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

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy ways." -Psalm 119:71 [KJV] God's ways and God's Word are best learned by experience and in time of trouble. When our Lord is pleased to lay His hand heavily upon us, we do not soon forget the lessons learned. When the Lord singles out a believer or a church for special affliction and adversity, it is not for punishment, nor lack of love for them; it is for eternal blessings and because He does love them. "Whom the Lord loveth" He chastens, corrects and teaches! When Job sat before his friends, who was afflicted? THE ONE GOD LOVED! When Paul stood before k ing Agrippa, who wore the chains? THE ONE GOD LOVED! Humanly speaking, which path of life would you prefer to live on earth, that of Esau or Jacob? Esau had the life of prosperity and ease; Jacob was full of trouble and conflict, BUT GOD LOVED JACOB! Thank God He has loved us in Christ and is pleased to teach us H

“ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:3-4 [KJV] ========================= There was not a speck of sin on the conscience, nor a principle of sin in the nature of His people for which Christ was not judged on the cross; and they are now looked upon as having died with Christ, lain in the grave with Christ, been raised with Christ, perfectly accepted in Him - their sins, their iniquities, their transgressions, their enmity, their uncircumcision, having been entirely put away by the cross. The sentence of death has been written on the flesh; but the believer is in possession of a new life, in union with his risen Head in glory. What rest -perfect rest- for the heart and conscience is here! What full relief for the