Meditate
with a daily devotion
Daily Light's Evening Reading
The Spirit . . . maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.—ROM. 8:27.
Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.—Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.—This is the will of God, even your sanctification.
God hath . . . called us . . . unto holiness: . . . who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit.
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.
John 16:23,24. -Eph. 6:18.I John 5:14,15,I Thes. 4:3. -I Thes. 4:7,8.I Thes. 5:16-19.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“He openeth, and no man shutteth.”
Revelation 3:7
Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise and before every believing soul he setteth an open door, which no man or devil shall be able to close against it. What joy it will be to find that faith in him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, dost thou carry this key in thy bosom, or art thou trusting to some deceitful pick-lock, which will fail thee at last? Hear this parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and he has proclaimed to all the world that none shall enter but those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and they bring each one the flower which he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence, and enter not into the festive halls. Some bear in their hand the deadly nightshade of superstition, or the flaunting poppies of Rome, or the hemlock of self- righteousness, but these are not dear to the King, the bearers are shut out of the pearly gates. My soul, hast thou gathered the rose of Sharon? Dost thou wear the lily of the valley in thy bosom constantly? If so, when thou comest up to the gates of heaven thou wilt know its value, for thou hast only to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open: not for a moment will he deny thee admission, for to that rose the Porter openeth ever. Thou shalt find thy way with the rose of Sharon in thy hand up to the throne of God himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise there is none that can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into thy hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it thine all in all, and thou shalt be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.
Old Testament Chapter a Day - Numbers 14
14. People Rebel
The People Rebel
14
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.2And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!3Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”4So they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites.6And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes7and said to all the congregation of the Israelites, “The land that we went through as spies is an exceedingly good land.8If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.9Only, do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are no more than bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”10But the whole congregation threatened to stone them.
Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.11And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?12I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
Moses Intercedes for the People
13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for in your might you brought up this people from among them,14and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people; for you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go in front of them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.15Now if you kill this people all at one time, then the nations who have heard about you will say,16‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them that he has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’17And now, therefore, let the power of the Lord be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying,
18
‘The Lord is slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love,
forgiving iniquity and transgression,
but by no means clearing the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the parents
upon the children
to the third and the fourth generation.’
19 Forgive the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now.”
20 Then the Lord said, “I do forgive, just as you have asked;21nevertheless—as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—22none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice,23shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it.24But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.25Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
An Attempted Invasion is Repulsed
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:27How long shall this wicked congregation complain against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites, which they complain against me.28Say to them, “As I live,” says the Lord, “I will do to you the very things I heard you say:29your dead bodies shall fall in this very wilderness; and of all your number, included in the census, from twenty years old and upward, who have complained against me,30not one of you shall come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.31But your little ones, who you said would become booty, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have despised.32But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.33And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.34According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.”35I the Lord have spoken; surely I will do thus to all this wicked congregation gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.
36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report about the land—37the men who brought an unfavorable report about the land died by a plague before the Lord.38But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh alone remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.
39 When Moses told these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned greatly.40They rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.”41But Moses said, “Why do you continue to transgress the command of the Lord? That will not succeed.42Do not go up, for the Lord is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your enemies.43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will confront you there, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”44But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, had not left the camp.45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hormah.
New Testament in Four Years - 1 Corinthians 12:21-26
12. Spiritual Gifts
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect;24whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member,25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.Psalm a Day - Psalm 119:129-144
119. Psalm 119
129
Your decrees are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131
With open mouth I pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your custom toward those who love your name.
133
Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
and never let iniquity have dominion over me.
134
Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135
Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136
My eyes shed streams of tears
because your law is not kept.
137
You are righteous, O Lord,
and your judgments are right.
138
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139
My zeal consumes me
because my foes forget your words.
140
Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141
I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your law is the truth.
143
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
but your commandments are my delight.
144
Your decrees are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.