My dear readers,

(Extracts from Daily Remembrancer by Pastor James Smith, edited by Dr SH Tow)

1. “Good tidings of great joy” Lk 2:10 (January 12 EVENING)

APART FROM THE COMING OF JESUS THE EARTH IS DOOMED. Without Christ all is hopeless and dark. There is everything in our hearts to cast us down, and fill us with dejection; daily we meet with things in the world, or the family, or the church, to make us sorrowful: but the gospel brings us glad tidings of great joy. It sets before us the Saviour, and what a Saviour! One who is God and can deliver us, one who is man and will sympathize with us; One who knows by experience what our trials mean, and who brings all the resources of God to meet our need; so that we may well ask, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” In His blood there is a full, a certain pardon for all sin; in His obedience, a righteousness to justify us freely and forever before God; in His fullness, an endless variety of blessings to supply our needs; and in His promises, comfort to cheer us in our most gloomy hours. He is a Saviour for sinners; all He did, He did for sinners, just such sinners as we daily feel ourselves to be. For such He obeyed the law; for such He now pleads before His Father; it is just such sinners that He invites to His bosom, and for such He is preparing mansions in heaven. O believing reader, go today and declare the good tidings of great joy, that Jesus saves, and He has saved you.

This love exceeds our highest thought;
Its length and breadth in vain are sought:
No tongue can tell its depth and height,
The love of God is infinite.

2. “Him that loved us” Rom 8:37 (May 11 EVENING)

OUR LORD LOVES US TO THE END. Ponder the love of God, the thought of being loved by Him. There is something peculiarly sweet and pleasant in being the object of another’s love. No condition can possibly be more dreary than to feel that no one loves or cares for us. Even the love of a child is sweet. But to be loved by one who is wealthy, exalted in station, and honourable in character, must be peculiarly delightful. How, then, should we rejoice; how happy should we be who are the loved ones of the Lord Jesus! When we consider, on the one hand, how mean, how poor, how worthless, and how unlovely we are; and, on the other, how glorious, how great, how worthy, how glorious, how lovely He is. To be loved of Jesus, is to be preferred before the possession of the world. Think of the glory of His person, the vastness of His creation, the number of His attendants, the unlimited sovereignty which He exercises, and the excellent character He bears. Bear in mind, that He knew what loving us would cost Him, how He would be treated by us and by others for our sakes. Yet He fixed His love upon us. He loved just because He would. He chose us. Such is God’s love.

Resting on Christ, secure we stand,
His love shall order all things well;
We soon shall gain the Promised Land,
Triumphant o’er the powers of hell.

3. “Who hath saved us” 2 Tim 1:9 (April 8 EVENING)

SALVATION IS A PRESENT BLESSING BROUGHT TO US ONLY BY JESUS. If we are in Christ we are saved. Our God has pardoned our sins, He has justified our persons, He has changed our nature and He has given us eternal life. We now receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. We are not perfectly delivered from all evils, foes, and fears yet; but then final deliverance is certain. We are not in the exact likeness of our Lord now, but we shall be when He appears, for we shall see Him as He is. Every believer is in a justified state, and as such we should walk with God, work for God, and suffer according to the will of God. Christ is ours, and all He has is ours. The promises are ours, and all they contain is ours. God is ours, and all He can do with us consistent with His perfections and government, He will do. It is this that strengthens us to labour, gives us courage in the conflict, casts out all slavish fear, and consecrates us entirely to the Lord. Let this then be the subject of meditation tonight, until we repose into the arms of sleep. God has saved me. He may not have given me health, or wealth, or a perfect home; but he has saved me, and saved me with an everlasting salvation, and that’s sufficient for me.

Saved in Christ from hell and death,
O may I seek the things above;
And evermore the spirit breathe
Of praise, contentment, and love.

4. “The gift of God is eternal life” Rom 6:23 (December 9 EVENING)

“THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON. HE THAT HATH THE SON HATH LIFE.”  But he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  We deserve only eternal death: this is the force of law hanging over our heads. But God has given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son Jesus. In Him we have the promise of a new life, eternally free from sin, sorrow, sickness, pain and death. In Him we have everlasting life, meaning the enjoyment of holiness, honour, peace, pleasure, and complete satisfaction, dwelling with God. Eternal life is given freely as the expression of Jehovah’s love to us, a token of His sovereign and amazing grace to the race of fallen men. When angels sinned, they were cast down to hell. When man sinned, God sent His Son to be the propitiation for their sin: Jesus took our place and paid the penalty of our sin. Believing sinners are freely forgiven and receive new life from God. Jesus says, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Hallelujah! Eternal life is God’s gift.

Lord show us Thy grand design,
Give to us the life divine -
O may Jesus’ life of grace,
Fill our souls with holiness;
Fit us for the life above,
Endless life of heavenly love.
God bless you dear readers.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,
Dr SH Tow, Founding Pastor