Meditate
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Daily Light's Morning Reading
By their fruits ye shall know them.—MATT. 7:20.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.—Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.—Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.—A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?
I John 3:7. -Jas. 3:11-13. -I Pet. 2:12.Matt. 12:33. -Matt. 12:35.Isa. 5:4.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Avoid foolish questions.”
Titus 3:9
Our days are few, and are far better spent in doing good, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. The old schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our Churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field. Questions upon points wherein Scripture is silent; upon mysteries which belong to God alone; upon prophecies of doubtful interpretation; and upon mere modes of observing human ceremonials, are all foolish, and wise men avoid them. Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle’s precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my conversation adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord, and watching as a servant should do who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus? Such enquiries as these urgently demand our attention; and if we have been at all given to cavilling, let us now turn our critical abilities to a service so much more profitable. Let us be peace-makers, and endeavour to lead others both by our precept and example, to “avoid foolish questions.”
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Lamentations 5
5. Appeal for God's Forgiveness
A Plea for Mercy
5
Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
look, and see our disgrace!
2
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our homes to aliens.
3
We have become orphans, fatherless;
our mothers are like widows.
4
We must pay for the water we drink;
the wood we get must be bought.
5
With a yoke on our necks we are hard driven;
we are weary, we are given no rest.
6
We have made a pact with Egypt and Assyria,
to get enough bread.
7
Our ancestors sinned; they are no more,
and we bear their iniquities.
8
Slaves rule over us;
there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9
We get our bread at the peril of our lives,
because of the sword in the wilderness.
10
Our skin is black as an oven
from the scorching heat of famine.
11
Women are raped in Zion,
virgins in the towns of Judah.
12
Princes are hung up by their hands;
no respect is shown to the elders.
13
Young men are compelled to grind,
and boys stagger under loads of wood.
14
The old men have left the city gate,
the young men their music.
15
The joy of our hearts has ceased;
our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16
The crown has fallen from our head;
woe to us, for we have sinned!
17
Because of this our hearts are sick,
because of these things our eyes have grown dim:
18
because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate;
jackals prowl over it.
19
But you, O Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures to all generations.
20
Why have you forgotten us completely?
Why have you forsaken us these many days?
21
Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored;
renew our days as of old—
22
unless you have utterly rejected us,
and are angry with us beyond measure.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 11:16-19
11. Jesus and John the Baptist
16 “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
17
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’;19the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
Psalm a Day - Psalm 105:31-45
105. Psalm 105
31
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and gnats throughout their country.
32
He gave them hail for rain,
and lightning that flashed through their land.
33
He struck their vines and fig trees,
and shattered the trees of their country.
34
He spoke, and the locusts came,
and young locusts without number;
35
they devoured all the vegetation in their land,
and ate up the fruit of their ground.
36
He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the first issue of all their strength.
37
Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
38
Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39
He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light by night.
40
They asked, and he brought quails,
and gave them food from heaven in abundance.
41
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river.
42
For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
43
So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
44
He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45
that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!