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

"Much notice is taken in Scriptures of the innocency, holiness and righteousness of the Redeemer; that He was holy in His nature, harmless in His life; that He knew no sin, nor ever committed any; that He, the Just and Holy One, suffered for the unjust. A great emphasis is put upon this, that the price with which men are redeemed is the precious blood of Christ, "as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot" ( 1 Peter 1:19 ). For if He had had any sin in Him, He could not have been a redeemer from sin, nor His blood the price of redemption. And yet more than all this, it is necessary to make this price a full and adequate one. It must not be the blood of a mere creature, but of one that is God as well as man. And such is Christ. Therefore, Christ, Who is God, is said to purchase the church with His own blood ( Acts 20:28 ). Being God and man in one person, this gave His blood a sufficient virtue to make such a purchase. And a peculiar emphasis is put ...

Our times are in Thy hand, Father we wish them there: our life, our soul, our all, we leave entirely to Thy care. Our times are in Thy hand, whatever they may be, pleasing or painful, dark or bright, as best may seem to Thee. Our times are in Thy hand, why should we doubt or fear? A Father’s hand will never cause His child a needless tear. Our times are in Thy hand, Jesus the crucified! The hand our many sins had pierced is now our Guard and Guide. Our times are in Thy hand, we’ll always trust in Thee; ‘till we have left this weary land and all Thy glory see. –W. F. Lloyd, 1835 A.D.

The Christ of all the ages sits sovereign on the throne, To rule in earth and heaven, By His own hand alone. He holds the righteous scepter, The One who purged our sins; From death and hell now risen, His kingdom never ends. The Christ of all the ages, Both God and Mary's Son; The everlasting Father, He reigns the mighty One. To give both grace and glory to those for whom He died. The blood-bought ones He purchased, can never be denied. The Christ of all the ages, our ever-living Priest, Who maketh intercession to give us daily peace. And in His throne of glory, we find a throne of grace. He calls us to come boldly into the holy place. The Christ of all the ages through sorrows and through pains my hope, my joy, and my comfort, at all times He remains. The One who never changes, As God and Man who came; My righteousness forever and every day the same! Words by Gary Shepard , 76.76 Double Tune: The Church's One Foundation =================...

A robe or garment is often used in Scripture to portray righteousness. "He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" ( Isa iah 61:10 ). "And to her (the church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" ( Revelation 19:8 ). When Adam and Eve sinned and "knew they were naked" ( Gen esis 3:7 ), they tried to cover their shame by making fig-leaf aprons. Their actions pictured man’s vain attempts to establish a righteousness for himself, but righteousness can only be established by the Lord , otherwise the sinner will remain "naked." Nakedness sets forth man’s unrighteousness and his exposure to wrath. The Laodiceans were "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked," and were told they needed "white raiment, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear" ( Rev elation 3:17-18 ). Thankfully, the Lord came to the rescue of our fallen...

"Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless" -Matthew 22:12 [KJV] He had a garment, but not a wedding garment - one of his own providing; like those who have a righteousness of their own, of whom the Lord elsewhere speaks: "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the L ORD , that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin" ( Isa iah 30:1 ). Precious Lord Jesus, clothe me with the wedding garment of Thy righteousness; and feed me with the rich food of Thy body and blood; yea, Lord, be Thou my covering, my joy, my all; that when at Thy church, at Thy table, at Thine house of prayer below and at Thine kingdom of glory above, the King cometh in to see His guests, my soul may cry out, in Thine own blessed words and with a joy unspeakable and full of glory: "I will greatly rejoice in the L ORD , my soul shall be joyful ...

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." -I John 5:20 [KJV] Beware of the intellectual preacher who is always splitting hairs and pronouncing woe upon all who are not as smart as them. God gives His people an understanding that they may know a Person. Read the text again. Not that they might know some complicated man-deduced system of doctrine. You do not need to be smart to know God. Thank God for that. Even the little children were encouraged by Him to come and trust Him. The thief didn't have much time to take a stance on this theological issue or the other. His soul hung upon knowing the identity of the One Who hung on Calvary's middle cross. The blind man in John 9 could not answer the questions posed him by the religion of the day, but he trusted the Son of God and bowed...

Assurance of salvation and a saving interest in our Lord Jesus is not a feeling cultivated by thinking good thoughts and doing good deeds. Paul calls it "full assurance of faith" (Hebrews 10:22). It has to do with faith, with believing God! Assurance is born of confidence in the Father as our covenant God; "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). Assurance is born of confidence in the Son as our just God and Saviour; "By His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Assurance is born of confidence in His promises; Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, “He was able also to perform" (Romans 4:21). So your assurance of redemption is not enhanced by the more you work, but by the more you trust and rest in Him. "Let us labor therefore to enter into THAT REST" (Hebrews 4:11). - Gospel report by preacher Henry Mahan