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 26, 2023, 2:18 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 29-32
Meditation Verses: 32:39-40
Thought
The Lord promises to do good to His people, to prosper and bless them as He has always promised. But His promise has always been predicated on their obedience to His ways. Even in this promise, He is able to fulfill it because He will give His people singleness of heart and action so that they will always fear Him for their good and the good of their children after them. He will never stop doing good to them because He will inspire them to fear Him and never again turn away from Him.
May 25, 2023, 2:19 PM
May 24, 2023, 2:20 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 21-24
Meditation Verses: 23:28-29
Thought
The Word of the Lord is powerful, like fire that burns up everything in its path or a hammer that shatters rock. Many people have their ideas about life and God and the world, but only God's Word is true. But that means we have to be careful not to go beyond what it says, as surely as we need to understand everything it does say. To work with only parts of it is dangerous, and to make it say things it doesn't is equally dangerous.
May 23, 2023, 2:22 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 17-20
Meditation Verses: 18:19-21
Thought
Even Jeremiah can be pushed too far. He stood up on behalf of his people and pleaded for their rescue, their deliverance, but they plotted against him and planned to kill him. So he responded by asking the Lord to reject them and destroy them. His patience and compassion came to an end. Even as the Lord's compassion on that generation also came to an end.
May 22, 2023, 2:23 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 13-16
Meditation Verses: 14:13-16
Thought
Though there are false prophets telling lies, that the people will not suffer but enjoy peace forever, yet the Lord does not excuse the people. He will punish the prophets and the people. The people are accursed, and their following of false prophets is the proof. The prophets are accursed because they proclaim things from their own minds or hearts for their own sake. Neither care for what the Lord says, so neither will be excused.
May 21, 2023, 2:24 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 9-12
Meditation Verses: 12:1-2
Thought
Jeremiah's question is why do the wicked prosper, and the wicked he speaks of are people who have the Lord on their lips but far from their hearts. They are faithless people even though they always have the Lord on their lips, because He is far from their hearts. It is not enough to speak of the Lord continually, nor is it necessary. What marks a true believer is his meditation on the Lord and his desire and commitment to please Him.
May 20, 2023, 2:25 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 5-8
Meditation Verses: 7:22-23
Thought
The Law is all about how to walk in God's ways, how to do what is right and avoid what is evil. There were many commands, all of which teach what it means to love the Lord with all the heart and to love a neighbor as oneself. The sacrificial system was established and prescribed for the occasional breaking of a command; it was never meant as a means to ignore the commands and get away with it by killing some animals!
May 19, 2023, 2:26 PM
Passage Read: Jeremiah 1-4
Meditation Verses: 4:1-2
Thought
If God's people repent and return to the Lord, if they swear in truth and righteousness, "As the Lord loves," if they believe it and walk in His ways because they know He is true and real and living, then all nations will be blessed by Him and glory in Him. If God's people honor and revere Him in word and deed, then all nations will enjoy His favor and glorify Him. The repentance and belief of the nations is tied to, even dependent on the faith and faithfulness of those who are called His own.
May 18, 2023, 3:11 PM
Passage Read: Isaiah 63-66
Meditation Verse: 66:5
Thought
There are those who laugh at the Lord's Word and there are those who believe it and those who fear the Lord. Both dwell together in the Lord's presence. They are brothers, but they do not all fear the Lord the same. The Lord promises that those who tremble at His Word, who live to obey the Lord no matter how difficult God's command, these will enjoy His favor and receive His salvation.
May 17, 2023, 3:12 PM
Passage Read: Isaiah 59-62
Meditation Verses: 59:12-13
Thought
Israel's sins were many: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning their back on the Lord, fomenting oppression and revolt, and speaking lies their own hearts had conceived. They rebelled against the Lord and worked against Him. They ignored Him. They encouraged others to oppress others and revolt against the Lord. And they made up lies that justified their rebellion.