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Daily Light's Morning Reading
Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.—MATT. 8:17.
Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: and the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: as for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: and he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
Behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.—And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Spurgeon's Morning Reading
“It is a faithful saying.”
2 Timothy 2:11
Paul has four of these “faithful sayings.” The first occurs in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” The next is in 1 Timothy 4:6, “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” The third is in 2 Timothy 2:12, “It is a faithful saying—If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him”; and the fourth is in Titus 3:3, “This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” We may trace a connection between these faithful sayings. The first one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God, as shown to us in the mission of the great Redeemer. The next affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation—the blessings of the upper and nether springs—of time and of eternity. The third shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that “if we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” The last sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works. Thus we have the root of salvation in free grace; next, the privileges of that salvation in the life which now is, and in that which is to come; and we have also the two great branches of suffering with Christ and serving with Christ, loaded with the fruits of the Spirit. Treasure up these faithful sayings. Let them be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction. The apostle of the Gentiles proved them to be faithful, they are faithful still, not one word shall fall to the ground; they are worthy of all acceptation, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Samuel 29
29. David Back to Ziklag
The Philistines Reject David
29
Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while the Israelites were encamped by the fountain that is in Jezreel.2As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish,3the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years? Since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.”4But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him; and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, so that he may return to the place that you have assigned to him; he shall not go down with us to battle, or else he may become an adversary to us in the battle. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here?5Is this not David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign; for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me until today. Nevertheless the lords do not approve of you.7So go back now; and go peaceably; do nothing to displease the lords of the Philistines.”8David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”9Achish replied to David, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’10Now then rise early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who came with you, and go to the place that I appointed for you. As for the evil report, do not take it to heart, for you have done well before me. Start early in the morning, and leave as soon as you have light.”11So David set out with his men early in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
New Testament in Four Years - Philippians 2:1-4
2. Imitating Christ's Humility
Imitating Christ’s Humility
2
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,2make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Psalm a Day - Psalm 89:1-29
89. Psalm 89
Psalm 89
God’s Covenant with David
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
4
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’ ”Selah
5
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
6
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
8
O Lord God of hosts,
who is as mighty as you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9
You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10
You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11
The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.
12
The north and the south—you created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13
You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15
Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance;
16
they exult in your name all day long,
and extol your righteousness.
17
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19
Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
“I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20
I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
21
my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
22
The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
23
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
24
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
25
I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
26
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’
27
I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
28
Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him,
and my covenant with him will stand firm.
29
I will establish his line forever,
and his throne as long as the heavens endure.