July 24, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Mark Chun (Radiance Christian Church) was originally posted on March 6, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Despair Not”

Psalm 22:1-2; 19 (ESV)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

There are times in our Christian life when God seems distant and when there seems to be nothing but silence in answer to our prayers. During those seasons, there is always a temptation to give into our doubts and believe that God has stopped listening or that it’s useless to continue seeking Him. We may feel alone in these circumstances but this is an experience that is common to all believers. Everyone goes through those valleys in their spiritual walks with God.

Knowing that Christ endured through a much greater abandonment can be a source of comfort in the midst of our distress. We know that Christ uttered these exact words from the cross (Matthew 27:46) revealing that even the Son of God was not excluded from the isolation caused by sin. But because we know that he endured the scorn of the cross and overcame, we can have hope that God’s help is not too far off.

In our own times of despair, it’s easy to believe that we are alone but the cross reminds us that we have a Savior who not only knows our pain but has suffered through so much more. To Him, we can cry out and place our complete trust even in the darkest moments.

As you prepare for another day, does God’s presence seem close or is there a distance? Does it bring you comfort to know that Jesus knows exactly how you feel? Think about how Jesus identifies with our everyday struggles.

Prayer: Jesus, I take peace in knowing that you have experienced the pain of unanswered prayers and the sense of being forsaken. But more than that, help me to realize that you endured the rejection and the abandonment at the cross so that I would never have to relive that experience in full. Give me faith to believe that you are with me through the daily struggles of life and that I can come to you, knowing that you completely understand and identify with me.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 6

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV): For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Questions to Consider

How does Jesus function as our high priest? (Hebrews 5:1, 7)
What allows Him to sympathize with all our weaknesses? (Hebrews 2:17)
As our high priest, how does Jesus give us hope? (Ephesians 4:10)

One of the great comforts of the Christian faith is the belief that we have a high priest who is constantly interceding on our behalf. We are never left to fend for ourselves and made to feel like no one is on our side. Jesus weeps as we weep and rejoices as we rejoice.

Note

Jesus functions as our high priest by acting as both a gift and sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 5:1). In addition, he offers up prayers and intercessions on our behalf before the Father (Hebrews 5:7). Jesus even now stands in the gap for each of us.
Jesus is able to completely sympathize with all of our struggles and failures because he is made like us in every way. The humanity of Christ is one of the most comforting doctrines of the Christian faith because it assures us that God doesn’t stand outside of our suffering but has actually entered into our pain.
However, unlike an earthly high priest that can sympathize with us but gives us little hope, Christ provides for us hope for today through his resurrection and ascension into heaven. Just as he overcame the trials of this world and even death itself, we can overcome our trials through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Evening Reflection

Were you aware of the love of Christ today? Is your heart warmed by the fact that His love is deeper, wider, and greater than you can imagine? Has there been a tangible experience of God’s love recently in your life? Write about these things.

July 23, Tuesday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 22-23 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“What is Worse than Prayerlessness?”

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Matthew 6:5a

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

As the head of Israel, King David was a very busy man, but evidently his morning hours were spent seeking God. He knew that once his day got going, it would be difficult to spend time with Him. This wasn’t a brief and hasty encounter with God, for David pleaded, cried out, and waited on the LORD.

So, how do you typically spend your morning hours? Do you think it can be better utilized to promote spiritual growth? As a new day is about to commence, is there anything that tugs at your heart, causing you to worry? Take a moment to lay your burden before God. Ultimately, our prayerlessness means that we neither trust nor rely on God.

But an act worse than prayerlessness is praying to be noticed by men in order to be perceived as spiritual—apparently, the religious leaders in Jesus’ days—the Pharisees—made art out of it. Nevertheless, this is something that tempts everyone, for most of us have done the same, perhaps through other “spiritual things” such as, biblical knowledge or church involvement. The core issue is the basis upon which our security is built: our performances or God’s unconditional acceptance of us in Christ?

What’s the trap when we try to earn people’s acceptance through our performances? It works like an addiction; those who are intoxicated by it will do anything (e.g., tell lies, spread gossips, stage events) to keep their audience. Before mobile phones became available and affordable, the car phone was the in-thing in the 1980s. Some people, who couldn’t afford this, would install a fake car phone antenna in the rear to pretend that they had one. What a cover up for insecurity! How can we overcome living like that? Based on Paul’s confession in 2 Cor. 12:9 (“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me”) what is one way to deal with our insecurity? It is willing to be vulnerable through sharing our weaknesses and then share how Christ continues to heal and strengthen those and other areas of our lives. Try it today.

Prayer: Lord, give me the wisdom and discipline to seek You first in the morning. I lay before You all my burden, for You are gentle and humble in heart, and Your yoke is easy and burden is light. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:1-5: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Questions to Consider

Who said this and to whom was this said (Mt. 5:1)?
Why was this taught2 (Mt. 16:5-6, 11, 23:2-3)?
What was in it for the Pharisees to behave like this? What were they willing to do to get what they wanted (Mt. 23:5-6; Mk. 11:18; Jn. 7:31-32)?

Notes

Jesus said this to a large crowd that had followed him to a mountainside to listen to him.
He was concerned that they may learn to act like the Pharisees, their hypocritical leaders (“Don’t do what they do”). Bad spiritual leadership can really affect people; thus, we need to be judicious in choosing our spiritual leader.
Having gotten used to receiving approval from the audience, the Pharisees craved for more and were willing to do anything, like praying ostentatiously before people to impress them (thus, making spirituality a means to a carnal end), or conspiring to eliminate their competition, that is, Jesus (thus, breaking the very commandments they had taught the people to obey).

Evening Reflection

Were you busy today? Too busy to pray or too busy not to pray? Write out a prayer asking God for strength to trust Him amid your trials and those things that make you feel insecure.

July 22, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 22-23 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Anger”

Psalm 4:4-5, 7-8

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah 5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord. 6 Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. 7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. 8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Anger is one emotion most of us know all too well; I certainly do. Now that all my three children have left home to lead their own life—and we’ve good relationships, this despite my many shortcomings as a father—that’s one thing I wish I could’ve done a lot better: being patient over blowing my top. Typically, after my tantrum, I would feel guilty and condemned, mostly self-inflicted but the enemy was always glad to lend a hand to make it worse.

The truth is that, regardless of how one is provoked, an unresolved anger “gives the devil a foothold” (Eph. 4:27), for it will began to chip away at our joy, peace, and freedom in Christ. Blaming others is always easier but when our hearts are silent before the Lord, the Holy Spirit will show us our faults as well.

Once, I got really upset at my wife because she interrupted me while I was praying in the morning. (One of our children had called from school for something urgent—for him). Upon seeing my anger, she asked, “With whom are you spending your time?” The subtext was this: “How can you respond that way if you were spending time with the Lord?” This, of course, made me more upset.

Two days later, while I was praying a Scripture suddenly flashed through my mind: “Do not be overrighteous.” That was from Ecclesiastes 7:16a. So, I quickly repented of my self-righteousness and immediately apologized to my wife, who, by the way, vowed never to bother me while I’m praying. (Trying to prove that I truly repented, I invited her to test me by “interrupting” my prayer again; she retorted, “No way.”)

So how was the weekend? Did anything or anyone make you feel upset or even angry? What does that say about you as a person and as a Christian? (The said anger suggested that I was a self-righteous person.) Before leaving home, ask the LORD to grant you the courage needed to make things right with God and with others.

Prayer: Dear God, as I start a new week, I desire a life devoid of strife and anger. Lord, strengthen me to overlook and forgive the faults of others. Help me to not anger others as well. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 11:15-17 (NIV): On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Questions to Consider

Who said this and to whom was this said?
Why were they conducting this business in the courtyard of the temple (Deut. 16:16)? Was it a bad thing?
Why was Jesus so indignant3? Notice that the business was conducted in the Court of the Gentiles, the only place in the temple where the Gentiles could pray (2 Chr. 6:32).

Notes

Jesus said this to the venders of animals and money changers who conducted their business in the courtyard of the temple.
Since no one was allowed to appear before the Lord empty-handed, they provided a service for those Jews coming from faraway places who couldn’t bring their own animals for sacrifices. The money changers conveniently supplied the Jewish currency, which they then used to buy the animals—not a bad thing at first.
Despite this, the Jews still had a place to pray in the Temple area but not the Gentiles, since their place was now occupied by the Jewish businessmen. Jesus’ indignation was caused by Israel’s complete disregard for the spiritual welfare of the Gentiles. That’s why the Lord declared that the Temple is a house of prayer for all nations.

Evening Reflection

Earlier, we reflected on not allowing our unresolved anger to rob us of our joy and peace. As you look back, did anyone anger you today, or did you anger someone? How did you do deal with it?

July 21, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Trust Me”

Jeremiah 42:9-18

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God 14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ 15 then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them. 18 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more.

I recently finished my first season of coaching my son’s baseball team. That was also my last. A friend of mine advised me to coach, telling me it would help my sports dynamic with my son; the idea being that instead of looking at me as his dad telling him what to do, he would listen to me as the coach, especially if he saw the other kids on the team doing the same. Maybe it worked for my friend, but for us, we butted heads. Example: I told my son to use a lighter bat because I thought he needed more bat control; he refused. Perhaps it was an ego thing, like telling a dude to drop weight in the gym. I do think that 75-99% of all fathers and sons will butt heads, because sons fundamentally want to prove themselves to their dads (to be fair, I’m sure I have a part in our fights too). But to some measure, I think my son is kind of competing with me and sees me as someone he has to overcome or exceed, in order to prove he has grown up (sounds like Wild at Heart, John Eldridge). By the way, I also think that this competing dynamic plays out in less dramatic ways for a many mothers and daughters but less severe in cross gender relationships, as I think my daughter would love me to coach her soccer teams.

What bothers/hurts me the most about this situation is that my son totally misunderstands me. I’m never trying to embarrass him or prove that he’s not on my level; in fact, the opposite is true. I’m trying to put him in the best position to succeed, because when he does well, I get happy. Sometimes that means checking his pride at the door and using a lighter bat, or it means working on a skill that is difficult for him; but ultimately, it means trusting me.

Granted this is an oversimplification, but the narrative of the Old Testament can be summarized by the Israelites’ desire to show God that they don’t need Him. Often it comes across like their goals for themselves compete with God’s goals for them. An example of this is shown in the end of the book of Jeremiah: this time, after their city is in ruins, the Lord tells them to stay in Judah; don’t flee to Egypt. Perhaps, the people thought the Lord was punishing them more to really drive His point home; yet, what we see is God’s desire for their good. In verse 10, the Lord tells His people that if they stay, He’ll build them back up and plant them. But alas, once again, the Israelites think they know best; they are like the 10 year old trying to show dad how he’s become the man who knows best.

How are you doing with the Lord? Do you feel like you’re competing against Him—your will against His? Stop trying to prove you know better or that you’re all grown up—be His trusting child.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust that You are good, and I don’t need to compete with You. Though I want to mature, let me never want to grow so much that I think I don’t need You or I know better than You. Give me a child-like spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 3 (Yesterday’ reading should’ve been 2 Kings 1-2)

July 20, Saturday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Waiting Faith”

Jeremiah 42:7-14

At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there’ . . .

I believe that faith fundamentally comes in two forms: faith to act and faith to wait. People generally tend to gravitate toward the former as “real” faith, because people who act in faith don’t just sit around and let the world pass them by; they boldly go out in the name of the Lord and conquer lands and win souls. These people are like the action heroes of Christianity.

Rightly so, we admire guys like Hudson Taylor who pioneered missions to inland China, or Jim Elliot who gave his life in preach to the Auca tribe in Ecuador, or even our many AMI missionaries who serve the Lord abroad in various countries. The Bible even seems to support the notion that faith to act is a superior form. Read Hebrews 11: everyone mentioned was commended for some kind of action. If you need further convincing of this, look no further than the apostle James who declared, “Faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:26).

But every so often, the Bible gives us a glimpse at what waiting faith looks like. Waiting faith hears the gentle whisper of God that says, “Stay where you’re at, even though the circumstances look bleak. Trust Me, I’ll turn things around.” In a lot of ways, I think waiting faith is harder than “faith in action”, because when we are doing something, at least we feel like we have some control over the circumstances. But waiting that requires us to stretch muscles we are not used to moving is easier said than done. It requires us to trust, pray, persevere, hope, and stay optimistic, all of which I would argue are also actions.

I understand why the remnant of Israel would want to go to Egypt. Look at vs. 14: Egypt seemed like a land of peace, abundance, and opportunity. For the last how many years, Jerusalem was a warzone, people went hungry, and the threat of being conquered constantly loomed overhead like vultures circling a carcass. Simply put, the Israelites were tired, and Judah probably looked like Pride Rock after years of being ruled by Scar. (Did anyone see that movie last night?). So why would they want to hanging on, in Israel? But despite all this, the Lord tells his people to stay in Judah and trust Him—talk about a seemingly powerless position.

This morning, let me ask you this: Is there something that you feel like the Lord is telling you to wait on? Isn’t it funny how it seems like when the Lord wants you to act, He practically shouts, but when He wants you to remain, it feels like He’s whispering? He’s there—you might just have to learn to distinguish His gentle voice.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. If You want me to wait, let me do so in prayer, patiently, steadfastly, and hopefully. Help me to trust You, especially when I don’t see a way out of this situation.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 1-2

July 19, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“God’s Will?”

Jeremiah 42:1-6

Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— 3 that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” 4 Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us.6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.”

Confession time. I—like most men—am more sensitive than I let on. So if someone were to negatively criticize one of my sermons, lessons, how I run a ministry, or even my choice of outfit for the day, on the outside I would appear receptive. I might even thank them for their opinion—but inside, I would somewhat be deeply wounded. That is why, because of my fragile ego, my wife has learned to ask this question before giving her opinion: “Do you want the truth, or what you want to hear?” Example: I would ask, “Honey, I just came back from the gym. Doesn’t my chest look huge?” Her: “Do you want the truth or what feels good?” Me: “What I want to hear, of course!” Her: “Massive—I don’t know how you don’t tip over.” Me: “Thanks.”

Let’s be honest: we don’t always want the truth in our lives, but we want to hear what we want. Even in our prayer lives, we have said at least one time, “God, tell me what you want me to do, and no matter what it is, I’ll do it.” What we’re hoping to hear from God is, “Keep on doing what you’re doing.” When He actually says, “Sudan,” we do our best to brush it off as youthful exuberance.

In today’s passage, Johanan and the rest of the leaders of Judah came to Jeremiah with a request and a promise, essentially saying, “Tell us what the Lord wants us to do, and we’ll do it.” If you recall from yesterday, the Jews were considering fleeing to Egypt and were seeking the Lord’s stamp of approval with this plan. But as we’ll read over the next few days, they didn’t really want to obey God; they just wanted to hear Him say yes to what they wanted.

The take home is obvious. Do you genuinely want the Lord’s will and truth in your life, or do you—like Johanan and the rest of the Israelites—want Him to give you the stamp of approval for what you want to do? Have you made promises to obey and then went ahead and disobeyed? But the good news is that with the Lord, there are often second chances to obey.

Prayer: Father, cleanse my heart. Help me to genuinely desire obedience; give me courage to follow through. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 22

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (For context, this is Samuel’s rebuke to Saul after he disobeyed God’s orders to wipe out the Amalekites.): And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Questions to Consider

How do you suppose people in the 21st century try to substitute sacrifices for obedience?
Why do you suppose Samuel compares rebellion to divination and presumption to iniquity and idolatry?
Are there areas in your life where the Lord is calling you to greater obedience?

Notes

Now, instead of sacrificing animals, we sacrifice our service, time, and money. But even if we’re spending hours in church, small group, or faithfully tithing, we can still be in a state of disobedience. More than anything, the Lord desires hearts that trust and obey Him.
Divination and idolatry are both similar in that we search out other sources of guidance or allegiance. In both cases, God is able to meet all of our needs and is worthy of our loyalty. So in this sense, rebellion and presumption are not different than idolatry and self-worship.
Personal application.

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme was obedience. Is there anything you feel like the Lord is asking you to do that you haven’t followed through? Perhaps you need a friend to speak truth in your life. Whatever steps you need to take, ask the Lord for the courage to follow through.

July 18, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Lateral Moves”

Jeremiah 41:11-18

But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced. 14 So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they went and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

Career-wise, is a lateral move a bad thing? I’ve had many friends telling me they wouldn’t consider changing companies unless they got increase in salary, position, or both. The logic behind this line of thinking is that since you have a certain amount of years vested in your current job, you’ve accrued more benefits like seniority, vacation time, 401k matching, etc. And of course, in your current company, you have a known commodity. You know what your life is like within your current workplace; you know your company’s culture, your boss, co-workers, best places to eat within a five-mile radius; maybe you’ve even found the deserted office to sneak in an afternoon nap. Changing jobs presents a bunch of unknowns doesn’t it? From commute to office culture, there’s a lot that can surprise you that you couldn’t really pick up during the interview process, and if you’re not being compensated for it, a lateral move could easily turn into a net negative. I find that most people would only consider a lateral move if their current jobs were what they consider “toxic” (horrible bosses, terrible coworkers, unreasonable hours, etc.)

Perhaps I’m exaggerating when I call the leadership from Ishmael to Johanan a lateral move. Johanan never executed a coup like Ishmael did; in fact, his defeat of Ishmael was definitely a correction of a wrong, but make no mistake about it, this was no return to the glory days of Israel’s past. We also see that Johanan still planned to leave the promised land, but instead of going to Ammonite country, he planned on fleeing to Egypt; as we’ll see in the next chapter, the Lord was not pleased with this plan either.

Here’s my point, change simply for the sake of change isn’t always the best move. This is why spiritual gift of discernment is so valuable. In one sense, we don’t want to be people who are so resistant to change that we miss what God is asking us to do. In another sense, we don’t want to be so impetuous that we bounce from one situation to another, and never develop the fruit of perseverance. We need discernment to tell if God is leading us to stay where we’re at or go on a new path.

What are the circumstances you are struggling with now? Do you feel like the Lord wants you to remain? Does the other alternate route feel like a lateral move? Ask the Lord for guidance; generally speaking, I don’t think he’s asking you trade a bad situation for one that is slightly less bad.

Prayer: Lord, I’m struggling with __________. I don’t want to change simply for the sake of change, but I also don’t want to remain the same because it represents a known. Please give me discernment to follow your promptings.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 21

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

What are the prerequisites of discerning God’s will?
What are the benefits of discerning God’s will?
What are you struggling with concerning God’s will?

Notes

In verse 2, Paul tells us that we should not be conformed to the world, meaning, among other things, we shouldn’t have the same value set and worldview of the world. Perhaps our pursuits and goals are just like everyone else’s; if this is the case, that’s a problem. On top of that we need to have a renewed mind, which among other things, means we need to have the same value set and worldview that God has.
God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect. This is something that most Christians do not fully embrace. Do we genuinely believe that God is good and he wants what is good for us, or in our hearts, do we think that we know what will make us happy, even more than God does? Until we can believe His will is good, acceptable, and perfect will, we’ll never desire it.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme has been about choices we make. Is there something that is in front of you that requires a major decision? Where do you feel he is prompting? Do you believe He genuinely wants good for you? Take some time tonight to ask the Lord for the gift of discernment.

July 17, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Okay, Now What?”

Jeremiah 41:10

Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

I’m doing my best not to be one of those helicopter parents (parents who hover over their kids ready to jump in at the first sign of trouble), so I do my best to give them a lot of room to get into some amount of trouble. Lately, they’ve been really into climbing trees, and my town boast that we are a “borough of trees.” So when we go out to the park, my kids will try to conquer as many trees as they can. I’m proud to say that they’ve generally gotten pretty good; I have a nice little family of monkeys. However, occasionally one of these little monkeys will climb a little too high or get to a branch that they can’t climb out of (up is sometimes easier than down). So they’ll get up there, and think to themselves, “Now what? I’m up here, but how do I get down?” In things like climbing and hiking, it’s important that we plan both the route in and out, this way we aren’t at the top of the summit thinking, “Now what?”

In a lot of ways this is how I think Ishmael feels at this point in the biblical narrative. On Monday, we read that he killed the appointed governor of Jerusalem, Gedaliah, and yesterday, we read how he slaughtered about 70 men who were presumably coming to mourn the downfall of Jerusalem. By this point, he’s made enemies of both the remnant in Israel and the Babylonians. Now, since he has no place to hide, got prisoners to haul around, and no friends and countrymen to take him in, he decides to flee to the land of Ammon. This may seem like an insignificant detail, but no self-respecting OT Jew was going to run to Ammonites for help. Talk about a guy running around like a chicken with his head cut off!

Maybe in your life, you feel like you’re just scrambling too? Perhaps you’re running from job to job, or place to place, or event to event because you didn’t quite think things out fully. And when you’ve reached your next destination, you too are wondering, “Now what?” Perhaps the problem is not so much the lack of a plan, but lack of proper priorities. You see, priorities are important because they keep us on track toward a noble goal, and if we don’t schedule life according to our priorities, we get off track and feel like we’ve been tossed back and forth by life and the circumstances we created for ourselves. So, a wise thing for us to do just about now is to review our life’s priorities and recalibrate them from the standpoint of eternity.

Prayer: Lord, what are the things that are most important now? How would You like me to prioritize my life, so I don’t live like in FOMO mode. I want to follow You and Your leadings, not whatever looks great at the moment.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:25-33: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[g] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Questions to Consider

How does the Lord want us to plan or prioritize our lives?
Based on this passage, how can you tell the difference between carefree/careless living and genuinely trusting in God?
Are you a planner? Is this a good thing for you or are you constantly anxious?

Notes

Verse 33 is the key—we need to seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness. So planning and prioritizing doesn’t make sense unless God is our first priority.
This passage does not say that we shouldn’t plan or work hard, but rather it speaks to those who fear that God won’t take care of them. So planning is generally a good thing, but we realize that we’ve trusted in our own abilities more than God when worry and anxiety creep into our lives.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

What are the plans you have for you life? Are they God’s desire for you? On the other end of the spectrum, do you even have a plan for anything in your life? Does your life line up with your priorities or are you kind of just running around aimlessly?

July 16, Tuesday

Devotional Thought for Today

“Good to Bad”

Jeremiah 41:9

On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it,5 eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord. 6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, “Come in to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.” 7 When they came into the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and cast them into a cistern. 8 But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields.” So he refrained and did not put them to death with their companions. 9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down along with Gedaliah was the large cistern that King Asa had made for defense against Baasha king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld made the joke that landing a man on the moon—you do believe it happened, right?— may have been the worst thing that happened to humanity. Now we have a point of comparison for our failures, as in, “I can’t believe they can put a man on the moon, but they can’t figure out a way to make a prescription bottle top that’s easy to open.” Seinfeld ends the bit by joking that Neil Armstrong should have said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for every whining, complaining [person] out there.”

Human beings have this way of turning good things into something to complain about or worse, something very terrible, don’t they? Take today’s passage, in verse 9—the writer of Jeremiah points out that Ishmael used the cistern that King Asa had dug, presumably to supply water for Jerusalem during a potential siege on Jerusalem some 300 years earlier (see 1 Kings 15), as a mass graveyard for some 70 men he mercilessly slaughtered. This cistern, which was supposed to be a source of life, became a reminder of death.

Now, I trust that most of our reading audience aren’t mass murderers, so here’s the question for you: What are the good things in your life that you have turned bad? Perhaps that job which was supposed to provide for the needs of your family and help build the Kingdom of God became the sole means by which you measure success. Or those kids who you’re supposed to groom into the image of Christ became your only reason for living. Even hobbies which can relieve stress and give pleasure can become a means to escape life. You get the point—don’t turn the good things in your life into mush. Give it a serious thought to what I shared today.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for all the things that I have: family, friends, education, job, etc. Help me keep these things in proper perspective, knowing all I have is Yours. If there is anything that I have turned into an idol, please bring it to light and help me to love You most.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 19:16-30: And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Questions to Consider

What are some good things that the rich young man was able to do?
What were the disciples able to do that this young man could not?
What are the things that hold you like the rich young man? Can you release them like the disciples?

Notes

According to the rich young man, he was moral and even “loved his neighbor as himself.” I’ll take him at his word, meaning he probably gave alms. So, in a sense, he was willing to follow God to a certain extent.
However, when Jesus tells him to sell everything he possessed, he was unable to do it. The disciples, in contrast, gave up everything to follow Jesus. I think this is how most Christians are: we’ll follow Christ to a certain point, but beyond that, it’s too much.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

Did you have an opportunity to be critical and truthful? Were you discouraging in your words or tone, or did you do your best to encourage? Did you honor God with praise and blessing today? It’s still not too late. Consider Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Without using the word, today’s theme was idolatry. In other words, what are the good things God has blessed us with that we have made bad by loving them too much? Take a few minutes and recommit everything that you have jobs, family, homes, etc. back to the Lord.

July 15, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from July 15-21 are provided by Pastor Yohan Lee of Remnant Church, New York City. Yohan graduated from University of Pennsylvania and Cairn University, where he studied theology. He is married to Mandie, and they have four adorable children: Simon, Maggie, John and Abigail.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Heroes and Villains”

Jeremiah 40:13-41:3

Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”

1 In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah,2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land. 3 Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

After the Avengers Infinity War movie, a friend of mine tried to convince me that Thanos, the chief antagonist in the movie, was not so much evil as misguided. For those of you who haven’t seen Infinity War (I don’t know where you’ve been), Thanos had a conviction that because resources like food and energy were finite and sentient life had grown to unsustainable numbers, life for half of the universe’s population would be better if the other half of the universe ceased to exist. So my friend made the argument that from a certain point of view, Thanos could be considered a hero (which was actually how Thanos thought). Of course, my response was that anyone who tries to kill off half the living things in the universe has to be an evil guy; Captain America agreed with me (as did Ironman before he bit it… spoiler!)

As ridiculous as this might sound, Hollywood isn’t always that different than real life. People do all kinds of crazy things because they rationalize the ends justifying the means. In today’s narrative, I bet you Ishmael thought he was doing the right thing. I also bet you a bunch of people left in Jerusalem agreed with him. Think about it, in Jeremiah 39, we read that Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, and Gedaliah was installed by the Babylonians to run Judah. I bet you Ishmael and many of the remaining Israelites looked at Gedaliah as Nebuchadnezzar’s puppet and actually wanted him out. In some sense, I bet Ishmael, and perhaps many in Israel, saw himself as the hero who was going to spark a rebellion against their oppressors. But of course, heroes don’t assassinate people.

Here’s the point: Just because you aren’t leading a rebellion or assassinating government officials doesn’t mean you haven’t rationalized the ends justifying the means. We’re all tempted to fib a little to cover up a mistake at work, or fudged on our resumes, or convinced yourself that you don’t need to mend that relationship. Either way, let’s just call it what it is: Rationalizing. Hopefully, we haven’t gone so far as to call our villainous acts heroic; however, if this is indeed what we have been doing, then there is only one counter left on the table: repentance!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, search my heart. Is there something within me that needs to be brought to light and confessed. If so, help me to face it honestly and act righteously. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 24:31-46: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Questions to Consider

What are the similarities and differences between the sheep and the goats?
Why are the goats so surprised?
What are some things that you feel like God wants you to do lately that you haven’t done?

Notes

Both the sheep and the goats have encountered similar types of people, but the sheep acted in love towards these people. Both groups were surprised by the Lord’s reaction; it’s as if sheep never noticed their tender hearts, while goats never realized their callous hearts.
The scary part about this parable is that the goats were oblivious to the state of their hearts. They thought they were doing fine, loving God, etc. But in reality, they were very far from him. I hope none of us will be unpleasantly surprised on the day of judgment.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme was searching our hearts and making sure our actions align with our calling as children of light. How has the Lord been speaking to you about your life and how you’re living it? Do you represent him well in this world? Ask the Lord to reveal something that he wants to refine in you.