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

" Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ." —Romans 6:11 [KJV] There is a death IN sin which we are all naturally under. There is a death FOR sin; this our dear Saviour (we can never think of it too much, nor mention it too often) suffered for on the tree. And there is a death UNTO sin, which every believing member of Jesus partakes of, by virtue of union to Him. For when Jesus died for sin on the cross, all His members were mystically considered in Him, and dying in Him, as their covenant Head and Representative, unto sin. And, by communion with Jesus, the same Spirit which raised up Jesus the head, dwells in the mortal bodies of His believing members, quickening them to newness of life.  From hence the apostle would have such reckon, infer, or conclude themselves "to be dead indeed unto sin." And on the same account, and for the same reason, "alive unto God, through Jesus Christ." No...

" Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." —Matthew 5:3 [KJV] In the day of the Spirit's power "the lofty looks of man are humbled, the haughtiness of man is bowed down, and the L ORD alone is exalted in that day ." —Isaiah 2:11 . Then a man's own righteousness, wherein he trusted, is seen as filthy rags. His strength he boasted of, is found to be perfect weakness; his heart, in which he gloried as good, is found to be deceitful and desperately wicked. Then he becomes in his own eyes a POOR SINNER. He knows his poverty; he feels his wretchedness. Thus, when Jesus alone is exalted in his sight, he becomes little, vile, and mean in his own eyes; then he is poor in spirit, a mere BEGGAR, who must be wholly indebted to free-grace bounty and free-gift mercy.  Though he sees his state to be guilty, wretched, and desperate, yet he is blessed: Why so? Merely because he sees and knows himself to be wretched, poor, miserable...

Jesus, Not Just a Man by D.G. Miles McKee It’s not enough to believe that, as one preacher said, ‘Christ did something or other, which, somehow or other, had some connection or other with salvation.’ What a ridiculous statement.  The poor man had no clue about the Gospel and Christ’s Finished Work.  He and his congregation were going nowhere.  Why?  Because real faith, gospel faith, comes through the unadulterated preaching of the gospel (Romans 10:17). As the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit generates faith. And genuine faith will cause us to embrace that God became a man. Not only did He become a man, He became our Man.  Faith sees that the God-Man, Christ Jesus, became our representative … the one who acted on our behalf.  Faith now causes us to say, “When He lived, I lived, when He died, I died and when He rose again, I rose again.” When the gospel is proclaimed and applied, faith sees we were in Christ when everything was redemp...

" The L ORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." —Psalm 23:1 [KJV] All comfort is derived to the soul from the knowledge of what Jehovah is to us. This we know by the word of truth, and enjoy in the sweet exercise of faith. "I am the good shepherd , " saith Jesus— John 10:11 . Thou art MY shepherd, says the believing soul. Thus, whatever office or character Jesus sustains, it is the glory of faith not only to view the Lord as such, but to draw sweet peace and comfort from it to one's own heart: that Thou art to ME. David knew the duty of a shepherd by experience. How watchful to preserve from danger, and how careful to guide and feed the sheep committed to his trust!  But herein is the peculiar love of the shepherd of our souls; He "gave His life for His sheep." And after such love manifested to them, shall they want either His power to protect, or His grace to supply their need? No; that is impossible. But a sheep is a silly weak creatu...

" Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee: in whose heart are the ways of Them." —Psalm 84:5 [KJV] When hearts are united in love there is a mutual complacency and delight in each other. Presence increaseth pleasure, absence begets uneasiness, jealousy of displeasing and fear of offending mutually subsist in each party. In some sense this holds good between the beloved soul and the loving Lord. All love is from Him; and as rivers from the sea return back to the great ocean, so the love which comes from God naturally flows back in complacency and affection of soul to Him. To know God is to love Him; both for what He is in Himself, and what He is to us in Christ Jesus.  The poor sinner who knows that he is in himself "without strength," rejoiceth at his very soul to know that the omnipotent Jesus is his strength; that all his might and power to strive against sin, to resist Satan, to overcome the world, is from above; it is treasured up in Jesus, a...

" I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him." —Isaiah 57:18 [KJV] What a glorious declaration of free grace is this! Here is an absolute promise of mercy, not excited by the worthiness of the creature, but proceeding solely from the loving heart of a covenant God. Well might David say, "In Thy word do I trust: I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil." —Psalm 119:162 . The life of the soul is supported by the word of the Lord. This is the object of faith, the encourager of hope, and the exciter of love. Jesus is the essential word by whom Jehovah speaks.  The scriptures are revealed truths by the Spirit, of God's purposes, promises, and grace. Behold, be astonished and humbled, O soul, at thy apostacy, backslidings, and rebellion! Behold, admire, adore, and love the infinitely gracious procedures of the Father of all mercies. Here is the criminal arraigned at the bar; iniquity charged ...

" Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty: only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh." —Galatians 5:13 [KJV] Peter was grieved because his Lord asked him the third time, "Lovest thou Me?" Sure it ought to be matter of concern and grief to the loving, generous hearts of disciples, to think they yet need this caution of the Spirit. But, verily we all do. The most sanctified is yet in the flesh; and the flesh with its affections and lusts are alive: they are ever lusting and striving against the Spirit. The holy, happy soul, who is set at liberty from sin, Satan, and the law, in his conscience, is hereby liable to be brought again under bondage to the law and thraldom to sin.  Know thy danger; dread thine enemy; yea, rather fear and love thy best friend Jesus; cry to Him, Lord keep me continually . "Thou hast delivered my once captive soul from the power of the enemy; thou hast brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and ...