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

"...and take the helmet of salvation." -Ephesians 6:17 [KJV] It is excellently said, “Resolve for hardships, or lay down thine arms. Few come at the beat of Christ’s drum to His standard. Many that list by external profession under Him, after a while drop away and leave His colours. It is suffering work they are sick of. Many men are more tender of their skin than of their conscience. They had rather the gospel had provided armour to defend their bodies from death and danger, than their souls from sin and Satan.” -Gurnal’s Christian Armour All this is, because they have not on the helmet of salvation. What is this? “For an helmet, the hope of salvation” (I Thessalonians 5:8.) Do not all naturally hope to be saved? Yes, some in one way, and some in another. But all natural hopes are false hopes. Therefore they die and perish. But this helmet is a supernatural and divine hope. All men have not faith.  Therefore they have not Christ, Who is the helmet of hope. “T...

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in Me, shall never die. Believest thou this? " -John 11:25, 26 [KJV] Pause my soul, over those divine, those glorious, those soul-quickening, soul reviving words of thy Almighty Redeemer! What man, what prophet, what servant of the Lord, what angel but He that is the angel of the covenant, one with the Father, over all, God, blessed for ever, could assume such a language, and prove that assumption as Jesus did, both by His own resurrection and that of Lazarus? And mark, my soul, the many precious things contained in this sweet scripture. Observe the blessing itself, even resurrection and life. Observe the source, the Author, the Fountain of it. Jesus, thy Jesus. Observe for whom this stupendous mercy is designed, and to whom conveyed; namely, the dead in trespasses and sins, and for the dying languishing fr...

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." -Hebrews 4:15 [KJV] Our gracious Lord experienced temptation in every shape and form, for the word of truth declares that in all points He was tempted like as we are, yet without sin . I wish to speak very cautiously upon this subject, for upon a point so difficult and so mysterious there is great risk of speaking amiss. So long as we keep strictly within the language of the Scripture we are safe, but the moment that we draw inferences from the word without special guidance by the Spirit of truth, we may greatly err. You may think then, sometimes, that your temptations are such as our gracious Lord never could have been tempted by; but that word of the apostle decides the question, "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." It is a solemn mystery which I cannot explain, how temptatio...

The Gospel Believer , Part II Christ Is All and In All — Colossians 3:11 Have you ever felt that, as a follower of Christ, you are a complete failure? In this scenario you have 2 choices- 1). Quit. 2). Learn to believingly preach the Gospel to yourself!   What do I mean by preaching the Gospel to yourselves?   I mean that we should continually remind ourselves that our acceptance in Heaven is neither because of us nor because of our works or successes. Our acceptance in Heaven is because of the person and work of another ... the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not the centre of all things.  Jesus is and it’s the Father’s verdict on Christ that is of central importance! And what is the Father’s verdict? His verdict on Christ is, “ This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased ” (Matthew 3:17) . That is why today believers are, Accepted in the Beloved One (see Ephesians 1:6) . And that means you!  You may be dejected and distressed when you look at yourself but...

" Above all, taking the shield of faith." -Ephesians 6:16 [KJV] When Christ has the heart, it will say, If I can see nothing of Christ in the text, that text is nothing to me. Here is a shield of defence. What is it? A mere assent of the mind? A cold consent of the tongue, to some certain propositions? Is this the shield of faith, which will cover my head, and defend my heart in the day of battle? Is it believing a system of doctrines, without having the heart warmed with love, or the life influenced by the power of them, that the apostle exhorts me above all to take?  O no, nothing less is this shield of faith than Christ, precious Christ. Never, never have any idea of faith, without including its Author and Object . Otherwise it is a mere non-entity: a notion which has no real existence but in fancy. When we hear people insist, that faith is our righteousness—that faith is imputed to us for righteousness, we are led to think they take up, and are in love with ...

"They shall revive as the corn." -Hosea 14:7 [KJV] Sweet promise to comfort a soul like mine, under so many and such frequent languishing graces! How often hath it appeared to my view as if the gracious seed had perished! It was small, indeed, in its first beginning, like the grain of mustard seed; and no sooner had it appeared, than I perceived it almost choked with the tares of corruption, unbelief, and Satan's rubbish. I was soon led to suspect God's work upon my soul.  Surely, I said, This is not grace. Presently I could see no more of it. I was ignorant that by thus dying to self, the Holy Ghost was opening to my view the only living in Jesus. In a moment unlooked for, it revived as the corn. Ah, from whence is the source? Not from self, not from labours, not from exertions: can dead roots live? The Holy Ghost taught me this must be Jesus. Your life, He said, is hid with Christ in God. Here are the springs of grace: here, from hence, flow the stre...

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace ." -Romans 8:6 [KJV] One of the most blessed marks of regenerating grace and the sure fruit of the love of God shed abroad in the heart, is that spiritual-mindedness of which Paul declares, it is "life and peace." "To be spiritually-minded," to live and walk under the blessed power and influence of the Holy Spirit, to have the heart and affections drawn up from this poor, vain scene to where Jesus sits at the right hand of God, this is "life," the life of God in the soul, with all its present blessedness and all its future glory, and "peace," for peace and rest are alone to be found in this path of union and communion with a glorified Redeemer. In this sweet spirituality of mind, in these heavenly affections, and in this intercourse with the Lord at His own throne of grace, the life and power of godliness much consist. We trust we know,...