Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.—PSA. 119:25.
If ye . . . be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For your life is hid with Christ in God.—Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.—Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.—Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
Col. 3:1-3. -Phi. 3:20,21.Gal. 5:17. -Rom. 8:12.13. -I Pet. 2:11.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Do as thou hast said.”
2 Samuel 7:25
God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; he intended that they should be used. God’s gold is not miser’s money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring them up to him, and say, “Lord, do as thou hast said.” We glorify God when we plead his promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches he has promised? Do you dream that he will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine he will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, “This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?” but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, “Lord, here is the promise, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” Our Lord replies, “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, “Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, ‘Thou hast said it;’” then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the sword of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your importunately reminding him of his promises. He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls. It is his delight to bestow favours. He is more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God’s nature to keep his promises; therefore go at once to the throne with “Do as thou hast said.”
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Zephaniah 3
3. Future of Jerusalem
The Wickedness of Jerusalem
3
Ah, soiled, defiled,
oppressing city!
2
It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction.
It has not trusted in the Lord;
it has not drawn near to its God.
3
The officials within it
are roaring lions;
its judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing until the morning.
4
Its prophets are reckless,
faithless persons;
its priests have profaned what is sacred,
they have done violence to the law.
5
The Lord within it is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Every morning he renders his judgment,
each dawn without fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.
6
I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that no one walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without people, without inhabitants.
7
I said, “Surely the city will fear me,
it will accept correction;
it will not lose sight
of all that I have brought upon it.”
But they were the more eager
to make all their deeds corrupt.
Punishment and Conversion of the Nations
8
Therefore wait for me, says the Lord,
for the day when I arise as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
all the heat of my anger;
for in the fire of my passion
all the earth shall be consumed.
9
At that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
10
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
my suppliants, my scattered ones,
shall bring my offering.
11
On that day you shall not be put to shame
because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in my holy mountain.
12
For I will leave in the midst of you
a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord—
13
the remnant of Israel;
they shall do no wrong
and utter no lies,
nor shall a deceitful tongue
be found in their mouths.
Then they will pasture and lie down,
and no one shall make them afraid.
A Song of Joy
14
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
15
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
16
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
17
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
18
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
19
I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.
New Testament in Four Years - Acts 27:21-26
27. Paul Sails For Rome
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss.22I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.23For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,24and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.26But we will have to run aground on some island.”
Psalm a Day - Psalm 148
148. Psalm 148
Psalm 148
Praise for God’s Universal Glory
1
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
3
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.
6
He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
7
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8
fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10
Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
11
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12
Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
13
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!