TDR: 24 April (John 6:35)

‘Jesus said: “I am the Bread of Life”‘ (John 6:35)

Jesus offers to be our daily sustenance. We need bread for the soul as well as the body. In Jesus is everything we need to refresh, strengthen and satisfy us; but He must be received by faith. He must be received daily. Feeding upon Jesus yesterday will not do for today.

We must go to Him afresh this morning. He offers Himself; He says, “Eat, friends, and satisfy yourselves my dear children”. If the Holy Spirit has given us a spiritual appetite, if we are hungering after righteousness, then only Jesus will satisfy us; and we are invited to live by feeding upon Him.

Therefore, let’s set Jesus before us frequently through the day and let’s endeavour to feed upon Him, so that if we feel weak, faint, or weary, let’s make use of this life-giving Bread. And let us always retain that sweet assurance that if we feed on Jesus, we shall live by Him, and have eternal life.

Dear friends, if you can make a living out of anything or anyone other than Jesus; or if Jesus is not enough in your estimation, you are either in a carnal or unhealthy state of soul. Only Jesus is THE BREAD OF LIFE: THE BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN!

Jesus, Thou art the living bread,
By which our needy souls are fed;
In Thee alone thy children find,
Enough to fill the empty mind.
Oh, let me evermore be fed
With this divine, celestial bread!

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘The Lord is still very good to me, but I am very dissatisfied with myself, and with all that is mine. I have been favoured with a prayerful spirit, and some measure of nearness to God of late, for which I bless the Lord; but I want to get nearer still. When I reflect, it appears to me that I should always be at prayer, but it is difficult to reduce the most excellent conclusions to practice !’ [continued tomorrow]