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

"The mercy promised." -Luke 1:72 [KJV]   "The mercy promised!" Why, God graciously promised many mercies, and most faithfully and fully performed them. Yes! every thing out of hell may well be called a mercy. Every child of Adam beareth about with him, day by day, tokens of God's mercy. The air we breathe, the garments we put on, the food we eat; all the comforts, conveniences, enjoyments of life; these are all mercies. But none of these are what the sweet portion of the morning points at. It is here a particular, a special, one specific mercy. And who can this mean, my soul, but Jesus, thy Jesus? - He is, indeed, "the mercy promised," the first mercy, the first promise; the first, best, and comprehensive gift of God in the bible. He is indeed the mercy of mercies, the first born, the sum and substance of every other. He is essential to make all other mercies really and truly mercies; for without Him, they ultimately prove injurious. He is essentia...

"I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one." -John 17:23 [KJV]   Think, my soul, to what a transcendant honour, to what a state of unspeakable happiness, the truly regenerated believer in Jesus is begotten. Who shall declare it; what heart shall fully conceive it? Mark, my soul, how graciously thy Redeemer hath pointed it out, in those sweet words. Observe the foundation of the whole, in that glorious mystery of union between the Father and the Son.  This is at the bottom of all our mercies, and becomes the source and spring of every other. " Thou in Me ," saith Jesus; not only as One in the nature and essence of the Godhead, in a sameness of nature, of design, of will, of perfections, and in all the attributes which constitute the distinguishing properties of Jehovah; but peculiarly as Mediator, the head of the church and people, in communicating all the fulness of the Godhead to dwell bodily in Jesus, as the Glory-man, the God-man, the Anoin...

Whom Did Paul Blaspheme? by D.G. Miles McKee   “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”  -1 Timothy 1:12-13     Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 1:12-13 provides another very important reference to the Deity of Christ. The apostle, speaking of his life as a Pharisee before his conversion, says, “Who was before a blasphemer.”   Paul, a blasphemer? When was Paul ever a blasphemer?   According to the dictionary definition, blasphemy is the act of insulting or attacking God or the act of claiming the attributes of deity. So, when did Paul do that?   We can discount the second part of the definition in Paul’s case for we have no record of him ever claiming to possess the attributes of Deity in himself.  Of all the charges leveled against the apostle, thi...

PRAISE YE THE LORD! Praise ye the God of grace, Who gave to Christ a race. Vast multitudes; Chosen By His decree, Christ’s work at Calvary, From sin would set them free, Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Son of God, Who on this earth has trod. Our Substitute; Charged with iniquity, Died for us willingly, Gave us His purity, Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Spirit’s light; He came into our night; Revealing Christ. Grace poured into the soul, His blood has made us whole, Jesus we now extol, Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Trinity, The holy Godhead three, Honor His Name. Soon in eternity, All of His family, Shall sing with unity, Praise ye the Lord. Tune "MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE" 664.6664 Words by: JIM BYRD

"By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." -Hebrews 9:12    Ponder, my soul, these solemn expressions concerning thy Jesus. Mark, in them, their vast contents. Jesus, as a prophet, hath revealed His salvation: as a priest, He alone hath procured it, and offered it up to God and the Father; and as a King, He ever lives and reigns to see its efficacy fully accomplished in all His redeemed, being made partakers of it. Behold in this, His priestly office, both as an high priest and as the sacrifice, what He hath wrought, and what He hath accomplished - even eternal redemption.       Mark, my soul, the several volumes of mercy comprised in it. First - Of man's revolt from God. Secondly - The deadly breach by reason thereof. Thirdly - The proclamation from heaven, of God's determined purpose to take vengeance of sin. Fourthly - Man's total inability to appease the divine wrath, either by doing or suffering. F...

  "Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown ." -Jeremiah 2:2 [KJV]   Pause, my soul, over this condescending token of God's love to Israel; and see whether it doth not hold forth to thee a blessed portion for thy encouragement. Israel had been most undeserving; but yet the Lord would put Israel in remembrance, by assuring   His people that He remembered their love when God first formed Israel into a people. When He led them into the wilderness, and married Israel, they sung the praise of Jehovah in their love-songs, on the day of their espousals. 'Now,' saith the Lord, - 'I remember thee in these things; for these were tokens of affection when thou wentest after Me in following the pillar of cloud through the desert; in trusting to a harvest, though as yet the land was not sown.'       And may I, blessed Lord, sweetly interpret th...

"Truly, our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." -1 John 1:3 [KJV]   Precious, blessed consideration! Art thou, my soul, at this time in the full enjoyment of it? Pause over the inquiry. Sometimes, for the want of this search of soul, and the neglect of it, deadness, or at least leanness, creeps in. Say then, my soul, how art thou dealing with thy God? and how is thy God dealing with  thee? When were His latest manifestations? When did He take thee to His banqueting-house; or when didst thou sit under His shadow? Hast thou very lately heard His voice, saying, "Fear not, I am thy salvation?" The discovery of these things are among the sweetest exercises which flow from the indwelling Spirit.  Go on further in the inquiry - how art thou dealing with thy God? When hadst thou fellowship and communion with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ? What petitions hast thou now awaiting for answers from the heavenly court? What grateful acknowl...