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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 - Lamentations 4
4. Zion's Past and Present
The Punishment of Zion
4
How the gold has grown dim,
how the pure gold is changed!
The sacred stones lie scattered
at the head of every street.
2
The precious children of Zion,
worth their weight in fine gold—
how they are reckoned as earthen pots,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3
Even the jackals offer the breast
and nurse their young,
but my people has become cruel,
like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4
The tongue of the infant sticks
to the roof of its mouth for thirst;
the children beg for food,
but no one gives them anything.
5
Those who feasted on delicacies
perish in the streets;
those who were brought up in purple
cling to ash heaps.
6
For the chastisement of my people has been greater
than the punishment of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment,
though no hand was laid on it.
7
Her princes were purer than snow,
whiter than milk;
their bodies were more ruddy than coral,
their hair like sapphire.
8
Now their visage is blacker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as wood.
9
Happier were those pierced by the sword
than those pierced by hunger,
whose life drains away, deprived
of the produce of the field.
10
The hands of compassionate women
have boiled their own children;
they became their food
in the destruction of my people.
11
The Lord gave full vent to his wrath;
he poured out his hot anger,
and kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed its foundations.
12
The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the inhabitants of the world,
that foe or enemy could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
13
It was for the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed the blood of the righteous
in the midst of her.
14
Blindly they wandered through the streets,
so defiled with blood
that no one was able
to touch their garments.
15
“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them;
“Away! Away! Do not touch!”
So they became fugitives and wanderers;
it was said among the nations,
“They shall stay here no longer.”
16
The Lord himself has scattered them,
he will regard them no more;
no honor was shown to the priests,
no favor to the elders.
17
Our eyes failed, ever watching
vainly for help;
we were watching eagerly
for a nation that could not save.
18
They dogged our steps
so that we could not walk in our streets;
our end drew near; our days were numbered;
for our end had come.
19
Our pursuers were swifter
than the eagles in the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains,
they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20
The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,
was taken in their pits—
the one of whom we said, “Under his shadow
we shall live among the nations.”
21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Edom,
you that live in the land of Uz;
but to you also the cup shall pass;
you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
22
The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter Zion, is accomplished,
he will keep you in exile no longer;
but your iniquity, O daughter Edom, he will punish,
he will uncover your sins.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 11:7-15
11. Jesus and John the Baptist
Jesus Praises John the Baptist
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?8What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.10This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came;14and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.15Let anyone with ears listen!
Psalm a Day - Psalm 105:16-30
105. Psalm 105
16
When he summoned famine against the land,
and broke every staff of bread,
17
he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18
His feet were hurt with fetters,
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19
until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the Lord kept testing him.
20
The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21
He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all his possessions,
22
to instruct his officials at his pleasure,
and to teach his elders wisdom.
23
Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24
And the Lord made his people very fruitful,
and made them stronger than their foes,
25
whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,
to deal craftily with his servants.
26
He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27
They performed his signs among them,
and miracles in the land of Ham.
28
He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
they rebelled against his words.
29
He turned their waters into blood,
and caused their fish to die.
30
Their land swarmed with frogs,
even in the chambers of their kings.