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

" But He giveth more grace." —James 4:6 [KJV] It is a sure mark that the true grace of God, by Jesus Christ, is conceived in the heart, when the cry of the soul is for more grace. Thus there is a harmony between the Father's promises and the children's wants. God giveth more grace: I daily need more, saith the sensible soul. "He that drinketh of the water of life, saith Jesus, shall never thirst again:" he shall never thirst after any other fountain; he shall seek to no other spring but ME. There is no grace, favor or good will from God to sinners, but what is by Jesus, through Him, in Him, and communicated from Him. Here is the believer's mercy; he has not a stock of grace stored up in his own heart to live upon, which may be expended, and he is at last lost for want of more. No. But all the kindness and love of God towards him is treasured up in Jesus. Here is the humility of believers; they come, like Joseph's brethren, to Jesus, W...

" My son, give Me thine heart." — Proverbs 23:26 [KJV] Many are the competitors for the heart of man. Though our dear Father and best Friend, lovingly calls for the free-will offering of this precious jewel, yet we are foolishly inclined to give it to our worst enemies. This pleasing world, with all its gay scenes of happiness and joy, attracts our affections, enchants our minds, and bewitches our senses; so that we love it dearly, devote our hearts to it cheerfully, and dread the very thoughts of leaving it greatly. "Thou shalt have no other gods but Me , " saith Jehovah. We own the duty, and decry the wickedness of worshipping an idol; though all the while we are serving the god of this world: he blinds our eyes, and we see it not. The grace of God, though sovereign in its operations, yet acts not by force and compulsion as upon mere machines, destroying the will, and dragging men to heaven by the hair of the head, as some in contempt please to ass...

" Behold, the L ORD God will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him." — Isaiah 40:10 [KJV] What was foretold in prophesy, is fulfilled in the faith and experience of saints. Here are two notes of attention. "Behold ; " it highly concerns thee. Take special notice. When the Lord God, our Immanuel Jesus, came to His temple, He found the beautiful building in sad disorder; His spiritual worship lost; and "His house of prayer turned into a den of thieves." Behold, with a strong hand and stretched-out arm, with no weapon, but an insignificant scourge of small cords, He drove the multitude from the temple. Amazing miracle!  The meek Lamb is also "the lion of the tribe of Judah." So He came not only with a strong hand, but against the strong, as some render it. So, behold, He comes to take possession of the temple of His people's hearts. This temple He finds ...

" If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." — Exodus 33:15 [KJV] Happy for us if this was our address to the Lord under every enterprise; how many distresses and difficulties should we avoid! how much more peaceful and comfortable should we be in our journey through life! It is a blessed thing to have an especial eye to God's presence, as well as to His providence. The Lord may permit His children to succeed in their schemes and undertakings in the course of His providence, when He doth not accompany their souls with His favor and presence. Yea, believer, canst thou not see in many of thy ways wherein thou hast been permitted to go, that they have proved the very means of losing the sweet sense of thy Lord's presence? whatever outward profit or pleasure thou hast gained, verily thou must confess to have sustained an inward loss. How doth it behove every disciple of Jesus to "consider his ways!" It is thy wisdom daily to reflect, w...

Bruising Satan’s Head by D.G. Miles McKee Since the first word of the gospel is ‘CHRIST’ (see 1 Corinthians 15:3) it is of no surprise to discover that the first prophecy of the Bible was one concerning Him.  We discover this prophecy in Genesis 3:15 where the Lord says,   'And I will put enmity between thee ( the Serpent ) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy (the serpent's) head, and thou shall bruise his heel.'   Notice how, according to this prophecy, the seed of the woman and not the combined seed of the woman and the man is to bruise Satan.  This is striking because, in Scripture, we usually read of the seed of the man.   We read, for example, of, “the seed of Aaron” (Leviticus 21:21), not the seed of Aaron and his wife. We read of "the seed of Abraham" (Isaiah 41:8), not the seed of Abraham and Sarah. We discover, "the seed of David" (Romans 1:3), not the seed of David and Bathsh...

" The liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things he shall stand (or be established) ." — Isaiah 32:8 [KJV] We all naturally act from selfish principles, and with mercenary views, because we are under the legal covenant, "Do this and live." Hence saith one, 'If doing righteousness and performing good works will not justify and save me, as good sit still and do nothing, no matter how wicked I am.' Saith another, 'To be sure, we are justified by faith only, but then I must fulfil the terms and conditions of the gospel, for my holiness and obedience secures my salvation.' Such poor creatures reason carnally; their principles are only selfish, their views are mercenary. God is not served at all, but pride and self are at the bottom of all they do; to establish a righteousness of their own is their chief aim. The glory of God is not sought; His grace is overlooked; Jesus is depreciated in His work and office, as though all His to...

"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." — Hebrews 13:12 [KJV] Sin viewed in the glass of God's holy law, fills the soul with terror, works wrath in the conscience, and leaves the sinner under the curse without hope: but while the infinitely precious sacrifice of Jesus is beheld, sin appears exceeding sinful; the sinner is truly humbled, sin is loathed, Christ is cleaved to, and hope springs up in the sin-distressed conscience. In the tabernacle of old, as there were no windows in it, a lamp was to burn always, that the house of God might not at any time be in darkness: this the Lord ordained unto the children of Israel— Exodus 27:21 . As the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth, we see Jesus, Who is the altar, the Sacrifice, and the Priest, by and through Whom we are sanctified. This truth is to be kept daily burning bright in the lamp of faith, in the temple of the heart. The man J...