The Bemenderfers - Mark's Personal Devotions

September 9, 2026

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:11:00 +0000

Passage Read: John 5-6 Meditation Verses: 6:64-65 Thought John is talking about Jesus' followers, His disciples, both among the Twelve and beyond. Jesus knew who among them actually believed and who didn't. He also knew who would betray Him. And with this teaching, many turn back from following Him. Jesus earlier said that if someone does not believe the writings of Moses, they do not really believe in Jesus.

September 8, 2026

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:26:00 +0000

Passage Read: John 3-4 Meditation Verse: 4:48 Thought Jesus sounds unhappy or impatient with the people because they must see signs and wonders in order to believe. But signs and wonders testify to the presence of God with a prophet. Yet believing on the basis of signs and wonders does not mean a person believes in truth. They may just be there for the excitement!

September 7, 2026

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:44:00 +0000

Passage Read: John 1-2 Meditation Verses: 2:23-25 Thought People were believing in Jesus because of the signs He was performing, but John then goes out of his way to note that Jesus wasn't entrusting Himself to them. Jesus knew people. Jesus knew how fickle they could be, how easily or eagerly they would believe in Him when they see some sign or receive some benefit.

September 6, 2026

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:22:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 23-24 Meditation Verses: 24:46-47 Thought The gospel is a message of repentance for forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. Jesus has power to forgive sins, and He paid the price in blood to purchase forgiveness for all who will repent and believe in and follow Him. It is not enough to "believe" that Jesus is the Son of God who died to pay the debt we owed for our sins,

September 5, 2026

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:34:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 21-22 Meditation Verses: 22:31-32 Thought Satan demanded permission to sift Peter like wheat, and it was granted. Satan couldn't attack Peter without permission, but God was willing for him to be tested, knowing he would fail the test. Peter would be tested without Satan's interference. Peter had declared he would gladly go to prison or die with Jesus, so when Jesus was arrested, that was the first test and his first failure.

September 4, 2026

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:56:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 19-20 Meditation Verses: 19:15-17 Thought This nobleman decided to test some of his servants to see which were loyal and reliable, because he was looking for those whom he could trust to help him rule over the kingdom he sought, if it was granted. He didn't test every servant, but only a select few.

September 3, 2026

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:43:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 17-18 Meditation Verses: 18:39-40 Thought When Bartimaeus began calling out for Jesus' help, the people in the crowd tried to shut him up. Followers of Jesus! They weren't even thinking they could see another miracle. They were crowding around Jesus, soaking up His presence. Perhaps they thought better of themselves because they were in the crowd with Him.

September 2, 2026

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 15-16 Meditation Verses: 15:28-32 Thought The father pleaded with the "good" son, but there's no record of him pleading with the "bad" son before he left. That doesn't mean he didn't, but that there's no record. He may have had many talks with the younger son, but found that son unmovable. So the only thing he could do was grant his desire and let him go.

September 1, 2026

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:09:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 13-14 Meditation Verses: 13:23-27 Thought It is not enough to like Jesus and to enjoy listening to His words, that will not save a man. Jesus warns that there are many who will come to Him and be refused entry into His kingdom, though they ate and drank in His presence and heard Him teach in their streets.

August 31, 2026

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:26:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 11-12 Meditation Verses: 12:1-3 Thought Beware hypocrisy. It is easy to say one thing or claim to be and do certain things, but secretly do nothing of the sort. It is easy to hide hypocrisy from men, but impossible to hide it from God. He sees everything we do in secret. He hears everything we say in private. When we think no one sees or hears, God is watching and hearing.

August 30, 2026

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 13:25:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 9-10 Meditation Verses: 10:13-16 Thought These foreign cities of old, if Jesus had appeared to them and done the miracles He was doing now, these cities would have repented thoroughly. The power of God and the message of God are more decisive than we realize. People who hear of God and see His power, if they do not repent on the spot, they are in grave danger.

August 29, 2026

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 7-8 Meditation Verse: 8:37 Thought Jesus comes all this way and heals the man with a legion of demons. But in the process, He allows the demons to go into the herd of pigs, which then drown themselves. The freed man begs to go with Jesus, and He instead sends him home to testify about Him, which he faithfully and diligently does.

August 28, 2026

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 15:13:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 5-6 Meditation Verses: 6:20-23 Thought These beatitudes are directed to Jesus' disciples, men who have walked away from jobs and houses and families to follow Jesus. They are poor because they chose to follow Jesus, leaving everything behind. They hunger because they do not have regular jobs, but depend on the gifts of others to feed themselves.

August 27, 2026

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 3-4 Meditation Verse: 3:10 Thought John's message seems not very welcoming! He asks the crowds, "Who warned you to flee the wrath to come?" He was! Did he want people to come to him? Did he want people to be saved? He was supposed to be preparing a people for the Lord. And he was. Except he wasn't preparing a people who thought his message was good, he was preparing a people ready to change and be changed.

August 26, 2026

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:07:00 +0000

Passage Read: Luke 1-2 Meditation Verses: 2:49-52 Thought Jesus knew who He was and who His true Father was. He was drawn to the temple to listen to and learn what the teachers at the temple taught. And everyone who heard Him speak were amazed at His understanding and answers. Jesus understood more than all these teachers, and was probably eager to begin teaching and correcting the errors of these experts.

August 24, 2026

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:05:00 +0000

Passage Read: Mark 15-16 Meditation Verse: 16:14 Thought It's interesting that Jesus appeared to others before He appeared to any of the Eleven. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then apparently to the two on the road to Emmaus. Each of these reported their experience to the Eleven, but the Eleven didn't believe.

August 23, 2026

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 06:31:00 +0000

Passage Read: Mark 13-14 Meditation Verses: 14:37-38 Thought Jesus never denied Peter's earnestness, his desire to remain faithful and loyal to Jesus even if it cost his life. But Jesus knew the power of the flesh, its demanding weakness, and our unpreparedness. Peter didn't recognize the seriousness of what was coming. Perhaps he thought Jesus would walk free as at other times.

August 22, 2026

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 06:17:00 +0000

Passage Read: Mark 11-12 Meditation Verses: 12:43-44 Thought This is the difference between the rich and the poor, between those who truly trust in God and those who don't. The rich give out their excess, money they don't need to live on, money that doesn't impact how they live. But the widow, all she has is two small coins. She's used to going without;

August 21, 2026

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:47:00 +0000

Passage Read: Mark 9-10 Meditation Verses: 10:21-23 Thought The rich man desired eternal life. He had kept all the commandments as best he understood and yet had no assurance of salvation. And Jesus agreed that he was still lacking. The man was safe and comfortable in his riches. He wanted to know which box he had yet to check in order to finally be assured of salvation. Perhaps he just wanted Jesus to confirm that he was doing everything right. Instead, Jesus spoke a hard truth:

August 20, 2026

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:52:00 +0000

Passage Read: Mark 7-8 Meditation Verses: 7:1-2 Thought Nowadays, we'd call this basic health and safety. Wash your hands before eating, because you've touched all kinds of things, and you have no idea what you've picked up along the way. As God, Jesus would know that, but He never bothered to teach His disciples such basic cleanliness rules. More than that, He knew this confrontation was coming.