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, 2026, 9:37 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 39-42
Meditation Verses: 42:18-22
Thought
There are two kinds of deaf and blind: those who are deaf and blind to the things of God and those who are deaf and blind to all but the things of God. There are those who trust in idols and human imagination instead of in the Lord, who see and hear the Law but don't recognize its greatness and glory so they refuse to obey and walk in it. They think they see; they think they understand.
Jun 9, 2026, 7:00 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 35-38
Meditation Verse: 38:3
Thought
Death is the ultimate test of faith. Do I fear it or welcome it? Hezekiah, in his prayer recorded in later verses, is grieved that his life is being cut short, that he will enter Sheol and no longer see the Lord or men on the earth. He didn't think he could praise the Lord in the grave; he didn't have a complete understanding of death and what follows.
Jun 8, 2026, 7:19 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 31-34
Meditation Verses: 31:1-3
Thought
Even God's people, especially God's people, when they look to men--princes, kings, mighty men, wise men--but not to the Lord, why would they do that? Why would they think of the help of men before they think of the help of God? Men are but flesh, and God can make the helper stumble; it's so easy for Him!
Jun 7, 2026, 8:02 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 27-30
Meditation Verse: 27:11
Thought
The whole of God's Word has been given to us not just to teach us the bare core of the Gospel, in hope that we might be saved. The whole counsel of God has been given to us to teach us truth and justice and righteousness, so that believing the Gospel can bring us back into a right relationship with God, where He teaches and guides and we follow and learn and obey.
Jun 6, 2026, 7:36 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 23-26
Meditation Verses: 25:4-5
Thought
The Lord is not a defense to any and all who are helpless, He is a defense to those who love Him and walk in His ways, who because of their faithfulness to His ways are easily overcome by the wicked of the earth. The wicked don't care about kindness or righteousness or goodness. They only care about strengthening themselves and taking what they want. They delight in getting away with oppression and injustice.
Jun 5, 2026, 7:57 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 19-22
Meditation Verses: 22:21-25
Thought
Eliakim gets Shebna's position and honor, and seems like a better guy than Shebna, but in the end, he too is cut off! He gains authority and brings honor to his father's family, but the Lord has determined that even he will fall. He will not be able to bear the weight of all the responsibility and expectations placed on him.
Jun 4, 2026, 7:50 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 15-18
Meditation Verse: 18:7
Thought
It seems Egypt seeks an ally across the waters--of the Mediterranean most likely? And that ally is a nation feared far and wide, brutal and oppressive and powerful. Antony and Cleopatra? This one verse prophesies the turning of that nation to God, such that they pay homage to Him.
Jun 3, 2026, 8:00 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 11-14
Meditation Verses: 12:1-2
Thought
This day is coming, the day described in Chapter 11, the return of Christ and the establishing of His kingdom and the exaltation of Israel. That will be a day of such joy and gladness, the like of which has never been seen. Because it will follow years of oppression, when they thought they were abandoned, forgotten by the Lord.
Jun 2, 2026, 8:42 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 7-10
Meditation Verses: 10:5-7
Thought
God is absolutely sovereign over the nations and all men, yet He does not control them like robots. He uses them to accomplish His will through their individual choices and ambitions. He works all things together for good to those who love Him without violating the individual's will.
Jun 1, 2026, 7:07 AM
Passage Read: Isaiah 3-6
Meditation Verses: 6:9-13
Thought
The Lord is furious with His people! In just these few chapters, He has declared multiple times that He is going to bring judgment on them. Their leaders have not led them in the His ways, so He will give them children and women to lead, and the chaos will increase. He will remove His protection from them, they will be trampled underfoot, and He will withhold rain from the land.