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 21, 2024, 7:06 AM
Passage Read: Zechariah 3-6
Meditation Verses: 3:5-7
Thought
Joshua was given clean garments; his filthy garments were replaced with these clean garments, symbolizing his cleansing from sin. Then the Lord admonished him, saying that if he walked in the Lord's ways and performed the Lord's service, he would govern the Lord's house and have free access to it. He was made clean, but he had to walk in the ways of the Lord to gain rulership and free access to the Lord's house. The same is true for us: Our cleansing from sin is just the beginning.
Jul 20, 2024, 7:08 AM
Passage Read: Haggai 1 - Zechariah 2
Meditation Verses: Haggai 1:2-9
Thought
The Lord had brought Israel back from captivity, and they had started to rebuild the temple, but then quit. They turned to build their own houses, to expand them. They found their farming to be of limited success, so they spent more time trying to increase their harvest, though nothing worked. They didn't realize the Lord was working against them. They thought their own prosperity was more important than building the Lord's house.
Jul 19, 2024, 7:09 AM
Passage Read: Habakkuk 3 - Zephaniah 3
Meditation Verses: Zephaniah 3:11-13
Thought
Israel will one day dwell with the Lord and feel no shame over their rebellious deeds, because all the proud and arrogant people, who delighted in their rebellion, will be removed from their midst. There will only be the humble and lowly left, the kind of people who are not clever at inventing ways, but who only seek to know the Lord's way and do it. Because they are humble and teachable and eager to do the Lord's will, they will do no wrong and tell no lies, and the Lord will protect them and they will live in peace.
Jul 18, 2024, 7:11 AM
Passage Read: Nahum 2 - Habakkuk 2
Meditation Verse: Habakkuk 1:4
Thought
When the Law is ignored, justice can never be upheld. When rulers and judges ignore the law of the land, justice never comes, how much more when they ignore the Law of God? And why do they ignore the law? Because they themselves violate it and wouldn't want to be judged by it. They don't keep the law, so they would be condemned by the law. They are wicked, and so they must ignore the law and make justice whatever they want, whatever would not condemn them.
Jul 17, 2024, 7:12 AM
Passage Read: Micah 5 - Nahum 1
Meditation Verses: Micah 7:5-10
Thought
When the days are evil, they will be very evil. Friend will be foe, family will be enemy. The believer will not be able to trust anyone, even those who should be closest and most committed to them. Neighbor, friend, wife. Children will treat parents contemptuously, a man's own household will rise up against him. Because he will have been given over to contempt; he will fall.
Jul 16, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: Micah 1-4
Meditation Verses: 2:6-7
Thought
How badly we misunderstand God. We are no better than Israel and Judah at this time. A true prophet speaks, and we say, "Silence! Do not say such things! That's not what the Lord is like!" But if we silence the prophets who show us our sins, how will there be repentance? How will the reproach coming our way be turned back? There will only be death and destruction coming our way. In truth, God's Spirit is impatient with sin! God has given us who trust in Christ everything we need to live a holy life, but we keep pursuing the world and the desires of our flesh.
Jul 15, 2024, 7:05 AM
Passage Read: Jonah 1-4
Meditation Verse: 4:11
Thought
These enemies of Israel, who would soon destroy Israel and send their survivors into exile, these enemies of Israel know nothing of right and wrong, and God has compassion on them. Even though these were people whom God would use to humble His people, yet God cared for them, cared that they didn't know right from wrong, cared that they would be condemned to hell unless they repented.
Jul 13, 2024, 7:07 AM
Passage Read: Amos 7 - Obadiah 1
Meditation Verses: Amos 7:12-13
Thought
Amaziah the priest tells Amos to go to Judah and prophesy there, because Bethel is a residence and sanctuary of the king. The king shouldn't have to hear bad news, and he certainly doesn't care what the Lord says, nor, evidently, should be be warned if the Lord has made plans against him. Prophets of the Lord should only speak to people who care what the Lord says, according to Amaziah, and they should never deliver bad news to royalty.
Jul 12, 2024, 7:08 AM
Passage Read: Amos 3-6
Meditation Verses: 4:4-8
Thought
Here is God speaking sarcasm, to point out the deafness of His people. He encourages them to bring their tithes and offerings to their appointed holy places. But He calls out their sin. They offer sacrifices that God has not appointed or approved. They have decided how they will worship God: They have made golden calf idols and called them by God's name.
Jul 11, 2024, 7:10 AM
Passage Read: Joel 2 - Amos 2
Meditation Verses: Amos 2:10-12
Thought
Amos records the Lord's judgments against the nations round about Israel, but He also records judgment against Israel and Judah. They are perhaps the worst offenders, because they knew the Lord, were chosen by the Lord and received His Law. He even made some to be Nazirites and others to be prophets. But not only did the people turn away from the Lord, but as if for sport, they made the Nazirite drink wine, to violate his vow, and they commanded the prophets not to speak.
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