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 31, 2023, 8:08 AM
Passage Read: Luke 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:32-34
Thought
Jesus is so radical! Sell all I have and give to the poor? Provide purses for myself that will not wear out, treasure in heaven? My heart will be in whatever I treasure? So if I treasure the things of earth, my heart will be settled on earth. But if I really trust that the kingdom of heaven will be given to me, that I will have some possession, perhaps even a great possession, in heaven, trusting so much that I willingly give away all I have on earth and live to do good as Jesus defines, then my heart will be settled in heaven.
Jul 30, 2023, 8:09 AM
Passage Read: Luke 9-10
Meditation Verse: 9:26
Thought
Jesus has said a lot of things that are hard to accept. There are things all over Scripture that are hard to swallow, but all come from God. Especially when the society around me rejects such teachings. But Jesus warns that if I am ashamed of His teachings, He will be ashamed of me when He returns in glory. He says this on the heels of two warnings about losing my life, so this shame is most likely to be understood in the same way: If Jesus is ashamed of me, I am doomed.
Jul 29, 2023, 8:10 AM
Passage Read: Luke 7-8
Meditation Verses: 7:37-38
Thought
This woman is pretty amazing. She had led a sinful life and everyone knew it--everyone knew her sin. Yet she was willing to come to where Jesus was, knowing there were many people there. And she humbled herself to so great a degree, weeping at Jesus' feet, wiping them, kissing them and anointing them with perfume--making such a spectacle of herself! And surely not only Simon, but many people were thinking what Simon was thinking.
Jul 28, 2023, 8:12 AM
Passage Read: Luke 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:27-31
Thought
This is a hard teaching. I have to love people, even evil people, more than I love my stuff. So much so, that if someone wants to rob me, whether it's to deliberately to attack me or just a random act, I let them take what they want. I pray for them, I bless them. I don't demand back what was taken, I don't fight to keep what is mine.
Jul 27, 2023, 8:13 AM
Passage Read: Luke 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:18
Thought
This is John, preaching the "good news:" Repent! "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance!" And the crowds ask, what should we do, and he gives very specific advice for each kind of person who comes to him. And many come to him! He speaks of Jesus coming to winnow and gather His wheat into His barn, but burn up the chaff. And Luke calls this preaching the good news!
Jul 26, 2023, 8:14 AM
Passage Read: Luke 1-2
Meditation Verses: 1:50-52
Thought
God's mercy is for those who fear Him, not for those who don't. The arrogant, those who are proud in their thoughts, not necessarily in deed, He will scatter; they will be overthrown. But the humble, who recognize how great God is, those He will lift up and honor and protect and provide for.
Aug 8, 2022, 8:11 AM
Passage Read: Luke 23-24
Meditation Verse: 23:34
Thought
I am so easily angered when things don't go my way. I don't understand the eternal value of anything I suffer. Jesus had complete confidence in the Father's will for Him, to suffer and be crucified. He had fully submitted Himself to the Father's purposes. And so He could still be gracious and considerate to those around Him, even the thief on the cross beside Him.
Aug 7, 2022, 8:12 AM
Passage Read: Luke 21-22
Meditation Verses: 22:31-32
Thought
Satan asked to sift Peter, and obviously received permission. But Jesus prayed for Him, yet not that he would be delivered from the sifting, but that his faith would survive it. And Jesus' petition was also granted, so He spoke of after the sifting, that he would need to assure the other disciples. Jesus intercedes for us, but not to keep trouble from coming on us, but that our faith would not completely fail in the trial.
Aug 6, 2022, 8:13 AM
Passage Read: Luke 19-20
Meditation Verse: 19:27
Thought
For now, Jesus puts up with those hostile to Him, who refuse to have Him reign over them. Christians are those who should accept His reign even now. We are supposed to be acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior, and walking in obedience to Him. If we are unwilling to walk in obedience to Him, then we were the same as those who refuse to accept His rule. And those who refuse to accept His rule, He will destroy when He comes!
Aug 5, 2022, 8:14 AM
Passage Read: Luke 17-18
Meditation Verse: 17:1
Thought
It is impossible to keep offenses from coming because the Lord has chosen to show mercy even on those who hate Him. He allowed the sinful to endure, because if not, no one would be saved. Some sinful people endure so that they might one day receive grace to repent and believe the Gospel. Many other endure to show the wickedness of man and the forbearance of God, until He does pass judgment and pour out His wrath and glorify His holy name.