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

"And because ye are sons, GOD hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ." -Galatians 4:6 [KJV] It is the peculiar glory of gospel grace, that sinners are made sons of God. Here is the joyful knowledge of it, by the Spirit. Here is the precious boldness of children to God, my Father. The glory of the whole Trinity is in this verse, Lord help us to consider—the Spirit—His cry—and where He cries.  (1st.) The Spirit. Mind, He is called the Spirit of Christ, the Son of God. For He comes to us from Christ, His office is to testify of Christ, to glorify Him; for He takes of the things of Christ, and shews them to us (John 16:14.) He convinces us of sin: our want of righteousness: gives us a right judgment of Christ, and His work for our salvation: leads us to Christ, begets us to a lively hope in Him, and becomes to our souls, a spirit of adoption, because we are the sons of God, by faith in Christ.  Then, (2d.) He gives us a cry. He ...

"A friend that sticketh closer than a brother." -Proverbs 18:24 [KJV] And who is this , my soul; indeed, who can it be, but Jesus? None among the fallen race of Adam could ever redeem his brother; or, if he could, would have done it, at the expence of his own soul. But Jesus did all this, and more, when our cause was desperate, and gave Himself a ransom for His redeemed.  Oh for grace to mark the features of His love. It began in eternity, it runs through all time, and continues everlasting. As Jesus is Himself, so is He in His love; the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. And how hath he shewn it?  First, by engaging as our Surety; then paying all our debts; fulfilling the whole law; purchasing our persons; undertaking for our duty; nay, even to the conquering the stubbornness of our nature, and making us willing to be saved in the day of His power (see Psalm 110:3) ! And what is it now? Having accomplished redemption for us by His blood, He is gone to ...

"The fear of the LORD is his treasure." -Isaiah 33:6 [KJV] "The fear of the LORD is his treasure." And, oh, what a treasure is this fear! Treasure in ancient times was generally hidden; it was concealed from the eye of man, hoarded up, and not brought out ostentatiously to view. Wealthy men of old hid the knowledge of their treasures, lest they should be spoiled of them by the hand of violence.  So spiritually, the fear of the Lord is hidden in the heart, and lies deep in the soul; it is not spread out ostentatiously to view, but is buried out of sight in a man's conscience. But though hidden from others, and sometimes even from ourselves, this "fear of the LORD" will act as circumstances draw it forth.  There may be times and seasons when we seem almost hardened and conscience-seared; sin appears to have such power over us, and evil thoughts and desires so carry us away, that we cannot trace one atom of godly fear within; and the soul ...

THE FULLNESS by D.G. Miles McKee   “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” -Colossisans 2:9 [KJV]   This verse, some commentators tell us, is an illusion to the Tabernacle in the days of Moses.  It looked plain and ordinary on the outside, but inside it housed the very glory and presence of God.  Likewise, in Christ Jesus, God gives a full and complete expression of Himself, yet He clothed Himself as a human to do so.   In Colossians 2:9 we see a clear declaration of the dual nature of Christ. Look carefully at our scripture and see that the Lord Jesus is both human and divine.  The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him.   “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.”     Of course, Christ’s enemies say that here the word ‘Godhead’ does not actually mean Godhead or they say that this verse means that it was merely the pow...

"And if a son, then an heir of GOD through CHRIST." -Colossians 4:7 [KJV] St. Paul’s rational conclusions are enough to put all the sophistry of men and devils, to confusion; and to silence all the unscriptural objections of unbelief.  (1st.) If a son of God by adoption and grace; then no more a servant under the law, working to obtain the favour of God, righteousness, justification unto life, and salvation by obedience to the law: or to dread its curse and condemnation, for transgressions against it. This truth will try you, whether you have the disposition of a son of God, or not. If not, you will cry, O this is fine doctrine! It suits my lusts exceedingly well. If I am not made a son by my works, nor continued a son for my works: seeing I get no good by obeying the law, nor any evil by transgressing it: I will gratify my lusts. This is the real language of carnal nature, not of a regenerate soul.  Such plainly evince, that they have not the genuine love of a ...

"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." -Song of Solomon 8:6 [KJV] My soul, is this the language of thine heart to Jesus? Yes, it is. Can any desire to be nearer Christ than thee? Can any long more to be worn as a signet upon His arm, and to lay nearer His heart than thee? And can any desire more than thou dost, to be sealed with His Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption? Surely, my soul, thou longest earnestly for these precious things, that that arm of Jesus, on which thou wouldest be set as a seal, may be ever clasping thee; and that heart of thy Redeemer's upon which thou art engraven, as the high priest bore the names of the people of Israel, may be always folding thee, and hearing both thy person and thy wants before the throne, and thus unceasing fellowship may abound with the Father and with His...

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."   -Proverbs 16:32 [KJV] What a foe to one's peace is one's own spirit! And what shall I call it? It is often an infernal spirit. Why? Because it bears the mark of Satan upon it. The pride of our spirit, the presumption of our spirit, the hypocrisy of our spirit, the intense selfishness of our spirit are often hidden from us. This wily devil, self, can wear such masks and assume such forms; this serpent, self, can so creep and crawl, can so twist and turn, and can disguise itself under such false appearances, that it is hidden often from ourselves.  Who is the greatest enemy we have to fear? We all have our enemies. But who is our greatest enemy? He that you carry in your own bosom; your daily, hourly, and momently companion, that entwines himself in nearly every thought of your heart; that suggests well-nigh every motive; that sometimes puffs up ...