TDR: 19 September (Romans 6:14)

‘Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace’  (Romans 6:14) What a precious promise. How many of the Lord’s people have been cheered and encouraged by it. Sin lives in us, works in us, fights in us, but it shall not reign. It may annoy, it shall not…

‘He does not forget the cry of the afflicted’  (Psalms 9:12) The humble grateful soul, may receive anything from the Lord; so great is His love to them, and His delight in them. They cry to the Lord to be kept from every false way, from falling into sin, and that they may be devoted…

‘Fight the good fight of faith’  (1 Timothy 6:12) Faith has to fight with the deep and dire depravity of the heart, with error and superstition, with despondency, unbelief and carnal reasoning, with Satan and the world at large. Faith has to fight for victory, for a crown, for God’s glory. True faith fights in…

‘Even to your old age and gray hairs I will carry you’  (Isaiah 46:4) What a sweet portion is this for the ageing disciples of the Lord Jesus: heart and flesh may fail them, but God will not forsake them. Having begun a good work in them, He will carry it on. His gifts and…

‘The end of all things is near’ (1 Peter 4:7) The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; only Jehovah’s word, love, purposes, and perfections remain the same. The world passes away; but whoever does the will of God remains for ever. The end of all things is near; our labours will soon cease;…

Jacob said: ‘I have everything that I want’  (Genesis 33:11) Poor Jacob left his father’s house with only a staff, but he returned with two bands; so greatly had the Lord prospered him. But it was not his earthly possessions, but the kindness of his brother, and the grace of his God, which led him…

‘Let perseverance finish its work’  (James 1:4) Perseverance (or ‘patience’ in some versions) supposes trials and troubles; it signifies to remain under a burden; it is opposed to fretfulness, murmuring, haste, and despondency; it produces submission, silence before God, and satisfaction with His dealings. The Holy Spirit produces this grace by means of afflictions; tribulation…

‘I lay down My life for the sheep’  (John 10:15) Jesus has His very own flock; His Father chose them and gave them to Him; He received them and became their Shepherd; they wandered and were doomed to die, but He intervened and died for them. Oh, what an infinite love was the love of…

‘Do you want to get well?’  (John 5:6) The great Physician presents Himself to us this morning, and He asks, “Do you want to get well?” This is a searching question. Are you willing to be sanctified throughout? Willing that He should use what means He pleases, to conform you to Himself? Jesus is able…

‘To comfort all who mourn’  (Isaiah 61:2) The Lord’s people are all mourners; grace sets and keeps them mourning over sin committed, depravity discovered, evidences needed, comforts forfeited and lost, apparent uselessness, the sins of others, the state of the church, or for the salvation of relatives and friends. We mourn after Jesus when we…

‘Love the Lord, all His saints!’  (Psalm 31:23) Our God has revealed Himself as the source, centre, and end of everything lovely. In Jesus He appears as the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. The wealth of the universe is His. He is worthy of our highest love. He is all we could…

‘The word of our God shall stand for ever’  (Isaiah 40:8) The word of our God is like His nature, immutably the same; He says, “I will not break my covenant, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth.” Christian believer, this is your comfort; every promise is confirmed and shall be…

‘Rejoicing in hope’  (Romans 12:12) The Christian believer cannot always rejoice in possession, especially when stripped of everything; but we still may rejoice in hope even then. We are underpinned with hope for eternal life; for righteousness by faith, that God may be magnified in our earthly body, by life or by death; for the…

‘I will love them freely’  (Hosea 14:4) The Lord loves His people naturally, as parents love their children; freely, without any cause whatever in them. He looks for nothing in them to move Him to love; nor will He allow anything in them to prevent His love. He loves them as vessels of mercy, disciples…

‘Whoever comes to me I will never cast out’  (John 6:37) The strongest believer is subject to fears, and may at times be strongly tempted to doubt, not only all that God has done for him, but his right and title to every promise in God’s Book; at such times it is well to have…

‘The gospel of our salvation’ (Ephesians 1:13) Our salvation is our deliverance from sin, the curse, and the wrath of God; this was impossible to man, but God sent His own Son in our nature, to save us freely, fully and eternally. The gospel is the “good news of our salvation.” It is sent to…

‘My God will supply all your needs’  (Philippians 4:19) Paul assured believers at Philippi, and so he assures us. They had many wants, so have we; they were dependant on God, and so are we. The Lord engaged to supply them, and He is engaged to supply us. The Lord was faithful to them, and…