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

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ ." - I Peter 2:5 [KJV] God's people require many severe afflictions, harassing temptations, and many powerful exercises to hew them into anything like shape, to chisel them into any conformity to Christ's image. For they are not like the passive marble under the hands of the sculptor, which will submit without murmuring, and indeed without feeling, to have this corner chipped off, and that projecting angle rounded by the chisel; but God's people are living stones , and, therefore, feel every stroke. We are so tender-skinned that we cannot bear a  thread of trouble to lie upon us, we shrink from even the touch of the probe. To be hewed, then, and squared, and chiselled by the hand of God into such shapes and forms as please H im, O what painful work it is! But could the pillar know, could it tell ...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (09-11NOV18) 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: CHRIST OUR SUBSTITUTE "Pilate released...Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged Him, to be crucified" (Mark 15:15). The guilty is set free and the Innocent is put to death. The great sinner is delivered and the Sinless One remains bound. Barabbas is spared, and Christ is crucified. This is the manner in which God justifies the ungodly. He does it because Christ has paid what they owe. He has suffered in their place, the Just for the unjust. They deserve punishment, but a mighty Substitute has suffered for them. They deserved eternal death, but a glorious Surety has died for them. We are all by natu...

"Who knoweth the power of Thine anger, even according to Thy fear, so is Thy wrath" - Psalm 90:11 [KJV] “ Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” -Psalm 5:5b [KJV] It is the deepening conviction of the writer, that what is most needed today, is a wide proclamation of those truths which are the least acceptable to the flesh . What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the character of God--   His absolute sovereignty ,   His ineffable holiness ,   His inflexible justice ,   His unchanging veracity . What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man--   his total depravity,   his spiritual insensibility,   his inveterate hostility to God,   the fact that he is "condemned already" (John 3:18)   and that the wrath of a sin-hating God is even now abiding upon him! What is needed today, is a scriptu...

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." -II Timothy 3:16-17 [ KJ V]   The Scriptures are sufficient . . .   to inform the ignorant,   to confute the erroneous,   to reform the wicked, and   to guide and direct , support and comfort --the godly. Here a lamb may wade--and here an elephant may swim! Here is milk for babes--and meat for strong men! Here is . . .   comfort for the afflicted, and   support for the tempted, and   ease for the troubled, and   light for the clouded, and   enlargement for the straitened, etc. Oh,   how full of light ,   how full of life ,   how full of love ,   how full of sweetness ,   how full of goodness ,   how full of righteousness ,   how full of holiness , etc....

"Who is a God like unto T hee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of H is heritage? H e retaineth not H is anger for ever, because H e delighteth in mercy." -Micah 7:18 [KJV] God delighteth in mercy. It is not drawn from Him unwillingly; it is not forced out of Him even by importunity; it is not dragged out of His heart by the cries of His family; but He delights in it as being His darling attribute, the very pleasure of God being in shewing mercy to the miserable. How hard it is for us to believe this until mercy visits the soul and a sweet sense of it is felt in the conscience. How we represent to ourselves God in His anger, in His justice, in His terrible displeasure against sin and sinners; how unable to believe that there is mercy for us, and that He delights in manifesting mercy to poor miserable, penitent sinners. Whoever would have thought of mercy unless it had first been in the bosom of God? Who could hav...

The following is an excerpt from a letter written by John Newton to an unnamed friend, written sometime in 1769 AD: "I received a letter from you which mentions dear Mrs. ****’s case, a very trying one; but in this likewise we see the Lord’s faithfulness. Our own experience and all that we have observed of His dealings with others, may convince us that we need not be afraid to intrust ourselves and our dearest concerns in His hands; for He can and will make everything work for good. How little does the world know of that communion which is carried on between heaven and earth; what petitions are daily presented, and what answers are received at the Throne of Grace! O the blessed privilege of prayer! O the wonderful love, care, attention and power of our great Shepherd! His eye is always upon us; when our spirits are almost overwhelmed within us, He knoweth our path. His ear is always open to us; let who will overlook and disappoint us, He will not. When mea...

It is needful that we understand that the entire eternal inheritance is the gift of God’s grace.  Everything from faith to heaven is said to be a gift.  God’s elect are blessed with all spiritual blessings, even eternal life being a gift.  Christ did not purchase that which was already freely given.  But all these gifts are given to a people who are enslaved, imprisoned, blind and spiritually dead. They are not in a position either legally or spiritually to enjoy them!  They require a work to release them and a work to make them alive to enjoy them.  The first is the work Christ accomplished.  He redeemed His people from the bondage of Satan, sin and the curse of the law.  His death and sacrifice was the ransom payment and the satisfaction of divine justice against them.  By His cross death Christ purchased them and thus afforded for them a complete liberation from all that would keep them from the total enjoyment of every g...