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 7, 2023, 5:32 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 20-23
Meditation Verse: 20:49
Thought
No matter how clearly Ezekiel preaches, no matter how clearly the Lord prophesies through him, the people have a ready excuse to protect themselves from the Lord's message: He's just speaking parables! That way no one can know for sure what he means! Everyone can obscure the meaning of Ezekiel's message. The Lord's message is not unclear. He speaks clearly, but we deliberately confuse the message so we think we have an excuse for not obeying.
Jun 6, 2023, 5:33 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 16-19
Meditation Verse: 16:63
Thought
When God makes His atonement for our sins, it shouldn't result in pride and arrogance. That's what happened at the beginning, when God first chose Israel, they became prideful because they had been chosen by the Lord. They thought they were something great, and so sought attention from all kinds of other gods; they became unfaithful to the Lord because they thought it was because of themselves that the Lord chose them.
Jun 5, 2023, 5:35 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 12-15
Meditation Verse: 13:22
Thought
There are workers of magic and lies that actually cause grief to the righteous and encourage the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways. They cause grief surely because they encourage people to remain in their sin, but also perhaps because they cause the righteous to second guess his beliefs and faith. The righteous are grieved by the magic symbols that are sold to the foolish; he knows they are useless and only deceive the foolish, ensuring his downfall.
Jun 4, 2023, 5:37 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 8-11
Meditation Verses: 9:9-10
Thought
"The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see" was the excuse the Israelites gave for seeking other gods. But the truth was that they had sought other gods first, which caused the Lord to withdraw His protection and blessing. He didn't forsake the land, but sent prophets to warn them and call them to repentance, but they refused. He saw everything they were doing, and it only provoked Him all the more.
Jun 3, 2023, 5:38 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 4-7
Meditation Verse: 6:9
Thought
God is grieved by our adulterous hearts, which turn away from Him, and our eyes, which lust after idols. He is jealous and heartbroken that we find Him lacking and unattractive, though He has given everything we have to us. He takes care of all our need, gives us life and blesses us with your things, yet we bow to the things of this world, whether actual idols or other things we treasure: stuff, money, position, power, whatever.
Jun 2, 2023, 5:39 PM
Passage Read: Lamentations 5 - Ezekiel 3
Meditation Verse: Ezekiel 3:27
Thought
Ezekiel wasn't made responsible for the response of the people, but he was responsible for his response to the Lord. He was supposed to speak what the Lord told him, but he wasn't responsible for whether the people listened or not. He was only responsible to speak to whomever the Lord directed and say whatever the Lord commanded. Interesting that at one point, he is overwhelmed by the Lord's own anger and bitterness.
Jun 15, 2022, 3:36 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 44-47
Meditation Verse: 47:22
Thought
Uncircumcised aliens are not welcome in the Temple, but aliens who live among the Israelites are to be granted land as an inheritance just like a native Israelite. But they will be subject to all the laws and rules that the Israelites are subject to. They are to be treated as native-born Israelites. So God does not reject anyone who is willing to come and join themselves to the Lord and His people, but they are required to join and be treated and behave just as He requires His own people to live.
Jun 14, 2022, 3:37 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 40-43
Meditation Verse: 43:11
Thought
Only if the people are ashamed of their ways, their waywardness, only if they're ready to change their ways and seek the Lord in truth, then Ezekiel is to show them the measurements and statutes of this new temple. But if they're not ready to obey the Lord, then there's no point in building a new temple. It will just continue to infuriate the Lord. God is not interested in faithless motions and offerings.
Jun 13, 2022, 3:38 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 36-39
Meditation Verse: 36:32
Thought
The Lord promises to return Israel from exile and give them a heart of flesh to obey His commands and statutes. But He assures them that He is not doing it for their sake, as if they have done something worthwhile, worthy of His salvation. They have done nothing but rebel and bring disgrace to His name! He is bringing them back to their land and changing their hearts for the sake of His name, that it would be honored and glorified.
Jun 12, 2022, 3:40 PM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 32-35
Meditation Verses: 34:17-22
Thought
Not only are the shepherds abusing the flock, not caring for the needs of the sheep but caring only for their own wants and needs, so also the fat sheep bully the thin. They take all the good stuff and care nothing for what is left when they finish. They muddy the waters and trample down the good grass, after they have had their fill. They push and shove their way to the best and think nothing of the sheep they thrust aside.