TDR: 7 March (Jeremiah 31:20)

‘Ephraim my dear son’ (Jeremiah 31:20) Poor fickle, backsliding Ephraim, is called by our infinitely gracious God. Adopted by grace into the heavenly family, taught by the Spirit and united to Jesus, God views us through Him; and having predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, He views things which are…

‘Walk a life worthy of God’ (1 Thessalonians 2:12) God has called us with a holy calling, to enjoy a holy Saviour, to believe a holy gospel, to possess a holy nature, and to walk in a holy way. All the provisions of free grace, all the promises of infinite love, and all the precepts…

‘Do not fear, for I am with you’ (Isaiah 41:10) The Lord’s people are all prone to fear because they do not realise their relationship to God, their interest in the promises of God, and that they are always in the presence of God. How graciously our God forbids our slavish fears, and encourages confidence…

Jesus said: ‘Do not fear, only believe’ (Mark 5:36) That means, take God at His word. Give Him credit for meaning what He says, for being faithful to His own word; and then what will become of your fears? God speaks to you in language which you can understand. He promises all you can possibly…

‘Let us have grace’ (Hebrews 12:28) Each day we need grace to sustain us in troubles; to subdue our corruptions; to sanctify our tempers; to preserve us in temptation; to quicken our lethargic affections; to enlarge our experience; to render us useful to others; to enable us to endure to the end; and to meet…

‘Resist the devil and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7) Every Christian believer must expect to be visited by Satan; he is our adversary; he is always watching for an opportunity to injure us. He first tempts us to sin, and then accuses us of sinning. He misrepresents every subject. He endeavours to make…

‘For your Maker is your husband’ (Isaiah 54:5) Sweet assurance! And surprising condescension! Does Jesus, by whom all things were made, fill this sweet relation? Is He my nearest and dearest relative? Yes – He loves you more than any other: He is more closely united to you, and more deeply interested in you. He…

‘I am the Living One’ (Revelation 1:18) Jesus once died in our place. He now lives at the right hand of God. He is the fountain of life. Because He lives, His people shall also live. He lives in heaven to see the travail of His soul, in the regeneration, sanctification, preservation, and glorification of…

‘All things come from You’ (1 Chronicles 29:14) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; creatures apart from God are empty cisterns, dry wells, deceitful brooks. All good dwells in your God, and flows from Him to you. Every crumb is from Christ. What He gives freely cost Him groans, sweat, and…

Jesus said: ‘I honour my Father, and you dishonour me’ (John 8:49) This is a complaint brought against us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us listen to it. He has assured us of His love, that He seeks our good, that He will not be angry with us. We dishonour Him, therefore, by our…

‘Christ is all’ (Colossians 3:11) YES – this is God’s purpose, which cannot be frustrated, that Christ shall be all. He is all in our justification and sanctification, for we are justified and sanctified IN HIS NAME. He is all in our preservation and glorification, for we are kept by His power, and enter heaven…

‘I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me‘ (Galatians 2:20) Jesus is our substitute. He lived, suffered, and died in our place. Our sins were imputed to Him, punished in Him, and removed by Him. God had cursed us, but Jesus gave Himself to bear the…

‘I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20) What was Paul? A blasphemer, a persecutor, one who injured the Church of God. And did Jesus love Paul? Yes – He is the one ‘who loved me’.  Then the love of Jesus is free, and…

‘He delights to show mercy’ (Micah 7:18) The proper object of mercy is misery; sin has rendered us miserable, and God has revealed Himself as merciful. He delights in mercy; it is a pleasure to Him to have mercy upon us; He delights to pardon our sins, relieve our necessities, and save our souls. His…

‘The LORD examines the righteous’ (Psalm 11:5) Where the Lord gives grace, He always tests it; therefore His own people must expect to pass through the fire. He will try our faith to find out what sort it is; our love, to see what strength it is. He will also try our patience and our…

‘Is the Lord’s arm too short?’ (Numbers 11:23) No – what He has done, He can do; and all He has promised or His people need, He will do. He has all power. He knows no difficulty. Why then are we cast down? Because we do not believe His word, we do not depend simply…

‘Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7) The Lord knows all His people, their situations, wants and trials. God thinks upon them to benefit, deliver, and supply them. God keeps His eye upon them in all places, at all times, and under all circumstances. He has them in…

‘You too, be patient and stand firm’ (James 5:8) Our God is a God of patience. The Lord Jesus is the great example of patience. The Holy Spirit is the agent producing patience. Trials, troubles and disappointments are the means which exercise and strengthen it. The patience required is a character to bear all that…