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

"If the LORD were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands; neither would He have shewed us all these things." -Judges 13:23  [KJV] Precious faith this of the wife of Manoah, and sound and conclusive reasoning. My soul, hath the Father, who gave thee Jesus for a Saviour, accepted thee in Jesus? Hath the Father, who sent His dear Son to be the Saviour of the world, accepted Jesus for thy, Saviour? Hath the Holy Ghost shewed thee the glorious things of redemption in His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace? And hath He given thee to believe in the record that "God hath given eternal life, and that this life is in His Son?"     Oh then say, with the wife of Manoah, surely the Lord would never have done all this, neither would He have showed me all these things, had He not intended my salvation. Treasure up, then, these past tokens of favour: consider present evidences of mercy; and ...

"Come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price." -Isaiah 55:1  [KJV]   Surely, no man can plead poverty as an excuse for not buying, when the things sold are not only without money, but without even the proposals for money; not only without ready money, but without any money . Here is not even a price given. My soul, remember this. The poorer the wretch, the more welcome to this market.    But what are the things sold? Both wine and milk. A blessed variety in the gospel feast—wine to cheer, and milk to nourish. Yes, blessed Jesus, Thy love is better than wine, and Thy salvation more healing than milk: Besides, it comes free, it comes pure, it comes in plenty. And it far, very far, exceeds the strongest wine, and the richest milk. For though wine may remove a temporary heaviness, yet was it never known to raise the dead; but Thy love, blessed Jesus, hath raised, and will keep alive for ever, sinners dead in trespasses and sins, and preserve the languishin...

"And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins." -Isaiah 11:5  [KJV] Mark these expressions, my soul, concerning thy covenant God in Christ. The Lord condescends by them to represent both His righteousness and faithfulness, as they are engaged to make good the purposes of redemption, in the Father and the Son. Jehovah's righteousness, and Jehovah's faithfulness, are blessed securities for this purpose; for so saith the Holy Ghost. "God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Wherefore? Because "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."    And do not overlook the striking figure of the girdle, which is chosen to represent it by; for as a man binds on the girdle round his loins, as a strengthener; so Jehovah takes to Himself the righteousness of His dear Son. "Let him take hold," saith Jehovah, "of my strength, to make peace with me, and he shall...

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (19-21NOV21) 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: "Good news from a far country."   -Proverbs 25:25   [KJV] From a far country, indeed; for it is no less distance than from heaven to earth, and from beings as opposite as holiness and sin could make-even from God to man, from a rich Saviour to poor sinners! And so remote that had not this good news been sent, heaven must have remained at an eternal distance, as an inaccessible region! And what is the good news itself? The angels who were first sent to proclaim it, called it glad tidings of good things, of great joy to all people. And indeed, such glad tidings it contains, as language fails to describe. It is pardon, mercy, and peace to poor rebels. It h...

"Good news from a far country." -Proverbs 25:25  [KJV] From a far country, indeed; for it is no less distance than from heaven to earth, and from beings as opposite as holiness and sin could make-even from God to man, from a rich Saviour to poor sinners! And so remote that had not this good news been sent, heaven must have remained at an eternal distance, as an inaccessible region! And what is the good news itself? The angels who were first sent to proclaim it, called it glad tidings of good things, of great joy to all people. And indeed, such glad tidings it contains, as language fails to describe. It is pardon, mercy, and peace to poor rebels. It holds forth joy, happiness, and everlasting felicity to poor sinners, enemies, and the fallen race of men. God revealed; sin atoned; Satan conquered; death destroyed; hell vanquished; heaven opened! And these not all.    This good news informs also of the stupendous way by which the blessings are given, and everlasting happine...

  God’s Blood? by D.G. Miles Mckee   “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28. Since when, we must ask, did God ever have blood? Surely God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and a Spirit does not have blood? … True …  But that does not mean God does not have blood! “Explain?” Jesus Christ, the man who was God, as a man had blood and this blood is clearly called ‘God’s blood’ which proves once more that Jesus is God. Let me say the same thing another way.  Since this scripture plainly tells us that God purchased the Church with His own blood and we know that it was Christ Jesus who shed His blood for the purchase, then we must conclude once more that Jesus Christ is God.   To know that He who hung upon the cross was our Lord, Master and God must surely move us to lives of dedication to His purposes. It is this very knowledge...

"Thou shalt weep no more; He will be very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee." -Isaiah 30:19  [KJV] Listen to this, my soul. Ponder over every precious word in it. Are not all tears dried from thine eyes, when beholding that complete salvation in which thou art interested in Christ Jesus? Believers are commanded to sorrow no more, as others without hope. And doth Jesus indeed wait to be gracious, nay, very gracious? Is it possible to consider that He, who hath all power in heaven and in earth, waits upon a poor worm of the dust, and this in order to be gracious? Come then, my soul, unto the mercy-seat. Do thou wait for Him, who thus waits for thee. And as soon as thy Lord hath heard, and answered one prayer, do thou follow it up with another.    Remember that He waits to be gracious; and Jesus is glorified, in giving out of His fulness to supply the wants of His people. And what petitions, my soul, hast thou now before...