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

"The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit."   -II Timothy 4:22 [KJV]   A most precious benediction! How blind are all who deny the divinity of Christ! how miserable are all who live without the presence of Christ! how ignorant are all who know not that such a blessing is to be enjoyed! how stupid are all those who seek it not! Art thou not, O Christian, too negligent in not more earnestly seeking and constantly praying for more of the presence of thy Lord? Consider, what is implied in this wish? It is heaven in the heart, glory in the soul, to have Christ with our spirits. It disposes and qualifies the soul for heavenly glory.    For, (1st.) Christ’s presence restrains our bad tempers, and subdues our unruly passions. Boisterous waves are changed into a profound calm; rough winds are at peace; foaming billows are still: there is the calm sunshine of heartfelt joy within: all is serene and happy without. Christ’s presence causes haughty pride and furious ...

"And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast Thou so evil entreated this people? Why is it that Thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all ." -Exodus 5:22, 23 [KJV]   My soul! ponder over this scripture, and the history connected with it, and behold what a blessed volume of instruction it affords. The Lord sent Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt. He had heard their groanings, and graciously promised to redress them. The people believed the Lord, and bowed their heads, in token of their view of His love, and their own happiness, which was now to follow. But behold, the oppression under which they had groaned, instead of lessening, began to increase. In this state they grow desperate, and charge God foolishly. Yea, Moses himself, who had talked with God at the bush, and seen the miracles in confirmation of his commission there shew...

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy; He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger for ever." -Psalm 103:8, 9 [KJV] God is angry and justly angry with the sins of His people. He hates sin with a perfect hatred. He cannot but entertain unceasing wrath against it. It is so contrary to the purity and perfection of His holy nature, that wherever He meets with sin His indignation flashes out against it. And till we have some discovery and manifestation of Christ to assure us of an interest in His precious blood and finished work, we cannot separate the anger of God against our sins from the anger of God against our persons. But when the Lord is pleased to reveal a sense of His goodness and mercy in the Person and work of His dear Son, then we can see by the eye of faith that though He is angry with our sins, He is not angry with our persons, but accepts us in the Beloved, having chosen us in Him before the foundation o...

 -message by bro. Henry T. Mahan (27 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWSfz47Y5s8