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

THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE In Verse For Singing   1. Doctrines of Grace we now will sing   As to the Lord our thanks we bring;   For He alone shall have our praise   Both now and through the endless days. T otal Depravity 2. Our need of grace was due to sin:   Depraved we were without, within;   Defiled we were from toe to head;   And in our spirit we were dead. U nconditional Election 3. But God in grace made a decree   Way back in old eternity:   He chose His foreknown to be saved   With no condition on them laid. L imited Atonement 4. Jesus for God’s elect then died:   Their substitute was crucified;   Their penalty for sins He paid;   Atonement for them He has made. I rresistible Grace 5. God’s people, though they’re dead in sin,   Are by His Spirit born again.   None can resist His gracious call;   To Jesus Christ He draws them all. P erseverance of the Saints  6. We saints of God are now secure; ...

"By one offering, He hath perfected for ever them who are sanctified."   -Hebrews 10:14 [KJV]   My soul is caught; Heav’n’s sovereign blessings clust’ring from the cross Rush on her, in a throng, and close her round The pris’ner of amaze! I beg this plea to be admitted, as an excuse for a second meditation on this text. O sinner! if you believe in a crucified Saviour, you are born of God—know the love of God—are sanctified by God—and are for ever perfected before God. All this flows from the one offering of the Son of God; bore witness to in the word, and in our hearts by the Spirit of God. This, like every other truth of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit’s love and grace, is to have its use and influence upon our hearts and lives. Lord grant it may.    Consider, (1st.) hath Christ for ever perfected you before God, in taking away your sins, and reconciling your person? O, then, with what holy boldness, and filial confidence, may you draw nigh to God! Hea...

"With the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." -I Thessalonians 4:16 [KJV]   Before I drop into the arms of sleep, I would call upon my soul to ponder these words. I know not, each night, when retiring to rest, whether my next awakening may not be "with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." As what may be my state in this particular, and hath been the state of many (for the hour of a man's death is to all intents and purposes the day of judgment) becomes an infinitely momentous concern; how can I better close the day and the month together, than by a few moments' consideration of the solemn event? What is meant by "the voice of the archangel?"   I do not recollect the name of the archangel being mentioned any where beside in scripture, except Jude 9 and here, as well as there, the person spoken of is but one. We have no authority to say, archangels; yea, it should seem, from what the apostle Jude hat...

"The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and His word was in my tongue." - II  Samuel 23:2 [KJV]   We read that "no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation;" that is to say, it is the public property of the whole family of Jehovah; and "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" the Holy Ghost so influencing and working upon their minds as to make them bring forth out of their hearts that which should be suitable to the whole family of God. For instance, we read in Psalm 51, David's confession of sin; but David's confession of sin applies to every soul that is condemned on account of sin. When Job, too, poured out his piteous complaints, he was speaking; though he might know it not, for the children of God to the remotest time. So when the Lord said to Joshua, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," it was a promise specially given to Joshua; it seemed to be confined to that individua...

"There is no coming at the fair haven of eternal glory without sailing through the narrow strait of repentance." -Dyer

"Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out towards God, with nothing to offer and everything to receive."  -John Calvin   *****  "One day, as I was passing into the field, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul: “Thy righteousness is in Heaven.”   And I thought that I could see Jesus Christ at God’s right hand.   Yes, there indeed was my righteousness, so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say about me that I did not have righteousness for it was standing there before Him.   I also saw that it was not my good feelings that made my righteousness better, and that my bad feelings did not make my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, “The same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).       Now, indeed, the chains fell off my legs, and I was loosened from my afflictions and irons.   My temptations also fled away so that from that time forward those dreadful Script...

"By one offering, He hath perfected for ever them who are sanctified."   -Hebrews 10:14 [KJV]   We have two remarkable instances of St. Paul’s holy zeal for the glory of his Lord. (a.) Against a gross sin in the church of Corinth. This brought a scandal upon the holy gospel of Christ. (b.) Against a legal, self-righteous spirit, which obtained in the church of Galatia. This depreciated and dishonoured the finished work of Christ, and perverted the faith of His members. It is hard to say, whether St. Paul’s zeal exceeded most, in the former or the latter. Hence learn profaneness and pride, are equally contrary to the faith of the gospel.    As a holy faith brings Christ, and His salvation into the heart, it casts out the love of sin, as well as self-righteous hopes. Here is a glorious truth for precious faith to fix upon. O that through the Spirit, it may bring joy and peace to our souls. Consider, who are said to be “sanctified” here?    (1st.)...

"Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." -I Corinthians 5:8 [KJV]   My soul, hast thou duly considered the unsuitableness of all leaven to mix up with the unleavened bread of the gospel of Jesus? Whatever sours, and gives a principle of taint to the mind, is indeed a leaven, carefully to be avoided. And "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump!" So that it was expressly enjoined, in the divine precept of the law, on the passover, that "there should be no leaven found in their houses; the soul that did eat of it was to be cut off from the congregation," Exodus 12:19. Sweet instruction, couched under the prohibition! With Jesus there is to be no mixture; nothing of creature leaven, of self-will, or self-righteousness to mingle .    My soul, thou hast been at the gospel feast, and sat with Jesus at His table. Surely thou hast kept t...

"O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing." -Jeremiah 10:24 [KJV]   "Fury is not in Me," saith the Lord. No; there is no wrath in the bosom of God against the persons of His people. They are for ever "accepted in the Beloved," and stand in Him before the throne of God without spot or wrinkle; but there is displeasure against their sins; and this displeasure their kind and gracious Father makes them feel when He withdraws from them the light of His countenance, and sends His keen reproofs and sharp rebukes into their conscience. But these very "judgments" help them (Psalm 119:175) , for they lead to deep searchings of heart; and as the same blessed Spirit who sets home the reproof communicates therewith repentance, they sorrow after a godly manner, and this godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of (II Corinthians 7:10).    If, then, our afflictions, crosses, ...

Frequently in Scripture we read, “We know,” or “”I know,” or “You know.”   Not, I think, or I hope, or this is my opinion.   I know.   When is it we can say, “We know” ?     When we see it is what Scripture actually teaches.    We cannot say, “We know” without that.     We say, “We know” when it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.   It is only then that, “We know.”     After seeing it is what the Scriptures teach and it has been revealed to our hearts by the Spirit of God, it is now the only thing that makes sense!    When I see what the Bible says about me, and God the Holy Spirit reveals to me what the Bible says about me is true, I am by nature, choice, and practice sinful… dead in trespasses and sins, the only thing that makes sense for my salvation is God’s sovereign choice of me in Christ before the foundation of the world .   Christ actually put away my sins, making a way for God to be just ...

"I stir up your pure minds, by way of remembrance."   -II Peter 3:1 [KJV]  All the children of God are the subjects of pure minds. Many of them complain of bad memories. All need to have their minds stirred up, and their memories quickened. There is no doubt but Peter had a pure mind, when he denied his Lord. But he seems to display a very treacherous memory, in sadly forgetting himself, his Lord, and His words. Forgetfulness of dangers, causes us to fall into them. Forgetting our own weakness to stand, causes us to fall.    Consider, (1st.) What is a pure mind. That which we are all destitute of by nature. “Our mind and conscience is defiled, and unbelieving” (Titus 1:15.) Our mind is made pure, when our hearts are sprinkled from an evil or guilty conscience, by the blood of Christ through faith (Hebrews 10:22.) So that a pure mind is a believing mind, which receives the truth as it is in Jesus, in the power and purity of it; and holds the mystery of...

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." -Revelation 22:17 [KJV]   My soul, doth not the evening bell, which calleth to the ordinance, in all its melodious sounds, seem to express these gracious invitations? Wilt thou not attend? Private meditation is indeed sweet; but public ordinances are of more avail. "The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob!" What a blessed sight is it to see the house of God well filled! What a refreshment to my poor weary sin-sick soul, to hear Jesus in His word saying, "Come unto Me, all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And every part and portion of the service proclaims the gospel cry:— "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, wit...

"God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light." -Psalm 118:27 [KJV]   If God the Lord hath shewed us light, He hath shewed us light both with respect to Himself and with respect to ourselves. He hath shewed us with respect to Himself who He is; He hath stamped something of Himself upon our consciences; He hath discovered something of His glorious character to our souls; and brought us, under the operation of the Holy Spirit, into His presence, there to receive communications of life out of Christ's inexhaustible fulness. Thus in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a heart searching God; in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a sin hating God; with a God who will not be mocked nor trifled with; in this light we see and feel that every secret of our heart, every working of our mind is open before Him; and in this light, so far as He is pleased to manifest it, we see what we are in His holy and pure eyes—a mass of sin, filth, and cor...

  In that Great Name, O Lord, we come To worship at Thy feet O, pour Thy Holy Spirit down On all that now shall meet. We come to hear Jehovah speak To hear the Saviour’s voice Thy face and favor, Lord, we seek Now make our heart rejoice! Teach us to pray, and praise, and hear And understand Thy Word To feel Thy gracious presence near And trust our living Lord. This house with grace and glory fill This congregation bless Thy great salvation now reveal Thy glorious Righteousness!   -Gospel hymn, “Am I a Soldier?”   *******0*******   “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”   If there is no salvation in any other but Jesus Christ, and if there is no other name under Heaven by which sinners can be saved, then why would our message be anything more, anything less, or anything other than, “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” ?                 ...

"The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of Thy law; that Thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.  For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance." - Psalm 94:11-14 [KJV]                                                                                        THE GOOD PART     Mary sat at the feet of the Lord and HEARD HIS WORD. Her sister, Martha, had many things to do which she believed to be important. She must provide bodily comforts and necessities; and when she com­plained to the Lord that her sister should LEAVE THE PLACE WHERE HIS WORD WAS HEARD and give more...