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
Sep 6, 2024, 9:06 AM
Passage Read: John 21 - Acts 1
Meditation Verses: John 21:17-18
Thought
Jesus adjusts His question to meet Peter where he is. Jesus first asks if Peter loves Him with a sacrificial love, but after denying Jesus three times, Peter no longer dares claim such a love for Him. The best he can admit to is brotherly love. In Jesus's third question, He asks Peter if he loves Him with brotherly love.
Sep 5, 2024, 8:53 AM
Passage Read: John 19-20
Meditation Verse: 19:11
Thought
Jesus here is saying what Paul later explains, that all authority on earth is appointed by God. God established authorities, not just those that acknowledge Him, but even those that have no idea He exists. God is a God of authority and structure and order, and He appoints authorities at every level of human interaction. Though Jesus is the Son of God, He is presently made lower than the angels, He presently has been granted no authority among men, though He possesses great authority over the heavenly realm and has power to command nature and disease and angelic beings.
Sep 4, 2024, 8:55 AM
Passage Read: John 17-18
Meditation Verses: 17:14-18
Thought
Jesus sends His disciples into the world, even though the world hates them. He sends us into the world just as the Father sent Him into the world, to testify of its deeds, that they are evil, and to call them to repentance and faith in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. We need protection from the evil one, that Jesus prays for us.
Sep 3, 2024, 8:56 AM
Passage Read: John 15-16
Meditation Verses: 15:26-27
Thought
The disciples would not be alone in their testifying about Jesus. The Holy Spirit would also be testifying to the whole world. The Spirit's testimony is what makes our testimony powerful and effective. It's also what makes our testimony a condemnation to those who reject it. We are not speaking about God in a vacuum; the message we speak is not without consequence.
Sep 2, 2024, 8:57 AM
Passage Read: John 13-14
Meditation Verses: 14:12-14
Thought
This seems like such a great promise, such a huge promise. The works that Jesus did, those who believe in Him will do greater things. He has done some pretty spectacular miracles! But He promises that those who believe in Him will do even greater things, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And He says, "Whatever you ask," as if there's no limit, just as long as the Father can be glorified through the Son.
Sep 1, 2024, 8:59 AM
Passage Read: John 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:49-50
Thought
Jesus doesn't come up with His own thoughts and wisdom, but He only says what His Father has commanded Him to say. The Father's command is eternal life, so He is careful to speak just as the Father has instructed Him. As many ideas and thoughts that I might have and think they're good, as many thoughts or ideas I may hear and think that they're good, only the commands and Words that come from God are good and right and eternal life.
Aug 31, 2024, 9:01 AM
Passage Read: John 9-10
Meditation Verse: 10:10
Thought
The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to bring life to His sheep. Yet not all will believe Him and receive life. Not all are His sheep. Earlier He said He came into the world for judgment, because He is divisive: people either believe in Him or they reject Him. He is a rock of stumbling and a stone of offence. He came to bring life, but many reject His right to rule and to command. Many refuse to believe and obey Him, even though He offers eternal life. The thief's only purpose is to destroy, and that thief can refer to Satan or to any false teacher who cares only about himself.
Aug 30, 2024, 9:02 AM
Passage Read: John 7-8
Meditation Verse: 7:7
Thought
The world doesn't hate those who fit in with them, who follow in its ways. It hates those who call out its sins. The world didn't hate Jesus's brothers because they didn't point out the sins of those around them; instead, they were one with the world, doing what everyone else did and believing what everyone else thought was right and wrong.
Aug 29, 2024, 9:04 AM
Passage Read: John 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:63-65
Thought
The Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The Spirit alone calls and transforms men, so true salvation is indeed a miracle of God. There are many who admire Jesus or admire His teachings, and they are drawn to Him, but it is only the flesh, and that has no value. Eventually, the fleshly man will become offended and turn back from following Jesus.
Aug 28, 2024, 9:05 AM
Passage Read: John 3-4
Meditation Verses: 4:35-38
Thought
As the disciples once said, "Lord, increase our faith!" Jesus says that the fields are white unto harvest, but I can't see it. Open my eyes, Lord, let me see it. It seems the harvest is long past in this place. Yes, I must go out and seek to reap. The harvest doesn't just show up in the barn, laborers must go out and gather it. So too must I go out and gather it. Whether that's knocking on doors or preaching in a park or some other effort.