The Bemenderfers - Mark's Personal Devotions

May 21, 2026

Thu, 21 May 2026 14:53:00 +0000

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

Wed, 20 May 2026 12:22:00 +0000

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

Tue, 19 May 2026 12:49:00 +0000

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

Mon, 18 May 2026 12:26:00 +0000

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 17, 2026

Sun, 17 May 2026 12:40:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 144-147 Meditation Verse: 145:5 Thought It is important to meditate daily on God's glorious splendor and His mighty works. God is always glorious and the mighty acts He has done remain forever. Meditating on them gives me reason to praise Him daily, no matter what my life at present looks like, because He and His deeds remain unchanged.

May 16, 2026

Sat, 16 May 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 140-143 Meditation Verses: 140:1-4 Thought There are wicked men who seek to do evil, who look for opportunities to do violence. And there are evil men who are evil just because they don't know God, but they aren't looking to attack or harm anyone. They keep mostly to themselves; they don't go out of their way to hurt others.

May 15, 2026

Fri, 15 May 2026 12:06:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 136-139 Meditation Verse: 138:6 Thought Though the Lord is exalted above all men and angels and all of creation, though there is no one higher, yet the Lord looks upon the lowly. Though He is the highest, yet He has little regard for the haughty, for those who think and act like they're something important or powerful or great. He truly is the greatest, but any man who thinks he is great is a fool who knows nothing. He takes on himself a status he doesn't deserve.

May 14, 2026

Thu, 14 May 2026 12:10:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 132-135 Meditation Verse: 133:1 Thought This is actually the whole point of the Law, in particular the case laws and the moral laws. They all teach or give examples how to love our neighbor as ourselves, which would produce a unity among brothers and neighbors far and near. When everyone worships, fears and follows the same directives from God, then all are on the same page, actually living in love for one another.

May 13, 2026

Wed, 13 May 2026 12:12:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 128-131 Meditation Verses: 131:1-3 Thought What a picture and what a challenge! Like a weaned child rests against his mother, so David has composed and quieted his soul within him. A young child resting against his mother is a peaceful image indeed. He hasn't a single care in the world. He knows nothing of the rigors, worries or cares of the adult world. He's completely at peace, nothing to worry about, resting against his mother.

May 12, 2026

Tue, 12 May 2026 12:34:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 124-127 Meditation Verses: 124:2-4 Thought The enemies Israel usually faced and feared were other nations, neighbors who were stronger than them and opposed them, usually when they had sinned against the Lord. They were material, physical, life-threatening problems. There were also their spiritual enemies. Satan incited David to number the people.

May 11, 2026

Sun, 10 May 2026 23:58:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 120-123 Meditation Verses: 121:2-4 Thought This is a great passage for a travel day like today. It is good to be reminded that the Lord watches over me and will be my help if trouble comes. He doesn't take breaks; He is always keeping watch and always aware not just of what is happening now, but what is coming up.

May 10, 2026

Sun, 10 May 2026 06:13:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 119 Meditation Verses: 119:99-100 Thought Meditation on and observation of God's Law is what makes a man truly wise, giving him more insight and more understanding than teachers and the aged. That seems like a dangerous thing, a prideful thing to say. We're supposed to learn from teachers and honor the aged, which would include respecting their experience and the wisdom they've gained by it.

May 9, 2026

Sat, 09 May 2026 06:05:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 115-118 Meditation Verses: 115:1-8 Thought The idols of the nations are nothing and can do nothing, and those who trust in them will become like them, powerless and nothing. But the nations ask, "Where is our God?" because there is nothing to see, no likeness, no image, no statue, no representation of His likeness. Our God is in heaven, but He sees all that goes on in the earth.

May 8, 2026

Fri, 08 May 2026 05:09:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 111-114 Meditation Verses: 111:7-8 Thought Everything God does is truth and justice, because everything He does is based on His unchanging precepts and principles. God never changes, so the principles by which He operates never change. Their unchanging nature is what makes them truth and justice. And those principles require that they be exercised in truth and uprightness.

May 7, 2026

Thu, 07 May 2026 05:33:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 107-110 Meditation Verses: 109:2-5 Thought David has determined in his heart to do what is just and right in the eyes of the Lord--not in his own eyes, or else he could have no confidence in pleading with the Lord for help. He has sought to do good and show love to everyone around him, but some of those near to him have turned against him.

May 6, 2026

Wed, 06 May 2026 06:15:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 103-106 Meditation Verses: 106:43-45 Thought Many times God delivered His people, though they had rebelled against Him and worshiped and served other gods. He delivered them, but not before turning them over to the consequences of their evil choices. Then they discovered how hard it is to live with their evil choices, the grief that comes from losing God's protection and blessing and help

May 5, 2026

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:53:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 99-102 Meditation Verses: 102:17-18 Thought The Lord is compassionate and gracious. He hears the prayer of the destitute, He has compassion on those who are abused and cursed and condemned by their enemies. The humble have no power against their enemies; they can only turn to the Lord for help and deliverance.

May 4, 2026

Mon, 04 May 2026 05:06:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 95-98 Meditation Verses: 95:7-11 Thought The key to hearing God's voice and knowing Him is not to harden my heart when He speaks. The people of Israel heard God's voice again and again in the wilderness, but they didn't listen because they didn't care what He had to say. All they cared about was what they wanted and what they weren't getting.

May 3, 2026

Sun, 03 May 2026 06:41:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 91-94 Meditation Verses: 94:3-6 Thought How long, O Lord, will the wicked continue without rebuke, without judgment? How long will they continue to do their wicked things and harm those around them? When will You judge them? When will You cast them from the earth and let those who love goodness live in peace?

May 2, 2026

Sat, 02 May 2026 07:13:00 +0000

Passage Read: Psalm 87-90 Meditation Verses: 90:7-12 Thought Moses wrote this, and he was well past 80 years, and he was the most humble man on earth. He was faithful in all God's household. There was no one like Moses. He spent a third of his life as a prince of one of the most powerful kingdoms on earth. He spent a third of his life as a shepherd, living a simple life of simple pleasures.