Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
Let your speech be always with grace.—COL. 4:6.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.—Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.—A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.—By thy words thou shalt be justified.—The tongue of the wise is health.
They that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth.—Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, . . . see that ye abound in this grace also.
Prov. 25:11,12. -Eph. 4:29. -Matt. 12:35. -Matt. 12:37. -Prov. 12:18.Mal. 3:16.Jer. 15:19. -II Cor. 8:7.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”
Proverbs 1:33
Divine love is rendered conspicuous when it shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which blooms in the wilderness of sand; so fair and so bright is love in the midst of wrath. When the Israelites provoked the Most High by their continued idolatry, he punished them by withholding both dew and rain, so that their land was visited by a sore famine; but while he did this, he took care that his own chosen ones should be secure. If all other brooks are dry, yet shall there be one reserved for Elijah; and when that fails, God shall still preserve for him a place of sustenance; nay, not only so, the Lord had not simply one “Elijah,” but he had a remnant according to the election of grace, who were hidden by fifties in a cave, and though the whole land was subject to famine, yet these fifties in the cave were fed, and fed from Ahab’s table too by His faithful, God-fearing steward, Obadiah. Let us from this draw the inference, that come what may, God’s people are safe. Let convulsions shake the solid earth, let the skies themselves be rent in twain, yet amid the wreck of worlds the believer shall be as secure as in the calmest hour of rest. If God cannot save his people under heaven, he will save them in heaven. If the world becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven shall be the place of their reception and their safety. Be ye then confident, when ye hear of wars, and rumours of wars. Let no agitation distress you, but be quiet from fear of evil. Whatsoever cometh upon the earth, you, beneath the broad wings of Jehovah, shall be secure. Stay yourself upon his promise; rest in his faithfulness, and bid defiance to the blackest future, for there is nothing in it direful for you. Your sole concern should be to show forth to the world the blessedness of hearkening to the voice of wisdom.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Numbers 35
35. Cities of Refuge
Cities for the Levites
35
In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:2Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the Levites pasture lands surrounding the towns.3The towns shall be theirs to live in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle, for their livestock, and for all their animals.4The pasture lands of the towns, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the town outward a thousand cubits all around.5You shall measure, outside the town, for the east side two thousand cubits, for the south side two thousand cubits, for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, with the town in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their towns.
6 The towns that you give to the Levites shall include the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit a slayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two towns.7The towns that you give to the Levites shall total forty-eight, with their pasture lands.8And as for the towns that you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it obtains, shall give of its towns to the Levites.
Cities of Refuge
9 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:10Speak to the Israelites, and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,11then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, so that a slayer who kills a person without intent may flee there.12The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may not die until there is a trial before the congregation.
13 The cities that you designate shall be six cities of refuge for you:14you shall designate three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge.15These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person without intent may flee there.
Concerning Murder and Blood Revenge
16 But anyone who strikes another with an iron object, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.17Or anyone who strikes another with a stone in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.18Or anyone who strikes another with a weapon of wood in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.19The avenger of blood is the one who shall put the murderer to death; when they meet, the avenger of blood shall execute the sentence.20Likewise, if someone pushes another from hatred, or hurls something at another, lying in wait, and death ensues,21or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then the one who struck the blow shall be put to death; that person is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when they meet.
22 But if someone pushes another suddenly without enmity, or hurls any object without lying in wait,23or, while handling any stone that could cause death, unintentionally drops it on another and death ensues, though they were not enemies, and no harm was intended,24then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances;25and the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood. Then the congregation shall send the slayer back to the original city of refuge. The slayer shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.26But if the slayer shall at any time go outside the bounds of the original city of refuge,27and is found by the avenger of blood outside the bounds of the city of refuge, and is killed by the avenger, no bloodguilt shall be incurred.28For the slayer must remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the slayer may return home.
29 These things shall be a statute and ordinance for you throughout your generations wherever you live.
30 If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness.31Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be put to death.32Nor shall you accept ransom for one who has fled to a city of refuge, enabling the fugitive to return to live in the land before the death of the high priest.33You shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.34You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell; for I the Lord dwell among the Israelites.
New Testament in Four Years - 1 Corinthians 16:13-24
16. Personal Requests
Final Messages and Greetings
13 Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.14Let all that you do be done in love.
15 Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints;16I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people, and of everyone who works and toils with them.17I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence;18for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such persons.
19 The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord.20All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.22Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come!23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.24My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 138
138. Psalm 138
Psalm 138
Thanksgiving and Praise
Of David.
1
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
3
On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.
4
All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5
They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
but the haughty he perceives from far away.
7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.
8
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.