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 21, 2024, 2:26 AM
Passage Read: Luke 13-14
Meditation Verses: 13:23-27
Thought
There is a contrast between "strive" and "seek" in Jesus' description here. He tells us to strive, which is stronger than seek, to enter the narrow gate. Many will seek to enter and fail. We must strive to enter, that implies diligent effort. He goes on to describe those who sought but didn't make it as people who recognized that Jesus ate and drank with them and taught in their streets, but Jesus denies knowing them.
Aug 20, 2024, 2:27 AM
Passage Read: Luke 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:32-34
Thought
The Father has chosen gladly to give us the kingdom! There is a kingdom that is on offer, that is promised to those who believe and obey the Son. Because of that promise, we can live generously on the earth, doing good and helping others with our means. He just told the story of a man who's crops produced so bountifully that he could store them up and live a life of comfort and relaxation the rest of his days. He saw his gain as a blessing to himself so that he could retire and live off the produce.
Aug 19, 2024, 2:29 AM
Passage Read: Luke 9-10
Meditation Verses: 10:10-16
Thought
We are only messengers. Perhaps the Lord would allow us to do miracles, but the most important thing is the message. If people or a town or village or city does not listen to and receive the message of the kingdom, they will be worse off in the judgment than all these unbelieving and wicked cities of old, which did not hear of God. Anyone or any people who do not listen to and believe the Gospel are worse off even than the people of Sodom! And Jesus actually tells His disciples to testify against anyone who refuses to receive and believe the Gospel!
Aug 18, 2024, 2:30 AM
Passage Read: Luke 7-8
Meditation Verse: 8:18
Thought
Jesus speaks sometimes in parables and sometimes in clear teaching. The parables obscure the meaning of His teachings, so that people have to meditate and pray and seek out God for an explanation. But the clear teachings shouldn't need much effort to understand; effort is only needed to obey the teaching. In both cases, the responsibility is on the hearer, whether they put in the effort needed to understand and apply Jesus's teaching. So Jesus warns His listeners to be careful how they listen: to the one who puts in the effort to receive and apply Jesus's teachings, he will receive more.
Aug 17, 2024, 2:31 AM
Passage Read: Luke 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:32-36
Thought
Sinners, unbelievers, love those who love them back. Sinners, unbelievers, do good to those who do good to them. Sinners, unbelievers, lend to those who pay them back. Believers in Jesus are supposed to go beyond that, to love those who don't love them, to do good to those who don't return good to them, to lend to others without expecting repayment. Because even God is kind to the ungrateful. God has unlimited resources and great patience.
Aug 16, 2024, 2:33 AM
Passage Read: Luke 3-4
Meditation Verses: 4:43-44
Thought
Luke makes it clear that Jesus at least began His ministry by preaching in the local synagogues. Of course the other Gospels mention Jesus doing things in a few synagogues, but this statement by Luke suggests it wasn't occasional, but regular and deliberate. The people heard about Him and word spread, especially about the miracles, so everyone wanted to see Him, but in time He would have worn out His welcome.
Aug 15, 2024, 2:34 AM
Passage Read: Luke 1-2
Meditation Verses: 2:34-35
Thought
Gabriel didn't mention anything about Jesus needing to suffer, only that He would be given the throne of His father David and reign over Israel forever. So this is the first recording of someone telling her that trouble and grief would come to her through Jesus. Did she understand from Scripture that the Messiah was also the Branch, that the King was also the suffering Servant?
Aug 14, 2024, 2:07 AM
Passage Read: Mark 15-16
Meditation Verse: 15:10
Thought
Not everyone who serves God actually knows or cares about what God desires. The chief priests, the Sanhedrin, the scribes, all of these should have known God best and understood all He was doing. But instead, when Jesus came teaching and performing miracles, they became jealous of Him and plotted to kill Him. They should have rejoiced! But they were part of the problem.
Aug 13, 2024, 2:08 AM
Passage Read: Mark 13-14
Meditation Verses: 14:37-38
Thought
Peter had spent more than three years with Jesus. He was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Christ, God's appointed king of Israel, and the Son of God. He was ready to die for Jesus, willing to fight to protect Him from arrest, willing to fight to gain the throne of Israel for Him. But Jesus hadn't come from heaven to lead a rebellion and wage war to gain the throne of Israel. He came this first time to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men, that all who believe in Him would be forgiven and made righteous.
Aug 12, 2024, 2:10 AM
Passage Read: Mark 11-12
Meditation Verse: 11:25
Thought
Following on the heels of Jesus telling about believing in prayer in order to receive what we ask for, He says that whenever we pray, we should forgive anyone against whom we are holding something, so that our Father in heaven will forgive us. Jesus seems to tie forgiveness to receiving what we ask for in prayer. Perhaps not, but it makes sense. If we do not forgive others who sin against us, then the Father is holding our sins against us.
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