Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
There shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand.—DEUT. 13:17.
Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.—Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.—Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God . . . And it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.—The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
II Cor. 6:17. -I Pet. 2:11. -Jude 23.I John 3:2,3. -Tit. 2:11-14.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death.”
Hebrews 2:14
O child of God, death hath lost its sting, because the devil’s power over it is destroyed. Then cease to fear dying. Ask grace from God the Holy Ghost, that by an intimate knowledge and a firm belief of thy Redeemer’s death, thou mayst be strengthened for that dread hour. Living near the cross of Calvary thou mayst think of death with pleasure, and welcome it when it comes with intense delight. It is sweet to die in the Lord: it is a covenant-blessing to sleep in Jesus. Death is no longer banishment, it is a return from exile, a going home to the many mansions where the loved ones already dwell. The distance between glorified spirits in heaven and militant saints on earth seems great; but it is not so. We are not far from home—a moment will bring us there. The sail is spread; the soul is launched upon the deep. How long will be its voyage? How many wearying winds must beat upon the sail ere it shall be reefed in the port of peace? How long shall that soul be tossed upon the waves before it comes to that sea which knows no storm? Listen to the answer, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” Yon ship has just departed, but it is already at its haven. It did but spread its sail and it was there. Like that ship of old, upon the Lake of Galilee, a storm had tossed it, but Jesus said, “Peace, be still,” and immediately it came to land. Think not that a long period intervenes between the instant of death and the eternity of glory. When the eyes close on earth they open in heaven. The horses of fire are not an instant on the road. Then, O child of God, what is there for thee to fear in death, seeing that through the death of thy Lord its curse and sting are destroyed? and now it is but a Jacob’s ladder whose foot is in the dark grave, but its top reaches to glory everlasting.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Job 3
3. Job Speaks
Job Curses the Day He Was Born
3
After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.2Job said:
3
“Let the day perish in which I was born,
and the night that said,
‘A man-child is conceived.’
4
Let that day be darkness!
May God above not seek it,
or light shine on it.
5
Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.
Let clouds settle upon it;
let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6
That night—let thick darkness seize it!
let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
let it not come into the number of the months.
7
Yes, let that night be barren;
let no joyful cry be heard in it.
8
Let those curse it who curse the Sea,
those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.
9
Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light, but have none;
may it not see the eyelids of the morning—
10
because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide trouble from my eyes.
11
“Why did I not die at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
12
Why were there knees to receive me,
or breasts for me to suck?
13
Now I would be lying down and quiet;
I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
14
with kings and counselors of the earth
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15
or with princes who have gold,
who fill their houses with silver.
16
Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child,
like an infant that never sees the light?
17
There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.
18
There the prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19
The small and the great are there,
and the slaves are free from their masters.
20
“Why is light given to one in misery,
and life to the bitter in soul,
21
who long for death, but it does not come,
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
22
who rejoice exceedingly,
and are glad when they find the grave?
23
Why is light given to one who cannot see the way,
whom God has fenced in?
24
For my sighing comes like my bread,
and my groanings are poured out like water.
25
Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me,
and what I dread befalls me.
26
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest; but trouble comes.”
New Testament in Four Years - James 3:13-18
3. Taming the Tongue
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.15Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.16For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 80
80. Psalm 80
Psalm 80
Prayer for Israel’s Restoration
To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
1
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2
before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
3
Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4
O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6
You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh among themselves.
7
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
8
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10
The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches;
11
it sent out its branches to the sea,
and its shoots to the River.
12
Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13
The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
14
Turn again, O God of hosts;
look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15
the stock that your right hand planted.
16
They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17
But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18
Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
19
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.