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the LORD’s name is to be praised."   -Psalm 113:3 [KJV]   Praise is the incessant employ of glorified saints in heaven. There they fully see and eternally sing of the electing, redeeming, sanctifying, glorifying love of the blessed Trinity. May our souls catch some of the heavenly flame of love, and imitate them in our praise to-night. This is the work of an humble heart. Pride is the parent of murmuring and discontent.    A sense of the blessings of the Lord, and a sight of our unworthiness of them, excite praises in the heart. This is the language of a praising soul, Why me, Lord? Why am I singled out from the ruins of a fallen race, to partake of thy special grace, peculiar love, and precious salvation? Am I better than others? Have I done more to deserve thy mercies than others? Have I a greater right to challenge thy favour than others? O, Lord! why me?     Thus, while the soul sink...