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

" Ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." — II Peter 2:25 [KJV] Scripture allusions continually remind us, "that salvation is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy:" therefore, not unto us, not to our free will, but to Thy free grace, O Lord, be all the glory . Like that poor silly creature, a sheep, we naturally stray into all kind of danger, but are unapt to return of ourselves. We never should unless the shepherd sought us. "We have turned every one to his own way," have lost ourselves in the wilderness of sin, are wounded by the wolf of prey, blinded by pride, self-will, and self-righteousness. We delight in our distance from the good Shepherd. We please ourselves in feeding on carnal lusts and sensual vanities, while our poor souls are in a starving, perishing condition. Unparalleled love! the sheep's wounds are healed by the Shepherd...

" Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." — Luke 24:45 [KJV] Though Jesus had captivated the hearts, and drawn the affections of His disciples to Himself, before His sufferings and death, yet they had very little knowledge in the mysteries of His kingdom, and of the mystery of iniquity which worked in them: they were but weak in the understanding of the holy scriptures; hence arose their diffidence and suspicions concerning Him. He left them scattered through fear and unbelief, and He finds them full of unreasonable doubts and troubles: for this He reproves them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." But amidst all their weakness and ignorance there was a sweet and secret confidence in their hearts. Jesus had apprehended them as prisoners of love, and they were kept by an invisible power, that they might apprehend that for which also they were apprehended of Christ . Though ...

" But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: to Him be glory both now and for ever . Amen." — II Peter 3:18 [KJV] Christian, know thy danger. Thou art ever liable to be led away by the error of the wicked one, to decline from the TRUTH, and to fall away from thy stedfastness in the faith of Jesus. Exhortations warn of this; they tend to quicken stronger exercises of faith and love, as a remedy against this; yea, through the influences of the Spirit they cause new-born souls to grow and increase with the increase of God, just as reviving showers of rain and warm influences of the sun, cause the fruits of the earth to grow. It behoves every follower of the Lamb to consider this; to wrestle with the God of all grace, lest he grow faint in his mind, his hands hang down, and his knees become feeble; but that he "grow strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus." Behold the inseparable connection between grace and Jesus...

" He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." — Psalm 106:15 [KJV] When the sunshine of worldly ease, and a greater portion of the good things of this life than he was wont to enjoy, fell to the lot of that champion of Jesus of blessed memory, Luther; it excited a holy fear and jealousy in his heart, which made him cry out, 'Lord, I will not be put off with these things.' However pleasant and agreeable worldly prosperity may be to the flesh, yet indulging and pampering the body begets and feeds many disorders and humors which are destructive to the health of the soul. The body without exercise naturally loses its strength and vigor. Afflictions are the exercise of the soul; though they be dreaded because grievous to the flesh, yet are they profitable to the spirit; or else not one of God's dear children should know what a single trouble is: for they are all the allotments of covenant love. In our prayers we often imitate James a...

" Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." — Hebrews 2:1 [KJV] The body receives little nourishment, if its food hastily pass through it. To health and strength proper digestion is necessary. Divine truths, eagerly heard and soon forgot, do not comfort, nor strengthen the soul. When the babe Jesus was lying in the manger, and the shepherds had told the glorious things they had seen and heard concerning Him, many WONDERED. But it was the happiness of the virgin mother, "she kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." — Luke 2:19. We can never be comfortable in Jesus; but while the truths concerning Him dwell in our minds. Many complain of bad memories. They can retain but little of the doctrines of grace. True, Jesus saves none for the sake of a strong memory; neither will His loving heart cast off any because of a weak one. Yet it is our daily interest t...

No Other Hope by D.G Miles McKee     In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus spoke a parable to people who were self-righteous and who, because of their imagined righteousness, looked down on others (See verse 9 ).  Here’s what the Master said. "Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'O God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week and tithe (give a tenth of all that I earn)' ‘The tax collector stood afar off, and would not lift even his eyes to heaven, and smote (kept beating) his breast saying, ' God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified (accepted) with God rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."   Back in New Testament times the devout Jew observed three prayer ...

" Jesus said unto them, Take heed what ye hear ." — Mark 4:24 [KJV] It is our unspeakable mercy, it calls for our daily tribute of praise, and daily study to improve it, that a free use of the lively oracles of truth is permitted us; others are denied this rich privilege. Happy those to whom the word of God is the rule of their faith, a light to direct their paths, and a standard whereby they try and prove the doctrines they hear, whether they are of God or man. The WHOLE TRUTH, as it is in Jesus, is precious to every believer. "Faith comes by hearing the word of God." As the ear is the inlet to the soul, we should ever take heed what kind of doctrines we hear. It was through the ear Satan gained access to the heart of Eve, and beguiled her. Paul alludes to this— II Corinthians 11:3 . "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." What i...