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

" For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." - I John 5:3 [KJV] ‘ Keep ’ is a verb that is also translated to observe, to watch, to reserve, to preserve , and to hold fast .  All of these verbs are used to define the Greek verb ‘tereo’ in the New Testament.  So, those that love God keep, observe, watch, reserve, preserve and hold fast to the commandments of God.  The ‘ commandments, ’ to which John refers are far more comprehensive than the Ten Commandments.  They are all of the commandments which the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples.  The Lord Jesus said, ‘ If ye love Me, keep My commandments .’ -John 14.15   The question now is, How do I know that I love Him? Do I love Him because I feel like I do, and because I say that I do?  If I truly love Christ, then there is some truth to that.  If I truly love Christ, my life will be conformed to His commandments.  I think it is true...

" Let God be true, but every man a liar." -Romans 3:4 [KJV] I have read of one who was dumb; but, on seeing a violent attempt to murder his father, cried out with great vehemence, “My father!” When his heavenly Father’s truth and faithfulness are attacked, St. Paul could not be mute. Fired with a holy emotion of spirit, he cries out, “Let God be true.” Vain, arrogant man! Will you dare oppose your carnal reasonings, and fallacious arguments, against the covenant purposes, faithful word, and precious promises of the Lord?  Every such man, be he ever so noble, mighty, wise, and learned, is a liar. St. Paul’s heart was too warm for the glory of his God, to pay any soft compliment to those who act under the influence of the father of lies. The keen satire of Mr. Pope is admirably adapted to such:  Snatch from His hand the balance and the rod,  Rejudge His justice, be the god of God!  In reas’ning pride (my friend) our error lies;  All quit their sphe...

"A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." -Isaiah 53:3 [KJV] My soul, there is one feature in thy Redeemer's character, which, in the unequalled abasement of His person, demands thy constant contemplation. I fear it hath not been considered by thee as it ought. And yet it is so sweetly accommodating and lovely, that the more thou beholdest thy Jesus in this tender light, the more endeared He must appear to thee. The prophet, under the Holy Ghost, hath here in a few words sketched the outlines of it - "A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" It was most essential that Jesus should be all this, because it belonged to the curse which He became for His people, when He offered Himself as their Surety.   You will remember, my soul, the curse which God pronounced upon the earth, and man's passage through it, when he broke the Divine Law. The ground was cursed; the product of it was to be thorns and thistles; in sorrow, and in the sweat of t...

"In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble." -Proverbs 15:6 [KJV] How different is the estimate that faith makes of riches, honours, and comforts from that made by the world and the flesh! The world has no idea of riches but such as consist in gold and silver, in houses, lands, or other tangible property; no thought of honour, but such as man has to bestow; and no notion of comfort, except in "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind."   But the soul that is anointed by an "unction from the Holy One," takes a different estimate of these matters, and feels that the only true riches are those of God's grace in the heart, that the only real honour is that which cometh from God, and that the only solid comfort is that which is imparted by the Holy Ghost to a broken and contrite spirit. Now, just in proportion as we have the Spirit of God, shall we take faith's estimate of riche...