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

Grace is amazing and therefore righteous grace in that the justice of God which once stood against us as sinners alienated from God, now stands for us as those who have been reconciled to God in Christ Jesus. The words of Augustus Toplady ring true to the scriptures: "JUSTICE CANNOT TWICE DEMAND PAYMENT AT MY BLEEDING SURETY'S HAND...AND THEN AGAIN AT MINE." It is the justice of the thrice Holy that stands to guarantee our continued security before the law and throne of God. John tells us that all confessing sinners are cleansed from all sin and that God is "faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins." God's justice demands the forgiveness of all the sins of those for whom Christ died. This is because His death for sin actually put away sin by satisfying all that the justice of God required, which was death. "It is Christ that died..." Can justice allow any for whom He died to be condemned? Can justice require payment at the hands ...

To exalt the Lord Jesus, to comfort His beloved people, and to benefit our fellow-men-- should be the great object of our lives. For this purpose we were . . .   chosen by the Father,   redeemed by the blood of the Son,   and are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. To accomplish this end . . .   grace is given us,   gifts are conferred upon us,   and life is continued to us. We only live consistently --as we live for the benefit of others. No Christian should make SELF his main end; therefore the apostle says, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."   If we are influenced by the grace of God, if we study to commend ourselves to God, if we are ruled by the Word of God-- our principal object will be, to "do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Upon this, we shall keep the eye steadily fixed, toward this, we shall bend all our energies, and upon this...

Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into T hy lips: therefore God hath blessed T hee for ever. Gird T hy sword upon T hy thigh, O most Mighty, with T hy glory and T hy majesty. And in T hy majesty ride prosperously ...Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of T hy kingdom is a right sceptre. - Thou spakest in vision to T hy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. - The man that is M y fellow, saith the LORD of hosts. Behold, God, is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; H e also is become my salvation. - Thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ. Now unto H im that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of H is glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.   - see Isa iah 9:6 --- Psa lm 45:2-4 & 6 --- Psa lm ...

‘ Tis written in the Word of God That all are full of sin; That due to Adam’s guilt and fall, No soundness is within. Faced with my shame and seeking peace, To Sinai’s mount I fled; But in the law no peace I found, It filled my heart with dread. And then I heard that Jesus came, Poor sinful souls to save; To satisfy God’s holy law, His life He freely gave. Glad tidings this, that God in Christ The vilest will receive; Eternal life is given those Who on the Son believe. Since God the Spirit gave me faith, I trust on Christ the Lord; ‘Tis by His blood and righteousness, To God I am restored. -TUNE TO "O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES" CM WORDS BY JIM BYRD ============================================== A MAN SENT FROM GOD "There was a man sent from God whose name was John" (John 1:6). John the Baptist was not a seminary-trained preacher; he had no formal education. He was not instructed in the schools ...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (10-12AUG18) Heads-Up --- Please find enclosed encouragement in "SO GREAT SALVATION" by the perfect and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor - from their sins and from Hell. THE GROUND OF OUR JUSTIFICATION If I were asked, What is the ground of our justification (being declared righteous and accepted) before and with God? I would answer without hesitation, The righteousness God has provided in and by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, through His obedience unto death, which God has imputed (charged, accounted) to us.. There is no other ground of justification before God. Faith is not that ground; repentance is not that ground; obedience is not that ground. The ground of forgiveness and acceptance before God is entirely and exclusively the work of Christ on the cross as God the Father “ made Him to be sin for us” (ch...

"The LORD shut him in." -Genesis 7:16 [KJV] Noah was shut in away from all the world by the hand of divine love. The door of electing purpose interposes between us and the world which lieth in the wicked one. We are not of the world even as our Lord Jesus was not of the world. Into the sin, the gaiety, the pursuits of the multitude we cannot enter; we cannot play in the streets of Vanity Fair with the children of darkness, for our heavenly Father has shut us in. Noah was shut in with his God. "Come thou into the ark" ... by which He clearly showed that He Himself intended to dwell in the ark with His servant and his family. Thus all the chosen dwell in God and God in them. Happy people to be enclosed in the same circle which contains God in the Trinity of His persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. Let us never be inattentive to that gracious call, "Come, M y people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, and hide thyself...

Lord now Thy people meet, To praise and worship Thee; We bow ourselves before Thy feet, And homage raise to Thee. For Thou art God alone, Eternal, Lord of all; On bended knee before Thy throne, Upon Thy name we call. Though far from Thee we strayed, "Show mercy," is our cry; Without Thy sovereign grace and aid, We must forever die. O grant that we would live, To praise and honor Thee; All laud and glory we will give, Now and eternally. Exalt Thy Son O Lord, Who hung upon the tree; ‘Twas by His death we were restored, And justified by Thee. He is our Righteousness, His death upon the cross; Saved us from our great sinfulness, From endless pain and loss. TUNE: " This Is My Father’s World" SM/DOUBLE Words by JIM BYRD ------------------------------------------ "For God so loved the world, (which He was, in Christ, reconciling to Himself) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in H...