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

"In W hom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." -EPHESIANS 1:13 [KJV] Sealing is subsequent to believing: "In W hom after ye believed, ye were sealed." In legal documents the writing always precedes the sealing. That is the last act, and follows even the signing, putting an attesting stamp on the whole document, from the first word to the last signature. So in grace. The Spirit begins the work. He writes the first lines of divine truth on the soul; He makes the first impression on the heart of stone, which under His operation becomes a heart of flesh; He writes every truth that He thus makes known on the fleshy tables of the heart. He thus gives faith and hope, and then He comes with his special inward witness, and seals the truth and reality of His own work, so as not only to make it plain and clear, but to ratify and confirm it beyond all doubt and fear, questioning or dispute, either by ourself or others. ...

Ye saints look up with cheerful eye, And see your King who reigns on high; Behold the Savior on His throne, The Advocate for all His own. Be never filled with dark despair, Come cast on Him your ev’ry care; And trust His interceding grace, Whose blood redeemed His chosen race. Since by His blood we’re justified, His prayers will never be denied; ‘Tis Christ, with sympathizing love, Who represents us high above. Come then unto the throne of grace, To Christ, Who is our Hiding-Place; And rest in Him and be at peace, His love for us will never cease. Hymn, “ Doxology”

The blood-bought Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is pictured in scripture as a victorious army! It has been given victory over all it's enemies, over sin, over Satan and even over self. This total victory is totally in Christ and even in this wilderness of sin the Church-Bride of Christ is described in the Song of Solomon in this way: “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners” ( SONG OF SOLOMON 6:4) and “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” ( vs. 10) “ A N ARMY WITH BANNERS .” What a sight! A marching army of a multitude of redeemed sinners, that “exceeding great army” Ezekiel saw that had been raised from spiritual death. But what is a banner? A banner is an ensign. A flag which denotes which army and whose army it is. The church militant and unstoppable in this world as it brings forth THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST! Tyrants have tried...

What does that mean: “The just shall live by faith” ? We know that faith is a gift that God gives to His child, causing that child to believe the truth of God’s word; so what has God said in His word? What does a justified child of God live his life believing with all of his heart? 1. He believes that he is a SINNER. “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith” (H ABAKKUK 2:4) . 2. He believes that Christ is ALL of his righteousness. “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith” (R OMANS 1:17) . 3. He believes that he is NOT justified before God by trying to keep the law himself, but he is justified before God because Christ kept the law for him. “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith” (G ALATIANS 3:11) . 4. He believes there are no but’s about it! There is NO MIXING ...

"All that the Father giveth M e shall come to M e; and him that cometh to M e I will in no wise cast out." -J OHN 6:37 [KJV] Now, poor sinner, upon whose head the beams of a fiery law are darting; now, poor sinner, distressed in thy mind, guilty in thy conscience, plagued with a thousand temptations, beset by innumerable doubts and fears, canst thou not look up a little out of thy gloom and sadness, and see that THE ETERNAL GOD IS THY REFUGE ? Dost thou not cleave to Him with the utmost of thy power, as being beaten out of every other? Hast thou not taken hold of His strength that thou mayest make peace with Him? Art thou not looking to Him? And does He not say, "Look unto M e and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth" ? He bids thee look at Him as Moses bade the Israelites look to the brazen serpent. Poor sinner, groaning under the weight of thy transgression, He bids thee look to Him. Has the blessed Lord, He into whose lips grace was poured...

“ I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for THOU LORD ONLY makest me dwell in safety.” -P SALM 4:8 [KJV] Better than bars and locks is the protection of our Lord. Armed men kept the bed of Solomon; but we do not believe he slept more soundly than his father, David, whose bed was the hard ground, and who was hunted by evil men.  Note the word “only” which means that God alone was his keeper; and that though alone, without man’s help, he was in good keeping; for he was, alone with God. O Lord, give us calm repose on Thee that, like David, we may lie down in peace and sleep each night while we live and then joyfully lie down at that appointed time to sleep in death and rest in Christ. -Gospel report by preacher Henry T. Mahan (1926–2019 A.D.) Audio Gospel Sermon, “The Death of a Believer Described” (II TIMOTHY 4:6-8) https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=31206192737

“ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” - II C ORINTHIANS 3:17 [KJV] Paul encourages all believers to stand fast in the liberty and freedom we enjoy in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (G ALATIANS 5:1) . Consider these brief thoughts on the believer's freedom in Christ… 1). Where Christ in the gospel is the Spirit of illum-ination in our heart, there is freedom from darkness. "I am the light of the world: he that followeth M e shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (J OHN 8:12) . "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of H is dear Son" (C OLOSSIANS 1:13) . 2). Where Christ in the gospel is the Spirit of regeneration in our heart, there is freedom from the bondage of sin. "And ye shall...