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

"I had rather err on their side, who strive to exalt wholly the free grace of God , than on theirs, who seek to darken it and magnify the power of the creature …"   -Benjamin Keach (1640-1704 A.D.) , The Marrow of True Justification , pg. 8

"Art thou made of the king’s council? Forbear: Why shouldest thou be smitten?" -II Chronicles 25:16 [KJV] Horrid ingratitude! No sooner was Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, but, instead of erecting an altar to the Lord of Hosts, who had given him success, he falls into idolatry, and burns incense to their gods. He went to war without God. He returns victorious, sets up idols, and forsakes the Lord. Vain confidence is departing from the Lord, and the first step to idolatry.  Never think of a sin being subdued, a grace strengthened, or a comfort enjoyed, without giving all glory to the grace of Christ. Look at thy victories with humility. Know self to be as great an idol, as the gods of the Edomites. Though the Lord’s anger was kindled against Amaziah, yet He is long-suffering to sinners. He sends His prophet to reprove him. He gives him a most severe sarcasm. “Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, who could not deliver their own p...

"And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water."   -Isaiah 35:7 [KJV] Oh how refreshing is this promise to my poor, dry, barren, thirsty soul! Surely every poor sinner, like me, that knows his own leanness and poverty, will feel the blessedness of it; for whether it be in the sapless state of unawakened nature, or whether in a scorched or languishing state from the want of the renewings of grace, nothing can be more refreshing than such a promise. Precious Jesus, do Thou revive the languishing frame of Thy people; do Thou "pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." Oh what a fulness, blessed Lord, there is in Thyself to supply all. Surely Thou art, as the church said, "A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon."  Do Thou then, Oh Lord, send forth this day, this blessed day, such copious streams from Thyself, as may cleanse, revive, comfort, satisfy, a...

"Having a good conscience."   -I Peter 3:16 [KJV] We cannot often see our faith, but we can sometimes see our conscience. We cannot always rejoice in the Lord, but we can see whether we fear His great name. We cannot always triumph over our enemies, but we can sometimes observe whether there is a sentinel upon the look out. Thus, if you want to know whether you have faith, look at faith's companion, see what faith is attended by; and if you find not "a good conscience,"   write death upon your religion.  Throw away your sword; it is useless; it is of human manufacture; it will break in pieces when you have to encounter your enemy, the king of terrors; God's lightning will shiver it then. But if the Lord has given you "a good conscience," a tender conscience, a pure conscience, He will strengthen your arm to fight the good fight of faith. You will often think your sword is so short, and your arm so weak that you cannot fight the Lord...

"The LORD is able to give thee much more than this."   -II Chronicles 25:9 [KJV] Thus spake the prophet to Amaziah, king of Judah. “He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart”   (verse 2.) His works were externally right, but he was destitute of uprightness of heart towards the Lord. Our Saviour forbids, “Judge not according to the appearance”   (John 7:24.) Be not hasty in judging of any one. Nay, not of thy own state neither, merely from a few external actions. Look well to thy heart. See that there is upright honesty and integrity at the bottom of thy conduct.  If otherwise, it will soon be made manifest. So it was with Amaziah. This chapter records three abominable evils which he fell into. Confidence in an arm of flesh—Idolatry—Pride, which proved his destruction. As to the first, he hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valour, to strengthen his army against his enemies, for one hundred talents...

"Christ hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour." -Ephesians 5:2 [KJV] If, when Noah offered by faith his sacrifice at the coming forth from the ark, the Lord smelled a sweet savour in it, because both the ark and sacrifice were a type of His dear Son, how fragrant and acceptable must have been the substance, when Jesus offered Himself without spot to God? Behold Him by faith, my soul, in that hour, in the full incense of His own merit, the censer of His own offering, and the golden altar of His own nature.  And while God, even the everlasting Father, accepts Jesus as thy Surety, in the fragrancy of His offering, wilt thou not by faith so apprehend the sweet influence of His person, work, and righteousness, as to rejoice before God in the sure acceptance of thyself and all thy poor offerings in the Beloved? Oh let a throne of grace be a daily, hourly, testimony for thee, that all thy approaches here are under th...

"...and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." -Hebrews 2:15 [KJV] It is no evidence against you if you are subject to bondage; it is no mark against you if you cannot look death in the face without doubt or fear. Is it not "the children"  who feel the bondage? And did not the Lord come to deliver them from it? Are you then not a child because you fear death? If you had no sense of sin, no tenderness of conscience, you would be as careless about death as most other people are. Thus your very bondage, your very fears, if they make you sigh and cry for deliverance, are marks of life. And the day will surely come when the Lord will remove these chilling fears and put an end to these killing doubts. As you draw near to the brink of Jordan, the Lord will be with you to deliver you, who, through fear of death, are now subject to bondage; He will extract its sting, and rob the grave of its victory, enabling you to ...