Personal Devotions
Notes from Mark's personal Bible reading and meditation
With a goal to apply one truth from each day's reading to my life that day
Jun 20, 2022, 7:37 AM
Passage Read: Hosea 4-7
Meditation Verses: 6:6-7
Thought
God desires to show mercy, not receive sacrifice; He desires that His people understand Him rather than offer burnt offerings. But instead, like Adam, they sin against Him, breaking His covenant and betraying Him. He wants to do good, but His people want nothing of Him. They just want the blessing, they don't want the instructions. If God insists on having His way with them, they'll go elsewhere. So God is left with judgment, instead of the mercy He desired, the understanding of Him and His ways.
Jun 19, 2022, 7:38 AM
Passage Read: Daniel 12 - Hosea 3
Meditation Verses: Hosea 3:3-5
Thought
Hosea buys back Gomer and says she will remain with him, but be without lover or close relationship with him. God explains that this signifies Israel being many days without king or ruler, without sacrifice of Temple or priest. After that, they will seek the Lord and David their king, fearing the Lord in the end of days. So this is a prophecy about the present days! About the time from Jesus' resurrection onward. Israel today has no king, they have a rotating president, but no Temple or priests and certainly no sacrifices.
Jun 18, 2022, 7:39 AM
Passage Read: Daniel 8-11
Meditation Verses: 11:33-35
Thought
Those who understand will help many in those last days to stand firm, to understand what is truly happening, that all is happening according to the plans established by the Lord from of old. Those who understand will strengthen many, yet they themselves will also be taken, by sword, by flame, by exile, by captivity for many days. Those who understand will not be immune from the suffering, but will themselves be caught up in the persecution, to be tested and refined, to be cleansed of their own failings and of those who have joined them in hypocrisy.
Jun 17, 2022, 7:41 AM
Passage Read: Daniel 4-7
Meditation Verses: 7:11-12
Thought
The last beast, the Antichrist, he is destroyed by Christ, but the other nations are allowed to endure, though they lose their authority. Those other kingdoms survive for a season and a time, longer than a time, times and half a time, which is considered to be three and a half years, the time that the saints are given into the hand of the Antichrist. Jesus establishes His kingdom when He defeats the Antichrist, and this seems to imply that those other nations will yet survive to enter Jesus' reign, that He will rule over them and all other nations.
Jun 16, 2022, 7:42 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 48 - Daniel 3
Meditation Verse: Daniel 2:38
Thought
This always seems strange that God would mention that Nebuchadnezzar is also king of the animals. What do the animals care? It's not like they acknowledge his right to rule over them. But God originally commanded Adam to rule over all the animals as well as the land, so God is showing that a ruler also rules over the animals in his kingdom and not just people! This is acknowledgment of that original command and affirmation that rulers still rule over the animals in their realm. It is true even today.
Jun 15, 2022, 8:36 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 44-47
Meditation Verse: 47:22
Thought
Uncircumcised aliens are not welcome in the Temple, but aliens who live among the Israelites are to be granted land as an inheritance just like a native Israelite. But they will be subject to all the laws and rules that the Israelites are subject to. They are to be treated as native-born Israelites. So God does not reject anyone who is willing to come and join themselves to the Lord and His people, but they are required to join and be treated and behave just as He requires His own people to live.
Jun 14, 2022, 8:37 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 40-43
Meditation Verse: 43:11
Thought
Only if the people are ashamed of their ways, their waywardness, only if they're ready to change their ways and seek the Lord in truth, then Ezekiel is to show them the measurements and statutes of this new temple. But if they're not ready to obey the Lord, then there's no point in building a new temple. It will just continue to infuriate the Lord. God is not interested in faithless motions and offerings.
Jun 13, 2022, 8:38 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 36-39
Meditation Verse: 36:32
Thought
The Lord promises to return Israel from exile and give them a heart of flesh to obey His commands and statutes. But He assures them that He is not doing it for their sake, as if they have done something worthwhile, worthy of His salvation. They have done nothing but rebel and bring disgrace to His name! He is bringing them back to their land and changing their hearts for the sake of His name, that it would be honored and glorified.
Jun 12, 2022, 8:40 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 32-35
Meditation Verses: 34:17-22
Thought
Not only are the shepherds abusing the flock, not caring for the needs of the sheep but caring only for their own wants and needs, so also the fat sheep bully the thin. They take all the good stuff and care nothing for what is left when they finish. They muddy the waters and trample down the good grass, after they have had their fill. They push and shove their way to the best and think nothing of the sheep they thrust aside.
Jun 11, 2022, 8:41 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 28-31
Meditation Verses: 31:13-14
Thought
Assyria was once the greatest empire on earth, but it was overthrown because of its arrogance, because it abused God's people. And to be a sign to all other great nations, that none of them can last forever, none of them can endure against the Lord. Any nation that does not honor the Lord will not last. Any nation that thinks it's invincible will be overthrown.
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