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

" Most men love to hear of the doctrine of grace, of the pardon of sin, of free love, and suppose they find food therein; however, it is evident that they grow and thrive in the life and notion of them.   But to be breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts, to be inquiring after the weeds and briers that grow in them, they delight not so much, though this be no less necessary than the other." -preacher John Owen, excerpt from 'The Works of John Owen'

" The times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord..." -Acts 3:19 [KJV] Who shall these times come to? Every sinner that repents and turns to Christ for salvation. From whence shall they come? From the presence of the Lord. Here then it is manifest, whether you have repented and turned to the Lord.  If so, (1st.) your soul will delight in God’s presence.  (2d.) You will earnestly long for and highly prize these refreshing seasons.  (3d.) You will say with David, “Thou art my God; my times are in Thy hands. I will bless the L ORD at all times: His praise shall be continually in my mouth” (Psalm 31:14, 15.—34:1.)   Hence, (4th.) you will turn from your sins, your self-righteous hopes, carnal pleasures, and worldly vanities, to seek all your happiness in the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord.  And, (5th.) you will wait in the patience of faith, for the coming of refreshing seasons, believing they shall come. Is it now a night of g...

"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." -Isaiah 51:1 [KJV] It is as though the Lord would here by the pen of His prophet turn our eyes to our native origin. And what is that? The same quarry out of which the other stones come. If you and I, by God's grace, are "living stones," we come out of the same quarry with the dead, unbelieving, unregenerate world; there is no difference in that respect. Nay, we are perhaps sunk lower in the quarry than some of those in whom God never has and never will put His grace. It is not the upper stratum, what is called "the capstone," of the quarry, which is to be taken to be hewn into a pillar; they go down deep into the pit to get at the marble which is to be chiselled into the ornamental column. So with God's saints. They do not lie at the top of the quarry; but the Lord has to go down very low, that He may bring up these stones out of the depths of ...

"I sleep, but my heart waketh." -Song of Solomon 5:2 [KJV] My soul, behold the church fallen into a sleepy state, after having been at the banquet of her Lord; and view in her the resemblance of thyself. How often art thou in this cold and lifeless situation; and instead of seeking increasing communion and fellowship with Jesus, falling asleep, as one insensible to past enjoyments and present need! It is not indeed the sleep of death; for, through the sovereignty of almighty grace, thou hast been quickened to a new and spiritual life in Christ Jesus; and thine heart waketh to the knowledge of thy Lord. But how unsuitable and unbecoming is it, for one who hath tasted that the Lord is gracious, to be indifferent to the farther enjoyment of Him! Time was, when, if thou didst miss Jesus in the ordinance, or hadst not a visit from thy Lord for a short space, thou wert on the wing of love, going forth in every way, and in every direction, in the inquiry, "Saw ye...