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
Feb 2, 2026, 8:40 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 22 - Judges 1
Meditation Verses: Joshua 22:21-23
Thought
The Israelites send Phinehas and ten tribal representatives to find out what is going on with Reuben, Gad and the other half of Manasseh. Why did they build the giant altar? They come right out and accuse the two and a half tribes of abandoning the Lord, which will get everyone in trouble with God!
Feb 1, 2026, 8:25 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 18-21
Meditation Verse: 18:10
Thought
Two and a half tribes claimed their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. And two and a half tribes basically claimed their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan. But these seven tribes sat around waiting for someone to tell them what to do. They were fine with the land bring carved up and distributed by lot.
Jan 31, 2026, 9:13 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 14-17
Meditation Verse: 17:16
Thought
Eighty-five-year-old Caleb is chomping at the bit to take Hebron and its surrounding villages, even though the rulers there are the descendants of Anak. He's not afraid of them, but still holds firmly his faith in the power of God to enable him to succeed in claiming the land promised to him. The sons of Joseph come to Joshua to complain that their portion is too small for the size of their tribes and the Canaanites have iron chariots.
Jan 30, 2026, 6:50 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 10-13
Meditation Verse: 11:20
Thought
This is an interesting tidbit inserted into the narrative at this point. The Lord honored the vow the elders made with Gibeon, even though they didn't consult Him first. When Achan took things that were forbidden, the Lord ceased to bless and accompany Israel in battle, so they were defeated.
Jan 29, 2026, 6:55 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 6-9
Meditation Verse: 6:18
Thought
Joshua knew and announced before the battle that if anyone took anything under the ban, that the whole nation would be accursed and they would bring trouble on everyone. So when they went up to Ai and were defeated, he should have known right then and there that someone had sinned.
Jan 28, 2026, 7:08 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 2-5
Meditation Verses: 4:23-24
Thought
If you lack rain and you pray to your god for rain and it comes, is that coincidence or the hand of your god? The Lord God of course can control the rain, whether it comes in season or out of season, or is withheld altogether. But He does even greater things than that, things which cannot be confused with happenstance.
Jan 27, 2026, 8:49 AM
Passage Read: Deuteronomy 32 - Joshua 1
Meditation Verses: Joshua 1:7-8
Thought
There are two paths to success. One is to trust in the Lord and diligently learn from Him to do His will, then He will grant success. The other is to work as hard as possible to overcome all the challenges in the way, to carve a path to success by our own strength and wisdom. God promises success to the one who does the first, and success would be to accomplish all that God lays on our hearts.
Jan 22, 2025, 11:49 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 18-21
Meditation Verse: 18:3
Thought
Judah, Ephraim, Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh had all claimed their inheritance. The rest of the tribes remained in camp, waiting for their allotment. Four and a half tribes just asked for or took what they wanted.
Jan 21, 2025, 11:51 AM
Passage Read: Joshua 14-17
Meditation Verses: 17:16-18
Thought
Joshua is beginning to record those groups of Canaanites that were too strong for the Israelites to destroy. He also records that though they were too strong now, in time the Israelites would be strong enough to make them forced labor.
Jan 20, 2025, 7:47 PM
Passage Read: Joshua 10-13
Meditation Verse: 10:8
Thought
Joshua and the Israelites were commissioned by God to go and take the land. Here God reminds Joshua that he has no need to be afraid of a large number of kings coming against them, because it is God's will that they be defeated, so they will not be able to withstand the Israelites.