"CHAPTER 15
"...there is a providence which governs the world & all the nations of it."
"It becomes a people in distress to seek to their God; & shall not we then thus walk in the name of the Lord our God, & call upon him in the time of trouble"
"Prayer to the true God is heart's ease (I Sam. 1:18), but prayers to false gods are not."
"Where sin has been general, & all flesh have corrupted their way, what can be expected but a general desolation?"
"Those that are eager to get abundance of this world, & solicitous to lay up what they have gotten, little consider what may become of it & in how short a time it may be all taken from them."
"In times of distress great riches are often great burdens, & do but increase the owner's care or the enemies' strength."
"Those that continue impenitent in sin, when they are preserved from one judgment, are but reserved for another."

CHAPTER 16
"Those that will not submit to Christ, nor be gathered under the shadow of his wings, shall be as a bird that wanders from her nest, that shall either be snatched up by the next bird of prey or shall wander endlessly in continual frights.  Those that will not yield to the fear of God shall be made to yield to the fear of every thing else."
"The Lord knows those that are his wherever he finds them, even where no one else knows them.  God will find a rest & shelter for his outcasts; for, though they are persecuted, they are not forsaken.  He will himself be their dwelling-place if they have no other, & in him they shall be at home."
"Those that expect to find favour when they are in trouble themselves must show favour to those that are in trouble; & what service is done to God's outcasts shall no doubt be recompensed one way or other."
"Those that will not be counselled cannot be helped."
"They are proud, & therefore will not be subject to God himself nor regard the warnings he gives them."
"Joy in God is, upon this account, far better than the joy of harvest, that it is what we cannot be robbed of.  Psalms 4:6, 7."
"In God therefore let us always rejoice with a holy triumph, & in other things let us always rejoice with a holy trembling, rejoice as though we rejoiced not."
"Such is the glory of this world, so fading & uncertain, admired awhile, but soon slighted.  Let that therefore which will soon be contemptible in our eyes in comparison with the far more exceeding weight of glory."
"Let not therefore the strong glory in their strength nor the many in their numbers."

CHAPTER 17
"Sinful confederacies will be no strength, no stay, to the confederates, when God's judgments come upon them."
"Such is all the glory of this world; it soon withers, & is made thin; but there is a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory designed for the spiritual seed of Jacob, which is not subject to any such decay"
"It is our duty at all times to have respect to God, to have our eyes ever towards him, both as our Maker (the author of our being & the God of nature) & as the Holy One of Israel, a God in covenant with us & the God of grace; particularly, when we are in affliction, our eyes must be towards the Lord, to pluck our feet out of the net (Psalms 25:15)"
"The God of our salvation is the rock of our strength; & our forgetfulness & unmindfulness of him are at the bottom of all sin."
"...we should not lay up our treasure in those things which we may so quickly be despoiled of, but in that good part which shall never be taken away from us."
"God will plead his church's cause, & those that meddle do it to their own hurt."

CHAPTER 18
"Let all enlist under God's banner, & be on his side, & hearken to the trumpet of his word, which gives not an uncertain sound."
"Men will have their saying, but God also will have his;  ...we may be sure his word shall stand"
"Those that unjustly trample upon others shall themselves be justly trampled upon."
"God will put honour upon his people, though men put contempt upon them."
"...what is offered to God must be offered in the way that he has appointed; we must be sure to attend him, & expect him to meet us, where he records his name."
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Isaiah to Malachi, Mac Donald, pgs. 91 - 103.

CHAPTER 11
"There shall come forth a King from the sons of Jesse, & the Messiah (or Christ) shall be anointed out of his sons' sons."
"The Holy Spirit, in all his gifts & graces, shall not only come, but rest & abide upon him; he shall have the Spirit not by measure, but without measure, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him.  Colossians 1:19, 2:9."
"By this it will appear that we have the Spirit of God, if we have spiritual senses exercised, & are of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord."
"In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the girdle of truth (Eph. 6:14) & it will be the stability of the times."
"The better acquainted we are with the God of love the more shall we be changed into the same image & the better affected shall we be to all those that bear his image."
"...the right knowledge of God settles peace."
"Those who have been sharers with each other in afflictions & mercies, dangers & deliverances, ought in consideration thereof to unite for their joint & mutual safety & protection"
"When God's time has come for the deliverance of his people mountains of opposition shall become plain before him."
"God can soon turn gloomy days into glorious ones."
"The gospel of Christ shall be successful in all parts, & some of all nations shall become obedient to the faith."
"Every thing that might hinder the progress & success of the gospel shall be taken out of the way."
"When God's time has come for the bringing of nations, or particular persons, home to himself, divine grace will be victorious over all opposition."

CHAPTER 12
"...the inestimable benefits we enjoy by Jesus Christ require the most elevated & enlarged thanksgivings."
"We ought to rejoice in, & give thanks for, the grace of God to others as well as to ourselves."
"Those whom God is reconciled to he comforts"
"Those that have God for their salvation may enjoy themselves with a holy security & serenity of mind."
"Faith in God is a sovereign remedy against disquieting tormenting fears."
"The assurances God has given us of his love, & the experiences we have had of the benefit & comfort of his grace, should greatly encourage our faith in him & our expectations from him"
"It is the will of God, that we should rejoice before him & rejoice in him (Deuteronomy 26:11)"
"Those that have received distinguishing favours from God ought to be most forward & zealous in praising him."
"We must not only speak to God, but speak to others concerning him, not only call upon his name, but proclaim his name; let others know something more from us than they did before concerning God"
"...welcome the gospel to yourselves & publish it to others with huzzas & loud acclamations as those that shout for victory (Exod. 32:18) or for the coronation of a king.'  Numbers 23:21."
"It is the honour & happiness of Israel that the God who is in covenant with them, & in the midst of them, is infinitely great."

CHAPTER 13
"Those that will not make the word of God their rest (Jer. 6:16) shall find it made a burden to them."
"Those whom God calls he qualifies; & those whom he makes holy he makes strong in spirit."
"...God has commanded & called those whom he designs to make use of & power goes along with his calls & commands, which cannot be resisted."
"All the hosts of war are under the command of the Lord of hosts"
"When things look dark on earth, yet it is well enough if all be clear upwards"
"Sin brings desolation on the world of the ungodly"
"A man's pride will bring him low."

CHAPTER 14
"Let not the church's children be shy of strangers but receive those whom God receives, & own those who cleave to the house of Jacob."
"Those who are freed from the bondage of sin have a foundation laid for true rest from sorrow & fear."
"...those that will not cease to sin God will make to cease."
"True glory (that is, true grace) will go up with the soul to heaven, but vain pomp will go down with the body to the grave"
"The providence of God consults the welfare of nations more than we are aware of by cutting off some who, if they had lived, would have done mischief."
"Those who wrongfully invade God's land shall find that it is at their peril; & those who with unhallowed feet trample upon his holy mountains shall themselves there be trodden under foot."
"Let those who are the called according to God's purpose comfort themselves with this, that, as God has purposed, so shall it stand, & on that their stability depends."
"God will be an enemy to his people's enemies.  Exodus 23:22."
"...God is & will be a faithful friend to his church & people, & will secure & advance their interests."
"...his church has & will have a dependence upon him"
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Isaiah To Malachi, Mac Donald, pgs. 72 - 91.

CHAPTER 32
"PERFECT PEACE"
Isaiah 26:3 ESB

"TWO TYPES OF PEACE"
"There is justifying peace & sanctifying peace."
"Justifying peace is the peace that God gives when the believing sinner comes to Christ.  The enmity of sin between Christ & the sinner is removed because of what Christ did at Calvary & the sinner's acceptance of this finished work."
"Whereas justifying peace never varies, sanctifying peace does so constantly.  Sometimes it's up & sometimes it's down as it regards where our faith is placed."
"Every single believer enjoys justifying peace, but most Christians don't enjoy sanctifying peace.  That's the reason we have emotional disturbances, stress, fear, nervous disorders, depression, & a host of other upheavals in our minds."

"WHY?"
"...because of misplaced faith & a faulty understanding of grace."
"To have perpetual peace, we must have an uninterrupted flow of grace in our lives.  This is done by placing our faith exclusively in Christ & the Cross.  When we begin to place our faith in other things, we 'frustrate the grace of God' (Gal. 2:21).  When grace is frustrated, sanctifying peace then stops.  To have joy, peace of mind, & fulfillment, the one's faith must never move from Christ & Him crucified."

"THE RENEWED MIND"
"The phrase, 'whose mind is stayed on You,' refers to the renewed mind.  The mind is the gateway to the Spirit."
"...to renew the mind refers to the believer pulling his faith from other things & placing it entirely in Christ & the Cross."
Romans 12:1, 2

"BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU"
"...to fully trust in the Lord is for our faith to be placed exclusively in Christ & the Cross & let nothing move us from that foundation."
Luke 9:23

CHAPTER 33
"A BORROWED SHIP, AN EMPTY NET, & THE WORD OF GOD"
Luke 5:1-10 ESB
"...the great miracles performed by the Lord are just as available to us today as they were then."

"THE PEOPLE CAME TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD"
"1. Too many belittle preaching & exalt ceremony, but make no mistake, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was the greatest preacher who ever lived.  That's why Satan hates preaching under the anointing.  True Bible preaching pulls no punches, takes no prisoners, & doesn't try to be diplomatic or politically correct.  True Bible preaching steps on toes & makes people uncomfortable at times.  True Bible preaching is not philosophy but 'thus saith the Lord.'"
"2. The Word of God is the only revealed truth in the world today.  There is no truth in Islam, Mormonism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other 'ism' one can come up with."

"A BORROWED SHIP"
"...Simon's ship  ...to secure it as a platform to pulpit in order to preach to the masses gathered at the seashore."

"LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP, & LET DOWN YOUR NET FOR A DRAUGHT"
"...the Lord wants to borrow your ship.  Even though your net is empty, & your ship is in dry dock, the Lord wants to borrow what you have.  I speak of your finances; this is how the work of the Lord is carried out (Rom. 10:13-15).  Don't let an empty net stop you from receiving your miracle."
"Your net may be empty, but the Creator of the sea & fish knows exactly where the fish are."
"Don't let an empty net stand in your way.  Let the Lord borrow your ship & let Him lead you to where the fish are."

"NEVERTHELESS AT YOUR WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NET"
"Faith is never inactive, but faith is always active, moving forward, & launching out into the deep."
"...that which is impossible with man is possible with God."
"What will you do?  The same Lord who borrowed Peter's ship is asking to borrow your boat to help reach the lost masses of this world."

"THE RESULT OF FAITH"
"The Lord wants to break your net.  He wants to bless you beyond your wildest dreams."

"A 2ND SHIP"
"Why don't you let Him bless you, & why don't you let Him break your net?  Why don't you go & get another boat to hold God's blessings?"
"The work of God must have everyone doing his part."
"He knows your net may be empty, but if you will obey, He will bless you beyond your wildest dreams."
"Why don't you let down your net down into the water, 
There's a blessing waiting you cannot contain
Why don't you let down your net & wade out in the water,
He's pouring out the latter rain."
Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 243 - 256.

CHAPTER 30
"WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?"
"(the great confession)"
Matthew 16:13-16

"THE QUESTION OF THE AGES"
"'Whom do men say (that) I (the Son of Man) am?'  This one question constitutes the question of the ages.  How one answers this question determines where one will spend eternity.  How one answers this question determines what one really knows about Jesus Christ.  How you answer that question determines who you are & where you are going."

"THE CHURCH HAS FORGOTTEN WHO CHRIST IS"
"In too many churches in America, the Jesus presented is not the Jesus of the Bible."
"In too many churches, Christ is just a good guy who wants to make you feel good about yourself & have a good laugh.""

"BUT WHOM SAY YOU THAT I AM?"
"Association & proximity to Christ doesn't mean one knows Christ.  How many people sitting on our church pews really know who Christ is?"

"YOU ARE THE CHRIST"
"Christ means 'anointed' & in this sense, it referred to Him being the Messiah & King."

"WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?"
"He is the Son of God & the Redeemer of mankind."
"Who is Jesus Christ?  The Word of God tells us:

• He is the seed of the woman, Jehovah, Shiloh & the star out of Jacob.
• He is the prophet, King, Rock of salvation, the Anointed One, & the Son of God.
• He is the sanctuary, He is wonderful, He is Counselor, He is the mighty God, He is the Prince of Peace, & the everlasting Father.
• He is the root of Jesse, the branch, the polished shaft, & desire of all nations.
• He is sun of righteousness, refiner & purifier, the Son of Abraham, the son of David, Master, Son of Man, the Great Physician, & our Sabbath rest.
• He is the bridegroom, the friend of sinners, horn of salvation, the Word, the Lamb of God, & the gift of God.  He is the Bread of Life, He is the Light of the World, He is our Great Shepherd, He is the way, the truth, & He is the life.
• He is the door, He is the Passover, He is the author & finisher of our faith, He is a nail in a sure place, He is the morning star, He is the lion of the tribe of Judah, & He is the King of kings & Lord of lords.
• He is the Savior, the healer, & the baptizer in the Holy Spirit.  He is Christ, the Son of the living God, the only one who can redeem mankind from his sin & make that person a brand-new creation."

"He is my Savior & my Lord, that's who Jesus Christ is."

CHAPTER 31
"AMAZING GRACE"
Ephesians 2:8, 9

"EPHESUS"
"Ephesus was a celebrated city of Ionia in Asia Minor in what is now modern Turkey.  The city was most known as the home of the temple of Diana, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world."
"It was in this city of culture & pagan worship that Paul introduced the gospel of Jesus Christ in about the year A.D. 54 (Acts 18:19)."
"Paul remained at Ephesus preaching the gospel longer than he did at any other place."

"GRACE"
"...in 6 chapters, Paul would use the word grace 12 times."

"WHAT IS GRACE?"
"The theological definition of grace is 'unmerited favor.'  It has been called 'pure unrecompensed kindness & favor.'  ...a better explanation  ...'the goodness of God extended to undeserving believers.'  We deserved the wrath of God as all of us are born in sin, sons & daughters of Adam, but God in love & kindness has chosen to deal with sinful man on the basis of grace."

"THE CROSS & GRACE"
"There is no grace without the Cross.  Grace always refers to the sacrificial offering of God's Son, Jesus Christ, on Calvary's Cross as the only remedy for man's sinful dilemma.  Simply put, no Cross, no grace."
"The Cross is the supreme expression of grace."
"Grace is love in administration.  Grace is love counteracting sin & seeking lost humanity's salvation."
"...Jesus Christ.  He alone is the embodiment of grace, the picture of grace, & the truth of grace, & the church must never forget that."

"FAITH"
"...grace is realized by the believing sinner through faith.  Faith is the only means by which undeserving man can receive anything from the Lord.  Faith,  ...means 'belief & trust.'  It is believing & accepting what God has said in His Word."
"Faith means that we place our past, present, & future hopes, dreams, & our entire being in Christ."

"PROPER FAITH"
"...faith in what Christ did at the Cross for undeserving humanity."
"The Cross is to be the foundation, & the only foundation, of our faith."

"NOT OF YOURSELVES"
"Man plays no part in salvation except for his expression of faith.  Man is spiritually & morally bankrupt."
Ephesians 2:4-5

"IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD"
"No matter how wicked & sinful man may be, & no matter how guilty & undeserving we are, the God of glory has a free gift for all who accept."

"NOT OF WORKS"
"...salvation cannot be secured by any works of man."
Romans 11:6
"All human works & efforts are excluded from the equation."
"Man has been deluded in the belief that he can save himself."
"Oh, the folly of man who knows he can't save himself, yet he thinks he can sanctify himself through works."

"LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST"
"...while grace glorifies God, works glorify man.  Works always produce self-righteousness."
"One should continually boast in the Lord.  We should boast of His goodness, His grace, & His longsuffering, but never boast of ourselves."
Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 227 - 242.

CHAPTER 7
"The sin of a land bring foreign invasions upon it & betrays the most advantageous posts & passes to the enemy"
"...judgment, ordinarily, begins at the house of God."
"God is often found of those who seek him not, much more will he be found of those who seek him diligently.  He speaks comfort to many who not only are not worthy of it, but do not so much as enquire after it."
"The more we have an eye to God as a consuming fire the less reason we shall have to fear men, though they are ever so furious, nay, we shall be able to despise them as smoking firebrands."
"...those that love to do mischief cannot expect to do well."
"Those that are most scornful are commonly least successful, for surely God scorns the scorners."
"Whatever stands against God, or thinks to stand without him, cannot stand long."
"The grace of faith is absolutely necessary to the quieting & composing of th emind in the midst of all the tosses of this present time.  II Chronicles 20:20."
"God tells us nothing but what he is able & ready to prove."
"Nothing is more grievous to the God of heaven than to be distrusted."
"One mercy from God encourages us to hope for another."
"Let those that will not mix faith with the promises of God expect to hear the alarms of his threatenings."
"The longer men continue in sin the sorer punishments they have reason to expect."
"Many are beaten with that arm of flesh which they trusted to rather than to the arm of the Lord, & which they were at a great expense upon, when by faith & prayer they might have found cheap & easy succour in God."
"God can soon turn a fruitful land into barrenness; & it is just with him to turn vines into briers if we, instead of bringing forth grapes to him, bring forth wild grapes."

CHAPTER 8
"Those that speak & write of the things of God, should avoid obscurity, & study to speak & write so as to be understood.  I Corinthians 14:19."
"Those that spoil others must expect to be themselves spoiled; for the Lord is righteous, & those that are troublesome shall be troubled."
"If we value men, if we over-value them, for their worldly wealth & power, it is just with God to make them thereby a scourge to us."
"In the greatest deluge of trouble God can & will keep the head of his people above water, & so preserve their comforts & spiritual lives"
"What sets itself against God, & his cause & counsel, cannot stand, but must inevitably fall."
"There is a proneness in the best of men to be frightened at threatening clouds, especially when fears are epidemic."
"Those whom God loves & owns he will instruct & enable to swim against the stream of common corruptions, particularly of common fears."
"The believing fear of God is a special preservative against the disquieting fear of man"
"If we sanctify God by our praises, he will sanctify us by his grace."
"Those that truly fear God shall not need to fear any evil."
"Those ministers can best recommend the word of God to others that have themselves found the satisfaction of relying upon it."
"Those that wait upon God by faith & prayer may look for him with hope & joy."
"Should not a people in doubt, in want, & in danger, seek to their God for direction, supply & protection?"
"What life or light can we look for from those that have no light or life themselves?"
"Make God's statutes your counsellors, & you will be counselled aright."
"Those that go away from God go out of the way of all good."
"The foolishness of man perverts his way, & then his heart frets against the Lord.  Proverbs 19:3."
"Those that shut their eyes against the light of God's word will justly be abandoned to darkness, & left to wander endlessly, & the sparks of their own kindling will do them no kindness."

CHAPTER 9
"In the worst of times God's people have a nevertheless to comfort themselves with, something to allay & balance their troubles; they are persecuted, but not forsaken (II Corinthians 4:9), sorrowful yet always rejoicing.  II Corinthians 6:10."
"When the gospel comes to any place, to any soul, light comes, a great light, a shining light, which will shine more & more."
"The gospel, when it comes in its light & power, brings joy along with it, & those who receive it aright do therein rejoice, yea, & will rejoice"
"The gospel brings with it plenty & victory; but those that would have the joy of it must expect to go through a hard work, as the husbandmen before he has the joy of harvest, & a hard conflict, as the soldier before he has the joy of dividing the spoil; but the joy, when it comes, will be an abundant recompence for the toil."
"The design of the gospel & the grace of it, is to break the yoke of sin & Satan, to remove the burden of guilt & corruption, & to free us from the rod of those oppressors, that we might be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
"Christ's being born & given to us is the great foundation of our hopes, & fountain of our joys, in times of greatest grief & fear."
"The more we are subject to Christ the more easy & safe we are."
"Those are ripening space for ruin whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences; for God will walk contrary to those who thus walk contrary to him & provoke him to jealousy, as if they were stronger than he."
"That which God designs, in smiting us, is to turn us to himself & to set us a seeking him; &, if this point be not gained by less judgments, greater may be expected."
"When men's ways displease the Lord he makes even their friends to be at war with them."
"Men's passion & cruelty one against another provoke God to be angry with them all"

CHAPTER 10
"Great men, who tyrannise over the poor, think they shall never be called to account for their tyranny, shall never hear of it again, or fare the worse for it; but shall not God visit for these things?  Jeremiah 5:29."
"Nothing but utter ruin can be expected by those that live without God in the world, that cast him behind their back, & so cast themselves out of his protection."
"Sometimes God makes an idolatrous nation, that serves him not at all, a scourge to a hypocritical nation, that serves him not in sincerity & truth."
"When God's professing people wallow in the mire of sin it is just with God to suffer their enemies to tread upon them like mire."
"Men have their ends & God has his, but we are sure the counsel of the Lord shall stand."
"The tool striving with the workman is no less absurd than the clay striving with the potter; & as it is a thing not to be justified that men should fight against God with the wit, & wealth, & power, which he gives the, so it is a thing not to be suffered."
"Let us not fear the hosts of any enemy if we have the Lord of hosts for us."
"Great armies before him are but as great woods, which he can fell or fire when he pleases."
"By our afflictions we may learn not to make creatures our confidence."
"We should not be frightened at those enemies that can do no more than frighten us."
"The storm shall soon blow over"
"God's anger against his people is but for a moment (Psalms 30:5)."
"The more daring the church's enemies are, & the more dastardly those are that should appear for her, the more will God be exalted in his own strength"
"Those that lift up themselves in competition with God or opposition to him shall be abased.  The power of the enemy shall be broken"
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Isaiah to Malachi​, Mac Donald, pgs. 44 - 72.

"AGAIN"
Job 2:1 - 8 ESB
"It is...  believed that Job was the first book of the Bible to be written."

"JOB'S THEME"
"...the theme of Job is not the conversion of a sinner, but the consecration of the saint."
"Job explains to us why bad things happen to good people.  Bad things happen to bring us to a place of abhorrence of self & to dependence upon the Lord, to bring us to the place where we can say, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust (in) Him' (Job 13:15)."

"JUSTIFICATION & SANCTIFICATION"
"Romans 3:23...  Job was doing all he could do to please God & to serve Him."
"1. Justification is the act of God declaring one not guilty, innocent of all charges, & perfect as though the individual has never sinned.  This is done upon the person's simple faith in Christ & His atoning sacrifice at Calvary."
"2. Sanctification is different (as it comes first) in that at conversion, the believing sinner is instantly, totally, & perfectly sanctified.  In I Corinthians 6:11, Paul writes:  'And such were some of you:  but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, & by the Spirit of God.'"
"Sanctification is making one clean while justification is declaring one clean."
"Though in God's eyes we are completely sanctified at conversion, the practical application of sanctification is progressive."

"SATAN CAN ONLY DO WHAT GOD ALLOWS HIM TO DO!"
"...everything that happens to us as believers is either caused or allowed by God."
"So, in the space of one day, Job lost his wealth, his children, his servants, & his livestock."
"(Job 1:22)...  Job did not blame the Lord of Glory for his situation."

"THE WORD AGAIN IN CHAPTER 2"
"(Job 2:1).  In this one word - again - there is a wealth of truth that we must all learn.  This word tells us the following:
1. There is nothing the believer can do that will stop Satan from coming again & again to steal, kill & destroy.  I Peter 4:12 says, 'Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.'  Satan is never going to stop warring against the child of God.
2. ...Satan's attacks are to weaken our faith or to destroy our faith.  If we ever lose faith, we lose everything.  Luke, Chapter 22, Verses 31 & 32...  He had prayed that Peter's faith not fail.  It's one thing for us to fail, & we all do, but it's something else for our faith to fail.
3. Faith is the means by which God works in our lives - faith in Christ & what He did on Calvary's Cross.  Our faith is in Christ & the Cross & is the means by which all of His grace flows to us.  Christ is the source, & the Cross is the means.
4. ...God allows Satan this latitude.
5. Trials are Satan's efforts to destroy us & God's efforts to build us up & to develop us.
6. We learn that trials are for our good, to bring us to a place of total dependence upon the Lord."
"Again & again & again, Satan will come, but the Lord of Glory, the maker of heaven & earth, will not let Satan destroy us, but He will comfort us, help us, & restore to us if we don't give up."
"Don't lose hope.  You may be in the midst of an 'again' situation, but remember, the Lord brought Job through, & He will bring you through."
Church, Read The Book Of Acts, & Get Ready!, by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 219 - 226.

CHAPTER 3
"Christ the bread of life & the water of life; if he be our stay, we shall find that this is a good part not to be taken away.  John 4:14; 6:27."
"When young people are conceited & pert, & behave scornfully towards their superiors, their conduct is not only a reproach to themselves, but of ill consequence to the public"
"Rulers must be healers, & good rulers will be so; they must study to unite their subjects, & not widen the differences that are among them.  Those only that are fit for government that are of a meek, quiet, healing, spirit."
"The ruin both of persons & people is owing to their sins.  If they did not provoke God, he would do them no hurt.  Jeremiah 25:6."
"Whatever evil befalls sinners it is of their own procuring.  Jeremiah 2:19."
"Those that are past shame (we say) are past grace, & then past hope."
"The greatest of men cannot exempt or secure themselves from the scrutiny & sentence of God's judgment."
"The prophet's business was to show all sorts of people what they had contributed to the national guilt & what share they must expect in the national judgments that were coming."
"If sin be harboured within the walls, lamentation & mourning are near the gates."

CHAPTER 4
"He that was a reproach of men, & whose visage was marred more than any man's, is now, in the upper world, beautiful & glorious, as the sun in his strength, admired & adored by angels."
"If Christ be precious to us, his gospel will be so & all its truths & promises - his church will be so, & all that belong to it."
"...God will reserve to himself a holy seed"
"...God will reform his church & will rectify & amend whatever is amiss in it."
"Reformation-work is God's work"
"The Spirit works as fire.  Matthew 3:11."
"Those that are sanctified are well fortified; for God will be to them a guide & a guard."
"Gospel truths & ordinances, the scriptures & the ministry, are the church's glory; & upon all this glory there is a defence, & ever shall be, for the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church."
"In this world we must expect change of weather & all the inconveniences that attend it; we shall meet with storm & rain in this lower region, & at other times the heat of the day no less burdensome; but God is a refuge to his people in all weathers."

CHAPTER 5
"See what variety of methods the great God takes to awaken sinners to repentance by convincing them of sin, & showing them their misery & danger by reason of it."
"...the Jewish church & nation   ...He (God) acknowledged them as his own, set them apart for himself."
"God expects vineyard fruit from those that enjoy vineyard-privileges, not leaves only, as Mark 11:13.  A bare profession, though ever so green, will not serve:  there must be more than buds & blossoms.  Good purposes & good beginnings are good things but not enough; there must be fruit, a good heart & a good life, vineyard fruit, thoughts & affections, words & actions, agreeable to the Spirit, which is the fatness of the vineyard (Gal. 5:22, 23)."
"Wild grapes are the fruits of the corrupt nature."
"Where grace does not work corruption will.  Wild grapes are hypocritical performances in religion, that look like grapes, but are sour or bitter, & are so far from being pleasing to God that they are provoking."
"Counterfeit graces are wild grapes."
"When errors & corruptions, vice & immorality, go without check or control, no testimony borne against them, no rebuke given them or restraint put upon them, the vineyard is unpruned, is not dressed, or ridded; & then it will soon be like the vineyard of the man void of understanding, all grown over with thorns."
"The curse of barrenness is the punishment of the sin of barrenness, as Mark 11:14."
"It is sad with a people when wickedness has usurped the place of judgment, Ecclesiastes 3:16.  It is very sad with a soul when instead of the grapes of humility, meekness, patience, love & contempt of the world, which God looks for, there are the wild grapes of pride, passion, discontent, malice & contempt of God - instead of the grapes of praying & praising, the wild grapes of cursing & swearing, which are a great offence to God."
"Those that set their hearts upon the world will justly be disappointed in their expectations from it."
"Sensuality ruins men as certainly as worldliness & oppression."
"It is just with God to make men want that for necessity which they have abused to excess."
"He will herein be exalted as the Lord of hosts, that is able to break the strongest, humble the proudest, & tame the most unruly."
"When proud men are humbled the great God is honoured, & ought to be honoured by us."
"Those that willfully persist in sin consider not the power of God's anger."
"...sin & wickedness are evil; they are darkness, all the fruit of ignorance & mistake, & will be bitterness in the latter end."
"God resists the proud, those particularly who are conceited of their own wisdom & lean to their own understanding"
"Let not those expect to live easily who live thus wickedly; for the righteous God will take vengeance"
"Sin weakens the strength, the root, of a people, so that they are easily rooted up; it defaces the beauty, the blossoms, of a people, & takes away the hopes of fruit."
"Those who defy God's judgments will be ashamed of their insolence when it is too late"
"Those who would not hear the voice of God speaking to them by his prophets, but stopped their ears against their charms, shall be made to hear the voice of their enemies roaring against them & shall not be able to turn a deaf ear to it."
"It is our wisdom, by keeping a good conscience, to keep all clear between us & heaven, that we may have light from above even when clouds & darkness are round about us."

CHAPTER 6
"Those who are to teach others the knowledge of God ought to be well acquainted with him themselves."
"If angels be thus reverent in their attendance on God, with what godly fear should we approach his throne!"
"Praising God always was, & will be to eternity, the work of heaven, & the constant employment of blessed spirits above.  Psalms 84:4."
"The impurity of our lips ought to be the grief of our souls, for by our words we shall be justified or condemned."
"He saw God's sovereignty to be incontestable - he is the King; & his power irresistible - he is the Lord of hosts."
"Those are fittest to be employed for God who are low in their own eyes & are made deeply sensible of their own weakness & unworthiness."
"...those that are struck down with the visions of God's glory shall soon be raised up again with the visits of his grace"
"Those only who are thus purged from an evil conscience are prepared to serve the living God.  Hebrews 9:14.  The taking away of sin is necessary to our speaking with confidence & comfort either to God in prayer or from God in preaching"
"It is a rare thing to find one who is fit to go for God, & to carry his messages to the children of men:  Whom shall I send?  Who is sufficient?"
"It is Christ's work to put men into the ministry.  I Timothy 1:12."
"Though far the greater part should perish in their unbelief, yet to some his word should be a savour of life unto life.  Ministers do not wholly lose their labour if they be but instrumental to save one poor soul."
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Isaiah to Malachi, Mac Donald, pgs. 19 - 44.

CHAPTER 1
"The prophets were called seers, or seeing men, & therefore their prophecies are fitly called visions."
"Good men & good ministers must expect bad times in this world, & prepare for them."
"God will be justified when he speaks, & both heaven & earth shall declare his righteousness.  Micah 6:1, 2; Psalms 1:6."
"We owe the continuance of our lives & comforts, & all our advancements, to God's fatherly care of us & kindness to us."
"All the instances of God's favour to us, as the God both of our nature & of our nurture, aggravate our treacherous departures from him & all our presumptuous oppositions to him - children, & yet rebels!"
"It is ill with a people when sin become national."
"The backslidings of those that have professed...  relation to God are in a special manner provoking to him."
"Diseases in the head & heart are most dangerous; now the head, the whole head, is sick - the heart, the whole heart, is faint."
"In the worst of times there is a remnant preserved from iniquity & reserved for mercy, as Noah & his family in the deluge."
"It is God's work to sanctify & save some, when others are left to perish in their impurity."
"It is good for a people that have been saved from utter ruin to look back & see how near they were to it, just upon the brink of it, to see how much they owed to a few good men that stood in the gap, & that that was owing to a good God, who left them these good men.  It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed."
"Malice is heart-murder in the account of God; he that hates his brother in his heart has, in effect, his hands full of blood."
"...to obey is better than sacrifice; nay, that sacrifice, without obedience, is a jest, an affront & provocation to God."
"God is never weary of hearing the prayers of the upright, but soon weary of the costly sacrifices of the wicked."
"It is not only sorrowing for the sin they had committed, but breaking off the practice of it for the future, & mortifying all those vicious affections & dispositions which inclined them to it."
"It is not enough that we cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well."
"We must be doing good, the good which the Lord our God requires & which will turn to a good account."
"We are truly honouring God when we are doing good in the world; & acts of justice & charity are more pleasing to him than all burn-offerings & sacrifices."
"Those, & those only, that break off their league with sin, shall be welcome into covenant & communion with God"
"The greatest sinners, if they truly repent, shall have their sins forgiven them, & so have their consciences pacified & purified."
"If we make ourselves clean by repentance & reformation, God will make us white by a full remission."
"If you refuse & rebel, if you continue to rebel against the divine government & refuse the offers of divine grace, you shall be devoured with the sword, with the sword of your enemies"
"Righteous princes & righteous cities are as silver for the treasury, but unrighteous ones are as dross for the dunghill."
"Wicked people, especially wicked rulers that are cruel & oppressive, are God's enemies, his adversaries, & shall so be accounted & so dealt with."
"The reformation of a people is God's own work, & if ever it be done, it is he that brings it about."
"Those that make creatures their confidence are but preparing confusion for themselves."

CHAPTER 2
"...Christ's disciples are compared to a city on a hill, which cannot be hid.  Matthew 5:14."
"Those that are entering into covenant & communion with God themselves should bring as many as they can along with them; it becomes Christians to provoke one another to good works, & to further the communion of saints by inviting one another into it"
"God's ways are to be learned in his church, in communion with his people, & in the use of instituted ordinances - the ways of duty which he requires us to walk in, the ways of grace in which he walks towards us.  It is God that teaches his people by his word & Spirit."
"The gospel of Christ, as far as it prevails, disposes men to be peaceable, softens men's spirits, & sweetens them; & the love of Christ, shed abroad in the heart, constrains men to love one another."
"Those are in danger of being estranged from God who please themselves with those who are strangers to him, for we soon learn the ways of those whose company we love."
"What a shame is it that great men think the service of the true God below them & will not stoop to it, & yet will humble themselves to bow down to an idol!"
"Those that will not fear God & flee to him will be forced to fear him & flee from him to a refuge of lies."
"The shaking of the earth is, & will be, a terrible thing to those who set their affections wholly on things of the earth."
"Pride will, one way or other, have a fall.  Men's haughtiness will be brought down, either by the grace of God convincing them of the evil of their pride, & clothing them with humility, or by the providence of God depriving them of all those things they were proud of & laying them low."
"Proud men stand in competition with God, who is jealous for his own glory, & will not suffer men either to take to themselves or give to another that which is due to him only."
"The rightful Sovereign will triumph over all pretenders."
"Put not your trust in man, nor make even the greatest & mightiest of men your confidence; cease to do so.  Let not your eye be to the power of man, for it is finite & limited, derived & depending; it is not from him that your judgment proceeds.  Let not him be your fear, let not him be your hope; but look up to the power of God, to which all the powers of men are subject & subordinate; dread his wrath, ensure his favour, take him for your help, & let your hope be in the Lord your God."
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Isaiah to Malachi, Mac Donald, pgs. 2 - 19.

CHAPTER 7
"Those that honour Christ he will certainly honour, & make honourable."
"When we rest not in good affections, but they are accompanied with sincere endeavours & resolutions, then our feet are beautified with shoes."
"The name of the Lord, improved by faith, is to the saints as a strong & impregnable tower."
"The more we get above this world, & the nearer to heaven, & the more secure & serene we become by that means, the more amiable we are in the eyes of the Lord Jesus."
"Holiness is a beauty beyond expression; the Lord Jesus is wonderfully pleased with it;"
"Christ's presence with his people kindles the holy heavenly fire in their souls"
"The presence of Christ, by his Spirit, with his people shall be reviving & refreshing to them"
"...the word of Spirit of Christ will put life & vigour into the soul, & out of the abundance of the heart that is thus filled the mouth will speak."
"Christ's desire was strongly towards his chosen remnant, when he came from heaven to earth to seek & save them"
"Those that would converse with Christ must go forth from the world & the amusements of it, must avoid every thing that would divert the mind & be a hinderance to it when it should be wholly taken up with Christ"
"The fruits & exercises of grace are pleasant to the Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER 8
"Those that know Christ shall be taught of him; & therefore we should desire communion with Christ that we may receive instruction from him.  He has come that he might give us an understanding."
"Those that are pleased with Christ must study to be pleasing to him"
"While we are following hard after Christ, his right hand sustains us.  Psalms 63:8.  Underneath are the everlasting arms."
"A sinful state is a wilderness, remote from communion with God, barren & dry, & in which there is no true comfort; it is a wandering, wanting state."
"We must go up from the wilderness of this world having our conversation in heaven"
"...if we desire & expect that Christ should set us as a seal on his heart, surely we cannot do less than set him as a seal on ours."
"Christ's love to us, was strong as death, for it broke through death itself.  He loved us, & gave himself for us."
"...those that truly love Christ are jealous of every thing that would draw them from him."
"...the reigning love of God in the soul is constant & firm, & will not be drawn on from him either by fair means or foul, by life or death.  Romans 8:38."
"No waters could quench Christ's love to us, nor any floods drown it"
"Those that through grace are brought to Christ themselves should contrive what they may do to help others to him, to carry on the great design of his gospel, which is to espouse souls to Christ & convert sinners to him from whom they have departed."
"Those are happy, truly happy, & for ever so, that have the favour of God & are accepted of him."
"Our hearts are our vineyards, which we must keep with all diligence; & therefore we must have a watchful jealous eye upon them at all times."
"In the midst of our communion with one another we must not neglect our communion with Christ, but let him see our countenance, & hear our voice"
"Christ not only accepts & answers, but even courts his people's prayers, not reckoning them a trouble to him, but an honour & a delight.  Proverbs 15:8."
"...those whose hearts go a whoring after the world, & who set their affections on the things of the earth, they cannot love his appearing, but dread it rather, because then the earth, & all the things of it which they have chosen for their portion, will be burnt up.  But those that truly love Christ long for his second coming, because it will be the crown both of his glory & their bliss."
"If a day in his courts be so sweet, what then will an eternity within the veil be?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary:  Job To Song Of Solomon​, Mac Donald, pgs. 1091 - 1101.