Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
The dust shall return to the earth as it was.—ECCL. 12:7.
It is sown in corruption; it is sown in dishonour; it is sown in weakness; it is sown a natural body.—The first man is of the earth, earthy.
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.—One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
My flesh . . . shall rest in hope.—Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.—The Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.—So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
I Cor. 15:42-44. -I Cor. 15:47.Gen. 3:19. -Job 21:23,25,26.Psa. 16:9. -Job 19:26. -Phi. 3:20,21.Psa. 39:4. -Psa. 90:12.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“Thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.”
Psalm 68:10
All God’s gifts are prepared gifts laid up in store for wants foreseen. He anticipates our needs; and out of the fulness which he has treasured up in Christ Jesus, he provides of his goodness for the poor. You may trust him for all the necessities that can occur, for he has infallibly foreknown every one of them. He can say of us in all conditions, “I knew that thou wouldst be this and that.” A man goes a journey across the desert, and when he has made a day’s advance, and pitched his tent, he discovers that he wants many comforts and necessaries which he has not brought in his baggage. “Ah!” says he, “I did not foresee this: if I had this journey to go again, I should bring these things with me, so necessary to my comfort.” But God has marked with prescient eye all the requirements of his poor wandering children, and when those needs occur, supplies are ready. It is goodness which he has prepared for the poor in heart, goodness and goodness only. “My grace is sufficient for thee.” “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
Reader, is your heart heavy this evening? God knew it would be; the comfort which your heart wants is treasured in the sweet assurance of the text. You are poor and needy, but he has thought upon you, and has the exact blessing which you require in store for you. Plead the promise, believe it and obtain its fulfilment. Do you feel that you never were so consciously vile as you are now? Behold, the crimson fountain is open still, with all its former efficacy, to wash your sin away. Never shall you come into such a position that Christ cannot aid you. No pinch shall ever arrive in your spiritual affairs in which Jesus Christ shall not be equal to the emergency, for your history has all been foreknown and provided for in Jesus.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 1 Kings 16
16. Kings of Israel
16
The word of the Lord came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,2“Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have caused my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins,3therefore, I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat.4Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the air shall eat.”
5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, what he did, and his power, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?6Baasha slept with his ancestors, and was buried at Tirzah; and his son Elah succeeded him.7Moreover the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.
Elah Reigns over Israel
8 In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah; he reigned two years.9But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the palace at Tirzah,10Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah, and succeeded him.
11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he killed all the house of Baasha; he did not leave him a single male of his kindred or his friends.12Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by the prophet Jehu—13because of all the sins of Baasha and the sins of his son Elah that they committed, and that they caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols.14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?
Third Dynasty: Zimri Reigns over Israel
15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines,16and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king”; therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.17So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.18When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house; he burned down the king’s house over himself with fire, and died—19because of the sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for the sin that he committed, causing Israel to sin.20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?
Fourth Dynasty: Omri Reigns over Israel
21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts; half of the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.22But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri became king.23In the thirty-first year of King Asa of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel; he reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.
Samaria the New Capital
24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; he fortified the hill, and called the city that he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.
25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did more evil than all who were before him.26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and in the sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.27Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the power that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?28Omri slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria; his son Ahab succeeded him.
Ahab Reigns over Israel
29 In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.30Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.
Ahab Marries Jezebel and Worships Baal
31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him.32He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.33Ahab also made a sacred pole. Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him.34In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.
New Testament in Four Years - 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20
2. Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica
Paul’s Desire to Visit the Thessalonians Again
17 As for us, brothers and sisters, when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you—in person, not in heart—we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face.18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but Satan blocked our way.19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?20Yes, you are our glory and joy!
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.