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Daily Light's Morning Reading
The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.—HOS. 14:9.
Unto you . . . which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, . . . a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.—The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.—Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.—The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.—If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.—Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance.
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.—Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.—My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
I Pet. 2:7,8. -Prov. 10:29.Matt. 11:15. -Psa. 107:43. -Matt. 6:22. -John 7:17. -Matt. 13:12.John 8:47. -John 5:40. -John 10:27.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Behold, he prayeth.“
Acts 9:11
Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed but praying soul. Oftentimes a poor broken-hearted one bends his knee, but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears; yet that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music; that tear has been caught by God and treasured in the lachrymatory of heaven. “Thou puttest my tears into thy bottle,” implies that they are caught as they flow. The suppliant, whose fears prevent his words, will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye; but “prayer is the falling of a tear.” Tears are the diamonds of heaven; sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah’s court, and are numbered with “the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high.” Think not that your prayer, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded. Jacob’s ladder is lofty, but our prayers shall lean upon the Angel of the covenant and so climb its starry rounds. Our God not only hears prayer but also loves to hear it. “He forgetteth not the cry of the humble.” True, He regards not high looks and lofty words; He cares not for the pomp and pageantry of kings; He listens not to the swell of martial music; He regards not the triumph and pride of man; but wherever there is a heart big with sorrow, or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan, or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open; He marks it down in the registry of His memory; He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up therefrom.
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“Faith asks no signal from the skies, To show that prayers accepted rise, Our Priest is in His holy place, And answers from the throne of grace.” |
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Jeremiah 41
41. Gedaliah Assassinated
Insurrection against Gedaliah
41
In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah,2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan with the sword and killed him, because the king of Babylon had appointed him governor in the land.3Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.
4 On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it,5eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord.6And Ishmael son of Nethaniah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”7When they reached the middle of the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them, and threw them into a cistern.8But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields.” So he refrained, and did not kill them along with their companions.
9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down was the large cistern that King Asa had made for defense against King Baasha of Israel; Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled that cistern with those whom he had killed.10Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had committed to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.
11 But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done,12they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon.13And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they were glad.14So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan son of Kareah.15But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.16Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took all the rest of the people whom Ishmael son of Nethaniah had carried away captive from Mizpah after he had slain Gedaliah son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon.17And they set out, and stopped at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 8:28-34
8. Jesus as Healer
Jesus Heals the Gadarene Demoniacs
28 When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.29Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”30Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them.31The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”32And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.33The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs.34Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
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.