Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotional for May 14 – 20 are written by Pastor Ulysses Wang.
Devotional Thoughts for Today
Jeremiah 3:6-10
6 The Lord said to me in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the whore? 7 And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.8 She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. 9 Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. 10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.”
“We are sorry. Initially it was stated that the stories were all lies and the individuals were colluding against Bill… We do not believe the stories were all lies or that all the people were colluding against him… We believe at least some of Bill’s choices were inappropriate.” – Willow Creek Community Church Elders, May 9, 2018
Recently, the evangelical world was rocked with the news that several women came forth with allegations of misconduct against Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, a megachurch in the suburbs of Chicago. If you’ve been in the Christian world for a while you’ve probably heard of Hybels. He is a prolific author, charismatic leader, and through his church and the Willow Creek Association that he founded, he’s touched countless churches and lives. I’ve even flown out to Chicago to attend a conference at his church in the past. He was admired as a pillar in the evangelical community.
Hybels made the news, but truth is, you don’t have to be a megachurch celebrity pastor to fall. Chances are, you probably know someone- maybe even a leader in a local church- who fell into moral failure. What do we do when this happens? There are a few options: (1) Bury our heads in the sand and pretend it didn’t happen, (2) despair, or (3) believe that it could never happen to us. None of these options are good. Today’s passage from Jeremiah presents a fourth choice: Take heed and learn from it. When the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed for her infidelity, Judah was supposed to take notice- but she didn’t. It says that she “saw it” yet “she too went and played the whore.” Israel’s demise should have been a powerful warning to Judah- powerful enough to correct her course- yet she just brushed the whole thing off and ended up worse than her sister.
It has been said that negative circumstances can be a more powerful teacher than positive ones. Whether from a celebrity pastor whose moral failure makes the news or from an acquaintance or friend who walks down the wrong path- we should learn from the experiences of those around us. Ask yourself, “What can I do to make sure that I don’t end up going down the same path? Is there anything in my life that needs to change?” None of us are beyond temptation.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to consider well the end of the paths those around me have taken. If there is anything or anyone that I need to pay more attention to, please get my attention. Grant me not a spirit of judgment upon those who have failed, but rather grant me a heart of fear and humility, that I may walk in holiness before you. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Hebrews 9
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Corinthians 10:6-13: 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Questions to Consider
- What example do you most need to learn from today?
- Is there any area of your life where you might think you “stand” yet could be in danger of “falling”?
- Since God always provides a “way of escape,” what ways might He have provided for you?
Notes
- Idolatry? Sexual immorality? Testing God? Grumbling?
- Remember, “Pride comes before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
- If you want to overcome temptation, God has made it possible for you to. Consider getting help from Christian brothers and sisters around you. Open up and share about your struggles.
Evening Reflection
What did you observe from those around you today? Take a moment to consider the paths of those around you and let it strengthen your resolve to walk in holiness.
Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a member of the Church of Southland, is currently a high school teacher.
“Play” fights occur often in my classroom. Most of them are friendly banter but sometimes students will rally back and forth jabs and jokes to each other and occasionally, somebody will take it too far. The following day, a student will announce to me, “I can’t sit with . . . I can’t stand him.”
Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Claudia Robbie, a native New Yorker who transplanted to Atlanta. Claudia is married to Trevor and they have two children, Isabelle and Owen. She is the admin and women’s ministry leader at JCA, Atlanta.
YOU ARE NOT ENOUGH… These words ring in my head all the time. This thought has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. It highlights that I am weak and drives my desire to prove my own strength and my own worth.
Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor David Yoon. David, a graduate of California Baptist University and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is serving at Tapestry LA Church as the college pastor.
My family had many pets during my childhood years. We had turtles, finches, dogs, hamsters, rabbits and the list goes on. As a child, I was somewhat traumatized when I saw my dog mounting other dogs, or my gerbils chasing and “tagging” each other. If you have ever worked with horses or visited a ranch and seen a stallion in heat, you know exactly what vivid figures God is using to awaken His people to where they are. Animals were given a different kind of sexuality from humans, but it helps us see how we look when we start to lust after everything that comes along or chase any thrill or drive other than God Himself.
There’s a story about an eight-year-old boy who wanted a wristwatch for his birthday. This wasn’t just any watch – it was a watch that would play a melody when you opened the cap. As his birthday was approaching, he asked his mother if she could buy him the watch for his birthday present. Sadly, the mom would tell her son that they could not afford it. She was a single parent mother, working multiple jobs to pay rent and bills. This made the boy really sad and eventually he gave up. However, to his surprise, on the day of his birthday he found a small gift-wrapped box next to his bed. It was the wristwatch he wanted! He wore the watch everywhere; at school, he would show it to his friends and play the melody for everyone to listen.
Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Joshua Chzen who serves as the college pastor at Kairos Christian Church (San Diego, California). Joshua, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Bethel Seminary. He and Sandra were recently married in 2017. 
My love for bargain hunting was passed down from my mom. When I was in elementary school, she began taking me along on her trips to Ross and TJ Maxx. For the most part, I would stick to her like glue as she dug through rack after rack of clothing. Eventually, we would pass by clearance bins filled with movies, computer games, toys, and other junk. I dug through those like they were treasure pits— so focused that I wouldn’t even realize that my mom had moved on to other sections of the store. Not once would it occur to me to ask where my mom was. More often than not, she would circle back for me before I was done scavenging; but there were a few times I finished, only to look up and realize that my mom wasn’t there. Feelings of mild panic would quickly grow worse as I wandered off into the rest of the store with no clue where to look. Fortunately, she usually managed to find me before I started crying.
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.
Have you ever been so sure about something, only to discover later, there was more to learn or realize than what you thought was the whole truth? When something grabs my interest, I love reading and studying about it. Whatever it is, I want to know its ins and outs, its background and everything else there is to know about it. I’m a nerd, and I enjoy obsessive study. When I found Christianity, the same instincts kicked in to the nth degree. Now, ignoring my early theological, epistemological, or other scholarly four-syllable word mistakes, in my pride, I really thought my obsessive study habits put me on the path to truly knowing God. Oh, my naivety!
Today’s AMI QT Devotional is 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.
Three years ago, after sending off our college pastor to serve as a missionary, my role on staff changed from Church Administrator to College Pastor/Director. On paper, this was a step forward, so naturally, I should have felt excitement for this new opportunity; instead, I couldn’t help but feel hesitant about the changes that would soon come my way. I quickly transitioned from a role that I was fairly comfortable and confident with, to one that I felt extremely ill-equipped and unprepared for. As I reluctantly took on the new role, I was quickly met with a great sense of fear, inadequacy and pride. And when I say pride, I don’t mean the boasting kind, but the kind that says, “I don’t measure up” or “I’ll look like a failure.” Like Jeremiah, I felt insecure in my capacity to lead others, let alone a college ministry, and found every excuse to convince myself and others that I was not the right person for the job. My insecurity crippled me from fully embracing my calling and stepping into the role which God had appointed to me in that season.
In yesterday’s devotional on Mark 16:9-14, I wrote about the disciples’ lack of faith and how we ourselves may have unbelief. While trusting in Jesus is a lifelong process, a simple way to exhibit our trust is to obey what Christ has called us, the church, to do.
As someone who has primarily attended non-denominational churches, I am more familiar with contemporary worship songs than classic hymns. However, the few hymns I have sung always resonate with me due to the weightiness of their lyrics. Most recently, I heard “Trust and Obey” for the first time during commencement and was struck by the simple yet straightforward truth in the chorus: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”