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

THE LORD GAVE & THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away." Many people reading this portion of Scripture would say that Satan afflicted Job and took away all that he possessed, but Job (like every true believer) knew that the Lord is the first cause of all things. Satan and other second causes can only do what God is pleased to permit them to do (I Sam. 2:6-8; Acts 4:27-28; Isa. 46:9-11). "THE LORD GAVE." Job did not say, "I earned these things; I deserve them, for they are the products of my hard work." No! He said all that I have is the gift of God. "A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven" (John 3:27; I Cor. 4:7). All that I have physically, mentally, materially, and spiritually are the gifts of God. Even repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the gifts of God (Rom. 2:4; Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:29). "THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY....

  The God of glory, before the world began, graciously chose a people in Christ unto salvation. "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: w hereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Concerning these chosen ones, the Shepherd said, "and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (John 10:28). The Lord determined that His people would be justified, redeemed, sanctified, regenerated, called, preserved and glorified. Not one of the elect shall perish for God has willed their eternal salvation and has engaged all of His attributes to accomplish that purpose. His sovereignty determined their salvation and will never be frustrated. His wisdom ...

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." -James 3:17 [KJV] You can be sure that when our attitudes and words create strife, confusion and division, it is not the wisdom of God. Where wise men and women worship, there is love, peace and unity. The wisdom which is from God is PURE! When the heart entertains pure and good thoughts of others, the mouth speaks accordingly. It is PEACEABLE. "If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men." Men who desire peace speak peacefully. It is GENTLE, mild, courteous and patient. To contend for truth is not to be harsh and cruel as some suppose.  Gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit, an attribute of Christ and also of His servants. It is EASY TO BE ENTREATED or willing to listen to any word of wisdom, reason and explanation; and it is...

"A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." -Psalm 37:16 [KJV] Hard may be your lot here below, ye suffering saints of the most High, as regards external matters; painful may be the exercises through which you almost daily pass, through the rebellion and desperate wickedness of your carnal mind; grievous temptations may be your continual portion; many a pricking thorn and sharp brier may lie in your path; and so rough and rugged may be the road, that at times you may feel yourself of all men to be the most miserable; and so indeed you would be but for the grace of God in your heart now and the glory prepared for you beyond the grave. Yet with it all, were your afflictions and sorrows a thousand times heavier, well may it be said of you— "Happy, thrice happy, art thou, O Israel!" Whom upon earth need you envy if you have the grace of God in your heart? With whom would you change, if ever the love of God has ...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (26-28OCT18) Heads-Up --- Please find enclosed encouragement in "SO GREAT SALVATION" by the perfect and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor - from their sins and from Hell: ETERNALLY SECURE “ Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me.” -Isaiah 49:15-16 [KJV] This is a revelation of the Lord’s everlasting concern for and faithfulness to His chosen people; here is our eternal security. How delightful to meditate upon our Lord’s unceasing care and concern for His children. If we could by faith behold the Lord’s unending designs of grace toward us, then like Paul we would be joyful in the Lord even in the mids...

Many claim to be preachers of Christ, saying, “we preach Jesus.” But the preaching of Christ is not the mere repeating of His name. It is not just saying, “Believe on Jesus...” It is not saying the name “Jesus” and leaving men to put to it their own views to it as to who He is or what He has done. No, to preach Christ is to declare what the scriptures say about who He is. He is God manifest in the flesh. He is the One who is the “Wisdom” that was in the beginning. He is the Angel of the Covenant, the eternal Son, the holy One and the Author and Finisher of the eternal salvation. The scriptures tell us what God says He has done. As the angel said, His name is called J ESUS because He has saved His people from their sins (Matt hew 1:21). We are to preach Christ “crucified.” We preach who He was crucified for, the design of His sufferings and also the glory that must follow! What did He accomplish? He suffered, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. He died ...

  One of the most comforting truths revealed in God’s Word is the truth of judgment when it applies to true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact is that for believers, sinners saved by the grace of God in Christ, the Judgment Day is not future – IT IS PAST. Indeed, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He was judged and punished by Almighty God for ALL OF OUR SINS and for all of our transgressions – sins past, sins present, sins future. Because Jesus Christ bore the judgment of God in our room and stead, we who trust in Him for all salvation will not face God’s wrath on the final day. Therefore, when we appear before God’s throne on the day of judgment, we will not hear words of condemnation. Rather, because of Christ’s saving work on our behalf, because of His redeeming blood and His righteousness imputed to us , we will hear words of blessing: “ Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into that kingdom which has been prepared for you from befo...

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9 [KJV] Salvation - beginning to end - i s by God's grace . God elected a people unto salvation by grace, the very opposite of works (Rom ans 11:5-6). It was grace that abounded over sin and reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 5:20-21). The stewardship of every God-sent preacher is a "dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph esians 3: 2-8). The gospel we preach is "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). We are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3: 24). We are called by God's grace (Gal atians 1: 15 ). It is "grace wherein we stand" (Rom. 5:2). Believers are what we are by the grace of God (I Cor. 15:10). So what is grace? Let me have your undi...

"Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; ALL ARE YOURS; AND YE ARE CHRIST’s; AND CHRIST IS GOD’s.” - I Corinthians 3:21-23 [KJV] Whatever there be in heaven, whatever there be in earth, that can be for your spiritual good, all is yours so far as you are an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. The silver and the gold and the cattle upon a thousand hills are all Christ's because ALL POWER is given to Him in heaven and in earth. Whatever your temporal wants may be, He can supply them, because H e is K ing on earth as well as in heaven . Whatever enemies you may have, H e is able to defeat them ; whatever evils may press upon you, H e is able to subdue them ; whatever sorrows surround you, H e is able to console you under them . Everything in time, everything in eternity, in this world and in the world to come, are all on y...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (19-21OCT18) Heads-Up --- Please find enclosed encouragement in "SO GREAT SALVATION" by the perfect and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor - from their sins and from Hell: Religion and Eternal Life - The Difference Religion is to know biblical facts; life is to know God (I John 5:20). Religion is to know what I believe; life is to know Whom I believe (II Timothy 1:12). Religion is to be baptized into the church; Life is to be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3). Religion is to be reformed, life is to be regenerated (John 3:3). Religion is to be a new convert; life is to be a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17). A man was asked, "And what is your religious persuasion?" He replied, "I am persuaded that nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord...

It is of the utmost importance that we learn Christ , not the doctrine of our denomination, not how to live a better life, but to learn Christ, for He is Salvation.   The only way we will learn our lost, dead condition is by learning Christ.  Then and only then will we come to Christ for salvation. •    When we learn Christ our Righteousness , then we will learn our unrighteousness  and run to Christ "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). •    When we learn Christ the Just , then we will learn that we are unjust and run to Christ, who died "the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). •    When we learn Christ the Way , then we will learn that we are lost and come to Christ the only way of salvation (see John 14:6). •    When we learn Christ the Life , then we will learn that we are dead and come to Christ that we might ha...

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: w hich is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ" -Galatians 1:6-7 [KJV] Those who want to know the difference between the true gospel and "another gospel , " that is, a false gospel, need only ask, upon whom does salvation depend? A false gospel always makes salvation dependent upon the sinner’s will or work. There may be talk about the love, kindness and grace of the Father, the life, death and resurrection of the Son and the conviction, call and work of the Spirit, but when acceptance before God is in any way conditioned upon something a sinner must do or contribute, that is a FALSE GOSPEL. A false gospel essentially makes man his own savior for it declares that salvation hinges upon the decision of the sinner. The TRUE GOSPEL says salvation rests entirely upon the Lord. This is the gla...

Babylon is the Bible name used to set forth the entirety of false religion. Just as the literal city of Babylon opposed Jehovah and Israel, so all of false religion is set in opposition to the Lord and His people and is called "BABYLON THE GREAT" (Revelation 17:5). She is known by her FALSE GOSPEL which is any message that makes salvation dependent upon sinners rather than upon the grace of God and the person and work of Christ. Babylon is no respecter of denominations and she encompasses the globe. In our country, she especially bewitches by her Arminian heresy. Millions upon millions worship at her altar of free-willism and follow as she leads them to establish a righteousness of their own rather than submit to the righteousness of God . She is an alluring spiritual harlot, seductively attractive and irresistible to the unregenerate man. She is immense and powerful, and has multitudes of willing disciples, but her days are numbered for the Lord will dest...

I love the Ten Commandments - ­ God's holy law. And I do not try to keep them. I have kept them perfectly! When the Lord Jesus Christ obeyed God's holy law perfectly ­ I did too! Trying to keep them always comes up short, and in reality stirs up the passions of sin ( see Rom ans 7:7-8). No, I do not try to keep them. I have kept them! In the Person of my Representative, I have kept them! "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW " (Rom ans 3:31). - Gospel report by preacher Todd Nibert

It is only when a sinner comes to Christ as nothing and with nothing that he receives anything. This is a necessary because Christ is ALL ! He alone has all the preeminence. He is all the “fullness.” The only way for us to have Him is for the Holy Spirit to empty us of ourselves! And what a painful thing that is to proud, self-righteous sinners! Yet, it must happen if we are to be saved. Grace brings us to Christ with nothing and He takes nothing and make it something! Something in Himself! What He did in the natural creation He must also do in the new creation. He does not redo but makes all things new! We come with nothing and are made something. We come as poverty stricken souls and receive the riches of His grace. We come void of any righteousness and are made the righteousness of God in Him. We come as empty vessels and are filled with His fullness. We come as those who are spiritually bankrupt and receive the bounty of His grace. We come as those who are orphans an...

Is faith necessary in salvation? Most certainly! For "he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16), and "without faith it is impossible to please" God (Heb rews 11:6). But why is faith necessary? It is not because faith is the ground of salvation, nor is there any merit in faith, and faith is not the instrumental cause of salvation. It is because saving faith (which is the gift of God) believes in and lays hold of the Lord Jesus Christ and submits to His righteousness imputed as the only ground of salvation! -copied

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (12-14OCT18) Heads-Up --- Please find enclosed encouragement in "SO GREAT SALVATION" by the perfect and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor - from their sins and from Hell: Golden Promises “ And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; EVEN I WILL CARRY , AND WILL DELIVER YOU ” -Isaiah 46:4 [KJV] Jehovah is always the same. Though we are aging and changing, yet our Lord remains the eternal, faithful, unchanging and unchangeable God. Let all who rest in Christ rejoice. The Lord’s love, care, protection, truth and promises shall never fail as the years go by. As our lives are spent, as the white hairs slowly accumulate in abundance, He will still bear us up, support us and carry us. He made us, not only physically, but He made us spiritually. He ...

The Wednesday Word None C an Perish There “Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat Where Jesus answers prayer; There humbly fall before His feet, For none can perish there.” -John Newton We can all remember a time when we were sinners. Oh yes, I know we are (present tense) sinners (1 Timothy 1;15) but I’m talking about when we knew we were vile and base and living in despair. And do you remember what happened? Jesus interposed and led us to the cross and assured us that, None can perish there! Then by the Spirit and the Word we were taught precious truths like the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:17-22). We learned that it was made of pure gold and thus a picture of Christ (Exodus 37:6). It pointed us again to Jesus the only sinless one who ever lived. Indeed, None can perish there! God told Moses He would commune with him from above the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:22). It is no wonder then that in John 14:6, Jesus, being the Mercy Seat, said, "I am the way, the t...

In II Peter 1:1, the apostle Peter addresses those he writes to as "them that have obtained like precious faith." We know that faith comes from God and is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). The faith that God gives never stands alone. Faith is only as good as its object. What distinguishes this "precious faith" and makes it precious? The faith of God's elect is precious for this reason: "Unto you therefore which believe HE is precious.." (I Pet. 2:7). Faith in anyone or anything else is worthless! True faith believes God. Like Abraham, we "believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly" and the object of this God-given faith, Christ, is counted for our righteousness before God (Rom. 4:5). Do we get righteousness by faith? Through faith we are brought to realize and see that God in grace has made us righteous by imputing to us the very "righteousness of God" in Christ. The truth is, we don't "obtain" righteo...

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek T hy servant; for I do not forget T hy commandments." -Psalm 119:176 [KJV] If the Lord did not seek us, we should never seek the Lord. That is most certain. If you are one that seeks the Lord in prayer, in supplication, in secret desire, with many a heartrending groan, and often by night and by day, be well assured, that you would never have sought the Lord, had not the Lord first sought you. He is now seeking you. It may be (as you fear), some time before H e finds you; but H e will find you at last. How sweetly the Lord has set this forth in the parable of the lost sheep! The poor sheep has gone astray; and having  once left the fold, it is pretty sure to have got into some strange place or other. It has fallen down a rock, or has rolled into a ditch, or is hidden beneath a bush, or has crept into a cave, or is lying in some deep, distant ravine, where none but an experienced eye and hand can find it out...

“ GOD tells us that His people are ACCEPTED IN CHRIST ( see Ephesians 1:6). If a person is without Christ, then he has nothing that God will accept! God tells us that no man CAN COME unto the Father but by Christ; therefore, if a person is without Christ, he has no ground upon which he can approach God. Christ said, " I am the way, the truth, and the life . " If He is THE WAY, there is no other way; if He is THE TRUTH, everything else is a lie; and if He is THE LIFE, everything apart from Him is death. Those who HAVE CHRIST have His blood for pardon, His righteousness for justification, His fullness for every need, His strength to support us, His promises to cheer us, His grace to keep us, and His power to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” - Gospel report by preacher William Gadsby (1733-1844 A.D.)

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" -Hebrews 12:2 [KJV] My friend, salvation is in "looking unto Jesus." It is not in looking unto baptism, looking unto morality, looking unto church membership, looking unto keeping the commandments, looking unto living by the golden rule, or looking unto coming to church. It is looking unto Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King. It is looking unto Him alone. It is not in looking unto your humility or obedience, but in looking unto Him who "humbled Himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross." It is looking unto His blood and righteousness for cleansing from sin and acceptance with God . It is looking unto Him as God who is almighty to save. It is looking unto Him as Man who lived, suffered, bled, died and aro...