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

" As sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord ." —Romans 5:21 [KJV] Sin, like some mighty conqueror, hath obtained a victory and reigns over the whole human race. All men are naturally under, and well pleased with its reign and government; but sovereign, almighty grace dethrones this usurping monarch in the hearts of the elect; triumphs over its spoils and conquests, delivers their captive souls from its dominion, and reverseth the sentence of death they were under: and all this is effected in a just and righteous way.  For though salvation is all of grace to poor sinners, yet eternal life is a just debt due to the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ: He hath a right to challenge it from the hands of justice; and He doth so by promise, "Father, I WILL that they Whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." —John 17:24 . To think of doing something to procure the fav...

  When Jesus Christ’s count rymen tried to force Him to be their king, He withdrew from them (John 6:15). But when they came to arrest Him as a criminal, He let them take Him (John 18:1 - 5). Think of it! Jesus refused an earthly kingdom, but submitted to cruelty from it.   • He refused being enthroned by men, but accepted being killed by them.   • He refused their rule over men, but accepted their mistreatment of Him.   • He refused their royal throne, but accepted their shameful cross.   • He refused their crown of gold, but accepted their c rown of thorns.   • He refused their royal robe, but accepted the taking of all His garments.   • He refused to be a man of privilege, but accepted being a man of sorrows.   • He refused a life of ease, but accepted a death in grief.   And He endured all this for the salvation of His people. -preacher Daniel Parks

" Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." —Romans 8:12 [KJV] Christianity teaches us to owe no man any thing. He is a prudent man who keeps his accounts clear and knows to whom he is indebted; he is a grateful man who acknowledges favors with just sentiments. If this is necessary and commendable in the economy of this short life, how much more so in things of a spiritual and eternal nature! How wise, how just is it to render to all their dues! If we are debtors to the flesh, let us serve that; but if debtors to the Lord, it is then our duty and privilege to serve Him.  What owest thou, O Christian, to the flesh? Verily, neither suit nor service: but alas! thou hast obeyed its sinful motions, gratified the corrupt lusts thereof, and what hast thou reaped for it but shame and sorrow?  These are the only fruits that sin and folly bear. The flesh with its corruptions and lusts is at enmity to thy God, and at war against thy s...

“ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” -Zechariah 9:9 [KJV]  Is there any doubt that the King here is none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Did He not enter Jerusalem humbly riding upon an ass, and, yet, He was (and is) still the King of glory Who came with power, bringing justice for His people AND salvation by His grace.   Without grace justice would demand eternal damnation and death for us. But God’s grace reigns “through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:21) . So, “rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem.” This describes all true children of God, His elect who are brought by God to believe and rest in Christ for all salvation, forgiveness, righteousness, an...

" But the Comforter who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." —John 14:26 [KJV] Our blessed L ORD JESUS here gives us the clearest discovery of the ever-glorious three Persons, in covenant, for the salvation of lost sinners. In this knowledge lies all our hope; from this belief springs all our comfort. In the love of this, our heaven is begun upon earth; for the knowledge, belief, and love of this truth in our hearts, we are wholly indebted to the Comforter. He teaches all things. Not by any new lights or fresh revelations; but He graciously instructs our minds and comforts our hearts by the same light of truth and love which beamed forth in the first promise, and which shone brighter and brighter in prophecies, types and shadows of the Covenant, until the substance, Jesus, was come.  Then the canon (- biblical doctrine/teaching ) of re...

7 Gospel Mercies Part 2 by D.G.Miles McKee 2) Accepted as Righteous. We saw in part one, our first Gospel Mercy is that, in Christ, we have full and perfect forgiveness. The second gospel mercy is that we are recognized as being righteous. Our acceptance, in Heaven, is because we are credited with the very righteousness of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6). This is a wonderful gospel benefit whereby God views us as though we had never ever committed any sins. We have been justified and acquitted of all charges against us. We have been given a new, perfect righteousness in Christ. This is like getting our past expunged and being given a totally new identity. Since all things are now new, we have no time to run around the place feeling guilty. What do we have to feel guilty about? All the rotten wretched things we have ever done are under the blood. They are forgiven, forgotten, buried and done away with in Christ! I know we find this very hard to believe but the more we bathe ...

" Thus saith the Lord G OD , 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] A day is coming when every man's work shall be tried. The foundation of the Lord stands sure; but every other foundation shall be destroyed. He who is built on Jesus, and derives all his hopes of life and salvation from Him, is safe in time, and secure to all eternity. Before men begin to build, they draw a plan; and every wise builder looks carefully to the foundation; for on this depends the safety of the super-structure. The plan of salvation was drawn in the eternal council. It is founded in the love of the Father; effected by the obedience and sufferings of the Son, Jesus.  Hence what was contrived in infinite wisdom above, is laid as a sure foundation in the church below, by the love and power of the Spirit, the Comforter. It is His peculiar office to lay th...

" For we which have believed, do enter into rest." —Hebrews 4:3 [KJV] When Christ is known and believed on in the heart, ease and rest are enjoyed in the conscience. Therefore Jesus is esteemed a precious Saviour. The operations of the Spirit prove that He is the COMFORTER, by thus leading us to Christ. Hence faith and experience go hand in hand. There remaineth for the people of God a rest, perfect and uninterrupted in glory. We have the earnest of the inheritance of it on earth: by faith we enter into it: and while we abide in Jesus we enjoy rest.  Who is able to conceive? Who can describe the tumult of conscience, the distress of soul, under a feeling sense of sin and fear of wrath? None can, but the heart which knows its own bitterness. Who can express the sweet peace, the calm repose of that soul who finds rest in Jesus? It is a joy which a stranger intermeddles not with. It was God's command under the law, "When a man hath taken a new wife, he sha...

" I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me." —Jeremiah 32:40 [KJV] I WILL and they SHALL. Such is God's gracious way of saving His people: while proud legal hearts and self-righteous spirits, puffed up with notions of free-will, are ever contending for terms and conditions to be performed by dead sinners in order to be saved; or by creatures, insufficient of themselves to think a good thought, to secure and make effectual salvation to their own souls. But this fear of God is a blessing of the covenant of grace.  Naturally the fear of God is not in our hearts. It is one black mark of an unregenerate person, "he has no fear of God before his eyes." How awful! how deplorable is this! Yet, naturally we fear not the power of the Lord, nor dread His wrath: nor are we at all sensible of our danger. What wonder of love! What matter of thankfulness, that the Lord hath put His fear in thy heart, O Christian! The fear of the Lor...

" There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." —Romans 8:1 [KJV] Mr. Burkitt observes, 'this chapter is a summary of evangelical duty, and a magazine of Christian comfort: it begins with no condemnation to believers, and ends with no separation from the love of God .' It is natural to conceive, if we had never sinned there would be no condemnation against us; but, that now we are sinners, and naturally under the condemning sentence of God's holy law; that yet there is now no condemnation to us; this our carnal reason cannot conceive, and therefore opposes it.  But it is God's truth and the joy of faith. This unfolds the great mystery, that we are one with Christ: viewed, beloved, and chosen in Him. This gloriously displays the attributes of Jehovah's justice and holiness; while a full and ample discharge from all condemnation is obtained from His righteous law, to all Christ's members. Therefore, that bles...

" Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." —Matthew 5:6 [KJV] To thirst after happiness is natural. To seek it from wrong objects is natural. To desire to escape a hell of misery, and enjoy a place of happiness, is equally natural. If this may be called salvation, all men wish to be saved. The most wicked may wish to "die the death of the righteous, and that their last end may be like his." This every man is capable of as a rational, intelligent being. And many are striving to make themselves righteous in order to be saved.  But to desire salvation in God's way, to hunger and thirst after Christ and His righteousness, is peculiar to the quickened only. The dead hunger not. Spiritual appetites spring from spiritual life. A natural man can as soon seek to fill his belly with the east wind, or allay his thirst with the sunbeams, as do this. To know ourselves to be miserable sinners, destitute of righ...

" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." —Romans 12:1 [KJV] Just before our dear Saviour left his apostles, He gave them this commission, "Preach the gospel;" glad tidings of the everlasting love and mercy of God, in Christ, to poor sinners. By this truth, through the power of the Spirit, souls are brought to repentance, faith, and salvation; and by the sweet force and constraining influence of the same truth, believers are to be exhorted, animated, and stirred up to glorify God in their souls and bodies which are His. This was the apostles' practice. With what affection and love do they address the members of Jesus!  The sound of wrath and terror, the thunderings of hell and damnation are not used to soldiers in the camp of Jesus. No; they are exhorted by love and mercy. So we delight to hear: and from these most powe...

" Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah ." —Psalm 3:2 [KJV] Had David's foes said of him, He deserves no help from God; he would readily have owned this as a great truth. As God's children are comforted by the truth, so the enemy advances lies to distress them. When he attacks their faith and comfort, he boldly impeaches the love and faithfulness of their God. "No help for me in God!" O, my soul, wilt thou listen to this suggestion? Canst thou indulge such a thought one moment? Art thou beset with distress of soul, and surrounded with troubles and difficulties? Art thou singing a melancholy note? Selah , saith David: pause, consider this; lift up thy mind to attend; how dishonorable to thy God, how destructive to thy faith, peace, love, and holiness, is this!  Know the voice of thy enemy. Hear the voice of thy Saviour. His word is adapted to thy circumstances, however distressing or desperate. "Thou ha...

  7 Gospel Mercies, Part 1    by D.G. Miles McKee For the believer, true guilt-free, victorious living can only be realized through continual exposure to the gospel and its benefits. There are no techniques or formulas for freedom. The true victorious life comes from beholding Christ alone . Far from being merely for the unsaved, the gospel is actually the essential message for every believer. Alas, in this day and age of formulas and the quick fix, this truth is missing from many of our pulpits. However, as the gospel is preached, applied and its mercies understood, God’s people will walk in the freedom and joy of their "SO GREAT SALVATION." Let’s begin to look at seven gospel mercies which pour out of the finished work of Jesus the Christ.   Forgiveness. The first gospel mercy we want to consider is that for the believer there is total forgiveness for every sin. The Scriptures say, ‘ Through this man (Jesus) is preached unto you forgiveness of sins’ ...

" If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." —John 13:17 [KJV] Jesus is a Prophet to teach, a Priest to atone, and a King to reign by love in the hearts of all His subjects. So a Christian receives the Lord Jesus. Faith in Him begets an ear of love to His doctrine, and a heart of obedience to His commands. Let no one call evangelical obedience, legal bondage. For, every precept that drops from the mouth of Jesus, flows from love to us. When He saith, "Do this;" it is for thy happiness and good, O soul. "Avoid that:" love is careful of thee, "Do thyself no harm."   This is pleasant to the renewed soul to hear, his happiness to obey. Faith in Jesus makes all things easy. "His commandments are not grievous." To know them is our privilege. To do them is our happiness. Say, O Christian, is not this thy experience? Art thou not happy in doing the will of Jesus, who died for our sins? Art thou not delighted in obeyin...

" Jesus said unto him, Wherefore didst thou doubt?" —Matthew 14:31 [KJV] The best of men are but men at the best. The most eminent saints of God have experienced doubting, fearful frames, as well as believing, joyful ones. We have many instances of this in the bold and courageous Peter. Now, at the command of his Master, we behold him walking safely on the surface of the great deep. Here he honored his Master's word, was very safe and comfortable while he believed His power. To see Peter walking upon the liquid ocean, is not more beyond the power of reason to comprehend and account for, than to see a poor sinner comfortably living and walking by faith on the Son of God, in spite of all the raging waves of unbelief, lust, and corruptions.  But as it was with Peter, so is it often with the believer. The workings of Peter's natural senses, the suggestions of his carnal reason, opposed the actings of his faith; he heard the roaring winds, he saw the boistero...

"Afflictions do not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the ground. Sorrow cannot come until God bids it. Until God in His sovereignty permits—health cannot fade, wealth cannot vanish, comfort cannot decay, friendship cannot chill, and loved ones cannot die. Your time of sorrow is His appointment. The bitter cup which it may please the Lord that you shall drink this year will not be mixed by human hands. In the hand of the Lord is that cup!  Some treasure you are now pressing to your heart, He may ask you to resign. Some blessing you now possess, He may bid you to relinquish. Some fond expectation you now cherish, He may will that you should forego. Some lonely path, He may design that you should tread." -preacher Octavius Winslow

" My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." —Galatians 4:19 [KJV] Many sincere disciples, who are convinced of sin, hope in themselves cut off, and have fled to Jesus for refuge , are often distressed because they have not been under such dreadful terrors of legal wrath which others talk of, and are mistaken for the pangs and travail of the new birth. But there is no authority from scripture to conclude we must have such great terrors of hell and damnation ere we come to and believe on Christ. Nay, the law may work great wrath in the conscience, and yet the soul never be converted to Jesus and the holiness of the gospel.  The Spirit is a sovereign Agent. Enlightened, convinced souls are differently wrought on; some feel more, others less terror; but each see the sinfulness of sin, their lost state by nature, the spirituality of the law and the preciousness of Jesus before they will come to Him. On such the dear Saviour ...