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

  Not saved are we by trying From self can come no aid ’Tis on the blood relying   Once for our ransom paid ’Tis looking unto Jesus The Holy One and Just ’Tis His great work that saves us It is not try, but trust. No deeds of ours are needed To make Christ’s merit more No frames of mind or feelings Can add to His great store ’Tis simply to receive Him The Holy One and Just ’Tis only to believe Him It is not try, but trust.     -old Gospel hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation”     -------0-------            No one is immune from trouble.   It could come from sickness or sorrow.   It could come from financial distress.   It could come from upbringing from misguided parents.   It could be an abusive relationship where we were mistreated.   It could be being treated unfairly or falsely accused.   It can come from our own hand as our sinfulness is ever before us.     But it all comes under the ...

"He wist not that the LORD was departed from him."   -Judges 16:20 [KJV]   What do I read? Sampson’s name enrolled in the list of the ancient heroes of faith? -Hebrews 11:32. What! he who loved a harlot, and was so blinded by his lust, as to bring on himself the most dreadful evils, even unto death? Yes. Grace reigned then. It reigns still, through the righteousness of Christ unto sinners. What! That they should continue in sin, because grace abounds? God forbid! See the most awful evils it brought upon this man of God. Behold in him how sin blinds the eyes, hardens the heart, and stupefies the conscience. Think of this, and tremble at the first approach of sin and lust.    (1st.) Sampson’s lust to a vile, unchaste woman, had so blinded his reason, that he put his life into her hands three times. Yet he could not see that she had no regard for him, but only wanted to destroy him. Here was a judgment upon his sinful passions. The Philistines put out his eyes.  ...

"And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both." - Luke 7:42 [KJV] My soul, nothing can be more grateful, and commendatory to the state of thine insolvency; than the recollection of what thy God and Saviour hath taught in this beautiful parable; that the debtor of five hundred pence, and the debtor of fifty, being both equally incapable of discharging the respective claims upon there, are equally considered as objects of mercy, and are therefore both alike forgiven. And this, indeed, is the distinguishing property of grace. It is totally distinct from merit; yea, in direct opposition to it.  Hadst thou the least pretensions to divine favour, or couldest thou have put forth the least helping hand towards thine own salvation; grace then would have been no more grace. The frank forgiveness of all debt, carries with it the plainest testimony of man's total helplessness, and the sovereign freedom of divine love. And hence, when the sinner, of every description...

"For Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried." -Psalm 66:10 [KJV] The Lord's dealings with His people in the wilderness are very much to this purpose and to this end—to prove them, and to know what is in their hearts. Has the Lord implanted life in your soul? Has He touched your conscience with His finger? Has He begun a work of grace upon your heart? If so, in your travels through this wilderness there will be things from time to time to prove the reality of this work upon your soul. You will have temptations; now, when temptation comes, it will prove whether you have the fear of God in your soul to stand against the temptation, or whether you fall under the temptation; or, if you fall under the temptation, whether you are ever recovered out of it.  And if you are a living soul, the Lord will keep bringing circumstance upon circumstance, event upon event, one thing after another; and all these things, as they come upon you, shall be made to p...