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

"Take heed and beware of covetousness."   -Luke 12:15 [KJV]   It is said, if a person seeks for the philosopher’s stone (-which turns all metals into gold) with a covetous desire to be rich, he may be sure not to find it. We are sure, that precious jewel contentment, is not to be found in a covetous heart. Let philosophers and moralists reason ever so persuasively against the evil of covetousness, yet the love of money will rise superior to all. What mighty charms are there in gold! But the voice of our Beloved here speaks. His words are spirit and life. Hear then, O disciple, “Take heed and beware.” Consider,    (1st.) This admonition of thy Lord. It is redoubled. “Take heed: beware!” Just as the loving parent, seeing his dear child running into the jaws of danger, cries out with vehemence, Take care! take care! Fix this in thy mind, there is great, very great danger here. Our Lord sees it. His love speaks with the utmost earnestness, that we may avoid covetousn...

"And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem." -Zechariah 14:4 [KJV] My soul, pause over this blessed promise. To whom could it refer, but to Jesus? "That day," through all the old testament dispensation, meant the gospel church of the new testament dispensation. And when the Son of God came, the day was come also. And did not Jesus stand often, during this day of His grace, in His own ministry, teaching the people on the mount of Olives? Yea, was it not the very last sacred spot on which His holy feet stood, when from thence He ascended to heaven, having finished redemption-work upon earth? My soul, do thou often, by faith, visit the hallowed ground, and from thence let thy meditation take wing, after thine ascended and exalted Saviour.   And while, like the wondering disciples, looking after Jesus as He went up, thou art contemplating the glory of thy Lord, Who is now above, carrying on all the blessed designs of His ...

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised." -Hebrews 10:23 [KJV] Faith cannot rest upon fancy; it can only rest upon the solid truth of God, as revealed in the Scriptures. And when it comes into the truth of God, as Noah's dove came into the ark as its own nest and home, then it finds rest and peace. Many persons think we build our faith and hope, not on the Scriptures, but on some mental feelings, or fancies of our own, distinct from the word of God. I do not and cannot build my faith on anything but what is revealed in the Bible; and I must do it because I have no other foothold for it to stand upon . Do you not feel the same, you who know anything of the trial of faith? You have had many a tossing up and down, and have often wanted a foothold for your faith to stand upon. You have tried to believe this or that doctrine, or to get into this or that experience; but you kept still falling short, for you found that yo...