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

With broken heart and contrite sigh, A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry. Thy pardoning grace is rich and free, O God, be merciful to me! I smite upon my troubled breast, With deep and conscious guilt oppressed: Christ and His cross my only plea, O God, be merciful to me! Far off I stand with tearful eyes Nor dare uplift them to the skies; But Thou dost all my anguish see, O God, be merciful to me! No alms or deeds that I have done Can for a single sin atone. To Calvary alone I flee, O God, be merciful to me! And when, redeemed from sin and hell, With all the ransomed throng I dwell, My raptured song shall ever be, O God, be merciful to me! Author: Cornelius Elven Tune: “Just As I Am” by William B. Bradley

“ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” [JOHN 16:7 ] .  One of the definitions of “ depart” given by Strong’s Concordance is “to pursue the journey on which one has entered; to continue on one’s journey.” In the everlasting covenant of grace, our Lord Jesus Christ commenced a journey which He willingly pursued, one which would lead Him to the cross of death and then to the throne of universal sovereignty. Nothing could hinder Him from embarking upon and triumphantly finishing that journey. Messiah declared that He set His face “ like a flint” [ISAIAH 50:7 ] , an indication of His unwavering resolve to complete the work assigned Him by the Father in the eternal covenant. Nothing could deter or prevent Him from successfully finishing His journey. The Savior was completely committed to the fulfillment of His covenant promi...

"And you hath HE QUICKENED, who were dead in trespasses and sins." -E PHESIANS 2:1 [KJV]   Death in sin is of course a figure, and must be interpreted as such; for moral death is its meaning, and by moral death we understand the utter absence of everything holy, heavenly, spiritual, and divine; the entire want of participation in, and conformity to the life which God lives as essentially and eternally holy, pure, wise, and good, and for ever dwelling in the glorious light of His own infinite perfections. To be dead, then, is to have no present part or lot with God; no knowledge of Him, no faith, no trust, no hope in Him; no sense of His presence, no reverence of His terrible Majesty; no desire after Him or inclination toward Him; no trembling at His word, no reliance on His promise, no longing for His grace, no care or concern for His glory.   It is to be as a beast before Him, intent like a brute on satisfying the cravings of lust, or the movements of m...

"Turn T hou us unto T hee, O L ORD , and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old." - L AMENTATIONS 5:21 [KJV]   Are you not often destitute of the power to repent, and confess your sins before God? Does not conscience often bring to view a melancholy retrospect of carnal thoughts, wicked desires, vain imaginations, foolish words, frivolous speeches, and all that catalogue of evils, that huge bill which godly fear sometimes files in the court within, as seen in all our departures from the life of God? But are you able to repent? are you able to feel cut to the very heart? are you able to mourn and sigh because conscience brings against you this long indictment? Can you always feel your soul melted down with sorrow on account of it? Are you always able to feel contrition because you are proud, worldly, covetous, everything that is evil, everything that is hateful in God's sight?   But, then, there are times and seasons when the Lord is pleased to ...

“ MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED” -Philip p ians 4:19 [KJV]      When Paul was sitting in a Roman prison for preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, he lacked the necessities that he needed to maintain his physical strength. The believers at Philippi found out about Paul's deplorable circumstances and sent relief to him by the hand of their pastor. Having received the gift from them, he wrote back to them saying, "I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). Paul also assured them that the Almighty God would take care of all their need, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."   (Phil. 4:19). Believer, although we have a great need of all spiritual blessings; to ascend and to stand in His presence (Pas 24:3), we can fully rest in this and many other precious promises...

"And H e taught them many things by parables." -M ARK 4:2 [KJV] The Scripture employs two beautiful figures to illustrate the reception of the divine testimony. One is the committing of the seed to the ground, as in the parable of the sower. The husbandman scatters the seed in the bosom of the earth, and the ground having been previously ploughed and reduced to a beautiful tilth, opens its bosom to receive the grain. After a little time the seed begins to germinate, to strike a root downward, and shoot a germ upward; as the Lord speaks, "First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear."   This emblem beautifully represents how the testimony of Jesus Christ finds an entrance to the soul, takes root downward and carries a shoot upward. The root downward is into the depths of a tender conscience, and the shoot upward is the aspiration, breathing, and longing of the soul for the living God.   The other figure is that of grafti...

According to Eli's instruction, this was to be the answer of young Samuel if he heard the Lord call again in the night … " S peak, L ORD ; for Thy servant heareth" [I SAMUEL 3:9] . This was Samuel's response and it is the response and longing of every regenerated saint made sensitive to the voice of the Lord Jesus. The believer truly desires to hear from his great Shepherd as He speaks to the heart through His word. The hearts of God's sheep burn with gratitude and appreciation for His mercy as He opens unto them the Holy Scriptures. The realization that God Almighty, in the power of His Holy Spirit, through the blessed Scriptures would graciously speak peace and comfort to an undeserving sinner for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ is a glowing ember of joy to the redeemed saint. Truly, He speaks and those that are of the truth hear His voice [JOHN 18:37 ] . - Gospel report by preacher Marvin Stalnaker Katy Baptist church of Fairmont, West Vi...