Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.—PSA. 103:19.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.—Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?
I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?—If God be for us, who can be against us?
He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.—Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Prov. 16:33. -Amos 3:6.Isa. 45:5-7.Dan. 4:35. -Rom. 8:31.I Cor. 15:25. -Luke 12:32.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.”
John 16:15
There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no avail, unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are thirsty, but too faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can bind up his wounds, and medicines there to ease all the pains which he now suffers: what he needs is to be carried thither, and to have the remedies applied. It is thus with our souls, and to meet this need there is one, even the Spirit of truth, who takes of the things of Jesus, and applies them to us. Think not that Christ hath placed his joys on heavenly shelves that we may climb up to them for ourselves, but he draws near, and sheds his peace abroad in our hearts. O Christian, if thou art tonight labouring under deep distresses, thy Father does not give thee promises and then leave thee to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well, but the promises he has written in the Word he will write anew on your heart. He will manifest his love to you, and by his blessed Spirit, dispel your cares and troubles. Be it known unto thee, O mourner, that it is God’s prerogative to wipe every tear from the eye of his people. The good Samaritan did not say, “Here is the wine, and here is the oil for you;” he actually poured in the oil and the wine. So Jesus not only gives you the sweet wine of the promise, but holds the golden chalice to your lips, and pours the life-blood into your mouth. The poor, sick, way-worn pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is borne on eagles’ wings. Glorious gospel! which provides everything for the helpless, which draws nigh to us when we cannot reach after it—brings us grace before we seek for grace! Here is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Ghost to bring Jesus to them.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Samuel 24
24. David Spares Saul's Life
David Spares Saul’s Life
24
When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.3He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.4The men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak.5Afterward David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak.6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the Lord’s anointed.”7So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way.
8 Afterwards David also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.9David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of those who say, ‘David seeks to do you harm’?10This very day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not raise my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’11See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life.12May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.13As the ancient proverb says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea?15May the Lord therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you. May he see to it, and plead my cause, and vindicate me against you.”
16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.18Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands.19For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.20Now I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.21Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house.”22So David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
New Testament in Four Years - Philippians 1:7-11
1. Thanksgiving and Prayer
7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight10to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.Psalm a Day - Psalm 84
84. Psalm 84
Psalm 84
The Joy of Worship in the Temple
To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2
My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4
Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.Selah
5
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6
As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!Selah
9
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
10
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12
O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.