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

  "This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood." -I John 5:6 [KJV] My soul, ponder this weighty scripture well. There is much in it. When the soldier pierced the sacred side of Jesus, John recorded the act and its effects, as most significant and important. That it penetrated the heart, is most evident, because from no other part of the body could blood and water, in a full stream, flow together: and as both, in the purposes of redemption, strikingly set forth the great object of Christ's mission; so John is here impressing the great truth on the minds of the church, as a matter most essentially necessary to be regarded. He repeats it, that it might not be overlooked or forgotten. It was not by water only, that Christ came, but by water and blood. Both represented the necessity of that redemption our nature universally required for the purpose of salvation, and therefore Christ came by both. The water administered...

"And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables."   - Mark 4:11 [KJV] By "the kingdom of God" is meant the same thing as "the kingdom of heaven," that is, the internal kingdom set up in the heart by the power of the Spirit—that kingdom which shall stand for ever and ever, and last when time shall be no more. This the Lord calls a mystery. And if it is a mystery, it will have these three marks -      It will be beyond nature, sense, and reason;   It will be hidden from the wise and prudent;   It will be revealed unto babes.  Let us see if we can find these marks belonging to the kingdom of heaven set up in the heart. It certainly is above nature, sense, and reason, that God should dwell in a man's heart, as the Apostle says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory;" and again, "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I...

"O taste and see that the LORD is good!" -Psalm 34:8 [KJV]   Those views of Jesus are blessed, which not only take in His loveliness, but His usefulness; which tend both to commend Him to our regard, as fair and beautiful, and at the same time full and bountiful; that, like some rich and wide-spreading tree, yea, like the tree of life in the paradise of God, is at once both for shelter and fruit.   My soul, look at thy Jesus thus, and thou wilt then enter into the sense of this delightful verse of scripture: "O taste and see that the LORD is good!" In this experience of Christ consists the proper knowledge and apprehension of Him. An hearsay account of Jesus is but a poor account. By hearing sermons, reading the scriptures, attending ordinances, and the like, men may acquire some knowledge of Him; but until the Holy Ghost form Him in the heart, "The hope of glory," we never taste and see that the Lord is good. It was this which distinguished the church...

"Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens." - Psalm 123:1 [KJV] O how simple, suitable, complete, and blessed a remedy is this for all our distresses, when the Lord is pleased to open our eyes, and fix them on Himself. He must do it all. If the eyes are to be upon Him, He must first give us eyes; if lifted upon Him, He must raise them upwards; if kept upon Him, He must hold them waking. It is good to be in this spot.  There are times and seasons, perhaps, when we seem to have no religion whatever; when we look, and look, and look, and cannot find a grain. Where is our spirituality? where our heavenly affections? where our prayerfulness of spirit? where our tenderness of conscience? Where our godly fear? where our meditations upon God's word? We look, and look, and look— they seem gone. Now, perhaps, in the midst of this uncertainty we are brought into some painful exercise, some affliction, some temptation, some apprehension, something that lies...

"Then shalt thou call, and the L ORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I A M. " -Isaiah 58:9  [KJV] Mark the graciousness of thy God, my soul, in the readiness of His answers to thy cries. He hath said, indeed, in another sweet promise, "It shall come to pass, that before My people call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear," Isaiah 65:24 . But in addition to this, Jesus here throws in another precious assurance; for when we call, He will not only answer, but to our cry, He will say, "Here I AM!" As if, and which is indeed really the case, the Lord would have His children know, that He is always present with them; nearer to support, than any of their foes can be to hurt.     Now, my soul, I charge it upon Thee, this evening, that this view, and the recollection of the everlasting presence of thy Lord , be never more from thy thoughts. How full to the same purport is that blessed scripture: "As the mountain...

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"   - Romans 8:32 [KJV] I have thought sometimes of the sweet figure of Solomon, as a type of Christ, in his royal munificence to the queen of Sheba. We read of him that he "gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty." So our Royal Benefactor gives more to the sons of men than is in their heart to ask for. And what He gives, He gives freely, out of His royal bounty. As freely as the rain drops from the sky; as freely as the sun casts forth his glorious beams and ripens the fruits of the field; as freely as the wind courses over the earth; as freely as the dew drops upon the morning grass; so free are the gifts of God to His Church and people.   Indeed, in giving Christ, God gave everything. The Apostle declares, He "hath blessed us with  all  spiritual blessings...

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (11-13NOV22 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: WHAT DID JESUS DO? “ But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12-14).   There was a popular “guilt trip” being passed around recently called “What Would Jesus Do.” The campaign, complete with pretty, plastic pastel bracelets, was designed to aid in decision-making when faced with a moral crisis. But the issue is not “What would Jesus do,” but “Wha t did Jesus do.” Our text tells us in no uncertain terms precisely what He did; no pity her...