Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals for November 14-15 are prepared by Christine Li of TRPC (NYC).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Corinthians 4:5-7

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Have you ever started a special collection of items? For a brief period, my mother was very interested in collecting different types of teapots. However, even though the collection was very precious to her, the teapots lay wrapped up in storage for years and years. When a neighboring family moved away and gifted us their china cabinet, the teapots finally came out of hiding. Now that they had a proper setting, they could be put on display for houseguests to see and admire.

When we have something to show off, don’t we all try to find a special platform or exhibition place for it? After all, this is why we frame academic diplomas and buy gift wrap; we believe that the outer wrapping should at least match the quality of what is inside.

If we projected our tendencies onto God, we would expect Him to only use the most glorious and terrific settings or people to showcase His glory; however, as apostle Paul says, God has chosen to display His light in us, these “jars of clay.”

The “jars of clay” term is hardly a compliment – it drives home the reminder that our human bodies are frail and temporary. Clay jars, disposable and made of base material, would be too banal for noble purposes; it would be like recycling cardboard boxes to store previous gold jewelry in. But this is exactly what God has done – He has chosen our human impermanence and brokenness to carry and reveal the knowledge of who He is.

As we draw near to Him today, let’s regain the wonder that God would commission us to be His vessels. Though our bodies are limited in time and physical capacity, He will use our lives to contain and showcase His glory and goodness. However He chooses to use us– whether it be by overflowing, being poured out, or even broken to release the contents – let us be humble and available for His purposes.
Prayer

Father, thank You for loving us and giving us the knowledge of who You are. Thank You for the privilege that we may be used to show others Your glory. We offer up our lives, Lord, use our lives as vessels filled with You.

 Bible Reading for Today: 2 John 1

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals for November 14-15 are prepared by Christine Li of TRPC (NYC).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 5:13:  You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

When my parents entrusted me and my brother with personal computers for our schoolwork, they gave us very strict admonitions about being responsible and disciplined with schoolwork. We were supposed to do all of our work first, then play. Despite all their warnings, I still spent a great amount of concentration and efforts in multitasking with Facebook, TV miniseries, and college admission essays.

Maybe because I did not experience great repercussions then, I still have some poor habits – staying up late, forgoing exercise, frittering away my time on a smartphone, etc. The consequences are immediate: I cannot perform well during the workweek, and I am exhausted on the weekend before engaging in community. Chasing trivial joys in my life comes at a great cost to the more important and meaningful aspects of my life.

If we believe and remember that God’s spirit resides within us and that He has called us in advance for good work, then we should reflect on whether our lifestyles are glorifying to God: do I live in a way that prioritizes serving God and others firstly? We must remember that the call to be self-controlled is not just a friendly suggestion from Paul; it is a command. Because our lives are not our own – we were purchased at a great price – we must aim to lay down our lives and our desires in order to glorify God.

Let’s assess our lives and whether our indulgence weakens our ability to serve others. Are there things we need to let go of so our energy and focus can be better placed? Let us ask Him to renew our hearts with joy, self-control, and the desire to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Prayer: Father, I admit that I am not a great steward of this life that You have purchased and redeemed. Open my eyes to the ways in which I am being selfish with my living and how it hinders my ability to worship You and serve You. Thank You for Your gentle grace that can help me change the way I live.

 Bible Reading for Today: 1 John 4-5

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals for today are provided by Doug Tritton of Symphony Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 9:9-17

And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them.

A common trope used in media is the story of an individual being removed from his or her true belongings (i.e., home) and not remembering where he or she came from. The animated movie Anastasia comes to mind, or more recently, Tangled. In Tangled, the main character Rapunzel is born a princess, but as an infant, she is kidnapped by an evil witch and grows up in the witch’s home, not knowing where she actually came from (confession: I listened to some Tangled songs after writing this).

What these stories show us is that not knowing where we come from can have serious consequences on our lives. The Israelites often reminded themselves where they came from. They were slaves in Egypt, afflicted by Pharaoh, but God heard their cries and rescued them from their captivity. God then brought them to the land of Israel, giving them the land as their own.

But when the Israelites forgot where they came from, they “acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck.” Having forgotten what God had done for them, they turned away from Him and tried to live on their own. In this passage, the Israelites are turning back to God, having now completed the walls of Jerusalem. In confessing their national sins, they reminded themselves from where they came – slavery in Egypt.

Today, let’s reflect back on where we come from. Let’s remind ourselves how God has worked in our lives and remind ourselves of His enduring faithfulness to us. As we remember all that He has done in our lives, we may find renewed desire to love and worship Him.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your great faithfulness to us. We confess that we are so often not faithful, yet You always remain faithful to us. Remind us again of what You have done in our lives and let these memories draw us even closer to You.

 Bible Reading for Today: 1 John 3

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 3:1-2

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Questions to Consider

1. What kind of love has the Father given to us?
2. Why is John reminding us that we are God’s children in this passage?
3. How does reminding yourself of your identity as God’s child impact your life?

Notes

1. He has given us love that calls us children of God! This is a truth we so often forget, that we are His children, but this identity is ours because God has given it to us.
2. There seem to be two reasons. One, John wants us to know that the world will try to diminish our true identity as God’s children since the world does not even know that we are His children. Two, John wants to give us hope that, as God’s children, we will one day be like Jesus when we see Him as He truly is.
3. When we remember our true identity as God’s children, we suddenly see life differently. Take time to reflect on how this identity changes the way you see your life.

Evening Reflection

As you get ready to sleep, remind yourself how God has worked in your life up to this point. Allow Him to bring to your mind ways He has been faithful. Let these memories remind you that you are His child and He is your loving Father.

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals for today are provided by Doug Tritton of Symphony Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 9:1-5

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.”

Have you ever dealt with stress by going on some form of “therapy”? I do not mean clinical therapy; I am referring to things like retail therapy, chocolate therapy, ice cream therapy, media therapy, or any other ______ therapy (insert your own guilty pleasure). One of my most recent binges was history podcasts (yeah, yeah, nerdy, right?)

These sorts of binges can potentially make us feel good for a short burst of time, but will it solve our problems? Will they provide long term relief? Probably not. The Israelites in this passage, having finally completed the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s walls, went on a different type of binge. They took part in Bible, confession, and worship therapy; they gave a quarter of the day to each of those activities. Can you think of anything better to binge on?

When going through a tough time, or maybe dealing with a big transition in your life, just as the Israelites did, perhaps the best thing you can do is binge on the Bible, binge on prayer, binge on worship. These things will certainly satisfy in much greater ways than ice cream, shopping, or anything else. These things will nourish our souls and draw us closer to our loving Father.

Today, rather than other forms of fake therapy, let’s have some Bible, confession, and worship therapy. Let’s spend focused time in Scripture, focused time humbling ourselves before God, and focused time praising Him. There is no better use of our time than that.

Prayer: Lord, help us this day to satisfy our souls with You and Your Word. Let us delight in fellowship with You over other things. Help us to devote time in communion with You today. We need more of You in our lives; come and fill us, Lord.

 Bible Reading for Today: 1 John 2

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Questions to Consider

1. What do we miss out on when we love the world?
2. What will happen to the world and the desires of the world?
3. In what ways are you valuing the things of the world over the things of God?

Notes

1. The passage tells us that if we love the world, love for the Father is not in us. This means we miss out on the great joy that comes from having a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. There is nothing this world offers that comes close to that!
2. This world and the things of it will pass away. This is why we should seek to love God rather than the world, because God is eternal while the world is fading away. Isn’t it better to love Someone who is eternal rather than something that will soon disappear?
3. Take some time to think about how you may be valuing your “binge” activities over time in Scripture, confession, and worship.

Evening Reflection

Tonight, before going to sleep, spend some time in confession, just as the Israelites did. Confess to God the ways in which you have found comfort in things apart from God. Ask Him to comfort your soul tonight.

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 9-11 are written by Pastor Peter Yoon  of Kairos Christian Church (S. D.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 8:13  

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 

Whose voice is the most important voice in your life that you’d actually give attention to the person’s words?

My 7-year-old son is playing in his first season of flag-football, and he plays the safety position. As soon as the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, he makes a beeline to the ball carrier and goes hard after the flag. Almost always, he comes up with the flag. Last week, he made a play for the running back but missed the flag; instead, he ended up grabbing at the shorts of the running back, inadvertently tripping him on the play. No one was hurt. Now mind you, these are 6 and 7- year-olds, so any type of fall by the kids is deemed as rough play by the officials. So the referee threw the yellow flag and assessed the penalized yardage for “rough play.” The coach of the other team starts yelling from the sidelines, “Is that how you teach your players to play? Then I’m going to teach my players to start tackling!!”

You can imagine: there was a bit of drama afterwards, but nothing terrible. On our way home from the game, my son starts crying, telling us that he wants to quit football because he felt so bad that he could have hurt another player; and he couldn’t understand why the other coach said those things and was yelling at him. We tried to tell him that the other coach was rather a poor sport and affirmed him that everyone noted that it was an accident. But given that he has a sensitive temperament, he continued to cry. So when we got home, his mom and I held him in our arms and firmly said to him, “The most important thing you need to hear is what your mom and dad are saying. We are proud of how hard you play. And your entire team and your coach are so proud of how hard you play.” He finally calmed down as he heard what I was saying.

That incident illustrates what often happens in our lives. We tend to pay much attention to the voice of the world that entices us or insults us; or we hear the voice of the enemy that lies to us, or even our own voice can be our own worst enemy where we criticize ourselves. In the meantime, sadly, we drown out the voice of our Father who sings over us (Zeph. 3:17).

Today, may you “give attention to the words” of the Father as He speak into your life.

Prayer

Lord, help me to hear Your voice over all of the voices that go through my ears. Teach me to distinguish Your voice so that I may live according to Your good and perfect will. Grant to me the ears to hear Your voice today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: 1 John 1

Lunch Break Study

1 Sam. 3:1-10

The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why didn’t Samuel recognize the voice of the Lord immediately?
2. How was Eli able to help Samuel give attention to the voice of the Lord?
3. Do you have a person that is able to assist you in giving careful attention to the voice of the Lord?

Notes 

1. Not only was the word of the Lord rare in those days (v. 1), but the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to Samuel (v. 7).
2. Eli was a mentor to Samuel who recognized that the Lord was calling Samuel. Eli taught Samuel to respond appropriately to the Lord’s voice.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Have some things been spoken to you that have wounded you? Spend some time asking God to mend your heart. Ask God to speak His words into your heart.

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 9-11 are written by Pastor Peter Yoon  of Kairos Christian Church (S. D.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 8:2-3

So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

How important is the Bible to you? Before you give the quick “Christian” response, please pause for a moment and reflect honestly.

It was reported that Sir Walter Scott, a Scottish writer and poet, and a committed Christian, while on his deathbed, said to his secretary, “Bring me the book.” To this request, his secretary thought of the thousands of books in Scott’s library and asked, “Dr. Scott, which book?” “The book,” replied Scott, “the Bible – the only book for a dying man!”

Of course, the Bible isn’t just a book for a dying man, but for a living person as well. Jesus once said in the heat of spiritual battle: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'” (Matt. 4:4).

The Israelites had returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s supervision. And while the walls would provide some level of safety and protection from surrounding enemies, the leaders understood that unless the Lord watched over the city, the walls and the guards were only standing in vain (cf., Ps. 127:1). Thus, they gathered all of the citizens in one assembly under the ministry of the Word.

The scene depicted in these verses of Nehemiah reminds us to hunger for God’s word, for it is truth that will bring us true freedom.

Prayer

Lord, Your word is a lamp unto my feet. Please use it to guide my life. Help me to hunger for Your Word and to understand it; and help me to apply Your word into my everyday life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: Zech. 14

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,  and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,  which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Questions to Consider

1. In what ways do you personally meditate on the Law of the Lord?
2. What is the outcome of a person who meditates on the Law of the Lord, day and night? What is the outcome of a wicked person who neglects the Law of the Lord?

Notes 

1. To “meditate” means to “read carefully” or “pore over.” The Hebrew verb is defined as “read in an undertone”—meaning intensive, careful reading and study. One may say “they read it carefully day and night,” or “they read and think about its teachings all the time,” or “they are always reading and thinking about its teachings.”
2. Whose leaf does not wither. The withering of leaves is an indication that the tree is dying, or dead; so in some languages, it may be more effective to say “it stays strong and healthy.” In all that he does, he prospers. The verb “to prosper” includes all areas of life, not only spiritual but also financial and physical.

Evening Reflection

Meditate on the Word of God that you read through today. Re-read it once more carefully, and then think about why God wrote the verses/chapter.

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 9-11 are written by Pastor Peter Yoon  of Kairos Christian Church (S. D.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 7:2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother, Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

People trust and follow spiritual leaders with integrity. Here, we see that Nehemiah places a “man of integrity” into leadership in Jerusalem.  Years ago, a retail electronic store partnered with an online company enticing consumers with $200 gift card for anyone who signed up on an annual contract. I don’t know whether it was someone’s oversight or not, but consumers soon figured out a way to cancel the annual contract without any penalties, while being able to keep the $200 gift card. As you can imagine, a line formed at the retail store with customers ready to take full advantage of the generous offer.

So I asked my spiritual leader if he also would like to take advantage of the offer. Technically, no law would be broken, and after all, it was the mistake of the retail and the online company. But fully aware of the chance for a nice gift, he said, “No thanks.” Like anyone else, he could have purchased a new flat-screen monitor or an appliance for the home or video games for the kids or even all three. Yet he chose integrity—the type of integrity that goes beyond the letter of the law.

God places such people into leadership and entrusts them to serve His purposes. Such people not only become familiar with God’s commands, but they truly live to honor the Lord who gives them. Nehemiah noted that Hananiah “feared God more than most people do” before placing him in charge of God’s city.

Will you also seek to fear the Lord and honor Him so that God can use you for His purposes?

Prayer

Lord, help me to fear you and honor you. Allow me to live a life of integrity that goes beyond the minimum requirements. Please reveal Your glory in my life more fully, so that I will respond with honor to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: Zech. 13

Lunch Break Study

1 Samuel 2:27-30

Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’ 30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.

 Questions to Consider

1. According to verse 29, how did Eli dishonor and despise God?
2. What is promised to those who choose to honor the Lord? And what is the inevitable outcome for those who choose to despise Him?

Notes 

1. The fuller context is found in 1 Sam. 2:12-17: Eli’s two sons were treating the Lord’s offering with great contempt. They were also sleeping with the women who were serving at the temple. It was Eli’s responsibility to bring discipline and correction; however he failed to do so.
2. Consider the two outcomes: What will it look like in life to be honored by God? What will it look like in life to be disdained by Him?

Evening Reflection

Think of tangible ways in which you can show honor to the Lord. Write some applications on your journal and ask the Holy Spirit to help you follow through in honoring Him.

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 3-9 are written by Pastor Yohan Lee of Radiance Christian Church (S. F.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 6:10-13

Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

Back in the late-1990s, it was revealed that President Bill Clinton was having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was eventually impeached and then acquitted, not for the affair itself, but rather for lying about it. Eventually, the biggest question that came out of this whole scandal was, “Does the American public care what the president does in his personal life, as long he is running our country efficiently?” By in-large, most Americans answered that question with a “no”; and Clinton’s term in office has generally been regarded as a success.

Having said all that, I think having a good reputation still matters. While many respect Clinton for the things he accomplished in office, how many of even his staunchest followers would put a lot of stock in any marriage advice he could possibly give? You see, one of the more difficult things about being in ministry (all those in ministry, not just pastors) is maintaining, not just a good reputation, but a reputation that makes your voice matter to others. For example, let’s say you are a small group leader; and while playing golf with a few of your members, you lose your temper and become childishly irritable (breaking clubs, yelling at the ball, crashing the cart, etc.), because you haven’t been able to hit a decent tee shot all day. Do you think you will have the platform to lead these people and speak with them about their anger issues? Same with things like drinking: Would you want to be told to curb your drinking by your small group leader who just went bar-hopping with you two weeks ago? And this applies in the area of giving, honesty and integrity, as well as having daily devotions. In the end, if you want to be an influencer in the kingdom of God, then you have to be careful to make sure your life and words are consistent, keeping an upright and respectable reputation.

At first, you may look at today’s Bible passage, and ask, what’s was the big deal? It appears that the issue involved one of two possible things: First, Nehemiah was not a priest, so he was not allowed in the temple, even to save his own life. Or two, running into the temple would have made Nehemiah look like a coward, especially since everyone working on the wall was, to a certain extent, in danger. Either way, Nehemiah found it more important to risk his own life than to discredit his own name with the people (see 6:13). Today, let me ask you this: What are the things you have to “risk” to keep a good reputation among others? Most of us don’t have to risk our lives like Nehemiah did, but I am guessing that we will have to sacrifice some forms of “fun.” Is it worth to deny yourself in some way for the kingdom of God?

Prayer

Lord, help me to see the beauty and worth of doing Your work and paying the price in order to keep a good reputation with others. If I have already broken that record, please give me the fortitude to win it back. Ultimately, make me a person of true character—make me more like Jesus.

Bible Reading for Today: Zechariah 12

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 3-9 are written by Pastor Yohan Lee of Radiance Christian Church (S. F.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 6:1-8

Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.”

Recently, my two-year-old son has been getting out of bed at night looking for any and every excuse to not sleep—this habit is killing my wife and me! The other night we had this interaction:

My wife: “Jonny, why aren’t you in bed?”

Jon: “I can’t sleep. There’s a (hard to distinguish) in my bed.”

My wife: “There’s a lion in your bed?”

Jon: (contemplating if this is believable) “Yes.”

My wife: “Well, I’ll go see and chase the lion away.”

My wife then proceeded to “look for” and “chase” the lion away so that my son could go back to sleep. Great parenting, right? Wrong. Within five minutes, my son got up again—this time claiming thirst; then five minutes after that, he was afraid of the dark. Finally, after a few of these incidents, we had to talk straight to our son: “Jon, if you get out of bed again, you are going to get spanked. And that is going to hurt.” The message was sent—he did not come out again.

Sometimes, in order to cut through the baloney and the silly excuses, we need to talk straight and make some difficult call outs. Look at today’s passage: When Sanballat and Tobiah hear that the wall of Jerusalem is almost done, they invite Nehemiah for a visit with the hopes of harming him and halting its completion (v. 2). At first, Nehemiah tries to redirect them by saying that he is “too busy” (v. 3), but after four more similar attempts, Sanballat comes back with this fictitious treason accusation (vv. 6-7). Finally, Nehemiah is forced to shoot straight and calls out Sanballat’s baloney: “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind” (v.8).

Now how does this apply to us today? Let me share something: Whether they are two, thirty-two, and presumably seventy-two years old, people will still come up with elaborate excuses as to why they are not doing what they should be doing (or doing what they shouldn’t be doing). Of course, as they grow older, the excuses become more reasonable than having a “lion in the bed,” but they are nevertheless excuses. So you may have heard of the following: “Everyone else does it”; “I’m just trying to be real or true to myself”; “I’m not hurting anyone”; or “I have unresolved daddy issues,” etc. As a community in Christ, it is probably most loving to start subtly in helping another get past the elaborate excuses. However, there may come a time when we must be willing to cut through the baloney and shoot straight with our friends and call out sinful behavior, misguided thinking, or selfish hearts.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the community I have. Help me to be wise and bold to share the truth in love. Also, let me see what excuses or stories I am using to disobey You.

Bible Reading for Today: Zechariah 10-11

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotionals from Nov. 3-9 are written by Pastor Yohan Lee of Radiance Christian Church (S. F.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 5:14-16

Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

When I worked as an engineer, the company that employed me had a multi-service contract with the county. This basically meant that for smaller jobs, the county would simply hire us to do the work, without putting the job out to be bid on by other firms—this contract was like a license to print money! As the lead engineer for this one particular project, I put the proposal together and submitted it to the VP for approval, only to have it come back for almost double the amount of what I had calculated it would take to get done. I remember feeling that had if we had to compete for this project, this proposal would have been more reasonable, but my boss was using the multi-service contract to milk the county. What made it worse for me was that we were essentially stealing public money; I felt like such a dirty politician. Now to be clear, I was too wimpy to flat out call out the higher-ups about the situation; however, I did subtly express my concerns. I could tell that my boss didn’t believe his numbers to be true either, but because he’d been inflating numbers on these contracts for so long, it really didn’t bother him. Plus, these types of benefits are why you want to win multi-service contracts in the first place.

What this encounter illustrated to me was that when it comes to money, benefits, and “skimming off the top,” there is often a deeply ingrained culture of wrong practice that is not easy to break. People almost see it as a birthright—you pay your dues, you win the contract, you get to the kickbacks. If I were Nehemiah, and the practice of gouging the people had for a long time been widely accepted (v. 15), I wonder how I would have responded? I would like to believe that I would have had the integrity to not even eat the governor’s allotment (v. 14), but knowing me, I think I would have rationalized the whole ordeal, saying, “The previous establishment taxed 40 shekels. I will slash taxes in half, and only take 20.”

In the end, you see why Nehemiah was able to act without any corruption: “But out of reverence for God I did not act like that” (v.15). This morning, ask yourself: Do you act in complete integrity out of reverence for God, or are you stuck in the hamster wheel of a culture of wrong practice? Understand this: getting off is going to be difficult, and it is probably going to cost you some money (as it did Nehemiah). But in the end, I hope that you will choose the difficult path that honors our Lord.

Prayer

Lord, help me to revere and love You more than worldly gain. Also give me eyes to see blind spots or areas where I have allowed time and culture to adversely impact me. Give me courage and boldness to act with complete integrity.

Bible Reading for Today: Zechariah 9

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one

   who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

   or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

   and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

   which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

   whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!

   They are like chaff

   that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

   nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

   but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Questions to Consider

1. Follow the progression of a soul in trouble in verse 1. Do you feel like you’ve subtly gotten in a bad spot?
2. Compare and contrast the righteous and the wicked.
3. Where are you in life?

Notes

1. The subtle nature of sin is, metaphorically speaking, that at first you are walking along with it, then you stop your motion and are standing in it; finally, you are sitting in it. All this can happen very gradually or subtly, if you are not aware.
2. The righteous delight in and meditate on God’s Word; they are steady and fruitful. The wicked, in contrast, waver and are on shaky footing.
3. This is a self-reflective question, but if it is the latter, remember the righteous person is rooted in God’s Word.

Evening Reflection

Are you stuck in a culture or in a pattern of behavior that does not honor God? Is God calling you to make a change? Do you feel like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit (Ps. 1:3). On the flip side, are there good habits you feel God calling you toward?