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

  “ Ho, everyone that thirsteh, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without price… Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near : let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” -Isaiah ch. 55 [KJV] GOOD NEWS TO FOLLOW ~ “The gospel, my dear sir, is a salvation appointed for those who are ready to perish, and is not designed to put them in a way to save themselves by their own works. It speaks to us as condemned already, and calls upon to believe in a crucified Savior, that we may receive redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. And the Spirit of God, by the Gospel, first convinces us of unbelief, sin and misery; and then, by revealing the things of Christ to our minds, enables us, as helpless sinners, to come to Christ, to receive H...

If someone were to ask me, “Upon what ground do you expect God to bring you into His eternal fellowship and glory? What is the ground of your justification (being forgiven of all your sins, declared righteous and accepted) before and with God?” I would answer without hesitation, “The righteousness God has provided in and by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, through His obedience unto death, the merit of which God has imputed ( charged, accounted ) to me.” There is no other ground of justification before God. Faith is not that ground; repentance is not that ground; obedience is not that ground. The ground of forgiveness and acceptance before God is entirely and exclusively the work of Christ on the cross because God the Father “made Him to be sin for us” (charging, accounting our sins to Christ) , “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (accounting, charging Christ’s righteousness to us; II Cor inthians 5:21) . Someone once asked me, “Why do you preach this doctri...

  “ S O MIGHTILY GREW THE WORD OF GOD AND PREVAILED.” - Acts 19:20 [KJV] What a glorious thought to mediate upon, the Lord Jesus Christ our great God and Saviour shall prevail over all opposition to His sovereign power and glorious gospel (Rom ans 1:16) . All creatures in heaven and earth will eventually bow to His Lordship and confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father (Phil ippians 2:9-11) . The Word of the Lord that mightily spread, increased and prevailed is both the incarnate Word (John 1:1, 14) and the written Word (Heb rews 4:12) . The Word of His gospel will never return to Him void but rather always will accomplish His pleasure and purpose and shall always prosper (Isa iah 55:11 & 53:10) . The Lord Jesus Christ has prevailed over all and shall not fail to accomplish all the counsel, will, and predestinating purpose of God (Isa iah 42:4 & 46:9-12) . Consider these few thoughts what the Lord Jesus Christ prevails over. He PREVAILS [Greek #2480: ...

"Seek meekness." -Zephaniah 2:3 [KJV] How are we to follow after this grace of meekness? By learning the contrary. How often have we mistaken false fire for the light and fire of God's Spirit! and have contended more for our own views, in our own spirit, with many rash and unbecoming words, rather than for the glory of God. But after a time we are led to see that strife and contention, in our own spirit, are contrary to the spirit and temper of the gospel, and are brought to see what a blessed grace the spirit of meekness is. Nay, the very want of it, the risings up of an excited temper, the anger, strife, envy, and jealousy that often work in our bosoms convince us how little we know of "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." We thus feel what a blessing it is to be made humble and submissive; and how impossible it is to enter into communion with a broken-hearted Jesus, till the soul is in some measure meekened by His Spirit.   But it is by having a succe...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands(30OCT-01NOV20) 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: "The JUSTICE OF GOD is in itself a great barrier to the salvation of a sinner. Because God is just, our sins must be punished. Never has there been a sin pardoned without atonement since the world began. There has never been a sin remitted by the great Judge of heaven until justice has been fully satisfied. How, then, can a sinner be saved? This is the great riddle of the law and the grand discovery of the gospel. The answer is, God’s justice has been fully satisfied through the substitution of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ [Isaiah 45:22; Romans 3:26]. He died “ THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST ” [I Peter 3:18] that He might bring us to God. Through the obedience...

The "good news" of the gospel is that there is a Substitute who has stood in the place of every repentant sinner and bore the wrath of God in his place. He did this for all whom the Father had given Him from all eternity. It is for them that He prays in John 17. They are "His Sheep." The Father gave them to Him; and He died for them [ John 10:15, 29 ] . Substitution is at the very heart of the gospel. Christ did not simply give His life to make salvation possible for those who contribute their part to what He has done by repenting and trusting Christ. He it is that gives repentance and faith [II Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8 ] . Christ did not say to the religious Jews of His day that they were not of His "sheep" because they did not believe; rather, He says, "Ye believe not because you are not of My sheep." If they had been His sheep, they would have believed. The "good news" is that all whom the Father has given to the Son, and ...

The death of Christ is the redemption and salvation of His people. It is not a possibility of redemption and salvation effectual only if we can get sinners to cooperate and believe. It is not even a probability of redemption and salvation because, as one man said, “Odds are, some will believe.” NO! The death of Christ is a guarantee, the assurance, the security of the complete salvation of all whom the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world. Because of His death, they will hear and believe the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ – “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die” [ John 12:32-33 ] . -copied

"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 visited your soul?...

  LOOK TO CHRIST, Not Your Obedience! Those who profess to believe on Christ but who do not seek to follow the Lord and honor Him in their lives have an empty and worthless profession. Christ said, "If ye love M e, keep M y commandments." A sinner who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and brought to genuine faith in the Son of God will seek to "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" [ Titus 2:10 ] . Though we know we are sinful in ourselves, yet we do seek to glorify the Lord as we go about our daily activities. However, we must never look to our obedience (which is imperfect at best), in any measure, as the means of acceptance with God. Those who seek God’s approval by any other way than the blood and righteousness of Christ will someday learn they made a fatal mistake.      -preacher Jim Byrd http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=13thstbaptist

"Wherein shall it be known that I and T hy people have found grace in T hy sight?" -Exodus 33:16 [KJV] Grace is always " found ." It is not earned, nor merited, nor worked into; but it is found; and if a man never "found" it, he never had it. It is stumbled upon, so to speak, as the Lord sets forth in the parable of the man who found the treasure hid in a field [ Matt hew 13:44 ] . The man was not thinking about the treasure. He was, we may suppose, ploughing in the field. He had no idea that there was gold beneath the clods. But he finds it all on a sudden, in the most unexpected and unlooked-for manner, and for joy thereof "goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." So it is with the way in which grace is found. It comes so suddenly, so unexpectedly, and so sweetly into a man's soul, that when it comes he is like a man who has found something which he had no conception of till he found it. He had no idea what it was...

The true church of the living God consists of sinners saved by the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. They are all who were chosen by the Father before the foundation of the world. They are all for whom Christ was made Surety and who are justified in Him. They are all whom Christ, as their Substitute, redeemed by His blood shed on the cross of Calvary. They are all who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the new birth and brought to faith in Christ and repentance of dead works. They are all who persevere unto glory, not by their own power and goodness, but as they are sovereignly and powerfully preserved by God’s power, goodness, and grace. All whom the Father chose, the Son died to redeem. All whom the Son redeemed, the Holy Spirit sanctifies, quickens, and calls. All whom the Holy Spirit sanctifies, quickens, and calls, will, by God’s grace and power, persevere unto glory. -preacher Bill Parker Eager Avenue Grace church of Albany, Georgia USA http://www.sermonau...

  Where can we find Blood Atonement? D G Miles McKee   The following is a piece I recently discovered in an old tract.  I hope you enjoy it.     At Easter time, some many years ago, a “Mission to the Jews” was held in San Francisco. One evening, the meeting was thrown open for discussion and Jewish folk were welcomed to ask questions or to give their testimonies.   One old Gentleman stood and said: “This is Passover week my Jewish brethren, and as I sat here, I was thinking how you will be observing it. You will have put away leaven from your houses; you will eat the ‘motsah’ (unleavened wafers) and the roasted lamb. You will attend the synagogue services and carry out the ritual and directions of the Talmud. However, you will leave out that which Jehovah requires most of all. He did not say, ‘When I see the leaven put away, or when I see you eat the motsah or go the synagogue; but His word was, ‘When I see the blood I will pass over you.’ Ah, my br...

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." -Psalm 118:8-9 "SALVATION IS OF THE LORD." -Jonah 2:9c "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall NOT come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto LIFE ." -John 5:24 [KJV]

"Peace, peace to him that is far off." -Isaiah 57:19  [KJV]   Far off! What means that? It means that the soul passing through that experience is separated, in its feelings, and at an infinite distance from God. Now this inward sense of  being "far off" is one of the most painful feelings that a quickened soul can experience. The ungodly, who are really afar off, know nothing experimentally of distance from God, for they have never been brought spiritually near. They have felt no "cords of love, no bands of a man" drawing them with sweet attraction to the throne of the most High; they have never sighed after the sweet manifestations of God's mercy and love; but they live gladly, and wallow wilfully in those things which separate the soul from its Maker.   But those who are "afar off" in their feelings, are such as have seen something of the beauty of the Lord, and felt the evil of sin, who spiritually know Jehovah's purity and the c...

There is but One whose blood Can cleanse our sinfulness And make us holy before God The L ORD our righteousness . There is but One approved; And all in Him are blessed. He is the One at God's right hand The L ORD our righteousness .   There is but One who gives To sinners perfect rest; And He our Sabbath fully is, The L ORD our righteousness . There is but One who reigns. And in His kingdom pressed, Is everyone who trusts Him as The L ORD our righteousness . There is but One to judge, And in His garment dressed. In confidence we shall but plead The L ORD our righteousness . There is but One to trust, Christ Jesus, God in flesh. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, The L ORD our righteousness . -Tune: Blest Be The Tie Words by preacher Gary Shepard http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=allsovgrace

These two words sum up the gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Substitute of His chosen people, rendered complete satisfaction to the law and justice of God by His perfect life and His sin-removing death. The imputation of righteousness to His people was solely dependent upon Christ’s obedience " UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS " (Philippians 2:8) . His triumphant resurrection declared that the Substitute had satisfied every stipulation the Father laid down for the redemption, reconciliation and justification of His people. -preacher Jim Byrd

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for H e is faithful that promised ." -Hebrews 10:23 [KJV] Faith cannot rest upon fancy; it can only rest upon the solid truth of God, as revealed in the Scriptures. And when it comes into the truth of God, as Noah's dove came into the ark as its own nest and home, then it finds rest and peace. Many persons think we build our faith and hope, not on the Scriptures, but on some mental feelings, or fancies of our own, distinct from the word of God. I do not and cannot build my faith on anything but what is revealed in the Bible; and I must do it because I have no other foothold for it to stand upon. Do you not feel the same, you who know anything of the trial of faith? You have had many a tossing up and down, and have often wanted a foothold for your faith to stand upon. You have tried to believe this or that doctrine, or to get into this or that experience; but you kept still falling short, for you found that...

I believe God is sovereign in creation, providence and salvation. "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places" (Ps alm 135:6) . I believe God, before the world began, chose a people in Christ unto salvation, a choice of unconditional grace. "God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation" ( II Thessalonians 2:13) . I believe that the eternal Son of God "was manifest in the flesh" ( I Ti mothy 3:16) to "save His people" (Matt hew 1:21) . I believe that by His substitutionary death, Christ satisfied every demand of justice for His chosen ones thereby obtaining "eternal redemption" (Heb rews 9:12) . I believe that even as the sins of God’s elect were imputed to Christ so His justifying righteousness has been imputed to His people ( II Corinthians 5:21) . I believe Christ died so that God might be "a just God and a Savior" (Isaiah 45:21) . I believe Chr...

" God of everlasting glory,   Hear this poor and needy soul; Grant to me Thy great salvation,   Come and make this sinner whole.   Manifest Thy loving kindness,   For Thy mercy I apply;   Meet my need and heal my spirit,   Or this sinful soul will die. In Thy holy Word ‘tis written,   That for sinners Jesus died;   And His sacrifice on Calv’ry,   All Thy justice satisfied.   When the Savior paid their ransom,   He redeemed Thy family;   Look upon the righteous Savior,   And show mercy Lord to me. By the grace of Thine own Spirit,   To the Savior I will flee;   Jesus blood and His obedience,   Shall be all this sinner’s plea.   Only Christ alone can save me,   I shall live at His command.   In His garments of salvation,   Pure before Thy throne I stand."   -Tune, "COME THOU FOUNT" 8.7.8.7. double WORDS BY JIM BYRD

"For H is eyes are upon the ways of man, and H e seeth all his goings." -Job 34:21 [KJV]   The Christian has to prove that nothing escapes the eye of a just and holy God; that H e lays bare every secret thought, searches every hidden purpose, and scrutinizes every desire and every movement of the mind. He thus discovers and brings to light all the secret sins of the heart. Men in general take no notice of heart sins; if they can keep from sins in life, from open acts of immorality, they are satisfied. What passes in the chambers of imagery they neither see nor feel. Not so with the child of grace; he knows the experience described in Psalm 139. He carries about with him the secret conviction that the eye of God reads every thought. Every inward movement of pride and self-righteousness, rebellion, discontent, peevishness, fretfulness, lust, and wantonness, he inwardly feels that the eye of God reads all, marks all, condemns by H is righteous law all, and because H e is so in...

 "What is His work? The work which the Father gave Him to do; the work covenanted from before the world began; the work that shall crown Him with glory and honor for ever and ever; the work of fulfilling, of magnifying, and of honoring the holy law of God; the work of satisfying and of sheathing the sword of inflexible justice in His own heart; the work of vanquishing the powers of darkness, bruising the old serpent’s head, spoiling principalities and powers, taking away the sting of death, and removing the curse forever from all the election of grace. That is the work of God; that is the work of Christ, and it is freely given to the believer. " -preacher Joseph Irons, 1848 A.D.

"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 quick to forgive. A forgiving ...

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" ( II 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 has arranged a...

  God’s own eternal Son, Christ the Anointed One, Hung on the cross. Servant of God was He, Dying on Calvary; To set His people free, From endless loss.   Our sins on Him were laid, By Him our debt was paid, What wondrous grace! Infinite wrath He bore, Who can such love explore? God can demand no more, Christ took our place.   Justice was satisfied, When Christ our Savior died, By God’s decree. Risen, He reigns on high, To God He brings us nigh; On Him our hopes rely, Eternally! -Tune to "MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE" Words by JIM BYRD

  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6) . Christ is not the way to the Father in the sense of one who goes before sinners and says, "follow in my footsteps and I will show you the way to God." He is more than a teacher who points out the way or gives directions as to how we can find the way. No! He is Himself the Way to God, salvation, life, righteousness, forgiveness and acceptance. Christ and His sacrificial death is the only Channel through which God comes to sinners, and undeserving sinners draw near to God. He is "the Way" by the Father’s appointment for He honors every attribute of God, and He meets the sinner’s every need. He is the Way into everlasting bliss, and He is the Way into the presence of the Father. There is no other means to approach a just God so as to be received except by this divinely appointed Way. He alone can present us faultless and without blame ...

"Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" - Romans 7:24 [KJV] If the Lord the Spirit has implanted that piteous cry in our soul, "O wretched man that I am!" this will follow as a necessary consequence— "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"  Where shall I look for deliverance? From what quarter can it come? Shall I look to the law? O no! that curses and condemns me, because I am continually breaking it. Can I look to friends? They may pity and sympathise; but they cannot remove the body of sin and death; it is too fast linked on for them to remove. Shall I go to ministers of truth? I may hear what they say with approbation; but there is something more wanted to remove this chilling embrace of the body of sin and death. Shall I look to the Scriptures? They contain the remedy; but I want that remedy to be sweetly applied.  "Who then shall deliver me?"  What refuge can I look to? Whither can I go, or whither shall I turn...

     "O wretched man that I am!"     -Romans 7:24 a [KJV] Now, these feelings which the Apostle groaned under are experienced by all the quickened family. Blessed then be the name of God most High, that He inspired him to trace out and leave upon record his experience, that we might derive comfort and relief from it. What should we otherwise have thought? We should have reasoned thus: 'Here is an apostle perfectly holy, perpetually heavenly-minded, having nothing but the image of Christ in him, continually living to the Lord's glory, and unceasingly enjoying communion with him!' We should have viewed him as a perfect saint, if he had not told us what he was; and then, having viewed him as a perfect saint, we should have turned our desponding eyes into our own bosom, and seen such an awful contrast, that we should despair of ever being saved at all! But seeing the soul conflict which the Apostle passed through, and feeling a measure of the same in our own boso...