Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
Thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord.—EXO. 28:12.
Jesus . . . because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.—Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory.
Seeing . . . that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.
The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him: and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.”
Psalm 138:8
Most manifestly the confidence which the Psalmist here expressed was a divine confidence. He did not say, “I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me—my faith is so steady that it will not stagger—my love is so warm that it will never grow cold—my resolution is so firm that nothing can move it”; no, his dependence was on the Lord alone. If we indulge in any confidence which is not grounded on the Rock of Ages, our confidence is worse than a dream, it will fall upon us, and cover us with its ruins, to our sorrow and confusion. All that Nature spins time will unravel, to the eternal confusion of all who are clothed therein. The Psalmist was wise, he rested upon nothing short of the Lord's work. It is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it is he who has carried it on; and if he does not finish it, it never will be complete. If there be one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do. Unbelief insinuates—“You will never be able to stand. Look at the evil of your heart, you can never conquer sin; remember the sinful pleasures and temptations of the world that beset you, you will be certainly allured by them and led astray.” Ah! yes, we should indeed perish if left to our own strength. If we had alone to navigate our frail vessels over so rough a sea, we might well give up the voyage in despair; but, thanks be to God, he will perfect that which concerneth us, and bring us to the desired haven. We can never be too confident when we confide in him alone, and never too much concerned to have such a trust.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Job 36
36. Elihu Continues
Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness
36
Elihu continued and said:
2
“Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3
I will bring my knowledge from far away,
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5
“Surely God is mighty and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6
He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives the afflicted their right.
7
He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8
And if they are bound in fetters
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9
then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10
He opens their ears to instruction,
and commands that they return from iniquity.
11
If they listen, and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12
But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword,
and die without knowledge.
13
“The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14
They die in their youth,
and their life ends in shame.
15
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
and opens their ear by adversity.
16
He also allured you out of distress
into a broad place where there was no constraint,
and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
17
“But you are obsessed with the case of the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18
Beware that wrath does not entice you into scoffing,
and do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19
Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,
or will all the force of your strength?
20
Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.
21
Beware! Do not turn to iniquity;
because of that you have been tried by affliction.
22
See, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23
Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24
“Remember to extol his work,
of which mortals have sung.
25
All people have looked on it;
everyone watches it from far away.
26
Surely God is great, and we do not know him;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
27
For he draws up the drops of water;
he distills his mist in rain,
28
which the skies pour down
and drop upon mortals abundantly.
29
Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
30
See, he scatters his lightning around him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31
For by these he governs peoples;
he gives food in abundance.
32
He covers his hands with the lightning,
and commands it to strike the mark.
33
Its crashing tells about him;
he is jealous with anger against iniquity.
New Testament in Four Years - 2 Peter 2:1-3
2. False Teachers
False Prophets and Their Punishment
2
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.2Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachers the way of truth will be maligned.3And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 106:34-48
106. Psalm 106
34
They did not destroy the peoples,
as the Lord commanded them,
35
but they mingled with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
36
They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
38
they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
and the land was polluted with blood.
39
Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and prostituted themselves in their doings.
40
Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;
41
he gave them into the hand of the nations,
so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42
Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43
Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes,
and were brought low through their iniquity.
44
Nevertheless he regarded their distress
when he heard their cry.
45
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
46
He caused them to be pitied
by all who held them captive.
47
Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
48
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
And let all the people say, “Amen.”
Praise the Lord!
