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
Oct 8, 2026, 1:07 PM
Passage Read: Romans 14-15
Meditation Verse: 14:22
Thought
How challenging it must have been (and probably still is) to have a fellowship filled with faithful Jews and regular Gentiles. The Gentile does all kinds of things that violate Old Testament cleanliness rules, not the least of which is what he eats. So to a Jew who just believed or believed among fellow Jews, he could be offended by so many things a Gentile does and is!
Oct 7, 2026, 6:27 AM
Passage Read: Romans 12-13 Meditation Verses: 12:19-21
Thought
Paul says to bless rather than curse those who persecute us, because we're not to take our own vengeance but to leave room for God's wrath. Let God punish those who persecute us, those who set themselves as our enemies.
Oct 6, 2026, 2:25 PM
Passage Read: Romans 10-11
Meditation Verses: 11:20-23
Thought
Salvation is not by righteous works, so salvation cannot be lost by unrighteous works (our incomplete works). Salvation is by faith, so it can only be lost by a lack of faith or a giving up of faith, turning from belief to unbelief. Both produce works: Faith produces works of righteousness; unbelief produces works of unrighteousness.
Oct 5, 2026, 5:52 AM
Passage Read: Romans 8-9
Meditation Verses: 8:12-14
Thought
Paul says that all who are being led by the Spirit, these are sons of God. He expects all true believers to hear from and follow the direction of the Spirit. In isolation, that statement, that expectation could mean almost anything.
Oct 4, 2026, 6:58 AM
Passage Read: Romans 6-7 Meditation Verses: 6:11-14
Thought
Paul says we are to walk in newness of life, since we have been raised with Christ. This is not a future thing, something that finally happens after we've died and gone to heaven, but it is something that we are to be doing here and now.
Oct 3, 2026, 8:57 AM
Passage Read: Romans 4-5
Meditation Verses: 5:1-5
Thought
This is what acceptance of the Gospel should bring to me and all believers: Peace and absolute security before God because I have been chosen and sought out and forgiven and changed; how then could I ever fear for my standing before Him? And a delight in and celebration of and expectation and longing for God's exaltation, so that I gladly and freely and joyfully promote and proclaim His name.
Oct 2, 2026, 10:01 AM
Passage Read: Romans 2-3
Meditation Verses: 2:1-2
Thought
It is easy to look at unbelievers and think that they are so repulsive because of their evil deeds, to consider them beyond hope and utterly lost. That is, in effect, how Jews saw Gentiles, even if the Gentiles hadn't done anything notably wrong. Gentiles were just unclean in their eyes because of all the unclean things they did and ate.
Oct 8, 2025, 12:33 AM
Passage Read: Romans 14-15
Meditation Verses: 15:15-16
Thought
Paul is writing to a group of believers that clearly contains both Jews and Gentiles, and he has written strong words and specific instructions to each group. There is a great temptation for some with personal convictions to insist that others also walk by their convictions. One of the hardest things about being a mixed group is discerning between God's instruction for all and things I have chosen to do in response to God's instruction.
Oct 7, 2025, 12:17 AM
Passage Read: Romans 12-13
Meditation Verse: 12:6
Thought
This sounds like permission to do little, if that's all the faith that I have. If I have just a little faith then only need to exercise my gift a little. Then I'm free to busy myself with other things, worldly things that have no eternal significance, because that's how much faith I have. Surely God will not be pleased with those who think this way, who take advantage of His instructions to do as little as they can for His Kingdom, to seek and serve Him with just the bare minimum effort.
Oct 6, 2025, 12:22 AM
Passage Read: Romans 10-11
Meditation Verse: 11:32
Thought
God has hardened all men, handing them all over in bondage to disobedience, so that He may display His mercy to all men. All have been given over to disobedience, so I should not be surprised that anyone walks in disobedience to God! They know nothing else and can do nothing else! God's intent is that all men are offered mercy, and those whom He chooses are granted mercy.