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

     "One does not evidence that he has salvation until he is interested in and is influenced by doctrine. Not until then is he equipped to give the message of God to others that the regenerated elect may be brought to the knowledge of their salvation."   -preacher Wilbur Elias Best, excerpt from The Elect Bring Forth Fruit

"But ye have not so learned Christ."     - Ephesians 4:20 [KJV]   Believe, and live as you will. Love, and walk as you please. Will any say, This is fine licentious doctrine? We answer, Such do not know, nor consider the power of faith, nor the influence of Christ’s love. They are strangers to His teaching. Christians are His scholars. Christ is our one Master. He graciously condescends to teach us. He kindly says, “learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls ” (Matthew 11:29.)    Our grand business is, to sit at His feet. We have no just ideas of the sinfulness of sin, the vileness of our nature, nor the preciousness of His person, but what we learn of Him. Christian, what hast thou learned of Christ this day? If thou hast not learned somewhat of the heinous nature of sin, so as to abhor it, and of the preciousness of Christ’s person and salvation, so as to cleave to Him, verily, thou hast lost a day. Thou d...

Justified by Faith | The Bible’s Clear Teaching on Salvation Message from preacher Henry Mahan (27 minutes). Link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JroW3ZwtVwo Romans 5:19 is one of the clearest declarations of how God justifies sinners: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”  This sermon explores the contrast between Adam and Christ, and the glorious truth that salvation comes not by our obedience, but by Christ’s perfect obedience on our behalf. In this message, you will learn:   • What Paul means by “the obedience of One”  • How Adam’s sin made humanity guilty  • How Christ’s obedience restores righteousness  • Why justification is rooted in Christ’s finished work  • The difference between being made righteous and becoming righteous  • How Romans 5 shows the heart of the Gospel  • Why our assurance rests in Christ—not in ourselves  This sermon ma...

"Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the first ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men." -Micah 7:1-2 [KJV]   Is not this lamentation as suited to the present times, as when the prophet delivered it? Were the interests of Zion ever at a lower ebb than now? Did the waters of the sanctuary run less in a stream in any period of the church than the present? Surely it is like the in-gathering of the fruits of the earth at this season of the year; the choicest are gone; the trees are unladen. It is only here and there, as "the shaking of an olive-tree; two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough," Isaiah 17:6. The Lord hath been calling home His chosen. Death hath been housing the servants of the Lord. And even those that remain, alas! Are they not more like the gleanings, than like ...

"That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 5:21 [KJV]   This is the mercy for mourning saints who are sighing and groaning under a body of sin and death, that God has decreed that grace not only may reign, but that it must reign . Were it left to us, we could no more rescue ourselves from the dominion of sin than the children of Israel could deliver themselves from the house of Egyptian bondage. But they sighed and groaned by reason of the bondage, and their cry came up unto God. He had respect unto His covenant, and looked upon them and delivered them (Exodus 2:23-25). So God has determined on behalf of His people that sin shall not be their eternal ruin; that it shall not plunge them into crime after crime, until it casts them at last into the gulf of endless woe, but that grace "shall reign through righteousness unto eternal life."     But it must rei...

Sermon message by preacher Henry Mahan (27 minutes). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvHPyGf5TCY In this powerful biblical sermon, we examine Matthew 5:20 , where Jesus declares: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Many people believe that morality, religious devotion, church attendance, or good works can make them acceptable before God. Scripture teaches otherwise. This message explains the biblical doctrine of the righteousness of God and reveals why no sinner can be justified by personal effort . Following the teachings of Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, and the words of Christ Himself, this sermon shows that salvation is found only through the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. In this sermon you’ll discover: Why entertaining preaching cannot save sinners Why clear biblical preaching is essential The four great ultimatums spoken by Jesus Why human righteousness alway...

 Length of sermon, 32 minutes, by preacher Clay Curtis.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6058-Y_v2M  

When the Lord Jesus said, “It is finished.”   What was finished? The payment for sin was completed, not reduced, not negotiated, no balance remained. The demands of the law in terms of condemnation were met.   The power of death had been broken.   Finished was the whole will of God.   Nothing to add, nothing to improve, nothing to do but rest.   - David Eddmenson   *****   When Dr. James W. Alexander was dying his wife sought to comfort him with precious words, as she quoted them to him: “ I know in whom I have believed. ”   Dr. Alexander at once corrected her by saying, “Not in whom I have believed,” but, “I know Whom I have believed.” He would not even suffer a little preposition to be between his soul and his Savior.   ***** When Thomas Hooker was dying, one said to him, “Brother, you are going to receive the reward of your labors.”   He humbly replied, “Brother, I am going to receive mercy.”   ***** A friend is one to whom ...

  Thy presence, gracious Lord, afford Prepare us to receive Thy Word Now let Thy voice engage our ear And faith be mixed with all we hear. Distracting thoughts and cares remove And fix our hearts and hopes above With food divine may we be fed And satisfied with Living Bread. To us Thy sacred Word apply With sovereign power and majesty May we in faith and godly fear Rejoice and walk in what we hear. Father, in us Thy Son reveal Teach us to know and do Thy will Thy saving pow’r and love display And crown Thy Gospel with success. O bless Thy servant, dearest Lord While he shall preach Thy blessed Word O may we hear our Saviour’s voice And in His precious Name rejoice! -old Gospel hymn: Doxology       AFTER THIS LIFE IS ETERNITY     This life is not the end.   We all will spend eternity somewhere glorifying God: either glorifying His grace for saving us or glorifying His justice for justly condemning us.   Some of you are already making plans for wh...

"This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son JESUS CHRIST, and love one another."   -I John 3:23 [KJV]   When a weary traveller has lost his way, what pleasure must the sight of a directory afford him? How must his joy be increased, if it informs him he is near a dear friend’s house, who will kindly receive him? Weary pilgrim, look at this directory, and rejoice. You are near a dear Friend, who will kindly receive, and heartily welcome you. Obey this command, and enjoy the comfort.    Consider, (1st.) who commands. God the Father of heaven: that God against whom you have sinned, and by sin art become miserable. He would have you be both holy and happy. You can be neither without believing. Both are enjoyed in faith.    (2d.) The command. Believe . By the ten commandments thou art condemned: thou art brought in guilty by them. The law ministers nothing but wrath and condemnation. God be merciful to us miserable sinners! ...

"An altar of earth." -Exodus 20:24 [KJV]   Every thing, and every service, in the old testament dispensation, as well as in the gospel church, points to Christ. Behold, my soul, in the Lord's appointment of "an altar of earth," how jealous the Lord is of His honour. If the altar dedicated to the Lord's service, be of earth, or if it be of stone, there was not to be the least mixture. Nothing hewn, nothing polished by man's art, or man's device; "for if," saith Jehovah, "thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." Behold, how fully Jesus was preached here! There can be nothing offered to the Lord for His acceptance, but what is the Lord's Jesus is the Father's gift to poor sinners; and when a poor sinner presents before the Father, the Lord Jesus as His whole altar, sacrifice, and offering, He presents to the Father what the Father first presented to Him. If the sinner were to join any thing of h...

"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on My name, and I will hear them; I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." -Zechariah 13:9 [KJV]   It is a mercy to be in the furnace, and it is a mercy to be brought through it. The Lord's promise to the third part is, that He will bring them through the fire. They must therefore, according to His own word, be put into it, and yet not left in it. It is "through the fire" —right through it from beginning to end, whether it be a long and slow one or short and fierce one. The Lord knows exactly what we can bear, and it is not always the hottest fire which produces the most softening effects. Some metals indeed are so stubborn, and the dross is so deeply engrained into them, that they seem to require a hotter fire than others. But after the law has done its work, and the dross a...

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."   -Titus 3:5 [KJV]   “Shew us a miracle, and we will believe you are inspired,” say carnal men. We can, but they have no eyes to see it. Blessed be God, miracles are not ceased. The Lord works miracles of grace daily. Every regenerate sinner is a miracle of God the Father’s mercy, of God the Son’s grace, and of God the Holy Spirit’s power. His humble language proclaims it. I stand forth and declare, that I was a vile sinner, condemned by the law of God, and justly deserving the damnation of hell; yet full of the pride of my own works, and confident of salvation by my own righteousness; but God, by an act of sovereign mercy, has saved me from the power of sin, and a vain confident hope of my own righteousness. “Not by works which we have done.” Our works are out of the question. For all boasting is excluded.    Yet the notion of absolute mercy in God to any sinner...

"And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it." -Matthew 21:34 [KJV]   The very lovely season of the year, and the fulness of fruits which appear on all the productions of God's providence around, open to the mind some of the most delightful meditations. My soul! sit down this evening, and give scope to the subject; and see, while contemplating thy Lord's bounties in nature, whether thy Lord Himself will not lead thee by the hand into the inner department of contemplating His yet greater bounties in grace. Methinks every thing seems to have a voice, and speaks of Jesus. By the fall, our poor ruined nature is entitled to nothing from the earth, but thorns and briers; therefore the numberless sweets of the divine mercy preach Jesus, and His cross. It is as if they all said, 'Are we lovely to the eye, pleasant to the taste, and healthful in the enjoyment; then are we so by Je...

"He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." -John 3:33 [KJV]   We can only set to our seal that God is true in any one point of doctrine, experience, or precept when we feel an inward witness that God indeed has declared it. Thus, upon every manifestation of God's goodness to the soul, every application of Christ's blood to the conscience, and every revelation of God's distinguishing grace, it is only as we receive Christ's testimony, experience the inward approbation of it, and feel its sweetness and blessedness that we can set to our seal that God is true. This, we may be well assured, is the only way to know the power and reality of true religion, to understand the Scriptures, and enjoy a convincing testimony that God is our God, Christ our Saviour, the Holy Ghost our Teacher, heaven our eternal home, and that our soul is saved in the Lord Jesus Christ with an everlasting salvation.    And with what divine cert...

"Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come into His courts.  O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth." - Psalm 96:7-9 [KJV] The First Tomorrow   The very first tomorrow is recorded in Genesis 1:8 “... And the evening and the morning were the second day.”  Everything that happened on that first tomorrow was ordained by God before time began, and came to pass according to the eternal purpose of our Sovereign Lord.  That very truth can be said of every tomorrow since, and of every tomorrow that is yet to come.  Brethren, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8) .  He holds every tomorrow in His omnipotent hands.  WE CAN TRUST HIM!  He is worthy of our trust!  AMEN?              ...

"—That in all things He might have the pre-eminence."   -Colossians 1:18 [KJV]   We cannot be happy, till this truth is brought into the experience of our hearts. The regenerate soul is ever at war with the flesh, for it opposes the pre-eminence of Christ. And is also at war against the proud notions of profane, as well as self-righteous men, who reject Christ our precious Head, from having the pre-eminence in the salvation of the body. They put Him in subordination in many things, instead of giving Him the pre-eminence in all things.    When our Lord says, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work , ” (John 5:17) some self-sufficient sinners become bold intruders, and add, “Lo we work also, and our works must have some part in our salvation.” Well, it will be so, till the law of works, which has the pre-eminence in their hearts, kills their legal hopes and self-righteous confidence.    Soul, can you say with St. Paul, “I, through the law, am d...