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

"And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible." - Jeremiah 15:21 [KJV]    My soul, hast thou ever considered some of the many ways of softening trouble? Sit down, and learn it from this sweet scripture. Here is a general promise, which may be suited to particular circumstances, and such as will hold good in all. But first remember, that He who promiseth "to deliver from the sorrow, is the same that appointeth the sorrow: Hear ye the rod, and Who hath appointed it." The Lord's rod hath a voice that speaks, as well as corrects; and it is a mark of wisdom to listen, as well as feel.   Hence, if we mark the hand that appoints, we shall observe also all the other interesting particulars, both of the instruments by which the Lord works, the time and place, the means and end, and then discern love and grace, yea, Jesus Himself, in all. Suppose it be the world that crosses, or Satan that tempts, or false...

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (14-16OCT22 A.D.) 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 - Almighty God's unmerited favor - from our sins and from Hell: INVINCIBLE GRACE I do not doubt for a moment the glorious doctrine of the invincible grace of God. The Lord must overcome the natural rebellion of the sinner, quicken that sinner by almighty power and draw him or her to Christ. Unless God exerts this mighty power of life-giving grace, none will ever come to the Savior for cleansing in His precious blood. Here are some very good words by Mr. Spurgeon, which I have edited to provide clarity.   “ Man by nature is like a wild horse dashing toward a steep cliff. If he is restrained in his course and turned away from the danger, it is only because of the mighty Rider Who knows how to pull the bit and gui...

"That I may win Christ." - Philippians 3:8 [KJV] What is it to "win Christ?" It is to have Him sweetly embraced in the arms of our faith. It is to feel Him manifesting His heavenly glory in our souls. It is to have the application of His atoning blood, in all its purging efficacy, to our conscience. It is to feel our heart melted and swooning with the sweet ravishments of His dying love, shed abroad even to overpowering. This is winning Christ. Now, before we can thus win Christ, we must have a view of Christ, we must behold His glory, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." We must see the matchless dignity of His glorious Person, the atoning efficacy of His propitiating blood, the length and breadth, the depth and height of His surpassing love. We must have our heart ready to burst with pantings, longings, and ardent desires that this blessed Immanuel would come down from the heaven of heavens in which He dwells beyo...

"...Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."   -I Timothy 1:9 [KJV] Have you any testimony that God has called you by His grace, quickened your soul into divine life, brought you under the curse of a condemning law, given you repentance for your sins, raised up a sigh and a cry in your breast for a sense of His pardoning love, brought you to the footstool of mercy, given you faith to believe in His dear Son, with any sweet hope that He has begun a gracious work upon your heart? Can you look back upon any never-to-be-forgotten period when the Lord, by His special and omnipotent grace, quickened your soul into divine life? For I do believe we never can forget the first sensations of the Spirit of God in His quickening movements upon the soul; when He, to use the figure of Moses, fluttereth over it as an eagle which stirreth up her nes...

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?" -Nehemiah 6:3 [KJV] My soul, a very blessed instruction is held forth to thee, in these words. Nehemiah met with sad interruptions in his service, while building the Lord's house. Various were the attempts made by the enemies of God and his cause, to call him off from his labours. But this was his answer to all. Now, my soul, thou hast many enemies also, both from within and without; the world, and the powers of darkness, and thine own corruptions, are all in league to interrupt thy pursuit of divine things.   When, therefore, the Sanballats and the Geshems of the day invite thee to the villages, in the plain of Ono, here is thine answer: "Why should the work of the Lord cease, when the King's business requires dispatch?" Wherefore should the body, with all its corrupt affections, drag down the soul? Is it reasonable, is it proper to be ...

"...until the day-dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." -II Peter 1:19 [KJV] And what is "the day-dawn, and day-star," arising in the hearts of God's people, but Jesus, "the dayspring from on high, visiting us?" Is not Jesus "the bright and morning star, the light and the life of men?" Yea, is He not "the Sun of righteousness arising with healing in His wings?" And when He ariseth on our benighted minds, may He not be called, "the day-dawn, and the day-star?" Pause, my soul, over the sweet thought. It was all darkness in the creation of God, until Jesus arose. And His coming was as the breaking forth of the morning, the sure harbinger of day. Indeed, Jesus was "the day-dawn, and the day-star," in the light of redemption, before the world was formed: for in the council of peace, as man's light and salvation, He carne up, at the call of God, from all eternity. And in time, during all His eventful...

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."   -I Thessalonians 5:8 [KJV] Sobriety in religion is a blessed gift and grace. In our most holy faith there is no room for lightness. The things which concern our peace are solemn, weighty matters, and if they lie with any degree of weight and power on our spirit, they will subdue that levity which is the very breath of the carnal mind. But sobriety implies not merely the absence of all unbecoming levity in speech and conduct, but the absence also of all wild, visionary imaginations in the things of God. It denotes, therefore, that "spirit of a sound mind" which the Apostle says is the gift of God.   Vital godliness, it is true, has its mysteries, its revelations and manifestations, its spiritual and supernatural discoveries and operations; but all these come through the word of truth, which is simple, weighty and solid, and as far re...