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

" Knowing, that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." —II Peter 1:14 [KJV] Nothing but the life of Jesus, manifest in our flesh, can reconcile us to death. This, and this only, delivers from the fears of death, disarms it of its sting, and fortifies the mind with the knowledge of complete victory over the king of terrors, "through Him Who hath loved us." Constant converse with Jesus makes death familiar. So we learn to die daily; so the spiritual, immortal life of the soul triumphs over the sensual, mortal life of the body. The happy spirit, in some highly-favored seasons, is so far from fearing and trembling at the body's dissolution, that it rejoices, and even longs to be set at liberty from its imprisoned state; it pants with desires after its beloved, and says, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly:" It wants To clap its glad wings and tow'r away, And mingle with eternal day. How sweet...

In Luke 18:1-8 the Lord Jesus gives us some wonderful instruction on prayer.  In this passage, the Master tells a parable to inform us that, when we pray, we are not to lose heart but to be persistent in asking.   To illustrate this truth, He tells a story of a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor regarded man. There was also a widow in the same town who kept coming to him and begging him to 'Vindicate me against my adversary .' She evidently had been wronged by someone and continually pleaded with the judge to punish the one who had wronged her.  For some time, the judge refused to do anything about her situation but eventually said to himself, 'I neither fear God nor respect man, but because this woman continually bothers me, I will grant her request, lest by her constant coming to me, she exhausts me.'   The Lord then continues, saying "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And shall God not vindicate His own chosen ones who cry to Hi...

" And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not." —Exodus 20:2 [KJV] Pride and self-confidence are deeply rooted in the human heart. False hopes are built on self-righteous pleas. By these the heart is blinded to the exceeding sinfulness of sin; hardened against the fear and dread of the Lord; and such live in rebellion against the truth as in Jesus. Like Paul, we are all naturally alive without the law; and, with the Israelites of old, are ready to say, "All that the L ORD hath spoken we will do." — Exodus 19:8 . Alas! poor souls utter such words of ignorance and pride, when, like the disciples on the mount, "they know not what they say." But whom the Lord loves, He proves. The Lord is a jealous God; He will permit no flesh to glory in His presence; nor shall His dear children live without His fear, and a holy hatred of pride and sin; therefore they mu...

" Jesus said, One thing is needful ." —Luke 10:42 [KJV] The disposition and carriage of the sisters, Martha and Mary, much resemble the different desires and actings of the flesh and spirit, of which every Christian is composed. The flesh, like Martha, is careful and troubled about many things: it is ever restless and uneasy; always in want; seldom satisfied; never truly happy. But the spirit hath chose that good part, that one thing needful: it is truly wise in its choice, quite satisfied in its object, and truly happy in its enjoyment. Thus it is while the Christian is under the prevailing influence of this ONE THING NEEDFUL. One thing, the enjoyment of God, was our first parents' paradise . A thirst after, and enjoyment of two things (the knowledge of evil as well as good) caused all their woe, and made them miserable: and it is the knowledge of the former which keeps all their posterity under the sad circumstances they are fallen into, till they are br...

"Thy Maker is thine Husband." —Isaiah 54:5 [KJV] All marriages are, or ought to be, founded in mutual love between the contracting parties. This is the chief ingredient to produce happiness in the conjugal state. Where this is wanting, true comfort is not enjoyed. When a person of noble birth and great fortune marries a woman poor in circumstances, and involved in debt, we justly conclude he chose her out of pure love and affection to her person: and surely such an one is under the most endearing obligations to love and chastity. She can never call to mind her former indigent state and her present affluent circumstances, but it must tend to inflame her with the most ardent affection to her husband. This is somewhat the case between Christ and His church. Pure love in the heart of the heavenly Bridegroom caused Him to betroth His church unto Himself, in loving kindness. Though she was in the most abject state and despicable condition, yet He secretly loved her pe...

" Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O L ORD God of hosts." —Jeremiah 15:16 [KJV] That is a sweet petition in the service of the church of England; 'Grant, O Lord, that we may not only hear, read, mark, and learn, but inwardly digest the holy scriptures.' As soon as the Lord hath fulfilled this prayer upon any poor sinner, then Jesus is the hope of his soul; he esteems the scriptures as his daily food, the doctrines of grace are the joy and rejoicing of his heart; and he will love and attend such prophets of the Lord, who have also "found God's words and have eat them." Glory to our loving shepherd, He finds His sheep scattered and starving upon the barren mountains, He leads them to green pastures of gospel-grace and love: there they feed and lie down beside the still waters of peace and salvation. And this heightens every comfort, and imp...

" Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." —II John vs. 8 [KJV] The salvation of God's people is certain, by His immutable love. Their safety depends on His almighty power; their confidence and glorying is in the finished work of Jesus; and their comforts are enjoyed from the Spirit's testimony of the Saviour to their hearts; as having loved, redeemed, and saved them as lost, guilty, and perishing sinners. The clearer views we have of this truth, so much the more do we cleave to Jesus. As our faith increases our comforts are strengthened; and this is the evidence of a gracious heart; the comforts of love ever excite to care and circumspection in life and practice. A glimpse of Jesus begets longing after more comfortable enjoyment of Him: so also a holy jealousy of soul, lest what is gained should be lost in sense and enjoyment. While surrounded by false teachers, exposed to unscriptural doctrin...