TDR: 12 May (Isaiah 54:17)

‘Their righteousness is from me, declares the LORD’ (Isaiah 54:17) The longer the Christian lives, the more they learn; and the more the Holy Spirit teaches them, the more they loathe themselves, renouncing their own righteousness as filthy rags. They hoped to grow in holiness, to feel their corruptions subdued, and to enjoy the presence…

‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4) This is a very difficult instruction. Sometimes the Lord hides His face; or we fear and doubt His love; perhaps we are bewildered by the powerful working of sin’s corruption within us. We can be brought down by Satan’s dire temptations; and the dealings of providence are so…

‘He does not willingly bring affliction’ (Lamentations 3:33) Our afflictions do not flow from sovereignty, but from our Heavenly Father’s wisdom, holiness, and love. He finds no pleasure in our pains, groans, and sighs. He is never hasty in using the rod: mercy flies to help us, but He is slow to anger and of…

‘The glory of His grace’ (Ephesians 1:6) The glory of grace is its FREENESS: it fixes upon objects that are most unworthy; it bestows upon them the richest blessings; it raises them to the highest honour; it promises them the greatest happiness; and all for its own glory. Nothing can be freer than grace. The…

‘Wait for the LORD, and He will deliver you’ (Proverbs 20:22) Dear friends, it is your privilege in every perplexity and trial to go to the Lord, to spread your case before Him, to plead His precious promises, and to wait expecting Him to appear for you. Wait on Him for light to discover the…

‘O Israel, I will not forget you’ (Isaiah 44:21) What tenderness, mercy and love are here! Friends forget us, relatives are careless about us, and we sometimes fear that God has forgotten us; but here He assures us that we shall never be forgotten by Him. Our names are in His book; our Representative is…

‘Pray without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17) In prayer we must approach God as our Father, ask of Him what we really need, and expect to receive according to His wisdom and word. Our wants are constantly returning, therefore our prayers should be constantly ascending. The ear of God is always open; He is always ready…

‘Being in anguish’ (Luke 22:44) Dear friends, let us visit Gethsemane this morning and see this strange sight. Here is our surety; the only-begotten Son of God; the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person; groaning on the cold ground and baptised in blood. His heart is filled with horror and…

‘I will heal your backslidings’ (Jeremiah 3:22) Sin brings sickness. The believer can only be healthy as they walk with Christ, live above the world, and look for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the feet of Jesus we are safe, and shall be healthy; but if we wander from Him, spiritual disease…

‘Has your Counsellor perished?’ (Micah 4:9) The Lord’s people need counsel, and Jesus is given to them as a COUNSELLOR. He is exactly suited to their needs, being possessed of infinite wisdom, unbounded benevolence, great experience, and high honour. He never lost a cause. He counsels freely, cheerfully, and successfully. He turns the counsel of…

‘But grow in grace’ (2 Peter 3:18) Never rest satisfied with your present attainments. God has much to bestow, and we are capable of receiving much, enjoying much and using much to His glory. As the tree planted in good soil grows both in the root and the branches, so should the Christian; he or…

‘I will be a Father to you’ (2 Corinthians 6:18) Nobody can be a loser by adhering to God’s holy word, for they are promised a hundred-fold in the present life, and eternal life in the world to come. Carnal connections must be broken off. Decision of character must be manifested. The world must be…

‘Teach me what I cannot see’ (Job 34:32) We were once blind, but now our eyes are open: but we are still absolutely dependant on divine teaching, or we shall never become truly wise. If God teaches us, self will become vile; the world will become vanity; sin bitter; the blood of Christ most precious;…

‘But you are rich’ (Revelation 2:9) Real saints always feel themselves to be poor sinners. Many of God’s people are really poor in reference to the things of time, for God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom, which He has promised to those that love Him.…

‘Though I am nothing’ (2 Corinthians 12:11) This was Paul’s estimate of himself: less than the least of all saints, and the chief of sinners. The more we know of ourselves and of Jesus, the more we shall be humbled in the dust before God; and the lower we lie before God, the happier and…

‘I, even I, am He who comforts you’ (Isaiah 51:12) The Lord’s people are often low and despondent; they do not live up to their privileges; the things all around make too much impression, because they do not sufficiently realise eternal things. But Jehovah is their COMFORTER: as such He presents Himself to us this…

‘Behold the Man’ (John 19:5) Jesus is presented before you crowned with thorns, scourged, with His face so marred beyond recognition. His blood is flowing. His heart is breaking, and here He is: a Man of sorrows. Behold Him then, for in this Man, under these circumstances, dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead within…

‘Who makes you different from anyone else?’ (1 Corinthians 4:7) There is a wide difference between a Christian and a not-yet Christian; the one is dead in trespasses and sins, the other is alive unto God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian has been quickened by the Son of God, born of the Spirit…