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
Mar 4, 2025, 1:10 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 23-26
Meditation Verses: 25:4-5
Thought
God promised to exalt Heman, and did so by granting him fourteen sons. His sons would be leaders of divisions in the work, and they would multiply and become even greater numbers with more responsibilities coming into his family. And he would be the head of them all.
Mar 3, 2025, 6:42 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 19-22
Meditation Verses: 22:18-19
Thought
Many people have said or suggested that until and unless they have peace and all their needs provided for, they cannot spare time or energy to seek the Lord. David's words seem to imply that, but his example is the exact opposite.
Mar 2, 2025, 6:35 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 15-18
Meditation Verse: 16:4
Thought
The temple was a place of worship that was open all the time, in operation all day, every day. There were set times for worship, the morning and evening sacrifices, but people could come and go any time.
Mar 1, 2025, 6:44 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 11-14
Meditation Verses: 14:13-15
Thought
David was a famous and successful warrior by this time. That is a large part of why all Israel came to make him king, because the Lord blessed his leadership of the army. But here he is, with all his wisdom and experience,
Feb 28, 2025, 6:50 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 7-10
Meditation Verses: 10:13-14
Thought
Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord, yet he died around the age of 70! So it's not like his life was taken early, but he lived a full life. His life was marked by several significant events of disobedience, including the time he consulted a medium.
Feb 27, 2025, 12:17 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 3-6
Meditation Verses: 5:19-20
Thought
The three tribes east of the Jordan had some successes in battle, and here the Scriptures record their victory against the Hagrites.
Mar 1, 2024, 7:11 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 23-26
Meditation Verses: 23:30-31
Thought
Certain Levites were set apart to sing thanks and praise to the Lord at the time of the morning and evening sacrifices. The sacrifices were offered to the Lord on behalf of the nation, and they were to be offered at all times, not just on special occasions. Likewise, the singing was supposed to happen, whether there were people in the courts or not. The singing was to God, not to the people.
Feb 29, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 19-22
Meditation Verses: 22:18-19
Thought
With peace and prosperity come the opportunity to serve the Lord wholeheartedly and to build His house. When God brings peace to a people, and they no longer need to be worried for their own lives, then they should turn their attention to the Lord, to worship and proclaim His goodness. In trouble, people should be compelled to seek the Lord for His help and deliverance, though they may not have the time or energy to fully devote themselves to building up His house. However, when peace comes, they should make His house and His name the priority.
Feb 28, 2024, 7:14 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 15-18
Meditation Verses: 17:4-6
Thought
The Lord had no permanent structure within which to dwell, but went about among the people, moving from tent to tent and one dwelling to another. While His people built houses and settled down, the Lord chose to remain mobile and to move about among the people. His tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, but the ark had been separated from it since the death of Eli's two sons.
Feb 26, 2024, 7:15 AM
Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 11-14
Meditation Verses: 13:12-14
Thought
The Lord is both very good and at the same time very frightening! David has been so blessed by the Lord, now made king, prospering, and he desires to seek the Lord more and better than before, so he brings the ark to Jerusalem. Incorrectly, though, and as a result, Uzzah dies. David is afraid of the Lord and halts the progression. Obed-edom gets temporary responsibility for the ark, and God blesses his house.