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
May 25, 2026, 9:19 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 26-29
Meditation Verse: 29:15
Thought
A child who gets his own way, whether by temper tantrum or by parents who will not oppose him, end up bringing shame and disgrace to his mother and his father. The rod and reproof bring wisdom. Children need rebuke and discipline and training so they learn they are not the center of the universe, but need to submit to and respect authority, especially God's.
May 24, 2026, 8:07 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 22-25
Meditation Verses: 22:24-25
Thought
This is true of all kinds of people. We may not agree with the methods of the angry man, but he gets what he wants in so many cases, so we find ourselves secretly envious, and that envy gives way to unconscious emulation. But it's not just the angry man, it's anyone who gains their desire by unholy means.
May 23, 2026, 8:35 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 18-21
Meditation Verse: 21:30
Thought
Men argue and debate what is and what is not. They even argue and debate the meaning of God's Word and the intent of His heart. As wise as men think they are and as successful as they think they are in turning God's words against Him, they can never succeed against the Lord.
May 22, 2026, 7:31 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 14-17
Meditation Verse: 14:6
Thought
A scoffer prides himself on his wisdom and his pursuit of truth and justice and righteousness, but because he is the measure of all wisdom, he can rarely find any outside himself. He is more than a doubter, he mocks any wisdom that does not align with his preconceived notions or that condemns his preferences. And since he is a scoffer, he hates sound, godly wisdom because it convicts him not only of his scoffing, but also of so many of the practices and beliefs he approves.
May 21, 2026, 9:53 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 10-13
Meditation Verse: 10:29
Thought
Doing things God's way is like a mighty fortress to those who do so, but to those who delight in doing wrong, God's ways bring disaster. Those who trust God's wisdom so as to obey it will find it is the safest way to live. God will guard him and bless him and use adversity to store up treasure for him.
May 20, 2026, 7:22 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 6-9
Meditation Verses: 9:7-9
Thought
The Gospel is for the lost, but according to these verses, there is a kind of wicked man that the wise do not bother to rebuke. The scoffer is wise in his own eyes, wiser than all those who know God's wisdom. He doesn't merely ignore reproof, he mocks and insults those who reprove him.
May 19, 2026, 7:49 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 2-5
Meditation Verses: 5:21-23
Thought
We give too much credit to sin and Satan and the world and even God. God doesn't have to do us harm, we bring it on ourselves! Satan and sin and the world don't have to haunt us and pester us and trick us and attack us, we do just fine on our own! We choose to do evil or give in to our own wrong desires, and we bring consequences on ourselves.
May 18, 2026, 7:26 AM
Passage Read: Psalm 148 - Proverbs 1
Meditation Verses: Proverbs 1:23-26
Thought
It is not good to ignore wisdom when she calls out fools for their folly, when she raises her reproof, when she offers correction and instruction. She desires to help and will gladly pour out her wisdom and give guidance. But if she is spurned, if she is rejected, if she is ignored, she will in turn laugh at the calamity that befalls such fools.
May 22, 2025, 6:44 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 26-29
Meditation Verse: 29:20
Thought
Chapter 26 gave an extensive description of a fool, and there seems no hope for a fool to be saved from his foolishness, apart from God who can do the impossible. Here it says there is more hope for a fool than for a man who speaks in haste. I always want to be one of those guys who has a quick wit, but this suggests that is no admirable trait. The one who speaks in haste may say many clever things, but how many of them are actually foolish?
May 21, 2025, 6:59 AM
Passage Read: Proverbs 22-25
Meditation Verse: 22:1
Thought
It is better to have a good reputation than to be rich. It is better to be held in high regard than to have much silver and gold. This is a good word, but also one that can easily lead someone astray. It has to be asked: A good name among what people? Esteemed by whom? The righteous man is not loved by those who delight in evil. Maybe a good man might be, but one who speaks up for God's standards will be hated by most men!