Devotional Thoughts for Today

Jeremiah 46:14-17

The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt: 14 “Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol;

 proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.’ 15 Why are your mighty ones face down? They do not stand because the Lord thrust them down. 16 He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, ‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.’ 17 Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, ‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’

St. Augustine was probably the most influential Christian thinker after the apostles. His contribution to the church has been felt throughout the ages especially in the formation of Christian thought around the Fall. He concludes that the Fall was due to human pride, where Adam and Eve thought of themselves more highly than they ought. Instead of yielding to the boundaries laid out by God (not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil), they chose to trust in their own judgments and ate from the forbidden tree. Pride blinded them from recognizing that autonomous living apart from God leads to death rather than to more freedom and life. In other words, pride always keeps us from seeing our need for God.

In today’s passage, we are once again reading through Jeremiah’s prophetic judgments upon the nation of Egypt. Their doom is imminent and inevitable. At first glance, it would be easy to see God in this passage as one who is simply angry, ready to lash out at His enemies. But when we read carefully, we see a God who had given the Egyptians a chance to repent. In verse 17, it says, “noisy one who lets the hour go by.” Many commentators suggest that the statement meant that Pharaoh did not seek God’s mercy and help but rather chose to go in his own way. Due to his persistent refusal to ask for God’s grace, the hour for repentance had closed and gone by. Simply put, it was his pride that blinded him from his need for God to save him and his nation.

Many of us live with the same type of pride in our lives. Although we might talk about God as if we need Him, the way that we live our lives betray that sentiment. We have chosen to make our own way without His help. However, it is important to learn from the mistake of Pharaoh—that pride always leads to our own destruction. Even in our success we must learn to rely upon God through prayer and a heart posture of need. There is something so attractive about people who wear humility in their daily attire, acknowledging their weaknesses and constantly leaning upon the power of God. Let us be those types of people. Let us be people who see clearly because we have learned to seek God in our lives!

Prayer: Father, it is so easy to become prideful and self-sufficient, and to live life as if I don’t need You. Help me to recognize my weaknesses and my need for you. Teach me how to lean into Your power in my everyday life! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Haggai 2

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Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 3:1-6: Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Questions to Consider

1. What is Paul referring to as his letters of recommendation?
2. What makes Paul sufficient to be effective in his ministry?
3. In what tangible ways can you be more dependent on God?

Notes

1. He is referring to the people in Corinth who have been affected by his ministry in positive ways. In this letter, people are questioning ministry of Paul. For this reason, he says that the validity of ministry is their own change.
2. Paul says that transformation and the effectiveness of his ministry is not because of anything inherently in himself, but his sufficiency is in God!
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

Reflect on what Pastor Tim Keller said: “…the essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.”

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Jeremiah 46:8

“Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.”

Recently, I was part of a staff meeting where we were looking ahead and spent some time dreaming and envisioning where our church might be in five years. And from this meeting, we came up with some measurable goals that we want to reach by a certain timeframe. However, at the end of the discussion, our lead pastor made an interesting point. Although it’s great to have several goals we want to check off by a certain time, we cannot presume upon the Lord as if we are entitled to these things—as if accomplishing everything in our plans is the true measure of success. More than planning, it is important to constantly be sensitive to the voice of God in order to remain aligned to His will, even if they are contrary to our 5-year plans. True success for our church is to follow the leading of God, not the plans of man.

In our passage today, we see the grandiose plans of the Egyptians who proclaimed that they would conquer and cover the earth. They were powerful and made plans that they believed they could accomplish. I mean, who would have stopped this mighty empire? However, we know that the main point of this chapter is to vividly illustrate their destruction and the foiling of their big plans. No matter how much they tried to change the course of history with their might, it is always the plans of God that prevail.

For our generation, 5-year plans have become very popular. We love to plan our lives, set goals that need to be accomplished, and do everything we can to make sure it all unfolds just like we had imagined. And then we proceed to bring these plans to God and ask Him to bless them—even becoming bitter or resentful towards Him if our lives do not go the way we had wanted. In some ways, we always want God to adjust His plans to fit ours. But I wonder if we have it all backwards. I wonder how different our lives would look if we are always ready to adjust our plans to God’s—if we remain in a posture of listening rather than presuming that these things are owed to us. Don’t get me wrong—planning is important—but let us always be attentive to the voice of God and be ready to adjust. God’s plans will always prevail and that is a good thing because His plans are always better than ours!

Prayer: God, today I seek Your direction and leading. As I plan my life and think about the future, help me to always be attentive to Your leading and give me the ability to discern what is of You and what is not. And most of all, help me to trust in You more than myself!

Bible Reading for Today: Haggai 1

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Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Questions to Consider

1. What does this passage imply about our own understanding about life?
2. What do you think it means to acknowledge Him in all your ways?
3. What areas of your life have you leaned upon with your own understanding?

Notes

1. It implies that our own understanding is not to be fully trusted. Although we often think we can see all aspects of our life’s situation, we have many blind spots that distort reality—leading to bad decisions that feel right at the moment. Our ultimate trust when it comes to planning our lives cannot be placed in our own understanding.
2. It means that, first, you have sought the Lord and received some blessings from him (e.g., wisdom that leads to making a better decision, an open door, etc.); and then afterwards, you give credit where credit is due by publicly acknowledging and thanking God for His favors. It also means a life submitted to God.
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

In the busyness of our lives, it’s difficult to sit before God in a listening posture. Take advantage of the quiet night and ask God to show you His plans. Submit before Him different parts of your life and ask Him what it might mean to be aligned to His will in those areas.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand (Prov. 19:21).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Jeremiah 46:1-6

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. 2 About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 3 “Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle! 4 Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your armor 5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste; they look not back—terror on every side!” declares the Lord. 6 “The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.”

In today’s passage, we see the Egyptian empire fighting for its life as they prepare themselves for war against the up and coming Babylonian army. Verses 3-4 illustrate in vivid language the Egyptian’s frenzied preparations for battle. You can almost feel the army’s desperate attempt to muster up as much energy as possible in order to defeat the oncoming threat of the Babylonians. However, immediately in verses 5-6, we see that all their strategizing was for naught. They were surrounded by “terror on every side” and could not escape from the clutches of the enemy.  They were doomed to destruction.

It is an interesting passage, to the say the least. Prophets like Jeremiah were commissioned to speak on behalf of God specifically to Israel. However, we see Jeremiah also proclaiming judgment and predicting the fate of foreign super powers. What passages like this were meant to do was to show that God was not just God of Israel but the supreme ruler of the entire world—that it was not the powerful empires like the Egyptians who controlled history, but it was God Himself. No matter how much they tried to survive, we see God using the Babylonians as an instrument to destroy them. They were merely at the mercy of God’s plans.

Simply put, God is the Author of history. We might feel as though that powerful people control the fate of the world, and there is not much we can do to change its course to something more hopeful. But we see in this passage that God is in control. As I read through the news, and see all the evil and injustice that runs rampant, this passage—in some strange way—gives me comfort. In many ways, it feels as though the world has gone mad, divided as ever, but we know that God is sovereign, and that there is purpose to the chaos we experience in the world. Although it is so easy to feel hopeless in the face of the evil, let us as Christians find hope in the God who is the true Author of history! Let us, as believers, pray for the world to be healed in all of its brokenness, in spite of all the terrible things we’ve witnessed.

Prayer: Father, in the midst of the problems I see in the world, it is so easy to become hopeless and give up being the light to a broken world. Help me to find hope in the truth that You are in control, and that Your plan of redemption will ultimately prevail over all things. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 22

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Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Questions to Consider

1. How and why were things in heaven and earth created?
2. What are the two main roles we see attributed to Jesus in this passage?
3. How might this passage comfort you?

Notes

1. All things were created by Christ and they were all created for Him. What this implies is that Jesus is in control of everything—from the point of creation, to their ultimate purpose. He is the Author of all things. However, not only has He created and given them their ultimate purpose, He is the one that sustains all things.
2. The first half of the passage (vv.15-17), we see Christ as the Creator. The second half of the passage (vv.18-20), we see Him as the Reconciler, who makes peace by His work on the cross.
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

“New creation itself has begun, they are saying, and will be completed. Jesus is ruling over that new creation and making it happen through the witness of his church. ‘The ruler of this world’ has been overthrown; the powers of the world have been led behind Jesus’s triumphal procession as a beaten, bedraggled rabble. And that is how God is becoming king on earth as in heaven. That is the truth the gospels are eager to tell us.”— N.T. Wright

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The AMI QT Devotionals from October 15-21 are written by Pastor Andrew Kim at Tapestry Church.  Andrew, a graduate of Eternity Bible College, is currently attending Fuller Theological Seminary.  He and Jessie were married in 2014

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Jeremiah 45:5

 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

Part of the issue that I see in the world today is what some have called “expressive individualism.” It is the idea that personal expression and fulfillment is the highest reality. It sees the actualization of self as the ultimate priority in life. The manner in which culture and our own lives have been affected by this ideology is profound. For one, since the goal of life is to self-actualize, we live in a posture that commodifies everything around us as a means of taking us one step further in our pursuit of fulfillment. We want to find greatness for ourselves, and any and everything can be used for this very purpose. For example, we see this play out in our relationships. People are often used for our happiness, where our commitments remain strong only if there is something beneficial for us to be had. This is precisely why divorce rates are sky high. If the other person does not bring us some net gain, we don’t see the point of staying in the marriage. Anything that stands in the way of self-fulfillment can and should be discarded. Greatness of the self is our culture’s meaning and purpose of life.

In our passage today, we find the enigmatic scribe Baruch saddened and disappointed by the inevitable and impending judgment upon Israel. It seems that Baruch saw this as an opportunity to find greatness. Perhaps he envisioned himself as Israel’s savior, who could save them from being decimated by foreign nations. Although this might sound noble and heroic, verse 5 suggests that this desire did not stem from some righteous devotion to his people, but it was out of a personal aspiration for greatness. And this blinded him from seeing that judgment was part of God’s inevitable plan, and that the proper response was to surrender himself to the plans of God. In the midst of impending tragedy, Baruch only saw an opportunity for his own greatness.

In a culture where the self has been exalted to divine heights, it is easy to be blinded by our pursuit of self-actualization. Even the church is often used to give us what we need so that we can find the energy and inspiration to continue looking for our own definition of greatness. It is so easy to be absorbed into this way of life. Social and cultural pressures to live in this manner are difficult to fend off. However, we must look to the cross of Jesus Christ to define what it means to be great. It is the path of self-denial rather than self-exaltation. Let us surrender ourselves to God and find our greatness in what He has done for us rather than what we can do for ourselves.

Prayer: Father, help me to follow Your example of greatness that I saw demonstrated on the cross. It is so easy to be tempted to live in the same way as the world, but help me by the power of Your Spirit, to live a life of self-denial and surrender. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 21

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Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:1-11: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Questions to Consider

1. What is Paul’s main command in this passage?
2. What is the mind of Christ that Paul wants the Philippians to have?
3. What is one area in your life where there is a desperate need for humility?  

Notes

1. Paul desires the Philippians to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” It seems that even in the 1st century, selfish ambition was a problem that needed to be dealt with in the church.
2. The mind of Christ is one of humility that expresses itself in counting others more significant. In the second half of the passage, Paul details how Christ humbled Himself and emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant and taking on human flesh. However, His humility did not stop there; He chose to lower himself even more by dying even on the cross, which was full of shame. And it’s precisely because He chose self-denial that God exalted Him to greatness! This is the path we must also imitate.
3. Go ahead and humble yourself with respect to the area where you need it the most, and then see how that changes things—beginning with your own heart. 😉

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Evening Reflection

What are some ways that you are pursuing after greatness for yourself? What areas of your life are marked by selfish ambition? Take some time to reflect and ask God to help you surrender those areas of your life to Him.

Today’s edition of AMI QT Devotional is also special in that the writer, whose name is Lin, is one of the native leaders of the church the Lord has allowed AMI to plant in East Asia. Praise the Lord!

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Do Not Worry”

Luke 12:22-28

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!

Riding an airplane is a terrifying experience for me. The minute the airplane takes off, I start to feel anxious. So as soon as I enter the plane, I sit next to the emergency exit, fasten the seatbelt as tight as possible, stare at the route map on screen, and never take a nap. I end up getting off the plane feeling very exhausted.

In today’s passage, Jesus challenges His disciples to not worry but have faith. He tells His disciples to look at the birds and lilies around them because He wants them to see how content they are. Through this simple observation, He reveals a spiritual reality that we often neglect: do not worry because God will provide for His children.

Worrying may seem like a harmless emotion that we all experience daily—we worry about school, the future, our kids, or work. But the truth is, worrying is dangerous because it blinds us to the reality that God provides for His children. It causes us to think that we need to control our situation because He is not in control.

So, when Jesus commands us not to worry, He is not simply asking us to stop feeling an emotion, but He is protecting us from taking action into our own hands. Because once we control our situation, we usually mess things up.

While this is a simple truth, we easily forget His faithfulness. Yet, God has placed His creation around us to remind us that, as His children, we are more valuable than these.

On this Lord’s Day, let’s come before Him with greater faith that God will provide!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for reminding us today that You are a sovereign God, and that everything is created by You and for Your glory. Lord, help us to not worry, but rather to trust in Your goodness and love. Today we choose to surrender our lives with a restful heart, for only You know what is best for us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 20

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is special in that the writer, whose name is Napa, is one of the native leaders of the church the Lord has allowed AMI to plant in East Asia. Praise God!

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Forgetting His Promises”

Genesis 15:1-21

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your
very great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” 8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” 9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to walk across a glass bridge. While it was an amazing experience, it is not for the faint of heart. The bridge was suspended several hundred feet above a rushing river, and all I could feel were my legs shaking. Although the glass is made of a material that can sustain the weight of thousands of people, I still feared that the bridge would break.

In this passage, the Lord appears to Abram (Abraham) in a vision to encourage him. However, Abram’s response to the Lord’s encouragement was a question regarding his heir. While the Lord has tremendously blessed Abram in previous chapters, Abram was still longing for a child. Yet, the Lord does not deny Abraham, but promises an heir to him. In addition, the Lord reveals to Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars.

Many of us are like Abram. We’ve experienced the blessing of God, and we know that He is faithful. Yet, we are still worried about the uncertainties in our lives such as: the future, our financial situation, or our health. Even with our knowledge of God, there is a part of us that doubts the promise that God will provide for us.

However, what we learn from this passage is that God is merciful and does not get tired of reminding us of His promises. While we easily forget of His faithfulness, God is there to remind us that He is our provider. When we are having a difficult time, or when we find it hard to trust in Him, let us be encouraged to ask the Lord to remind us of His promises once again.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your daily grace. I pray that You would open our eyes, so that we can clearly see how faithful You are. In difficult times, help us to trust that You are in control. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 18-19

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Make some Adjustments”

Jeremiah 44:11-14

“Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah. 12 I will take away the remnant of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine. They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach. 13 I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem. 14 None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”

Dieting is difficult since it requires many adjustments to our lifestyles such as: needing to workout, regulating how much food we eat, and even getting the right amount of sleep. While it may sound straightforward, these adjustments are difficult to make, especially when we are too tired, or facing a choice between kale or pizza. But, without making these adjustments, we will never achieve our goal of shedding those unwanted pounds.

In today’s passage, the Jews in Egypt find themselves facing a similar but much more consequential situation. The LORD tells them to “adjust” (read, change) their hearts and return to Judah so that they would not suffer His judgement. Jeremiah warns that God will punish them with the sword, famine, and the plague. So severe is the punishment that not one remnant of Judah will be able to return to Judah with the exception of a few fugitives.

While the sword, famine, and the plague are disastrous, one more punishment that stands out to me is found in verse 12. Jeremiah says, “They will become a curse and an object of horror.” In what sense is this a severe punishment? If you remember in Genesis 12:2-3, God says to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” As evidenced here, God’s purpose for having chosen the Israelites is so that other nations may come to know Him through them.  However, because the Jews in Egypt disobeyed the Lord, refusing to adjust their attitudes and follow the Lord, they were about to be removed from fulfilling this purpose. Instead of becoming a blessing to other nations, their disobedience caused them to become a curse and an object of reproach to other nations.

Like the Jews in Egypt, our disobedience can also sidetrack us from fulfilling God’s purpose. To keep this from happening, we must adjust (change) our thoughts and actions to obey Him. Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God, says, “When God speaks to you to reveal what He is about to do, that revelation is your invitation to adjust your life to Him. Your faith will be most clearly demonstrated by your actions.” These adjustments can be painful and challenging, but necessary. Remember, when we refuse to adjust, it hinders us from being in God’s purpose.

While this is not easy (much harder than passing up chocolate pie), let us learn how to adjust our thoughts, attitudes, and actions to be in God’s purposes.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You have a purpose for me on this earth. If there is anything in my life that hinders me from fulfilling this purpose, give me strength to make the necessary adjustments. I know that it will be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for spiritual growth. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 17

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 19:1-10: Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why were people surprised that Jesus wanted to eat at Zacchaeus’ house?
2. What adjustment did Zacchaeus make? What was the result of the adjustment?
3. Based on this, how would define repentance?

Notes

1. The people were surprised because Zacchaeus was a tax collector. In those days, tax collectors were deemed as greedy turncoats who allied themselves with the hated Romans. So, since they were considered “unclean”, a good Jew would not enter their home. Because Jesus was a rabbi, for him to willingly enter a tax-collector’s home was a shock to many.
2. When Jesus told Zacchaeus his willingness to go to his house, this sinner adjusted his attitude by way of repentance. Thus, he promised to give half of his possessions to the poor, and return four times the amount to those he cheated. As a result, salvation had come into the heart of Zacchaeus (through this faith in Christ).
3. Repentance is more than changing one’s opinion about Christ (as some teach); it is having the intent and desire to turn from sin. It may or may not happen right away, but through the sanctification process (of the Spirit and word), we ought to and will change.

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Evening Reflection

Based on this morning’s devotion, what are some adjustments you feel that God is calling you to make? What are some things that are hindering you from making those adjustments? Take some time to ask the Lord to help you overcome these hindrances.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Idols of Our Hearts”

Jeremiah 44:15-18

Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

This past year, a sister from our church has been facing persecution from her family. Every Sunday morning is a battle for her to come to church—most of the time she is able to come, but other times she has to stay home. But praise God, her faith is still strong! Recently, her family bought a large golden Buddha statue and placed it at the front door. Uncomfortable with this act, the sister asked her parents why they did that, and the parents replied that this statue will provide good fortune, luck, happiness, and prosperity to the family. Many people in East Asia still have idols set up in their homes, not only for religious reasons, but they believe that it will  bring some form of luck into their homes.

In this passage, Jeremiah had just finished warning the Jews residing in Egypt that God is displeased with them—not only for residing in Egypt, but for worshipping Egypt’s gods. Their response reveals their rebellious heart towards God. First, Jeremiah writes that the men “knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods.” Knowing full well that God detests idol worship, the men still allowed their wives to perform rituals before the Queen of Heaven. This is outright rebellion towards God. Second, the men and women respond: “We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors….” There is no sense of shame, guilt, or remorse for their actions.

But their rebellion is not without reason. The men and women explain that when their ancestors worshipped the Queen of Heaven in Jerusalem, there was plenty of food, wealth, and no war. However, after the idols were removed, there was pain and suffering.

Like the Jews in Egypt, we may have idols in our lives. Though we are not enticed by idol altars in our local Chinese restaurant or the idol sitting in our History Museum, our idols come in different forms, such as social media, traveling (wanderlust), work, or even relationships. While they may look vastly different from idols in the Ancient Near East, these idols falsely advertise the same thing; fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. Just as the Jews residing in Egypt believed the Queen of Heaven provided for them, we view our idols in the same way.

We may find satisfaction in finding the perfect job, traveling to beautiful places, or joining different causes—all of these are blessings, but they can become idols. We begin to live for these blessings, rather than living for the Creator who gives us these blessings.

As God’s children, we were created for the purpose of worship. Through this relationship with God, we are truly satisfied and fulfilled. We need to be careful to not let other affections—even good affections—get in the way of that relationship.

Let’s ask the Lord to give us the strength to remove and purge those things that get in the way of our worship to the Lord!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for providing so many blessings in my life. However, I know I can treat these blessings as idols in my heart. Help me to love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 16

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 17:11-19: Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why were the ten men shouting from a distance?
2. What was significant about Jesus telling the 10 lepers to show themselves to the priest?
3. What was Jesus’ response to the Samaritan returning to thank Him?

Notes

1. Because they were lepers, and according to the Law of Moses, lepers were considered unclean and could not approach anyone.
2. Instead of laying hands on them, He tells them to show themselves to the priest. This reveals His authority, but also reveals the faith of the lepers. While they trusted Jesus to heal them, to approach the priest without knowing for sure they would be healed was risky.
3. Jesus was impressed by the returning leper’s gratitude, and He points out to the disciples that this man was a Samaritan. In fact, Jesus gives extra blessing to this man by saying, “Your faith has made you well.” Jesus most likely meant that the leper’s faith has healed his heart as well.

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Evening Reflection

This evening, take some time to think about things that rob your worship to God. One indicator is how much time you spend on an activity or think about a certain topic. Afterwards, ask the Lord to help you take steps to take a break from these things, so that you can focus on the Lord.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Mercy even in Judgement”

Jeremiah 44:1-6

This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins 3 because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew. 4 Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’ 5 But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. 6 Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today.

Recently, I’ve been talking to my mother about disciplining children (since I am going to be a dad soon). My mother probably isn’t all that different from other mothers in that she hated spanking us because it made her sad to see us in pain. Deep in her heart, she hoped that her warnings would be enough to stop us from misbehaving.

In today’s passage, the Lord is once again speaking through Jeremiah to the Israelites in Egypt. He reminds them of the previous punishment that the Lord inflicted on the people of Judah because they worshipped false idols. While the Lord’s anger burned towards the people of Judah, we see that He still had mercy towards them. In verse 4, God says, “Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’” Amid their rebellion, God gave the Israelites many chances—approximately 400 years’ worth, to repent from their rebellion. Sadly, despite God’s mercy, Judah refused to repent.

There is a popular view that God is a capricious deity who delights in punishing those who do not follow His ways. Quite the contrary, Scripture presents a God who is slow to anger and rich in love. Yes, our God is truly merciful. Because He hates to punish His children, He first warns them of the consequences that will come if they refuse to repent. However, like with any rebellious child, if there is no change, discipline must be applied. But, even His discipline, which is never punitive, is meant to restore our hearts back to Him.

Our God is a God of second chances who delights in blessing His people. Let’s take some time to give thanks for His mercy.  And if you need a second chance from God, take it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You are merciful to us. I know You are a Holy God who cannot and will not tolerate sin, but You still give us second chances to repent of our sins. Help us not to take Your mercy for granted, and to walk in obedience to Your commandments. Amen.

Bible reading for Today: 1 Kings 15

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Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 34:4-14: So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”

10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 11 Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Questions to Consider

1. If the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, why does the Lord still punish?
2. What covenant does the Lord make with the Israelites? What are His requirements?
3. What does the Lord mean when He calls himself a “Jealous” God?

Notes

1. While the Lord is slow to anger and rich in love, He is still a holy God, “a righteous judge” (Ps. 7:11), who needs to properly deal with sin, including punishing those who refuse to repent.  But, even in the midst of being punished for our sins, we never bear the brunt of it because “[God] does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10).    
2. The Lord promises to reveal His power and glory through the Israelites. Not only will they see God’s power, but also how He blesses the Israelites. The former reminds us that blessing is not just what God does for us, but how we can join in His work.
3. The word “jealous” does not mean envy like how we are jealous when someone has nicer things. It is a great compliment to us that God is jealous when we offer our worship to something or someone else. Who are we that our worship would matter to God of the universe! But, it does.  It is in this context we can truly grasp the jealousness of God.

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Evening Reflection

Our God is a merciful God, and He desires all people to turn back to Him. While His mercy is full of kindness, there are times where He exercises discipline to wake us up. Let’s take some time to give thanks to our Father for His mercy.