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
Aug 24, 2026, 7:05 AM
Passage Read: Mark 15-16
Meditation Verse: 16:14
Thought
It's interesting that Jesus appeared to others before He appeared to any of the Eleven. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then apparently to the two on the road to Emmaus. Each of these reported their experience to the Eleven, but the Eleven didn't believe.
Aug 23, 2026, 1:31 AM
Passage Read: Mark 13-14
Meditation Verses: 14:37-38
Thought
Jesus never denied Peter's earnestness, his desire to remain faithful and loyal to Jesus even if it cost his life. But Jesus knew the power of the flesh, its demanding weakness, and our unpreparedness. Peter didn't recognize the seriousness of what was coming. Perhaps he thought Jesus would walk free as at other times.
Aug 22, 2026, 1:17 AM
Passage Read: Mark 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:43-44
Thought
This is the difference between the rich and the poor, between those who truly trust in God and those who don't. The rich give out their excess, money they don't need to live on, money that doesn't impact how they live. But the widow, all she has is two small coins. She's used to going without;
Aug 21, 2026, 3:47 AM
Passage Read: Mark 9-10
Meditation Verses: 10:21-23
Thought
The rich man desired eternal life. He had kept all the commandments as best he understood and yet had no assurance of salvation. And Jesus agreed that he was still lacking. The man was safe and comfortable in his riches. He wanted to know which box he had yet to check in order to finally be assured of salvation. Perhaps he just wanted Jesus to confirm that he was doing everything right. Instead, Jesus spoke a hard truth:
Aug 20, 2026, 1:52 AM
Passage Read: Mark 7-8
Meditation Verses: 7:1-2
Thought
Nowadays, we'd call this basic health and safety. Wash your hands before eating, because you've touched all kinds of things, and you have no idea what you've picked up along the way. As God, Jesus would know that, but He never bothered to teach His disciples such basic cleanliness rules. More than that, He knew this confrontation was coming.
Aug 19, 2026, 1:40 AM
Passage Read: Mark 5-6
Meditation Verses: 6:1-6
Thought
These people thought they knew Jesus, because He grew up among them. They knew Him as the carpenter. They knew His mother and father, His sisters and brothers. Because they knew His upbringing, they couldn't understand how He now knew so much about God and His Word. He hadn't been away from them for very long, certainly not long enough to now have authority to teach in their synagogue.
Aug 17, 2026, 9:18 AM
Passage Read: Mark 3-4
Meditation Verses: 4:38-40
Thought
This is convicting. How many things do I worry about? How many things am I afraid of, things that may go wrong (or not), things that may cause me trouble (or not). Jesus' disciples were in a real storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. They were all afraid, even the fishermen who knew the sea best. They could very well drown.
Aug 16, 2026, 8:51 AM
Passage Read: Mark 1-2
Meditation Verse: 1:34
Thought
The demons recognized Jesus and would tell it freely, so Jesus would not permit them to speak, and they obeyed. More than that, He would cast them out of those who came to Him, and they could not refuse. They did exactly as He instructed, but the leper Jesus healed a few sentences later couldn't keep quiet in spite of Jesus' stern warning to tell no one.
Aug 24, 2025, 6:52 AM
Passage Read: Mark 15-16
Meditation Verses: 16:7-10
Thought
These women, including Jesus' mother, saw the angel, heard his words and fled the tomb in fear. The angel told them to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus had risen from the dead, but instead they said nothing to anyone because they were so afraid. They couldn't think straight and they didn't know what to believe. But then the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene and she understood that Jesus was truly alive, then she knew what she needed to do.
Aug 23, 2025, 9:54 AM
Passage Read: Mark 13-14
Meditation Verse: 14:38
Thought
I often thing how much easier it would be to die for Jesus than to live for Him. But even dying for Jesus is no easy thing. Peter and the rest of the Apostles knew Him well. They'd seen His miraculous powers; they were convinced that He was the Messiah. But when He was arrested, though every one agreed they would die with Jesus, yet they all fled. One of them was even the betrayer! Peter went on to deny knowing Him three times, exactly as Jesus said he would.