July 10, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Thinking the Things of God”

Jeremiah 19:4-5

Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent 5 and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My mind;

After I got baptized in high school after having encountered God’s forgiveness at a youth retreat, I remember wrestling with the foundational question, “How do I actually follow Jesus now?” The more vulnerable thought was, “How do I function in the same environment I have been living in and overcome temptations and represent Christ in my life?” I was afraid to “fail” and see my baptism as just a “passing event” that didn’t lead to any difference in my life.

It clicked to me that discipleship wasn’t about managing my behavior nor filling my life with works that made me feel righteous. Instead, it was about re-tuning my desire to think what God thinks, to like what He likes, and to despise what He despises; and gradually, I saw that I desired to do God’s command. At that time, my greatest hurdle was overcoming the habit of lying to my mom and rebelling against her. Seeing myself want to listen to her wishes shocked me and that was when I knew, I’m changing! It became obvious that sin came naturally, and no one had to command or teach me how to lie, cheat, or gossip; so learning to desire God’s ways was definitely the work of God upon my life and required a re-tuning of my appetite for God’s Word.

In this morning’s passage, God charges Judah for having repeatedly indulged in the worship of false gods in the holy city, which God “never commanded, or spoke of, nor did it ever enter [His] mind.” They showed adoration for false gods, which neither former good kings nor the godly men of Israel had ever known. Though Jerusalem and its temple were built to honor God, His people had made it an alien place by their worship of false gods. No one taught the Israelites how to worship false gods; it was something that felt good and gratifying in the moment, and became a collective lifestyle, leading to destruction.

Psalm 119:104 says, “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” To resist what is wrong isn’t something we can do forcefully or conjure up. It comes through the path of increasing in understanding of God’s Word, and as a result, we grow to hate evil and love God’s ways. This morning, let’s ask the Lord to give us a spiritual appetite for His Word, so that His thoughts may permeate into our thoughts and actions.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, lead me to live out what You command in your word so that my life may be characterized by Your wisdom and understanding. Sometimes the values or habits that I live out do not align with Your values and commandments. I pray that You would help me realize any habits in my actions, thoughts, and speech that are displeasing to You and empower me to replace them with what is pleasing to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Daniel 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8: “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. 6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? 8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, how are the children of Israel called to go in and possess the land God promised to them?
What makes Israel (God’s people) unique and distinct from other nations who worship other gods?
What promise of God do you sense He is leading you to take possession of? What commands, direction, or word of wisdom are you called to hold fast to, so that you may position yourself to experience God’s promises?

Notes

To inherit and walk into the blessing of the Promised Land, the Lord instructs the children of Israel to keep and obey the commandments that He has given them (to not take anything away from the Law nor to add anything to it).
Israel’s God is “near to them who call on Him,” and He is distinct in that He speaks to Israel. Though they didn’t see God, they heard His voice at the giving of the Law and covenant. There is revelation and relationship involved between Israel and God. They will be viewed as wise if they hold fast to God’s laws.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

What would it look like to go about the rest of your week if you were to “set your mind” on the things of God? Reflect on Romans 8:5-8: For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

July 9, Monday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Tina Hsu. Tina, a graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), currently serves as a staff at the Church of Southland, Anaheim, California.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Broken Beyond Repair”

Jeremiah 19:1-3

Thus says the Lord, “Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jar, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests. Then go out to the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place, at which the ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle.

When I was a little girl, I checked out some of my mom’s expensive glassware that she had stored in a cabinet. I thought I was careful with handling glass, but I still managed to shatter one glass right in front her eyes. I had broken a lot things as a curious young girl, but this one I knew was beyond repair and no longer usable. Its shattered pieces could only be swept and thrown away. In this morning’s passage, the prophet is told to purchase a clay jar, only to break it in front of Judah’s leaders (19:10) at the valley of Ben-hinnom, as a symbolic message to the nation of the Lord’s impending judgment, for they had remained stubborn and unrepentant after many warnings. Proverbs 29:1 says, “Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy.” In speaking of Judah’s soon-to-happen exile to Babylon, Jeremiah’s prophetic act conveys that it will be a calamity in that God’s people will be “broken,” as one breaks the potter’s clay jar and throws it into the dump.

By standing at the valley of Ben-hinnom, a location that had at that time become the “dump area” of the city, Jeremiah brings the jar there to illustrate that Judah’s exile is likened to a dishonorable vessel that the Lord is removing in His justice and righteousness. Even though this message will cause people’s ears to shudder, it provides the chance for people to hear the call to repent and to become the people who would persevere through the exile in order to rebuild Jerusalem later. The news of calamity serves the higher purpose of pointing to God as Israel’s hope. Their brokenness is beyond repair from the earthly perspective, but God can indeed restore the brokenness of Judah, as the prophet Amos declares, “In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be” (Amos 9:11).

Have you lost hope in an area of your life, or do you consider anything as “beyond repair?” Allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you with hope this morning that He can indeed provide restoration and newness in the area that seems beyond repair.

Prayer: Dear Father, You are righteous and just. I confess that in the ways that I have dishonored You, I taste the consequences of my sinful ways. Yet, thank You that I can fully hope in You to restore me and redeem me. Make me to be like a jar of clay that allows Your glory and power to transform me and to dwell inside of me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 48

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Timothy 3:19-21: Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Questions to Consider

In writing to Timothy, what is the apostle Paul’s purpose in this message?
What is the importance of the statement, or seal, “The Lord knows those who are His?”
How have you considered becoming “a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work?”

Notes

The background noise to Timothy’s ministry is that there were numerous false teachers who have indulged themselves in quarrels over words (2:14), godless chatter (2:16), and whose false teachings (i.e. the denial of resurrection) have spread fast and actually destroyed the faith of some people (2:18). These teachers’ works are dishonoring to God and unfortunately have “spread like gangrene” (2:17). Therefore, Paul instructs Timothy to “present yourself to God as one approved” (2:15) and to consider the type of vessel he ought to become so that his work is honoring to God.
In the time period and place that Timothy is ministering, there were influential false teachers among teachers who correctly handle the word of truth. Though the influence of false teachers seemed out of control and many of them claimed to be teachers of the Law and appeared to have authority and influence, Paul affirms that “the Lord knows those who are His” and only the teachings that stand upon the firm foundation of God will stand.
Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

Psalm 130:7-8: Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

July 8, Sunday

Today’s AMI Devotional Quiet Time is provided by Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a member of the Church of Southland, is currently a high school teacher.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Miracles in the Ordinary”

Luke 1:37

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

It was always very easy for me to drift into other thoughts or daydreams. The irritating part of this was that I could tune things out even in a room full of people or in the middle of a conversation. And while it may seem strange, embarrassing, and inconvenient, I have learned that it wasn’t that I was bored or did not care, but actually, it was in those moments that I was trying to make meaningful connections. It was much easier in my childhood to dream and to unabashedly wonder at inconspicuous details, but as an adult, I was ashamed of appearing “out of touch,” inattentive, or unrealistic.

I don’t think it was until I felt deep pain that I found solace in pausing from what was happening and seeing a different reality intermingled there. When worries about my cancer relapsing approach or when dark thoughts try to bury me, God draws me away from that place by opening another window from which I could see hope draw near and I could, again, be immensely grateful.

Friends, where is the place your heart is full and at rest? Is it in your prayer walk or the stirring hour in the word of God? Is it writing in your prayer journal or singing songs to the LORD? Go there and listen to what God speaks into life and motion. Miracles are near us, closer than you know. They are there to be seen, to be encountered, and to be invited. Jesus, when presented with five little loaves and two insignificant fish, gave thanks to the LORD. He looked on with eternal perspective, and could see the Kingdom of God even in a tiny mustard seed. Jesus also pulled Peter out of the water–a man who trembled like a leaf but would become solid as a rock! When we open our eyes to the miracles in the ordinary, we find the extraordinary and uncover immense joy and gratitude.

As spring turns to summer, I invite you to inspect a garden, whether it is your friend’s vegetable garden, a community garden, a church garden, or your own garden. Go there and pay close attention. You might wonder at the strength of cucumber tendrils and the harmony of companion plants, the heartbeat of a snail, and the dance of bees that celebrates each blossom. Inspect all that is alive before you and you will find that it is stunning! We are surrounded by an abundance of the extraordinary in the everyday things. That bee you see floating from bloom to bloom has traveled over two miles on its little wings, and its delicate buzz is actually powerful vibrations of wings beating at an incredible 230 times a second. What’s more, in order to produce that jar of honey in your pantry, it could easily mean that over two million blossoms were visited. Isn’t it wonderful? And this is just a bee!

Consider your own life and inspect the marvelous in what you thought was mundane before. G.K. Chesterton noted, “We are perishing for lack of wonder, not for lack of wonders.” How incredibly full your own life is, full of astounding miracles and orchestrations of God’s hands. Your life is a miracle, your heartbeat is a miracle, your joy is a miracle. Let us spend our thoughts appreciating the remarkable details we easily overlook, for miracles are never too far from those who are grateful for even the littlest of things.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for the miracles You bring. I want to see them better throughout my day. Draw me close to You and direct my gaze to the open windows of everything possible in You. Open my eyes so that I may see You work and to be grateful for things I overlook. You are wonderful, God! You have me awestruck by the things You do. I believe in Your miracles and yes, LORD, I believe in You! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 47

July 7, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“God the Potter”

Jeremiah 18:1-6

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

The Japanese have a tradition called kintsugi, in which broken or flawed pottery is pieced back together with gold lacquer. This process began as a simple method of repair—taking plates that had been chipped and teapots that had been shattered, and gluing them back together. But over time, kintsugi became regarded as a desirable aesthetic, a form of art, and even a philosophy. The potters behind these repairs reasoned that the cracks and chips that most would hide as flaws should instead be highlighted as part of the unique history of each bowl, cup, and vase. In essence, kintsugi underscores the beauty to be found in the natural imperfection, brokenness, and restoration of everything. Broken pieces can be put together to create something intricate and whole. This idea translates easily into a metaphor for life in God: He highlights our brokenness, takes the pieces of our self, and restores us into something intricate and whole. It sounds beautiful—putting aside the pain of experiencing the true breaking of the self. And I don’t wish to downplay how impactful this imagery can be for us at times, but no metaphor is completely perfect.

God presents a different picture here. There is still a potter with an imperfect piece of pottery; but instead of putting the broken pieces back together, he forms it into an entirely new pot, “shaping it as seemed best to him” (v.4). The difference is slight, but significant. The old pot is not restored back into the shape of the old pot, but molded into something completely different. Again, this is not to discredit the previous metaphor. Our God is most certainly in the business of healing the sick and restoring the broken, both spiritually and physically. But we often settle for these things and forget that they are just stops alongside the road to complete transformation. We’re content with being a vase that has just been pieced back together into its original form, with some small changes along the way. We ask God for experiences and opportunities that might provide slight, incremental challenge because we’re mostly fine with the way we are; we just need to be a little bit better. We allow conviction to soak in just deep enough to change what we’re comfortable with Him changing.

God’s plan for us is so much more than that—He wants to change us into something that is unrecognizable to the old self. He wants to put our old selves to death so He can make us new. He wants to heal us and restore us, and then transform us. That’s what He wants. Let’s pray that He’d make that what we want as well.

Prayer: Lord, I know that change is difficult, and transformation is impossible without You—help me to lean on You. I know that this process of being broken and formed into something different can be so painful – help me to trust in You. I confess that there’s parts of me that I don’t even want to change— help me to give those specific things to You. I know the plans You have for me are greater, so let not my will, but Your will be done in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 45-46

July 6, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Sabbath Rest”

Jeremiah 17:19-23

This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People, through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem. 20 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.

I’ve never considered myself to be a workaholic. I have seen my fair share of people who prefer to be busy, or who need to have a schedule packed to the brim as to not waste a moment; but personally— whether it’s due to my personality, my location (sunny San Diego), or something deeper—I’m not like that. However, this past year brought a lot of changes and transitions in my life, and with that came a myriad of new responsibilities. As work piled up, I found myself getting busier and busier. There was always something that needed to be done or needed to be thought through—and this made it easy to forgo taking any sort of meaningful Sabbath. Why set aside an entire day away from work when that would just leave more to get back to the next day?

Of course, we’re supposed to find our rest in God, and my foolishness in the above account is immediately apparent, even as I’m writing it. We observe the Sabbath day to refresh and refocus our hearts, to remember God’s covenant and creation, and to realize our dependence on Him to sustain us through our communion. God created the Sabbath as a blessing, although it’s easy for us to dismiss it as an unnecessary luxury, or worse, an inconvenience.

Some of us may really love being busy, to the point that we idolize it; while others, like me, might just find themselves gradually with more things to do. That’s where we see the beauty of the Sabbath. Where an every-day work week may have been the norm, God commanded the Israelites to set apart one day without working; he was disrupting their normal perspective of work. In our context, it’s easy to feel good about spending time working and being productive. Conversely, it’s difficult for us to spend an entire day producing nothing tangible with our time and effort, because we feel unproductive. I believe it’s just for that reason why God mentions discipline in this passage—because He knows that even resting in the Lord is something that does not come naturally to us. Instead of being grateful to be able to spend time with God, we become agitated at having to “waste” time we could be spending doing other things. But God wants us to experience real rest. And for us to experience this real rest on a regular basis, it takes discipline—the discipline to stop working and to take a step back to remember God.

Prayer: Lord, I know it’s easy for me to fill my time with things that seem productive and important. And I know You haven’t put me where I am today just to disregard my responsibilities. But God, I want to trust that prioritizing You, finding my rest in You, and committing my time to spend with You, are all going to lead to more spiritual riches for me to reap. Help me to trust You enough to make time and space for You during the week. Fill me up so I can keep pouring out for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 44

Lunch Break Study

Exodus 31:12-17 (NIV)

Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. 14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Questions to Consider

What are the reasons God lists for the Israelites to observe the Sabbath?
How did the Israelites set apart the Sabbath?
How can you set apart the Sabbath?

Notes

It is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel for future generations; it is to know God; it is holy to the Israelites; it is holy to the Lord; it is a day of rest; and it is reflective of God’s six days of creation and seventh day of rest.
It was simple—they refrained from working that day. The Sabbath was to be so holy and set apart that anyone who worked on that day was to be put to death. This would have been presumably in the context of pagan neighbors who were continuing to work.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

We tend to forget the Sabbath because we forget that God is the One who gives us true rest. Instead, we turn to entertainment, traveling, fitness, gaming, and other activities to refresh us. Spend some time asking God to refocus your heart on Him, and that He may continue to give you abundant life.

July 5, Thursday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Charles Graham. Charles is a new intern with Kairos, who came aboard in September of 2017. He is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology to prepare himself for a life of service and ministry.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Fair weather worship”

Jeremiah 17:10-19 [NIV]
“¹⁴Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. ¹⁵They keep saying to me,“Where is the word of the Lord? Let it now be fulfilled!” ¹⁶I have not run away from being your shepherd; you know I have not desired the day of despair. What passes my lips is open before you. ¹⁷Do not be a terror to me; you are my refuge in the day of disaster. ¹⁸Let my persecutors be put to shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified, but keep me from terror. ¹⁹Bring on them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction.”

I’m a huge sports fan; following American football and basketball the closest. I may lose some people with this, but being a SoCal native, my earliest memories of watching sports are of my family gathering around a giant CRT TV in the living room, and watching the Los Angeles Lakers. I love the Lakers, and I’ll welcome Lebron James with open arms (and no shame). Anyway, further down the road, my family moved from LA to San Diego, where I developed a love and appreciation for the (then) San Diego Chargers. Growing into a fan of the Chargers was an interesting experience. In watching and attending games, I began to observe a peculiar pattern in the behavior of most other fans; that they would love the Chargers as long as we were winning, but in down times there were serious concerns of season ticket holders abandoning their passes, or even jerseys getting disowned. As time went on, I grew to understand that these people are known as “fair weather fans,” or more commonly, “bandwagoners.”

Unfortunately, fair weather fandom doesn’t stop at our favorite sports teams. Have you noticed how much friendlier you are to someone when you want something out of them? We use the most polite tones when asking for things from our parents, we’re friendly with our friends because we generally do favors for one another, we’re friendly with potential business partners, entire industries are made or broken over how friendly we are to customers and we’re nicest of all to people we’re just starting to date. Now, what happens in these situations, is we bend over backwards to try to get to that “fair weather” place with whatever we’re interacting with, and then we start the cruise control. Then, the second we deviate from that fair weather spot, it’s a crisis. The sad truth is, sometimes we bring this fair weather mindset to our faith as well.

You see, the Israelites got to that fair weather place on their walk with God and hit the cruise control too. As a result, they began spiraling out of control with their idolatry, among other sins. A lot of the time, like the Israelites, we find ourselves in a good place in life, and, though we can remember it was God who got us there, the true weight of that gift in your life is neglected. Slowly, we start to ease up on our commitments to God, and eventually forget them entirely. We convince ourselves “we’ll be alright” if we miss a small group here and there, or take a Sunday off from worshipping, and most times it’s fine. However if the trend remains consistent, and the snowball keeps rolling downhill, one Sunday becomes two, then you’re gone for a month and before you know it, you’re no longer the season ticket holder. You just attend church when you’re winning.

Jeremiah saw this pattern occurring with the Israelites and warned them of God’s coming judgement. God sent Jeremiah with words that would “…uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant,” (Jer 1:10 [NIV]). Unfortunately, the Israelites did not heed Jeremiah’s warning, and were eventually dispossessed of their land and sent into exile. In the passage above, Jeremiah’s words serve as a great reminder of our need for active engagement with God. We need to be die-hard fans of Him.

Prayer: Father, it’s very easy to get caught up in life, and forget about You. Please, don’t let me get to the point of nominal worship. I don’t want to grow numb or ambivalent to You. Please speak to my heart, and rekindle the passion I had for You in the beginning. In Jesus’ name, amen .

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 9:1-2
¹I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. ²I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. Questions To Consider: 1. What does it mean to love God with all your heart? 2. What does it mean to “be glad and rejoice” in God?

Notes

Interestingly enough, I don’t think loving God with all your heart is quite enough (though I’m not criticizing David). We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). That is to say, we are called to love God with all of our being. It would seem, God does not want us to only enjoy Him emotionally, but intellectually, physically and spiritually as well.
Everyone goes through times where they feel like the world is ending and their world is coming crashing down, myself included. Though I can’t say there is a universal standard of what being glad and rejoicing in God is, as it may look different from person to person, we can all be fall back on the notion that the God of the universe loves, pursues, teaches and cares for us as a people, and each of us individually.

Evening Reflection

We seek a relationship with God. Any good relationship takes active effort and work for it to grow. Sometimes, even heavy sacrifices must be made to make it work. God has already offered up His sacrifice to to make it work with you. What are you willing to give to make it work with Him?

July 4, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“A Jealous God?”

“Love sees sharply, hatred sees even more sharp, but Jealousy sees the sharpest for it is love and hate at the same time.” – Arab Proverb

Jeremiah 17:10-19 NIV
“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. ¹¹Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools. ¹²A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. ¹³Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water. ¹⁴Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

For as long as it has existed, Christians have endured countless criticisms of the God we serve and adore. It seems God is a popular figure to constantly put on trial. Interestingly, while people seem rather comfortable with Jesus and His interactions with various people He meets during His ministry, the temperament of God in the Old Testament is often viewed as at odds with Jesus by skeptics, and is used as a constant point of attack. Outspoken atheist, Richard Dawkins, is one of many who lobs complaints his book, The God Delusion. Though not a very sophisticated critique, Dawkins pulls no punches, writing:

“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” ― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

Now, while this excerpt and probably many (if not all) others in The God Delusion are undoubtedly erroneous to their core, Dawkins managed to squeeze a little truth into this quote: God is, in fact, jealous. When giving the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20, God states in verse 5:

“⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,” [NIV].

Here, we see God expressing His stance on idolatry to the Hebrews. Very clearly, they are not to create any carved or molded images of anything in Heaven or on Earth (Exod. 20:4 [NIV]), and any such images are certainly not to be used as objects of worship. God continues to identify Himself as jealous, and warns of the punishment awaiting those that hate Him, and their descendants. In this day and age, jealousy is, more or less, always used in a negative connotation in regards to one’s attitude, rightfully so. Jealousy can destroy relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, and even drive people to commit unspeakable acts. So why, then, does God openly describe Himself as jealous?

In fact, there are actually times where jealousy is justified. While the most widely used definition of jealousy pertains to hostility towards a potential rival, or someone with a perceived advantage, the correct definition to assign to God’s brand of jealousy, is this: intolerance of rivalry or unfaithfulness. It is in this way, that not only God’s jealousy is justified, but the human experience of jealousy as well. Doesn’t a man or a woman have good grounds to feel jealous if their spouse is unfaithful to their vows? Isn’t a man or woman justified in having no tolerance for that behavior? Likewise, God has no tolerance for anything that gets in the way of His relationship with you. A Covenant has been made, in blood, so that we may have fellowship with the living God, and when all is said and done, that fellowship continues and our relationship with Him grows. Dr. Ravi Zacharias, of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) said it best in one of his university speaking engagements: “when I say I love you, and you reject me, I hurt, because I feel like I’ve lost something, but when God says He loves you, and you reject Him, He hurts, because you’ve lost something.”

Unfortunately, at the time Jeremiah is writing and preaching to the kingdom of Judah, the Israelites had spent a great deal of time building idols; physically and spiritually. The Israelites had engaged in all manner of dishonor and injustice. In fact, the iniquities of the Israelites had grown so severe, Jeremiah goes so far as to describe their actions as analogous to prostitution. Henceforth, after searching their hearts and examining their minds, God found Israel as a nation to have forsaken Him, and moved in His (just) jealousy to dispossess the Israelites of their land.

Prayer: Father, I realize You have made promises to me, just as I have made promises to you… But the fact is, through my own faults, I fall short; I cannot hold up my end. But I have hope, because in Your faithfulness, You have sent your Holy Spirit to help and comfort me, as well as direct me to Your Word for guidance. And so, I cry out the words You put in Jeremiah’s mouth: “¹⁴Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

Lunch Break Study

Isaiah 55:8-9 [NIV]
“⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Questions To Consider

Sometimes God displays qualities that humans view as negative such as jealousy, anger, wrath, etc. Why, then, is it alright for God to have or display these qualities, but not for us?
What are some examples of God’s thoughts or ways being higher than ours?

Notes

I don’t think it’s “alright” for God to do things that aren’t “alright” for humans to do, so much as we, as finite beings, don’t have a good enough vantage point or body of knowledge to judge the actions of God. As a timeless, omniscient being, the amount of information and variables that God can track when deciding on an issue is so far beyond what humans are capable of computing, to call it “impossible” for a human to make an informed decision on any given act of God, is a vast understatement. It would be like asking a microbe to solve M-Theory.
Take your pick. Any conceivable positive attribute a human can have, God has in Himself, to the nth degree. God is infinitely more good, loving, moral, faithful, just, holy, etc. than any human could ever be. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,” so is God greater than anything else. There are none like Him, and none beside Him.

Evening Reflection

Christianity has been attacked and criticized from the beginning. People will twist and attack God’s words and actions to try and shake a person’s faith. Has your faith ever been challenged? I hope we can reflect on how deeply, biblically ignorant the age we live in, is. Together, let’s strive to trust in the Lord, and seek His guidance when these situations arise. God will make our paths straight.

July 3, Tuesday

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 2-3 are written by Esther Chailim. Esther, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently serving as the Director of Ministries at Kairos Christian Church (San Diego) and pursuing a Masters in Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Jesus in My Heart”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

I read a story online about a boy who was diagnosed with a severe heart defect, only having months to live. His surgeon, a well-respected yet jaded heart specialist, told the boy, “I’m going to try to fix your heart, but when I open it up, I’m not sure what I will find.” To his surprise, the boy responded with a smile on his face, “Don’t worry, when you cut my heart open, you’ll find Jesus, because he lives there.” Even after several attempts from the doctor to warn the boy of the dangers of his surgery, the boy continued to give the same response with a smile on his face.

After the surgery, the doctor headed to the waiting room to give the horrible news to his parents that their son did not make it through the procedure. The father, trying to figure out what happened, asked the doctor, “When you opened his heart, what did you find?” The hardened, cynical old man gave the slightest of smiles and said, “I believe I found Jesus.” And for the first time in many years, tears streamed down his face.

To be honest, I’m not sure whether this story is fictional or not, but I think it sends a powerful message of childlike faith. On one end, we have the surgeon who was probably the most qualified person to administer the procedure. The boy’s parents and the hospital staff all put their trust in the physician to attempt to save the child. Unfortunately, even the best of the best was unable to save the terminally ill child. On the other end, we have the boy, who knew that even though the chances of him living were slim, had a sense of joy and peace within him. The boy did not put his trust in the surgeon to save his life, but already knew that Christ has saved him. This, I believe, is why he did not worry and fear death when the doctor tried to warn him over and over again. In Jeremiah 17:5-7, we see Jeremiah exhorting Judah (and us) not to trust in man, but to trust in the Lord. This passage reminds us that putting our trust in the Lord will lead to a blessed life, one filled with confidence in Christ. It may not make our lives better or easier, but putting our trust in the Lord allows us to look beyond the temporal things and hold fast to the eternal things.

Prayer: God, oftentimes when I am faced with a dilemma, I find that my initial reaction is to try to figure out a way to solve the problem. Forgive me for first trusting in human resources and knowledge rather than seeking You for guidance. Help me to daily surrender my life and plans to You and focus on the things that eternally matter. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 41

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 146:1-10

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. ²I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. ³Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. ⁴When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. ⁵Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. ⁶He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. ⁷He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free,⁸the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.⁹The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. ¹⁰The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.

Questions to Consider

What happens when we put our trusts in princes?
According to this passage, why should we put our trust in God?
How can we put our trust in the Lord?

Notes

In this world, we may have all the riches and receive recognition for the great amount of success like the princes do, but it all amounts to nothing when we pass. Those things may give us temporary happiness, but it cannot give us life. Jesus is the only one who can save us and give eternal life and joy!
We can put our trust in God because he is the Creator of heaven and earth. He has shown Himself to be faithful since the beginning of time. He cares for the oppressed and marginalized. He sets prisoners free and gives sight to the blind. He brings justice to those who worship Him, watches over foreigners and sustains the outcast. He defeats the wicked.
The psalmist starts and ends with giving praise to the Lord. One of the ways that we can put our trust in the Lord is by intentionally choosing to give Him praise. Even in difficult seasons, may we lift up our hands in surrender to Him, and position our hearts to allow Him to work through those circumstances.

Evening Reflection

Is there something in your life that has been weighing you down? Do you find yourself placing trust in the wrong places or people? Take some time now and take those things up to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to come and guide you in this process.

July 2, Monday

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Let’s make a change!”

Jeremiah 17:1-2

“Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point, on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars. Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles beside the spreading trees and on the high hills.”

The recently released film “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” highlights the life and legacy of Fred Rodgers. His start into the television business came about after seeing a man getting pied in the face on TV as a form of comical relief. To most people, these slapstick shows were entertaining and appeared to be harmless jesters. But Mr. Rogers saw things differently. To him, using humor to avoid life’s most difficult realities was an extreme disservice to children. Knowing how impressionable children were, Mr. Rogers, therefore, devoted the next three decades of his life teaching children how to deal with life’s weightiest issues through the lens of mass media.

In Jeremiah 17:1-4, we read about how Judah’s sin caused God’s anger to burn forever. Their sin was so deeply engrained in them that Jeremiah describes the permanency as being engraved “on the tablet of their hearts, and on the horns of their altars.” In other words, their sin was a mark of history, negatively affecting and influencing the generations to come. Jeremiah proceeds to warn the nation about how God will punish them because of their rebellion. The similarity between those broadcasting slapstick shows, and the rebellious nation of Judah, is that they were both only interested in instant gratification. They were in it for themselves and did not care about the consequences that would later harm them or others. Thank goodness for Mr. Rogers, who constantly fought to challenge those norms!

Every day, we are faced with the same dilemma of choosing to live our lives in line with God, or to turn from Him. It is impossible for us to do it on our own, so that is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit. As we reflect on our lives, here are some good questions to ask ourselves: Am I seeking out instant gratification or am I seeking the eternal rewards? Am I self-seeking, or am I seeking Christ? Am I being a positive influence to others, or a negative one? I think what is most powerful about this film is that it brings to light a desperate need for more people like Mr. Rogers. An ordinary, imperfect man, centered on Christ, called to minister to others (particularly children) through love and kindness. A man who challenged cultural norms and fought for the dignity of all children. Because of this, his ministry and legacy continues to live even beyond his years. What once was a humble television show intended to change the way children deal with the difficulties of life has now become a film inspiring adults in the present day to continue that work and make a change in this world. Now, before you think, I am no Mr. Rogers, remember that no matter who you are, you are a teacher to someone.

So whether that person is a child, a sibling, a co-worker, a friend, or even a stranger, know that God gives us amazing opportunities to make a positive influence in other people’s life. Speak truth, show kindness, and share the love of Christ!

Prayer: God, help me to live a life that influences others in a positive way. I know that how I choose to live my life matters to You, so Holy Spirit, help me not to fall into temptation and continue walking in rebellion towards You. Root me in Your truths and cover me in Your grace so that I am firmly grounded and able to minister to others with love and compassion. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 40

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 3:12-17: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Questions to Consider

As God’s chosen people, what character traits does He call us to strive for?
How can we have the peace of Christ rule our hearts?
Think about someone in your life whom God is calling you to extend a little more compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and/or patience towards. Pray for that person and ask the Holy Spirit to give you an opportunity to minister to them.

Note

God calls His people to have compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. He also calls us to forgive and to put on love.
We can have the peace of Christ by allowing the Word of God to dwell among us. As we read and meditate on the Word of God, as we sing praises with a grateful heart, the peace of God will be upon us.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Read over Ephesians 4:29-32. Spend some time meditating on these verses and consider areas in your life where you may be tempted to fall into sin. Does your speech corrupt others, or does it build them up? Are you quick to become angry or bitter, or are you able to forgive and show kindness? If there are sins that you need to surrender to God, take this time to do so now. Acts 3:19 tells us to, “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

July 1, Sunday

The AMI Devotional Blogs from June 25-July 1 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology. He is married to Esther.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Scars of Remembrance”

Jeremiah 16:14-15 (ESV)

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ ¹⁵but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.”

I am dreading the day that I will have to discipline my daughter. When my parents used to say, “This hurts me more than it hurts you” before spanking me, I would mouth back, “Yeah, right.” I didn’t understand how it could hurt them more than me when they were the ones who were punishing me; but I suppose I can say that I understand them now. In the end, the discipline of a loving parent always hurts the parent more than the child. The parents know that the discipline is good for the children, but it’s not an enjoyable experience.

We’ve been following along this dialogue between the LORD and Jeremiah this week regarding the judgment that is to come upon Judah. The LORD has made up His mind and tells Jeremiah that nothing can cause His wrath to relent. Judah has turned so far away from God that they don’t even know they are sinning against Him anymore. Yet as this conversation draws to a close, it seems as if the LORD can’t help but blurt out a promise of restoration—even before Judah encounters the wrath of God. Not only will they be restored, but their restoration will be more glorious than their initial deliverance—this is a powerful word that the Lord is giving Jeremiah. The LORD is saying that people will no longer talk about the exodus, where God delivered Israel out of the hands of Egypt; instead, people will talk about how God gathered His people back from exile into the land that was promised to their forefathers.

The nation of Israel has looked upon their deliverance from Egypt as a watershed moment, the forming of their nation as they know it. It is a moment that they can look back upon and declare that their God is not only powerful, but that their God is with them. However, God is promising that their restoration to the land of Israel will be even more glorious than when they first entered into the Promised Land. How is that possible? And why does God choose to give this promise in the thick of His pronouncement of judgment over Judah?

If we see God as a God who disciplines with the end goal of restoration rather than out of anger or frustration, then we can see why God would give them this promise—even in the midst of this pronouncement. He knows that a very hard time will be coming for this nation, and He wants to reassure them that restoration will be coming.

As we’ve gone through the book of Jeremiah, it is a particularly sad book to read through. Not only is it sad to see the judgment that is coming for the nation of Judah, but it’s also sad to see it from God’s vantage point. Yet the exile is not the end. Discipline may last for a while, but God promises that His people will be restored—and the glory of that restoration will surpass the former glory of their deliverance. Perhaps you are going through a particularly difficult time: maybe you are going through a season of discipline, wilderness, or silence of God. Whatever God may be doing, you can be sure that He has restoration in mind. Hang in there as you look to the light at the end of the tunnel!

Prayer: Father God, thank You that You always have restoration in mind—even in the midst of discipline. Help me to persevere in seasons of Your discipline, that I may not become hardened or jaded, but rather look on hopefully to the point of restoration that You are leading me towards. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 39