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

" He answered and said unto them, My mother and My brethren are these, who hear the word of God and do it ."   - Luke 8:21 [KJV] Looking at things which are not seen keeps the soul from fainting, and invigorates it to every holy duty. Do I believe Christ now thinks of me, and is this moment pleading my cause in heaven? how then can I live unholy, and walk uncomfortable on earth? True, if I did but know that Christ loved me. How do you expect to know it? Do you believe He loved His mother and His brethren after the flesh? It cannot be doubted. See then how near and dear to Christ, in a spiritual sense, are all who hear the word of God and do it. They hear Christ in their hearts, as truly as His virgin mother carried Him in her womb. They are as verily allied to Him by faith, are His brethren in spirit, as others were by blood.  (1st.) To hear the word of God, implies to have such an understanding of it, faith in it, hope from it, and love to it, as to cause our ...

" Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there. And, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake, came by; unto whom he said,  Ho! such an one! turn aside; sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down." -Ruth 4:1 [KJV] It is blessed to see, when from general calls in the gospel, the call becomes personal. The general invitation is, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."  The personal call is, "Ho! such an one."  Jesus calleth His own sheep by name; how is this done? When at any time the Lord speaketh by the ministry of His word to their particular state and circumstances: as for example, when Jesus saith, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Faith saith in answer, Then it is, for me; for I am a sinner . So again when it is said, "God commendeth His love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"  Faith replieth, Then is that love suited to my case and ci...

"I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. " - John 10:9 [KJV]   There is a finding pasture in providence. A sweet and healthy pasture indeed this is to watch the Lord's providential dealings with us spread through a long series of years. It is seeing the Lord's providential hand which makes the commonest temporal mercies sweet. Every nibble of grass or lock of hay which we can believe to be specially provided for us by the hand of that good Shepherd becomes thereby doubly sweet. But O what pastures in grace has God provided for His hungry sheep! Look at the promises and declarations, the sacred truths and heavenly consolations scattered up and down the Scriptures of truth.   But of all spiritual pasture thus provided for the flock, the chiefest is the flesh and blood of the Lord Jesus. This is His own divine declaration: "For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed" (...