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 11, 2022, 7:26 AM
Passage Read: John 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:60-61
Thought
Jesus said some hard things, not just to those who refused to believe in Him, but also to those who followed Him. He wasn't afraid to offend with the truth. He was in fact more concerned about speaking Truth and sifting those who came to Him than He was concerned about amassing a great crowd of disciples. He came to seek and save those who were lost, knowing full well that many who would be drawn to Him would not care for the Truth.
Aug 10, 2022, 7:28 AM
Passage Read: John 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:21
Thought
There is an implication here that those who come to Jesus are those who desire to do right, those who desire righteousness. They are willing to come to the Light, to Jesus, that their deeds, their actions and behaviors may be confirmed as having been done in God. Those who love evil are not willing to come to Jesus because He will expose their sin and they'll have to give it up. But those who love and long for truth and goodness will come to Jesus because they have hungered for righteousness, they have been seeking it and they recognize in Jesus the truth of God.
Aug 9, 2022, 7:28 AM
Passage Read: John 1-2
Meditation Verses: 2:23-24
Thought
Jesus did miracles and many people believed in His name, but Jesus didn't entrust Himself to them. He knew what was in man. He knew that men were capable of amassing a mob and coming by force to make Him do their will. He knew men could be very selfish and concerned only about their wants and needs, rather than God's plans. So He didn't entrust Himself to them. Yet that didn't make Him withdraw and avoid men completely, but just remained on His guard while teaching them and healing them. He didn't commit Himself to them, but made sure to protect His autonomy.
Aug 8, 2022, 8:11 AM
Passage Read: Luke 23-24
Meditation Verse: 23:34
Thought
I am so easily angered when things don't go my way. I don't understand the eternal value of anything I suffer. Jesus had complete confidence in the Father's will for Him, to suffer and be crucified. He had fully submitted Himself to the Father's purposes. And so He could still be gracious and considerate to those around Him, even the thief on the cross beside Him.
Aug 7, 2022, 8:12 AM
Passage Read: Luke 21-22
Meditation Verses: 22:31-32
Thought
Satan asked to sift Peter, and obviously received permission. But Jesus prayed for Him, yet not that he would be delivered from the sifting, but that his faith would survive it. And Jesus' petition was also granted, so He spoke of after the sifting, that he would need to assure the other disciples. Jesus intercedes for us, but not to keep trouble from coming on us, but that our faith would not completely fail in the trial.
Aug 6, 2022, 8:13 AM
Passage Read: Luke 19-20
Meditation Verse: 19:27
Thought
For now, Jesus puts up with those hostile to Him, who refuse to have Him reign over them. Christians are those who should accept His reign even now. We are supposed to be acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior, and walking in obedience to Him. If we are unwilling to walk in obedience to Him, then we were the same as those who refuse to accept His rule. And those who refuse to accept His rule, He will destroy when He comes!
Aug 5, 2022, 8:14 AM
Passage Read: Luke 17-18
Meditation Verse: 17:1
Thought
It is impossible to keep offenses from coming because the Lord has chosen to show mercy even on those who hate Him. He allowed the sinful to endure, because if not, no one would be saved. Some sinful people endure so that they might one day receive grace to repent and believe the Gospel. Many other endure to show the wickedness of man and the forbearance of God, until He does pass judgment and pour out His wrath and glorify His holy name.
Aug 4, 2022, 8:15 AM
Passage Read: Luke 15-16
Meditation Verse: 15:1
Thought
The Scripture notes that tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to listen to Him, and the religious leaders remarked that Jesus received them and even ate with them. Jesus then spoke three illustrations to explain the situation to them, to defend not only Himself, but those who were coming to Him, listening to Him and eating with Him. All three illustrations speak of repentance, of finding the lost one and rejoicing over their return.
Aug 3, 2022, 8:17 AM
Passage Read: Luke 13-14
Meditation Verses: 14:25-26
Thought
It's like Jesus was trying to scare away those who followed Him. Great crowds followed Him and He warned them that only those who love Him more than family or life could be His disciple. How is that the Gospel? Is it possible for someone to be saved yet not be His disciple? Or does He raise the bar so high that unless a person recognizes that He is greater than all else, they cannot be saved?
Aug 2, 2022, 8:18 AM
Passage Read: Luke 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:51-53
Thought
Jesus didn't come to destroy men's lives, but neither did He come to make everyone happy. His Gospel and His demands of righteousness will divide even families, how much more societies! He came to bring life, but men choose darkness. He didn't come to condemn, but men choose to reject Him and His standard of righteousness. He is divisive, not because He wants to stir up trouble, but because men choose to reject Him.
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