Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.—PROV. 8:34.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
A continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.—In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.—Pray without ceasing.
Psa. 123:2.Exo. 29:42. -Exo. 20:24.Matt. 18:20.John 4:23,24.Eph. 6:18. -I Thes. 5:17.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“The church in thy house.”
Philemon 2
Is there a Church in this house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it? or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round—Am I a member of the Church in this house? How would father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us. Probably it had been the dearest object of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first granted him in its fulness. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service. His master’s prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preach; his heart was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant, but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s house. Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning? Make special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all hearts with good news of what grace has done! Is there one present? Let him partake in the same earnest entreaty.
If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God. Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance. As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of his name.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Samuel 3
3. Abner Goes Over to David
Abner Defects to David
3
There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.
2 Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;3his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;4the fourth, Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah son of Abital;5and the sixth, Ithream, of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”8The words of Ishbaal made Abner very angry; he said, “Am I a dog’s head for Judah? Today I keep showing loyalty to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me now with a crime concerning this woman.9So may God do to Abner and so may he add to it! For just what the Lord has sworn to David, that will I accomplish for him,10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”11And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you.”13He said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall never appear in my presence unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”14Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ishbaal, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I became engaged at the price of one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”15Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.16But her husband went with her, weeping as he walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.
17 Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.18Now then bring it about; for the Lord has promised David: Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from all their enemies.”19Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites; then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin were ready to do.
20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.21Abner said to David, “Let me go and rally all Israel to my lord the king, in order that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went away in peace.
Abner Is Killed by Joab
22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for David had dismissed him, and he had gone away in peace.23When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has dismissed him, and he has gone away in peace.”24Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you; why did you dismiss him, so that he got away?25You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you, and to learn your comings and goings and to learn all that you are doing.”
26 When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know about it.27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway to speak with him privately, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. So he died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.28Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner son of Ner.29May the guilt fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food!”30So Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David followed the bier.32They buried Abner at Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.33The king lamented for Abner, saying,
“Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34
Your hands were not bound,
your feet were not fettered;
as one falls before the wicked
you have fallen.”
And all the people wept over him again.35Then all the people came to persuade David to eat something while it was still day; but David swore, saying, “So may God do to me, and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down!”36All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased all the people.37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.38And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?39Today I am powerless, even though anointed king; these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too violent for me. The Lord pay back the one who does wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!”
New Testament in Four Years - Philippians 2:19-30
2. Imitating Christ's Humility
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you.20I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.21All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.22But Timothy’s worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.23I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me;24and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.
25 Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister to my need;26for he has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.27He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.28I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.29Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honor such people,30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 93
93. Psalm 93
Psalm 93
The Majesty of God’s Rule
1
The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
2
your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
3
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
4
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves of the sea,
majestic on high is the Lord!
5
Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.