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

" Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." —Psalm 139:23, 24 [KJV] "He that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." —John 3:21. This is an infallible touchstone of true conversion, given by the Oracle of truth. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." —Proverbs 28:26. Sincerity may be attended with diffidence ( not trusting ourselves ) . Sincere upright souls know they have to do with a heart-searching God: to Him they appeal, and desire to be searched and tried by Him. What avails the soul, to obtain a favorable opinion from our vain fellow-mortals, if we are conscious all is not right within! What peace, what comfort, what joy, though men approve, and the soul itself be ever so confident, while conscience testifies my ways do not please the Lord, my walk is contrary...

"Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again." -John 10:17 [KJV] Mark, my soul, the precious cause which thy Jesus here assigns for the love of His Father. God the Father not only loves God the Son, as God, one with Him in nature and in all divine perfections; but He loves Him peculiarly because He voluntarily undertook and accomplished by His death the salvation of His people.  Now then, my soul, make these two sweet improvements from what Jesus hath here said. First, think what must have been, and now is, the love of thy God and Father to thee and every poor sinner, when He truly loved His dear Son because He became the Saviour of poor sinners. And, secondly, think what love Jesus hath shewn to poor sinners in thus manifesting His mercy in such a way, and how dear they must be to the heart of Jesus, which have made Him dear in the sight of God.  My soul, never lose sight of this argument, when thou goest to the merc...

"...from all your idols will I cleanse you." -Ezekiel 36:25 [KJV] When there are no crosses, temptations, or exercises, a man is sure to go out after and cleave to idols. It matters not what experience he has had, whether of trouble or consolation, distress or enjoyment; if once he cease to be plagued and exercised, he will be setting up his household gods in the secret chambers of imagery. Profit or pleasure, self-indulgence or self-gratification will surely, in one form or another, engross his thoughts, and steal away his heart. Nor is there anything too trifling or insignificant to become an idol. Whatever is meditated on preferably to God, whatever is desired more than He, whatever more interests us, pleases us, occupies our waking hours, or is more constantly in our mind, becomes an idol and a source of sin. It is not the magnitude of the idol, but its existence as an object of worship, that constitutes idolatry . I have seen some Burmese idols not much l...