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

"The trumpet of the jubilee." -Leviticus 25:9 [KJV]   My soul, pause over the subject of the jubilee trumpet; for surely much of gospel was proclaimed by it. It should seem that there were four distinct and special sounds of the trumpet in the camp of Israel. The trumpet of memorials, so called, (Leviticus 23:24) was blown on the occasion of the new moon, calling the people to the joyful assembly, Psalm 81:3. There was also the fast trumpet of which the prophet speaks, Joel 2:1. Besides these, the war trumpet gave a certain sound to prepare to battle (1 Cor. 14:8). And this of the jubilee, which differed from all.       And although the jubilee trumpet was never heard but once in fifty years, yet so sweet and so distinguishing was the sound, that no poor captive among the servants in the camp of Israel, was at a moment's loss to understand its gracious meaning. Say, my soul, is not the gospel sound, when first heard by the ear of faith, precisely the same? When pard...

"Thy lips, O My spouse, drop as the honeycomb." -Song of Solomon 4:11 [KJV]    While Jesus is so precious to His people, that they seek Him in every thing that is lovely, and indeed can discover nothing to be lovely until they have found Jesus in it, what an endearment is it to the soul of a believer, when he discovers Jesus looking upon him, eyeing him, and even commending Jesus's own graces, which He hath imparted to the soul, brought out into exercises again by the influences of His own Holy Spirit. My soul, canst thou really be led to believe that Jesus is speaking to His church, to His fair one, His spouse, to every individual soul of His redeemed and regenerated ones, in those sweet words of the song? Doth Jesus, the Son of God, call thee His spouse; and doth He say, thy lips drop as the honeycomb?  Pause, my soul, and ponder over these gracious words of thy God. By thy lips, no doubt, Jesus means thy words; of which Solomon saith "pleasant words are as an hon...

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands   (26-28MAR21) 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  our  sins and from Hell: LOOK TO CHRIST "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2) . My friend, salvation is in "looking unto Jesus." It is not in looking unto baptism, looking unto morality, looking unto church membership, looking unto keeping the commandments, looking unto living by the golden rule, or looking unto coming to church. It is looking unto Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King. It is looking unto Him alone. It is not in looking unto your humility or obedience, but in looking unto Him who "hu...

"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