Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.—GEN. 41:52.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.—The Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.
Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.”
1 Samuel 13:20
We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which have been thought too mean for service, must now be employed. Coulter, and axe, and mattock, may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools may deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it is done effectually. Each moment of time, in season or out of season; each fragment of ability, educated or untutored; each opportunity, favourable or unfavourable, must be used, for our foes are many and our force but slender.
Most of our tools want sharpening; we need quickness of perception, tact, energy, promptness, in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord’s work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the conductors of Christian enterprises. We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This morning let us note enough to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the Papists, how they compass sea and land to make one proselyte, are they to monopolize all the earnestness? Mark the heathen devotees, what tortures they endure in the service of their idols! are they alone to exhibit patience and self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how persevering in his endeavours, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all! The devils are united as one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God, and scarcely ever work with unanimity. O that from Satan’s infernal industry we may learn to go about like good Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless!
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Chronicles 23
23. Athaliah and Joash
23
But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage, and entered into a compact with the commanders of the hundreds, Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.2They went around through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the heads of families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.3Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! Let him reign, as the Lord promised concerning the sons of David.4This is what you are to do: one-third of you, priests and Levites, who come on duty on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,5one-third shall be at the king’s house, and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.6Do not let anyone enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy, but all the other people shall observe the instructions of the Lord.7The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house shall be killed. Stay with the king in his comings and goings.”
Joash Crowned King
8 The Levites and all Judah did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men, who were to come on duty on the sabbath, with those who were to go off duty on the sabbath; for the priest Jehoiada did not dismiss the divisions.9The priest Jehoiada delivered to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God;10and he set all the people as a guard for the king, everyone with weapon in hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house.11Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they shouted, “Long live the king!”
Athaliah Murdered
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the Lord to the people;13and when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, “Treason! Treason!”14Then the priest Jehoiada brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; anyone who follows her is to be put to the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not put her to death in the house of the Lord.”15So they laid hands on her; she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, and there they put her to death.
16 Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord’s people.17Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.18Jehoiada assigned the care of the house of the Lord to the levitical priests whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.19He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.20And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the upper gate to the king’s house. They set the king on the royal throne.21So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword.
New Testament in Four Years - Hebrews 4:14-16
4. A Sabbath Rest for God's People
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 37:21-40
37. Psalm 37
21
The wicked borrow, and do not pay back,
but the righteous are generous and keep giving;
22
for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23
Our steps are made firm by the Lord,
when he delights in our way;
24
though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong,
for the Lord holds us by the hand.
25
I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26
They are ever giving liberally and lending,
and their children become a blessing.
27
Depart from evil, and do good;
so you shall abide forever.
28
For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his faithful ones.
The righteous shall be kept safe forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29
The righteous shall inherit the land,
and live in it forever.
30
The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak justice.
31
The law of their God is in their hearts;
their steps do not slip.
32
The wicked watch for the righteous,
and seek to kill them.
33
The Lord will not abandon them to their power,
or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.
34
Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on the destruction of the wicked.
35
I have seen the wicked oppressing,
and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
36
Again I passed by, and they were no more;
though I sought them, they could not be found.
37
Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,
for there is posterity for the peaceable.
38
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.
39
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
40
The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.