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 16, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: Micah 1-4
Meditation Verses: 2:6-7
Thought
How badly we misunderstand God. We are no better than Israel and Judah at this time. A true prophet speaks, and we say, "Silence! Do not say such things! That's not what the Lord is like!" But if we silence the prophets who show us our sins, how will there be repentance? How will the reproach coming our way be turned back? There will only be death and destruction coming our way. In truth, God's Spirit is impatient with sin! God has given us who trust in Christ everything we need to live a holy life, but we keep pursuing the world and the desires of our flesh.
Jul 15, 2024, 7:05 AM
Passage Read: Jonah 1-4
Meditation Verse: 4:11
Thought
These enemies of Israel, who would soon destroy Israel and send their survivors into exile, these enemies of Israel know nothing of right and wrong, and God has compassion on them. Even though these were people whom God would use to humble His people, yet God cared for them, cared that they didn't know right from wrong, cared that they would be condemned to hell unless they repented.
Jul 13, 2024, 7:07 AM
Passage Read: Amos 7 - Obadiah 1
Meditation Verses: Amos 7:12-13
Thought
Amaziah the priest tells Amos to go to Judah and prophesy there, because Bethel is a residence and sanctuary of the king. The king shouldn't have to hear bad news, and he certainly doesn't care what the Lord says, nor, evidently, should be be warned if the Lord has made plans against him. Prophets of the Lord should only speak to people who care what the Lord says, according to Amaziah, and they should never deliver bad news to royalty.
Jul 12, 2024, 7:08 AM
Passage Read: Amos 3-6
Meditation Verses: 4:4-8
Thought
Here is God speaking sarcasm, to point out the deafness of His people. He encourages them to bring their tithes and offerings to their appointed holy places. But He calls out their sin. They offer sacrifices that God has not appointed or approved. They have decided how they will worship God: They have made golden calf idols and called them by God's name.
Jul 11, 2024, 7:10 AM
Passage Read: Joel 2 - Amos 2
Meditation Verses: Amos 2:10-12
Thought
Amos records the Lord's judgments against the nations round about Israel, but He also records judgment against Israel and Judah. They are perhaps the worst offenders, because they knew the Lord, were chosen by the Lord and received His Law. He even made some to be Nazirites and others to be prophets. But not only did the people turn away from the Lord, but as if for sport, they made the Nazirite drink wine, to violate his vow, and they commanded the prophets not to speak.
Jul 9, 2024, 7:11 AM
Passage Read: Hosea 12 - Joel 1
Meditation Verses: Hosea 14:1-4
Thought
This is what repentance looks like: Turning away from our own wisdom and ways, and coming back to the Lord; coming to the Lord and asking for cleansing from sin and that He would receive us, so that we could bring to Him what He deserves, the fruit of our lips, not just words but actions consistent with what we say; confessing that it is the Lord alone that saves, that no other power that we once turned to can deliver us or show mercy to us like the Lord can.
Jul 8, 2024, 7:13 AM
Passage Read: Hosea 8-11
Meditation Verses: 11:1-5
Thought
This hits home. I am not the first father to experience this, nor will I be the last. Even God has endured the rejection of His sons. When they were young, He loved them and called them out of Egypt, out of the world. He taught them to walk, trained them, provided for them, carried them in His arms, healed them, but they didn't know it, they forgot it, it didn't register with them.
Jul 7, 2024, 7:14 AM
Passage Read: Hosea 4-7
Meditation Verses: 7:13-14
Thought
Ephraim is destroyed for lack of knowledge. When God desires to heal them, their sin is uncovered. To them, it is all like a game: Say the magic words when things get tough, offer the right sacrifices when trouble comes, and God will fix things, God will restore blessing. Ephraim would like God to bless them, but they speak lies against Him.
Jul 6, 2024, 7:16 AM
Passage Read: Daniel 12 - Hosea 3
Meditation Verses: Hosea 2:8-15
Thought
Those whom the Lord loves, He rebukes and disciplines. He loves Israel but Israel keeps going after other gods, ignoring His commands and His ways, and pursuing those who grant her every wish and fulfill her every want. She thinks it is her lovers who provide all her riches and wealth and comfort, but it is the Lord, her Husband and Maker.
Jul 5, 2024, 7:17 AM
Passage Read: Daniel 8-11
Meditation Verses: 9:26-27
Thought
This prophecy came in the first year of Darius, so the command to rebuild the temple hadn't come yet, not to rebuild the city. But both city and sanctuary are mentioned in this prophecy, telling Daniel and all who read it that the city and temple would surely be rebuilt, just as it came to be. But then it sounds like a future ruler of foreigners will come and destroy city and temple, and stop the sacrifices and set up the abomination of desolation.