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

The faith that brings a sinner to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for all salvation and the repentance by which that same believing sinner turns away from himself, his dead works and idolatry, are both gifts of God’s grace, goodness, and power given to all His people by the Holy Spirit and from the Lord Jesus Christ by Whose righteousness he has been justified.  Many today. who claim to be “Christians,” erroneously think that faith and repentance are acts of man’s “free-will” decision as if man, even as fallen in and by Adam into sin and spiritual death and depravity, retains a spark of goodness by which he has the ability to choose that which is good and right when it comes to salvation.  But God’s Word tells us otherwise – “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Corinthians 2:14; cf. John 6:44; Romans 3:10-12) .  God’s Word tells us that ...

" Honour the LORD with thy substance." -Proverbs 3:9 [KJV] O may this be the daily study of our hearts, and the constant practice of our lives! “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to the Lord: for the marriage of the Lamb is come.” (Revelation 19:7.) He is our Husband: we are espoused to Him by faith. Consider the work of honouring the Lord, and the reasons for it.  (1st.) The work. What! can I, a worm of the earth, honour the Lord of heaven: Yes; thou art called to it, and formed for it. This honour have all His saints. It is our greatest honour on earth to honour our Lord in heaven. “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O LORD! and Thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power: to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom” (Psalm 145:10-12.)   So they honoured the Lord of old, in displaying the glory of His grace. This work you are called to, if you have seen...

"Such an one as Paul the aged." -Philemon 1:9 [KJV] And what was Paul in the moment here represented? Verily an aged servant of his Master, but not retired from the scene of action. Paul, though grown old in the Lord's service, was still as hotly engaged as ever in the Lord's battle. Art thou such an one, my soul, as Paul was! Then learn from hence, that however many, or however heavy, former campaigns have been, there is no rest for thee this side Jordan, no more than for Paul: no winter quarters for the true soldiers of Jesus Christ. Until thy Captain undress thee for the grave, the holy armour in which He hath clad thee is not to be taken off.  Art thou "such an one as Paul the aged?" Then, like Paul, see that thou art strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. And how sweet the thought! Thy Jesus, Who hath borne thee from the womb, and carried thee from the belly, knows well the burden of thy increasing years, and all the infirmiti...

“That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.” -Luke 1:74, 75 [KJV ] The grand point of all true religion is to be brought by the blessed Spirit into that happy spot where we can serve the living God free from that guilt, bondage, darkness, doubt, and fear which often possess our mind, and are the worst enemies of our soul’s peace.  But though they are such enemies to all true peace and happiness, yet are they mercifully overruled for our spiritual good, to convince us from whence our help must come, to strip us thoroughly of all creature help and hope, and bring us to the spot where the Lord meets the soul in mercy, sheds abroad His love, and brings near a precious Christ. We have no reason to thank bondage, guilt and the law, still less sin and Satan, for any work they have done which God has overruled for our good. And yet without...

"Accepted in the Beloved..." -Ephesians 1:6 [KJV] If you and I are among the righteous, it is because we are made so IN CHRIST . The apostle says, (and it is such a comfort to our souls, because it admits of no contradiction, neither sin nor Satan can overthrow it), He was, "made sin for us, Who knew no sin; that , " it almost makes me afraid to utter the words, they are full of such grandeur and immortal glory, and shine like a diamond set with all manner of beauty, "we might be made the righteousness of God IN HIM , " (II Corinthians 5:21) .  Come, poor child of God, who are cast down by looking at your wanderings of heart, carnality, and daily failings, and who perhaps have come here full of confusion, feeling yourself a helpless and wretched creature, with your head hanging down like a bulrush, look up to Jesus , He is the blessed Head for the righteous, the perfect center of all glory and beauty!   Look at the perfect work of Christ, H...

“O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” -Isaiah 25:1 [KJV] A Man in Christ  I cannot be brought lower by the accusations and charges of men than I was brought to when I died in Christ; nor can I be lifted up higher by the praises of men than I am already exalted in Christ.  Nothing alters my state as a justified sinner in Jesus Christ. Having eternal life in Him, I cannot be threatened with death nor can I be enticed by promise of reward since I have Him Who is all.  As a man in Christ, why would I want to be somewhere else? What more could you give me? God in grace put me where I am! -preacher Gary Shepard of Sovereign Grace Baptist church located in Jacksonville, North Carolina USA Sermon Audio page link: https://www.sermonaudio.com/broadcasters/allsovgrace/

Jesus, the Lord, my Saviour is, My Shepherd, and my God; My light, my strength, my joy, my bliss, I in His grace rejoice. What’er I need in Jesus dwells, And there it dwells for me; ‘Tis Christ my earthen vessel fills With treasures rich and free. Mercy and truth and righteousness, And peace, most richly meet; In Jesus Christ, the King of grace, In Whom I stand complete. “Worthy the Lamb” shall be my song, For He, for me was slain; And with me all the heavenly throng Shall join and say Amen!