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Daily Light's Evening Reading
When thou liest down, thou shall not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.—PROV. 3:24.
There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.—He giveth his beloved sleep.
They stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.—Absent from the body, . . . present with the Lord.
Mark. 4:37,38.Phi. 4:6-7.Psa. 4:8. -Psa. 127:2.Acts 7:59,60. -II Cor. 5:8.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power.”
Nahum 1:3
Jehovah “is slow to anger.” When mercy cometh into the world she driveth winged steeds; the axles of her chariot-wheels are red hot with speed; but when wrath goeth forth, it toileth on with tardy footsteps, for God taketh no pleasure in the sinner’s death. God’s rod of mercy is ever in his hands outstretched; his sword of justice is in its scabbard, held down by that pierced hand of love which bled for the sins of men. “The Lord is slow to anger,” because he is great in power. He is truly great in power who hath power over himself. When God’s power doth restrain himself, then it is power indeed: the power that binds omnipotence is omnipotence surpassed. A man who has a strong mind can bear to be insulted long, and only resents the wrong when a sense of right demands his action. The weak mind is irritated at a little: the strong mind bears it like a rock which moveth not, though a thousand breakers dash upon it, and cast their pitiful malice in spray upon its summit. God marketh his enemies, and yet he bestirs not himself, but holdeth in his anger. If he were less divine than he is, he would long ere this have sent forth the whole of his thunders, and emptied the magazines of heaven; he would long ere this have blasted the earth with the wondrous fires of its lower regions, and man would have been utterly destroyed; but the greatness of his power brings us mercy. Dear reader, what is your state this evening? Can you by humble faith look to Jesus, and say, “My substitute, thou art my rock, my trust”? Then, beloved, be not afraid of God’s power; for by faith you have fled to Christ for refuge, the power of God need no more terrify you, than the shield and sword of the warrior need terrify those whom he loves. Rather rejoice that he who is “great in power” is your Father and Friend.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Genesis 18
18. The Three Visitors
A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah
18
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.3He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant.4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.5Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”6And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.”7Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.”10Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?”13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’14Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.”15But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”
Judgment Pronounced on Sodom
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way.17The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,18seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?19No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”20Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!21I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.”
22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.23Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”26And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.”27Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.28Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”29Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”30Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”31He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”32Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”33And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
New Testament in Four Years - Romans 6:5-7
6. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.7For whoever has died is freed from sin.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 33
33. Psalm 33
Psalm 33
The Greatness and Goodness of God
1
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
Praise befits the upright.
2
Praise the Lord with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4
For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
6
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7
He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;
he put the deeps in storehouses.
8
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13
The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all humankind.
14
From where he sits enthroned he watches
all the inhabitants of the earth—
15
he who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.
16
A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17
The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.
18
Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19
to deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive in famine.
20
Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
21
Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.