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

A mind at perfect peace with God, O what a word is this! A sinner reconciled through blood! This, this indeed is peace. By nature and by practice far, How very far from God! Yet now by grace brought nigh to Him, Through faith in Jesus' blood.   So nigh, so very nigh to God, I cannot nearer be! For in the person of His Son, I am as near as He. So dear, so very dear to God, More dear I cannot be! The love wherewith He loves the Son, Such is His love to me!   Horatius Bonar, 1868-1930 A.D.

"They go from strength to strength." -PSALM 84:7 [KJV] "They go from strength to strength." It is in the margin, "from company to company." I rather think, that the meaning implied is, "they go from halting place to halting place." There were certain fixed spots where the whole company rested at night; as we read, when the infant Jesus tarried at Jerusalem, his parents knew it not: they supposed that he was "in the company;" that is, had gone on with the traveling pilgrims; but when night came, and they looked for him, he was not there. These halting places were certain spots where the caravan of the traveling pilgrims rested at night; by these successive haltings their strength was recruited, and they were enabled to bear the long journey, rising in the morning refreshed with their night's rest. The Psalmist viewing it spiritually says, "They go from strength to strength." At each halting place the...

Providence is used once in Scripture. Tertullus was hired by the enemies of Paul to accuse the apostle before Felix. The famous orator began his speech by flattering the Roman governor of Judea. "Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness" (A CTS 24:2) . By providence Tertullus was referring to the government and authority of Felix. He said the people were thankful for such a good ruler. His words of praise to Felix were insincere of course. The Jews despised all Roman authorities. By divine providence we mean God’s unlimited dominion and active management of all creation by which He carries out that which He decreed, for the honor of His Name and the benefit of His people chosen in Christ unto grace and glory . God governs the world to accomplish His eternal designs; He is bringing His sovereign will to frui...

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in T hee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools." -P SALM 84:5-6 [KJV] David casts a glimpse here at those pilgrims who were taking their upward journey to worship God in Zion. He marks their road, and takes occasion to spiritualize it; for he says, "In whose heart," in whose experience, in whose soul, "are the ways" of these pilgrims Zionward. What are these "ways?" It is this, that "passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a well." This valley of Baca appears to have been a very perilous pass, through which pilgrims journeyed toward Jerusalem; and on account of the difficulties, dangers, and sufferings that they met with, it was named "the valley of Baca," or "the valley of weeping," "the vale of tears." But the Psalmist says, "Blessed is the man in wh...

"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament" -H EBREWS 7:22 [KJV]   When one undertakes to be surety for another, then the debt is reckoned unto him, and he accepts it. Thus our dear Savior, our blessed Surety stood up for us, engaged in our behalf. Our debts, all our iniquities were imputed to Him and laid upon Him, charged upon His person. He fully satisfied, perfectly atoned justice for them. By the one sacrifice of Himself He hath taken them all away, made an end of sin, so that justice itself proclaims its own faithfulness to forgive sin, I JOHN 1:9 . Grace reigns, mercy triumphs, sinners are pardoned, believers rejoice. Oh believer, thou art blessed of thy God Who is just, therefore doth not, cannot, impute sin to thee. True, thou hast committed sins innumerable; but it as true, they were all laid upon Jesus. True, thou dost commit sin, it is equally true, Christ hath bore them. Thou wilt commit sin, it is perfectly true thy Savi...

"He led him about, H e instructed him, H e kept him as the apple of H is eye." -D EUTERONOMY 32:10 [KJV] "He led them about." This was true literally. What a circuitous, tangled, backward and forward route was that of the children of Israel in the wilderness! Yet every step was under God's direction; they never moved till the cloudy pillar led the way. But how does the Lord lead about in grace? By leading his Israel into a path of which they do not see the end. One turn of the road hides the next. I have read that you may make a road with a curve at every quarter of a mile, and yet in a hundred miles the distance will not be so much as a mile more than a perfectly straight line. So in grace. The length of the road swallows up the turnings. But these turnings make the road seem more round about than it really is. All before us is hidden. For instance, when the Lord begins a work of grace, he brings convictions of sin, opens up the spirituality...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (21-23JUN19) 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: “ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all.” -Isaiah 53:6 [KJV] We trust Christ our risen Savior who died on the cross to put away all our sins. All our sins, not one omitted, were laid upon Him, and He died under the justice of God’s law for us. He became accountable for ALL our sins (sins of omission and commission), all our evil deeds, thoughts, and motives, all our iniquities were “laid on Him.” When He died, did He put ALL our iniquity away, or did He leave part of it to be borne by us? Praise God, HE PUT IT ALL AWAY BY HIS ONE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS!  How can w...