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

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (06-08JAN23 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: SEVEN CRITICAL QUESTIONS -1- Why do people die? The one-word answer is SIN. “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). The fact that the body dies is evidence of our sinfulness.   -2- Is death the end of our existence? The body is the tabernacle in which the soul resides; we are a soul, and we have a body. When the soul leaves, the body dies, but the soul lives on. The Bible speaks of men like Jacob who “ yielded up the ghost, ...

" For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the L ORD , Who hath mercy on thee." —Isaiah 54:10 [KJV]  The absolute promises of our gracious Lord, are the foundation of faith, the encouragement of hope, the excitement of love, the source of comfort, and the spring of true holiness. Why then are not the children of faith always joyful in hope, ever comfortable in love, and constantly happy in the way of holiness? Truly, because an enemy hath sown the tares of unbelief in our nature. This evil root of bitterness continually springs up, and troubles us. It bears the most base, dishonorable fruits, respecting our God; and is most hurtful and poisonous to our souls. Little reason have we to dung and water, so as to strengthen this degenerate plant, with the corrupt notion of those who deny God's covenant love and faithfulness, and dare teach 'That one may be ...

" I will go in the strength of the L ORD God: I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only." -Psalm 71:16 [KJV]  Wise travellers provide things needful for their journey, and guard against such as lie in wait, by the way, to rob them. Our gracious God calls not His dear children to forsake their native country, to travel to the heavenly city, without furnishing them with a rich supply of all things necessary for their comfort, and also strength to protect them from the power of every enemy. No soldier of His goeth a warfare at his own charge; Christ being both their righteousness and strength, they can want nothing; neither riches nor power. Hence, they go on from day to day, glorying in Him, as their richest treasure, and trusting in Him as their almighty strength; and this is their constant song in the house of their pilgrimage, and all through their journey: "Surely, in the L ORD have I righteousness and strength," —Isaiah 45:24 . Jesus’s right...

  Once! part II   Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in  once  into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.   A little boy came home from Sunday school and his mother said, "How was the Sunday School class?" He said, "Oh, we had a new teacher, and guess who it was." His mother said, "Who was it?" and he said, "It was Jesus' grandmother!" She said, "Why, what made you think that?" He answered, "Well, all she did was boast about Him and tell us how wonderful He is."   How similar that is to the book of Hebrews.  Its author simply cannot take his eyes off Jesus. He lets us know that, because of Jesus’ finished work, redemption has been fully and finally accomplished. It is a real redemption. Redemption from the guilt of sin. Redemption from the power of sin. Redemption from the curse of the Law. Redemption from the wrath of God. Redemption from Satan’s po...

" Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." -I John 5:21 [KJV]   Idolatry is founded in ignorance of Jesus, the true God, and eternal life. None are spiritual worshippers of God but believers in Jesus. There are many idols in the world, suited to the pride and lusts of our corrupt nature. These we are cautioned against. But, in reading this very exhortation, the idol of free-will is ready to present itself; as though disciples, by their own power, were to keep themselves. This notion opposes the Spirit and power of Jesus and springs from that grand idol, pride. Pride introduces the idol of self- righteousness. This blinds the eye to the glory of the righteousness of Christ, freely imputed by God, through faith. Thus this trinity of idols, free-will, pride, and self-righteousness, are in unity with each other. By the simple faith of Jesus, we are daily to guard our hearts against all their specious pretensions. So also, every outward object suited to our corrupt nat...

" Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." —John 1:29 [KJV] Nothing can make poor sinners truly happy, but that which taketh away the cause of all misery, sin. This is effected. The Lamb of God hath taken away all sin, by His sacrifice for us. When, by the eye of faith, we behold this Lamb, then all sin is taken away out of our conscience. When a soul thinks, 'Sin has condemned me before God; the law accuseth me daily; it works wrath in my conscience continually; and I am oft ready to cry out, O wretched that I am, who shall deliver me?' Thanks be to God for a precious Redeemer. The Lamb, which God provided, hath done it for ever. All our iniquities were laid upon Him. "He bare it in His own body on the tree," the sin, the whole of sin, every sin of all that shall believe in Him, to the end of the world. By the sacrifice of Himself He put all away, out of the sight of God, as one puts away an offensive thing. He bore it away into a ...

" Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the L ORD shall name." -Isaiah 62:2 [KJV]   This is predicted of the church of God; which, according to covenant-transactions of the glorious Trinity, stands in the nearest and dearest relation to JESUS her Head. She is here spoken of as a single person, THOU: she is called "Christ's body," —Col. 1:24, and "the bride, the Lamb's wife," —Rev. 21:9, of whom, saith God the Father, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love," —Jer. 31:3. Yea, saith the Son of God to His Father, of all His beloved members, "Thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. . . .and Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world," —John 17:23, 24. O most comforting truths of God's word! how ancient is the love of God to His church! That God should love us miserable sinners at all is amazing; but that He should love us with the very same everlasting unchangeable love, wherewith He loves His o...