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

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." - I Peter 1:7 [KJV] Trials and temptations are the means which God employs to manifest to the soul the reality and strength of the faith which He bestows upon it; for there is in every trial and temptation opposition made to the faith that is in the heart; and every trial and temptation, so to speak, threaten the life of faith. And they threaten it in this way. Under the trial God for the most part hides Himself. He puts forth, indeed, a secret power whereby the soul is held up, or otherwise it would sink into utter despair, and be overcome and swallowed up by the power of unbelief. Hence comes the conflict between the trial that fights against the faith and the faith which fights against or rather under the trial.   Now, when in this trial, in this sharp conflict, in this ho...

"What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies." -Song of Solomon 6:13 [KJV] Are you not often a mystery to yourself? Warm one moment, cold the next; abasing yourself one half-hour, exalting yourself the following; loving the world, full of it, steeped up to your lips in it to-day; crying, groaning, and sighing for a sweet manifestation of the love of God tomorrow; brought down to nothingness, covered with shame and confusion, on your knees before you leave your room; filled with pride and self- importance before you have got down stairs; despising the world, and willing to give it all up for one taste of the love of Jesus when in solitude; trying to grasp it with both hands when in business.   What a mystery are you! Touched by love, and stung with enmity; possessing a little wisdom, and a great deal of folly; earthly-minded, and yet having the affections in heaven; pressing forward, and lagging behind; full of sloth, and yet taking the kingdom...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands(04-06DEC20) 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: “ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” ( I Tim othy 1:15 ) . The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11) . Why did He lay down His life for His sheep? It was because they are sinners, and sin must be punished with death. Christ, the good Shepherd, laid down His life for the sins of His sheep charged to Him. Now if He died for His sheep who are sinners, He will most certainly receive them as sinners. Christ receives His sheep, sinful men and women, as objects of His Father's love and as trophie...

"It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ." -Matthew 4:4 [KJV] "Man shall not live by bread alone." There is heavenly food to support his soul, as well as natural food to support his body. If a man is supported spiritually by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, if this be the only food the Lord's people enjoy, how little they have! If you and I have no more religion than that which comes from what God has spoken into our soul; if that be the bread we are to live upon; if that be the strength of our heart; if that be our living portion and our dying sufficiency;—how it narrows up our religion into so small a compass, that sometimes we seem to require a microscope to see whether we have any or not.   But thus we learn this lesson, "that man liveth not by bread alone." He cannot live by doctrines in the head. He cannot live by bodily gestures. He cannot live by rites ...

     Take the doctrines of grace isolated from the Person of Christ, and they are scattered limbs. There is no beauty in them alone. But view the truth of the Gospel in connection with the Person and work of the Son of God , what a heavenly light, what a divine glory is cast upon every truth connected with His sacred person, atoning blood, finished work, and dying love!  This is the way to receive the Gospel; not as a thing of shreds and patches, a mere collection or scheme of certain doctrines floating up and down God’s Word, as waifs and strays from a stranded ship; but as ONE HARMONIOUS GOSPEL, full of grace, mercy, and truth, impregnated with divine blessedness, and all connected with, all springing out of the Person of the God-Man . -copied

" And of HIS fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” -John 1:16 [KJV] O say with a melting heart that I have a full Christ, and He is filled for me. I have His pure and perfect righteousness to justify me, His holiness to sanctify me, His wisdom to guide me, His comforts to refresh me, His power to protect me, and His all-sufficiency to supply me. O be cheerful, be thankful; you have all your hearts can wish. And yet be humble; it is all from free grace to empty and unworthy creatures. — preacher John Flavel (1627 – 1691 A.D.)

"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." -Isaiah 51:1 [KJV] It is as though the Lord would here by the pen of His prophet turn our eyes to our native origin. And what is that? The same quarry out of which the other stones come. If you and I, by God's grace, are "living stones," we come out of the same quarry with the dead, unbelieving, unregenerate world; there is no difference in that respect. Nay, we are perhaps sunk lower in the quarry than some of those in whom God never has and never will put His grace. It is not the upper stratum, what is called "the capstone," of the quarry, which is to be taken to be hewn into a pillar; they go down deep into the pit to get at the marble which is to be chiselled into the ornamental column.   So with God's saints. They do not lie at the top of the quarry; but the Lord has to go down very low, that He may bring up these stones out of the depths of the fal...