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

"Behold! I have erred exceedingly."   -I Samuel 26:21 [KJV] I have selected this text for a peculiar purpose. At the close of the meditation, I shall assign the reason. In this chapter, we have an account of the heroic act of David’s faith in the Lord, his invincible courage, and his amazing tenderness towards Saul, his enraged enemy, by which he melted his heart, and overcame his cruel wrath. Let us view his conduct, and pray for grace to improve from it.    (1st.) View his faith. Here was Saul, with three thousand chosen men, in pursuit of David, thirsting for his blood. They were at a very small distance from him. Behold, David proposes to go to Saul’s camp in the dead of the night, and asks, “Who will go down with me?” Does not this seem to the eye of carnal reason, to be a most rash and dangerous attempt? Though it were at midnight— though they might be fallen into a deep sleep—yet out of such a number of men, one, or more might awake, and seize on David. Surely, it...

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." -II Corinthians 3:18 [KJV] When our desires and affections ascend to where the Lord Jesus Christ now is, when raised out of all the smoke and fog, din and strife, noise and bustle, cares and anxieties, pursuits and pleasures, sins and sorrows of this earthly scene, we can in faith and hope, in love and affection, live above and beyond all things here below, and beholding with unveiled face the glory of the Lord, "are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" —this is being made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  When the Lord Jesus went up on high He entered into His glory. As then we behold Him in His glory in faith and love, there is the reflection of His glory, and saints thus favoured enter into heaven when still upon earth, and have the for...

"For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth." -Hebrews 9:17 [KJV]   Precious Lord Jesus! and was it needful that Thou shouldest die, that the rich legacies of Thy will might be paid Thy children, and Thy spouse, the church? Was the testament in Thy blood of no force until Thou hadst finished redemption by expiring on the cross? And hast Thou now confirmed the whole, by this gracious act of Thine, when dying "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God?" Sit down, my soul, this evening, and ponder over the unequalled love of thy dear Redeemer. Jesus died, and thereby gave validity and efficacy to His will.    Now therefore it is of force. Now the large estate of "an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and which fadeth not away , " which Jesus hath purchased by His blood, is eternally and everlastingly secured. Yea, the will hath since His death, been proved in the court of heav...

  Not saved are we by trying From self can come no aid ’Tis on the blood relying   Once for our ransom paid ’Tis looking unto Jesus The Holy One and Just ’Tis His great work that saves us It is not try, but trust. No deeds of ours are needed To make Christ’s merit more No frames of mind or feelings Can add to His great store ’Tis simply to receive Him The Holy One and Just ’Tis only to believe Him It is not try, but trust.     -old Gospel hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation”     -------0-------            No one is immune from trouble.   It could come from sickness or sorrow.   It could come from financial distress.   It could come from upbringing from misguided parents.   It could be an abusive relationship where we were mistreated.   It could be being treated unfairly or falsely accused.   It can come from our own hand as our sinfulness is ever before us.     But it all comes under the ...

"He wist not that the LORD was departed from him."   -Judges 16:20 [KJV]   What do I read? Sampson’s name enrolled in the list of the ancient heroes of faith? -Hebrews 11:32. What! he who loved a harlot, and was so blinded by his lust, as to bring on himself the most dreadful evils, even unto death? Yes. Grace reigned then. It reigns still, through the righteousness of Christ unto sinners. What! That they should continue in sin, because grace abounds? God forbid! See the most awful evils it brought upon this man of God. Behold in him how sin blinds the eyes, hardens the heart, and stupefies the conscience. Think of this, and tremble at the first approach of sin and lust.    (1st.) Sampson’s lust to a vile, unchaste woman, had so blinded his reason, that he put his life into her hands three times. Yet he could not see that she had no regard for him, but only wanted to destroy him. Here was a judgment upon his sinful passions. The Philistines put out his eyes.  ...

"And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both." - Luke 7:42 [KJV] My soul, nothing can be more grateful, and commendatory to the state of thine insolvency; than the recollection of what thy God and Saviour hath taught in this beautiful parable; that the debtor of five hundred pence, and the debtor of fifty, being both equally incapable of discharging the respective claims upon there, are equally considered as objects of mercy, and are therefore both alike forgiven. And this, indeed, is the distinguishing property of grace. It is totally distinct from merit; yea, in direct opposition to it.  Hadst thou the least pretensions to divine favour, or couldest thou have put forth the least helping hand towards thine own salvation; grace then would have been no more grace. The frank forgiveness of all debt, carries with it the plainest testimony of man's total helplessness, and the sovereign freedom of divine love. And hence, when the sinner, of every description...

"For Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried." -Psalm 66:10 [KJV] The Lord's dealings with His people in the wilderness are very much to this purpose and to this end—to prove them, and to know what is in their hearts. Has the Lord implanted life in your soul? Has He touched your conscience with His finger? Has He begun a work of grace upon your heart? If so, in your travels through this wilderness there will be things from time to time to prove the reality of this work upon your soul. You will have temptations; now, when temptation comes, it will prove whether you have the fear of God in your soul to stand against the temptation, or whether you fall under the temptation; or, if you fall under the temptation, whether you are ever recovered out of it.  And if you are a living soul, the Lord will keep bringing circumstance upon circumstance, event upon event, one thing after another; and all these things, as they come upon you, shall be made to p...