Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.—HEB. 10:22.
If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.—The blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people. Moreover he sprinkled . . . with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“Behold, all is vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord’s love and the Lord’s own self. Saints have tried to anchor in other roadsteads, but they have been driven out of such fatal refuges. Solomon, the wisest of men, was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we must not dare to do for ourselves. Here is his testimony in his own words: “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What! the whole of it vanity? O favoured monarch, is there nothing in all thy wealth? Nothing in that wide dominion reaching from the river even to the sea? Nothing in Palmyra’s glorious palaces? Nothing in the house of the forest of Lebanon? In all thy music and dancing, and wine and luxury, is there nothing? “Nothing,” he says, “but weariness of spirit.” This was his verdict when he had trodden the whole round of pleasure. To embrace our Lord Jesus, to dwell in his love, and be fully assured of union with him—this is all in all. Dear reader, you need not try other forms of life in order to see whether they are better than the Christian's: if you roam the world around, you will see no sights like a sight of the Saviour’s face; if you could have all the comforts of life, if you lost your Saviour, you would be wretched; but if you win Christ, then should you rot in a dungeon, you would find it a paradise; should you live in obscurity, or die with famine, you will yet be satisfied with favour and full of the goodness of the Lord.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Kings 10
10. Queen of Sheba Visits
Visit of the Queen of Sheba
10
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon (fame due to the name of the Lord), she came to test him with hard questions.2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.3Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.4When the queen of Sheba had observed all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,5the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his valets, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.
6 So she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom,7but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. Not even half had been told me; your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard.8Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom!9Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.”10Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again did spices come in such quantity as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood and precious stones.12From the almug wood the king made supports for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.
13 Meanwhile King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, as well as what he gave her out of Solomon’s royal bounty. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.
14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,15besides that which came from the traders and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land.16King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each large shield.17He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.18The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with the finest gold.19The throne had six steps. The top of the throne was rounded in the back, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests,20while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made in any kingdom.21All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver—it was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon.22For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.24The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.25Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
26 Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.27The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as numerous as the sycamores of the Shephelah.28Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price.29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty; so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
New Testament in Four Years - Colossians 4:7-18
4. Instructions and Final Greetings
Final Greetings and Benediction
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.8I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts;9he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him.11And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills.13For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.15Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.16And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea.17And say to Archippus, “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 115
115. Psalm 115
Psalm 115
The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God
1
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
2
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3
Our God is in the heavens;
he does whatever he pleases.
4
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
they make no sound in their throats.
8
Those who make them are like them;
so are all who trust in them.
9
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
12
The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13
he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both small and great.
14
May the Lord give you increase,
both you and your children.
15
May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
16
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to human beings.
17
The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any that go down into silence.
18
But we will bless the Lord
from this time on and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!