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

"We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." -II Corinthians 4:13 [KJV] There is a distinction to be made between faith and the spirit of faith. The spirit of faith is faith in exercise. Faith sometimes is like a day in which there is no wind blowing. It is so calm, that there scarcely appears to be any air stirring to move a leaf. But after a time a gentle breeze comes and blows over the earth. Thus it is with faith and the spirit of faith. Faith in repose is like the calm air of a summer's day, when there is nothing moving or stirring; faith acting, faith in exercise, is like the same air in the gentle breeze which makes itself sensibly felt.  If God has given me faith, that faith is never lost out of my breast. If once a believer, I always am a believer; for if I could cease to believe, I should cease to be a child of God; I should lose salvation out of m...

" Awake to righteousness, and sin not." -I Corinthians 15:34 [KJV] What St. Paul says of natural death, “Some are fallen asleep,” (verse 6,) may be applied, in a spiritual sense, to professors. There are many such in this day. It is a very bad frame to live in and indulge. Such bring no honour to God, credit to the gospel, or profit to their brethren. One would think, such sit all the year under that word, and heartily obey it, “Sleep on, and take your rest.” Can such be said to be running in the heavenly race, fighting the good fight of faith, wrestling with spiritual enemies, and pressing towards the mark, for the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus?  No; no more than a man in a midnight sleep, can be said to be active in worldly affairs. But, what is worst of all, such sleepers dream that all is safe, and well with them. St. Paul, like a faithful watchman, cries out to such, Awake: “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise ou...

"And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith ." -Luke 17:5 [KJV] Did the apostles need so to pray? Then well may I. Oh! Thou great Author and Finisher of our faith! I would look up to Thee, with thankfulness, that Thou hast granted even the smallest portion of faith to so unworthy a creature as I am. Surely, my soul, it is as great a miracle of grace that my God and Saviour should have kindled belief in thy stony heart, amidst all the surrounding obstructions of sin and Satan which lay there, as when the miraculous fire from heaven, in answer to the prophet's prayer, came down and consumed the wetted sacrifice.  I praise Thee, my God and King, this day, in the recollection of this unspeakable, unmerited mercy. And though this faith in my heart still be but as a grain of mustard seed; though it be but as a spark in the ocean; though it be but as the drop of the dew, in comparison of the river; yet, blessed, precious Jesus! still this is faith, and i...

" Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the L ORD of hosts." -Isaiah 6:5 [KJV] God has described His Zion as "full of wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores." When the Church of God fell in Adam, she fell with a crash which broke every bone and bruised her flesh with wounds which are ulcerated from top to toe. Her understanding, her conscience, and her affections were all fearfully maimed. The first was blinded, the second stupified, and the third alienated. Every mental faculty thus became perverted and distorted. As in a ship-wrecked vessel the water runs in through every leak, so when Adam fell upon the lee-shore of sin and temptation, and made shipwreck of the image of God in which he was created, sin rushed into every faculty of body and soul, and penetrated into the inmost recesses of his being. Or to use another f...

"Where a sincere love to Christ is in the heart, there will be obedience; " If a man love Me indeed, that love will be such a commanding and constraining principle in him, that, no question, he will keep My words ." Where there is true love to Christ, there is a value for His favor, a veneration for His authority, and an entire surrender of the whole man to his conduct and government. Where love is duty follows; it is easy and natural, and flows from a principle of gratitude."   -preacher Matthew Henry (1662-1714 A.D.)

" Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him." -Genesis 42:8 [KJV] How affecting is the history of Joseph! Who can read it without emotion of soul? What amazing scenes of Providence open to our view! Spiritual minds may see many things in it typical of our beloved Saviour. Here, Joseph’s brethren are introduced to him, as governor of Egypt. He knew them: they knew not him. How does he deal with them? Does he instantly make himself known to them?  No: though he had the most tender affections of heart to them, and wept tears of joy at the sight of them; yet he speaks roughly, and sends them to prison. Why this? to bring their sin to their mind, and to affect them for their cruelty towards him, with a deep sense of their guilt. See we not somewhat typical of the conduct of Christ, our Brother in the flesh, in all this?  (1st.) Christ knew us before we knew Him: He knew us from eternity, when we were chosen in Him, and given to Him.  (2d.) We never seek afte...

" The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the L ORD on the head of them." -Micah 2:13 [KJV] Pause, my soul, over this precious scripture, and ask thine own heart who this Almighty Breaker (- Breacher ) can be, except the Lord Jesus Christ; for He, and He alone, answers to such a divine character. Was it not He which came up as the Breaker from everlasting; when, in the council of peace, the divine decree was broken open, and the Son of God stood forth the sinner's Surety?  Was it not He Whom John saw by vision, Who alone was found worthy in heaven to open the book, and loose the seals thereof? Was it not the same precious Holy One, Who, when in the volume of the book it was found written of Him, that He should fulfil the law of Jehovah for sinful man, cried out, "Lo, I come?" And was it not Jesus, even thy JESUS, my soul, that i...