May 21, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on March 19, 2020, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Imagine COVID-19 as God’s Judgment . . . Nah, It Ain’t So!”

James 4:6b

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Talk has already begun about whether the COVID-19 pandemic is a judgment from God. It’s a straightforward question that usually elicits an either/or response. To ISIS jihadists, the pandemic—“the plague,” as they call it—is “a torment sent by God on whomsoever He wills,” no doubt referring to the infidels. For them, COVID-19 is Allah’s judgment.

Contrast that with Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of a megachurch in Dallas and an ardent supporter of President Trump. In a recent message entitled “Is the Coronavirus a Judgment from God?” Jeffress said, “Many times illness is just a consequence of living in a fallen world.” That has to be the understatement of the decade, seeing that this particular “illness” is reshaping life as we have known it. Regardless, Jeffress does not believe the COVID-19 pandemic is God’s judgment. I wonder what he would have said if Hillary Clinton were President. I wouldn’t put it past him to sound more like John Hagee, another conservative Texas megachurch pastor, who declared the 2014 Ebola outbreak to be “God’s punishment for President Barack Obama’s Israel policy.”

What do you think?

Allow me to tinker with John Lennon’s famous song Imagine, in which the famed Beatle muses about a world with no heaven and no hell: “Imagine there’s no heaven; it’s easy if you try.” So I say, “Imagine COVID-19 as God’s judgment; it’s easy if you don’t cherry-pick verses from the Bible.”

And we don’t even need to rely on the Book of Revelation—with its cataclysmic end-time events—to recognize two important biblical truths about God and His judgment.

First, God can judge in the present—right now. Consider what the apostle Paul says about the persecutions and trials endured by the Thessalonian church: “Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God (dikaias kriseōs tou theou), that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” (2 Thess. 1:4–5 ESV).

Here, God’s judgment—inflicted on the Thessalonian church, the same church of which it was said that “the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians” (Acts 17:11a)—was carried out not by a virus but by “those who trouble you” (2 Thess. 1:6). And its purpose was to make the church more worthy of God’s kingdom.

Second, judgment begins not with the unbelieving world (in contrast to the outlook of ISIS jihadists) but with the church. Peter declares, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4:17 NIV 1984).

So, Mr. Ryun Chang, what sin of the church do you have in mind?

This past Monday, during a long layover at O’Hare, I put on my hoodie, laid my forehead on a table, and—with worship music softly playing through my headphones—prayed rather desperately. (Maybe being in an airport during a global crisis had something to do with it.) As I grappled with what this pandemic was doing to our country, it suddenly dawned on me that, at least in the American context, this could be God’s judgment on the church for its unmitigated arrogance.

Immediately I recalled a short video clip a pastor friend in Malaysia sent me. In it, a Caucasian pastor from the U.S. recounts a conversation with 22 underground church leaders in China. They had traveled three days by train to reach the training site—a small room with hard wooden floors—meeting from 8 AM to 5 PM for several days. Concerned for his own safety, the speaker asked, “If we get caught, what will happen to me?” They replied, “You will be deported in 24 hours; we will go to prison for three years.” Eighteen of them had already been imprisoned for their faith.

At the end of the training, the pastor asked, “How can I pray for you before I return to America?” They answered, “You can gather like this anytime you want in America, but we can’t. Could you pray that one day we can be just like you?” The speaker looked at them and said, “I will not do that.” They asked, “Why?” His response:

“You rode a train for 13 hours to get here; in my country, if people have to drive more than an hour, they don’t come. You sat on a wooden floor for three days; in my country, if people have to sit more than 40 minutes, they leave. You sat here without air-conditioning; in my country, if it’s not padded pews and AC, people don’t come back. In my country, we have on average two Bibles per family, but we don’t read any of them. You hardly have any Bibles and you memorize Scripture from scraps of paper. I will not pray that you become like us. I will pray that we become like you.”

The clip came with no date, but I suspect it happened years ago. Many Chinese churches today look more like churches in the West. Perhaps with the rapid rise of persecution in China, many believers there may once again worship God with all their hearts.

But what about us evangelicals in America—so eager to feel “in” with mainstream culture through our concert-like worship services (singing songs about God rather than to Him), our fixation on social justice (rather than the justice of God obtained solely through faith in Christ), or our total disdain for Donald Trump—or total devotion to him? Let’s admit it: we are full of ourselves.

After 9/11, several conservative pastors declared the attacks to be God’s judgment on America for embracing moral liberalism. Jeffress, for instance, saw the unprecedented attack as “God’s judgment upon America for the sins of abortion.” That may well have been the case, but their response was out of order. Before pointing fingers at others, believers—recognizing that God cleans His own house first—should “humble themselves and pray and seek [God’s] face and turn from their wicked ways” (2 Chron. 7:14a).

As I wrapped up my prayer, I sensed another inner prompting: “Hey Ryun—of whom someone once said you have ‘a PhD in PowerPoint’—stop hiding your lack of spirituality behind your slides.” Arrogance has been in my heart for a while, and I believe this conversation with the Lord has only begun.

Prayer: Lord, above all else, get us to repent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Really. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Peter 3

Lunch Break Study

Jeremiah 31:31-34: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Questions to Consider

How is the New Covenant different from the Old Covenant?
According to v. 32, what was deficient in the Old Covenant?
How does God describe Himself to His people in the Old and New Covenants?

Notes

In the New Covenant, the Lord would write the law on the hearts of His people, not just in the Book of the Law. Furthermore, neighbor and brother would not need to be exhorted to “Know the Lord,” for all shall know Him, from the least to the greatest.
Since the Old Covenant could be broken by the people, its continual establishment depended on whether or not men obeyed. Given the sinful nature of the people, it was doomed to be insufficient from the beginning.
“Husband” (v. 32) and “their God” (v. 34).

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. What evidence is there that God has given you a new heart? In what area do you still need the transforming work of God? Invite the Holy Spirit to continue the work of transforming your heart.

*Prepared by Pastor Jason Sato (first posted on December 8, 2013).

May 20, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, originally posted on July 16, 2020, was written by Andy Kim. Andy is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“We Must See!”

2 Kings 6:15-17

When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

“2020 vision”

Companies rallied behind this overused mantra believing that 2020 would be the year of clarity and new breakthroughs. Yet no one could have anticipated the events unfolding today. Instead of a year of moving forward, it seems we haven’t moved very much. If anything, we have moved backwards as we have been inundated with tumultuous events no one saw coming. And in response, we can become, like the servant in our passage today, so fixated on the events themselves that we lose sight of God. Thus, more than ever before, we need to pray as Elisha prayed for his servant: “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.”

Matthew 6:22-23 describes the eye as the lamp of the body. Simply put, if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light and vice versa. This is to say, how and what we see has a direct impact on the state of our being. For the servant, his circumstances compromised his vision because he could only see the looming threat of the Syrian army and this left him trapped in his own fear.

Likewise, when we see all the events happening around us, what do we see? For some, we would rather choose to look away blinded by our own apathy and distractions. Maybe for some, they are too near-sighted, thereby being lost in their own immediate needs; for others, they are too far-sighted, thereby focusing only on what’s to come. And in our passage this morning we see that a compromised vision can often lead us to fear; yet a vision clearly fixated on God always leads us to faith and hope.

This morning, we must pray as Elisha did, “O Lord, please open our eyes that we may see.” Before we hear what social and mainstream media has to say about our world, may we start each day by praying “O Lord, please open my eyes that I may see.” And as we pray, may we see the mountain full of horses and chariots of the Lord’s hand and how He is working even in the midst of this. May we not react to what we see but respond to what He reveals to us in faith.

Prayer: O Lord, please open our eyes that we may see. Forgive us that we often react to things out of fear and make decisions based on fear. Thank You that in the midst of all of us this You are in complete control. We put our trust and hope in You.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Peter 2

Lunch Break Study

Philippians 3:7-11: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Questions to Consider

What does Paul mean “but whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ”?
For Paul, losing everything, including his many accolades, was worth it. Why?
During this time, what does it look like for us to know Christ?

Notes

In the verses before, Paul outlines his many accolades that point to his legalistic righteousness. Paul reminds us our righteousness before God is not and cannot ever be based on our own doing but can only come through Christ.
For the sake of knowing Christ. Notice here that Paul does not say for the sake of “doing” things for Christ, but simply knowing him. Paul experiences a relationship with Christ based on grace and this makes everything else he had done dim in comparison. For Paul, knowing Christ was far greater than doing things for Christ.
Personal Reflection. Paul calls our attention to this relationship between knowing him and sharing in his sufferings. What does it mean for us to share in his sufferings as well?

Evening Reflection

Recently, I read an article about the burden leaders have to carry during this time. In addition to balancing their marriages and families, they must also lead the church and our members. More than ever, leaders are called to discern truth in the midst of all the noise happening around them. We need more Elishas who can pray for our leaders to have a clear vision focused on Him. Spend some time praying for your leaders. Pray they would continue to persevere to have eyes of faith.

May 19, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was originally posted on July 6, 2020. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“We Need to Hear from God”

Exodus 3:1-10

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

“In the progress of God’s redemptive work, communication advances into communion, and communion into union. When the progression is complete we can truly say, “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20) . . .”

– Dallas Willard, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God)

Whether we want to acknowledge it or not – our society is still in the middle of a crisis (the pandemic isn’t over just because we’ve decided we are tired of being inside and want to go to the beach). We find ourselves in the midst of a critical, chaotic, and catalytic moment. Long-standing race-based violence and discrimination is front and center in public discourse. For many, the precarious and contingent nature of our life feels palpable as the ever evolving and painfully persistent COVID19 pandemic drudges on. Folks are angry, grieved, fearful, frustrated, indignant, and even apathetic as many of us remain home bound and largely isolated.

Our lives have been profoundly interrupted and things, to put it mildly, are not as they should be. Many are scrambling to re-assemble furloughed careers while others are aching for the healing of wounded hearts. Still others, eager to make right the world’s sin-sick structures, are allied with those choosing to resist and wondering how in the world are we to imagine and make manifest a new way of life together. These are hard realities. And, yes, things are a mess. But as people who worship a God who sits high and looks low and holds the whole world in Divine hands, we can take comfort in knowing that God is on the scene and God is at work – right here and right now. And we need to hear from God.

When Moses saw that things were not as they should be – a bush ablaze yet unconsumed – he made a critical choice: He turned aside. Instead of resenting the interruption and insisting on “getting back to normal life” (whatever that means), Moses stopped in his tracks and turned all his attention to what was before him. As he did, he walked into one of the greatest God-encounters recorded in the Biblical text and was invited to partner with God in one of the greatest redemptive moves on this side of heaven (the Exodus).

If we want to hear from God, we have to be interruptible. If we want to partner with God, we have to be willing to turn aside, discerning God’s voice and following God’s lead. Only then did God call Moses by name and invite him into relational intimacy and ultimately into world-transforming partnership. And only then will we hear from God and have the privilege of partnering with God in the holy work of redemption in our day.

God is always busy at the work of restoration and redemption all around us. Will we join? Will we choose God today in the midst of interruption – fixing our eyes on all that should-not-be around us (learning and engaging) and listening for God’s voice (discerning and partnering) in the midst of it all?

Prayer: God, give me the courage to turn aside and look to You today. Interrupt my plans this day and draw me into Your presence. As you do, may the flows of my life that are not aligned with Your redemptive work in the world also be interrupted. May Your heart become my heart and Your work become my Work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Peter 1

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 63:1-5: You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Questions to Consider

In v. 1, how does the psalmist describe his hunger for God? How does this align with how you imagine your own need for God each day?
Why is it important that the psalmist talks about ways he’s experienced God in vv.2-3? What are some ways you’ve experienced God’s presence, power, and glory?
What commitments does the psalmist make in these verses? Why are these important? In what ways might God be calling you to make your own commitments and walk therein?

Notes

The psalmist describes his hunger as deep desperation and dependence.
In the midst of difficult times, it’s easy to forget the things God has already done. But it’s those very things that give us the courage to trust in God and hope for God’s deliverance. Because we have seen what God can do, we are more confident in what God will do.
The psalmist commits to praise and worship of God. He also commits to being satisfied by God. Instead of committing only to doing things for God, the psalmist commits also and first to relational intimacy with God. Our doing for God must flow out of our being with God.

Evening Reflection

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).

Spend a few moments meditating again on the verse above. Do these words reflect the desires of your heart? If not, why do you think not? If yes, how are you responding (i.e. how are you seeking and communing with God?) Discuss these things with God.

May 18, Monday

UPDATED Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on January 1, 2019, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Culturally Sensitive, Biblically Faithful Responses in a Post-Truth America”

Matthew 10:16 (ESV)

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

1 Peter 3:15^b(NIV)

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect . . .”

Last year (2018), one of my children sent me the biographical-information section of a Harvard application, thinking it would amuse me. It certainly did, for the application states, “We understand that gender identity can be expressed in a variety of ways.” Each applicant is then given several choices of personal pronouns by which to identify one’s gender, including “his,” “hers,” “zim,” “they,” and “theirs.” If language is indeed a representational system, then what these pronouns are made to signify fails to convey the right meaning. And if grammar still counts for something, using third-person singular or plural pronouns to stand for a first-person singular subject is incorrect, no matter how one feels inside.

So what happens when the protocol of addressing a student by his or her preferred gender is not followed—at least in public schools? A Virginia high-schoolteacher was recently fired for refusing to call a transgender student by the student’s preferred pronouns. The principal who dismissed him said, “I can’t think of a worse way to treat a child.” The fired teacher, however, said that his Christian faith prevented him from addressing the student as a male when the student had been identified as female the previous year.

Seeing these seismic sociocultural changes, I wonder what E. V. Hill—the late African-American pastor from Los Angeles who spoke at my college commencement in 1984—would say today. Whatever disturbing changes Hill witnessed 35 years ago prompted him to quote Psalm 11:3 in his speech: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” In no uncertain terms, the changes back then pale in comparison to what is unfolding today. Make no mistake: what we are witnessing now—redefining marriage and family, extreme tribalism that breaks with e pluribus unum (“out of many, one”), and more—is the deconstruction of the most fundamental building blocks of any society, let alone Western society, established by God (Ps. 24:1).

So then, what do we say to our kids when they think their parents are as unkind as that teacher—more concerned about the repercussions of a drastic cultural shift than about the feelings of transgender individuals? What do we say to coworkers or classmates who believe we are simply intolerant and hateful when we refuse to conform to political correctness? If ever there was a time for believers to heed Jesus’ words—“Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves”—it is now, in what has already become a post-Christian America in academia, the media, and Hollywood. Truth be told, the sociopolitical views of Christians who are more enamored with social justice than with the justice of God (Rom. 1:17) are shaped more by this trifecta of cultural institutions—which disproportionately influence public discourse—than by the Bible, which they read selectively.

Here, Jesus underscores the importance of being tactful—“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders” (Col. 4:5a)—while not “distort[ing] the word of God… but setting forth the truth plainly” (2 Cor. 4:2). If our responses err on the side of being culturally tone-deaf or insensitive, we greatly diminish our credibility and relevance when appealing to a secular or post-Christian world with the gospel; indeed, such a world will turn hostile. However, if our responses misrepresent God’s eternal truth—which does not change with time—we end up with a flawed message that does more harm than good, both spiritually and socially, to what is fast becoming a rudderless and anchorless America.

Amid these tectonic cultural shifts, we must think critically so that we are “always… prepared to give [a culturally sensitive and biblically valid] answer” (1 Pet. 3:15) to those who undermine God’s established order. We must try—for the sake of our children and for those around us who are indifferent or hostile to Scripture and a biblical worldview. We need to remove these roadblocks so that they can clearly hear the gospel: “That [they] may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [they] may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31). Let us make the rest of this year a year of reaching out to the spiritually lost and culturally confused.

Prayer: Father, perhaps every generation has felt this way, but I believe we are living in the most unhinged moment, when everything You have placed in order is being questioned and discarded. It concerns me and frightens me at the same time. Give me wisdom, knowledge, and boldness to be both culturally sensitive and biblically faithful as a witness in a world that no longer fears You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 4

Lunch Break Study

1 Peter 3:15-16: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

Questions to Consider

In ancient Rome, people looking for reasons to malign Christians slandered them as immoral (e.g., incestuous for loving “brothers and sisters,” cannibals for “eating the flesh of Jesus”) and unpatriotic. In light of that, what unflattering things are said about Bible-believing Christians today? What have you personally heard?
What are we instructed to do in anticipation of being slandered by the world for our Christian faith?
What does Paul assume may happen when someone who is curious about our faith hears our reasonable responses? What does that imply for us at a personal level?

Notes

Typical charges include: “homophobic” for dissenting from same-sex marriage; “Islamophobic” for correlating terrorism with certain segments within global Islam; “xenophobic” or even “racist” for not supporting illegal immigration or open borders; “closed-minded” or “unenlightened” for upholding the exclusivity of Christ for salvation, and so on.
The apostle Paul commands believers to prepare adequate responses in advance, anticipating questions from both earnest seekers and slanderers of the Christian faith. This requires study on our part. We are also instructed to respond with gentleness and respect.
In verse 17, Paul assumes that some who ask questions will not be satisfied and will continue to slander. In response, we are told to “suffer for Christ”—to endure mistreatment for doing what is right, not for doing something criminal. Jesus likewise said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (Jn. 15:18).

Evening Reflection

A psalmist laments, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” (Ps. 79:10a); and again, “My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (Ps. 42:3).

As you look back on what you heard or read today, do you recall anything that slandered the character of God the Father, Jesus the Son, or Scripture itself? What does your typical response to such things reveal about your own faith? If you are not offended by these slanders (not that you should respond in extreme or violent ways), what does that indicate?

As you reflect, ask the Lord to show you whether you are being wise. Commit yourself to equipping your mind with culturally sensitive and biblically faithful responses so that you may better represent God’s interests in the world.

May 17, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on February 24, 2019, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.

“Speaking Before Others“

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Exodus 6:30

But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”

As a pastor, I preach a few times a month now, but it wasn’t long ago that I was incredibly fearful of public speaking. I remember when I first told my mom about feeling called to ministry about 12 years ago, one of the first things she said (in Chinese) was, “But you’re so scared of talking in front of people.” She was right, of course. A couple of years after that, I was tasked with the simple assignment of giving announcements at services on a regular basis. The first time I was frightened despite preparing for hours. But even after doing it dozens of times later, giving announcements would give me so much anxiety. You can guess how I felt then when I was asked to preach.

I can only imagine how Moses felt as he was called to speak before Pharaoh. Whereas I was being asked to speak before a friendly and receptive church crowd, Moses, on the other hand, was going before a king who likely thought of himself as a god and demanding that he do something that was completely against his own self-interests. Pharaoh was a one man hostile crowd. On top of this, Moses was being asked to go to Pharaoh for the second time, after having been harshly rejected the first time. I think we can all understand why Moses tells God that he isn’t capable.

Speaking about God to others, friendly or hostile, can be nerve-wracking. The reason Moses struggled—and the reason many of us struggle—is that when we stand before others to speak, we feel the spotlight. We can sense all of the eyes fixed on us, looking at us and hearing us, like everyone is noticing all of our weaknesses. Just like many of us, Moses in this moment is reacting out of his insecurity.

So how do we overcome our insecurities and fear of speaking before others? My solution was and is still… worship. Whenever we’re faced with our insecurity or inadequacy, the answer is to take our eyes off of ourselves and direct them to God. It can be frightening to speak to others about Jesus, but if in those moments, we can remember who we are speaking for through worship, we can speak with confidence knowing that it is not about us, but it is about Him.

Most of us are not preaching from the pulpit this Lord’s day, but all of us have opportunities to speak about Jesus to others. Whether we speak to 300 people or to one, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and find the strength to speak boldly for His name’s sake.

Prayer: Jesus, give me a heart of worship this today. Help me to fix my eyes on You and not myself, and give me the words and the boldness to proclaim Your Name to others. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 3

May 16, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on February 16, 2019. Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“No More Excuses!”

Exodus 4:10-17

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Join me in a brief thought experiment: What would it look like if you followed God every time you felt His direction, urging, or conviction? Or if you were to say “yes” to God every time you felt like He was prompting you to do something, no matter how crazy or not? Just think about that for a moment. Imagine if you did that each day of your life. What would happen? I think we would see God at work in ways we could never imagine; we would see signs and wonders that demonstrate the power of God. More bluntly, we would see God in our lives.

However, we as human beings have a marvelous talent—making excuses: “Why didn’t I wash the dishes last night? Oh, I was tired and the game was on”; “I really wanted to go watch that one movie”; or “I had that one assignment I hadn’t finished yet.” We always have an excuse to push off something we know needs to be done. Most of us are master excuse makers. It’s like it’s hard-wired into our beings. Unfortunately, it is hard-wired into us to an extent because of our sinfulness. Think about Adam and Eve: as soon as they ate from the tree, they immediately made excuses—“It wasn’t MY fault!”

The same goes with our relationship with God. We listen to a sermon on Sunday and feel the Spirit tugging at our hearts, but we quickly write it off: “Oh, that’s just not practical”; “I’m not in a season where I can do that right now”; “Maybe later”; or “I just don’t think it’s wise for me to do that right now.” So many excuses! This is what Moses did in our passage for today. God called him to speak to Pharaoh in order to set the Israelites free, but Moses kept pushing back: “Send someone else! I can’t do this!” Unfortunately for Moses, God relented and Moses’ role was split with his brother Aaron. Moses to an extent missed out on something God wanted to do through him.

May we never live in regret at missing out on what God wants to do through us! Since we all who believe in Jesus have received the Spirit, God wants to use ALL of us. Let’s not be a people of excuses but a people who say “YES” to the Lord. Remember that thought experiment, and let’s pray for that to be a reality in our lives!

Prayer: Lord, help me to stop making excuses. I do it every day. I make excuses to limit my prayer and Bible reading, to limit the time I spend with You. Please forgive me for that. May I respond to You and Your presence without hesitation. Use me, Lord, for Your purposes! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 1-2

May 15, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on January 20, 2020, was written by Pastor Phil Chen. Phil pastors the newly planted Pillar Church in Houston.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Third-Option Amid Divisive Times”

Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

“We live in divisive times.”

I’ve heard this statement far more times this year than I can count. Certainly, there is a lot of division and I don’t anticipate it to decrease but rather increase as the year progresses. Unfortunately, we’ve seen that the Church is not exempt from this divisiveness despite Jesus interceding for the Church in the High Priestly Prayer (John 17), in which he petitions the Father that the Church would be one. Of course, unity does not mean conformity in thought nor does it mean agreement in all things; but perhaps Romans 12:10 gives us a directive on how we can still come together in unity.

The biblical directive in this verse is devotion in the ways we love one another and preference towards others by the way we show honor. This is a difficult task, particularly with those with whom we disagree. It gets more difficult in the climate we are in with heightened anger, fear and disillusionment. But the Church must find a way to uphold this directive. We are in desperate need of peacemakers and bridge-builders in this hour.

Pastor Miles McPherson, his book The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation, says “God’s Third Option invites us to honor that which we have in common, the presence of His image in every person we meet. When we honor the presence of His image in others, we acknowledge their priceless value as precious and beloved of God. The Third Option empowers us to see people through God’s eyes, which enables us to treat them in a manner that honors the potential of His image in us.” This is to say, when we choose to honor others (especially those with whom we disagree), we are asking God for the ability to see people through God’s eyes.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to this command, to love and honor others, is the spirit of offense. Offense is the biggest hindrance to honor. When someone offends us, all we can focus is their shortcomings and faults to the point that we leave no room for honor. One of my friends put it this way: “Offense kills our ability to love. You can’t love someone with whom you are offended, which is why we are commanded by God to prioritize reconciliation, forgive those who wrong us, and love our enemies. Being easily offended is a sign of immaturity and lack of character.”

I find this to be true in my life. Whenever I am offended, my temptation and tendency is to become defensive and reject anything and everything that comes out of that person. I speak out against the spirit of offense because I have seen its deceptive and destructive ways in my own life as well as the lives of many in this country.

Brothers and Sisters, we are going to see and hear more things that are offensive and repulsive to us in so many ways. We will be tempted to hold onto offense and either lash out or hold onto unforgiveness. The spirit of offense is one of Satan’s greatest tactics to divide the Church. Let’s recognize the ways of the enemy and stand against it. When we struggle, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be devoted to one another in love and to give honor to others. It’s definitely not easy, but may the Holy Spirit empower us to “walk with humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

Prayer: Father, help us to be devoted to one another in love. Help us to honor one another before ourselves. We need the power of your Holy Spirit. Come and change us and revive our hearts. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 6

Lunch Break Study

Ephesians 4:1-7 (ESV): I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Questions to Consider

What characteristics in this passage are we encouraged to emulate?
In what way does this Unity look like?
How can I promote unity within my local church body or even the local churches within my city?

Notes

1. Paul encourages the believers to be humble, gentle, patient, and bearing with one another in love. We also see an emphasis to maintain unity. Paul encourages us to be “eager” to maintain the unity of the Spirit. Particularly towards the Body of Christ, we are to desire unity.

2. Unity does not necessarily mean that all churches should become one, but rather than we remember the one Lord that we are called under. We remember the one Father God who is overall, through all, and in all. We are united under the banner of Christ.

3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

Think about anyone toward whom you may have bitterness and unforgiveness. Take a moment and bring them before God and ask for the courage to forgive. Even if the feelings of forgiveness are not fully there yet, it is a declaration to God that you have surrendered the right to condemn them in your heart. Pray a prayer of blessing upon them and ask God for peace. May God continue to cleanse our hearts and make us whole.

May 14, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 18, 2020, is provided by Joel Park. Joel is the Young Adult Pastor at Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Hope Rooted in God’s Promises”

Ezra 1:1-4 (ESV)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: [2] “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. [3] Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. [4] And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

My apartment has a package delivery problem. For some reason, about a quarter of anything that gets shipped to my building either goes missing or is delayed. Some of it, I’m sure is due to package theft, but that doesn’t account for everything. I’m sure you can relate to this frustration—at its root it’s the frustration felt from a broken promise, an unmet expectation.

On a more serious note, so far 2020 feels like a year of broken promises and unmet expectations. The hopefulness in January that comes with New Year’s resolutions and spiritual convictions has most certainly changed or has disappeared altogether. While our journey so far has only lasted six months, there are some connections to be made with the exiled Israelites who spent years living out their own 2020s and worse.

It is commonly held that king Cyrus’ proclamation took place in 538 BC. A complete 70 years after the first deportation in 608 BC, which tracks with Jeremiah 29:10’s promise. In fact, all of Jeremiah’s prophecies from verses 10-14 find their fulfillment here in Ezra! Certainly, God fulfilling prophecy isn’t new. But the staggering thing about this passage is the magnitude of the prophecy. The exile was the penultimate punishment for Israel—the result of decades of sin and rebellion. Yet the promise of restoration is wholly fulfilled here. What an incredible display of faithfulness!

If God is faithful to His promises about exile and restoration (going so far as to use a pagan king to fulfill Jeremiah’s prophecy), how much more then will God keep His promises to us? Like the exiled Israelites, we have the greatest of assurances—the Word. Our hope in this moment doesn’t come from our circumstances, political movements, or vaccines. It comes from God Himself, delivered through his Word, and experienced through the Spirit. Hopelessness is a choice we make by putting our trust in the fallible and not in the divine. We choose to hold on to God’s promises because the Word is our guarantee; and that hasn’t changed this year.

So, what are some of the promises and hopes you had back in January? Let’s reflect on some of those promises and ground them upon the truth found in the Word. Let that be your hope this morning because our God is a promise keeper.

Prayer: God, I declare that You are faithful to Your promises and Word. I declare that my hope is not in anything this world offers, but in You alone. All of the promises and hopes I had, I choose to root them in your Word. I ask for strength, humility, and grace as I continue to trust in You and Your Word.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 5

Lunch Break Study

Luke 4:16-20 (ESV): And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. [17] And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, [18] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” [20] And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. [21] And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Questions to Consider

1. Are the hopes and desires you have actually biblical? If so, what are some of the reasons why you occasionally lose hope in their fulfillment?

2. According to Isaiah, what are the promises Christ is supposed to fulfill? Do we see these things happening? Why or why not?

3. If Scripture is living and active, do we see it being fulfilled in our lives now?

Notes

1. The scene described in the above passage takes place right after Jesus is tempted and officially begins his ministry. While the people of Nazareth are initially impressed with Jesus, they quickly turn on him—highlighting the difference between how we might want God to fulfill promises vs. how God actually fulfills those promises.

2. Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 61:1:2a. The Israelites back in Isaiah’s time and up to this moment would have had a different perspective of this prophecy’s fulfillment. Jesus does not negate Isaiah, but proclaims he is the ultimate fulfillment. That is to say, Christ embodies the ultimate promises of God and their fulfillment. A relationship with and a correct understanding of Christ is required.

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Why do we often act and feel as though God is not sovereign? Like Ezra’s life, our lives will be fruitful if we take time to read and meditate on God’s Word. And when we obey the Word, as Ezra did, we’ll enjoy a closer relationship with God. And when we know and love the God who has promised to never forsake us, we’ll have the same courage that Ezra had to commit himself to God’s Word.

Dwell on that thought as we offer up a prayer to the Lord before turning in for the night.

May 13, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, originally posted on July 15, 2020, was written by Andy Kim. Andy is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“We Must Sing.”

2 Chronicles 20:18-22

Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice…21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.

Sunday worship is no longer the same. No more donuts and coffee, greeters to welcome you, a praise band to uplift you, or even the fellowship afterwards. But, perhaps, what I miss the most is hearing everyone sing together. Sadly, as worship becomes confined to a screen over Zoom, we see less people praising God. I suppose it’s a bit awkward to hear your own voice especially when you don’t have a band to drown it out. And yet in our passage this morning, God reveals to His people the importance of praising and signing, that is, the importance of worship.

Imagine being surrounded by your enemies with nowhere to go, feeling scared, trapped, and hopeless. But rather than planning their escape or plotting their battle strategy, the passage shows us that they “fell down before the Lord, worshipping Him…praising the Lord with a very loud voice.” They started to sing that led to the realization that the battle belonged to the Lord—which is precisely what the Israelites did when they marched around the walls of Jericho. Singing comforted them in His presence, as it did for Paul and Silas trapped in a dark cell where the presence of God overwhelmed the entire prison as they sang. “And when they began to sing and praise”, the Lord delivered them—for in their worship, God revealed His power to rescue them.

A while back, I attended a memorial service in which a leader led us through a well-known Gospel Spiritual. The melodies and lines were so simple, yet full of so much perspective, presence, and power. As I listened and sang along, I could not help but feel my soul being lifted.

For many of us, we can often feel helpless and trapped especially in this season of our lives. And as we pray and reflect on the many injustices happening in our world today, may we start by singing to Him and to ourselves. May we take every opportunity we have to sing unto Him.

We must sing.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for the gift of worship. We worship You not because of what You do, but because of who You are. You are worthy of our worship. We thank You that we can sing to You no matter where we are or what we’re going through. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 4

Lunch Break Study

Colossians 3:12-17: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Questions to Consider

What does Paul mean to “put on” the virtues outlined in the passage?
Why is it important for us to put on these virtues?
Reflect on your relationship to your church. What does it look like for you to “put on” these virtues? Where have you fallen short?

Notes

The word “put on” is used in the sense of putting on one’s clothes. As we put on clothes everyday, as believers we must also put on these virtues daily. Notice here, Paul puts the burden on the believer to have these virtues rather than expecting it of others.
Paul notes, we “put on” as God’s chosen ones; holy and beloved mean that these virtues are the fruit of our understanding that we have been loved by God. Warren Wiersbe writes, “If a believer is out of fellowship with another believer, it is because one or both of them have gotten out of fellowship with God.” Therefore, just as Christ committed to us, we must be committed to one another for the sake of unity in the church.
Personal Reflection and prayer.

Evening Reflection

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Spend a few moments singing a song unto him. Start with turning on a worship song and follow along. Perhaps, even sing a new song unto him that comes from your heart. Allow Him to minister to you in worship. Ask that the Lord would give you a new song even in this season.

May 12, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 17, 2020, is provided by Jon Kim. At the time, Jon was overseeing the college group at Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Faith That God Commends: It’s Not What You Think”

Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

During this season of increasing awareness of our nation’s racism, God has led me to check my own racial bias. During this process, I have also been led to check my bias in other areas of life. What do I value in myself and in others that is not aligned with God’s values?

This morning’s passage is part of the famous “Hall of Faith” chapter. (I’d encourage you to read it in full when you get a chance.) When we read this chapter, we are inspired and convicted to live by faith. We are reminded of the great victories and deliverances that were experienced “by faith”. It was through faith that these men and women acted in accordance to the great promises of God. What an inspiration they are to the Church today!

However, we often stop short of verses 36b-38. In these verses we are reminded of the suffering and persecution experienced by other people of faith. Now, the author doesn’t give the names of these people, meaning they are not remembered or honored in the same way as the likes of David, Abraham, Noah and Sarah; they are seemingly forgotten. Nevertheless, verse 39 tells us that “these were all commended for their faith”—referring to unnamed saints whose stories of heroic faith we will never know in detail. But we know this much about their faith: They experienced victory and breakthrough as well as death and persecution.

Applying this finding to today’s world, these unknown and underappreciated believers in Hebrews 11 are like the black brothers and sisters in the Lord whose heroic faith the history never recorded; that is to say, their voices were never heard. Regardless, all of these people are part of the “Hall of Faith”.

So, do you attribute hardships and suffering to a lack of faith? Sure, your suffering could be a consequence of your sin and poor decisions, but not always; your suffering could, in fact, be due to living by faith. Answer this question: Who are you drawn to “commend” for their faith? Do you commend only those who experience triumph and flourishing? Do you overlook those who are suffering for their faith? Perhaps we are conditioned by American Christianity to celebrate, as the heroes of faith, only those who lead megachurches and have written many books, or who have the most Tweetable quotes. Let us discern whether this is the kind of faith that God or the world commends. In the meantime, let us pursue that faith—though unrecognized and beset with suffering—which the Lord commends!

Prayer: Dear Lord, would You give me the grace to live a life of faith. In times of suffering may I remember the saints who have gone before me; those whom the world may not remember, but whose faith You have commended. If I am discouraged when my life looks unimpressive, remind me that my life is only to please You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 3

Lunch Break Study

1 Samuel 16:6-13: When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Context: This is when The Lord commands Samuel to anoint a new king of Israel.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did Samuel believe Eliab was the Lord’s anointed and why did the Lord say he was wrong?

2. Why was David overlooked?

3. Why did the Lord choose David? (See 1 Samuel 13:14.)

4. In what ways do you wrongly judge yourself, others, or even the gospel message itself— similar to how Samuel misjudged?

Notes

1. Samuel assumed Eliab was the Lord’s anointed because of his impressive appearance and stature. The Lord tells Samuel that what he cares about is the heart, not outward appearance.

2. David was the youngest, and likely did not have a strong physical stature like the others did.

3. David was a man after God’s own heart.

4. Personal reflection

Evening Reflection

Considering this morning’s quiet time, when you experience “light affliction”, do you grumble, or do you joyfully trust God? Some trust and obey God and He grant spectacular results; others trust and obey the same mighty God and He allows them to endure horrific trials—but in His strength. The difference is not in the people or in their faith, but in God’s sovereign purpose in each situation.

We, who live in the New Testament era, know the same God whom these Old Testament saints knew. Actually, we know Him better because we know Christ personally, for Jesus said, “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well” (Jn. 14:7a). Therefore, and more so, we should trust God the Father as they did in the Old Testament. Pray to that end before going to sleep.