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

" I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the L ORD in the land of the living." —Psalm 27:13 [KJV] In times of sore distress and affliction, whether in soul or body, saints are taught many sweet lessons. Chastenings from the Lord are all in love; by them our God teaches the soul to profit. "No chastening for the present is joyous, but grievous." In the dark night of suffering, Christians sigh out many a doleful strain. Sometimes according to all appearances from nature, sense, feeling, and the judgment of reason, they are ready to cry out, "All things are against me." Hence their courage sinks, their hopes and their hearts fail them, and they are ready to faint; but they have an invisible Friend always near them; He supports them by His power under all their trials and conflicts; supplies with comforting cordials; revives their spirits with the consolations of His word; and when He brings them out of their troubles, the...

" Giving thanks to the Father, Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." —Colossians 1:12 [KJV] Too many of God's dear children seem to abound more in complaining of what they find and feel in themselves than in praising God for what He hath done for and in them. Why is this? They do not live enough in their own kingdom; they do not enough consider their own privileges; they dwell not enough upon the rich love of God their Father to them; the free-grace of Jesus their Redeemer FOR them, and the work of the comforter IN them.  But, what from a sense of their corruptions, the devices of Satan, the sight of the spirituality of the law, the legality that is in them, they cannot think themselves made meet for God's kingdom; therefore they do not praise God for it. Say, O ye sons and daughters of the Most High, is this right? What! because you find sin abound in you, will you not give praise that grace doth much more abou...

The Gospel and the Believer, Part 2   by D. G. Miles McKee   “ And He is the head of the body, the church: Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence .” -Colossians 1:18 [KJV]   I once had a friend who was a devotee of a certain Indian Guru. My friend would sit for hours looking within himself and having all manner of so-called experiences. When he neglected to meditate, his quality of life, he said, was not nearly as good.  He claimed that meditation on the ‘Divine Light’ within him brought peace and joy. His was a classic case of subjectivism.  His experience and condition were the centre of his spiritual life.   He and his fellow devotees would congregate weekly and encourage one another to keep growing in their inward experiences.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  It sounds like they were having a testimony meeting or some kind of a mid-week church meeting!  But it w...

"... zealous of good works." —Titus 2:14 [KJV] Call to mind, disciple of Jesus, how in times past thou didst walk according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and yet the god of this world so blinded thine eyes, and so deceived thine heart (strange infatuation!) that thou didst talk of and trust in even what had no existence, thine own good works. Glory to the rich grace of our Saviour, Who delivers us from the natural notions of our corrupt reason, the pride of our "free-will," and the vain confidence of our own righteousness!  Now all our glorying is in Jesus; for though by nature we are slaves to our lusts, in bondage to iniquity, our minds defiled, our consciences impure, and therefore to every good work reprobate, yet such was the love of Jesus to us, that "He gave Himself for us." He hath redeemed us from all iniquity; He hath purified us unto Himself as a peculiar people, "zealous of...

"Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." —Psalm 73:24 [KJV] That is a precious caution of our loving Saviour, "Judge not according to the appearance." —John 7:24 . St. Paul reproves saints, "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?" —II Corinthians 10:7 . Through this conduct, saints in all ages have puzzled their minds, distressed their souls, and have been tempted to hard thoughts of their God. They have not "judged righteous judgment," in respect to carnal men and the dispensations of God's providence to them. So we see Job greatly exercised, (Job 21:7.) and Asaph in the above Psalm. But after the cloud of carnal reasoning and unbelief passed over their minds, the sun of glory and truth shone again with splendor upon them; then faith puts forth its lively exercises and sweet approbations of God. "O MY God and Saviour, I see Thy ways to man are just! Righteous art Thou, O Lord...

"Behold! He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him." —Revelation 1:7 [KJV] With what ardor of heart may every believer cry out, blessed be God, every hour brings nearer the solemn advent, the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus! "O Christians, now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed." Come, Thou once despised Nazarene, Thou once crucified Saviour: He shall come; He will come quickly, and be seen in human form. Shall we not see those wounds and scars in His body, the tokens of His inestimable love to and perfect victory of His cross for us poor sinners?  How joyful in the exercise of faith, the fervor of love, the expectation of hope, is this contemplation! This quells the fears of nature, mortifies its lusts, subdues its corruptions. To this end are we born again of the Spirit, that we should enjoy the visions of faith, see Jesus, live by faith upon Him, have fellowship with Him in the sufferings of His ...

" For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." —Philippians 1:21 [KJV] O happy, happy soul! who can thus say with Paul, "in life, in death, Christ is my gain!" Verily, if thou believest on the Son of God, thou mayest. Thou also hast the same right and the same reason as he had. Paul was a poor sinner, even as thou art; but Christ was all his gain: so He is to thee and every one who believes in Him. Come Christian, let us, like the wise trader, state our accounts of loss and gain and see the sum total this day.  In self-righteousness before God, peace with God, love to God, hope in God, power to please God, enjoyment of God, the life of our souls, yea, our souls themselves are ALL LOST. We are all a lump of sin, bankrupt sinners, insolvent debtors to law and justice, and are exposed to lie for ever in the prison of hell. Awful loss. What is our GAIN? Inestimable riches! nothing less than precious Christ, and a precious salvation! O, is His dear name ...

" The word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe." —I Thessalonians 2:13 [KJV] A proclamation of grace from an earthly king has reduced the most desperate and hardened rebels to lay down their arms and promise true allegiance. But though the word of God is a proclamation of free grace, glad tidings of full pardon; though replete with the most tender expostulations and the most endearing invitations, yet so abominable is our perverseness, so daring our obstinacy, that we should remain deaf to every call, and continue hardened in our rebellion against the most high God, till we fall victims to His justly deserved wrath.  For unbelief shuts up every avenue of the soul against the light, truth, peace, and love of the word of God. But, O amazing love! Lie in the dust, O my soul! adore the power of our all-conquering Saviour! The gracious Spirit makes gracious words effectual. Hence faith esteems every portion of the gospel as the food, the life, t...

" Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." —Hebrews 11:1 [KJV] Happiness, that inestimable jewel, every man is in search after. But to seek it from objects unseen and invisible to our natural senses, is a downright paradox, and will be ever condemned as the greatest absurdity in the judgment of depraved sense and carnal reason. In the knowledge, love, and enjoyment of God, true happiness alone consists. The only living and true God hath revealed himself in Christ Jesus. This is the Christian's God.  He knows no other. It is a blessed truth built upon and supported by the word of God. By faith this subsists in his mind, and is clear and evident to his newborn soul. From this inward believing, "That God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself," O what an extensive prospect for hope ariseth! God in Christ; the promises all in Christ; he that believeth is in Christ. Christ dwelleth in his heart by faith:...

" Can there be a time or season,  When our thanks must silent lie? Times when saints can find no reason,  To lift up their praise on high? No, there’s always blessing flowing,  Even when our tears flow too! For His mercy is ongoing,  Grace is given each day, anew. Oft, we find our tongue is ready,  To sing out our grateful song; When the pantry, filled with plenty,  Speaks of food for days to come. Then we must not trust the blessing,  For ‘tis but the Blesser’s store. Our dependence still confessing,  Let us thank Him all the more!   When the stall and store are empty,  And it seems there’ll be no more; When, with doubting, Satan tempts thee,  Loudly sounds His frightening roar, With still louder thanks and praises,  List those everlasting goods: He our sin fore’er erases,  Fills our souls with heav’nly food. Are we stunned with grief expressless,  For the Lord has taken away, One our heart held close and precious- O...

The Gospel and the Believer. Part 1 by D. G. Miles McKee   "Christian, should your eye ever be withdrawn from the cross, you will be sure to go backwards, to grow cold, and to forget that you were purged from your old sins (see II Peter 1:9) . That cross is life, health, holiness, consolation, strength, joy; let nothing come between it and you.” -preacher Horatius Bonar: ‘Follow The Lamb’ Paul knew that the knowledge of Christ crucified was the highest knowledge we could obtain.  Indeed, Christ, His person, work and offices, are the hub and center of all gospel truth.  We believers have the privilege, therefore, to ‘Look unto Jesus’ and to occupy ourselves with Him.   The message we are to share is about a Person … Jesus Christ. And yes of course we include His benefits but our message is to be centred on Him. Our message is about who the Lord Jesus is, His doing, dying, rising, ascension and session (sitting down) at the place of cosmic authority. No...

" Wait on the L ORD : be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the L ORD ." —Psalm 27:14 [KJV] "Be of good courage!" Alas, how can one be so, when all sense and feeling tend to dishearten the mind and deject the soul. Lively frames in duty, sweet enlargements of heart, heavenly transports of joy, delightful ecstasies of faith, ravishing tastes of love, all, all, like Noah's dove, have taken their flight; and I fear, says the drooping soul, never, never more to return.  Truly, like Hezekiah, "I mourn as a dove, mine eyes fail with looking upward, O L ORD I am oppressed, undertake for me." —Isaiah 38:14 . Still, saith the Comforter (the Holy Ghost) by His word, "Be of good courage." Remember thy calling: It is to live by faith, to honor thy Lord, and be obedient to His word. Thou hast the sentence of death in thyself, that thou shouldst not trust in thyself, lest thine heart depart from thy Lo...

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23 [KJV]  Notice the word is “ fruit,” not fruits.  This fruit is not of nature, nor flesh, but is the result of the indwelling Spirit and that which is produced by Him. We can take no glory for any good or good works that are in us, for these are all by His grace . But this fruit, in various degrees according to our spiritual growth, is in every believer.    The kind of life produced by the presence of the Holy Spirit is GOODNESS as opposed to selfishness, RIGHTEOUSNESS as opposed to sinfulness, and TRUTH as opposed to deceit.  Where the Spirit of God dwells, these characteristics dwell.                                  ...

" Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways: to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins." —Luke 1:76, 77 [KJV] The day of gospel-truth, like the light of the morning, breaks forth gradually upon the benighted soul, and it increaseth to midday brightness and glory. "The path of the justified is like the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Thus it is in the experience of enlightened souls. The light of God's word manifests the truth as it is in Jesus, gradually; it discovers condemnation and guilt by the law, and grace and pardon by the gospel. The baptist dispensation prepares the way in the heart before the soul enjoys the sweet sense of pardon of sins through the faith in Jesus.  The law is a voice only of wrath and terror to the soul; it leaves the poor sinner in the dreadful state it finds him; it pronounces nothing but curses upon him; it can shew him no rem...

" Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation." —Psalm 27:9 [KJV] "Love never faileth:" it ever worketh in the heart of disciples towards its beloved Object. Love cannot bear distance or separation from Jesus; the thought of it is grievous and painful; the dread of it makes the soul plead, fills the mouth with arguments, lest the poor heart should lose the sweet sense and comforting savour of the love of God. His presence is its heaven, His absence is its hell; His smiles create joy, His frowns bring gloom and sorrow on the mind.  When the heart feels a sensible withdrawing of God, and the light of His countenance is hid, it cannot but be restless and uneasy. Real believers experience Christianity to be more than a name— doctrines more than mere speculations to fill the head and amuse the thoughts—in ordinances, somewhat more is enjoyed than a dull ...

" This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in His Son: he that hath the Son hath life." —I John 5:11, 12 [KJV] Sovereign power permits man to fall. Guilt fills the wretched pair with dread, and cuts off all hope in God, all claim upon Him. Hence our first parents "fled from the presence of the L ORD , and hid themselves." Sovereign love interposed, and the poor, guilty, trembling partners in woe were called before their highly-offended, justly provoked Lord. Was it to behold Him clothed with vengeance? To hear the sentence of their eternal doom to destruction? To see hell opened to receive them?  No; be astonished, O heavens! Rejoice, ye apostate children of hell-deserving parents! They were to hear a RECORD of what was transacted in the eternal court and counsel of heaven, published on earth. This, instead of wrath, brought mercy; instead of woe, blessing; instead of eternal death, everlasting life; instead of a h...