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Daily Light's Morning Reading
Thou art my hope in the day of evil.—JER. 17:17.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.—I will sing of thy power; yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord: and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Reeemer.—Sorrow shall be turned into joy.—Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psa. 4:6. -Psa. 59:16.Psa. 30:6-10.Isa. 54:7,8. -John 16:20. -Psa. 30:5.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.”
Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?—for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?
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“Trials make the promise sweet; Trials give new life to prayer; Trials bring me to his feet, Lay me low, and keep me there.” |
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Genesis 14
14. Abram Rescues Lot
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue
14
In the days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim,2these kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).3All these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea).4Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,6and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness;7then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim9with King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five.10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.11So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way;12they also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram.14When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.15He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus.16Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).18And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.19He blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
maker of heaven and earth;
20
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.21Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, maker of heaven and earth,23that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’24I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”
New Testament in Four Years - Romans 5:12-14
5. Peace and Joy
Adam and Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 29
29. Psalm 29
Psalm 29
The Voice of God in a Great Storm
A Psalm of David.
1
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over mighty waters.
4
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9
The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!