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
Apr 30, 2024, 7:10 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 119
Meditation Verses: 119:97-104
Thought
The writer of Psalm 119 has discovered the secret to a righteous life: total delight and love for the law of God. Over and over he declares how love for God's law consumes him, therefore he walks in God's precepts. Doing so makes him wiser than all his enemies and his teachers and even the aged. He keeps his feet from evil so that he can direct them in God's ways, because the commands of the Lord are so precious to him; God Himself has taught him! It is love for God's law that drives him to hate every false way, and instead to walk in God's ways alone.
Apr 29, 2024, 7:11 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 115-118
Meditation Verse: 118:17
Thought
There is much about praising God in these psalms. In almost every case, the same reason is given: because the Lord delivered the psalmist from death or suffering. In some cases, the suffering seems to be the result of his own sin, for which God disciplined him, like in the next verse. But as this verse suggests, the right response to living, for being given life, is to tell of God's works.
Apr 28, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 111-114
Meditation Verse: 111:10
Thought
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is repeated many times in Scripture, so obviously, it's pretty important and very true. To fear the Lord drives a man to know what the Lord desires and to do it. Those who do His commands obtain a good understanding, because by learning to obey the Lord, they learn what is good and right, and they learn experientially what the Lord desires and begin to understand His heart.
Apr 27, 2024, 7:14 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 107-110
Meditation Verses: 110:1-6
Thought
Psalm 110 is more than just a riddle about the identity of the Messiah. It is prophesy about God fulfilling that promise to make the Son of David rule over all nations! He will rule in the midst of His enemies, while those who love Him will volunteer gladly to stand in His army. Not only will He rule, but He will be an eternal high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Apr 26, 2024, 7:16 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 103-106
Meditation Verse: 104:35
Thought
There are two kinds of people in the world, the wicked and the righteous, and the only difference is how they respond to God. Both sin, but both are not characterized by sin. The righteous hear the word of God and repent; the righteous despise their sin and turn away from it. They may frequently catch themselves in sin, and they loathe themselves for it. They cry to the Lord for victory and discipline themselves to attain His victory.
Apr 25, 2024, 7:17 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 99-102
Meditation Verses: 99:6-9
Thought
Moses and Aaron were among God's priests; Samuel was one who called on God's Name. They called upon the Lord and He answered them. He was a forgiving God to them, yet also an avenger of their evil deeds. Moses was kept out of the promised land for one sin; Aaron also died short of Canaan. Samuel lived out his days without any sin held against him, but the people asked him for a king because his sons did not walk in Samuel's ways.
Apr 24, 2024, 7:18 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 95-98
Meditation Verses: 95:7-11
Thought
Today, if I desire to hear God's voice, I must be careful not to harden my heart. If I harden my heart against the Lord and His Word, I shouldn't be surprised if He doesn't speak to me, or more accurately, I shouldn't be surprised if I can't hear Him speaking. The problem is not with God, but me, because I don't want to receive and submit to the things He desires, so He speaks but I refuse to hear.
Apr 23, 2024, 7:20 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 91-94
Meditation Verses: 94:1-3
Thought
The wicked get away with so much. It seems their judgment is slow in coming, such that the righteous find themselves pleading with God to judge them quickly, to not delay. Because it is such a temptation to the righteous, to those who should walk in righteousness. Why trouble ourselves with what God requires when the wicked ignore him and live large in the land?
Apr 22, 2024, 7:21 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 87-90
Meditation Verses: 89:29-33
Thought
Ethan is dismayed at the Lord's treatment of his anointed one. God made a covenant with David, that he would never lack a man to sit on his throne before Him, that his kingdom would endure for all generations. But the king Ethan speaks of seems to enjoy no favor from the Lord. He seems rejected and completely overthrown! But God did warn David that if his sons disobeyed the Lord, there would be judgment on them, yet, as Ethan points out, God would not betray His promise to David.
Apr 21, 2024, 7:22 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 83-86
Meditation Verses: 83:15-18
Thought
This is the prayer of a man who loves God and His people. He pleads with God against the enemies who desire to destroy God's people. He pleads with God to terrify them and pursue them and destroy them, that they would know that the Lord is the Most High, ruling over all the earth. Jesus told us to pray for those who persecute us and do good to those who hate us without cause. But He also hammered the Pharisees and teachers of the Law who opposed His people with their unholy commands and expectations!