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

"..of whom I am chief." -I Timothy 1:15 [KJV] What a mighty change does grace make! The apostle was once, in his own eyes, the chief of saints. If but two went to heaven, he had no doubt but he should be one. Now, he is really an eminent saint in Christ: he confesses himself the chief of sinners . Why so? Did he love sin, lie down and wallow in sin, and glory in sin? No, far from it: he was now saved from all his sins.  Hence he sees the exceeding preciousness of Christ, his Saviour; the exceeding sinfulness of sin, which dwelt in him; and the infinite holiness, spirituality, and perfection of the law of God. Therefore, he makes this public declaration: not, I have been, but, I now am the chief of sinners .  He, as it were, stands forth and challenges the whole race of sinners, and says, I will give place to no one: of all of you, I will be the first rate, and stand foremost in the rank. But is not this glorying in sin, which was his shame? Self-righteous heart...

"I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." -John 14:2, 3 [KJV] How shall I ever sufficiently enter into an apprehension of the love of Jesus? Much less, how shall I ever sufficiently love Thee, and adore Thee, Thou unequalled pattern of excelling love, blessed, precious Jesus? Was it not enough to have given such palpable evidences of Thy love in dying for poor sinners; but must Thou tell them also before Thy departure the cause for which Thou art gone away, and to give them an assurance, at the same time, that Thou wouldest come again, and take them home with Thee to glory?  Oh help me, Lord, to love Thee, to live to Thee, to be always on the look out for Thee, and to rejoice with a joy unspeakable in the promise of Thy coming. And, my soul, while thou art taking all the sweetness of those precious words of thy Jesus to thyself, in the prospect...

"Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house." -II Chronicles 6:29 [KJV] Solomon comes to experience; he puts his hand upon the right spot. It is knowing his "own sore" and his "own grief." You may know another man's; that will not profit you. You may read of experience in books, love to hear experimental ministers, and will hear no others; and yet not know your "own sore," your "own grief."   Like a physician who may know the symptoms of every malady, and yet not have one malady of his own; so you may hear described every symptom of every disease, and yet be untouched by one. But the man for whom Solomon's prayer is, he that knows and feels, painfully feels, his "own sore" and his "own grief," whose heart is indeed a grief to him, wh...

"Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." -Genesis 5:3 [KJV] Not in the image of God, in which Adam was created, but after the likeness of himself, an apostate spirit, fallen from God, into all the cursed, proud, wrathful tempers of a wicked devil, and all the vile, filthy lusts of a brute beast. Awful difference between God’s creation, and man’s procreation! Where can we turn our eyes, but we see the dreadful effects of it? The Holy Ghost hath left this truth upon record for our instruction.  Consider, (1st.) that we are begotten sinners, not created such by God. David confesseth this: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5.) He does not charge his sinful nature to God, and impiously demand, Why hast Thou made me thus? Ever beware of such doctrines, which have the least tendency to make a holy God the author of sin.  (2d.) See whence you sprung. Boast not of your high birth and noble pedigree...

"I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." -Luke 15:10 [KJV] What a precious information is this which the Son of God hath given of heaven's joy over every individual instance of the recovery of our poor fallen nature! Surely if angels of light thus participate in the triumphs of our Jesus; well may sinners rejoice over sinners, whenever a single one is awakened from darkness to light, and converted from the power of sin and Satan unto God. Think, ye ministers of my God, what motives arise out of this thought to stir up your most earnest exertions in labouring in the word and doctrine! Ought it not to be the first and most importunate petition at the mercy-seat whenever entering upon your labours, that, by the Lord's blessing upon you, new causes might arise to call forth this joy in heaven?  Nay, ought it not to be the fervent prayer and hope of faith, at the close of those labours, and especially...

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23-24 [KJV] The people of God cannot take their religion upon credit; they cannot be satisfied with the endorsement of this or that good man. They must have it wrought by God Himself. They are often exercised as to whence their religion came. Do you not find it so, and that it costs you many exercises? If, for instance, you are cast down, you are exercised whether it spring from godly sorrow for sin.  If you are comforted, you cannot take the comfort for granted; you must have it weighed up in the gospel balance. If you meet with providential deliverances, you cannot take them as so many certain evidences that all is right with your soul. So that every step you take you have to examine, and weigh it whether it be of God. The dead professors, the hypocrites in Zion never have their religion tried and weighe...

 JESUS PLUS NOTHING! It is a serious offense to supplement and add to that which Jesus says He has finished!  He has saved us by grace ... is that not enough?  Is what He has done for us in His doing and dying not sufficient? Acts 15:11 says, " But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved ."  Salvation, therefore, is not received, attained or kept by our works or behavior.  We are saved by grace through faith (see also Ephesians 2:8-9). Since we are saved by grace, isn´t it time to stop adding further so-called qualifications to salvation.  Listen to Romans 11:6, " And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.  But if it is of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise, work is no more work.”  So, here’s the truth of the matter: for salvation, Christ plus ANYTHING equals NOTHING!   For example: If you are trusting in your church mem...