Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Morning Reading
No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.—JOHN 10:29.
I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.—The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.—We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Your life is hid with Christ in God.
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
II Tim. 1:12. -II Tim. 4:18. -Rom. 8:37-39. -Col. 3:3.Jas. 2:5.II Thes. 2:16,17.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“So shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Even the sweetest visits from Christ, how short they are—and how transitory! One moment our eyes see him, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, but again a little time and we do not see him, for our beloved withdraws himself from us; like a roe or a young hart he leaps over the mountains of division; he is gone to the land of spices, and feeds no more among the lilies.
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“If today he deigns to bless us With a sense of pardoned sin, He to-morrow may distress us, Make us feel the plague within.” |
Oh, how sweet the prospect of the time when we shall not behold him at a distance, but see him face to face: when he shall not be as a wayfaring man tarrying but for a night, but shall eternally enfold us in the bosom of his glory. We shall not see him for a little season, but
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“Millions of years our wondering eyes, Shall o'er our Saviour’s beauties rove; And myriad ages we'll adore, The wonders of his love.” |
In heaven there shall be no interruptions from care or sin; no weeping shall dim our eyes; no earthly business shall distract our happy thoughts; we shall have nothing to hinder us from gazing forever on the Sun of Righteousness with unwearied eyes. Oh, if it be so sweet to see him now and then, how sweet to gaze on that blessed face for aye, and never have a cloud rolling between, and never have to turn one’s eyes away to look on a world of weariness and woe! Blest day, when wilt thou dawn? Rise, O unsetting sun! The joys of sense may leave us as soon as they will, for this shall make glorious amends. If to die is but to enter into uninterrupted communion with Jesus, then death is indeed gain, and the black drop is swallowed up in a sea of victory.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Ezekiel 21
21. Babylon, God's Sword of Judgment
The Drawn Sword of God
21
The word of the Lord came to me:2Mortal, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries; prophesy against the land of Israel3and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord: I am coming against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked.4Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north;5and all flesh shall know that I the Lord have drawn my sword out of its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.6Moan therefore, mortal; moan with breaking heart and bitter grief before their eyes.7And when they say to you, “Why do you moan?” you shall say, “Because of the news that has come. Every heart will melt and all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will turn to water. See, it comes and it will be fulfilled,” says the Lord God.
8 And the word of the Lord came to me:9Mortal, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord; Say:
A sword, a sword is sharpened,
it is also polished;
10
it is sharpened for slaughter,
honed to flash like lightning!
How can we make merry?
You have despised the rod,
and all discipline.
11
The sword is given to be polished,
to be grasped in the hand;
it is sharpened, the sword is polished,
to be placed in the slayer’s hand.
12
Cry and wail, O mortal,
for it is against my people;
it is against all Israel’s princes;
they are thrown to the sword,
together with my people.
Ah! Strike the thigh!
13 For consider: What! If you despise the rod, will it not happen? says the Lord God.
14
And you, mortal, prophesy;
strike hand to hand.
Let the sword fall twice, thrice;
it is a sword for killing.
A sword for great slaughter—
it surrounds them;
15
therefore hearts melt
and many stumble.
At all their gates I have set
the point of the sword.
Ah! It is made for flashing,
it is polished for slaughter.
16
Attack to the right!
Engage to the left!
—wherever your edge is directed.
17
I too will strike hand to hand,
I will satisfy my fury;
I the Lord have spoken.
18 The word of the Lord came to me:19Mortal, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them shall issue from the same land. And make a signpost, make it for a fork in the road leading to a city;20mark out the road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and to Jerusalem the fortified.21For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the fork in the two roads, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the teraphim, he inspects the liver.22Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to call out for slaughter, for raising the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build siege towers.23But to them it will seem like a false divination; they have sworn solemn oaths; but he brings their guilt to remembrance, bringing about their capture.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have brought your guilt to remembrance, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.
25
As for you, vile, wicked prince of Israel,
you whose day has come,
the time of final punishment,
26
thus says the Lord God:
Remove the turban, take off the crown;
things shall not remain as they are.
Exalt that which is low,
abase that which is high.
27
A ruin, a ruin, a ruin—
I will make it!
(Such has never occurred.)
Until he comes whose right it is;
to him I will give it.
28 As for you, mortal, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; say:
A sword, a sword! Drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume, to flash like lightning.
29
Offering false visions for you,
divining lies for you,
they place you over the necks
of the vile, wicked ones—
those whose day has come,
the time of final punishment.
30
Return it to its sheath!
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your origin,
I will judge you.
31
I will pour out my indignation upon you,
with the fire of my wrath
I will blow upon you.
I will deliver you into brutish hands,
those skillful to destroy.
32
You shall be fuel for the fire,
your blood shall enter the earth;
you shall be remembered no more,
for I the Lord have spoken.
New Testament in Four Years - Matthew 13:53-58
13. Parables of Jesus
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
54 He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?55Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?”57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.”58And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 119:17-32
119. Psalm 119
17
Deal bountifully with your servant,
so that I may live and observe your word.
18
Open my eyes, so that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19
I live as an alien in the land;
do not hide your commandments from me.
20
My soul is consumed with longing
for your ordinances at all times.
21
You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
who wander from your commandments;
22
take away from me their scorn and contempt,
for I have kept your decrees.
23
Even though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24
Your decrees are my delight,
they are my counselors.
25
My soul clings to the dust;
revive me according to your word.
26
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
27
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28
My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.
29
Put false ways far from me;
and graciously teach me your law.
30
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your ordinances before me.
31
I cling to your decrees, O Lord;
let me not be put to shame.
32
I run the way of your commandments,
for you enlarge my understanding.