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

     "God took care of any tendency in Paul to be proud or puffed up over the greatness of his gifts, talents, and revelations by giving him a THORN IN THE FLESH. Pride is natural in every man's heart, and believers are not without it; therefore, to prevent this sin, which He hates, the Lord gave Paul a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass and trouble him.  We know that the Lord permitted this afflic­tion; we know that it had to do with Paul's flesh. Whether it was weakness, sickness, temptation, his appearance, we do not know; but it was " a messenger of Satan ;" or as God was pleased to allow Satan to afflict Job, He was pleased to allow Paul to be sorely tried and troubled by this angel of hell.  The PLAIN AND EVIDENT PURPOSE for this thorn in the flesh was to prevent Paul from becoming proud, puffed up, and exalted above measure. So we can conclude that instead of being a hindrance (as most would suppose), this thorn proved to be ...

“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him.” -Psalms 8:3-4 [KJV]   It is said that if our universe was a beach, earth would be nothing more than a grain of sand. Astronomers tell us that there are over a hundred billion stars. Our sun (which is a star) is only a tiny dot among several hundred billion others forming our galaxy.   Traveling at the speed of light, which is 186,282 miles per second, it would take approximately one hundred thousand (100,000) years to reach the Milky Way which is far closer to us than many other galaxies that can be seen with powerful telescopes. We cannot perceive the infinite depth and vastness of God’s universe and yet David says that it is but the work of God’s fingers.    The next time you gaze into the sky on a clear night, I hope you will think about the vastness, the bou...

     The scripture distinctly teaches us that we are not justified by the law nor is the law a rule of life.  That which can only curse can never justify and that which can only kill can never be a rule of life (Romans 3:20) .  Both the Jews who had received the law and the Gentiles who had never had the law were now to be saved through grace (Acts 15:11) .  Not only were they to be saved by grace, but also they were to “stand in grace” (Romans 5:2) and to “grow in grace” (II Peter 3:18) .  All who seek to put believers under the law are tearing down the foundations of Christian faith.  Listen to the strong words which came from the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:12 , “I would they were even cut off which trouble you.”   -preacher Scott Richardson 

When the saints in heaven sing of the redemption which Christ accomplished by His death, they do not sing of the redemption of all men. Not at all. The theory of universal redemption is as foreign to the Scriptures as it is preposterous to reason . The saints in heaven sing of a particular, personal, effectual redemption, limited not in power, merit, or efficacy, but most definitely limited in scope, intent, and design. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”   A redemption that redeemed everybody really redeemed nobody, and it cannot do any good for anybody. If Christ redeemed Judas, if He redeemed the multitudes in hell, what good is His redemption? What praise could such a redemption bring Him? I say, universal redemption is worthless redemption! It accomplished nothing! What I need is ...

“But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” -I Corinthians 1:30-31 [KJV]   "The believer who is regenerated and in Christ, who has been brought under Divine influences which enable him to love and delight in God's law and com­mandments, still feels his inability and imperfec­tions. The struggle within him is like a civil war. He did not look to the law for justification, nor can he now look to the law for sanctification. He must look to Christ for both! We know from past experience that the law cannot make a sinner righteous, and we know from present experience that the law cannot make a saved man holy. Both justification and sanctification are in Christ ."   -preacher Henry Mahan 

"Faith is the eye of the understanding whereby the soul comes to see the great things which God the Father has prepared for them who love Him.  Beloved, these are the last times wherein it behooves you to beg with much earnestness, strength from the Lord that He may put straight steps to your feet so that you may walk to His praise, exalting Him alone as your life and glory."   -preacher William Kiffin

"We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul."   - Hebrews 10:39 [KJV]   There is somewhat implied in this text, which is not expressed. It was not out of the apostle’s thoughts. It ought never to be out of ours. Why do we not draw back unto perdition? Is it because of our own might, power, and faithfulness? No. “But because we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (I Peter 1:5.) Why do any draw back unto perdition? Because they do not believe the word of God: do not live upon the power of God: their hearts are not renewed by the grace of God; and they do not choose for their portion, in time and eternity, the Son of God.    But they must have made some progress in the way of salvation, else how can they draw back unto perdition? Many go great lengths in profession and expressions. They are like a new moon that shines bright at the beginning, but does not last all night. They ...

"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming: but My people know not the judgment of the LORD." -Jeremiah 8:7 [KJV]   When the Lord would expostulate with His people, what methods He graciously adopts! There are no creatures in nature so dull, so senseless, and stupid, as God's people are, by reason of the fall . Every animal hath an instinct, prompting to self-preservation. Are they exposed to danger? How speedily do they endeavour to remove! Are they apprehensive of a storm? they flee to some covering to hide them! The birds of passage, when the first symptoms of winter appear, gather together, to depart to a warmer climate. But man, poor blind improvident man, no winter of death can admonish him; no approach of the departing day of life can prevail, to induce him to flee from the wrath to come.   My soul! look round on human life, and mark this, by way of admir...

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." -I Peter 1:6 [KJV]   As everything by nature in us is contrary to the life of God, there is a needs be for manifold trials and temptations to bring us out of those things which are opposed to the grace of God, and to conform us to the image of His dear Son. Thus we need trial after trial, and temptation upon temptation, to cure us of that worldly spirit, that carnality and carelessness, that light, trifling, and empty profession, that outside form of godliness, that spirit of pride and self-righteousness, that resting short of divine teachings, heavenly blessings, and spiritual manifestations, that settling on our lees and being at ease in Zion, that being mixed up with all sorts of professors, that ignorance of the secret of the Lord which is with them that fear Him—all which marks of death we see so visibly stamped upon the profession of the da...