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

“WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS?” (Matthew 8:27, KJV)    ALL religious reformers and messiahs come to live; Christ came to die.   ALL others leave monuments and memorials: no one can find His birthplace, grave, nor one possession.   ALL others write diaries and memoirs; He wrote on the sand.       ALL others choose their followers from the rich, powerful, and influential; He chose the poor and needy.       ALL others praise human righteousness; He condemned it.       ALL others seek those who can help them; He sought those whom He could help.       ALL others promise success and happiness to their followers; He promised tribulation and suffering.       ALL others held their disciples with fear and force; He invited His to leave Him if they would.       ALL others have palaces, mansions, and headquarters; He had no place to ...

" Thou God seest me." -Genesis 16:13 [KJV] “Why sayest thou, O trembling sinner! My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” The Lord here asks thy reason, and reproaches thy speech (Isaiah 40:27.) Look at Hagar, and be ashamed of the unbelieving surmises of thy heart. She was a dear child of God: yet she is left to suffer sore distresses. Her mistress treats her cruelly. She flees to a solitary wilderness: here was no eye of pity, no hand to relieve, no friend to comfort her: and, what must add to her sorrow and heighten her distress, she was with child.  She fled from her station in providence. But the God of providence follows her,—the angel of the Lord—rather, the Lord, the Angel, the Messenger of the covenant—the Lord Jesus the Saviour. He found her, called her by name, inquires the cause of her distress, and bids her return to her mistress. Hagar knew her Saviour. She sets up a memorial of His sympathizing love for her, and ...

"Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.   Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in Thee.   Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee.   Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles ."                                                                       -Psalm 25:18-21 [KJV]

" That also He should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad." -John 11:52 [KJV] These words are like Sampson’s riddle, which, some read thus: Food came from the devourer, and sweetness from that which is violent, or fierce (see Judges 14:14.) Caiaphas the high-priest, though a devourer of Jesus, yet holds forth precious food; though violent and fierce against Christ, yet he delivers sweet truth. Truth is truth, though from the tongue of an enemy: yea, it is a double confirmation of truth. If Christ be preached, let us rejoice, though even by bad men, and from bad principles.  Judas preached; the Holy Ghost causes this wicked high-priest, to prophecy of Jesus. By these words, the Holy Ghost plainly instructs us in these precious truths.— O that we may receive them in love!  (1st.) That though the whole world is become guilty before God, yet He has a peculiar, chosen number, who are here called, “the children of God.” They were n...

"... Out of season." -II Timothy 4:2 [KJV] I have often thought, as passing by the great number of churches in London, what manner of stones and what buildings are here! What noble cages are these! But what pitiful birds occupy them! They scarcely ever sing in them above once a week; and then, it is a strange wild note, not the joyous song of salvation, by the blood and righteousness of the Son of God. They do not follow St. Paul’s solemn advice, “I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing, and His kingdom: preach the word, be instant in season, out of season.”   If Christ’s ministers are thus charged to preach out of season, this charge is equally binding upon all His disciples, to hear out of season also. Consider some reasons for this. (1st.) By the preaching of the word, faith grows and is strengthened. This truth ever remains, and will be made good in experience, “Faith cometh by hearing ” (...

  Jesus the Go-Between, Part II by D.G. Miles McKee   Last week, in part one of this message, we finished by noting that we are saved exclusively by Christ’s work for and apart from us.  His person and work are fully welcome in heaven, and this constitutes the very basis of our acceptance in Glory. Since our salvation is entirely for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:32) and bound up in His performance, if He ever becomes “persona non grata” in Glory we will, because we are in Him, be deported from the heavenly city. If Christ becomes unwelcome in Heaven, we will become unwelcome. To guarantee our continuing acceptance in Heaven, therefore, Christ must of a necessity be God. Let me explain. If Jesus is not God, then none of us who have trusted Him are safe. We will only be safe if Jesus and God don’t fall out! We are only secure if there is no disagreement between Christ and the Father. Remember, our favour and acceptance with God are not bound up with anything ab...

"He will rest in His love; He will joy over thee with singing." -Zephaniah 3:17 [KJV] Instead of two meditations on this verse, it is worthy the study of our whole lives. Eternity itself will never exhaust the fulness of that rich and glorious grace contained in it. When the vanity of the creature, and the richness of God’s everlasting love and free grace are the subjects, well might the preacher say, “Of making many books there is no end; though much study may be weariness to the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12.) Yet such study is reviving and refreshing to the spirit.  Well, saith the poor sinner, ‘I remember the day of my espousal to Jesus: it was sweet. My heart was filled with peace and joy in believing. But, ah me! I have lost my first love: I am cold, and dark, and dead: I go on heavily, while the enemy oppresses me, and is daily saying to me, Where is now your God, in whom you once delighted, and of whom you formerly made your boast? Thy love is cold to Him...