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 10, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 13-16
Meditation Verses: 14:13-16
Thought
The Lord tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people because there is no hope for them; they will be cast out of the Lord's land. But Jeremiah sees the problem: Their prophets are telling them that everything will be all right; they will enjoy peace and prosperity, even though they sin terribly against the Lord. How can Jeremiah compete with all the false prophets? There are so many more of them and they all say the opposite of what God tells Jeremiah to proclaim!
Jun 9, 2024, 7:18 AM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 9-12
Meditation Verse: 11:6
Thought
Jeremiah was commanded to go through the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem proclaiming the Lord's covenant that the people had violated. City by city, town by town in Judah, and street by street in Jerusalem. There is no escaping it.
Jun 8, 2024, 7:21 AM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 5-8
Meditation Verse: 6:16
Thought
Ecclesiastes tells us not to ask why the former days were better than the present, for that doesn't come from wisdom. But God tells Jeremiah that we should be seeking out the former ways, the ancient paths, the good paths, for to walk in those ways is to know peace, peace with God.
Jun 7, 2024, 7:23 AM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 1-4
Meditation Verse: 1:17
Thought
Passage Read: Jeremiah 1-4
Meditation Verse: 1:17
Thought
Jeremiah is a youth, yet he is called by God to proclaim His message of judgment and warning. He is called to speak to rulers and nations and crowds of people, and God warns him not to be dismayed by them, not to fear them or be overwhelmed by them, otherwise the Lord would dismay him before them. He is not to fear the people or be intimidated by them, otherwise the Lord would confuse and confound him before all the people.
Jun 6, 2024, 7:02 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 63-66
Meditation Verse: 66:24
Thought
One day, we will be able to look on all those people who rejected the Lord, as they suffer torment. Their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched. They will be visible to all the redeemed, and we will be able to look on them whenever we desire. And they will be an abhorrence to all who remain. We will see friends and neighbors and even relatives who rejected the Lord, who refused to believe and obey Him, and we will not feel pity but disgust.
Jun 5, 2024, 7:04 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 59-62
Meditation Verse: 59:4
Thought
How true this is, from the least of us to the greatest. No one is completely honest. We trust in confusion and misdirection, and even speak lies. We don't sue righteously or plead honestly. We present the side of truth that supports our want, rather than the whole truth that might show we aren't the oppressed one, or that our lack is our own making.
Jun 4, 2024, 7:05 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 55-58
Meditation Verses: 58:1-3
Thought
The Lord has a lot against Judah, even though they seek Him day by day and delight to know His ways. They believe they are a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the Lord's commands. They call out to Him for guidance and leadership, and delight in His nearness. But He is not pleased with them, because in all their spirituality, they have not learned to do good and right, but while they do the one, they also oppress the weak and pursue all their own desires.
Jun 3, 2024, 7:07 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 51-54
Meditation Verse: 54:17
Thought
This verse is so much more then what is usually quoted, and the overlooked part is so much better than the oft-quoted part! No weapon formed against God's people will prosper, not for long. Every tongue that accuses His people in judgment, His people will condemn. They will have the last word and it will stand.
Jun 2, 2024, 7:08 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 47-50
Meditation Verse: 50:10
Thought
Those who fear the Lord and obey His voice can still walk in darkness and not see light. That's when he must trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. That's the test. Will he continue to trust in the Lord or will he try to light his own way? Will he continue to believe and obey the Lord's word, especially when all seems dark? Or will he turn to some other source of light?
Jun 1, 2024, 7:10 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 43-46
Meditation Verses: 43:21-25
Thought
We were created to praise and honor the Lord, but instead we become weary of Him. He asks too much, He requires from us too much. Sacrifice and offering, obedience and submission. We want to go our own way, to be free to do what we want to do. We reject Him, we offer Him nothing good or pleasant, though He is our Creator and the One who cares for our every need, even needs we didn't know we had because He was watching so carefully over us.
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