Salvation is the work of God. It is He alone who quickens the soul "dead in trespasses and sins," and it is He also who maintains the soul in its spiritual life. He is both "Alpha and Omega." If I am prayerful, God makes me prayerful. If I have graces, they are God's gift to me. If I hold on in a consistent life, it is because He upholds me with His hand. I do nothing toward my own preservation, except what God Himself first does in me. If I sin, that is my own doing; but if I act rightly, that is of God, wholly and completely. Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ who lives in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself--God's Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I weaned from the world? I am weaned by God's chastisement sanctified to my good. Do I grow in knowledge? The great Instructor teaches me. He only is my rock and my salvation. Do I feed on the Word? That Word would be no food for me unless the Lord made it food for my soul and helped me to feed on it. Am I continually receiving fresh increase of strength? Where do I gather my might? My help comes from heaven's hills. Without Jesus I can do nothing. As a branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can I, except I abide in Him. What Jonah learned in the great deep, let me learn this morning in my prayer closet. Salvation is of the Lord.