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

"With the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." -I Thessalonians 4:16 [KJV]     Before I drop into the arms of sleep, I would call upon my soul to ponder these words. I know not, each night, when retiring to rest, whether my next awakening may not be "with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." As what may be my state in this particular, and hath been the state of many (for the hour of a man's death is to all intents and purposes the day of judgment) becomes an infinitely momentous concern; how can I better close the day and the month together, than by a few moments consideration of the solemn event? What is meant by "the voice of the archangel?"     I do not recollect the name of the archangel being mentioned any where beside in scripture, except Jude 9 and here, as well as there, the person spoken of is but one. We have no authority to say, archangels; yea, it should seem, from what the apostle Jude hath said concerni...

"The Spirit of the L ORD spake by me, and His word was in my tongue."   -II Samuel 23:2 [KJV] We read that "no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation;" that is to say, it is the public property of the whole family of Jehovah; and "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" the Holy Ghost so influencing and working upon their minds as to make them bring forth out of their hearts that which should be suitable to the whole family of God. For instance, we read in Psalm 51, David's confession of sin; but David's confession of sin applies to every soul that is condemned on account of sin. When Job, too, poured out his piteous complaints, he was speaking; though he might know it not, for the children of God to the remotest time.  So when the Lord said to Joshua, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," it was a promise specially given to Joshua; it seemed to be confined to that individual; it appeare...

"Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." -I Corinthians 5:8 [KJV] My soul, hast thou duly considered the unsuitableness of all leaven to mix up with the unleavened bread of the gospel of Jesus? Whatever sours, and gives a principle of taint to the mind, is indeed a leaven, carefully to be avoided. And "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump!" So that it was expressly enjoined, in the divine precept of the law, on the passover, that "there should be no leaven found in their houses; the soul that did eat of it was to be cut off from the congregation." Exodus 12:19 . Sweet instruction, couched under the prohibition! With Jesus there is to be no mixture; nothing of creature leaven, of self-will, or self-righteousness to mingle.   My soul, thou hast been at the gospel feast, and sat with Jesus at His table. Surely thou hast kept the feast then, as h...

  "O L ORD , correct me, but with judgment; not in Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing."  - Jeremiah 10:24 [KJV] "Fury is not in Me," saith the Lord. No; there is no wrath in the bosom of God against the persons of His people. They are for ever "accepted in the Beloved," and stand in Him before the throne of God without spot or wrinkle; but there is displeasure against their sins; and this displeasure their kind and gracious Father makes them feel when He withdraws from them the light of His countenance, and sends His keen reproofs and sharp rebukes into their conscience. But these very "judgments" help them (Psalm 119:175) , for they lead to deep searchings of heart; and as the same blessed Spirit who sets home the reproof communicates therewith repentance, they sorrow after a godly manner, and this godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of (II Corinthians 7:10) .   If, then, our afflictions, crosses, losses, ...

  Jesus our Satisfaction. by   D.G. Miles McKee If we were smart, we would line up with the Father’s thinking about the Lord Jesus. In that way, we would be satisfied with Christ and thus place ourselves in the very centre of the will of God. (John 20:31).   The Scriptures declare that those who rest on Christ are doing God’s work (John 6:29). The first thing, therefore, that the Father asks of us is to come into agreement with Him concerning His Son. Nothing more is required, but nothing less will do! The Father will not receive us on any other basis than that of the sufficiency of His Son. Are you satisfied with the Lord Jesus? “But”, says someone,” I must be a righteous person within myself before God will accept me!” Well actually … NO!   Our acceptance is not grounded on our worthiness, but on Christ‘s.  The gospel concerns, "His Son" (Romans 1:1-3). The gospel is, therefore, not about us and about how internally holy we can become.  Indeed, satisfacti...

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." -Revelation 22:17 [KJV] My soul, doth not the evening bell, which calleth to the ordinance, in all its melodious sounds, seem to express these gracious invitations? Wilt thou not attend? Private meditation is indeed sweet; but public ordinances are of more avail. "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob!" What a blessed sight is it to see the house of God well filled! What a refreshment to my poor weary sin-sick soul, to hear Jesus in His word saying, "Come unto Me, all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And every part and portion of the service proclaims the gospel cry:— "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and...

"God is the L ORD , which hath shewed us light."   - Psalm 118:27 [KJV] If God the Lord hath shewed us light, He hath shewed us light both with respect to Himself and with respect to ourselves. He hath shewed us with respect to Himself who He is; He hath stamped something of Himself upon our consciences; He hath discovered something of His glorious character to our souls; and brought us, under the operation of the Holy Spirit, into His presence, there to receive communications of life out of Christ's inexhaustible fulness. Thus in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a heart-searching God; in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a sin-hating God; with a God who will not be mocked nor trifled with.  In this light we see and feel that every secret of our heart, every working of our mind is open before Him; and in this light, so far as He is pleased to manifest it, we see what we are in His holy and pure eyes—a mass of sin, filth, and corruption, ...