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

Men are constantly endeavoring to clear their consciences from guilt.  When Judas’ conscience was pricked by feelings of remorse, he threw down the thirty pieces of silver, ever since known as “conscience money,” and proclaimed, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.”   -Matthew 27:4      Even the Pharisees had troubled consciences.  They brought to the Savior a woman caught in adultery.  After He said “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her , ” the Master wrote something on the ground.  It is then recorded, “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last” (John 8:9).   William Carey was a missionary to India from late 1793 to his death in 1834 A.D.  When he went to India he found people who were trying to rid themselves of their guilt by various means, most of them self-tormenting....

"Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." -I John 2:20 [KJV] A Christian may falsely indulge this covetous wish, to have his head filled with the knowledge, and his heart with the love of Christ. What is knowledge without love? The very devils could say of Christ, “I know Thee who Thou art, the holy One of God.” They have a more distinct knowledge of Christ, believe more of Him, and have just as much love to Him, as Arians, Socinians, and other infidels, who deny His eternal power and godhead, and His self-existent deity.  The devils declare, “What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?” Infidelity in men causes them to give our Saviour no higher name than this, and to allow Him to be no more than a prophet, mighty in word and deed. But they will have nothing to do with Him as the eternal Son of God, atoning sin by His precious blood, justifying sinners by His perfect righteousness, and finishing salvation for them by His life and...

"...and His name, through faith in His name, hath made this man strong."   -Acts 3:16 [KJV] My soul, begin this month as the Lord in mercy hath enabled thee to begin some that are past, in taking the name of Jesus for thy theme. Let His name be as ointment poured forth, whose fragrancy shall make thee strong, as it made the poor man whole.  And as the Lord hath opened a new month to thee in grace, do thou take up His name, through faith in His name, in praise and prayer. And see to it, my soul, that through the month, and indeed the whole of life, improve His name in every case, in every want, in every need. Depend upon it, His name will answer all. Whatever thy necessities are, in Jesus' name there is a supply for all. Art thou poor, He is rich: sick, He is thy health; weak, He is strong; sinful, He is the Lord thy righteousness. Every thing, and in every way, upon all accounts, and upon all occasions—His name, through faith in His name, is the universal char...

"But now we see not yet all things put under Him." -Hebrews 2:8 [KJV] It is God's special prerogative to bring good out of evil, and order out of confusion. If you were to watch carefully from an astronomical observatory the movements of the planets, you would see them all in the greatest apparent disorder. Sometimes they would seem to move forward, sometimes backward, and sometimes not to move at all.  These confused and contradictory movements sadly puzzled astronomers, till Sir Isaac Newton rose and explained the whole; then all was seen to be the most beautiful harmony and order, where before there was the most puzzling confusion.  But take a scriptural instance, the highest and greatest that we can give, to shew that where, to outward appearance, all is disorder, there the greatest wisdom and most determinate will reign. Look at the crucifixion of our blessed Lord JESUS Christ. Can you not almost see the scene as painted in the word of truth?  See those...

"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Me." -Luke 24:44 [KJV] Christ’s work was to fulfil all Scripture. It is ours to believe, that the Scriptures are all fulfilled in Christ. Hence we are filled with all joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13.) We complain of the weakness of faith. We neglect the means by which it is strengthened. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. By it faith is strengthened. That which comes not from the word, and is not supported by the word, is not faith, but phantom. It will soon evaporate.  Our Saviour was now risen. His work was finished. He appeals to the understanding of His disciples. He refers them to what He had spoken to them, before He died for them. Understanding the word in the heart, is like the stomach receiving, and digesting the food for the whole body. All par...

"One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." -John 9:25 [KJV] This is a great thing to say, my soul: on what foundation dost thou rest this knowledge? If the Lord Jesus hath opened thine eyes, then indeed thou canst not but discover thy former blindness; for during that state of nature thou literally couldst discern nothing. And if thy former blindness be discovered, then thy present sight hath brought thee acquainted with new objects. Pause over the review of both this morning. The blindness of nature to spiritual things is marked in scripture in strong characters. A poor blind sinner sees nothing of the light of life. The Sun of Righteousness is not risen upon him. He discerns nothing of the love of God in Christ. If he reads the scripture, the vail is upon his heart. If he hears of Jesus, he sees no beauty in Him.  Nothing is nearer to him than the Lord, and nothing further from his thoughts. To tell him of the sweetness of the word of God, is s...

"He giveth power to the faint." -Isaiah 40:29 [KJV] The Lord often gives His people power to take a longing, languishing look at the blood and righteousness of Jesus; to come to the Lord, as "mighty to save , " with the same feelings with which Esther went into the presence of the king: "I will go in, and if I perish, I perish." It is with them sometimes as with the four lepers who sat at the entering in of the gate of Samaria: "And they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die" (II Kings 7:3, 4) . And so the Lord's people are sometimes brought to this state— "If I perish, I will perish at His footstool." If He give no answer of merc...