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

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (31JAN-02FEB20) 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: “ Though a believer in Christ, you are still a naked sinner in yourself. You have no righteousness of your own which you have wrought out, which can screen you from divine justice, answer all the demands of God’s law, and entitle you to His favor. Your own righteousness is no better than filthy rags, too ragged to hide your shame; too filthy to endure the piercing eye of God’s purity; but must be burnt up by the fire of His justice. True, in Christ you have an infinitely perfect, and everlastingly glorious righteousness, to appear in before God. But it is as true, you can only enjoy the comfort of this, by putting on Christ in your mind, memory a

"Who worketh all things after the counsel of H is own will ." -E PHESIANS 1:11 [KJV]   By these words the apostle brings before our eyes God's omnipotent power as carrying into effectual performance the counsel of His own will towards the objects of His distinguishing favour. An especial blessing is couched in this. Next to a believing view of the purposes of God's grace, and a sweet persuasion of our interest in them, nothing is more strengthening and encouraging than a realising apprehension of the power of God to carry them into full execution .   Feeling, as we do, our own miserable helplessness, sinking under the pressure of our daily weakness, mourning over continual failures, and grieving on account of perpetual backslidings, encompassed by foes, and distressed by fears, how strengthening it is to our faith, thus tried to the utmost, to believe that H e who has purposed has power to perform . This persuasion of the almighty power of God w

“ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, A SURE FOUNDATION: he that believeth shall not make haste.” -ISAIAH 28:16 [KJV] People are no different in Isaiah's day than in ours. Religious lost men still love to brag and boast of their agreements, pledges, decisions and covenants they have made with death, hell and the grave. Therefore we need to constantly warn every one of the certain and eternal destruction of all those who rest in their refuge of lies [ISAIAH 28:17-18 ] . They willfully choose to disregard THE ONLY FOUNDATION on which the guilty sinner can find peace with God and go about to establish their own righteousness by their deeds [ROMANS 10:1-4 ] . Our Lord Jesus Christ is plainly set forth in scripture as THE ONLY PROVIDED AND SECURE FOUNDATION upon which guilty sinners can rest and find peace with God [I CORINTHIANS 3:11; I PETER 2:2-7; II CORINTHIANS 5:18-21 ] . Isaiah des

"The king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework." -P SALM 45:13-14 [KJV]   This is a beautiful description of the bridal garments of the Church as the queen. The gold was to be wrought into her clothing, the raiment to be of needlework, intimating that her robe of justifying righteousness was wrought, as it were, as in needlework, stitch by stitch; yet that every thread was embroidered with gold. Here we have the thread of the humanity in union with the gold of Deity, and yet each in such close union that the thread is but one. In gold thread the beauty, the value is in the gold; yet how close the union. Gold by itself could not be made into embroidery. So Deity cannot suffer, bleed, or die; but humanity can in union with it. Thus, as our blessed Lord went through the whole work which the Father gave Him to do, His Deity, being in union with His obeying, suffering humani

“ Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land which the L ORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither” -D EUTERONOMY 19:3 [KJV] Sweet thought to my soul, that He who is the Refuge is also the way to every poor soul-slayer, who hath murdered his own soul by sin. And who, my soul, could prepare thee this way, but God thy Father, who gave both Jesus for the way, and Jesus for the refuge? And how hath God the Spirit pointed to the way, cast up and prepared it, by taking up the stumbling-blocks out of the way, as God saith of His people? I SAIAH 57:14 Is it not God the Holy Ghost that sets Jesus up, as Moses did the serpent; points to His person, to His blood, to His righteousness, as the Sanctuary and the City of Refuge to every poor sinner that is the manslayer of his own soul? And if what the Jews have said be true, that magistrates once a year made it their duty to have the roads examined, lest

"The nobleman said unto Him, Sir, come down ere my child die " (see John 4:46-53). This nobleman had made an arduous and difficult journey to plead for the healing of his sick boy.  Jesus, however, looked into this man’s heart and said, “ Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe." That’s a sharp rebuke.  I like this nobleman. He didn’t become angry when corrected; he didn’t get offended. He didn’t get into a huff. Instead, he continued to press Jesus, “ Sir, come down before my child dies." He is to be commended but notice the weakness of his faith. He’s got faith, but it has room for growth!  Notice how He asks that the Lord should " come down " to Capernaum. He believed that Christ could heal if He was close by, but not if he was far away; Jesus he thought could work a miracle at short range, but not at a distance. Before we get too critical of this man, we must ask if we are not just like him.  Do we not sometimes think, “ If

"A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident." - P ROVERBS 14:16 [KJV]   I believe no living soul can be satisfied with a notional religion: though a miserable backslider, and driven into the fields to feed swine, he cannot feed on their husks, but sighs after the bread of his Father's house. The eyes being enlightened to see the nature of sin, the justice and holiness of God, and the miserable filthiness of self, the quickened soul can find no rest in anything short of a precious discovery of the Lamb of God; and the more that the soul is exercised with trials, difficulties, temptations, doubts, and besetments of various kinds, the more does it feel its need of that blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.   What is a Christian worth without inward trials and exercises? How dead and lifeless are our prayers; how cold and formal when the soul is not kept alive by inward exercises! Where

“ Yet it pleased the L ORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the L ORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied…” -I SAIAH 53:10-11a [KJV]   God’s prophet accurately foretold of Christ over seven hundred years before His incarnation, obedience, suffering and justifying death. In the everlasting councils of the Godhead it was determined a limited and definite number of fallen man would be redeemed. And, it was determined that redemption would be effectuated by the suffering of the God-Man unto death. Christ agreed to fill that place, satisfy justice and be the S ubstitute for the chosen ones . Consider: Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him - Before us is God’s will and predestination. The bruising of Christ was not God’s callous delight but the fulfillment of His gracious purpose. It was

“ And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation” -P SALM 107:7 [KJV] God’s thoughts are not as our thoughts - neither are His ways as our ways! This truth is strikingly exemplified in the manner in which He led the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. We would have chosen the way that was nearest and most direct - but God decided otherwise. He led them round about through the wilderness, and that for the space of forty years! And not merely was it the most distant way - but it was the most dangerous way as well. It was a land of deserts and of pits - a land of drought and death - a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt. But, as strange as it appeared, we are fully justified in saying that it was wisely arranged. Their long detainments; their tiresome and circuitous wanderings; their fierce conflicts with the Moabites and the Amalekites; the bitter waters which they had to drink; and the fiery serp

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." - E PHESIANS 2:6 [KJV] There is a distinction between being quickened together with Christ and being raised up together with Him. Is not this true in the experience of God's people? To be quickened into divine life, to be convinced of sin, to have the fear of God planted deeply in the soul, is the commencement of a work of grace. But this is not a deliverance, not a being raised up out of darkness, bondage, doubt, guilt, and fear. This is not a knowledge of Christ, and the power of His resurrection; this is not a full coming out of the dark and silent tomb into the glorious light and warmth of day. But here is the great blessedness of a mystical union with the Lord Jesus Christ that, as by virtue of interest in H im there is a partaking of the benefit and power of h is having been quickened, so there is a partaking in the benefit and power of his having

With broken heart and contrite sigh, A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry. Thy pardoning grace is rich and free, O God, be merciful to me! I smite upon my troubled breast, With deep and conscious guilt oppressed: Christ and His cross my only plea, O God, be merciful to me! Far off I stand with tearful eyes Nor dare uplift them to the skies; But Thou dost all my anguish see, O God, be merciful to me! No alms or deeds that I have done Can for a single sin atone. To Calvary alone I flee, O God, be merciful to me! And when, redeemed from sin and hell, With all the ransomed throng I dwell, My raptured song shall ever be, O God, be merciful to me! Author: Cornelius Elven Tune: “Just As I Am” by William B. Bradley

“ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” [JOHN 16:7 ] .  One of the definitions of “ depart” given by Strong’s Concordance is “to pursue the journey on which one has entered; to continue on one’s journey.” In the everlasting covenant of grace, our Lord Jesus Christ commenced a journey which He willingly pursued, one which would lead Him to the cross of death and then to the throne of universal sovereignty. Nothing could hinder Him from embarking upon and triumphantly finishing that journey. Messiah declared that He set His face “ like a flint” [ISAIAH 50:7 ] , an indication of His unwavering resolve to complete the work assigned Him by the Father in the eternal covenant. Nothing could deter or prevent Him from successfully finishing His journey. The Savior was completely committed to the fulfillment of His covenant promise a

"And you hath HE QUICKENED, who were dead in trespasses and sins." -E PHESIANS 2:1 [KJV]   Death in sin is of course a figure, and must be interpreted as such; for moral death is its meaning, and by moral death we understand the utter absence of everything holy, heavenly, spiritual, and divine; the entire want of participation in, and conformity to the life which God lives as essentially and eternally holy, pure, wise, and good, and for ever dwelling in the glorious light of His own infinite perfections. To be dead, then, is to have no present part or lot with God; no knowledge of Him, no faith, no trust, no hope in Him; no sense of His presence, no reverence of His terrible Majesty; no desire after Him or inclination toward Him; no trembling at His word, no reliance on His promise, no longing for His grace, no care or concern for His glory.   It is to be as a beast before Him, intent like a brute on satisfying the cravings of lust, or the movements of m

"Turn T hou us unto T hee, O L ORD , and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old." - L AMENTATIONS 5:21 [KJV]   Are you not often destitute of the power to repent, and confess your sins before God? Does not conscience often bring to view a melancholy retrospect of carnal thoughts, wicked desires, vain imaginations, foolish words, frivolous speeches, and all that catalogue of evils, that huge bill which godly fear sometimes files in the court within, as seen in all our departures from the life of God? But are you able to repent? are you able to feel cut to the very heart? are you able to mourn and sigh because conscience brings against you this long indictment? Can you always feel your soul melted down with sorrow on account of it? Are you always able to feel contrition because you are proud, worldly, covetous, everything that is evil, everything that is hateful in God's sight?   But, then, there are times and seasons when the Lord is pleased to

“ MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED” -Philip p ians 4:19 [KJV]      When Paul was sitting in a Roman prison for preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, he lacked the necessities that he needed to maintain his physical strength. The believers at Philippi found out about Paul's deplorable circumstances and sent relief to him by the hand of their pastor. Having received the gift from them, he wrote back to them saying, "I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). Paul also assured them that the Almighty God would take care of all their need, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."   (Phil. 4:19). Believer, although we have a great need of all spiritual blessings; to ascend and to stand in His presence (Pas 24:3), we can fully rest in this and many other precious promises

"And H e taught them many things by parables." -M ARK 4:2 [KJV] The Scripture employs two beautiful figures to illustrate the reception of the divine testimony. One is the committing of the seed to the ground, as in the parable of the sower. The husbandman scatters the seed in the bosom of the earth, and the ground having been previously ploughed and reduced to a beautiful tilth, opens its bosom to receive the grain. After a little time the seed begins to germinate, to strike a root downward, and shoot a germ upward; as the Lord speaks, "First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear."   This emblem beautifully represents how the testimony of Jesus Christ finds an entrance to the soul, takes root downward and carries a shoot upward. The root downward is into the depths of a tender conscience, and the shoot upward is the aspiration, breathing, and longing of the soul for the living God.   The other figure is that of grafti

According to Eli's instruction, this was to be the answer of young Samuel if he heard the Lord call again in the night … " S peak, L ORD ; for Thy servant heareth" [I SAMUEL 3:9] . This was Samuel's response and it is the response and longing of every regenerated saint made sensitive to the voice of the Lord Jesus. The believer truly desires to hear from his great Shepherd as He speaks to the heart through His word. The hearts of God's sheep burn with gratitude and appreciation for His mercy as He opens unto them the Holy Scriptures. The realization that God Almighty, in the power of His Holy Spirit, through the blessed Scriptures would graciously speak peace and comfort to an undeserving sinner for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ is a glowing ember of joy to the redeemed saint. Truly, He speaks and those that are of the truth hear His voice [JOHN 18:37 ] . - Gospel report by preacher Marvin Stalnaker Katy Baptist church of Fairmont, West Vi

"Hold T hou me up, and I shall be safe."   - PSALM 119:117 [KJV] We are surrounded with snares; temptations lie spread every moment in our path. These snares and temptations are so suitable to the lusts of our flesh, that we shall infallibly fall into them, and be overcome by them but for the restraining providence or the preserving grace of God . The Christian sees this; the Christian feels this. He has had, it may be, a bitter experience of the past. He has seen how, from want of walking in godly fear, for want of circumspection and standing upon his watch-tower, he has been entangled in times past in the snares of death. He has rued the consequences, felt the misery of having slipped and fallen; the iron has entered into his soul; he has been in the prison house, in bondage, in darkness, and death; in consequence of his transgressions he has been "the fool" described in Psalm 108, as "afflicted because of his iniquity," and can