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

"Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house." - II CHRONICLES 6:29 [KJV] Solomon comes to experience; he puts his hand upon the right spot. It is knowing his "own sore" and his "own grief." You may know another man's; that will not profit you. You may read of experience in books, love to hear experimental ministers, and will hear no others; and yet not know your "own sore," your "own grief." Like a physician who may know the symptoms of every malady, and yet not have one malady of his own; so you may hear described every symptom of every disease, and yet be untouched by one. But the man for whom Solomon's prayer is, he that knows and feels, painfully feels, his "own sore" and his "own grief," whose heart is indeed a grief to him,

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." -G ALATIANS 6:14 [KJV] Paul did not glory or boast in the abilities God had given him, the churches he had established, or the persons who had been converted under his ministry. He gloried only in the cross of Christ. “Cross” was a term which the Apostle used to set forth the successful, substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. This is that truth that the blessed Savior satisfied every demand of divine justice by His death and resurrection thereby putting away the sins of His people, redeeming us from the curse of the law and bringing in everlasting righteousness. The very message which was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles was his greatest source of joy and comfort. While the enemies of the cross wanted the message concealed, Paul proclaimed it with boldness; he saw it to

“ Have I then no work to work in this great matter of my pardon? None. What work canst thou work? What work of thine can buy forgiveness or make thee fit for the Divine favor? What work has God bidden thee work in order to obtain salvation? None. His Word is very plain and easy to be understood, " To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (R OMANS 4:5) . There is but one work by which a man can be saved. That work is not thine, but the work of the Son of God. That work is finished.” – Gospel report by preacher Horatius Bonar (1808 – 1889 A.D.)

" Our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands." - P SALM 115:3-4 [KJV] Let me ask: if it be so very absurd to worship the work of other men’s hands, what must it be to worship the work of our own hands? Perhaps you say, "God forbid that I should do so." Nevertheless, let me tell you: trust, confidence, reliance and dependence for salvation are all acts, and very solemn ones too, of divine worship and upon whatsoever you depend, whether in whole or in part, for your acceptance with God and for your justification in His sight, whatsoever you rely upon and trust in for the attainment of grace or glory, if it be anything short of God in Christ, you are an idolater to all intents and purposes. – Gospel report by preacher Augustus Toplady (1740–1778 A.D.)