November 26, Sunday

The AMI QT Devotionals from November 20-26 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles). He is married to Christina.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 22.15-19

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

My honest confession is that one of the hardest parts of ministry is that there are often no tangible measurements for success. Is a successful ministry measured by how many people come on Sundays? How much tithing and offering a church brings in? Is it by the number of baptisms or how many are in attendance in your small groups? Perhaps to some extent, but none of these are perfect measurements. But you can see why in such a context, it can become a temptation to rely on these things to get some level of measuring how well things are going. But what could follow, if not carefully checked and brought before the Lord, is a culture within the church where performance is always measured. And this can happen in our individual spiritual lives as well.

Our spirituality can easily become twisted into thinking that certain acts entitle us to positions or blessings in life. And this is what we could read into today’s passage. Because Abraham was obedient, because Abraham was willing to sacrifice even his one and only son, God rewards Abraham with blessings. But if you carefully look at what God will bless Abraham with, aren’t these things what God has already promised to Abraham? Is this not the details of the covenant already established back in Genesis 15?

Our obedience to God does not earn God’s blessings; they allow us to walk in God’s blessings. Our obedience to God transforms us to become the vessel that can hold God’s blessings. In the end, it is God’s grace towards us that we are able to experience His blessings. One thing we must always hold in our hearts and mind is this truth: God’s unchanging disposition is to bless.

On this Sabbath day, find rest in the fact that our God is a God who blesses. And may our hearts respond in worship of a God who loves undeserving creatures like us.

Prayer: Father, thank You for this story. There are many things that’s hard to understand, but it points us to the kind of relationship You had built with Abraham that led him to this point. It was You who initiated it, and it was You who sustained it. And I believe You want that same kind of relationship with me. As I learn to walk with You, may the purposes of God be fulfilled in my life as I walk in intimate relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 27

November 25, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 22:7-14

And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

At the heart of the gospel message is a decision. A decision by an infinite God who chose to love a people so undeserved, unmerited, and utterly sinful. A decision made without any obligation but to Himself.

Today’s passage records another decision—the moment when Abraham chooses to put his faith into action. Everything has been prepared for the sacrifice. After carefully laying the wood in order, he binds his son and lays him on top of the altar. In this scene, it’s hard to imagine what is going on in Abraham’s mind—he gave Isaac a cryptic message earlier talking about how God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering. Was he talking about Isaac? Was he talking about the ram? It couldn’t have been the latter as the angel had to quickly intervene before the knife struck Isaac. So what was he talking about?

Commentators note that this statement expressed Abraham’s faith that even if it meant that obeying God would result in the death of his son Isaac, God would provide a way. Abraham believed in God’s promise in that Isaac would be his heir and that his seed would become a great nation. He believed God would somehow keep His promise despite seemingly impossible conditions. And we know that indeed God did provide a way. He provided a ram caught in a thicket, but more so, He provided His one and only Son.

So many parts of this story point to the sacrifice of Jesus. Mount Moriah where all this happened is where Solomon will build the temple. Mount Calvary where Jesus is crucified is located just outside of Jerusalem where the temple dwells. “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” What no animal sacrifice could ever accomplish, the perfect Son of God laid down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. What God would not have Abraham do, He did Himself.

When we trek with Abraham, getting inside his mind, wondering what it’s like to be in his shoes and to lay down his promised son on the altar, agonizing with him in making this decision to obey… and when we realize that ultimately God made that very same decision, it leads us to marvel at how great the Father’s love is for us. For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the cross. Thank You that from the beginning, You had perfect plan to rescue Your people. What You would not force us to do, You did Yourself, so that we may live. As we marvel at this truth, we worship You in response. Thank You for Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 25-26

November 24, Friday

The AMI QT Devotionals from November 20-26 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles). He is married to Christina.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 22.1-3

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

There is a particular moment that has defined the faith of my family. To condense it for the sake of time, my life changed dramatically at the age of thirteen. My parents had gone through a lot of transition in ministry that year where we witnessed how broken people can be even in the church. In this season of desperation, my parents sought the Lord. And through revelation and divine appointments, my parents believed that the Lord was calling them back to a church in Korea. What this meant was that they would leave my 16-year-old sister and me to live on our own in an apartment in Utah.

In today’s passage, we see one of these defining moments (perhaps the most famous one) in Abraham’s life. What’s interesting is that when we isolate the act of killing his son, it is clearly an immoral act, that is, it is a clear violation of not only human ethics but the ways of God. Yet God commands him. How do we make sense of this?

Soren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher and theologian, writes about this very event. He introduces something called the teleological suspension of the ethical. It is this notion where what is ethical is suspended because obedience to a unique calling of God for a purpose (telos) trumps what is considered moral. To overly simplify this, because God is God, obedience to Him is higher than even the moral laws.

Now, it is very dangerous to extract just this notion and apply it generally. In fact, Kierkegaard goes to great lengths to explain the kind of faith journey that leads to this unique understanding of calling. But what this story and Kierkegaard point to is not so much about this moment of decision to obey God; rather, it points to the spiritual journey that Abraham had been on with God. It is through his ongoing relationship with God that he was able to recognize this pivotal moment in his faith. This relationship that Abraham had built with God was what led him to the place where he could hear God’s voice calling out his name. And as others like Moses, Samuel, and Isaiah will later respond, Abraham was able to say, “Here I am” and obey.

Did it make sense for my parents to leave two teenagers alone in a different country? Was this the right thing to do? I can’t say for sure on a moral level, but I can confidently say that because my parents had been walking in a relationship with God and a lifestyle of honoring Him, they were able to obey. I pray that I too will be able to obey when these moments come. I pray that all of us would be in such an intimate, love relationship with God that when He speaks, we too may be able to lay it all down and say, “Here I am.”

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 24

Lunch Break Study

Read John 10.1-5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Questions to Consider

How does the shepherd relate with the sheep? How do the sheep know him?
If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are the sheep, what does this passage teach us about our relationship with Him? How do we determine where we ought to go or what we need to do?
How does this passage challenge your notion of what is right or wrong? How does this change how you might view your life?

Notes

The key word here is voice. The shepherd is recognized by his voice, as he calls his own to him. He leads them out, and the sheep follow by his voice.
First thing is that this passage doesn’t limit us to the audible voice of God. It does point us to the fact that our Good Shepherd speaks to us, and when He speaks, He leads us and goes before us. To go deeper, what we consider right or wrong is no longer dictated by our own thoughts, but it is anchored on His voice. In other words, where we go, what we do is not in relation to Him who leads us.
Personal response. In what ways is the Good Shepherd speaking to you that you might be resisting because according to our determination of what is good or right doesn’t quite match how He is speaking to us?

Evening Reflection

The best life we can possibly live here on earth is to live in utter obedience and dependence on Him, even when it seems crazy or radical. Of course, there is wisdom and discernment that is involved, but what is clear is that all of this cannot be determined outside of an intimate relationship with Him. In what ways is God calling you to a deeper intimacy with Him? Respond to Him in prayer and commit yourself.

November 23, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 21:22-34

At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our AMI family! I pray that wherever you are, your heart is full of gratitude because of God’s faithfulness in your life. It was almost 400 years ago when the first US Thanksgiving was celebrated by a fraction of the surviving pilgrims who came to the New World. It had been the first successful harvest after much suffering and loss. And on this day, alongside Native American friends who had greatly assisted the Pilgrims in settling in their new homes, they got together for three days of feasting and fellowship. Literary Critic Kathleen Donegan in a PBS special on the First Thanksgiving recounts the following:

Part of the reason why they were grateful was because they had been in such misery… so in some way, that day of thanksgiving is coming out of mourning. It’s also coming out of grief. And this abundance that is a relief from that loss… but we don’t think about the loss; we think about the abundance.

Today’s passage can easily be overlooked. But upon further investigation, this part of the story actually has a lot of connections to the first observance of Thanksgiving. Commentators note the significance of this covenant made between Abraham and Abimelech as Abraham’s first steps of leaving the nomadic way of life and establishing himself in the land where God had promised to make him a great nation—Canaan. What may not be apparent especially to modern-day readers is this dispute over a well. Scholars note that in such arid climates, the securing of a water source is of greatest importance when it comes to establishing a settlement. By having Abimelech guarantee the ownership of the well at Beersheba as belonging to Abraham, he had now secured his water source. And much like the Pilgrims who celebrated God’s provision in helping them settle in their new home, Abraham begin to establish roots into the promised land of God.

As you take this day to remember all the ways the Lord has been faithful to you, how He has established your ways through His blessings, is your heart overflowing with gratitude? Or are we too consumed by the things that we do not have or, as Donegan put it, are we focused on the miseries and the loss? Not that those things are insignificant, but because God is so much more significant, we are able to focus on His goodness. May God bring to remembrance today all that He has done for us, starting with the cross of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Father, thank You! Thank You for who You are! Thank You for all that You have done! You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. You are Jehovah Shalom, the God of my peace. Everything I have in life is because of Your grace. And on this day, I choose to look to Your goodness. Help me to make this the posture in which I live every day of my life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 23

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, what is rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks a summation of? What allows you to do this?
What is the relationship between rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving? How do you see these things playing a role in your life?
As you take a moment to reflect, is there an example of a hardship in your life where in Christ, you were able to or you could have given thanks in even that circumstance? How so?

Notes

The passage shows that rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks is the will of God for us—this is what He wants for our lives. When so many of us ask about the will of God in terms of direction or decisions, this passage points to the posture in which we are called to live. And this is possible all because of what Christ has done and accomplished on our behalf.
It is often explained that these three things are three aspects of the same experience. Rejoicing is the inward experiencing of God; thanksgiving is the outward expression of that rejoicing toward God; prayer is the process through which we come to understand and experience from God’s perspective. The psalms are an expression of these three things at play. Therefore, it (singular) is the will of God for us—you cannot truly have one without the other.
Personal reflection. Really spend some time thinking through this—go deeper with the Spirit rather than giving a “Sunday school” response. Taste and see that it is possible to give thanks in all circumstances.

Evening Reflection

I hope your bellies are full at this point. We have spent the day reflecting upon the goodness of God that has established our lives to where it is now. As we prepare for tomorrow, take this moment to posture yourself to give thanks now for what will happen tomorrow. In what ways can you already start tomorrow by giving thanks now?

November 22, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 21.8-14 (ESV)

And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

Someone once told me marriage is hard because it is the first time that you are forced to truly live with yourself. And this realization of who we truly are is not always a fun experience. For me, I didn’t realize how much I had tailored my life to fit my needs and desires until this “customized” life began conflicting with my wife’s way of doing things. My preferences on where shoes are stored to how certain chores are done were different from my wife’s. And through this conflict of preferences, I came to realize how particular I could be and how deep my selfishness goes.

The truth is, the people in our lives are often the best reflections of our true character, especially those that we live in close proximity. Spouses are good examples, but so are co-workers, classmates, and even our friendships. Relationships become strained because they often show us the realest—and often darkest—parts of our character.

We see a true glimpse of who Sarah is in the passage by how she deals with Hagar. What triggers Sarah this time is the sight of Ishmael doing something in particular—laughing (v. 9). Now it’s not clear what the purpose of including this detail might be, but this act of laughing has a long history with Sarah. As we discussed in yesterday’s QT, laughing was one of the things that describe Sarah’s transformation from disbelief into faith. Commentators note that the kind of laughing Ishmael does is much like the mocking, incredulous laughter of Sarah in Genesis 18.

And when you consider who Hagar is, her history with Sarah and Abraham, who Ishmael is, and what God has done by giving Isaac to Sarah, you start to wonder about the nature of Sarah’s disdain towards Hagar. Could it be the Hagar is a reminder of Sarah’s lack of faith? Is Hagar visual proof of Sarah’s past mistakes, of when she tried to take things into her own hands and not trusting in the Lord? Sometimes those that we dislike the most are the most accurate reflections of our true selves. In most cases, our lack of grace towards them is not so much about the other person; it’s our lack of grace towards ourselves. It’s our unwillingness to face and deal with our true selves with the living God. So we rather send our Hagars away.

But we know that unless we deal with these things, they will keep coming back as we are often the source of these things, not the other individuals. In what ways are we pushing away the Hagars in our lives? Something to think about!

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your constant work in us. We believe that the blood of Jesus covers us, that we are justified in Him. But we also recognize that the Holy Spirit is daily changing our character to become more like Your Son. We often resist this change; we ask for the grace to trust You through the pruning process so that we may bear much fruit. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24 (ESV): Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. . .. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Questions to Consider

In considering the first part of this psalm (you may consider reading the whole psalm if time permits), what is the picture the of God’s knowledge and understanding that the psalmist paints?
In verse 6, the psalmist writes that such knowledge is too wonderful for me. When considering such wonderful knowledge, how should we response when these things are revealed to us by the Lord?
In verses 23-24, what does the psalmist pray? Does this reflect the heart you have towards the Lord? Why or why not?

Notes

The picture that the psalmist paints of God’s knowledge is all encompassing. Consider the words that he uses—God’s knowledge encompasses time and inner thoughts, our future and our ways (v.3), our inner most thoughts before they are spoken (v.4), He surrounds you all around (v.5). God’s understanding and presence in our lives is not merely one-dimensional.
It is a fearful thing to be known by such an extraordinary God. He sees and knows all thing, a knowledge indeed too wonderful for us to hold. And yet in His perfect wisdom, out of His perfect love, God chooses to reveal certain things to us. Particularly, He reveals the things that are keeping us from Him. This knowledge is indeed wonderful though often painful to acknowledge. Yet when we consider the opposite of not knowing, might our response to this revelation be different?
The words here are the same as the beginning but different. There is a sense of invitation here. The psalmist is inviting God to search him. It is not permissive (as God already has and knows) but rather relational. The prayer is that God would reveal to him anything grievous so that he may walk in the ways of everlasting God.

Evening Reflection

We have spent the day reflecting upon how God may be revealing things about our character through those that we may have the hardest time with. One reality we must not neglect in this is that although these things are often more about us than about the other person, it nevertheless has consequences for that person as well. There was real rejection and exiling of Hagar in the passage, not just mentally or emotionally. As you pray about these relationships and what it might reveal about your character, spend some time praying for the Hagars in our lives, that God might bring reconciliation and healing to these relationships.

November 21, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 21.3, 6-7 (ESV)

Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

If you have spent some time browsing through YouTube, there’s a good chance that you have come across some of these videos: They capture the moments when an enlisted member of a family (a dad, a mom, a sibling, etc.) comes back from war or training, surprising their family on a special occasion. And my guess is that for many of us, watching these sweet moments of reunion, our hearts are full of joy, which often leaks out of our eyes in the form of tears.

The human experience of crying is odd. Oftentimes, tears represent sorrow, pain, loss, while other times, tears are a sign of overwhelming joy and happiness. In today’s passage, we see another reaction that represents these extremes. If you remember back in Genesis 18, we see Abraham and Sarah encounter three men who foretell that Sarah will have a son next year, at the age of 90. Hearing this news, Sarah laughs to herself. The nature of Sarah’s laugh has been somewhat debated by many theologians, but many agree that this laugh was an incredulous response, almost a mocking tone of disbelief.

Now in Genesis 21, we see that Sarah is again laughing. In fact, Isaac’s name is derived from the word laughter. But this time, her laughter comes from a very different place. While there is still a sense of awe and disbelief, Sarah’s laughter is now one of incredible joy and amazement at how God had done the impossible. And here we see a central theme that surrounds God’s work.

God is a God who is able to turn our sorrows into rejoicing. Not only is He able, but He is willing. For those who trust in Him, they will experience this kind of transformation. Hearts are changed. Perspectives are shifted. Desires are redirected. What is good to our eyes changes from what is fleshly to what is spiritual—this is possible in God. As you reflect upon God’s ability to change your laughter of unbelief to laughter of joy, may you be reminded of God’s incredible love toward you.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are our heavenly Father who loves to give what is good to His children. Thank You that Your intent is always for good and not for evil. God, You are a God of the impossible—all things are possible in You, even changing of calloused hearts. May I be reminded of that power that can change even the darkest corners of my heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 21

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 30:1-4, 11-12 (ESV): I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. . . .11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever

Questions to Consider

What reasons does David give in the Psalm for his exaltation of God? Are there parts of David’s life that would testify of this kind of God?
Focus on verses 11-12. What can you learn from the contrasting emotions and experience the psalmist feels when God’s deliverance comes?
How does your understanding of question 2 change your understanding of the manner in which we are called to live our lives?

Notes

You can see that David has experienced deliverance from his enemies (Saul, Absalom), from living as a nomad in fear of his life (1 Sam 27, 2 Sam 15), the struggle of being anointed king yet the fulfillment of that seeming so distant, etc.
The contrast is from mourning to dancing. Sometimes, all we ask is from mourning to peace, but God gives so much more than that. He not only removes our sackcloth of mourning, but He clothes us with gladness. He is indeed a God who can do far greater than what we can imagine or think.
As God is a God who turns mourning into not just peace but dancing, the posture in which we are called to live our lives is found in verse 12: not be silent; sing your praise to Him. Not just peace, not just comfort—we are to take our dancing and turn it into rejoicing to His glory.

Evening Reflection

Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 30: “Observe the contrast, God takes away the mourning of his people; and what does he give them instead of it? Quiet and peace? Aye, and a great deal more than that… Glory be to thee, O God, if, by a sense of full forgiveness and present justification, thou hast enriched my spiritual nature and filled me with all the fullness of God.”

As you have spent the day reflecting on a God who takes us from doubt and mourning to faith and rejoicing, in what areas of your life do you need this truth to be spoken to? Spend some time this evening reminding yourself of the God who is able to turn your mourning into dancing. And respond in appropriate worship to Him.

November 20, Monday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Genesis 21.1-5 (NASB)

Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

After my time in the office, I had a dinner meeting with one of our church members. Thirty minute prior to our meeting, I sent him a text message confirming where we will be meeting. No response. I sent another text message making sure I had the time right. No response. A little confused, I kept waiting at the office. After waiting about 1.5 hours, I received a text message: “I’m so sorry PJosh…”

The nature of the “meet up” has changed ever since we’ve become attached to these things called cellphones. Whereas before you would make plans to meet up with someone at a certain location at a certain time, nowadays all these things can change in a matter of a text message and a few emojis (😱😭💼🌙😴). A promise is not what it used to be.

In today’s passage, we see God’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and Sarah through the birth of Isaac. We see how different God’s promises are from our promises. There is a weightiness, a breadth to God’s promises that help us to see how God is at work when we carefully consider the accounts of Scripture.

In these first few verses of chapter 21, the writer goes to great lengths to emphasize how exact God’s fulfillment of His promises truly is:

Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

The author couldn’t make it any clearer: God’s promises are exact. In this case, it’s not just the promise that Abraham and Sarah will have a son. No, the greater reality is that not only God fulfills His promises, but He does it in an exact way, at an exact time, with exact detail, according to a grander plan that goes beyond us. God’s promises are not wishful thinking; it’s not like our, “Oh, I hope I can make it to my meeting today” kind of things. God’s promises are in perfect alignment to His perfect plan for the world.

For all of us who are waiting upon the Lord, my encouragement is that we would be able to catch how, in the waiting, God is working things towards the fulfillment of His promises. Even in the minutest of details, it is being worked together according to His perfect plan. In the waiting, He has not left you. His promise to you is so much more than just the end result.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being the Grand Orchestrator of all things. Not only are You true to Your promises, You are working in the finest of details that lead me to Your promises. Help me to catch the ways in which You are currently at work in my life even when the things promised may be far away. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 5.1-5 (ESV): Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Questions to Consider

According to verses 1-2, what is available to us now? What is to come?
In considering the progression Paul describes in verses 3-4, how are we to understand our current experiences in light of what is to come?
As we have reflected on the nature of God’s promises, why might there be a seeming “delay” in God’s fulfillment of His promises to You?

Notes

There are two book ends being presented here. The legal status of being justified before the true Judge because of what Christ has done that is available now, and the hope of the glory that is promised to us, as we are glorified with Christ in the last days.
For those who are in faith, we stand in this middle space between the now and the not yet. It is easy for us to wonder, especially in times of suffering, why Jesus seems to be delayed in His return or why this hope seems so far away. But what verses 3-4 teaches us is that there are things that are at work in us right now that grows hope, joy, character, endurance… all these things that cause us to become more Christ-like. And this is all part of God’s perfect plan and timing.
Personal reflection. Consider that this may be the case with other promises God makes in your life. He’s not only concerned about the actual fulfillment of the promises, but He wants to bring you closer to His grand plan for your life.

Evening Reflection

As you end this day, take a moment to consider the things that cause you to be impatient. What’s at the heart of this impatience? How does this reflect your understanding of God? Does this match the God that is revealed in Scripture who fulfilled His promises to a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman who were waiting for a son? Spend some time worshiping the God who fulfills His promises.

November 19, Sunday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional provided by Jennifer Kim, a staff of Church of Southland, Anaheim, California. Jennifer, a graduate of Biola University, is current finishing up her M.Div. at Talbot School of Theology.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“True Devotion”

Matthew 6:25-33

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clotheyou? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Acts 2:42: They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

About two weeks ago, the LA Dodgers competed against the Houston Astros in the 2017 MLB World Series. Of course, living in Southern California, this was a big deal and would frequently be the main topic of conversation among my friends. These two teams rivaled against each other in a long 7-game stretch—ultimately leading to the Astro’s first championship title in its franchise history. I am not much of a baseball fan (so there is no bias here), but I would have to say that for the Astros, winning the World Series was quite a notable accomplishment despite their many years of losses and setbacks.

But more than the games themselves, it has always been interesting watching… the fans. I remember on the day of the final game, I ventured to buy some snacks; so I dropped by the grocery store only to find it completely empty and desolate. There was no one there. As I continued to watch the games unfold, the fans were ready. The cheering and the screaming enthusiasm, all the matching sports paraphernalia, the occasional rioting, the air of pride that the fans hold and display for their beloved teams. In the midst of all the pandemonium, you can’t help but notice their devotion.

We are not unfamiliar with this. Whether it is our loved ones, career, dreams/passions, or even certain social causes, we are all devoted to something or someone. It is easy to identify what we are devoted to by simply looking at how we spend the bulk of our time, energy, and our resources. Andy Stanley, the senior pastor of North Point Community Church says, “The things that we worry about reflect our core devotions.” In other words, we worry about the things we really care about. These are the things that probably fill our minds throughout the day. However, many times these are good things in our lives, but it is only when they become the main thing at the expense of our devotion to God, our foundation becomes unstable. Our culture is becoming increasingly inundated with information that has little or no bearing in our spiritual life. The Enemy so wants us to become distracted and disengaged with the purposes of God. But in Acts 2:42 above, we see the apostles continuously devoting themselves to the Word, prayer, and fellowship with the saints.

The real question for us this morning is… What are we really devoted to? Is it God or something else? If He isn’t, may this be a fresh reminder for us to re-align our devotion to God and acknowledge Him before anything else today. Like the apostles, let us be greedy for the things of the Lord! Let us center our lives on God and build our foundation on the things that will not fade away.

Prayer: God, I confess that all things come from You and through You. Thank You for being the true source of everything that I need. Help me not to be distracted by the things of the world, but to set my eyes on You alone. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 19

Lunch Break Study

Luke 18:1-8
1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Questions to Consider

Why did the widow approach the judge?
How did the judge respond to the widow?
In light of this parable, what is God teaching us about prayer?

Notes

The widow kept coming to the judge seeking justice. She wanted legal protection from her opponent (v. 3).
The judge was unwilling at first, but he listened to the widow because of her tenacity and her persistence (v. 5).
God is teaching us to pray at all times and to not lose heart. If even an unjust judge who has no respect for God or man is willing to listen to the widow, then how much more will a just God respond favorably to the appeal of His children? When we ask for the things that align to the purposes of God, He assures us to not give up because He will bring about His justice quickly.

Evening Reflection

We learned today that we ought to be tenacious for the things of the Lord. Take a moment to think about something that you really desire from Him. Don’t be afraid to ask! Pray that ultimately God would give you His perspective and wisdom in your asking.

November 18, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“A Legacy full of Mistakes Testifying of God’s Faithfulness”

Romans 4-18-22 (ESV)

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promises of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.

A person’s legacy can be understood as the way people will remember that person after he or she has passed. It is the way the general public thinks about a person and his or her life, in retrospect. Many times, the way the public remembers someone is different from the way the public received the same person while he or she was alive. Consider how Vincent Van Gogh was only able to sell one piece of artwork in his lifetime, but he is now one of the most widely known artists of all time. The way biographers write about Van Gogh greatly differs from the way his peers talked about him (or rather, didn’t talk about him at all).

In the book of Genesis, God promises Abraham and Sarah a direct heir, or a son, and that eventually their descendants would as numerous as the stars in the sky. If we follow along in Abraham and Sarah’s faith journey, we read that they struggled to trust in that promise. When Sarah becomes of old age, she gives up on the idea of a direct heir and gives her Egyptian servant, Hagar, to Abraham to obtain children on Sarah’s behalf. During Abraham and Sarah’s lifetime, it would’ve been hard to believe that anyone would characterize them as particularly strong in faith.

In our passage today, Paul leaves us with a personal legacy of Abraham. However, the way Paul writes about Abraham’s faith journey seems different than what we would expect. He writes that “no unbelief made him waver considering the promises of God,” but instead, Abraham “grew strong in his faith.” In light of the Hagar incident, what does Paul mean that they did not waver, but grew stronger in faith?

What this passage teaches me is that God is gracious to our spiritual missteps and failures, and that He is mindful of our journey. There are consequences to Abraham and Sarah’s decision, but we read that God still chose to remind them of His promise, continue to walk with them, and eventually give them Isaac, at the right time. Abraham and Sarah’s mistakes and shortcomings do not become their legacies. Instead, they become the definitive moments in which they were being refined and strengthened in faith and opportunities to testify in God’s faithfulness. Likewise, our own shortcomings do not have to define us and our futures. Instead, God can use them.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You don’t hold us to our worst. Instead, You are gracious to walk with us at our worst and use it to strengthen our faith in You. Help us to remember how faithful You are and walk in this truth. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 17-18

November 17, Friday

AMI QT Devotionals for November 16-18 are provided by Pastor Paul Liu.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The Blessing of Rebuke”

Genesis 20:8-18

So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

No one likes to hear the words, “I told you so,” even when we know we’re wrong—it just sounds annoying and reeks of condescension. Yet for all the ways we don’t like to have our faults pointed out to us, we usually won’t grow without it. In fact, the apostle Paul tells us: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Notice the functions of Scripture in these verses: teaching, reproof, correction, equipping and training. Yes, there’s a cognitive aspect in teaching, but there is also correction and reproof (NIV says, ‘”rebuking”), which means, if we are to grow in faith, we need the rebuke of Scripture, as well as others to rebuke us according to Scripture. It’s part of our training in faith.

When Abraham moves his family to the Philistine town of Gerar—thinking that nobody fears God there—he acts out of disbelief and fear. He lies that Sarah is his sister and not his wife—which leads to a world of trouble when King Abimelech claims Sarah for himself. So God continues Abraham’s training by using the words of a pagan king to rebuke His own prophet. Abimelech doesn’t say, “I told you so,” but he does question Abraham’s integrity in misleading him and bringing God’s anger against his household. It’s correction. It’s reproof. And like many of us, Abraham doesn’t respond well, becoming defensive and making excuses. He cannot deny his fault, but he doesn’t fully take responsibility for his failures either. It’s a lesson half-hearted learned, which might be why we revisit this same scenario in the life of Abraham’s son in Genesis 26 (same place: Gerar; same problem: fear; same failure: lying that his wife is his sister).

The end result in today’s passage is that God’s prophet blesses his new neighbors from a position of humility and grace. God still uses the trouble-making prophet and humbles him through truthful rebuke.

Prayer: Lord, give me a teachable heart today, so that my pride would not keep me from facing the areas in my life that You want to change. Help me to recognize Your correction, no matter what form it comes in. And give me the strength to take responsibility for my sin so that I might experience the fullness of Your grace. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jeremiah 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 4:14-16: Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Questions to Consider

How might “teaching,” “cunning,” “craftiness,” and “deceitful scheming” undermine genuine faith?
Why do you think “speaking the truth in love” is important for the church?
Is there a person in your life who needs to hear the truth in love? Take a moment to write down biblical truths that need to be incorporated into their life. Begin to pray about how you might share this truth in love. Pray also for opportunities in which you might do so.

Notes

Paul is telling us that maturity inevitably involves discernment—that is, being able to identify what is not true, only partially true, and distortions of the truth. Because until and unless we can do this, we will always be susceptible to manipulation, like children struggling to tread water in the sea; this means, we must nurture an inquisitive mindset when approaching Scripture and seek understanding rather than just taking the word of our spiritual leaders. This does not mean that we are to be skeptical or judgmental; rather, we are to be teachable, eager to learn, and able to study the Bible for ourselves.
It is the means through which growth happens in the church. It’s truth in love; NOT JUST TRUTH: I’m sure we can all think of instances where someone “gave it to us straight,” and we could not stomach it because of how it was said. And NOT JUST LOVE: Most of us also know the “love” side, where we avoid telling the truth, even to the point of tolerating bad behavior—all in the name of being a good friend. Neither approaches are adequate in Jesus’ church. Telling the truth in love is a matter of attitude and care. Our goal is the growth of our brother and sister; our motive is caring concern; and our approach is truthful but gentle—not belligerent or vengeful. In truth, this approach is also a skill we need to develop, since so much of our previous experience emphasizes one to the neglect of the other (truth over love, or love over truth).

Evening Reflection

Quote: “Too often, we say we are defeated by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated. We are simply disobedient. It might be good if we stop using the terms victory and defeat to describe our progress in holiness. Rather, we should use the terms obedience and disobedience. When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may in fact be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey.

“We need to brace ourselves up and to realize that we are responsible for thoughts, attitudes, and actions. We need to reckon on the fact that we died to sin’s reign, that it no longer has any dominion over us, that God has united us with the risen Christ in all His power and has given us the Holy Spirit to work in us. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God’s provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness.”
― Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness

We see in the life of Abraham that it’s one thing to be protected by God and another to be teachable. Abraham’s lying becomes a repeated pattern in his life and in the life of his descendants because he failed to receive the correction of God fully. What areas of weakness did the Holy Spirit bring to your awareness today? Pray that God may lead you in rejecting every impulse that comes from fear and insecurity. And ask for His strength to make you courageous, consistent and truthful.