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Daily Light's Morning Reading
When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.—MIC. 7:8.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.—I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.—What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.—The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Isa. 43:2,3. -Isa. 42:16.Psa. 23:4. -Psa. 56:3,4. -Psa. 27:1.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.”
Lamentations 3:58
Observe how positively the prophet speaks. He doth not say, “I hope, I trust, I sometimes think, that God hath pleaded the causes of my soul;” but he speaks of it as a matter of fact not to be disputed. “Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.” Let us, by the aid of the gracious Comforter, shake off those doubts and fears which so much mar our peace and comfort. Be this our prayer, that we may have done with the harsh croaking voice of surmise and suspicion, and may be able to speak with the clear, melodious voice of full assurance. Notice how gratefully the prophet speaks, ascribing all the glory to God alone! You perceive there is not a word concerning himself or his own pleadings. He doth not ascribe his deliverance in any measure to any man, much less to his own merit; but it is “thou”—“O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.” A grateful spirit should ever be cultivated by the Christian; and especially after deliverances we should prepare a song for our God. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censor smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving. How joyful Jeremiah seems to be while he records the Lord’s mercy. How triumphantly he lifts up the strain! He has been in the low dungeon, and is even now no other than the weeping prophet; and yet in the very book which is called “Lamentations,” clear as the song of Miriam when she dashed her fingers against the tabor, shrill as the note of Deborah when she met Barak with shouts of victory, we hear the voice of Jeremy going up to heaven—“Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.” O children of God, seek after a vital experience of the Lord’s lovingkindness, and when you have it, speak positively of it; sing gratefully; shout triumphantly.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Ezekiel 1
1. Living Creatures and Glory of God
The Vision of the Chariot
1
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.2On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin),3the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was on him there.
4 As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber.5In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.6Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:9their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved.10As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle;11such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.12Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.13In the middle of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire.14The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.16As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel.17When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved.18Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.19When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.20Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.21When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.23Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another; and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body.24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings.25And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.
26 And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form.27Upward from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all around; and downward from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendor all around.28Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 11:20-24
11. Jesus and John the Baptist
Woes to Unrepentant Cities
20 Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent.21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.22But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.23And you, Capernaum,
will you be exalted to heaven?
No, you will be brought down to Hades.
For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.24But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.”
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.