Editor’s Note: The AMI devotional from October 26 –November 1 are provided by Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 3:1-5

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.3 The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.

Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, started publishing a student magazine at the age of 17. Three years later, he founded Virgin as a record mail order company, and soon opened his first store in London’s Oxford Street. In 1972, he formed the Virgin Records music label, which grew to be one of the world’s top six record companies in the 80s. Since then, the Virgin brand has expanded into flights, rail travel, retail, internet, drinks, hotels and leisure and finance; presently, it’s up to 400 different companies. Richard Branson is a good example of someone who has learned to take small beginnings and expand them into greater horizons.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Never take that first step for granted, no matter how small it might seem. What are the small beginnings in your life? What could be the small beginnings in your life? God’s will is that you expand from where you are. God will always give you a bag of seeds—the opportunities and possibilities of life. But when you do not despise the day of small things and rejoice in the future of great things, there lays the blessings ahead.

In Nehemiah, we find the story of the Israelites rebuilding Jerusalem after returning from their exile in Babylon (which was due to their sin). The wall around Jerusalem was the first project for the people. This was the first line of defense against their many enemies. The first part of the rebuilt wall was the Sheep Gate. This might not sound like a priority, but to the people of Israel, it was of the utmost importance in their worship of God.

The Sheep Gate was the gate the sheep were led through as they came to the temple to be slaughtered for the sins of the people. In essence, their first project was to bring proper worship back to Jerusalem. We are no longer called to offer up animals as sacrifices for worship, but we are called to offer our lives instead (Romans 12:1). Just as the Israelites knew there were walls that needed to be repaired for proper worship, there are walls in our lives that have been destroyed by sin that need to be repaired before we can offer our lives completely for worship. These walls must first be rebuilt before our lives can be offered as a proper sacrifice to the Lord.

Don’t despise the small things of prayer and daily Bible study. Don’t despise the small acts of service to your local church, by which God is glorified and people encouraged. Don’t despise the small things like putting sin to death, by which you are responding to the victory Christ has won for you. Don’t despise the small things like working hard at your job or school every day, for in these things you show that there is something more profound, more powerful at work in you. Or it may be speaking of Christ to others, by which unbelievers may come to trust and treasure Jesus.

Bible Reading for Today: Haggai 2

Lunch Break Study

Read I Samuel 15

And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. [2] Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. [3] Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” [4] So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. [5] And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. [6] Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. [7] And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. [8] And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. [9] But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. [10] The word of the LORD came to Samuel: [11] “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. [12] And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” [13] And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” [14] And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” [15] Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” [16] Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” [17] And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. [18] And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ [19] Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?”

Questions to Consider

1. This practice of “imposing the ban” (v. 3) meant that all living things—men, women, children, and livestock—were to be killed. What would be the purpose for such a ban?
2. In verse 11, we are told the Lord regretted that he has made Saul king. How do we reconcile that God does not make mistakes, and yet seems to be regretting a decision that He has made?
3. The small act of disobedience and justification led to Saul’s downfall. What are some things you are being a bit too careless with before the Lord?

Notes

1. To stop the spread of the “abominable practices” of paganism—that they don’t become a temptation for God’s people; this shows how serious we are to be about removing sin.
2. Regret, in this case, means that God felt genuine sorrow when contemplating Saul’s sin. But it does not mean that God thinks His decision to make Saul king was a mistake in the overall course of His plans for history.
3. Personal answer.

Evening Reflection

“Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person’s seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next.”  – Elisabeth Elliot

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotional from October 26 –November 1 are provided by Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 2:2-8

And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.

 One of the most comforting truths for God’s children is that everything that happens to us, and everything that we do, can ultimately have a meaningful expression of purpose. Four months have passed since Nehemiah had begun praying about the condition of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was intimate enough with King Artaxerxes that he noticed Nehemiah’s burden as conveyed by the sadness in his heart. What was otherwise a crime punishable by death (appearing sad before the king) actually caused Artaxerxes to ask Nehemiah about his state of mind.

How was Nehemiah, a Jew, even in the presence of the Persian king to begin with? He was selected to be the king’s cupbearer, and one of his main duties was to taste the food and drink before the king would eat it. For Artaxerxes, this was personal because his father had died from being poisoned, so he would not have chosen lightly his cupbearer. And as the cupbearer who had the trust of the king, Nehemiah alone was in a unique position to influence the king.

Whether it is cup bearing to a king or a nine to five job in a cubicle somewhere, we see through the life of Nehemiah that God is always working behind the scenes, that He never calls us to something without a reason. He works and maneuvers to place us right where He wants us. So often we question why God allows certain things to happen to us; but as we learn to trust Him, we realize that God has actually positioned us. And when the moment comes, we find that it has been worth every bit of effort—our waiting time has not been wasted time.

Nehemiah reminds us today that God’s sovereignty is quietly at work in our lives. In what we might call coincidences, insignificant events, we can be confident that God can and will use it for our good.

Consider the ordinariness of your life; know today that God has placed you. What you are doing, where you are located at this point in your life, it is no accident. You may not know what God is up to behind the scenes of your life, but you are positioned. It may be difficult to see the connection now; but in time, it will come together.

Bible Reading for Today: Haggai 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:28-30

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. [29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Questions to Consider

1. What is required for God to act in our interest, for our good according to verse 28?
2. In verse 29, we are told that God “foreknew” us and that God “predestined” us? What is the aim of God knowing us and choosing us?
3. Paul tells us we are predestined by God, not to be theologically controversial, but to show us the strength and security of God’s love. Does the word “predestination” bother or comfort you?

Notes

1. We need to love God; making that as the ultimate goal of our life is what’s for our best interest.
2. To be conformed to the image of God.
3. Personal.

Evening Reflection

“Success comes when a thousand hours of preparation meet one moment of opportunity.” – Anonymous

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotional from October 26 –November 1 are provided by Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

 Nehemiah 1:5-11

6 “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”

The other day, I found myself putting together an IKEA bookshelf. I confess that assembling furniture is not something I enjoy—at all. It’s a bit of an overstatement, but it’s the biggest waste of time known to humanity. Why such hatred? The combination of my impatient temperament and having to patiently do each step doesn’t seem to work for me. On more than one occasion, I have had to disassemble furniture pieces I was assembling, because I either missed a step or did not do them in the right order.

Here we find Nehemiah understanding this principle. When Nehemiah was frustrated with the temple walls not being erected in Jerusalem, Nehemiah didn’t make it a point to blame others or start making plans to rectify the situation. Instead, he simply went to God first.

Too often we see prayer as a last resort rather than as our first thought. Prayer is usually something we do at the end, and after having tried everything else we say, “Oh well, I guess all we can do now is pray!” And at times, many of us are guilty of “praying on the fly”—that is, asking God what to do while we’re in the process of doing it. Even worse, most of us only start praying when we’ve really gotten ourselves into a jam. Then we start shouting, “Help me!” without really acknowledging that seeking God’s will would have prevented us from getting into the mess in the first place!

When we find ourselves in one of life’s many messes (and we will), and when the walls have fallen down on us, let’s take the first moments to respond with prayer. When we feel discouraged, when we feel like it’s better to isolate ourselves, or it would feel good to blame others, just stop and pray. We will see that in that pause, in that prayer, God will show us how to respond in a way that is most consistent with values of the Kingdom. Nehemiah chose to pray first; and when we do the same, God will show us the next steps to take.

Prayer: Lord, give me wisdom to seek You first and not try to do things by my own strength.  Thank You that You are a God who generously gives wisdom to those who ask. I praise You and worship you for being a loving Father.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Zephaniah 3

Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:5

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Questions to Consider

1. If we are lacking wisdom, where can we get it?
2. When we ask for God to give wisdom, how does He give it to us?
3. What are some legalistic tendencies you may have that you use to judge others?

Notes

1. From God through prayer. (Read about wisdom’s call in Proverbs 8.)
2. God gives it to us generously and without reproach.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

“The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You’ll feel more patient and less pressured.” – Rick Warren

Editor’s Note: The AMI devotional from October 26 –November 1 are provided by Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Nehemiah 1:1-4 (ESV)

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

If you can swap your eyes with any animal, what would you choose? I would choose the eyes of an eagle. Scientists tell us so sharp is the vision of eagles, that if I had their vision, I would be able to see an ant crawling on the ground from the roof of a 10-story building. I would also be able to go watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play from the cheapest seats and even make out the facial expressions of my favorite players. Objects would appear magnified, colors would be more brilliant and everything would move in high definition.

This makes me think about what it would be like to have the eyes of God. If I had God’s vision, what would I see, and what would I notice? This is essentially how the story of the prophet Nehemiah begins. Around 587 BC, the Babylonians invaded Judah and destroyed the city of Jerusalem, along with Solomon’s temple. About 70 years after the Babylonian invasion, Cyrus, King of Persia, gave the Jews permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Things were looking up for awhile as the exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

The exiles, however, not only stopped their building project, but they continued to adopt the religious practices and culture of the surrounding nations. There were no sacrifices or prayers being offered at the temple, and God was relegated to just another god, as people went about their lives seeking only their own interests. When Nehemiah heard of this, it broke his heart. Nehemiah’s concern over the condition of Jerusalem consumed him, to the point that he wept, prayed and fasted (v. 4). Thoughts of what was, as opposed to what could be, devastated him. This was no casual concern—it was a vision in the making.

How do you become a man or woman of great vision? You start with noticing the tension between what is and what could be. Nehemiah caught a vision for God’s temple, and this compelling picture is what caused him to grieve over the neglect of the temple. When we allow this disparity to ruin us, we have the makings of a great vision.

Anyone who is frustrated or brokenhearted about the way things are, in light of the way they believe things could be in the Kingdom of God, is a candidate for vision. A God ordained vision will begin as a concern. You will hear or see something that gets your attention. Something will bother you about the way things are or the way things are headed. Unlike many passing concerns, this will stick with you. You will find yourself thinking about them in your free time. You may lose sleep over them. You won’t be able to let them go, because they won’t let you go. Consider now what vision God is giving you. If you cannot see anything, pray today that God will grant you the gift of vision—His vision.

Bible Reading for Today: Zephaniah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 10:9-33

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. [10] And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance [11] and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. [12] In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. [13] And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” [14] But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” [15] And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” [16] This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. [17] Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate [18] and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. [19] And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. [20] Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” [21] And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” [22] And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” [23] So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. [24] And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. [25] When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. [26] But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” [27] And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. [28] And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. [29] So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” [30] And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing [31] and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. [32] Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ [33] So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Questions to Consider

1. This is one of the most important visions the early church saw through the apostle Peter. What was Peter doing when he fell into a trance and saw a vision that would change how people relate to God and to the world?
2. In verse 13, Peter is commanded, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Why was this command so incredulous for Peter?
3. What are some legalistic tendencies you may have that you use to judge others?

Notes

1. Peter was in the middle of prayer. We cannot see the vision of God if we do not know how to spend time in prayer.
2. The command to eat forbidden food made no sense to Peter, since it violated Jewish food laws. God was overturning the old dietary laws as a way of marking the new covenant God’s people shared with the Gentiles.
3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.” –John C. Maxwell

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-25 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Food for Thought for the Weekend

Ezra 10:9-13: 9 “Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. 11 Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’ 12 The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: ‘You are right! We must do as you say. 13 But there are many people here and it is the rainy season . . .’”

 In church growing up, I often found it strange when a pastor or the person making the announcements would thank or praise the people for coming out on a Sunday even though it was raining. To me, church was like school or work or even plans to go watch a movie – if it was a pre-planned indoor activity, it would never cross my mind to cancel, just because it was raining. Not being willing to go through rain seemed kind of silly to me. And then I moved to Asia.

Of the many things that clicked for me after moving here, all the things that I’d never quite understood (like why do Asian older people always seem to be so concerned about whether I’ve eaten or not?) but have since moving here, were cultural (“Have you eaten yet?” is a greeting not meant to be taken literally)—and rainy days was one of them. At first, I was surprised by how easily people cancelled plans on a rainy day; now I, too, take it in as a factor for whether or not I want to go out (or still ask someone to come out to meet me) on a given day.

On first reading about how the gathered Israelites were “distressed by the occasion and because of the rain,” as if the two were of equal importance, it seems almost comical. But on further reflection, it is a touching detail that the historian chose to record, an acknowledgment of human frailty and vulnerability to the inclemencies of weather. That the leaders took the people’s emotional state, affected by their physical discomfort and threat of illness, into account is touching as well.

The way the leaders and people interacted showed a healthy mutual respect. The leaders had come up with the “what” they needed to do, the people responded with the “how” with suggestions for adjustments to the original plan—and the leaders listened. The leaders could have taken the people’s suggestions the wrong way, misinterpreting their not wanting to deal with the problem right then and there as their not taking the matter seriously; it is to the leaders’ credit that they were able to see the people’s heart was to do the right thing. A good example to take to heart today.

Prayer

Lord, when interacting with others today, help me to put the person first, trusting their intentions, taking into consideration their concerns. Help me to be loving. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Zephaniah 1

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-24 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ezra 10:2-3: “Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, ‘We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 3 Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.’”

Broken families are never a good thing.  Though the main point of this passage is that the people are turning back to God and wanting to align their lives according to His will, which is laudable, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it came at such a cost.  We should also understand that God’s law was not to blame for these families having to be torn apart, but it was the people’s sin that led them into unsustainable relationships, ones that they couldn’t take full responsibility for to the end.

When reading this passage, we could praise the people for turning back to God, but what about all these women and children?  Women rejected by husbands and children rejected by fathers.  We could look at the principle of how God should be our first choice, even above family ties, or how when we discover a situation that is unpleasing to God, we should make things right at whatever cost.  But today, can we spend some time thinking about the cost of sin?

We should break off unhealthy relationships when they are drawing us away from the Lord and causing us to be unfaithful to Him.  When it comes to the context of marriage, I don’t think we are meant to make a direct application of the Old Testament text as the New Testament tells us that if a believer is already married to one who doesn’t believe, they shouldn’t divorce.  But I think we could apply this to a dating or any other kind of close relationship where if it’s not right in the Lord’s eyes, we need to cut it off.

But oh, the wreckage is the consequences of our sin.  Because we got involved in someone’s life that we never should have in the first place, now they will be incredibly hurt.  Both parties will be incredibly hurt.  As human beings, why do we do these things to each other?  Oh Lord, have mercy on us.

Prayer

Lord, for all those who have gone through the pain of family breaking apart, won’t You heal their wounds?  For all those in unhealthy relationships, even as You help them turn back to You, would You also have mercy on those who end up rejected and hurt?  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Habakkuk 2-3

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-24 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ezra 9:3-6:  “When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard . . . And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.  Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed: ‘O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.’”

I remember the first time someone told me their favorite T.V. show was “Modern Family.”  They were describing it to me, and it just sounded so sad that this was what was being promoted as being definitive of what families are today.  Then I watched it, and I understood the point the show was trying to make, appreciating its depictions of warm moments between family members.  And I found myself trying to minimize what had been disturbing to me at first so that I could just enjoy the show for what it was.  At the same time, I also found myself wondering if this was the new standard to which I had to become desensitized in order to enjoy any kind of entertainment these days—and whether this was worth it.

Becoming more open-minded as a society has mostly been a positive change—we’ve come to accept one another’s differences more, embracing multi-culturalism, and fighting violence stemming from prejudice.  Yet in the name of tolerance and understanding, have our hearts become dull when it comes to looking at sin?  Ezra’s reaction to the discovery of sin among the people was a strong and emotional one.  When was the last time we got emotional about finding sin, in others’ lives or our own?  Not counting being angry or upset because someone has sinned against us, or depressed because we are suffering the consequences of our own bad judgments, but genuinely upset because God was being so wronged.

Ezra felt appalled, ashamed and disgraced, and we should take note.  When our hearts have grown so calloused to sin, seeing this man’s reaction is a refreshing reminder of what it is like when someone truly loves God first, taking His side before anyone else’s.  After all that He had done for his people, this was how they treated Him (vv. 8-10).  Ezra not only saw things the way God did, through the lens of His word, he felt them with His heart.  What is the state of our hearts today?

Prayer

Lord, I am kind of appalled at the state of my own heart.  There is much that I am not bothered by anymore, in my own life, in others’.  Forgive me and sensitize my heart once again.  In Jesus’ name I pray.

Bible Reading for Today: Habakkuk 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Ezekiel 11:19-20: “ I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.’”

Questions to Consider

1. When people receive a heart of flesh, what will this new heart cause them to do?
2. What does this say about what it means to have a “heart of flesh” in this context?
3. In contrast, then, what kind of heart is a heart of stone? On a scale of 1-10, how much would you say your heart is calibrated towards God’s standards and commands, moving you to live by His ways?

Notes

1. Move the people to live life by God’s laws.
2. A “heart of flesh” doesn’t just mean one that is “soft towards people” or “warm and loving.” In this context, it is related to responsiveness to God’s laws and His ways.
3. A heart that rejects God’s laws and does not move the people to live by them.

Evening Reflection

What values did I encounter in the world today?  If you felt any godly distress, take a moment to take this to the Lord in sincere repentance on behalf of others or even yourself, and receive His mercy and grace.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-24 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ezra 8:15-17:  “ . . . When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. 16 So I summoned . . . [leaders and men of learning], 17 and . . . I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.”

Ezra 8:32-35: “So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days. 33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles . . . 35 Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel . . . ”

If the church is the Bride of Christ, Sunday worship is the bride’s date time with her bridegroom.

It’s the time when, as a body, the church decides to set aside all other things and focus solely on building her relationship with Him. Just as each believer builds his or her own special relationship with God through individual Bible reading and prayer, I believe there is a special and unique relationship each believing community builds with God as they all physically come together as a group once a week, hearing the same message together, praying and singing the same songs of adoration together. The worship service, then, becomes the core of a church’s relationship with God; one could say it is the most important thing that she does.

That people spend time with Him together, as a group, has been important to God from the earliest days of the Israelites’ history with Him as His people. In today’s passage, we see how central worship was to this community by how much attention it is given throughout the chapter. Ezra’s entire description of the journey is about everything they needed in order to worship God, whether it was the Levites (without them, how would the sacrifices be made?) or the temple articles and offerings, and how they made it safely from Babylon to Jerusalem. When they do arrive, after a few days’ rest, the first thing they do is gather at the temple and worship God. This was the most important thing for them to be able to do.

How precious is our church’s time of corporate worship to me? If I haven’t been as committed as I should, or if there is another activity that brings a time conflict this week, what decision do I need to make about this today? How can I prepare my heart, my offering, etc., even today, as I look forward to this weekend’s service?

Prayer

Lord, what a special example this heart of Ezra is for me today. Just reading about his preparations and concerns blesses my heart. Help me to have the same concern and passion for our church’s times of meeting with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joel 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Ezra 8:24-25, 28-29 : “Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests . . . and ten of their brothers, 25 and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles . . . 28 I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is described as being “consecrated to the Lord” (v. 28)?
2. What did Ezra ask the priests and their brothers to do (v. 29)?
3. What conclusion can we draw from the answers to the two questions above? How should we consider those (including ourselves) who serve at the temple so that His people can worship?

Notes

1. Both material goods (temple articles & offerings) AND people (priests + brothers).
2. Guard the offerings carefully.
3. If material goods were to be guarded carefully because they were set apart for God, all the more the priests should also take care of themselves – not just so that they can protect the offerings but because they themselves are also set apart for God. As people set apart to serve, we are important and should take care to guard our conditions so that we are able to serve Him and His people well when the time comes.

Evening Reflection

The weekend is just around the corner. Do I have excitement and anticipation in my heart as I look forward to meeting Him with my brothers and sisters in gathered, corporate worship?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-24 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ezra 8:21-23:  “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’ 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

Have you ever made a boast that you lived to regret? Or even simply said you could do something only to find out later that it was a lot harder than you thought, and now you’re stuck? If so, you have some idea of Ezra’s predicament here.

I love how honest Ezra is about his reasons for proclaiming the fast, how human he shows himself to be. Often, when we think about Bible characters declaring faith in God before people who believe in other gods, we think of bold stances taken: Elijah who challenged the prophets of Baal, having full confidence that God would come through; or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who told King Nebuchadnezzar they believed God could rescue them from the fiery furnace, but even if He didn’t, He would still be God to them.

Ezra’s situation was somewhat different in that when he said what he did, it wasn’t in the immediate context of having God prove Himself. Ezra may have just been explaining about what God was like to the king. And yet now here he was, caught by his words, finding himself in a situation where he had to place his trust in God though it may not have been his original intent. When Ezra says that he was ashamed to ask the king for the protection of his army, we can imagine the subtext: “Ah, if only I hadn’t said anything, I totally could have asked him for the horses and soldiers!”

Our faith can be so unheroic, almost reluctant at times. Yet, it seems God can sometimes allow us to get ourselves into these situations so that He can prove himself, even when we had no intention of taking a leap of faith or making a stand so that He could receive glory. Is there an area of your life where you feel God is asking you to trust in Him today? Even if your faith feels as small as a mustard seed, turn to Him – turn and see what He can do.

Prayer

Lord, I confess that most of the time, I’m not in the mindset of taking these great risks for the sake of Your Name. Most of the time, I’d rather play it safe. Lord, help me to believe in You for greater things, in spite of myself. For your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joel 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 17:19-21: “Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’ 20 He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’”  

Questions to Consider

1. How does Jesus describe the faith required to do a miracle (v. 20)?
2. What does this say about just how little faith the disciples had (vv. 19-20)?
3. What does Jesus say can be done if we have faith (v. 20)? Is there something that you’ve written off as impossible that God may be asking you to reconsider today?

Notes

1. As small as a mustard seed.
2. It wasn’t just “not enough;” if it wasn’t even as big as a mustard seed, it was next to none.
3. Anything. Sometimes, daring to believe in God for something makes you vulnerable as there is fear of disappointment. But take heart; He wants to do more in our lives than we think.

Evening Reflection

As a result of meditating on God’s word throughout the day, was your outlook more hopeful?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from October 18-24 are provided by Kate Moon who serves as a missionary in E. Asia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ezra 7:11, 14, 25-26:  “This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and teacher, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel: . . . ‘You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand . . . And you are to teach any who do not know them [=God’s laws].  Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished . . .’”

Recently, in my free time, I’ve been working on putting together a set of MP3s (in the olden days called “making a mix”) to give as a gift to my sisters this Christmas (shhh, it’s a surprise).  There were these songs that we used to hear on the radio when we were little – we never fully caught or understood the lyrics; all we knew was that we thought they were hilarious –  and we would sing along, dance around, and laugh and laugh:  “Fernando” by ABBA (we liked the name), “Abracadabra” by Steve Miller Band (“I wanna reach out and grab ya” was the rhyming line), and “Sandy” from the Grease soundtrack (“Why-ay-ay-ay…”).

While it’s been fun to reminisce, as these songs have started getting stuck in my head, sometimes playing on endless repeat throughout the day, I’ve also been reminded of how we are called to be in the world but not so influenced that we get lost in it.  In today’s passage, it is challenging to read these words of a Gentile king who seems more interested that God’s law be kept than the people of Israel themselves had been.  The people of Israel had lost their nationhood precisely because they had continually disobeyed God’s law.  The law’s intent had been to set this people apart from the nations around them, but when they failed to keep it and remain distinct, God allowed them to be conquered and absorbed into those very surrounding nations.

Even in exile, though, some, like Ezra, made an effort to stay set apart.  It must not have been easy, living in an environment where the majority had no reason to care (what reason would Persians have to eschew shellfish or not work on the Sabbath?), yet Ezra was devoted to preserving his people’s identity in this foreign place, making sure they didn’t forget who they were.  Our hearts today, are our antennas more attuned to signals from the world around for keeping up, fitting in?  Or are they set on receiving from the Lord as we remember we belong to Him?

Prayer

Dear God, it is such a privilege to belong to You, to be one of Your people.  Help me to value being set apart for You, to treasure the commands that ask me to live differently.  Help me to love Your word more, to devote myself to obey.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joel 1

Lunch Break Study

Read John 17:14-17: I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Questions to Consider

1. How can the world view those who have the word of God (v. 14)?
2. What comfort can we receive from how Jesus describes his followers (vv. 14,16)?
3. What effect does God’s word have on His people (v. 17)? Have you experienced this?  In what ways is it better than being affected by the world?

Notes

1. The world can hate us. Good to be reminded so that we are not caught off-guard when we encounter opposition as we try to live by the word God has given us.
2. In not belonging to this world, we are like Jesus. When we are rejected by the world, it is comforting to remember that it is only to be expected because we are not from here.  Why should we try so hard to belong to a place that is not our true home?
3. God’s word purifies His people, cleansing them from sin. God’s word is truth, and the truth sets us free from sin and the lies of the Enemy.  The rules of this world, on the other hand, bind and enslave us.  Let’s proactively seek the freedom there is in living according to God’s word.

Evening Reflection

How was it today, living in this world?  What ideas was I exposed to?  Are there any I need to conscientiously reject because they are counter to godly principles?  Do so at this time, rejoicing in the knowledge that by doing so, you are maintaining the freedom that is yours in Christ Jesus.