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
Jul 12, 2026, 8:24 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 44-47
Meditation Verses: 44:15-16
Thought
The Levites failed in their duties, helping the people worship idols. They were not to take the role of the priest on themselves, but like Jonathan the grandson of Moses, some or many found they could advance to the role of priest with idols or foreign gods. Instead of being just a servant or helper, they could be the head guy.
Jul 11, 2026, 8:54 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 40-43
Meditation Verses: 43:10-11
Thought
The Lord dictated all these plans and Ezekiel was to describe them to the people of Israel so that they might be ashamed. And only if they were ashamed of all they had done was he to give them the details. In fact, only if they were truly ashamed and ready to make things right was there any point in giving them the details. If they didn't change, they would either not bother to make the temple or they would make it but continue their false worship.
Jul 10, 2026, 7:27 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 36-39
Meditation Verses: 36:5-10
Thought
By divine decree, the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel forever. Even when the Lord Himself drives His people out of the land as punishment for their sins, it does not mean the Lord has given up the land or allowed others to take ownership of it. Any who claim it for themselves in Israel's absence are counted as thieves and interlopers.
Jul 9, 2026, 8:19 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 32-35
Meditation Verses: 34:15-16
Thought
How the flock must suffer at the hands of their worthless shepherds. If only the Lord would deliver them from their cruel shepherds by removing them long before harm is done. The Lord knows the beginning from the end. He knows which shepherds will be good and which evil.
Jul 8, 2026, 6:16 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 28-31
Meditation Verses: 28:2-5
Thought
Intelligence, particularly wisdom, and financial success are two of three most common sources of personal pride leading to arrogance. Jeremiah warns against a man boasting of his wisdom, strength or riches, instead of in knowing the Lord. Tyre actually had all three, so it's no wonder it was so proud, and its ruler thought himself a god.
Jul 7, 2026, 7:44 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 24-27
Meditation Verses: 25:15-17
Thought
Ammon and Moab, Edom and the Philistines, neighbors of Israel, perpetual enemies, though three of them are related by blood! So they rejoice at the destruction of Israel and Judah. They take advantage of the situation and plunder the edges of the land and take for themselves whatever the Babylonians leave behind.
Jul 6, 2026, 8:02 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 20-23
Meditation Verse: 22:30
Thought
How can God say this when He Himself had appointed and sent Jeremiah to call the people to repentance and righteousness? Ezekiel was among the exiles in Babylon, but Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem at this time. Wasn't he standing before the Lord on behalf of the land? But the Lord forewarned Jeremiah that no one would listen to him.
Jul 5, 2026, 7:47 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 16-19
Meditation Verse: 18:2
Thought
The sense of this proverb is that the fathers do wrong and get away with it, but their sons must endure the consequences. With it, the latter generation blames the former generation for their trials and difficulties. Their fathers sinned against the Lord but lived out their days in prosperity and safety, but their sons live under the oppression of a foreign king, no freedom, humiliated, starving.
Jul 4, 2026, 9:05 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 12-15
Meditation Verses: 13:6-7
Thought
There were prophets who maybe thought they were doing good by giving the people words of encouragement, promising them peace (though there was no word from God assuring peace). But their words of encouragement didn't move the people to change their ways but to remain in them.
Jul 3, 2026, 9:11 AM
Passage Read: Ezekiel 8-11
Meditation Verse: 11:13
Thought
Ezekiel thought the Israelites still remaining in Jerusalem were the remnant of Israel, but they weren't. It's the Jews who went into exile who will be preserved, at least those who recognize their sin and repent. The Lord will protect them and be a sanctuary to them until He brings them back to the land of Israel. When they return, they will cleanse the land of the abominations that led to their exile.