August 7, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Sam Lee (Catalyst Agape Church), was originally posted on October 1, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Clay in God’s Hand”

Jeremiah 18:6

“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!”

I would watch my children play with clay. The clay would get stretched, pulled, and dirtied. In other words, the clay would get abused, and eventually the poor clay would be thrown away because it could not be used anymore. Clay in the hands of a child becomes a toy to be used and discarded; clay in the hands of a potter is similar yet very different in a profound way. This clay is also stretched and pulled, yet it is being stretched and pulled not to be discarded but to become something that is valued, useful, and beautiful. The greater the potter, greater the value of what the clay becomes. A Ming Dynasty vase can cost over $10 million dollars today. You, in the hands of the Master, are worth infinitely more.

Yet it is not easy to stay in the hands of the Master. Therefore, let’s cast off the things that make us move away from the Potter’s hand. I have learned that staying in the hands of God is not about being silent and just waiting; it is hard spiritual work. There are many different ways we knowingly and unknowingly move away from the hands of the Potter. This morning, I am convicted to concentrate on one area: the complaining spirit in our heart. When we complain, like the Israelites in the wilderness, we are forgetting God’s goodness and power; we are forgetting God’s past work in our life; we are not seeing the future work of God in our life. When we complain, the circumstances dictate our spiritual life instead of who we are in Christ. Comfort and riches become priority, instead of transformation and bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The very act of complaining is a picture of the clay walking away from the hands of potter. Today, let’s pray through to overcome a complaining spirit. Please remember that God is not molding us to be rich and comfortable; He wants to do much more, much more worthwhile. But to do this work, He is looking for clay that is compliant and moldable; clay that will trust and is completely yielded to Jesus.

Prayer: You know my going in and my going out. You know my innermost thoughts. Sovereign Lord, You have the best plan for my life so I submit to Your agenda and all Your plans to shape me into the person You want me to be. I am clay in Your hands, so mold me, Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:1-8: “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Questions to Consider

Based on this description of God’s ability, what divine attributes of his are highlighted here?
David mentions several areas of his personal life that God has “searched and known”; list as many as you can. Then mediate on how God knows about your life.

Note

His love (He is a God who looks for us to know us personally); His omniscience (“before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely”); His transcendence (“too wonderful . . . to lofty for me to attain”)
Personal response

Evening Reflection

We began the day reflecting on God’s sovereignty. Did you experience that today?

Share your story.

August 6, Tuesday

Today’s devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on May 2, 2014.

Devotional Thought for Today

“In Search of a Mentor”

Titus 1:4-5

“To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.”

Whether our reference is Karate Kid, Star Wars, or Kung Fu Panda, most of us have a certain image that comes to mind when we think of a “spiritual mentor”: someone who is older, wiser, perhaps unexpected and unrecognizable at first glance, but mysteriously having extraordinary skills and timely advice to pass on to a disciple of the next generation. Though the disciple is less adept and unfailingly more foolish, the mentor invests in and grooms the disciple to accomplish a mission that, in the end, is uniquely his.

In today’s passage, we get a glimpse of Paul’s mentoring relationship with Titus. He has entrusted Titus with a mission, to set things in order and finish what Paul himself had started. He thus sees Titus as a co-laborer, and as he reminds Titus of the task at hand, he continues to provide direction, guidance and encouragement. Paul begins the body of the letter with, “The reason I left you in Crete . . .” to re-affirm Titus’ purpose there. Had Titus written him, asking, “Why am I here on Crete again?”

Do we have anyone like a spiritual mentor in our lives? If not, wouldn’t it be good to have one? Someone who believes in us, challenges us, and entrusts us with important tasks as we engage in God’s kingdom work together? Someone who can help steer us back on course when we lose our sense of direction? If we don’t have anyone like this in our lives currently, perhaps we can consider inviting someone to be involved in our lives in this way.

If we are in the position of mentoring others, whether at work, school or raising our own children, what good example do we see here that we can follow? Do we think about empowering others by entrusting them with important and meaningful work? Do we stay by their side and provide key help and guidance, giving them the tools they need to tackle challenges and succeed at their task? How can we become better mentors?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gifts You give me through the people in my life who can be my spiritual mentors. Thank You also for the privilege and meaningful responsibility You have given me to mentor others. Would You help me to be better at empowering and encouraging them? In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 21

Lunch Break Study

Read John 14:12-13: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Matthew 28:18-20: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

Questions to Consider

How did Jesus empower his disciples?
Jesus speaks these words to his disciples towards the end of his time with them on earth. What do they show about his perspective of his role and the role of others in God’s kingdom work?
How can knowing that our own time is limited help us think about investing in others more?

Notes

He promises his help when they ask. He sends them with the backing of all his authority. He promises to always be with them in this mission. Do we have the backs of the people we are mentoring in the same way? When we give them responsibilities, do they have our full support?
He knew it was never the plan for him to do all the kingdom work in his short time on earth. Once he had accomplished his personal mission, he would be departing with important things left unfinished (just as Paul did in Crete), but he entrusts these to his disciples to complete.
People with a strong sense of responsibility can sometimes feel they need to do everything themselves. But when we have a sense of how limited our time is, we realize that the most responsible thing to do is to make sure that others can continue the work when we cannot ourselves.

Evening Reflection

Did I make any effort to connect with a spiritual mentor today? Did I micromanage anyone or just do things on my own because I thought I could do it better? Or did I entrust others with important tasks? If I haven’t yet, I release control and place my trust in God regarding all these things even now.

August 5, Monday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Charles Choe (Tapestry Church in Los Angeles), was originally posted on December 4, 2014.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Where Are You Headed?”

Proverbs 14:12

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

In the children’s book Alice in Wonderland, Alice finds herself at a fork in a road that leads off in different directions. Seeing the Cheshire Cat, she asks him for advice: “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” says the cat. “I don’t much care where,” says Alice. To that, the cat responds, “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

The importance of understanding your purpose and living accordingly is clear all throughout Scriptures. For instance, if we don’t have a particular destination in mind, any road will do. But most of the time, we like to travel with a purpose—a destination— before we begin our journey.

One reason why we sometimes make terrible choices in life is because we do not know the point of life, where life’s path is leading us. If we believe that life is for our own happiness, we will make every decision based on that self-interest. But if we believe, as the Bible says, that life’s goal is to glorify God and delight in Him, our choices in life will look remarkably different. In other words, though we might make choices that may “seem right,” if it does not serve the purpose of exalting Christ, no matter how noble, sacrificial, or meaningful, “its end is the way to death.”

Take a moment now and consider your ultimate purpose. Do the choices you make serve that end? Whether you are considering a new major for college, a possible job change, or even something more mundane, like choosing to surf that particular website, ask yourself: Do these decisions seem “right” just for the moment or do they serve the ultimate purpose of bringing honor to God? To mature in Christ is to increasingly see that it’s all for Jesus, for his glory. Knowing and living in this truth is the only path to life.

Prayer: God, make my life count for your glory. Help me not to waste the one life You have given me so that I might live for that one purpose, to glorify You, and help my decisions this day to reflect that choice. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 20

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 10:31-33: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [32] Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, [33] just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.”

Questions to Consider

What should be the ultimate motivation for everything in life?
What is one measurable way to determine if we are seeking the glory of God with our lives?
Why is it helpful to exhale and think twice about the ultimate reason for everything?

Notes

The glory of God.
Paul tells us that he does not seek his own advantage but that of many–that they may be saved. We are to be mindful that the end of everything is to bear the Good News of Jesus for the benefit of others.
It gives us a proper perspective and keeps us focused on the mission of God.

Evening Reflection

Every aspect of every Christian’s life has the potential to honor God. How did you do today? Did you attempt to use every opportunity to use it to bring God glory?

August 4, Sunday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 2, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“In Search of Wisdom” (2)

Proverbs 2:12, 16

“Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse . . . It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,”

Amid so many alluring temptations that besiege us, we need wisdom to save us from the foolishness of this world. While there are many temptations that look very ominous—which, therefore, are easier to turn away from—some look very benign, even good (e.g., social media, worldly definition of success, etc.)! The apostle Paul declares that “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). Consequently, we can so easily be led astray by lies of the enemy and not even know it.

What will help us? It is the wisdom from above that will guide us through all the foolish and destructive temptations. We need the wisdom from God to navigate through this sex- crazed and success-driven world. Call out for wisdom. James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). So, cry out for it with confidence. Seek Jesus!!!

Prayer: Jesus save me from the seductive words of this world by filling me with Biblical wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 19

August 3, Saturday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 24, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“In Search of Wisdom” (1)

Proverbs 1:23

“If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”

While I like all the books of the Bible, I particularly like the book of Proverbs. Whenever I read it, my prayer is that my relationship with Christ will be strengthened as I seek biblical wisdom. Proverbs 8:11 states, “For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

So, how can we attain wisdom? Wisdom can sometimes come through a rebuke. Of course, it takes humility to accept a rebuke. It is hard to take, and it gets harder as you get older. But if we heed what is being said to us, it will lead us to great wisdom. Therefore, be wise and learn from even a rebuke. I pray, as we get older, we will still be humble and teachable. I believe this is the mark of spiritual maturity.

Prayer: Lord, give me a humble heart to gain wisdom this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 17-18

August 2, Friday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on November 2, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

What is Sweeter than Revenge?

Psalm 94:1-3

The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. 2 Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. 3 How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?

Robert F. Kennedy made popular the phrase, “Don’t get mad. Get even.” When it comes to dealing with those who have wronged us, this is the motto our culture teaches us to live by. It is human nature to feel it’s our job to hold others personally responsible for their transgressions against us. This is precisely why lawsuits have been so rampant in our legal system.

For fun, I googled Kennedy’s quote mentioned above and came across a book with the same title. This Big Book for Revenge claims to be “your reference for retribution.” The back cover reads: “Had enough? Good –It’s time for payback! From creative real estate advertising that will give annoying neighbors a taste of their own medicine to fun tricks with cars for those charming parking space hogs, you’ll find the best recipes for sweet revenge right here.”

As sweet as revenge may seem, the psalmist reminds us of something very important: God, and God alone, is judge. Our world is broken and people are sinful and as a result we sometimes get hurt by others – be it intentionally or unintentionally; we, of course, hurt other as well. Instead of taking our cues from culture and rising up to get revenge, we can offer our concerns to God, trusting that He is true to His promise to avenge us. Sometimes it seems like God is taking His sweet time, but we can be confident that God will act in His perfect time and in His perfect way—and that’s sweet! And if we have hurt others, then, we ought to seek forgiveness.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for being merciful towards me, that is, not meting out the punishment I so deserve. Constantly remind me of what You did for me in Christ so that I may be merciful towards those who irritate and annoy me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 16

Lunch Break Study

Romans 12:17-21 (NIV): Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Questions to Consider

According to the passage, what is human revenge?
What is the result of our revenge?
How are we instructed to treat those who transgress us?

Notes

Paul says that human revenge is evil. When we take it upon ourselves to pay back or get even when we’re wronged, we are sinning just as much as the person who has sinned against us. Instead, we have to do what we know is right, to extend forgiveness and allow God to punish and correct as He sees fit.
We don’t leave room for God’s wrath. In other words, we take God’s place as judge. As good as we may think our plans for retribution are, they certainly don’t compare to God’s. And in the end, our plans are guided by our flesh while God’s plans are guided by His Spirit. Our plans lead to ruptured relationships whereas God’s plans lead to reconciliation.
We are instructed to care for those who oppose us. This could point to providing for their physical needs which we should do for anyone we see in need to the extent that we are able. This could also point to realizing that people transgress us because they are lacking spiritually – sin at its core points to a separation from God. Therefore, when people sin against us, they are hungry for the Bread of Life and thirsty for the Water of Life. We have to remember that what they ultimately need is Christ. We can offer Him to them as we extend grace and love and pray for them.

Are there people in your life right now who have wronged you – maybe a coworker, a family member, or a friend? How have you responded? Spend some time offering these situations to God. Repent for taking it upon yourself to judge and condemn them. Acknowledge that God alone is judge. Pray for them, that God would give them more of himself – maybe even through you.

Evening Reflection

In a Sunday sermon, a pastor told this story: “A certain judge was constantly annoyed by the sneering remarks of a certain ‘wise cracking’ and abusive attorney. Instead of cracking down on the lawyer and silencing him, the judge would only smile and chew on his pencil until people wondered at his patience. At a dinner, someone asked him, ‘Judge, why didn’t you slap down that wise guy lawyer?’ The judge laid down his knife and fork and resting his chin on his hands said, ‘Up in our town there lives a widow who has a dog which whenever the moon shines, goes out and barks all night at the moon.’ Then the judge quietly resumed eating. One of the company asked, ‘But judge, what about the dog and the moon?’ And he replied, ‘Oh, well the moon just keeps right on shining!’”

No matter how much opposition we face from those around us, we cannot allow them to steal our joy. We are the light of the world. We have to continue to shine our light even in the darkest of situations. Pray and ask God to give you the wisdom and grace to do just that in situations of conflict or opposition you are facing.

August 1, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Truly Human (Part 2)

Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Yesterday, we talked about how, as humans, we exist as worship to God. As God’s image, we are objects of worship in the temple of God’s creation. But in the passage in Genesis 1, after God proclaims humankind as His image bearers, He gives them a follow-up command. He says to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Subdue the earth and have dominion over it. Basically, as the image of God, we are called to rule God’s creation in His place. Being human, then, means firstly existing as worship and, secondly, means ruling over God’s creation. But what does that look like?

The Bible actually speaks quite frequently about how people ought to rule. These passages often speak of kings in the line of David, which ultimately points to Jesus as the true king. But, remember, Jesus is the true human and we learn what it means to be human by looking at Jesus. So, if Jesus modeled certain royal attributes, we as humans should seek to follow suit. We were created to rule and Jesus shows us how.

When you read passages about kingship in the Bible, there are two words that often stand out: righteousness and justice. For example, we read in Psalm 72:1-2, “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!” Similarly, in Isaiah 16:5 we read, “Then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.” In God’s eyes, a true ruler would seek righteousness and justice. Being human, as rulers of creation, we ought to likewise seek righteousness and justice. This is what Jesus did – He promoted righteousness (i.e. people being made right with God) and promoted justice (i.e. the availability of healing and wholeness for all people).

What this means is that doing justice and seeking wholeness in our communities is not just something for the “justice-minded” people to think and care about. To be truly human means to truly care about righteousness and justice, to care about communities being healed and systems being promoted that contribute to flourishing for, not just humans, but all of creation. Being human means desiring to see God’s will being done on earth as it is done in heaven. This is what Jesus did. This is what it means to rule over God’s creation in His image. Just as not living as worship is to be subhuman, to not care about righteousness and justice is likewise subhuman.

Today, invite God to show you how to rule with righteousness and justice. See the world with God’s eyes and see the hope of justice and healing, a justice that could even come through you.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to be truly human. May we seek to be bringers of righteousness and justice to this world. There is so much brokenness around us – may our response not be hopelessness, but rather hopefulness. We are Your image and so we can do justice – here and now. May Your Spirit empower us to do this.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Micah 6:6-8: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, what does the Lord require of us and what does he not require of us?
What do you think it means “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”?
In what ways can you do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God today?

Notes

The Lord does not require from us empty religion; rather, He requires us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Now, this does not mean that church does not matter, that anything religious does not matter, and that all that matters is doing good works. There is a both/and here. Religion is empty when it does not seek justice and righteousness, but there is a place for religion, for church, for worship. Remember, worship is primary. But our worship is empty if we are not loving and caring for those around us. Jesus gave us the great commandment, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” Both are necessary.
In Micah’s day, when this was written, there was a lot of oppression in the nation of Israel. The rich were exploiting the poor, rulers were corrupt, and worship of the Lord was hollow. The people had gotten so caught up in the routine of religion that they neglected what really mattered. Jesus summed up the law by saying we must love God and love people. That was meant to be primary. To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God is to do just that – to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Invite God to show you how you can do this today. Allow His Spirit to guide you.

Evening Reflection

This evening, reflect on what we have talked about as being truly human. We all fall short, that’s why we need God’s help. Invite God to fill you with His Spirit so that you can live out your calling as a human by worshiping and by ruling creation with righteousness and justice.

July 31, Wednesday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 31 and August 1 are produced by Pastor Doug Tritton of Symphony Church in Boston.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Truly Human” (Part 1)

Genesis 1:26-28

What does it mean to be human? Is it simply our biology as a homo sapiens, the result of millennia of evolutionary tinkering? Or does it have something to do with the ability to reason – to think and create? Or is it something more?

Well, the Bible has a pretty clear answer to what being human is all about and it’s found right on the first page! When God created humankind, He created them in His own image. So, simply put, to be human is to be God’s image. Simple enough, right? But what does this actually mean? The word image comes from a Hebrew word that almost always is used to speak of idols of other gods. If you visit ancient temples of other gods, often you will see images of those gods on the walls of the temple. The word to speak of those kinds of idolatrous images is the word used to speak of humans as the image of God. What was the purpose of those images on the walls? Those images were meant to tell a story about who that god was so that people in the temple could worship.

When God created the heavens and the earth, on the last day, at the end of creation, He created humans and called them His image. He created a massive temple – namely, all of the world – and adorned it with his image, humans. He placed them in creation and said, “Look! This is my image. They point creation to me! They are my objects of worship.” If creation wanted to know who God was, humans as God imagers were to show this to the world. And thus, worship comes to God.

We exist as worship. We are objects of worship in God’s great big creation temple. To be truly human means to know that our life is all about worship. A life without worship is a subhuman life. We were created to be worship of God, to point creation upwards to the reality that God is our creator and thus worthy of all creation’s worship.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that you created us, Your image bearers. Help us to remember our primary function is to bring worship to You. May we not neglect worship in our lives. Rather, may we truly be human and lead all of creation into worship of You!

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 12:1-2: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, what is our spiritual worship?
What is the barrier to us being living sacrifices of worship to God?
How can you offer your life today as a living sacrifice? What worship is God asking of you now?

Notes

Our spiritual worship, according to this passage, is to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. This means our whole lives – our actions, thoughts, emotions, relationships, time, money, possessions, all of it – is meant to be given as worship of God. Our identity as humans is worship so that means everything in our lives is meant to be for God.
Being conformed to the world is the barrier to living out our identity as objects of worship. When we as the image of God stop imaging Him and rather image the world, we have become a broken and useless image. We have been corrupted. The source of an image’s identity is the one who is being imaged – to conform to anything else destroys the worship we are meant to bring.
Pray and allow God to speak and show you how he wants you to worship him this day!

Evening Reflection

As you get ready to sleep tonight, reflect on your identity as a worship-bringer of God. Reflect on how worship has been incorporated into your life and invite God to show you how you can make His worship more central in your life.

July 30, Tuesday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 29-30 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“He is Good”

Psalm 5:8, 11-12

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies —make straight your way before me. 11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Sometimes we wonder where God is in our turbulent times and are dismayed when our reality doesn’t change or turn for the better (Ps. 22). If that’s how we—living in the comforts of West—feel, how much more so for those believers living in closed countries where threats to their lives are a present reality.

The LORD, of course, has His reasons for allowing all that, which we may find out about later; meanwhile, we mustn’t forget that God remains our shield and refuge who protects us! It doesn’t mean that He will always deliver us physically, but it certainly means that His grace for us will always be sufficient during our difficult moments.

What does that entail? The apostle Paul, locked up in a Roman dungeon, said (2 Tim. 4:17-18), “The Lord stood by me and strengthened me . . . I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” God surely did that for Paul–rescuing him from the lion’s mouth–nevertheless, shortly thereafter, the Romans executed the apostle anyway . Is God still good? Paul would say without any hesitation, “Yes, God is good”—ultimately, because of the sacrificial death of God’s Son on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21).

So today, take a moment to meditate on the goodness and kindness of our LORD. Take refuge in Him throughout the day! Are you following God as He leads? As He spreads His protection over you, are you remaining in Him? Praying (unhurriedly) and meditating on God’s Word is not sufficient to remain in Him but they are necessary: So, pray and meditate on Scripture today.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I recognize Your active involvement in my life, to transform my faith and character, and the way I live. Thank You for the difficult situations because through them, I experience Your active presence in my life, as my refuge and shield.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Ezra 7:1, 6, 8:21-23: Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah . . . 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him . . . Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Heb. 12:14: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Questions to Consider

Who said this and to whom was this said?
Why did this person say this2 (Ez. 8:22)?
What really concerned Ezra here with respect to his boss, the pagan king?
Do you think people base their view of God by observing those who claim to believe and

follow Him (Heb.12:14; 1 Pet. 2:12)?

Notes

The teacher of Law Ezra said this to the Persian king Artaxerxes before making a dangerous trip to Jerusalem that would last for 4 months
Having told the king how God protects His people, Ezra felt ashamed to ask him for soldiers and horsemen to protect them from enemies on the road.
Ezra was greatly concerned about how the pagan king Artaxerxes would view God based on how he actually conducted himself. Thus, he gave up the military protection in order to make a favorable spiritual impact on his boss. This necessitated that Ezra really depended on the Lord, which he did.
Both verses imply that, first, unbelievers are watching; second, the holy and kindly manner in which we live can make a favorable spiritual impact.

Evening Reflection

In reviewing today, what kind of spiritual impact (or lack thereof) did you make on unbelievers at your work or with your family? Perhaps you thought about doing something but lacked boldness! Pray, therefore, for boldness. Then prayerfully consider who God wants you to reach.

July 29, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 29-30 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Two Things to Which We Have Become Numbed”

Psalm 5:4-7

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. 5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. 6 You destroy those who tell lies; blood-thirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors. 7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.

When Lot, upon being told of the impending God’s judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah over “their sin so grievous” (Gn. 18:20 NIV), told his sons-in-law to “get out of this place,” they “thought he was joking” (19:14). Having lived in a sin-saturated world for a long time, these men lost the ability to take seriously the things of God. They, along with others, soon perished.

Are we any different? Living in a sin-saturated world as well (where people celebrate a law that allows babies to die after birth), we have become numbed to sin. We even change labels to make sin appears as if it is a physiological condition, i.e., disease or syndrome (e.g., a book on mental disorder calls infidelity, hypersexual disorder).

Thus, the concept of a loving God is much easier to accept than a holy God who hates sin! But none of this changes who God is and the holy life that He commands us to live (1 Pet. 1:15). God isn’t demanding us to be holy and moral so that He can accept us; rather, He asks us to trust that what His Son accomplished on the cross is sufficient to redeem us from sins.

Look, you can call sin whatever you want but that doesn’t change the fact that sin costs (e.g., eternal separation from God), hurts, and ultimately robs us of a joyous and meaningful life. But, in Christ and through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the power to overcome sin! So, what issues are you currently struggling with? Don’t delay dealing with them; go to the Lord, today! Confess your sins and turn from them.

Nevertheless, even worse that being numbed to our sins is being numbed to God’s grace. Yes, sometimes we are so numbed spiritually that we don’t realize what we have received from the Lord. Grace is receiving favors from God that we don’t deserve while mercy is not being punished even though we deserve it. In what ways has the Lord been gracious and merciful toward you? Confess God’s goodness bestowed on your life and turn toward Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know that You are a benevolent and kind God who deeply cares about me. I bring to You my struggles, which I am not able to overcome in my own strength. Please deliver me from them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 12

Lunch Break Study

Read John 8:3-11 (ESV): The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Questions to Consider

Who said this and to whom was this said (Jn. 8:3-6)?
Why did Jesus say this, presumably after writing the Law on the ground (James 2:10-11)?
Why did Jesus get rid of the hostile leaders before speaking to the woman (Ps. 51:3-4)?
Was He being lenient toward sin? Why did He let her go like this (Jn. 5:14; Rom 2:4)?

Notes

Jesus said this to the religious leaders who brought a woman caught in adultery to entrap Jesus.
Those accusing her acted as if they had never sinned, forgetting that it takes only one sin to make the person a sinner
Ultimately, it was none of their business, for she sinned against God, not against them. Also, since they were sinners themselves, they had no right to condemn her.
Jesus was showing the way of the New Covenant (NC), established on His perfect sacrifice, by showering her with grace and mercy. The NC is not lenient on sin, for Jesus said to her, “Leave your life of sin” and to the man healed of paralysis, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen.” But through His kindness, Jesus was leading them to repentance.

Evening Reflection

We began the day dealing with a difficult issue: our struggle with sin. Were you tempted to sin today? How did you fare? Did you sense His presence in overcoming it? Pray for His guidance and protection over all that will go on tomorrow.