Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
He is altogether lovely.—SONG 5:16.
My meditation of him shall be sweet.—My beloved is . . . the chiefest among ten thousand.—A chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.—Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips.—God . . . hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.—It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Psa. 104:34. -Song 5:10. -I Pet. 2:6. -Psa. 45:2. -Phi. 2:9. -Col. 1:19.I Pet. 1:8.Phi. 3:8,9.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, etc.”
Matthew 6:9
This prayer begins where all true prayer must commence, with the spirit of adoption, “Our Father.” There is no acceptable prayer until we can say, “I will arise, and go unto my Father.” This child-like spirit soon perceives the grandeur of the Father “in heaven,” and ascends to devout adoration, “Hallowed be thy name.” The child lisping, “Abba, Father,” grows into the cherub crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” There is but a step from rapturous worship to the glowing missionary spirit, which is a sure outgrowth of filial love and reverent adoration—“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Next follows the heartfelt expression of dependence upon God—“Give us this day our daily bread.” Being further illuminated by the Spirit, he discovers that he is not only dependent, but sinful, hence he entreats for mercy, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:” and being pardoned, having the righteousness of Christ imputed, and knowing his acceptance with God, he humbly supplicates for holy perseverance, “Lead us not into temptation.” The man who is really forgiven, is anxious not to offend again; the possession of justification leads to an anxious desire for sanctification. “Forgive us our debts,” that is justification; “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” that is sanctification in its negative and positive forms. As the result of all this, there follows a triumphant ascription of praise, “Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.” We rejoice that our King reigns in providence and shall reign in grace, from the river even to the ends of the earth, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Thus from a sense of adoption, up to fellowship with our reigning Lord, this short model of prayer conducts the soul. Lord, teach us thus to pray.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Jeremiah 36
36. Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah's Scroll
The Scroll Read in the Temple
36
In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord:2Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.3It may be that when the house of Judah hears of all the disasters that I intend to do to them, all of them may turn from their evil ways, so that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at Jeremiah’s dictation all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him.5And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am prevented from entering the house of the Lord;6so you go yourself, and on a fast day in the hearing of the people in the Lord’s house you shall read the words of the Lord from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the people of Judah who come up from their towns.7It may be that their plea will come before the Lord, and that all of them will turn from their evil ways, for great is the anger and wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.”8And Baruch son of Neriah did all that the prophet Jeremiah ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.
9 In the fifth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the towns of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord.10Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.
The Scroll Read in the Palace
11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah son of Shaphan heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll,12he went down to the king’s house, into the secretary’s chamber; and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the officials.13And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people.14Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi to say to Baruch, “Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.15And they said to him, “Sit down and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them.16When they heard all the words, they turned to one another in alarm, and said to Baruch, “We certainly must report all these words to the king.”17Then they questioned Baruch, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?”18Baruch answered them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the scroll.”19Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are.”
Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll
20 Leaving the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, they went to the court of the king; and they reported all the words to the king.21Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary; and Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king.22Now the king was sitting in his winter apartment (it was the ninth month), and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him.23As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.24Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words, was alarmed, nor did they tear their garments.25Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son and Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest the secretary Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But the Lord hid them.
Jeremiah Dictates Another
27 Now, after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:28Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which King Jehoiakim of Judah has burned.29And concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah you shall say: Thus says the Lord, You have dared to burn this scroll, saying, Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it human beings and animals?30Therefore thus says the Lord concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah: He shall have no one to sit upon the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night.31And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity; I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the people of Judah, all the disasters with which I have threatened them—but they would not listen.
32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the secretary Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote on it at Jeremiah’s dictation all the words of the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 8:1-4
8. Jesus as Healer
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
8
When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him;2and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.”3He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.4Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Psalm a Day - Psalm 89:1-29
89. Psalm 89
Psalm 89
God’s Covenant with David
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
4
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’ ”Selah
5
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
6
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
8
O Lord God of hosts,
who is as mighty as you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9
You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10
You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11
The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.
12
The north and the south—you created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13
You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15
Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance;
16
they exult in your name all day long,
and extol your righteousness.
17
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19
Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
“I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20
I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
21
my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
22
The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
23
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
24
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
25
I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
26
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’
27
I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
28
Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him,
and my covenant with him will stand firm.
29
I will establish his line forever,
and his throne as long as the heavens endure.