Meditate
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Daily Light's Morning Reading
The Lord reigneth.—PSA. 99:1.
Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?—Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.—Ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled.
If God be for us, who can be against us?—Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Jer. 5:22. -Psa. 75:6,7.Dan. 2:21. -Matt. 24:6.Rom. 8:31. -Matt. 10:29-31.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”
Haggai 1:9
Churlish souls stint their contributions to the ministry and missionary operations, and call such saving good economy; little do they dream that they are thus impoverishing themselves. Their excuse is that they must care for their own families, and they forget that to neglect the house of God is the sure way to bring ruin upon their own houses. Our God has a method in providence by which he can succeed our endeavours beyond our expectation, or can defeat our plans to our confusion and dismay; by a turn of his hand he can steer our vessel in a profitable channel, or run it aground in poverty and bankruptcy. It is the teaching of Scripture that the Lord enriches the liberal and leaves the miserly to find out that withholding tendeth to poverty. In a very wide sphere of observation, I have noticed that the most generous Christians of my acquaintance have been always the most happy, and almost invariably the most prosperous. I have seen the liberal giver rise to wealth of which he never dreamed; and I have as often seen the mean, ungenerous churl descend to poverty by the very parsimony by which he thought to rise. Men trust good stewards with larger and larger sums, and so it frequently is with the Lord; he gives by cartloads to those who give by bushels. Where wealth is not bestowed the Lord makes the little much by the contentment which the sanctified heart feels in a portion of which the tithe has been dedicated to the Lord. Selfishness looks first at home, but godliness seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, yet in the long run selfishness is loss, and godliness is great gain. It needs faith to act towards our God with an open hand, but surely he deserves it of us; and all that we can do is a very poor acknowledgment of our amazing indebtedness to his goodness.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Samuel 28
28. Witch of Endor
28
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.”2David said to Achish, “Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do.” Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
Saul Consults a Medium
3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled the mediums and the wizards from the land.4The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa.5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.6When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, not by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.7Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “There is a medium at Endor.”
8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night. And he said, “Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one whom I name to you.”9The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the wizards from the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”10But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”11Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He answered, “Bring up Samuel for me.”12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”13The king said to her, “Have no fear; what do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the ground.”14He said to her, “What is his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.” So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.”16Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?17The Lord has done to you just as he spoke by me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, David.18Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you today.19Moreover the Lord will give Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.21The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to what you have said to me.22Now therefore, you also listen to your servant; let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”23He refused, and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he listened to their words. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.24Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house. She quickly slaughtered it, and she took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes.25She put them before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
New Testament in Four Years - Philippians 1:27-30
1. Thanksgiving and Prayer
27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel,28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing.29For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—30since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 88
88. Psalm 88
Psalm 88
Prayer for Help in Despondency
A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites. To the leader: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1
O Lord, God of my salvation,
when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
2
let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry.
3
For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
4
I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
I am like those who have no help,
5
like those forsaken among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
for they are cut off from your hand.
6
You have put me in the depths of the Pit,
in the regions dark and deep.
7
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves.Selah
8
You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a thing of horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9
my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call on you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you.
10
Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the shades rise up to praise you?Selah
11
Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12
Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?
13
But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14
O Lord, why do you cast me off?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15
Wretched and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.
16
Your wrath has swept over me;
your dread assaults destroy me.
17
They surround me like a flood all day long;
from all sides they close in on me.
18
You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;
my companions are in darkness.