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

"Are changed." -II Corinthians 3:18 [KJV] What a blessed and glorious change has passed upon our souls! Lord help us to consider it this night to Thy glory, and our comfort, how, by whom, and why are we changed.  (1st.) How are we changed? From sinful into sinless creatures? No. Some speak of this change, as if it were a total change of our corrupt nature. Hence, many dear children of God, finding and feeling all the ruins of their fallen nature from day to day, are surely distressed, and conclude that no spiritual change has passed upon their souls. But this change is purely spiritual. It passeth upon the spirit of our minds. These were enmity against God.  Now they love God, and delight in the law of God. Our souls, once dead in sin, are now alive to God. We are translated from darkness into light. We see with open face, in the glass of the gospel, the glory of Jesus, in all His offices and precious salvation. Hence our minds are changed into His image. We ar...

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." -II Timothy 4:8 [KJV] Pause, my soul, over this blessed verse, and mark the very weighty things contained in it. Many a soul is for deferring the thoughts of this great day of God, and conclude, that the justification of the sinner cannot be known until the day of judgment. But, my soul, see to it, that thou art for bringing the firm and unshaken belief of it into immediate possession and enjoyment now; for surely Jesus hath effectually and fully provided for it. "Whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified." See to it then, my soul, that thou dost not suffer thyself to live a day, no, not an hour, in a state of uncertainty upon a point of such infinite consequence, in which the pardon of thy sins, and the justificatio...

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way ."   -John 14:6 [KJV] How is Jesus the way? In everything that He is to God's people He is the way. His blood is the way to heaven; "for the whole path," as Hart speaks, "is lined with blood." By His precious blood shed upon Calvary's tree He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and opened a way of access to God.  His righteousness, also, is part of the way; for only so far as we stand clothed in His glorious righteousness have we any access unto, any acceptance with God the Father. And His love is the way; for if we walk in love, we walk in Him, for He is love. Every part of the way was devised and is executed by the love of His tender heart. But the way, also, is the way of tribulation. Was not Jesus Himself the great Sufferer? And if He be the way, the only way, I must be conformed to His likeness in suffering. Not to know afflictions and tribulations, is not to know Christ. He was ...

"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...