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

The Good v the Best!   The entire Bible is about Jesus, His person, work and offices. He, as had been said, is on every page of the scriptures ( see Luke 24:25).  We should, therefore, put on our ‘Gospel Glasses’ every time we read the Bible. I continually encourage my preacher friends in various parts of the world to avoid making man the centre of their message. It’s not that some good things cannot be said about our Christian experience but we, the believers, are not the focus, sum and substance of the Bible.    I recently listened to a sermon, and I must admit that the speaker was an excellent communicator. He said many good things, but he said nothing much about Jesus.  It was, therefore, a sub-standard sermon.  He could have taken this sermon to the "Jehovah Witnesses" or a non-gospel centered group and they would have applauded him.  But, no New Testament apostle would have been caught preaching a message like this. It reminded me of ...

     "Regeneration is an irresistible act of God’s grace: no more resistance can be made to it than there could be in the first matter to its creation; or in a dead man to resurrection; or in an infant to its generation.  Whatever aversion, contrariety, or opposition there may be to it, in the corrupt nature of man, it is all speedily and easily overcome by the power of divine grace, when the stony heart is taken away, and a heart of flesh given ."   -preacher John Gill (1697-1771 A.D.)

"For the LORD will not cast off for ever." - Lamentations 3:31 [KJV]   “Then there is no danger of perishing. Let us live as we list: walk after the imagination of our hearts: and fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” Is this the natural language of such a faith? This the genuine influence of such a hope? This the conduct resulting from the knowledge of God’s everlasting love? Yes, say some, If we could believe such doctrine, we should so act. Such sadly betray their ignorance of the sanctifying influence of divine truth, upon the heart and life. This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise , says our Saviour to the expiring thief (Luke 23:43.) Could he hence find it in his heart to say, Then will I blaspheme Thee again as I did just now ? O no.    The grace of God, which brings salvation to our souls, teaches otherwise. The goodness of God, which keeps us from hell, and preserves us safe to glory, leadeth us to repentance. And faith in the covena...

"I shall behold man no more, with the inhabitants of the world." - Isaiah 38:11 [KJV]   My soul, though thou art, I trust, prepared for thy great change, and in an habitual state for death, whenever the Lord shall come to take thee home; yet there is also an actual state of being on the lookout for it, so that it is proper at times to go down to the grave in imagination, before thou art carried thither in reality; that by earthing thyself, thou mayest consider what will be the immediate consequences of death in those things which are now most about thee, and with which thou art necessarily much occupied.    "Thou wilt behold man no more, with the inhabitants of the world:" would it not be proper, therefore, to wean thyself from too great an acquaintance with them now, that the separation may be the less felt? Thou wilt be called upon to enter upon a state altogether new, and a path thou hast never before trodden; and would it not be wise to send forth...

"For we which have believed do enter into rest." -Hebrews 4:3 [KJV]   We enter into rest by ceasing from our own works, and resting on Christ's; according to the words, "For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His." Now when you can fully rest upon the finished work of the Son of God, and believe by a living faith that your sins were laid upon His head; that He bore them in His body on the tree; that He has washed you in His precious blood, clothed you with His righteousness, and is sanctifying you by His Spirit and grace, then you can rest. There is something here firm and solid for the conscience to rest on.    Whilst the law thunders, whilst Satan accuses, whilst conscience condemns there is no rest. But you can rest where God rests. God rests in His love; in the finished work of His dear Son; in the perfection of Christ's humanity; in His fulfilment of all His covenant engagements; in th...