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

"And lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased ."   -Matthew 3:16, 17 [KJV] Take thy stand, my soul, this evening by the river Jordan, and by faith behold the wonders displayed in the hour thy Jesus entered upon His public ministry. Behold a decisive proof of the distinct personality in the Threefold Character, which all the sacred volume of the scriptures gives to the revelation of the Godhead. Behold Jesus, the uncreated Word, on the bank of Jordan! Behold the Holy Spirit, hovering as a dove on His sacred person! And hear the voice of God coming from heaven, proclaiming Who Jesus was, His relationship to Him, and His approbation of Him. And when thou hast duly pondered the precious testimony, bend thy knee in adoration, love, and praise, to the sacred Three in One, for so condescending an act of grace, in confirmation...

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him ." - John 14:23 [KJV] There are two grand vital points that every Christian should seek to be established in. The first is,— Is he a believer in Christ ? Has the blessed Spirit made Christ known to his soul? Has he embraced Jesus in the arms of living faith? The second point which he should seek to have established in his soul is,— Does he abide in Christ ? This he may know by having some testimony that Christ abides in him, and produces the fruits that flow out of this inward abiding. If Christ abide in him, his heart will not be like the nether mill-stone. He cannot rush greedily into sin; he will not love the world, and the things of time and sense; he cannot happily love idols, or do those things which ungodly professors do without one check or pang.   Jesus in the soul is a guest that will make Himself known; yea...