Editor’s Note: The AMI Quiet Times for today are provided by Pastor David Kwon of JCC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Psalm 138

I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart before the gods I sing your praise; [2] I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. [3] On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. [4] All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth, [5] and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. [6] For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. [7] Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. [8] The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Happy Thanksgiving! For our devotional today, we want to focus on the topic of gratitude. I recently was reading a blog by KJ Dell’Antonia called “The Kids are Ungrateful”. In this blog, she writes how ungrateful her kids can get. Here is what she writes:

Sometimes I can’t believe how ungrateful kids can be. For example:

• We just booked a great place in the mountains, with a pool (for them, of course), and our 9-year-old says, “I don’t want to drive five hours to get there. It’s boring.”
• If we go out for dinner, they complain about where. Our 5-year-old, when offered a piece of chocolate, invariably complains, “I want a bigger piece,” instead of simply saying “thank you.”

She concludes by saying: “Are people born negative, or can we do something about it? Are all kids this way? Will they grow out of it? It makes me want to stop trying to please them with anything.”

Sadly, the grownups can fall into the trap of ingratitude as well, often complaining about everything. That’s all the more reason, for Christians, “Thanksgiving” should not just be a once a year event; rather, we should constantly lead a lifestyle of gratitude because it shows the genuineness of our faith and salvation.

Living a life of thanksgiving starts by acknowledging that we have been given something we do not deserve, which is the unconditional love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s ask the Lord to strip us from our barriers of entitlement and self-accomplishment so that our lives would be marked with gratitude.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the undeserved gift of grace and love that You have poured into our hearts. Help us to always live a life of gratitude despite the unfavorable circumstances in my life. Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: John 3

Lunch Break Study

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

1. What does Paul exhort his readers to do?
2. Why is this often hard to do?
3. How can we live this kind of lifestyle?

Notes

1. He encourages them to live a life of joy which overflows to thanksgiving
2. We base much of our joy and thanksgiving on our circumstances. As we grow in Christ, our joy and gratitude should come from Christ alone despite the trials and hardships we might face.
3. We need to be rooted in the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to help us in times of joylessness and ingratitude.

Evening Reflection

Spend time thanking the Lord and the many blessings He has given you. It might be family, health, job, or wonderful career opportunities. Most of all, thank Him for the salvation we have in Him and the sacrifice He made on our behalf.

Editor’s Note: The AMI Quiet Times for today are provided by Pastor David Kwon of JCC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Esther 2:19-23; Esther 3:1-6     

Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. [20] Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. [21] In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. [22] And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. [23] When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

[3:1] After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. [2] And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. [3] Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” [4] And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. [5] And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. [6] But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

“When pain and suffering come upon us, we finally see not only that we are not in control of our lives but that we never were.” ― Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

As we look at the tragedies that are going all around the world, it’s often easy to ask what God’s purpose is in all of it.  Innocent lives lost due to terrorist attacks, wars between countries, school shootings and many other evils that we see and hear about can often be disheartening and often leads us to fear and anxiety in our own lives.

In today’s passage, the author of Esther is revealing the workings of worldly and evil power and how God’s plan cannot be thwarted.  First, Mordecai happens to overhear a plot to assassinate Xerxes but was soon foiled after reporting it to Queen Esther.  It almost sounds like luck that he was at the right place at the right time but we know that this was part of God’s divine plan.  Also, a newly elected official named Haman comes into the story and we read about his evil plot for genocide against the Jewish people.  We are reminded that in the midst of darkness and suffering, God is in absolute control.  So what can we learn from these verses?

1. We need to be aware of spiritual battle – one main lesson we see in Esther is that there is the reality of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. Paul writes in Ephesians 6: 12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  We are called to fight the spiritual battle in prayer. 

2. We see God’s sovereignty in the midst of injustice—through the assassination plot against Xerxes and Haman’s scheming against the Jewish people. As believers, we are reminded that God is never surprised or caught off guard.  He’s in control and we need to continually trust in Him.

Prayer

Lord, the Cross is proof that you love me even in darkness and hardship.  May you continually remind me of this truth as I strive to obey you.  Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: John 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:14-16

 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, [15] that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, [16] holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Questions to Consider:

1. What does Paul say about believers being blameless? Why do you think he says this?
2. Why is it important to show the world that we are blameless?
3. What are some areas in your life where you desire to be more blameless?

Notes:

1. It means that we should strive not to live a life of hypocrisy but rather we should conduct ourselves worthy of Christ in all that we do. Paul is addressing the Christians in Philippi that one of the main characteristics that Christians should have is that they ought to be blameless and innocent. The word ‘blameless’ means pure or without mixture.
2. We want to shine Christ unto this unbelieving world, and often times it is through our lifestyle that people will see Jesus in us.
3. The only way this is possible is if we are submitted to the Holy Spirit and rooted in the Word of God. Take some time to pray and ask the Lord to search your heart and to remove any areas that might not be considered ‘blameless’ in the eyes of the Lord.  Do not lose heart.  God desires to change us and make us more like him.

Evening Reflection

As you end your day, spend some time acknowledging the greatness of our God and remind yourself that he is control of all things.  Often in the busyness of our daily lives, we tend to forget that God is sovereign and nothing is out of his control even when we face trials.   Worship and ascribe greatness unto Him.

Editor’s Note: The AMI Quiet Times for today are provided by Pastor David Kwon of JCC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Esther 2:1-18

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. [2] Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. [3] And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. [4] And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.  [5] Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, [6] who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. [7] He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. [8] So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. [9] And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. [10] Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. [11] And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.  [12] Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women—[13] when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. [14] In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.  [15] When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. [16] And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, [17] the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. [18] Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

One movie series that I could watch over and over again is the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  One of the reasons why the movie (and book) is so well made is because of the ability the movie has of depicting different subplots and stories within the bigger story.  We know the main character Frodo and his quest for the ring, but within that story, there are smaller subplots: the friendship between Frodo and Sam, and the mysterious Gollum and crowning of Aragorn as the king of Gondor (sorry if you have not seen the movies).  All of these subplots seem unimportant at first, but at the end we see how important they were in building the main story.

That’s what is happening in the story of Esther. King Ahasuerus (or also known as King Xerxes) is on a quest to find his next queen, after he had banished Queen Vashti in the previous chapter.   The king is lonely and desires to find a new queen by holding a “Miss Persia” beauty pageant.  The book of Esther does not flinch from narrating for us this simple and sad fact of life in ancient Persia—people were treated as commodities, especially when it came to kings and women.

In almost an unrelated and smaller subplot, the character of Mordecai comes on the scene.  Mordecai begins at once to bring Esther and the king together in a most natural and unaffected manner. He maneuvers to place Esther in the line of the king’s search. Esther would eventually win the heart of the king and be made queen.  So what do we learn from this?

1. God’s plans are not hindered even when the events of the world seem secular. Even in a godless Persian banquet and at the hands of a self-centered King, God was at work.  Just because actions or motives happen to be secular or unfair, it doesn’t mean He’s not present.  God is working, moving and touching lives.

2. God can use anyone for His kingdom. One of the encouraging themes of the book of Esther is how He used seemingly normal people like Mordecai and Esther. They did not come from royalty, and yet because they were available to the call of God, He used them powerfully.

Take some time to ask for greater faith—that we would recognize God’s work in our lives even when it does not look like it at times.  Pray for greater surrender of your life as you continually trust him.

Prayer

Lord, help me to continually surrender to Your will and purposes for my life.  I want to trust You in times of uncertainty.  Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: John 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, 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: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. [34] “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Questions to Consider:

1. When it comes to the area of worry, what is the main issue Jesus is pointing to?
2. What is the solution to anxiety over our future?
3. How can we be comforted by this passage?

Notes:

1. The reason why we get anxious about our life and future is because we lack faith. We lack faith that God’s ways are best, and that He will provide for us in His time.
2. The way that we overcome worry is by making His kingdom the highest priority (v. 33). We seek His kingdom and trust that He will add the things that we need.
3. We can be assured that God knows and cares for our every need. He desires us to trust Him and to seek the things of His kingdom.

Evening Reflection

Spend time tonight interceding for the world, your city, and your local community (church).  Pray that God would give you His heart as you lift up these various topics.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Esther 1:1-5; 10-12; 16-22

[1:1] Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, [2] in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, [3] in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, [4] while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. [5] And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

              [10] On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, [11] to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. [12] But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

              [16] Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. [17] For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ [18] This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. [19] If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. [20] So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” [21] This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. [22] He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

My mother is an avid gardener, and growing up, I observed her put many hours of labor and toil in growing fruits and vegetables of various kinds.  As a young kid, I would often think that her labor was useless, because there would be no visible harvest for many weeks or months until the spring came, where I would see the fruit of her labor.  It seemed that in those months of no fruit, nothing was seemingly happening.

As we look at the book of Esther for the next few days, the story is about an invisible God at work, despite not seeing the immediate results.  The book of Esther is unique in the sense that the name of “God” is never mentioned and almost reads like a short, history novel.  God never appears nor does He speak; no prophet speaks on God’s behalf. No angel shows up. The heavens don’t open and God does not deliver a word personally. There’s nothing supernatural.  There’s no quoting of other books of the Bible and no giving of God’s laws. No one repents, no one prays. There is no action from God or to God that is revealed anywhere in the entirety of the book of Esther.   It makes us ask the question: “Where is God in all of this?”

Chapter 1 starts with the story of a king who tried to degrade his own queen; and when he found that it was impossible to do so, by his own choice, he cut himself off from her fellowship forever. An edict was then written to not only banish Queen Vashti but to also start a search for another queen (v.19).  Esther has not even come into the story but that is the wonder of God’s sovereignty.  Working behind the scenes, he is moving; arranging events so that His perfect plan will carry forth.  In spite of God not being mentioned, He is working sovereignly.

Do you feel like God is silent at different moments in your life? You feel like God is distant or not moving in a particular way. You’ve never gotten a dream, a vision, an audible word. You’re sick and you haven’t been healed. You’ve prayed and it’s not been answered.

Be encouraged that God is at work in your life, despite the silence.  Be faithful in what God has called you to do as a student, parent, and son/daughter.  Be fervent in prayer and in obeying His Word –loving those around you, because God always uses our faithfulness just like we will see in this great story.

Prayer

Lord, thank you that You are at work in my life despite not seeing it clearly at times.  Help me to be faithful and continue to trust Your plan for me.  Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: 3 John

Lunch Break Study

Philippians 4:10-13

[10] I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. [11] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. [12] I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Questions to Consider:

1. How was Paul able to find contentment despite writing this letter from a Roman jail cell?
2. How does Paul connect his contentment with his circumstances?
3. What is the Lord’s promise according to v. 13?

Notes:

1. He was able to find contentment because Christ was his life and that was all he needed. Paul was able to learn the secret of contentment through is relationship with Christ Jesus.
2. His contentment was not based on his circumstances. He had plenty and was in need, and yet he knew how to stay content despite what life my have thrown at him.
3. The Lord gives us strength to find our contentment in Him. We have the power to overcome any circumstance we face.

Evening Reflection

Take some time to worship the Lord – meditate on His greatness and give Him praise and thanksgiving for the awesome God He is.  Ask for greater joy and peace as you strive to live for Him.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 13:14 (ESV):

[14] Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

One of the most discouraging things that can happen in ministry is to see years of labor and sowing result in a complete lack of apparent fruit.  If someone we mentor walks away from the faith, or if a ministry we have invested ourselves fully into falls apart, we would wonder what all this was for.

Nehemiah has sacrificed his time, his finances, and his position in the royal court to petition the king so that he can rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.  He has done everything he can to lead the people of God in the ways of the Lord.  And God has graciously answered the prayers of His people and reestablished the temple and the wall.  As the people recommit their lives to the Lord and sing His praises on the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah probably hopes that this is the beginning of a new golden age in the history of Israel.

But instead, the people of God fall quickly into the same sins that led to exile.  All that Nehemiah has labored for quickly falls apart.  Will God’s people ever be restored?  Were Nehemiah’s sacrifices in vain?  Following the time of Nehemiah, God sends no more prophets, and His people wait amidst silence, wondering whether God has withdrawn His promises and forsaken His people for good.

And then, at the right time, the Son of God enters the world.  All that the people had waited for, and all that Nehemiah had hoped in, is fulfilled in a way that far surpasses anything Israel could have asked for.

The eternal King is the very Son of God.  The temple, the place where God dwells, is in our own hearts.  The kingdom of God is invading every tribe, people, and nations, and the day is coming soon when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

We may not see “fruit” in particular relationships or ministries in the near future. We may not see the full fruition of what we have sowed in this lifetime.  But God is faithful, and our labor in the Lord is not in vain.  God will get His glory, and the reward of our service to Him is that we will have more crowns to cast before our Savior.

Prayer

Father, I get discouraged so easily and grow weary so quickly.  Remind me that You are the God who sees and remembers!  Use everything I give for You to magnify Your name – if not in this life, then in the next.  You are sure to receive all the glory!

 Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 65

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 13:17-18 (ESV)

Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? [18] Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

When I was a kid, I played Little League Baseball.  I remember one game in which our team was down by a few runs but in the bottom of the sixth (we played only six innings) we were actually making a comeback.  Then, with two runners on base and two outs, I came up to bat and promptly struck out.

I don’t really recall how I felt about it as a kid but maybe I thought, “If only I could get a second chance!”  My adult self is more realistic.  If I had a second chance, I would probably strike out again. Haha.

In the book of Nehemiah, we see God give His people a second chance.  They return from exile, God encourages them to rebuild their temple and city, and the people commit to following God faithfully this time around.

At the end of the book, Nehemiah is summoned back to Babylon and upon his return to Jerusalem he finds that the people are indulging in the same sins that led to exile in the first place!  Tobiah, who had opposed the rebuilding of the wall, has a vacation room inside the holy temple of God (13:7).  The people fail to tithe and support the Levites and singers who then leave their temple duties (13:10).  The people profane the Sabbath (13:15-16) and intermarry with idolaters (13:23-24).

When given a second chance, the people of God fall into the same sins as their fathers and presumably deserve even greater punishment than the exile.

The history of Israel tells the same story.   Time after time in the days of the judges, the kings, and now the former exiles, the people of God fail to honor God rightly.  A second chance is nice but ultimately it leads to generations of failure and disappointment.

Israel needs more than a second chance.  Israel needs a savior.  No matter how bad we feel or what kinds of promises we make to God, we simply do not have it in us to do better.  Our hope is better than a second chance, our hope is the Son of God who did what we could never do – Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly, He bore the wrath of God for our sin, and He reconciled us to the Father.

Take a moment to invite Him to continue to be Your Savior today.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for being more than example.  You alone are my Savior.  I have tried so many ways to do better but my own wisdom, plans, knowledge, and discipline cannot change my heart or save my soul.  Lord save me from my sin and make me new.  May You get all the glory!

 Bible Reading for Today: Phil. 2-3

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 12:45-46 (ESV)

And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. [46] For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 

When my wife and I were planning our wedding, there were many details to take care of – the food, the decorations, the invitations, the music, etc.  Our wedding day came, and many things that had been given a great deal of attention suddenly became less important.   Of course, we enjoyed the different aspects of the day, but in the end, neither a place nor a schedule was nearly as important as a person.

Israel has restored the temple, the city wall, the covenant, the law, the sacrifices, the priests and the singers.  But one thing is conspicuously missing in this restored kingdom – the King!

In chapter 12, King David is mentioned multiple times.  The Levites and singers are organized by David (v. 24, 36).  Their service and worship unto the Lord were commanded by David (v. 45-46).  Jerusalem is the city of David and the palace is the house of David (v. 37).

As Israel considers the restoration of Jerusalem, they look back to the greatest king in their history, but they also look forward.  God had promised David an eternal King who would come from his lineage.

So, as much as the people of God rejoice in a restored city and temple, incredible worship, and the establishment of godly institutions, they long for the coming King— the very Son of God.  As much as we rejoice in the blessings of God, in His work in our churches, in the events and services, where is our longing for King Jesus?

The Scriptures tell us that one day we will no longer see Jesus as through a mirror dimly, but we will see Him face to face (1 Cor. 13:12).  Would nothing else satisfy our hearts!

Prayer

Oh Lord, strip away all other distractions and goals.  May Your gifts and so many other good things never take Your place in my heart.  May every victory in You and every blessing grow my longing to be with You forever.

 Bible Reading for Today: Phil. 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 84:10-12 (ESV):

            [10] For a day in your courts is better

                        than a thousand elsewhere.

            I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

                        than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

            [11] For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

                        the LORD bestows favor and honor.

            No good thing does he withhold

                        from those who walk uprightly.

            [12] O LORD of hosts,

                        blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Question to Consider

1. What is a day in the courts of God better than?
2. If we are doorkeepers in the house of God and avoid the tents of the wicked, what may we lose?
3. Yet why is dwelling in the house of the Lord so good?

Notes

1. One day in God’s courts is better than a thousand anywhere else – better than a thousand days on vacation, at our dream job, or at home with our families (v. 10).
2. As servants, we may lose our pride and our control. Avoiding the tents of the wicked may cost us temporary “blessings” in this life like wealth, reputation, or power.
3. Because God withholds no good thing from His people (v. 11). Therefore, we miss nothing and enjoy everything that is good in the presence of God.

Evening Reflection

Take a moment to think about your day.  What activities increased your longing for the presence of God?  What activities dulled your longing?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 12:44-47 (ESV)

On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. [45] And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. [46] For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. [47] And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of leading several mission teams to places all over the world. I’ve yet to have team members who were not blessed in some way, and more often than not, the brothers and sisters I served with had powerful encounters with God. Yet, what I have noticed is that a remarkable experience does not always lead to actual life transformation.

In today’s passage, the people of God have just experienced something like a corporate revival. God has met them powerfully, and their first order of business is to…assign people to the temple accounting department?

We don’t often associate life transformation with the creation of institutions or the development of disciplines. Isn’t revival more about spontaneity and powerful experiences? Doesn’t structure quench the Holy Spirit? Perhaps, at times it can, but the people are in fact doing one of the most important things they can. Israel is being spiritually renewed and the people’s greatest desire is that this renewal might continue and be passed on to future generations.

Therefore, faithful men are needed to gather the offerings and tithes that the people give and distribute them appropriately to the Levites. If the Levites are not provided for, priests, singers, and gatekeepers may leave their posts to find other work to feed their families, and there would be no one to continue ministering to God and to His people.

What kinds of habits do you need to establish to continue worshiping God? What kinds of disciplines are necessary for you to participate in passing on true worship to future generations?

Prayer

Oh Lord, I desire more than a fleeting spiritual experience! May I dwell in Your house and daily hear Your voice. Lord, open my eyes to see the simple, daily ways I can be faithful and put You first.

 Bible Reading for Today: Malachi 4

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (ESV):

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. [2] On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

Question to Consider

1. Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthian church to set aside an offering regularly on behalf of the Jerusalem church that is enduring a famine. What does regular giving cultivate?
2. Why might it be best to do the collections prior to Paul’s arrival?
3. Often we are more aware of the money we give than what we are invited to contribute toward. In this passage, what was the collection for?

Notes

1. Regular giving cultivates a lifestyle of generosity, self-denial, and sacrificial love.
2. Such an arrangement may avoid logistical problems, but it also prevents giving out of guilt, or in this case, giving in order to impress the apostle Paul. God desires deliberate, thoughtful giving.
3. The collection was for the saints in Jerusalem who were in great need. This collection would also free the leaders and apostles in the Jerusalem church from needing to attend to the physical needs of their people so they could continue to minister the Word of God and spread the gospel throughout the earth.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on your day. Did a lack of planning or setting aside the appropriate resources (time, money, etc.) hinder your ability to worship God today? What kind of planning might help you in the future?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 12:27-31^a (ESV):

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. [28] And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; [29] also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. [30] And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

[31] Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks.

When was the last time in your life that singing was the most appropriate response to an event?  At a wedding?  After the birth of a child?  In the car on the way to work?  Now life may not be one long Disney musical (thankfully? ha ha), but the Lord can and does give us a reason to sing.  In our passage, God fills the hearts of His people with praise.  Despite all the obstacles, the wall is rebuilt in a mere 52 days.  The threats of their enemies are harmless.  The promises of God are being fulfilled right before their eyes, and the only appropriate response is to have a worship celebration.

There is great gladness, thanksgiving, and singing; musical worship includes cymbals, harps and lyres (12:27).  Leaders of Israel and two choirs walk on top of the wall that was built (12:31)—the very wall that Tobiah said a fox could break down (4:3) supports dozens of people.

One choir sings from the north side of the city while the other sings from the south (12:31, 38).  Worship can be heard throughout the city as the two congregations meet at the temple (12:40).  Great sacrifices are made and all the people—men, women and children—rejoice with such a loud voice that worship can be heard from far off (12:43).

As the people consider the faithfulness of God, they are blessed with both thankful hearts and great hope.  On the one hand, God is present and active today in blessing His people; and on the other, He is not done and the best is certainly yet to come.

Imagine the people walking on the wall, their city still in need of restoration, singing of the day that the nations would gather at Zion to bring their offerings to the Lord.  May the acts of God in the past and the promises of God for the future give to us great joy and courage in the present!

Prayer

Father, put praises on the lips of your people!  May thanksgiving rise up in my heart for You have given me countless evidences of Your loving-kindness.  In times of trial, fix my eyes on Your coming kingdom that I might sing of my certain hope to come.

 Bible Reading for Today: Malachi 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 150 (ESV):

Let Everything Praise the Lord

            [1] Praise the LORD!

            Praise God in his sanctuary;

                        praise him in his mighty heavens!

            [2] Praise him for his mighty deeds;

                        praise him according to his excellent greatness!

            [3] Praise him with trumpet sound;

                        praise him with lute and harp!

            [4] Praise him with tambourine and dance;

                        praise him with strings and pipe!

            [5] Praise him with sounding cymbals;

                        praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

            [6] Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

            Praise the LORD!

Question to Consider

1. Why should we praise the Lord?
2. Where should the Lord be praised?
3. Who should praise the Lord?

Notes

1. For who He is (“his excellent greatness”), and what He has done (“his mighty deeds”).
2. God should be praised in the sanctuary (the church as well as the heart of every believer), but He should also be praised in the heavens (in every corner of creation).
3. Everyone! Everything that has the breath of life ought to praise its Maker, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord.

Evening Reflection

Take a moment to reflect.  What things in your life make it difficult to sing the praises of God?  How can the great works that God has done in the past help encourage you?  How can the great promises He has for the future give you hope?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Nov. 16-22 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of Over the-Rhine Church (Cincinnati).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 11:1-2 (ESV)

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. [2] And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

When you consider where to live, what factors are important?  A good school system?  A hip restaurant scene?  Plentiful job prospects?  I would imagine that an abandoned ruin destroyed by war would not be high on your list of options—but this is the state of Jerusalem.  Imagine a war torn city in Syria or Yemen and you’ll get the idea.  Now Jerusalem is not experiencing active war, but the enemies of Israel are waiting for an opportunity to strike, the city itself is in great need of repair, and the people are still struggling to provide basic necessities for their families.  Yet the city must be repopulated at great cost and great risk to the families who participate.  Why?

More is at stake than the glory of a capital city—God is fulfilling His promises to His people.  After enduring a devastating exile, the people have returned with the hope of a restored relationship with God.  In the Old Testament, the temple is the center of worship and God’s presence.  An empty Jerusalem—and thus an empty temple—is a sign of a curse, not a blessing.  Therefore, the Israelites must repopulate the city.

Leading from the front rather than the rear, the leaders of the people commit to live in Jerusalem (v.1).  The rest of the people remain reluctant, so lots are cast and one of every ten are called to live in the city.  How would you feel if your family was called to move into Jerusalem?  What would you have to risk?  Safety?  Comfort?         Finances?

But what would you have to gain?  The people called to live in the city have a front row seat to the promises of God being fulfilled.  They live in the place in which God’s presence particularly dwells.  They can see with their own eyes whether God’s Word is sentimental, wishful thinking—or rock-solid, certain truth.  Would we all be so blessed!

Prayer

Father, You have blessed me so abundantly.  May I never be afraid of what I might lose when I risk for You, but give to me faith that gaining You is better than gaining the whole world.  Help me to not give in to my fears that I might follow You and know from experience that every promise in Your Word is true.

 Bible Reading for Today: Malachi 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 10:29-31 (ESV)

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, [30] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. [31] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Question to Consider

1. What types of things may we need to leave for the sake of Jesus and the gospel?
2. What rewards are received by those who leave such things behind?
3. According to v. 31, “many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Considering what Jesus has said in our passage, why might that be?

Notes

1. Good things – homes, family members, and land.
2. Jesus promises a hundredfold return in this time of homes, family members, and lands. In addition, the faithful will receive persecutions in this life, but they can look forward to eternal life in the age to come.
3. The end of v. 29 indicates that sacrifice in and of itself is not what Jesus is looking for but sacrifice for His sake. We may gain the respect of our peers, as well as other rewards in this life for self-centered sacrifice, but in the age to come, only that which is done for Jesus will matter.

Evening Reflection

Take a moment to reflect.  What priorities have guided your decision to live in your particular nation, city, or neighborhood?  How does Jesus provide those things for you in a way that a physical location never can?