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

Before the foundation of the world, God chose to save a multitude of people (II Thessalonians 2:13) . Those who were ordained to salvation were “predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ” (Romans 8:29) . Here is the question I want you to consider: what would God sacrifice in order to save the objects of His everlasting love from their sins?  What was He willing to surrender so that a multitude of rebels would be justified in His sight? I will first tell you what He did not sacrifice. He did not part with His holy character by compromising His justice because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) . He did not give up His honor by lessening the standard for acceptance: “it shall be perfect to be accepted” (Leviticus 22:21). And, He did not abandon His Law which says, “the soul that sinneth shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). I will tell you the sacrifice God gave to save His people from their sins - His own Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave HIS...

  Any man or woman who claims continual, uninterrupted joy, rest, and peace in this world is either not telling the truth or has no connection with reality! True joy, rest, and peace are things we enjoy in Christ in the midst of troubles, afflictions, and infirmities . Paul’s exhortation was “Rejoice in the Lord.”       When I am conscious of my weakness, failures, and sins, I rejoice in Christ, my righteousness.       When I am concerned about food, clothing, and shelter, I rejoice in Christ my provider.       When I am sick, Christ is my healer.       When I am grieved, Christ is my comfort.       When I am faced with death, Christ is my life!       So it is not necessary to put on a false face and deceive others. We are still human; but our peace, rest, and joy is Christ. –preacher Henry T. Mahan   Sermon Audio website...

Nowhere in the Word of God do we find the most common religious catch phrase – “Accept Jesus as your personal Savior.”  Nowhere does it say that the Lord of all the universe is up for acceptance or rejection by mere mortals.  Nowhere does it say that the Sovereign Creator of all things needs to be accepted by the creature. You see… we  are on trial…Not God!  We are the ones that will be either accepted or rejected, according to the will and pleasure of Him who made us.  It is God that must “Accept us in the beloved.”   Accepting something or someone implies ability to accept or reject. Man, who is dead in sins, cannot accept but only reject that which is true and good. “The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he…” (I Corinthians 2:14).              The Scriptures do however speak of us receiving Christ   (must see - John 1:12-13 ...

When “The mystery of God is finished,” “Time shall be no more,” and all of the redeemed of the Lord are gathered around their great Redeemer, perfected and glorified forever, the only visible evidence of the consequences of sin will be seen on the Redeemer Himself!   Every mark and trace of sin will have been removed from the saints of God.  The wounds inflicted upon Christ the Redeemer when He delivered Himself up to be crucified as the Substitute for sinners, “The Just for the unjust” that He might bring them to God, will be the only visible evidence of sin remaining .   What an eternal reminder that “By His stripes they are healed!”   They did all the sinning.  He did all the suffering, dying, and saving.  What amazing love and grace!  What an amazing Redeemer-God!                               ...

  Hark, how the Gospel trumpet sounds Christ and free grace therein abound   Free grace to such as sinners be   And if free grace, why not for me?     The Saviour died, and by His blood   Brought rebel sinners home to God   He died to set the captives free   Then why, my soul, why not for me?     Christ Jesus came the poor to bless   To clothe them with His righteousness   The robe is spotless, full and free   Then why, my soul, why not for me?     Eternal life by Christ is giv’n   And ruined sinners raised to heav’n   Then sing of grace so rich and free   And say, my soul, why not for thee?   -old Gospel hymn, "Doxology"

"... Strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." -Hebrews 5:14 [KJV] It is almost impossible for any who are called to minister in holy things, or who write about the truths of God, to please every one. Babes, who are unskillful in the word of righteousness, can only like milk. They cry out against strong meat, it offends their stomach. But such should consider,  (1st.) That they are not always to continue babes, to feed upon infant nutriment. The tender mother tries her infant, again and again, with meat, though its stomach heaves against it, and it has not the art to swallow it. So they must learn to eat strong meat, that they may grow thereby.  (2d.) God’s children are not all of equal age, therefore strong meat is as necessary for adult men, as milk is for babes; those of full age, or perfect. Not so, compared with the perfect law of God. There is no one ...

" Believe in the L ORD your God, so shall ye be established: believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." -II Chronicles 20:20 [KJV] Such was the advice of good old Jehosaphat, in a time of invasion by a powerful army. Precious words! at all times seasonable. What can a child of God desire on this side glory, so much as establishment of mind and prosperity of soul? Both are obtained by faith. As the mind is established, so the soul prospers.  (1st.) What is implied in being established? It is to be fixed and settled in the confidence of our mind, and not to halt between two opinions, as those of old did, between God and an idol (I Kings 18:21.) To halt, is to be lame on both sides. Thus, their minds were in suspense, agitated between two objects, and not steadily fixed upon either. So many sincere souls are tossed to and fro, by every wind of doctrine. They are like children, not steadily fixed in their judgment, nor settled in their confidence in the Lord: yet...

 I want to share three lies about God I’ve recently seen tossed about on social media as truth by professed believers: (1) God can move in your life.......if you permit Him. (2) Christ can be Lord.......if you confess Him. (3) God can do anything ........except overcome a man’s will. Friends, if God doesn’t even have sovereignty over the human heart (without being granted permission, of course) who is serving who? Who really has all power in this universe? Many of you reading this post pray to God for the salvation of your loved ones. Yet you believe it is your loved one who has to grant God permission to save! God is left only to making their life miserable in the hopes they come to Him. Such foolishness! Such powerlessness! Truth #1 : God moves in the lives of His children without human permission . Truth #2 : Men do not make Christ Lord. He IS Lord. Your current opinion of Him no more changes His Lordship over you than if you declared a boiling lava pit to be...

" David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul." -I Samuel 27:1 [KJV] Who will say, that, from the nature and reason of things, David had not cause to think so? The king’s wrath was incensed against him. “The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: yea, as the roaring of a lion” (Proverbs 16:14–19:12.) Saul wanted neither policy nor power to execute his cruel designs upon David: but only, he must have permission from David’s Lord, before he could hurt a single hair of his head. Poor David’s heart seems to forget this, when, in a fit of fear and frame of unbelief, he says, “I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul.”   Now, only think, “The Lord had appointed and anointed David to be king; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward.” Yet, we here find him doubting the truth of what had passed, giving way to unbelief, and suspecting that the Lord’s purpose might be prevented, by Saul’s malice in destroying h...

" That your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgment." -Philippians 1:9 [KJV] The soul that is not concerned that it may be so with him, is not alive to God. We see many professors, who have lost a warm sense and comfortable feeling of divine truths. But are they deeply concerned for it? Do they earnestly wrestle with God, fervently crying out, O that it were with me as in months past? Alas! no: they say, We are not called to live upon our frames and feelings. Very true: neither, blessed be God! are we called to live without warm frames and comfortable feelings. O, let us beware, lest we despise the comforts of the Holy Ghost! Some professors, by their spirit and conduct, remind us of the fox in the fable, who lost his tail in a trap, and told his brethren he ran so much the lighter without it.    So some, having lost their warm and lively feelings, think little about them, and seem to say, they can run well without them. Truly, so the...

     An elderly gentleman in the church had little formal education, but spent a lot of time with the Bible and was always finding things in the Scriptures that others missed.  At one service, the pastor asked those in the congregation for their favorite verses from the Bible.  When it was the man’s turn, he stated his favorite verse was, “And it came to pass."   All were puzzled, so the pastor asked if he would explain his selection a bit further.  The old gentleman responded, “When trouble comes and I don’t know what to do, I take heart that the Bible never says, ‘And it came to stay.’  But it is chocked-full of places where it says, ‘ And it came to pass .’” Excerpted from The Berea Baptist Banner, Milburn Cockrell, February 5, 1989 A.D.

" I will put a division between My people and thy people: to-morrow shall this sign be." -Exodus 8:23 [KJV] Thus speaks the sovereign Jehovah to the haughty, stubborn monarch Pharaoh. Loving children delight to treasure up in their memories the words of an affectionate father: they love to reflect on them, and draw comfort from them. O that we may do so to-night, by this speech of our heavenly Father! Consider,  (1st.) here is a people distinguished from a people. The Lord has a people among a people, chosen out of a people. These He particularly calls His own—My people. They are so, by everlasting love, eternal choice, and covenant grace.  (2d.) Though near and dear as they are to the Lord, yet they may for a season continue under the power of, and suffer oppression from their enemies. Though the love of the Lord’s heart is ever set upon you, and the eye of His providence is ever over you, yet He may seem to leave you. O! tarry the Lord’s leisure, and be strong...

" Awake to righteousness, and sin not." -I Corinthians 15:34 [KJV] What St. Paul says of natural death, “Some are fallen asleep,” (verse 6,) may be applied, in a spiritual sense, to professors. There are many such in this day. It is a very bad frame to live in and indulge. Such bring no honour to God, credit to the gospel, or profit to their brethren. One would think, such sit all the year under that word, and heartily obey it, “Sleep on, and take your rest.” Can such be said to be running in the heavenly race, fighting the good fight of faith, wrestling with spiritual enemies, and pressing towards the mark, for the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus? No; no more than a man in a midnight sleep, can be said to be active in worldly affairs.  But, what is worst of all, such sleepers dream that all is safe, and well with them. St. Paul, like a faithful watchman, cries out to such, Awake: “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise ou...

" Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him." -Genesis 42:8 [KJV] How affecting is the history of Joseph! Who can read it without emotion of soul? What amazing scenes of Providence open to our view! Spiritual minds may see many things in it typical of our beloved Saviour. Here, Joseph’s brethren are introduced to him, as governor of Egypt. He knew them: they knew not him. How does he deal with them? Does he instantly make himself known to them?  No: though he had the most tender affections of heart to them, and wept tears of joy at the sight of them; yet he speaks roughly, and sends them to prison. Why this? to bring their sin to their mind, and to affect them for their cruelty towards him, with a deep sense of their guilt. See we not somewhat typical of the conduct of Christ, our brother in the flesh, in all this?  (1st.) Christ knew us before we knew Him: He knew us from eternity, when we were chosen in Him, and given to Him.  (2d.) We never seek afte...

What do you think of Christ? Part II   “What think ye of Christ? is the test To try both your state and your scheme; You can­not be right in the rest, Unless you think right­ly of Him.”   -John Newton Last time, in part one, we concluded that no one was ever born like Jesus. His birth was merely an incident in His life. He had been alive from all eternity.  He was and is the God-Man. Now in Part 2 we continue to discover Christ´s uniqueness by considering that no one ever lived like Jesus. He lived a sinless life. What a mouthful! Do you realise how staggering that truth is? Have you ever tried it? Tried what? Tried to live sinlessly. I urge you to attempt it and see how far you get. Test every thought of yours against the Glory of God.  Does every thought exalt and magnify the eternal God? Well, you say, that´s impossible...Of course it is. That´s one of the reasons why Jesus stands alone in a vast sea of humanity.  He actually lived a sinless life....