Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.—LUKE 5:5.
All power is give unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: . . . and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea.
Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.—My word . . . shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.—So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Matt. 28:18-20.Matt. 13:47.I Cor. 9:16,22.Gal. 6:9.-Isa. 55:11. -I Cor. 3:7.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“The Son of man.”
John 3:13
How constantly our Master used the title, the “Son of man!” If he had chosen, he might always have spoken of himself as the Son of God, the Everlasting Father, the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Prince of Peace; but behold the lowliness of Jesus! He prefers to call himself the Son of man. Let us learn a lesson of humility from our Saviour; let us never court great titles nor proud degrees. There is here, however, a far sweeter thought. Jesus loved manhood so much, that he delighted to honour it; and since it is a high honour, and indeed, the greatest dignity of manhood, that Jesus is the Son of man, he is wont to display this name, that he may as it were hang royal stars upon the breast of manhood, and show forth the love of God to Abraham’s seed. Son of man—whenever he said that word, he shed a halo round the head of Adam’s children. Yet there is perhaps a more precious thought still. Jesus Christ called himself the Son of man to express his oneness and sympathy with his people. He thus reminds us that he is the one whom we may approach without fear. As a man, we may take to him all our griefs and troubles, for he knows them by experience; in that he himself hath suffered as the “Son of man,” he is able to succour and comfort us. All hail, thou blessed Jesus! inasmuch as thou art evermore using the sweet name which acknowledges that thou art a brother and a near kinsman, it is to us a dear token of thy grace, thy humility, thy love.
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“Oh see how Jesus trusts himself Unto our childish love, As though by his free ways with us Our earnestness to prove! His sacred name a common word On earth he loves to hear; There is no majesty in him Which love may not come near.” |
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Ezra 10
10. People's Confession of Sin
The People’s Response
10
While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly.2Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.3So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.4Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it.”5Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore.
Foreign Wives and Their Children Rejected
6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles.7They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem,8and that if any did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all their property should be forfeited, and they themselves banned from the congregation of the exiles.
9 Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.11Now make confession to the Lord the God of your ancestors, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said.13But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for many of us have transgressed in this matter.14Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every town, until the fierce wrath of our God on this account is averted from us.”15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.
16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of families, according to their families, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter.17By the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.
18 There were found of the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women, of the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.19They pledged themselves to send away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.20Of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.21Of the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.22Of the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.24Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.26Of the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.27Of the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.28Of the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.29Of the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.30Of the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.31Of the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.33Of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.34Of the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.38Of the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.43Of the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.44All these had married foreign women, and they sent them away with their children.
New Testament in Four Years - Hebrews 10:32-39
10. Christ's Sacrifice Once for All
32 But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,33sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.34For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting.35Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward.36For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.37For yet
“in a very little while,
the one who is coming will come and will not delay;
38
but my righteous one will live by faith.
My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.”
39 But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 60
60. Psalm 60
Psalm 60
Prayer for National Victory after Defeat
To the leader: according to the Lily of the Covenant. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he struggled with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1
O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
you have been angry; now restore us!
2
You have caused the land to quake; you have torn it open;
repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
3
You have made your people suffer hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us reel.
4
You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
to rally to it out of bowshot. Selah
5
Give victory with your right hand, and answer us,
so that those whom you love may be rescued.
6
God has promised in his sanctuary:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem,
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
8
Moab is my washbasin;
on Edom I hurl my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
9
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10
Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
11
O grant us help against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
12
With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.
