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Daily Light's Morning Reading
He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.—ISA. 27:8.
Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great.—I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: . . . I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.—He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.—I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.—Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.
Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
II Sam. 24:14. -Jer. 30:11. -Psa. 103:9,10,14. -Mal. 3:17.I Cor. 10:13. -Luke 22:31,32.Isa. 25:4.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”
Song of Solomon 4:12
In this metaphor, which has reference to the inner life of a believer, we have very plainly the idea of secrecy. It is a spring shut up: just as there were springs in the East, over which an edifice was built, so that none could reach them save those who knew the secret entrance; so is the heart of a believer when it is renewed by grace: there is a mysterious life within which no human skill can touch. It is a secret which no other man knoweth; nay, which the very man who is the possessor of it cannot tell to his neighbour. The text includes not only secrecy, but separation. It is not the common spring, of which every passer-by may drink, it is one kept and preserved from all others; it is a fountain bearing a particular mark—a king’s royal seal, so that all can perceive that it is not a common fountain, but a fountain owned by a proprietor, and placed specially by itself alone. So is it with the spiritual life. The chosen of God were separated in the eternal decree; they were separated by God in the day of redemption; and they are separated by the possession of a life which others have not; and it is impossible for them to feel at home with the world, or to delight in its pleasures. There is also the idea of sacredness. The spring shut up is preserved for the use of some special person: and such is the Christian’s heart. It is a spring kept for Jesus. Every Christian should feel that he has God’s seal upon him—and he should be able to say with Paul, “From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Another idea is prominent—it is that of security. Oh! how sure and safe is the inner life of the believer! If all the powers of earth and hell could combine against it, that immortal principle must still exist, for he who gave it pledged his life for its preservation. And who “is he that shall harm you,” when God is your protector?
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Samuel 20
20. Sheba Rebels Against David
The Rebellion of Sheba
20
Now a scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and cried out,
“We have no portion in David,
no share in the son of Jesse!
Everyone to your tents, O Israel!”
2 So all the people of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but the people of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to look after the house, and put them in a house under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.”5So Amasa went to summon Judah; but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him.6David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities for himself, and escape from us.”7Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.8When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; as he went forward it fell out.9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.10But Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand; Joab struck him in the belly so that his entrails poured out on the ground, and he died. He did not strike a second blow.
Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.11And one of Joab’s men took his stand by Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.”12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood on the highway, and the man saw that all the people were stopping. Since he saw that all who came by him were stopping, he carried Amasa from the highway into a field, and threw a garment over him.13Once he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah; and all the Bichrites assembled, and followed him inside.15Joab’s forces came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah; they threw up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart. Joab’s forces were battering the wall to break it down.16Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, I want to speak to you.’ ”17He came near her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.”18Then she said, “They used to say in the old days, ‘Let them inquire at Abel’; and so they would settle a matter.19I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel; you seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?”20Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!21That is not the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head shall be thrown over the wall to you.”22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, and all went to their homes, while Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;24Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;25Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;26and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.
New Testament in Four Years - Colossians 2:1-5
2. Freedom Through Life in Christ
2
For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face.2I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself,3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments.5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 106:1-15
106. Psalm 106
Psalm 106
A Confession of Israel’s Sins
1
Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
3
Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.
4
Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you deliver them;
5
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory in your heritage.
6
Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.
7
Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wonderful works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.
8
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
so that he might make known his mighty power.
9
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry;
he led them through the deep as through a desert.
10
So he saved them from the hand of the foe,
and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
11
The waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
12
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
13
But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
14
But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
15
he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.