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

"Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."   -I Corinthians 10:12 [KJV]   Formal professors of His name are called the Lord’s people, as well as those who are possessors of His love. The former for want of love to God, have no zeal for His glory. Hence, they are careless of their walk, and are liable to fall from the height of a towering profession, into the bottomless pit of perdition. Possessors of God’s love are also liable to fall, though not out of the hands of Christ into hell, yet into many things which may wound their souls, bring a hell into their consciences, a dishonour on the name and gospel of Christ, and give the enemies thereof an occasion to blaspheme that worthy name by which they are called. O, Christians! see to your standing. You are called upon, as you love your dear Saviour, as you value the peace of God, and the comfort of your souls, “To take heed lest you fall.”  Be not high-minded, but fear. You stand b...

"And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.”   -Psalm 106:15 [KJV] Here is a very solemn subject to exercise the mind of a child of God. My soul, take it for thine own exercise this evening. In the part of the church's history alluded to, it should seem that they were just arrived on the borders of Canaan: they had been all along fed and sustained by God's bounty; and the manna, as usual, came fresh and pure from heaven every morning; but tired and dissatisfied with the table of God's providing, they demanded flesh to eat, and the Lord gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. Happy would it have been for the church of God, if such rebellions had been confined to that period of its history. But, alas! in all ages, God's children too often manifest the like temper. My soul! bring the subject home; thy God, thy Jesus, hath appointed thee the very path best suited for thee . Had a synod of angels been convened to ...

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."   -I Peter 1:13 [KJV] Hope chiefly regards "the end;" —for that is "better than the beginning,"  the crowning consummation of all that faith believes, hope expects, and love enjoys. But through what dark and gloomy seasons has hope often to look before this end comes, being sometimes sunk so low as almost to despair even of life! How it has in these low spots to muster all its evidences, look back to this and that Ebenezer, this and that hill Mizar, this and that deliverance, manifestation, and blessing; how it has to hang upon the word of promise, cry out for help, and that mightily, as if at its last breath, and hope against hope in the very face of unbelief, infidelity, and despair. An end must come to all our struggles, trials, exercises, afflictions, and conflicts. We shall not be alway...

Salvation : A Matter of Justice by D G Miles McKee     If we were smart, we would line up with the Father’s thinking about the Lord Jesus. In that way we would be satisfied with Christ and thus place ourselves in the very centre of the will of God concerning salvation (John 20:31) .   ´Let me stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance´ .  The first thing the Father asks of us is to come into agreement with Him about His Son. Nothing more is required, but nothing less will do! The Father will not receive us on any other basis than that of the sufficiency of His Son.   “But,”  says someone,   "I must be a righteous person within myself before God will accept me!” Well actually... NO!   Our acceptance is not grounded on our worthiness, but on Christ‘s.  The Gospel ( the   good news ) concerns, "His Son" (Romans 1:1-3.) The Gospel is, therefore, not about us and about how internally holy we can bec...

"Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." -I John 3:21 [KJV] A text misapplied, is like a bone out of joint, which puts the body to pain. This text may have such an effect upon the soul. For what poor sinner is there upon earth, but his heart must condemn him for coming short of God’s glory, and perfect obedience of his holy law? Must he therefore give up his confidence towards God? Yes, if we so understand the text. But surely this was not the apostle’s design: for this would effectually destroy love to God, and distress his poor children’s souls, by taking away the comfort of faith, that, there is no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1.) What meaneth he then? Plainly to establish our hearts in the faith of God’s love to us in Christ, and from this love experienced in the heart, in love to our brethren in Christ. This is an experienced truth—if faith and love abate, our hearts condemn us, and our confidence ...

"Who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." -I Peter 1:5 [KJV] When I call to mind that in me, "that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing;" when I stand convinced, (as I do most fully, blessed be God the Holy Ghost, for having exercised His gracious office in my soul, to this gracious effect,) that though renewed in the spirit of my mind, yet in that unrenewed part of myself, which is hastening to the grave, every member is virtually all sin; when I know that never did sin break out in acts of open wickedness, in any son or daughter of Adam, but that the seeds of the same sin are in me and my nature; I long not only to know, but always to keep in remembrance by what means, and from what cause it is, that those seeds do not ripen in my heart, as well as in others; that while corrupt nature is the same in all, it is restrained in me, while so many of my fellow-creatures, and fellow-sinners, fall a prey to temptation.   Blessed ...