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

"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" -M ATTHEW 9:12 [KJV] A physician is useless without a case; and the deeper the case, the wiser and better physician we need. Thus a guilty conscience is a case for atoning blood, a wounded spirit for healing balm, a filthy garment for a justifying robe, a drowning wretch for an Almighty hand, a criminal on the gallows for a full pardon, an incurable disease for a heavenly physician, and a sinner sinking into hell for a Saviour stooping down from heaven. A man with a real case must have a real salvation. He is no longer to be cheated, deluded, and tricked with pretences, as a nervous patient is sometimes cured with bread pills; but he must have a real remedy as having a real disease. Christ in the Bible, Christ sitting as an unknown Saviour in the heavens, Christ afar off, unmanifested and unrevealed, is no Christ to him. "Near, near; let H im come near; in my heart, in my soul, revealed i...

Suppose a poor sinner under the awakenings of grace, and by the leadings of the Holy Ghost, from the conviction of sin, comes forth with the anxious question, what must I do to be saved? And, suppose, that instead of the immediate answer Paul gave to this same question, when put to him by the Jailor at Philippi, “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thine house” [ A CTS 26:30-31 ] . Suppose, that a preacher should direct such an one to his repentings and reformings, to his amendments, and tears, and prayers, telling him to hope that Christ will do the rest, when he hath done his best? What a trifling would this be with an alarmed sinner under his soul distresses? And what could charity herself say of all such preachers, but as Job did of those pretended friends of his when they read to him such reproving lectures on his dunghill, “ Miserable comforters are ye all!” [JOB 16:2 ] .  Oh! how sweet doth God the Spirit preach Christ in Hi...

Though troubles assail us and dangers affright, though friends should all fail us and foes all unite, yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, the promise assures us, “The Lord will provide.” The birds, without garner or storehouse, are fed; from them let us learn to trust God for our bread. His saints what is fitting shall ne’er be denied so long as ‘tis written, “The Lord will provide.” When Satan assails us to stop up our path, and courage all fails us, we triumph by faith. He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried, this heart-cheering promise, “The Lord will provide.” No strength of our own and no goodness we claim; yet, since we have known of the Savior’s great name, in this our strong tower for safety we hide: the Lord is our power, “The Lord will provide.” Author: John Newton To the tune of, "O Worship the King"

"And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." - I CORINTHIANS 3:23 [KJV] "Christ is God's." These are remarkable words, and need to be carefully and reverently opened up. The fulness of the mystery is beyond our grasp. Still, we may attempt to look at it in faith and godly fear. How, then, is Christ God's? First, He is God's Son—not a Son by covenant or by office; in other words, not a nominal, but a true and proper Son—a Son by nature, by His eternal mode of subsistence as a Person in the Godhead. "This is M y beloved Son" was twice proclaimed by God the Father with an audible voice from heaven. Second, but He is also God's servant. "Behold M y servant whom I uphold" [ISAIAH 42:1 ] . "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be M y servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob" [ISAIAH 49:6 ] , and this He was as Messiah. But because He is by office God's servant, He is not less by nature God's S...

“ Who would not fear Thee, O King of nations? for to Thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto Thee .” - JEREMIAH 10:7 [KJV]   How reasonable it is, that this glorious Being, whose greatness is unsearchable, should be regarded with feelings of the profoundest reverence. It is, indeed, His due, and as such He claims it from all His creatures. “ The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes ” [ P SALM 36:1 ] . To have no fear of God before their eyes is at once the greatest injustice, and the most unutterable folly. All who have the impudence to lift up their puny arms in rebellion against Him, are engaged in a conflict, which, if persisted in, is sure to terminate in their utter destruction. Think of His incomprehensible greatness and majesty. Think of Him as the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity--the heavens His th...

The Christian knows no change with regard to God. He may be rich today and poor tomorrow; he may be sickly today and well tomorrow; he may be in happiness today and tomorrow be in distress; but THERE IS NO CHANGE WITH REGARD TO HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. If He loved me yesterday, He loves me today. I am neither better nor worse in God than I ever was. Let prospects be blighted, let hopes be blasted, let joy be withered, let mildews destroy everything; I HAVE LOST NOTHING OF WHAT I HAVE IN GOD! -copied

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." -J AMES 1:17 [KJV] Every good and perfect gift is from the sovereign throne of God [ROMANS 11:36 ] , whether in nature, providence or grace. All spiritual blessings are of God and flow out to the sinner through the Lord Jesus Christ [EPHESIANS 1:3-7 ] . Let us take full blame for our sin [ J AMES 1:13-16 ] and ascribe all glory to God for "every good and perfect gift" [PSALM 115:1 ] . Notice several things! 1). "Every good and perfect gift is from above." Our blessed Redeemer came from above [JOHN 3:16, 6:38; G ALATIANS 4:4 ] . Our salvation is from above, and is dependant upon God. The new birth, regeneration is from above [JOHN 3:3 ] . Righteousness that justifies is from above [ROMANS 4:1-8 ] . God alone is the origin, source and giver of all spiritual blessings [I CORI...