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

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all sin."   -I John 1:7 [KJV] Most precious truth for guilty sinners! Lord, help us most deeply to consider what is implied in these words.    (1st.) See the exceeding sinfulness of sin. It has brought these dreadful evils upon us.         a. Loss of God’s image.         b. Obnoxiousness to His wrath.       c . Rejection from His presence. For we are by sin totally unclean. The pollution of sin has brought the curse of God’s law upon us, armed His justice, shut His kingdom against us, and opened the gates of hell to us. The bitter cries and exquisite torments of the damned in hell, will eternally proclaim the malignancy of sin. The everlasting songs of the saints in glory, will for ever proclaim the praises of the Lamb, Who washed them from their sins in His own blood.    (2d.) This proves the curse and defilement of sin. The blood of Jesus Chr...

"He made a feast unto all his princes, and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him. When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty, many days, even an hundred and fourscore days." -E sther 1:3, 4  [KJV] Who can read the account here given of the royalty and liberality of the Persian monarch, without having the mind immediately directed to look at the Lord Jesus, in His royalty and grace, and to consider both the extent of His bounty, and the honour of His excellent majesty, compared to which this earthly potentate sinks to nothing? What though his kingdom reached over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces, from India to Ethiopia? What is this to Him, whose dominion is "from sea to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth;" yea, who hath "all power in heaven and in earth," and hath "the keys of hell and the grave?"     And ...

"For we are strangers before Thee and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." -I Chronicles 29:15 [KJV]   If you possess the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and, Jacob, you, like them, confess that you are a stranger; and your confession springs out of a believing heart and a feeling experience. You feel yourself a stranger in this ungodly world; it is not your element, it is not your home. You are in it during God's appointed time, but you wander up and down this world a stranger to its company, a stranger to its maxims, a stranger to its fashions, a stranger to its principles, a stranger to its motives, a stranger to its lusts, its inclinations, and all in which this world moves as in its native element. Grace has separated you by God's distinguishing power, that though you are in the world, you are not of it.    I can tell you plainly, if you are at home in the world; if the things of time and sense be your ...

“TIS FINISHED” Tune:  “From Every Stormy Wind” LM Words by Jim Byrd   We bless the name of Christ the Lord, For through His blood we are restored; Redemption’s work is fully done, By Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son.   Each of the prophecies of old, Concerning Christ, by men foretold; They all are finished, for our God Upon this earth in flesh has trod.   No sheep or goat on altars slain, Could put away sin’s guilt and stain; They all are finished, Christ has died, Our holy God is satisfied.   The law in all its fearfulness, Our Lord fulfilled in righteousness; “’Tis finished.”   Jesus fully met The law’s demands and paid our debt.   O may these words bring joy and cheer, Let none who trust Him ever fear; “‘Tis finished,” Christ the Savior cried, And by His blood we’re justified. -------O-------            “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, Whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy...

"Give us this day our daily bread."   -Matthew 6:11 [KJV] Happiness, that inestimable jewel, springs only from content. Christian content is founded in humility. The humble Christian lives upon the fulness of God. Thence he seeks all His supplies. Our Lord not only teaches His disciples the words of prayer, which any one may use, but also gives the Spirit of prayer, which is peculiar to disciples only. This consists,    (1st.) In knowing our wants.    (2d.) In seeking a supply of them from the Lord. Give us,    (3d.) This day: just from hand to mouth: daily bread, all the blessings of providence and grace, needful for us, as men and Christians.         (a) Do we know our own wants? The sight and sense of these will make and keep us very low and humble in our own eyes; for we shall go out of ourselves, and live out of ourselves. Do we want daily bread to support our bodies? Have we no source of life in ourselves, but what must b...

“The true vine.” -John 15:1 [KJV] Dearest Jesus, how shall I ever be able sufficiently to admire, much less adore Thee, for Thy wonderful and unequalled condescension? What image, what similitude in nature, hast thou made use of here, in that of the vine, to mark the lowliness and meekness of thy person; and in the same moment, thy fruitfulness, and love, and usefulness to thy people!    It was truly prophesied of Thee, my Lord, that Thou shouldest be "as a root out of a dry ground . " And what so apparently dry and unpromising, before the budding season, as the vine? It was said that Thou wouldest have "no form nor comeliness, nor any beauty, that we should desire Thee." And here when Thou callest Thyself "the true vine , " surely, Lord, Thou couldest have chosen no image more unsightly. It was said, that Thou shouldest be "lowly and meek, when coming with salvation." And what so low as the vine, that sends forth her branches upon the groun...