Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from September 16-20 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who oversees the young-adults ministry at Symphony Church (Boston).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 20:1-11

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’”2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying,3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

When I was in elementary school, I would sometimes pray to God and say things like, “God, if you give me a new Nintendo, I will read the Bible everyday this week.”  Unfortunately, I never got that Nintendo (and I probably didn’t read the Bible every day that week either).  I’m sure many of us have prayed similar prayers when we were children.  But if you’ve been a Christian for a while, you probably know better than to bargain with God like that; that is, you can’t curry a favorable answer or response to your prayers by promising to do something.

In verse 3, Hezekiah says, “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.”  Hezekiah’s prayer for physical healing is not an appeal to God for mercy and grace; instead, he is saying, God heal me and spare me because of all of the good that I have done for you—he was, essentially, bargaining with God.  Because of his own obedience and faithfulness in serving the Lord for his many years, Hezekiah thought that he deserved for God to heal him—he had earned something from God.

Serving the Lord should be an incredibly important part of our lives.  Throughout the Scriptures, we are encouraged to serve the Lord with our lives, yet there is a very subtle danger we face when we strive to be faithful and serve Him.  Instead of making our service an expression of worship and thanksgiving to God, we can serve with a subtle belief that in doing so, we are earning God’s favor.  Personally, there have been seasons where I felt like I was doing so much for God—pouring out so much time and energy to serve God’s people—that I thought to myself, I think I’ve earned an easier life.  It is so easy for us to think that our hard work has earned God’s favor.

So how can we have the right attitude in our service to God?   Luke 17:10 says: “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”  Jesus doesn’t say this to put us down or to make us feel unworthy, but He wants his disciples to understand how their good works affects their place with God.  And the answer: it doesn’t!  When we serve the Lord, we’re not doing anything that makes us more lovable in God’s eyes; we are only doing what we’ve been called to do.

While this seems like a rebuke from Jesus, we should be thankful for this!  If our service was actually an indicator of our status with God, what hope would we have?  How much service would be enough service?  Praise God that His favor and His love are unconditional.  Like Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”  It is by grace we have been saved, and it is by grace that we should approach our service to the Lord.  We should not strive to be faithful and serve the Lord to earn anything from Him; instead, we should serve with joyful and thankful hearts because He has already given us His grace.

Prayer

Father, help me to remember that my service to you is not about earning your favor or love.  I pray that I will instead serve you with joy and thanksgiving because I know that your favor and love are already with me.  Use me Lord for your glory.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 1-2

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from September 16-20 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who oversees the young-adults ministry at Symphony Church (Boston).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 19:32-37

“Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord. 34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

35 And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. 37 And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

Hezekiah and the people of Judah were facing a terrible enemy, Sennacherib king of Assyria and his mighty army.  They had come with frightening threats against Hezekiah that left him and his people in great fear.  Hezekiah was deeply distressed by all of this, and he does the best thing that any one of us can do when we’re faced with such hardship—he prayed.  Hezekiah goes to God and cries out to Him for help; and He responds.  The LORD assures Hezekiah that He will defend Jerusalem and save it from the encroaching enemy.

This, on its own, is an important truth: God answers our prayers.  Hopefully, we’ve all experienced this for ourselves at some point in our lives.  Personally, there have been many times when I cried out to God and He answered my prayers.  And that’s exactly what happens in 2 Kings 19, where Hezekiah cries out to God for victory for His people—and God answers just as Hezekiah had asked: God decimates the Assyrian army, and Sennacherib is forced to go home in defeat.  God answered Hezekiah’s prayer and He answers our prayers as well.

Why does God answer Hezekiah?  God says in verse 34, “For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”  God comes to the aid of His people for His own sake.  It might seem a bit strange to think that the reason God would save His people is for His own sake.  Shouldn’t the real reason be that God is a benevolent Father who wants to protect his children?  Or that God is a God of love and compassion?  These reasons are true too, but God doesn’t say that here—He says that it is for His own sake and His own glory.

God came to the aid of His people because His glory was at stake.  That is to say, Israel’s defeat at the hands of the Assyrians here would have meant the diminishing of God’s glory in light of the fact that God had covenanted with David that his house and kingdom would reign forever.  Remembering that covenant, God declares here that this battle, this conflict with Assyria, was not just Hezekiah’s battle—this battle belonged to God.

Sometimes, we can start to think that God’s will or God’s love is centered around us.  Maybe we think that God should answer our prayers because we are worthy or because God has to.  God, however, is not just for us, but He is for Himself in the sense that He cares about His “reputation.” Ultimately, this benefits us because we are impressed to place our hope and trust in such a worthy God.  In the New Testament, because God has covenanted with us through Jesus Christ, when we turn to God in prayer, He answers.  In this manner our battles belong to the Lord and He will contend on our behalf for the sake of His own glory and honor.

Prayer

Father, be glorified in my life today.  Help me, Lord, to live for Your glory and honor and praise, and not for my own.  I surrender all of my battles and burdens to you, not just because you care for me, but because I know that they all belong to You.  Thank you for this covenant with You through Jesus Christ.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 28

Lunch Break Study

Joshua 5:13-15

13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Questions to Consider

1. This passage happens right before Joshua leads the Israelites into the battle for Jericho, and it is after he takes the place of Moses as leader of God’s people. How do you think Joshua felt at this point in Joshua 5?  What would have been occupying his mind?
2. What was this commander’s response to Joshua’s question of being “for us or for our adversaries”? What do you think this response means?
3. What struggles are you facing? How does it help you to know that the battle is the Lord’s?

Notes

1. Joshua probably felt a lot of pressure at this point in time. He had incredibly big shoes to fill in succeeding Moses as leader of Israel.  Maybe he felt that all of the eyes of the people were watching him to see if he would measure up.  And at the same time, he was facing the mighty walls of Jericho.  Some scholars believe that these walls that were surrounding Jericho were five feet thick and up to seventeen feet high, and that it was surrounded by a moat that was 27 feet wide and nine feet deep.  This city was impenetrable.  And we must remember that at this point, Joshua did not yet know about God’s plan to bring the walls down, so his mind was likely occupied with the fear of this battle to come.
2. This commander (very likely God himself) replies to Joshua’s question with the curious answer of “No.” He is saying that he not on the side of the Israelites or that of Jericho, but he comes as commander of the army of the LORD—meaning that he is on God’s side.  While God was definitely with the Israelites—His chosen people—and while God is definitely with us—His children—God is on His own side, for His own glory.  God will fight for us, watch over us, and protect us, all for our sake, but ultimately, it is for His glory.
3. We all face struggles like Joshua did, fear of not measuring up or fear of the battles ahead; but if we remember that the battle is the Lord’s and that God will fight for us for His glory, we can rest assured that He will take care of us because we are His children and His own glory is at stake.

Evening Reflection

Today we were reminded that the battles we have in our lives belong to God.  Were there any battles or struggles that you faced today?  How does it make you feel when you remember that you can surrender all of them to God?  We will all face trials of many kinds but as children of God, we can rest assured that our Heavenly Father is in control and He will fight for us.  Spend some moments reflecting on this truth and in thanksgiving to God for His care for you.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from September 16-20 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who oversees the young-adults ministry at Symphony Church (Boston).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 19:14-19

Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord.15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

For Hezekiah, these were the darkest of days.  The mighty army of Sennacherib was bearing down on Judah.  Defeat was knocking on his door.  The Assyrian messengers were already declaring victory over God’s people.  The end seemed to be near; there seemed to be no hope for Hezekiah and everything was out of his control.

There aren’t many things more disconcerting for us when life feels out of control.  We all face difficult times and trials in our lives like this.  I still vividly remember the day, over ten years ago, when I found out that my dad had a stroke.  It felt so dark and hopeless—and what made it worse was that there was nothing I could do.  When we get hit with things like conflicts, job loss, depression, sickness, family issues, in the moment, it feels hopeless and frustrating because there’s nothing we can do.  And in the bigger picture, when we look around at the spiritual landscape of our country and our world today, it seems so hopeless; and there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do.  It’s seems out of our control.

How did Hezekiah face the darkness of his time?  He remembered the One who was in control.  In verse 15 he prays, “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.”

It’s so easy to forget this simple truth when we go through the trials of life, but when we face darkness, and when life seems out of control, we need to remind ourselves of the sovereignty of God.  While we might feel like everything is crashing down all around us, God is not surprised by the trials in our lives and the darkness of our world.  He is the One who is in control as he is enthroned in heaven.  And just as He did with Hezekiah, when we pray and trust in His sovereignty, He will show himself to be faithful to us and respond.  This day, let us trust in the sovereignty of our God.  If things in our lives seem out of control, all the more, let us remember that He is in control.

Prayer

Father, help me to remember that You are in control.  I pray that I will trust in your sovereignty and love, especially as different trials and struggles may come.  Thank you for your sovereign hand in my life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 27

Lunch Break Study

Romans 8:31-37

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Paul explain to us that “God is for us” in this passage?
2. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror?
3. How does this passage give you hope as you think about the trials of life?

Notes

1. Paul explains to us that God has given us His own son Jesus Christ, showing us that He will graciously give us all things. Also, he reminds us that we need not ever feel condemned because Jesus died, was raised from the dead, and intercedes for us in heaven.
2. Being more than conquerors mean that we can overcome any struggle or trial because of the love of Jesus in our lives. Paul’s main point in writing this passage was to encourage believers, because they were facing tribulation, distress, persecution, etc.; and as a result of these things, they felt condemnation and perhaps felt that God was not with them.  He encourages them that they are more than conquerors and that they can overcome all things because of the love of God shown to us through Jesus Christ.
3. Personal reflection question.

Evening Reflection

The sovereignty of God is such a simple and basic truth, but at the same time, it is so easy to forget.  Were you able to remember that God is in control today?  If so, how did that feel?  If not, take some time to pray and remind yourself of this simple, yet profound truth.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 19:1-7

As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. 2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. 3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.” 5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’”

One of the common phrases that adults tell children to recite is: “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  What an incredible lie!  When we think back to the times where we’ve been hurt, it’s not the physical pain we remember; it’s the words that cut deep into our hearts.

That’s what Hezekiah experienced in 2 Kings 19.  Hezekiah tears his clothes and covers himself with sackcloth because of the demeaning and hurtful words of Rabshakeh, threatening the people of Judah of impending doom at the hands of Assyria, as seen in 2 Kings 18.  Rabshakeh proclaims in verses 32-33: “Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ 33 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?”  It wasn’t even the actual physical attacks of the Assyrians that brought Hezekiah to a place of mourning and sorrow, but it was these threatening words of Rabshakeh.

Words can have incredible power over us.  You could be having the best day of your life, everything going really well, but just a few harsh pointed words from a friend, relative or boss can just ruin everything.   There are many people who were hurt by someone else’s words spoken to them years ago but still carry that pain deep in their hearts.  At the same time, we know that our own words have power over others, and that we just as easily hurt as we can bless.

How can we face the power of hurtful words?  We must remember that God hears every word.  In this passage, Isaiah reassures Hezekiah that God heard every word that the Assyrians said, and that He would be the one to bring justice.  Similarly, when the words of others come against us, we need not respond and get our revenge; but instead, we remember that God heard all of it.  And when we think about our own words, we should also consider that God will hear them as well.  In the end, when it comes to words spoken or words received, we speak and receive with grace.  Others can bring us down, just as we can bring others down with our words.  But either way, as people of God, we should strive to give grace.

Prayer

Lord, today, help me to remember the truth of your Word, and that I am your beloved child.  Enable me this day to receive words with grace and to speak words of grace.  Give me strength to remember Your presence and to be a blessing to others with my speech.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 26

Lunch Break Study

James 3:2-12
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Questions to Consider

1. How does James describe the power of the tongue?
2. In verse 2, James says that only a perfect man can tame the tongue. Why is it so difficult?  What, then, is our hope?
3. How can you use your words to bless our Lord and Father, as well as others today?

Notes

1. James describes the power of the tongue as something very small that has, in contrast, really great power. It’s like how a small rudder can guide a large boat, or like a small fire that can set an entire forest ablaze.
2. The words that come from our mouths are a reflection of our hearts. Jesus says in Matthew 12:34-35: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” It is incredibly difficult to tame the tongue because our words are a reflection of the sin in our hearts.  Therefore, our only hope is the sanctification of our hearts through the blood of Jesus Christ.
3. Personal application.

Evening Reflection

The words we hear and the words we speak have incredible power.  Were there any words spoken to you that hurt you?  If so, take some time to forgive that person.  On the flip side, were your words spoken today a blessing to others and to God?  If not, turn to God for forgiveness and ask Him to redeem your words to be a blessing.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 17: 34-41 (NIV)

 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods, 38 and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods, 39 but you shall fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner. 41 So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

In modern Christianity, it is rare to talk about a proper fear of God.   We often present a one dimensional view of God as one who is loving; and we are almost embarrassed to reveal the other aspects of His character, such as His wrath, jealousy, and hatred of sin. Perhaps for that reason, comedians make fun of God as thousands laugh without any fear of God’s anger. There are screenwriters and actors who make up their own versions of God, and we have become so desensitized to it, calling it entertainment. The world has not only become irreligious, but it has become irreverent. A generation ago, no one would have dared to vandalize and desecrate a church, let alone walk in with the intent of harming people in the midst of prayer and worship.

People don’t fear God any more—and that has a lot to do with what is wrong with the world today. Unfortunately, part of the blame is on us because preachers don’t preach it and believers don’t believe it. We would rather hold onto a god of our own design who turns a blind eye to sin and is indifferent towards evil.   This is simply not true. Let’s not forget what God says about Himself— that He is a jealous God, a God who reigns down judgment on the wicked. He is the God who hates sin and will ultimately judge the world. This is the God who sits on the throne of heaven and created the world through a single breath of His word, and who can end our existence with the same word.

In the Hebrew, the word for fear and worship are actually interchangeable. To truly worship God, there must be a healthy dose of reverence and awe. God is to be feared because of His power, His greatness, and His holiness. The Scriptures remind us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of learning how to live wisely.   When we see but a glimpse of God’s glory, the natural reaction of sinful man is to flee from the presence of such beauty, perfection, and might, and to deal with our sin. Once this healthy fear is lost, we are prone to ignore God’s warnings; and like the Israelites, we cast off restraint and live according to our own desires.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we believe that You are good to your children and like a good Father, You discipline the ones You love. Help us to submit ourselves under Your loving discipline and to acknowledge the need to worship You from a place of reverence and awe. Help us to see that a proper fear of the living God leads to a life of wisdom and blessing. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 25

Lunch Break Study

Hebrews 12:25-29

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” f 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” 

Questions to Consider:

1. Why are Christians under greater judgment for not listening to God?
2. What is the voice of God capable of doing?
3. Why should we worship God acceptably with reverence and awe?

Notes

1. In the Old Testament, the people stood in fear as they heard the voice of God from Mt. Sinai and were judged greatly for disobeying those commands. In Christ, we have heard a voice from heaven, greater than a voice from an earthly mountain; therefore, we are under a greater judgment when we reject His commands.
2. The voice of God is capable of removing everything that can be shaken—meaning God can destroy the temporary things of heaven and earth at a mere command. This is how God will usher in the new heaven and the new earth.
3. As on Mount Sinai, God is a consuming fire that can destroy everything that stands against His purpose; therefore, we should worship Him with a healthy sense of fear.

Evening Reflection

I believe that God does not want us to constantly live in fear of Him, for His perfect love should cast out unreasonable fear. He does not want us to be afraid of Him needlessly, but would rather that we fellowship and dwell with Him, growing in our love relationship. Yet at the same time, He wants us to know that He hates sin, especially the sin in our lives. This is where a proper fear of a holy God should come into play: Because He is patient and slow to anger, there are limits that should not be pushed. To fall under the discipline of God is a frightening proposition. If there is habitual sin in your life, turn to the Lord for He will not refuse you, and seek the help of fellow believers, pastors, and counselors to help you overcome that sin.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 17: 27-33 (NIV)

²⁷ Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” ²⁸ So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. ³⁰ The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³² They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. ³³ They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

In our passage this morning, we are introduced to a subtle form of idolatry known as religious syncretism.  Simply put, this involves the combining of Christian worship with the practice of idolatry.  This is actually a common issue among many believers from different cultures who would consider themselves to be Christians but still hold onto their ties to practices such as ancestral worship, fortune telling, and astrological readings.

However, this sin of religious syncretism is not tied just to those who have a hard time shedding the influence of false religions; it happens anytime we struggle with idolatry.  Today we see this syncretistic worship of God in many different Christian movements such as those who believe in the prosperity gospel.  Within this movement, the general theological premise is that God wants all of his people to experience abundant financial wealth and perfect health.  It’s clear to see how the idol of money and comfort has been blended together with Christianity to give this deceptive view of faith.  Many of these churches are growing and flourishing because this is what people want to hear.  We naturally want to hear that God wants us to be rich and live in comfort but this is clearly a dangerous deception clothed in religion syncretism.

In the broadest definition, idolatry is simply anything you worship, even if you love it less than God.  Many times when people commit adultery, it’s not because they have stopped loving their spouses; it’s because they’ve learned to love someone else.  But when confronted with the decision to leave their wives or husbands for their mistresses, they won’t leave them.  This was the case with Israel.  They knew who their God was and they would never openly reject him but their sin was that they allowed the philosophies and religious practices of the world around them to corrupt the true worship of God.  Just as an affair corrupts the sanctity of marriage, our love for the world corrupts our love for God and taints our worship of Him.

Prayer

Lord, give me an undivided heart and a desire to keep my worship pure.  Help me to see the areas where I have allowed the world to influence the way I think about my faith and to discern what is true versus what is false.   May my life be a pleasing and acceptable sacrifice in your sight.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 24

Lunch Break Study

John 4:19-26

¹⁹ “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. ²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

²¹ “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²² You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

²⁶ Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Questions to Consider:

1. What was wrong with the Samaritan woman’s view of worship?
2. What kind of worshippers is God seeking?
3. How do we become the type of worshippers that God desires?

Notes

1. The Samaritan women viewed the worship of God as being fixed to a certain location— in this case a certain mountain. This was undoubtedly something that had crept into her understanding of God from the worship of idols in the Samaritan culture.
2. The Father seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and truth. This represents a worship that is authentic and from the heart but also based on the truth of who God is.  This is worship that is pure in the eyes of God.
3. The only way to worship the Father in spirit and truth is to center our worship on the person of Christ, his life, death, and resurrection and to be led by the Holy Spirit.    This worship can take place only in and through him: he is the true temple and he is the resurrection and the life.  The passion and exaltation of Jesus constitute the turning point upon which the gift of the Holy Spirit depends.

Evening Reflection

The Samaritan woman was stuck on where the proper place of worship should be.  For the Jews and Samaritans, this was no small matter.   The locus of worship was everything to them because the acceptability of their sacrifices was thought to be dependent on where it was given.  I think it’s easy to misread the answer that Jesus gives to this debate because we assume that He would say that you can worship anywhere and everywhere.  It’s absolutely true that we can worship in our cars, in our office cubicles, in the shower, but this isn’t what Jesus is saying—otherwise he would have told the woman, “An hour is coming when you will worship the Father both on this mountain and in Jerusalem,” but He doesn’t say that.  What he does say is that you will worship neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  Jesus is essentially changing the locus of worship.  Jesus is pointing the woman to the fact that acceptable worship isn’t focused on this mountain or the other mountain, but the new focus of worship would be on a small, insignificant hill, where His cross would be raised.  Have you worshipped at the foot of the cross lately?  Is Christ, the center of all your worship?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for September 12-13 are provided by Andrew Kim who serves as an intern at Radiance Christian Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 17:24-33

And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him[b] go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.

There’s a good chance that as you are reading this QT (perhaps after having returned from church), you are in transit, planning out the rest of the day, preparing your next project, etc. Efficiency and productivity is life’s game and multi-tasking is the winning chip. However, recent studies have shown that multi-tasking is simply a myth that doesn’t exist. No matter the activities involved, multi-tasking has counter intuitive consequences such as losing focus, creativity, productivity, and time.

Today’s passage shows us the consequences of multi-tasking, or in the case of the pagan nations, “multi-worshipping.” Ironically, these pagan nations are brought into the land of God where they are taught to fear God.  Rather than simply turning from their previous religious practices, they took the “best of both worlds” approach—they worshipped both their own gods while fearing God Himself.  That’s like mixing gasoline and water; it is good for nothing.

Many of us take the same approach with God. We think that we can live for God while still living for many of our own desires.  That’s like mixing gasoline and water as well; it is good for nothing.  As long as our theology includes the fear of God and our apologetics prove His existence, we feel everything is okay—even though how we spend time and money indicates a divided heart.  Just as the mind was not created to multi-task and focus on different activities, the heart was not made to love more than one God.  In other words, we cannot follow both the world and God; to do both would rob us of fully experiencing God.

Let’s take some time to evaluate our own hearts. What are the areas that we still hold onto and put before God? At the root of multi-tasking is a fear of losing something. In the same way, many of us are scared to surrender some of the things we hold onto, having the fear of losing out. However, it is only when we fully surrender ourselves to God, can we fully experience His presence and faithfulness over our lives. Let’s stop following after things that bring temporary satisfaction; and let’s worship Christ who is the only One who can truly satisfy us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I confess that my heart is divided and there are still things that I put before You. I repent of the areas that rob my devotion to You. As it says in Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 23

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for September 12-13 are provided by Andrew Kim who serves as an intern at Radiance Christian Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 17:14-23

But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal.17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.

One sad situation in a relationship is when a guy believes that the girl likes him when, to her, he is no more than a friend.   Not getting the clue, he continues to launch useless and costly attempts to woo the girl. Anything and everything, which to everyone else is an indication of her lack of interest, becomes misguided signals of interest to him. We call this stubbornness. In today’s text, we see a stubborn nation that refused to listen to a patient God who, in his mercy, sends every prophet and seer to warn the Israelites of their sin.

So, what led to Israel’s stubbornness against God? First, their ears were more attentive to their own desires rather than to God’s. We call this selective hearing and we’re so good at it. For instance, we only like to listen to the positive encouragements of God, and refuse to listen to the hard truths of God because it makes us feel better. Subsequently, this leads to creating our own notions of God’s character and will to fit our lives. Secondly, selective hearing led Israel toward the path of preferring the idols of the nations that claimed to control elements critical to abundant harvest, such as rain and fertility (strong animals to till the land). This resulted in Israel compromising their beliefs but also partaking in detestable practices of the world. Because they stopped trusting God, they stopped following Him. Ironically, the more stubborn the Israelites were being toward God, they became increasingly more accommodating to the things of the world.

Take a moment and ask yourself: Has God been speaking to me? Sometimes we want the worldly things so bad that we won’t recognize the writing on the wall. Like a guy who continues to misread the girl’s signals, we misread or ignore God’s. Rather than allowing God to determine how or what is acceptable, we let the preconceived notions that we have created for ourselves to be “faith” itself; in this way we deceive ourselves to our own spiritual detriment.

Let’s take some time to repent of our stubbornness and the ways in which we have ignored God. Listen to what God is saying and allow Him to restore our faith in Him rather than the fleeting desires of the world. Let us dive into the Scriptures to remind ourselves who God truly is rather than the user-friendly version we’ve concocted.

Prayer

Holy and righteous God, I confess my tendency to speak a false truth into my reality that is so influenced by trends, culture, and social media. I repent of having compromised my morals and values rooted in your eternal Word. Help me to accept the hard truths that You have been speaking to me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 21-22

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for September 7-15 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church (S. F.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 17: 1-6 (NIV)

In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him. 3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison. 5 The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

This passage introduces us to King Hosea, whose place in history is that he was the last king of Israel; and on his watch, the capital city of Samaria fell. The description of his legacy was that he was evil in the sight of the Lord, with the only caveat being that he was, at least, not as wicked as the kings before him. This is not exactly a glowing endorsement of his life. In truth, all of us want to leave something behind that will be remembered by future generations. I believe this is a sign that all of humanity is born with eternity in our hearts.

However, the Scriptures remind us that there is a right way and a wrong way of leaving behind a legacy. People in the world like to think that through the power and wealth they accumulate in this life they can leave a legacy, which will prolong their influence and cause them to be remembered. History is filled with the accounts of powerful men who tried to live on through monuments, great tombs, and stories of grandeur. Though some are still remembered in dusty books, they are mostly forgotten, their monuments destroyed, their tombs robbed, and their stories unknown.

Although history is rife with the failures of men, this is not to say that we cannot leave a legacy or that trying doing so is foolish. On the contrary, it should be our greatest aim to leave behind us a godly heritage. So what kind of life story should we seek to prepare? The Scriptures teach us that a truly divine legacy is one of righteous deeds, influence for good, and a pure soul that will live forever with God.

Prayer

Father, You have placed eternity in our hearts for a reason. Help us to remember that what we do in this life actually does matter, and the good we do for the sake of the gospel will build an eternal legacy before You. Show me today how to glorify you in my thoughts, words, and deeds.   Teach me Your ways so that I may one day hear You say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 20

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 112

1 Praise the Lord. 

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,

who find great delight in his commands.

2 Their children will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,

and their righteousness endures forever.

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,

who conduct their affairs with justice.

6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;

they will be remembered forever.

7 They will have no fear of bad news;

their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;

in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,

their righteousness endures forever;

their horn will be lifted high in honor.

Questions to Consider:

1. What are the conditions of God’s blessings?
2. What is the specific nature of these blessings?
3. What is the source of our security?

Notes

1. God’s blessings are for those who fear Him and find great delight in His commands. We don’t want to fall into the danger of espousing a salvation based on good deeds and works; but at the same time, many of God’s other blessings are reserved on the condition of obedience.
2. The specific nature of these blessings is that the godly and their children will experience prosperity, peace, and goodness in their lives. In this way, those who are gracious and compassionate are remembered through the lives of the next generation. We don’t want to fall into the dangers of a health and wealth gospel, but material blessings are a part of God’s reward for the upright.
3. During difficult times, the source of security for the godly is that they will be remembered by God forever. They will not live in fear of bad news because of their unwavering trust in the Lord.

Evening Reflection

If you were to die today, how would you be remembered by others? How would you be remembered by God? Would you pass on to your children just a bunch of stuff, some money, and some fading memories? Or would you pass on knowledge of God and a life well-lived?   As one pastor stated clearly, “Let each of us determine that we will do more in the days ahead to leave a legacy of righteousness.”

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for September 7-15 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church (S. F.).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 16: 10-16 (NIV)

Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. 11 So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. 12 When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings up on it. 13 He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and splashed the blood of his fellowship offerings against the altar. 14 As for the bronze altar that stood before the Lord, he brought it from the front of the temple—from between the new altar and the temple of the Lord—and put it on the north side of the new altar. 15 King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest: “On the large new altar, offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and his grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this altar the blood of all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance.” 16 And Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered. ^[1]

Principally speaking, the entire Bible can be summarized as man’s struggle against idolatry and the restoration of our relationship with the one true God.   Admittedly, most of us probably don’t see this as a problem because we don’t necessarily have physical idols and statues that we bow down to. However, the most dangerous idols are the ones that we have in our hearts.   John Calvin, the theologian of the Reformation, once described human nature as a factory of idols; and because no one has perfect faith, all of us, to varying degrees, hold onto our idols. The problem of idolatry is not merely a Christian issue, nor simply a matter of religion: It is a human dilemma that permeates through our entire existence. Even the ardent atheist Fredrick Nietzsche cites this as a problem in one of his books as he describes our relationship to money and success:

What induces one man to use false weights, another to set his house on fire after having insured it for more than its value, while three-fourths of our upper classes indulge in legalized fraud…what gives rise to all this? It is not real want—for their existence is by no means precarious…but they are urged on day and night by a terrible impatience at seeing their wealth pile up so slowly, and by an equally terrible longing and love for these heaps of gold…What once was done “for the love of God” is now done for the love of money, i.e. for the love of that which at present affords us the highest feelings of power and good conscience.

It would seem that the natural inclination of the human heart is to worship something or someone; and in the absence of God or a weakened relationship with God, we will find other alternatives to fill that void. The human problem of idolatry really only makes sense through the lens of a biblical worldview: We have been created by God in order to worship Him but sin has corrupted that original purpose. In time, the sin of idolatry leads to unspeakable disaster for Ahaz and the people of Israel.

In the same way, idolatry left unchecked in our lives will lead to great tragedy.  Take a moment, therefore, to examine what’s really fueling our drive to accomplish and accumulate: Is it a desire to further God’s kingdom or mine?

Prayer

Gracious Father, would you reveal the hidden idols of our hearts through your Spirit so that we may not sin against you. Help us to love You more than the things that You have created, whether that be money, power, success, or even our families. We confess our tendency to stray from You and ask that You keep our hearts from wandering. We pray in name of the one true God, Jesus Christ, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 1:19-25: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. ^[2]

Questions to Consider:

1. Why are people without excuse in regards to their ignorance of God?
2. Why do people exchange the glory of God for their idols?
3. What is God’s punishment for those who continue in idolatry?

Notes

1. A common argument against Christianity is the notion that it is unfair to judge people who have never heard of Jesus.  However, Paul reminds us that what can be known about God is plainly evident to all through His creation and is rejected freely; therefore, no one has an excuse.
2. Never one to mince words, Paul teaches us that we exchange God’s glory for our idols due to our futile thinking and foolishness of heart.
3. The most frightening judgment that God can sentence on anyone is simply giving them over to the lusts of their heart and allowing them to freely do whatever they choose.

Evening Reflection

Theologians talk about the different levels of idolatry that we can get entrenched in. All of us have a surface level of idols and these are relatively easy to pinpoint: beauty, wealth, fame, relationships, children, sex, and the list goes on. But there is a second level of idol at a deeper level where the idols are harder to identify—such as independence, control, people’s approval, reputation, and so forth. Generally speaking, these deeper idols drive the worship of the surface idols.   Ask God to help you identify these deeper idols in your life and to give you the wisdom to deal with them.

^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (2 Ki 16:10–16). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Ro 1:19–25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.