Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?—SONG 6:10.
The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun.—The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.—The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.
The glory which thou gavest me I have given them.
Acts 20:28.Eph. 5:25-27.Rev. 12:1. -Rev. 19:7,8. -Rom. 3:22.John 17:22.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“Blessed is he that watcheth.”
Revelation 16:15
“We die daily,” said the apostle. This was the life of the early Christians; they went everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not in this day called to pass through the same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the test; but the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly not so terrible, are yet more likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age. We have to bear the sneer of the world—that is little; its blandishments, its soft words, its oily speeches, its fawning, its hypocrisy, are far worse. Our danger is lest we grow rich and become proud, lest we give ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world, and lose our faith. Or if wealth be not the trial, worldly care is quite as mischievous. If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, if we may be hugged to death by the bear, the devil little cares which it is, so long as he destroys our love to Christ, and our confidence in him. I fear me that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and silken days than in those rougher times. We must be awake now, for we traverse the enchanted ground, and are most likely to fall asleep to our own undoing, unless our faith in Jesus be a reality, and our love to Jesus a vehement flame. Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God. Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardour; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display his omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Job 9
9. Job Replies
Job Replies: There Is No Mediator
9
Then Job answered:
2
“Indeed I know that this is so;
but how can a mortal be just before God?
3
If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand.
4
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength
—who has resisted him, and succeeded?—
5
he who removes mountains, and they do not know it,
when he overturns them in his anger;
6
who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;
7
who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
8
who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the Sea;
9
who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
10
who does great things beyond understanding,
and marvelous things without number.
11
Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12
He snatches away; who can stop him?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13
“God will not turn back his anger;
the helpers of Rahab bowed beneath him.
14
How then can I answer him,
choosing my words with him?
15
Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him;
I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.
16
If I summoned him and he answered me,
I do not believe that he would listen to my voice.
17
For he crushes me with a tempest,
and multiplies my wounds without cause;
18
he will not let me get my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19
If it is a contest of strength, he is the strong one!
If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
20
Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me;
though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.
21
I am blameless; I do not know myself;
I loathe my life.
22
It is all one; therefore I say,
he destroys both the blameless and the wicked.
23
When disaster brings sudden death,
he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.
24
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he covers the eyes of its judges—
if it is not he, who then is it?
25
“My days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away, they see no good.
26
They go by like skiffs of reed,
like an eagle swooping on the prey.
27
If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will put off my sad countenance and be of good cheer,’
28
I become afraid of all my suffering,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.
29
I shall be condemned;
why then do I labor in vain?
30
If I wash myself with soap
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31
yet you will plunge me into filth,
and my own clothes will abhor me.
32
For he is not a mortal, as I am, that I might answer him,
that we should come to trial together.
33
There is no umpire between us,
who might lay his hand on us both.
34
If he would take his rod away from me,
and not let dread of him terrify me,
35
then I would speak without fear of him,
for I know I am not what I am thought to be.
New Testament in Four Years - James 5:13-20
5. Patience in Suffering
The Prayer of Faith
13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another,20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 86
86. Psalm 86
Psalm 86
Supplication for Help against Enemies
A Prayer of David.
1
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God;3be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all day long.
4
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
7
In the day of my trouble I call on you,
for you will answer me.
8
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
9
All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10
For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
11
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
12
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14
O God, the insolent rise up against me;
a band of ruffians seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
15
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant;
save the child of your serving girl.
17
Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.