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

" There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." -Proverbs 14:12 [KJV] This is a melancholy truth, “All flesh has corrupted his way upon the earth” (Genesis 6:12.) From sad experience of this, Jeremiah confesses, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walketh to direct his steps” (ch. 10:23.) ALL we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way, says Isaiah (ch. 53:6.)   O it is a most blessed thing to be convinced of this and humbly pray with David, “See if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:24.) We can never enough call to mind, love and praise our Good Shepherd, Who came to seek, and save us, from our own way, which seemeth right in our eyes.  What way is this? A most dangerous one. It is the way of wickedness, in which we have strong confidence of our own righteousness. Every man is naturally in this wa...

" Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits. Selah." -Psalm 68:19 [KJV] Behold, my soul, what a sweet portion for thy morning meditation is here. See what thou canst gather out of it to furnish new songs of praise to the bountiful Lord whose mercies it records. Blessed Spirit! I beseech Thee open these precious words of Thine to my view. Blessed be the Lord, it saith, yea, so say I; blessed be Jehovah; blessed be the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for they are the united source of all my blessings. And blessed be the majesty and glory of God for ever, Who daily loadeth His people with benefits. Count over, my soul, each of these blessed expressions, for every word is weighty and ponderous. God not only gives blessings, but daily. His mercies are constant as the morning, unceasing, continual; strength suited to the day, and mercies adapted to every moment. Faith needs no hoards, no banking-houses: nay, it is faith's precious property, and her ble...

" Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown ." -Jeremiah 2:2 [KJV] If we look at salvation, we shall see that it consists of three parts; salvation past, salvation present, and salvation future . Salvation past consists in having our names written in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world.  Salvation present consists in the manifestation of Jesus to the soul, whereby He betroths it to Himself. And salvation future consists in the eternal enjoyment of Christ, when the elect shall sit down to the marriage-supper of the Lamb, and be for ever with the Lord.  Now, as none will ever enjoy salvation future who have no interest in salvation past; in other words, as none will ever be with Christ in eternal glory whose names were not written in the book of life from all eternity; so none will enjoy salvation future, who li...

God the Father contrived the plan and method of justification. It would have been a puzzling question to angels and men had not He resolved it. “How should man,”  sinful man, “be just with God?”   -see Job 9:2 But God in His infinite wisdom “found a ransom , ”  a Ransomer, a Redeemer of His people, to bring in everlasting righteousness for them (Daniel 9:24) , and thereby acquit and discharge them, and “deliver them from going down to the pit”  of ruin and destruction. -Job 33:24     “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.” God was with Him, forming the scheme of their peace and reconciliation, of their redemption, justification, and salvation – not imputing their trespasses, but the righteousness of His Son to them (Job 9:2; Job 33:24; II Corinthians 5:19-21). —theologian, preacher John Gill (1697-1791 A.D.)

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” -Romans 1:16 [KJV] Does the Gospel save us from our sins? NO, Christ saved us from our sins by His obedience unto death as our Surety, Substitute, and Redeemer. But Christ and His righteousness are revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel – “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; cf. I Corinthians 1:18-24) .  Does the Gospel regenerate and convert us? NO, the Holy Spirit regenerates and converts us in the new birth, but He does so by means of the Gospel truth applied to the new heart (mind, affections, will, and conscience) (John 8:32; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18).  If the Holy Spirit does not empower the Gospel preached to the hearts of God’s people to whom He gives life and ...

" Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." -Psalm 97:11 [KJV] He, who never doubts his sincerity to God, has great reason to suspect his knowledge of himself. An hypocrite cannot be a Christian. Yet there is hypocrisy in the fallen nature of every Christian. Such are ever suspecting themselves. At times, they fear, lest they should turn out nothing but hypocrites at last. This is a proof, that their hearts are upright with Christ; their fears and suspicions are a blessed means, of keeping them from falling away from Him.  Righteous souls pass through many dark frames and disagreeable experiences. Sometimes, they are put to a stand, ready to question if all be right within or not. For, they are the subjects of a nature, in which dwells every evil, which wars against God, the peace, holiness, and comfort of their souls. Hence they are sometimes in seasons of darkness. They see not things in the light of truth: they enjoy not the com...

"Have ye received the Holy Ghost?" -Acts 19:2 [KJV] My soul, ponder over the solemn question again and again, and then see what answer thou canst give to a point so infinitely interesting and important. The Holy Spirit is clearly known by the exercise of His blessed offices in every heart where He abides, and where He is the glorious inhabitant. He comes in Jesus' name as an ambassador, to propose to the sinner a rich and precious Saviour.  He comes as an almighty teacher; and this condescending office He graciously exerciseth in convincing of sin, and convincing of the righteousness of Jesus. He comes as an Advocate; and by His pleading the cause of a poor sinner's own necessities, and the cause of a rich Saviour's willingness and ability to supply all these necessities, He manifests Himself a most powerful advocate, when, by His constraining grace, He makes the poor sinner willing in the day of His power (see Psalm 110:3.) He comes as an enlighte...