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

  I CAN’T MESS IT UP!               A dear friend was talking about how blessed the Gospel of Christ’s grace was.  I cannot remember all the details we talked about.  I suppose we talked about electing love and redeeming grace and how the Lord in tender mercy called us out of darkness with a call we could not resist, and has kept us till that very day, and refused to let us go.   When saints get to talking about spiritual things they often talk about such subjects as these.  When our discussion was almost over, my dear friend put the icing on the cake, as it were.  “And the best thing about this Gospel,” he said, “I can’t mess it up!”    The Lord Jesus Christ has finished the work, it is already done, so, “I can’t mess it up.”   I am in Christ accepted and complete, and sealed unto the day of redemption; in Christ now and in Christ forever so, “I can’t mess it up.” ...

  I bless the Christ of God, I rest on love Divine And with unfaltering lip and heart, I call the Savior mine His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb Each thought of unbelief and fear Each lingering shade of gloom.   I praise the God of peace, I trust His truth and might He call me His, I call Him mine, my God, my Joy, my Light In Him is only good, in me is only ill My ill but draws His goodness forth And me He loveth still. ‘Tis He who saveth me, and freely pardon gives I love because He loveth me; I live because He lives My life with Him is hid, my death has passed away My clouds have melted into Light My midnight into day.    -Hymn, “This is my Father’s World”     PRIDE   Pride could be called the original sin.  It made Satan want to exalt his throne above God’s (Isaiah 14:13-14) .  It was the sin he used to tempt Eve.  “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, that your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be a...

“I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints)” (I Corinthians 16:15). The word addicted means, “to surrender one’s self habitually, or to become dependent upon, or to be very enthusiastic about.”  We usually use this word in a negative way, but here in reference to the believer it is very positive, "they have addicted themselves to the ministry." Believers have surrendered to Christ, submitted to Him, His rule and reign (Psalm 110:3; Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-10) . Believers are totally dependent upon Christ for all of their salvation (I Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 4:19) . Believers are very enthusiastic about the good news of God's mercy to sinners in Christ (Luke 18:14; I Timothy 1:15) . Their confession of faith is, "He has done all things well" (Mark 7:37) , in creation (Genesis 1:31) , in providence (Romans 11:36) , and in salva...

“It is Finished.”     -John 19:30 [KJV]   Every time I consider this passage, my mind focuses first on the “It.” All that God required concerning the redemption of God’s sheep…all that the law demanded for justice and judgment against His people…every type and shadow of Christ in the Old Testament is included in “It.” And though this frail creature fails to grasp the fullness of “it,” all was “finished.”   Everything God eternally purposed, decreed and ordained was finished by Christ’s one sacrifice for sin. And the marvel of this blessed truth is summed up with the word, “is.” That which He has done has been done forever! What a declaration of peace for a needy sinner from the mouth of the glorious Lamb of God.   -preacher Marvin Stalnaker

There has never been a single moment in my life that I have loved the Lord, as He ought to be loved. However, at the same time, there has never been a single moment in time when Christ did not love the Lord His God, His Father, with all His heart, soul, mind and strength.   In Christ, and with Him as my Substitute, I have kept the greatest commandment of all. Matter of fact, in Christ, I have kept “every commandment of God” perfectly and completely. My salvation has nothing to do with my works, my faithfulness, or my righteousness. My salvation has everything to do with His!                                                                         -preacher David Eddmenson

John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease”   -John 3:30 [KJV]   How is that manifested in us? When I see His faithfulness, I see my unbelief and need.   When I see His righteousness, I see my sinfulness and need.   When I see His love, I see my hostility and need.   When I see His patience, I see my resistance and need.   When I see His forgiveness, I see my levying and need.   Where does that leave me? Needing Him! I rejoice then with the apostle John – “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” -I John 4:10      -preacher Kevin Thacker

There are many things that are important to us; our families, careers, health, etc. However, there is  one thing that surpasses all others and it is our union to Christ . Nothing compares to this. It is the one thing needful above all others. Without Christ we are lost, our life on this earth is vanity, useless, but not so in Christ. In Christ we are loved, redeemed, forgiven, accepted, pardoned and righteous. Let’s never lose sight of what really is important. “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”   -Luke 10:42                                                                    ...

"Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice."   - Psalm 51:8 [KJV]   Of all the sad consequences of sin, good Lord! deliver us from Antinomian licentiousness; which consists in being so hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, as to make light of it. Though David had been awfully licentious in his practice, yet we see the grace of the saint shine forth, in his brokenness of heart, sorrow of soul, and contrition of spirit for his sins. Never quote David’s dreadful fall, without his deep, soul-afflicted, heart-broken, sorrow and repentance. Never think of one without the other; lest you think slightly of the most cursed evil of evils, wilful sin against a gracious God. O! who can tell the horrors of soul, and terrors of conscience, David felt, when he uttered these words? Consider them, O my soul! The Lord make sin more dreadful to thy view, and hateful in thy sight.    (1st.) Spiritual joy and gladness of soul in the ...

"...and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him." -John 2:11 [KJV]   It forms a very sweet thought to the believer, that, amidst the general darkness and ignorance concerning the person of Jesus, in the days of His flesh, the glory of His Godhead was frequently manifested to His disciples, so that they knew Him, and believed on Him. And it is equally blessed, that now, amidst the darkness and ignorance of many who call themselves Christians, after Christ, (but who denying, or being unconscious of His Godhead, prove that they know Him not) the Lord hath not left Himself without a witness of who He is, to the minds of His faithful followers; but hath manifested forth His glory; and all true disciples believe on Him.    My soul! if thou wert called upon to give thy testimony to Jesus, concerning all the grand points which prove the Godhead of His person, and the eternal merits and efficacy of His blood and righteousness; how wouldest thou ...

"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." -Romans 12:2 [KJV]   How shall we find the will of God acceptable? Only as we are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and are transformed and conformed to the suffering image of the sorrowing Son of God. How fearful, then, how dangerous, and yet how ensnaring is that worldly conformity which sets us in deadly opposition to that good and perfect will of God which was, and is "acceptable" to His dear Son, to all the holy angels round the throne, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to His spiritually-minded people on earth, and hateful to none but devils and carnal, ungodly men.    And how truly blessed to be brought out of the power and prevailing influence of this worldly spirit, and to be cast into the gospel mould, where, being renewed in the spirit of our mind, we prove that the will ...