Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.—PSA. 23:2.
The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.—Rest in the Lord.—He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.—That . . . we be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Isa. 57:20,21.Matt. 11:28. –Psa.37:7. -Heb. 4:10.Heb. 13:9. -Eph. 4:14,15.Song 2:3,4.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
John 4:48
A craving after marvels was a symptom of the sickly state of men’s minds in our Lord’s day; they refused solid nourishment, and pined after mere wonder. The gospel which they so greatly needed they would not have; the miracles which Jesus did not always choose to give they eagerly demanded. Many nowadays must see signs and wonders, or they will not believe. Some have said in their heart, “I must feel deep horror of soul, or I never will believe in Jesus.” But what if you never should feel it, as probably you never may? Will you go to hell out of spite against God, because he will not treat you like another? One has said to himself, “If I had a dream, or if I could feel a sudden shock of I know not what, then I would believe.” Thus you undeserving mortals dream that my Lord is to be dictated to by you! You are beggars at his gate, asking for mercy, and you must needs draw up rules and regulations as to how he shall give that mercy. Think you that he will submit to this? My Master is of a generous spirit, but he has a right royal heart, he spurns all dictation, and maintains his sovereignty of action. Why, dear reader, if such be your case, do you crave for signs and wonders? Is not the gospel its own sign and wonder? Is not this a miracle of miracles, that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish”? Surely that precious word, “Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely” and that solemn promise, “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out,” are better than signs and wonders! A truthful Saviour ought to be believed. He is truth itself. Why will you ask proof of the veracity of One who cannot lie? The devils themselves declared him to be the Son of God; will you mistrust him?
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Joshua 23
23. Joshua's Farewell
Joshua Exhorts the People
23
A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,2Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders and heads, their judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years;3and you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.4I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.5The Lord your God will push them back before you, and drive them out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you.6Therefore be very steadfast to observe and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right nor to the left,7so that you may not be mixed with these nations left here among you, or make mention of the names of their gods, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow yourselves down to them,8but hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.9For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations; and as for you, no one has been able to withstand you to this day.10One of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, as he promised you.11Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.12For if you turn back, and join the survivors of these nations left here among you, and intermarry with them, so that you marry their women and they yours,13know assuredly that the Lord your God will not continue to drive out these nations before you; but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge on your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the Lord your God has given you.
14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one thing has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed.15But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the bad things, until he has destroyed you from this good land that the Lord your God has given you.16If you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he enjoined on you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you.”
New Testament in Four Years - Galatians 3:6-9
3. Faith or Observance of the Law
6 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”7so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham.8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.”9For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 40
40. Psalm 40
Psalm 40
Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4
Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
5
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
6
Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7
Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8
I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9
I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11
Do not, O Lord, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.
12
For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
13
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
14
Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt.
15
Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17
As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God.