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
Jul 11, 2022, 8:51 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:41-42
Thought
There are those who are believing Jesus, many of whom are actually repenting and learning to do good. But there are still many more who refuse to believe. The repentant know that these words are not spoken against them, and the unrepentant are insulted. So Jesus can speak to the crowds without fear of insulting those who truly believe. To paint with such broad brushes is not wrong or dangerous, but puts those who need it on warning, and those who have believed continue to trust the Lord.
Jul 10, 2022, 8:52 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 9-10
Meditation Verses: 10:21-22
Thought
Jesus didn't make following Him sound very peaceful and joyous, but hard and grievous. We shouldn't be surprised when men hate us! Instead, we should be concerned when we're loved and praised! But if that's the case, then what has happened in the last century? There was such a time of peace for the Church that the feeling is that peace and tranquility should be the norm for it! Men shouldn't hate us, and if they do, it's our fault!
Jul 9, 2022, 8:53 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 7-8
Meditation Verse: 8:32
Thought
Jesus didn't just let these pigs be killed, He destroyed these people's livelihood! Obviously, He knew what he was doing and what affect it would have on the people. He saved the men who were possessed by the demons, which is great, but He killed a whole herd of pigs, the investment of this community or of a family or of a rich man, and incited the anger of that whole town. He was not just making a statement of the value of the two men, but also judging the community that kept pigs on the edge of Israel.
Jul 8, 2022, 8:54 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 5-6
Meditation Verse: 6:30
Thought
If God so clothes the grass of the field with beautiful flowers, can I not believe that He will take care of me and my needs? Can I not trust that He will provide what I need, even if I cannot see a path forward? Can I believe Him to provide food and clothing and any other need, even if I can't see how it could happen, even if I have no means to provide them myself? Is it my own ability to provide so long that blinds me to His power to save and provide for me?
Jul 7, 2022, 8:55 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 3-4
Meditation Verse: 4:17
Thought
Jesus preached the exact same message as John: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near." It was what all the prophets had preached right up to their days, and Jesus' disciples preached the same thing: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, and your sins will be forgiven." It is one and the same message, that we need to turn from our wickedness and from our wicked ways, and submit to God and walk in His ways.
Jul 6, 2022, 8:57 AM
Passage Read: Matthew 1-2
Meditation Verse: 1:6
Thought
Solomon was born of Uriah's wife, and this phrasing reminds me that this marriage was one of great sin. The first child of their union was conceived of adultery, and the Lord took his life as punishment on David. But the second, the Lord loved and was chosen to succeed David as king. Despite the fact that David had taken another man's wife and had the man killed to legitimize his taking of her, the Lord didn't continue to oppose their union.
Jul 5, 2022, 8:35 AM
Passage Read: Malachi 1-4
Meditation Verses: 2:5-7
Thought
Fearing God brings obedience to His Word, obedience to His Word puts true instruction in the mouth, true instruction in the mouth brings many to repentance. Knowing God requires fearing God, fearing God moves one to know His Word and to walk in obedience to it. Walking in obedience to the Lord and His Word fills the heart and mouth with true wisdom and instruction so as to turn many from sin to life.
Jul 4, 2022, 8:36 AM
Passage Read: Zechariah 11-14
Meditation Verses: 11:8-10
Thought
What a tragic illustration! Yet how many fellowships fall into this same pattern? The leaders don't care about the needs of the flock, but only for how they can profit from it. The sheep become so entrenched in their sin that even when a shepherd from the Lord comes, he can do nothing to turn them back to the Truth! There's nothing left but to abandon the flock to their terrible fate. And how many marriages end for the same reason?
Jul 3, 2022, 8:38 AM
Passage Read: Zechariah 7-10
Meditation Verses: 8:14-17
Thought
In the past, Israel and Judah provoked the Lord to wrath, and He drove them out of their land because they had polluted their good land by their sins. But now He has determined to do them good, and He will likewise not repent of His intention. But here He calls them to speak truth to each other, judge fairly, do not devise evil against a neighbor and do not swear falsely, because these are all things He hates.
Jul 2, 2022, 8:39 AM
Passage Read: Zechariah 3-6
Meditation Verse: 3:9
Thought
In one day the Lord will remove iniquity from the land! That sounds a lot like Jesus' sacrifice, or His return. Like Joshua having his filthy clothes replaced by God with clean clothes, so Jesus' death and resurrection takes away our iniquity and gives us His righteousness. Not by my power, but by the Lord's power. He does the work of making me clean, and He does it in an instant.