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
Nov 9, 2026, 8:02 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:20-21
Thought
There is worldly and empty chatter and there are "the opposing arguments of what is falsely called 'knowledge.'" There are things that are totally meaningless and there are things that masquerade as knowledge. Both are useless and dangerous to the true believer because they lead away from the faith.
Nov 8, 2026, 6:58 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 3-4
Meditation Verses: 4:7-8
Thought
It's not just worldly fables that we need to be careful of and alert to, but also these doctrines of demons which include forbidding of marriage and abstaining from certain foods. Really it is anything that distracts from disciplining ourselves for godliness.
Nov 7, 2026, 8:22 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 1-2
Meditation Verses: 2:1-4
Thought
A tranquil and quiet life is good in God's eyes if it is lived in godliness and dignity. It helps further God's desire that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Whether that is by the granting of such prayers that reveals the truth and power of God or through the godly and dignified testimony of men and women displayed freely and widely because of the peace they enjoy.
Nov 9, 2025, 2:29 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verses: 5:6-7
Thought
While I'm sure Paul is talking about all these instructions regarding widows, the preceding statement has application for all people: Anyone who lives for pleasure is dead even while they live! Those who are truly in need have a natural encouragement to pray to God and ask for help; that's good for all of us, but not likely to leave us open to blame if we fail to pray but rather work to supply our need.
Nov 8, 2025, 1:34 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:1
Thought
It is not wrong to desire to be an elder/overseer or even a deacon. These are good and noble ambitions, if they drive a man to prepare himself according to the standards Paul lays out. If it is just a position and power that a man seeks, with no desire to conform his life to these requirements, then it's just selfish ambition, and that man is not worthy of these positions.
Nov 7, 2025, 2:06 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 1-2
Meditation Verses: 1:5-7
Thought
The Christian life is centered on love, which comes from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. Christian love is all about being of benefit to others, as the Word of God teaches, doing so out of a heart purified of sin and guile and self-seeking, purified by God's Spirit and according to the standard laid down in God's Word.
Oct 30, 2024, 2:00 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verse: 6:1
Thought
All believing slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and Paul's teaching may not be spoken against. Whether their master is a believer or not, whether they are kind and gentle or not, the believing slave is to consider his master to be worthy of all honor. This is true of anyone under authority: we are to consider our parents, our husband, our boss, our governing authorities, our church leaders, all authorities and any authority as worthy of honor, not based on their intrinsic worthiness, but so that the name of the Lord and the teaching of the Scripture may be honored.
Oct 29, 2024, 2:02 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:6
Thought
One of the greatest enemies of faith is pride. To encourage someone in such a way that promotes their own pride, that causes them to inflate their own view of themselves, is not the act of a loving leader. What each person needs is to grow in humility. As much as possible, only those who have developed a healthy humility should be put in positions of responsibility in the church (and anywhere else).
Oct 28, 2024, 2:12 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 1-2
Meditation Verses: 1:6-7
Thought
The goal of all Christian teaching and discussion should be to promote love from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. But some stray from these things, the result being that they are caught up in fruitless discussions, wanting to be teachers of the Law, but having no clue what they're really taking about. There is a desire to be important and to be admired by men as wise, likely in order to rule.
Oct 10, 2023, 2:18 AM
Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:6-10
Thought
Godliness with contentment is great gain. My greatest desire needs to be to grow in godliness, not grow my bank account or earthly assets. I came into the world with nothing, and I will leave the world with nothing but what I have done for the kingdom of God. If I have food and clothing, I should be content with that. That aligns with what Jesus said, that the Father promises food and clothing to those who seek first His kingdom and righteousness.