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

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." -1 Peter 4:12 [KJV] The "fiery trial," then, is not a strange thing which happens only to a few of the Lord's family, but is more or less the appointed lot of all. Do we not hear the Lord saying to his Zion, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction?" All then that are chosen must pass through the furnace of affliction, and all  know experimentally the fiery trial, for by it they are made partakers of Christ's sufferings. But this is indispensable in order to be partakers of His glory. "If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." Thus they suffer with Him, "that when His glory shall be revealed, they may be glad also with exceeding joy." And this suffering with and for Christ in the furnace of affliction salts the soul, preserves it from corruption, com...

  Saved to the Uttermost.   D.G. Miles McKee   ‘Wherefore, He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them ." — Hebrews 7:25.   One of the biggest words in our language is the word “Uttermost.” No one has ever seen the uttermost nor travelled there. We have mapped the earth, pinpointed the stars and measured the distances between the planets, but in spite of all our knowledge no one has located the uttermost!   The uttermost is like the horizon; it’s always further on. Our understanding of God’s love is like that. Just when we think we have got a handle on it, it is then that we see that He loves us to a deeper extent than we have yet understood or imagined.  He loves us to the uttermost!   We read in John 13:1, “ Having loved his own he loved them to the end (lit. the uttermost). The fullness of His love is beyond the next horizon; it is to the uttermost. His love...

" My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O L ORD ; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up." -Psalm 5:3 [KJV] In the Lord we all live, move, and have our being; therefore it is the indispensable duty of all men to call upon the name of the Lord in prayer. But what is a duty from nature and reason, is esteemed a rich privilege, an inestimable blessing, by the children of grace. The pouring-out of the Spirit of grace and supplication, is one of those spiritual blessings wherewith they are blessed in Christ Jesus. In the exercise of this, saints in all ages have experienced sweet fellowship and communion with God, and have been indulged with many mercies which they sought for from Him. "And this is the confidence that we have in Jesus, that if we ask ANY THING according to His will, He heareth us." —1 John 5:14.   This duty seems to be the first employ of David's heart. He began the day in prayer: as soon as his eyes were favored with...

Striving against sin .— Hebrews12:4 [KJV]   'What poor, low, legal work is this?' say some. 'We are happy in Christ without such a strife.'—'We are perfect, fully born again, perfectly sanctified and freed from all sin; therefore our strife is at an end,' say others. Alas! poor, honest, upright Christian, thou art ever in danger; on the right hand, of licentiousness; on the left hand, of pride and delusion, and also from a deceitful heart within. What with the white devil of pride, and the black devil of lust, thou art ever liable to be seduced from the truth. What a mercy to have a true touchstone to try men and doctrines by! The experience of Christians of old, as recorded by the Spirit of truth, affords us quite different sentiments of the influence of gospel-grace. The regenerate soul being restored to the life and love of God by the faith of Jesus, ever, while it is imprisoned in the body, is surrounded, within and without, with foes of every kind. These, l...

" Unto you who believe, He is precious." —1 Peter 2:7 [KJV] We are loved with PRECIOUS LOVE; redeemed by PRECIOUS BLOOD; comforted by PRECIOUS PROMISES; justified by PRECIOUS FAITH: yea, righteousness, holiness, heaven, we have all by union with a PRECIOUS Jesus. Surely then, "to them that believe He is precious." Say, ye sons and daughters of poverty and affliction, is not this a time when friends grow cool and desert you? But in such a season, did you find one friend who visited you in your distress—was ever saying kind things to you—ever doing all possible good for you—when in prison, he sought you out, and set you at liberty—when sick he was your physician and healed you—when naked he clothed you—when in abject poverty he made you rich—thus was always pleased when he could make you easy and happy—say, is not this a friend of ten thousand? a friend who sticketh closer than a brother? Is not such a one precious indeed?  All this, and infinitely mo...

  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise .— Luke 23:43 Unbelief, how great its power! how strong its influence! it would for ever blind the eyes, and harden the heart against Jesus and His grace; but "He shall divide the spoil with the strong." The prophet's prediction is here clearly fulfilled; the sovereignty of grace is fully displayed. Our Lord's own doctrine is truly verified in these two thieves: "One shall be taken, the other left." —Matt. 24:40. Pride is the companion of unbelief. This keeps men in obstinacy; they will not see; they will not bow to God's sovereignty. But this is a comfortable truth to self-abased souls! God's power is their hope. But doth our Lord bring sinners to glory without faith, repentance, and holiness? Doth He leave His people in their sins and rebellions? No, blessed be His name! Jesus is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour: He gives repentance and remission of sins. ...

" For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me." — II Corinthians 12:8 [KJV]    Our Saviour represents God's own elect as crying day and night to him— Luke 18:7 . Sore temptations, soul-burdens, Satan's buffetings, are peculiarly felt by them. Their crying under them is a proof of spiritual life; their crying to the Lord only, is an evidence of the faith of God's elect; their entreaties to be delivered from them, shew the sanctified, holy disposition of their souls. Thus the Lord draws out into exercise the graces of His children. His eyes are ever upon them, His ears, open to their prayers, and His almighty power and grace sufficient to deliver them.  But "he that believeth, must not make haste." We must tarry the Lord's leisure, and be strong in hope. His time is best. It is God's will we should tell Him of our trials and temptations. After we have done this, "we have need of patience;" we must wait for t...