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
Aug 31, 2022, 12:17 PM
Passage Read: Acts 24-25
Meditation Verses: 25:2-3
Thought
After two years of Paul in prison, the Jews still demand his death as one of the first things mentioned to the new governor. Had he continued to be a threat and a problem to them? Was he still stirring up trouble while detained with some freedom? How are they so embittered against him that after two years, upon meeting the new governor the first thing they ask is for Paul's transfer to Jerusalem so they can kill him?
Aug 30, 2022, 12:18 PM
Passage Read: Acts 22-23
Meditation Verse: 23:11
Thought
The Lord intended for Paul to testify at Rome. That was a promise that Paul could bank on. Though the Spirit had warned that he would be bound in Jerusalem, and most of the believers who heard it tried to turn Paul away, Paul understood correctly that he was supposed to go to Jerusalem. The analysis of believers is not always accurate, and often based more on human compassion rather than the will of God.
Aug 29, 2022, 12:20 PM
Passage Read: Acts 20-21
Meditation Verses: 21:11-14
Thought
The Spirit revealed to many people along the way that Paul would be arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem. Many people took that as reason for Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But Paul didn't. In fact, he was traveling with gifts for the people in Jerusalem and was compelled to deliver them. He didn't take those same revelations as reason to drop out of the mission. Instead, he understood it just to be news of what would come, not direction from the Spirit to cancel his involvement with the mission.
Aug 28, 2022, 12:21 PM
Passage Read: Acts 18-19
Meditation Verse: 18:6
Thought
Paul thought of his ministry in the same way Ezekiel was taught his. He was a watchman and expected to warn everyone he could. He began with Jews, wherever he went, but turned to Gentiles when the Jews would have no more of him. Yet when he departed from them, he could say with a clear conscience that he had spoken the truth, sufficient for salvation, to them, and that he was clear of any bloodguilt on their behalf.
Aug 27, 2022, 12:22 PM
Passage Read: Acts 16-17
Meditation Verses: 17:30-31
Thought
Paul's message to Gentiles was repent and believe in Jesus, the man raised to live again whom God appointed to judge the world in righteousness. Men are no longer allowed to believe whatever they want, but must accept God alone as the one true God, and must submit to His standard of righteousness, because they will be judged by Jesus, the God-Man who will judge in righteousness.
Aug 26, 2022, 12:23 PM
Passage Read: Acts 14-15
Meditation Verse: 15:10
Thought
The Pharisees were saying that the new Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and keep the whole Law of Moses. Peter answers and says that the whole Law was a burden that none of them have been able to keep. Jesus lived like a Jew, keeping the whole Law perfectly, and we are called to live like Him. But Jesus never taught about any of the ceremonial aspects of the law, except to say that food and unwashed hands did not make a man unclean.
Aug 25, 2022, 12:24 PM
Passage Read: Acts 12-13
Meditation Verses: 13:30-33
Thought
This is incredible, to proclaim that God raised Jesus from the dead and only a few people far away are witnesses. How can anyone believe this to be true? But that is the challenge and the miracle, that upon hearing so impossible a story, someone might believe and change their whole life. This is why Paul says that he didn't use worldly wisdom or clever speech to convert people, but just used the plain Gospel, trusting in the power of God, and warned his hearers not to reject this news.
Aug 24, 2022, 12:25 PM
Passage Read: Acts 10-11
Meditation Verse: 10:35
Thought
"In every nation, the one fearing God and working righteousness is acceptable to God." Cornelius learned of God from the Jews, and believed in God and worked righteousness because of his faith in God. But he wasn't saved. Yet because of his faith and obedient heart, God made sure to send Peter to explain Jesus and how He saves us from sin. Cornelius had already turned his life to obey the Lord, but he hadn't yet had all his sins forgiven.
Aug 23, 2022, 12:27 PM
Passage Read: Acts 8-9
Meditation Verses: 8:22-23
Thought
These were strong words for Simon, who only wanted to be able to share the Holy Spirit with others. But what Peter said was true, Simon's heart was not right. He had been famous and looked up to for years, but now he too believed in Jesus and left his magic behind. He wanted to maintain his fame and the attention everyone gave him, and he saw he could do that with the power to give the Holy Spirit.
Aug 22, 2022, 12:28 PM
Passage Read: Acts 6-7
Meditation Verses: 6:2-5
Thought
The apostles, though twelve, couldn't do it all. They were not unwilling to do good, but the need to teach and commune with God was greater than the need to care for the widows. Instead they called for seven men, filled with the Spirit, who would be set apart to care for the widows, and the people were pleased with the plan. The people agreed that the apostles needed to focus on prayer and teaching the Word, and they were glad to have godly men responsible for the widows.