Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
Thou art my hope in the day of evil.—JER. 17:17.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.—I will sing of thy power; yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord: and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Reeemer.—Sorrow shall be turned into joy.—Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psa. 4:6. -Psa. 59:16.Psa. 30:6-10.Isa. 54:7,8. -John 16:20. -Psa. 30:5.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.”
Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?—for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?
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“Trials make the promise sweet; Trials give new life to prayer; Trials bring me to his feet, Lay me low, and keep me there.” |
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Chronicles 11
11. Rehoboam's Family
Judah and Benjamin Fortified
11
When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled one hundred eighty thousand chosen troops of the house of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.2But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God:3Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,4“Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your kindred. Let everyone return home, for this thing is from me.” So they heeded the word of the Lord and turned back from the expedition against Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam resided in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah.6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin.11He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine.12He also put large shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
Priests and Levites Support Rehoboam
13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all their territories.14The Levites had left their common lands and their holdings and had come to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had prevented them from serving as priests of the Lord,15and had appointed his own priests for the high places, and for the goat-demons, and for the calves that he had made.16Those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.
Rehoboam’s Marriages
18 Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and of Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.20After her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.23He dealt wisely, and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; he gave them abundant provisions, and found many wives for them.
New Testament in Four Years - Hebrews 1:5-9
1. The Son Superior to Angels
The Son Is Superior to Angels
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
9
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
Psalm a Day - Psalm 28
28. Psalm 28
Psalm 28
Prayer for Help and Thanksgiving for It
Of David.
1
To you, O Lord, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2
Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary.
3
Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.
4
Repay them according to their work,
and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5
Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.
6
Blessed be the Lord,
for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8
The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9
O save your people, and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd, and carry them forever.