Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 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 was recently married to Christina.
Devotional Thought for Today
John 2:23-25
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
I used to lay in bed as a kid with my legs propped up on the wall. This was my thinking position. And I would spend hours just thinking about some of the weirdest things. When I would think about God, I would often pray, “God, if only You would show Yourself to me, then I wouldn’t struggle as much believing that You are real.” I think we’ve all prayed that prayer before. I have met countless number of people who have gone to amazing conferences and incredible mission trips, bringing back stories of how they had witnessed God’s unbelievable power at work. I, too, have had those experiences.
But the truth is that despite these powerful experiences, we know people or perhaps we are these people that come back from these experiences, only to fall back into our struggles and denial of the realness of God. Perhaps when we face opposition or life takes an unexpected turn, the brilliance of that moment begins to dim.
Today’s passage is a bit strange at first glance. Jesus can almost seem cold or distant from the people, but when we meditate on it, it reveals something deeper about faith. Commentators note that not all of Jesus’ powerful works have been recorded up to this point, but it can be understood that Jesus had performed many more miracles and demonstration of His power throughout the region. And through witnessing these mighty acts, many have come to believe in Him. In fact, in the previous chapter, Nathanael came to follow Jesus because he had witnessed Jesus’ supernatural power. And yet John writes that Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.
Two things to gleam from this passage: (1) Faith is much more than seeing and believing or just being convinced. Faith requires more than cognitive agreement. (2) True faith means not only trusting in Jesus but a deeper connection with Jesus where He entrusts Himself to you. I wonder if this is what He means when Jesus says to His disciples, “No longer do I call you slaves, but I call you friends” (John 15:14-15). And Jesus is inviting us to this kind of faith. One that goes beyond head knowledge, but an all-encompassing kind of faith. Simply put, a faith that is found in a relationship. How will you respond to His invitation today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the ways You continue to demonstrate Your incredible power among us today. But thank You also for inviting me to something so much more substantial than that. Thank You for inviting me to something where I am not just a spectator but a participant. May I walk in that reality every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 119:65-128
When you study the history of the Jewish people, you might be surprised to find that the often criticized group of the New Testament called the Pharisees had God-honoring intentions when they were first formed. During what is called the intertestamental times (in between the Old and New Testament) or the 400 years of silence, the Pharisees began as a group that sought to maintain the purity of the Jewish faith, while the Jewish people were scattered and under foreign oppression. However, by the time Jesus enters the scene in the New Testament, what started as good intentions soon became religious stubbornness.
I was on a flight early in the morning, and all I wanted was some sleep before I landed. Being a “larger-than-the-average” Asian man, the worst thing on a plane is to sit next to another “larger-than-the-average” person. The gentleman who sat next to me was this “larger-than-the-average” dude. He looked like a bouncer that stands in front of clubs. Turns out he was a bouncer that stands in front of clubs. I just wanted to sleep, but God kept pressing me to talk to him.
In a recent episode of the podcast Invisibilia, a woman recollects on her life where she struggled in relating with others. Although she was a highly successful physician, she had issues when it came to reading people’s emotions, body language, or other social cues. It wasn’t until at the age of 54 that she realized she had been living with Asperger’s Syndrome, a disorder that prevents someone from recognizing emotions or cues within a social context. She recounts how she underwent an experimental treatment that temporarily stimulates a part of her brain, allowing her to pick up on these senses that she had been missing. “This is so much more alive, so much more real… so much deeper, more meaningful. It’s like black-and-white to color,” were her words describing the experience.
I was meeting a college student at a Starbucks. He had struggled with his faith early on but recently started to deepen his relationship with the Lord. In the midst of prepping for his dental school admission test (DAT), he wanted to share something that God had been teaching him through his studies. He said, “I’m starting to understand what Paul meant that we are a body. A body functions rightly when all the parts of the body, all the cells play the role that they are designed for.” I nodded in agreement. “But do you know what happens when a cell does whatever it wants to or grows in a wrong way?” he asked. “Cancer.”
Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 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 was recently married to Christina. 
Take one quick look at the headlines, and you will find yourself wondering how to take in all the things that are going on in the world today. As a Christian, where are you to stand on things like who to vote for in the elections, how we are to view the various “_______ lives matter” movements, and the list goes on. It’s often hard to find proper methods of measuring whether or not you are being faithful to what the Lord commands of us.
It was freshman year, first semester Philosophy 100 class. I was sitting there half nervous/half curious about what was in store for me, because I had heard countless stories of people denouncing their faith while studying philosophy. It was in the midst of this tension that an unexpected connection was made: logos. Many know that logos is the Greek word for word. What we may not realize is that this term represents more than the words that we read or speak. It describes a transcendent wisdom that orders the world accordingly. When these philosophers looked out in the world and saw how everything was ordered, to them, the only rational explanation was a Divine Wisdom that held all things together.
Editor’s Note: Today’s Quiet Time is provided by Mei Lan Thallman. Mei Lan Thallman is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky. She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia). They have two children, Nate (13) and Naomi (11).
I have been enjoying a new exercise class at the YMCA called Body Combat—a non-combat, martial arts-based fitness program with moves drawn from karate, tae kwan do, boxing, and muay thai. Prior to this class I had zero experience with any type of martial arts, yet I love this class for several reasons: First, exercising with others motivates me to keep going when I feel like giving up. Second, the class instructor always pushes me beyond my limit. Just when I think I have given all I have got, she would challenge us towards the next level by pushing, kicking and working harder. Third, I feel empowered as I learn and practice martial arts moves, like how to take basic defensive stance and offensive tactics— such as throwing punches, jabs and hooks with my hands, and different kicks with my feet. More than exercise, this class is equipping me to remain calm and have the confidence to defend myself in case of an assault. Whenever I am throwing punches, however, I imagine my target practice as my arch enemy, Satan, and I begin to believe and act like a warrior.
This spring, I had the blessing to go back to Taipei, Taiwan and visit the House of Praise—the first church we loved and served for seven years. I was deeply moved during worship, as I watched many of the old faces who were stepping up in their places to serve God as elders, deacons, worship leaders, greeters, etc. I remembered how hard it was to leave them nine years ago, when we felt God leading us elsewhere.
After growing up as a privileged prince in the Egyptian palace, Moses started to sense a calling or an urgency to save his Hebrew people from slavery. Sadly, Moses took things into his own hands and tried to act on behalf of the Israelite slaves by his own strength. Even worse, he did it through murder. When he could no longer watch his Hebrew brothers be so powerless, he killed an Egyptian slave master when he thought no one was looking.