June 24, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT devotional, originally posted on September 23, 2020, is provided by Joe Suh. Joe is the Leader Pastor of Canvas City Church in Philadelphia

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Give It All Away”

Philippians 2:3-11: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I recently read an article about Charles “Chuck” Feeney.  At the age of 89 he accomplished his life’s goal.  Mr. Feeney was a billionaire and co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers.  His life goal was to give away all his money to charity before he died.  His desire was to be broke by the time he passed.  Over the past four decades Mr. Feeney has donated over $8 billion dollars to charities, universities and foundations all around the world.  More astonishing is that he did so anonymously.  At no point did he want the recognition of donating to the charities.  This act earned him the nickname of the “James Bond of Philanthropy”.

I am not sure if Mr. Feeney is a believer or not, but his heart of giving is definitely impressive.  His thought was that he didn’t want to wait until he died to pass on his wealth because there were major problems now and they needed addressing.

In today’s passage we see Paul reminding us of what Mr. Feeney had done all his life.  To do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.  To have humility and think of others before we think of ourselves.  Ultimately to look out for the interest of others before our own.  To serve others before we ourselves are served.

Mr. Feeney was a successful businessman and truly one of a kind when it came to his giving.  He was looking out for the interest of others and all the while remaining humble as he did so.  The fact that he gave anonymously for all those years is truly a testament to his humility.  

Paul uses the greatest person as his example in this passage.  He tells us to have the same attitude as Jesus when it comes to thinking of and serving others.  Jesus emptied Himself and became a man.  He humbled Himself to the point of death so that all of us would have life.  

Being a servant is more about “being” than it is about “doing”.  I think sometimes we tend to look for that one big experience where we can demonstrate our faithfulness to God, demonstrate our servanthood by giving of ourselves in some heroic fashion. But in reality that is not usually how it happens. In reality, it happens in the small, every day, somewhat uneventful occurrences of our lives.

This attitude, this mindset of serving others instead of being served, of giving rather than getting, of obeying rather than dominating is lived out in our day to day lives.  It is really about serving others, not because we have to, but because it is who we are.  We are able to live for something so much more.

If we truly follow the example of Jesus, our hearts will be full and we will do all we can to think of others before we think of ourselves.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your son Jesus as an example of what it is to serve others.  I pray that my heart and attitude would reflect what it is to selflessly give and serve others.  Give me opportunities to grow in this area of my life and really live it out as Jesus did.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 34

Lunch Study Break

Romans 12:10-13 (NASB): Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Questions to Consider

  1. To whom are we to be devoted and how are we to be devoted?
  2. Why does Paul exhort the people to love one another in brotherly love?
  3. How does this passage resonate with or convict your heart?

Notes

  1. We are to be devoted to one another.  This would mean everyone.  We are to be devoted in brotherly love (v.10). What is meant by brotherly love is a familial type of love—a love that is sacrificial, unconditional and real.
  2. As believers we are all members of God’s family.  Though we may not know each other, by virtue of our belief in God we are all family.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ.  So as members of one family we are called to love each other, to care for each other and pray for each other.  We are to give to each other and serve one another as best we can.
  3. Personal response. 

Evening Reflection

As you wind down from the day, take some time to pray through what it means to serve your fellow brothers and sisters.  Are you able to serve those you do not even know?  Can you give with humility and compassion?  As the Holy Spirit to reveal people that God may want you to serve.

June 23, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 27, 2020, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson serves in E. Asia as a missionary.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Proclaim the Lord’s Death Until He Comes”

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult period of time for Providence Church. While no one became sick, it was difficult for many people because they were not able to go home to see family or go out to make friends. Many people were completely isolated at home with no physical support system. 

Switching to online service was also difficult for many members because many of them enjoyed fellowship at church. Our members went from worshipping with a crowd to worshipping by themselves in front of a computer. Many people complained about the lack of feeling and we could not wait for the pandemic to pass.

However, despite our complaining, God worked mightily in his environment. Because our services were online, people started to ask if they could invite their family members, who lived in other provinces, to attend the online service. For many of these people, it was their first time hearing the gospel and attending church. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, three people were saved through our online services, and we were able to baptize 10 people post-pandemic. As John 5:17 says, “…”My Father is always at his work to this very day…”

In yesterday’s quiet time, we learned that communion is not single-dimensioned, but it is a multi-dimensioned sacrament that reminds us of the death of our lord, the hope that is to come, and the need for reconciliation with our brothers and sisters. In continuation with the same theme, I would like to focus on the outward dimension.

In verse 26, Paul says, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, “proclaim” means to announce officially or publicly. Taking of the bread and the cup is an outward proclamation to the world that we are joining in God’s work. What work are we joining?

Philippians 2:6-8 reminds us, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” 

Since beginning His ministry at age 30 to His death on the cross, Jesus constantly sacrificed himself for the needs of others. He boldly proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom. He healed the sick, loved sinners and tax collectors, and cast out demons. As a follower of Jesus, we are proclaiming that reality in our own lives. We are called by God to sacrifice ourselves for the needs of others just like Jesus on the cross. 

Therefore, when we take communion, we are reminded to proclaim the gospel, through word and action, to our non-believing family members, coworkers, friends, employees, classmates, neighbors, and strangers. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us a life of sacrifice in the Gospels. You showed us how to love those who are different than us, and You performed Your ultimate act of sacrifice on the cross. May we be reminded daily, as followers of Jesus, to live out the same sacrificial life. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 33

Lunch Break Study

Matthew 5:43-48: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does he call us to do for those we consider our enemies? 
  2. Why does he call us to do that? (v. 44-45)
  3. Self-Reflection: Who is your enemy?

Notes

  1. Jesus says to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 
  2. We do this because, just like us, they are God’s beloved creation made in His image. 
  3. Your enemy may be someone who has hurt you, who disagrees with your politically, or who is different from you. Take time to invite the Holy Spirit to bring to mind someone who you may consider your enemy and pray for them. 

Evening Reflection

In light of today’s devotion, take a moment to pray for someone who does not know Jesus. Afterwards, think of some way to begin cultivating a relationship with them.

June 22, Monday

UPDATED Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on January 29, 2019, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“‘The Bible Approves the Oppression of Women’: Is That Right?” 

1 Corinthians 14:34

“The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.”

Romans 16:1

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant [diakonos in Greek from which the English word “deacon/deaconess” is derived] of the church which is at Cenchrea.”

I have a very famous cousin who grew up attending church but has long since left the faith. When asked why, he said it was because of the poor treatment of women he believed Scripture teaches and the church practices. His comment reminded me of a pamphlet I once received from the United Atheists of America, which claimed: “The harm done to women by the Christian religion began with the Bible giving the stamp of God’s approval to the oppression of women. Christian men used the Bible to keep women silent, submissive, and uneducated for centuries.”

No doubt today’s passage—one that instructs women to be silent in the church—would rank high on the cynics’ list of grievances. And admittedly, a few biblical passages can look harsh in a modern world where women can vote (a right granted only about a century ago) and run for political office, even for the presidency.

But before condemning the church as the historic enemy of women, we must recognize a simple fact: in antiquity, women were treated poorly across the board. No man living in that era—whether the equivalent of conservative, liberal, religious, or irreligious—would be considered “pro-women” by today’s standards. Therefore, if we want to judge the early church fairly, we must compare it to the norms of its own time.

When we do that, we find something surprising. Rodney Stark, a sociologist at the University of Washington, writes in The Rise of Christianity (1996)—a book Newsweek called “brilliant”—that the common accusation that the Bible kept women “silent, submissive, and uneducated” is simply false. According to Stark, Christianity “promoted liberty, social relations between the sexes and within the family,” giving women far more status than they enjoyed in Roman society, where they were legally the property of men.

He adds that women benefitted from the church’s sanctification of marriage and its opposition to divorce, since divorced women were often considered “damaged goods,” with some forced into prostitution to survive.

There is also an irony worth noting. Critics often claim that the New Testament borrowed ideas from Mithraism and other ancient mystery religions. Dan Brown, for example, asserts in The Da Vinci Code that Jesus parallels the pre-Christian god Mithras, “the Son of God and the Light of the World.” Yet Brown never mentions that Mithraism was restricted to men only.

By contrast, as Stark notes, most Christians in the Roman Empire were women, and some even served as deaconesses (Rom. 16:1)—a mid-level leadership role unheard of in the mystery religions of the time (Cybele, Isis, Ishtar, etc.). In many of those religions, the primary role of women was temple prostitution.

In The Da Vinci Code, the detective Sophie rejects her grandfather after witnessing him in ritualistic orgies. Langdon then explains that these acts were “not about sex but spirituality,” and that the early church suppressed such rituals because they threatened its power. But if these religions were so spiritually liberating for women, and the church so oppressive, why were women drawn to the church in such overwhelming numbers?

So please consider the historical evidence and do not be misled into thinking that the Bible or the church is inherently anti-women. The truth is that Scripture set in motion the very social forces that eventually elevated and protected women. Was the process slow? Yes. And much of the blame lies with sinful men—some ignorant of Scripture, others willfully disobedient—who treated women poorly. But that failure is not God’s. He gave us His Word and His Spirit to make this world safer for women (“Your kingdom come”). We are the ones who have fallen short.

And for women—beloved image-bearers—Christ died.

Prayer: Father, what a privilege that we are called “God’s fellow workers” (2 Cor. 6:1). Yet we have failed so often to carry out Your will on this earth, including making our world a safer place for women. We men need to repent. Help us change—in our homes, our churches, and our workplaces. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 32

Lunch Break Study

1 Cor. 14:34-35 (ESV): “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. 

1 Corinthians 11:5 (NASB): “But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head . . .” (Note that these Corinthian women did this in the church).

Acts 18:24-26 (ESV): “Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; 26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Questions to Consider

1. When 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 11:5 are read side-by-side, what observations can you make?

2. When Acts 18:24-26 and 1 Corinthians 11:5 are read side-by-side, what observations can you make?

3. In light of these two observations, what logical conclusion can you draw?

Notes

1. Evidently, women were not completely silent in the Corinthian church since they prayed and prophesized publicly (1 Cor. 14:29). 

2. Whereas Paul tells the Corinthian wives that if they have questions, to “ask their own husbands at home,” Luke reports that Priscilla actually taught a man (not just any man but a biblical scholar).  Note that the verb “explain” in Greek is conjugated in the third person plural. 

3. It leads me to draw these conclusions: first, when Paul tells the women to be silent in the church, he does not mean a complete silence; second, it may be that Paul is addressing a local situation facing a particular church; third, men can learn the Bible from women—to put it different, women can teach men. The debatable point is whether this is a one-time exception or a prototypical foreshadow of more historical changes to come.  More on this tomorrow. 

Evening Reflection

Before you turn in, let me share a really unpleasant thought: The devil is a deceiver who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:4). Meaning what? One of his greatest weapons is “disinformation”—slightly twisting the truth to make it appear still “truthful” yet is a lie “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn. 10:10a).  The enemy did that when, while tempting Jesus, he appeared to quote a Scripture (i.e., Ps. 91:9-12), “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written . . . (Matt. 4:5). He lied; the correct clause is, “If you make the Most High your dwelling” (Ps. 91:9a), not, “If you are the Son of God.” Evidently, the devil tried get Jesus to question His Sonship.

In light of that, what lies of the enemy have you accepted? Have you believed the lies of the enemy regarding the supposed bad treatment of women by the early church? Do you feel you aren’t worth much apart from having a shapely form? Is that why you focus so much on your body? That’s called conditional love and it does not come from God. 

Spend a moment to really examine your thoughts and feelings.  Believe God’s truth. How about Romans 5:8 that says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”—and be set free from the disinformation of the enemy?  

June 21, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on April 7, 2019, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“You Gotta Want It”

2 Kings 2:9-14

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. 13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

“Carpe diem.  Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary”:  In Dead Poets Society, John Keating (played by Robin Williams) used these words to inspire a group of young English students to aspire to live lives of significance.  He reminded them that in just a few short years, they would be dead and fertilizing the flowers of the field.  

Much of our millennial generation would agree with Keating – that life is short and therefore should be lived to its fullest.  How this plays out, however, varies greatly by individual.  Some throw themselves into making the next hot app, dreaming of millions (if not billions) as they program away into the night.  Others look for meaning in experiences, whether through travel or thrills or drugs.  Still for others, romantic love is the answer.  Whatever the path, meaning is the goal.

Elisha was no slouch himself.  When his master Elijah was about to be taken up to heaven, he asked for a “double portion of [his] spirit.”  In other words, he wanted everything that Elijah had – the prophetic ministry, the power and the miracles.  He wanted to be great in the kingdom of God.  The fact that this was “a difficult thing” did not discourage him.  Someone once said that if something isn’t difficult to do, then it probably isn’t worth doing.  Elijah assented to his request, but not without condition – Elisha would have to witness Elijah’s ascension in order to receive such power.  In other words, such power must be actively appropriated, not passively received.

In Acts 1:6-11, we witness a strikingly similar event.  Jesus is taken up into heaven before the disciples’ eyes, and a few days later on the day of Pentecost, the disciples are filled with incredible power (as evidenced in Peter’s sermon as well as the ensuing miracles throughout the book of Acts).  What cannot be missed, however, is what took place between these events— “They all joined together constantly in prayer…”  The power of the Holy Spirit did not come upon casual observers or slack disciples – it came upon a people actively seeking the promise of the Father through prayer.

God wants us to live lives that count, and He provides the means to do so – the power of His Spirit.  We can be great in the kingdom of God.  But we have to go after it.  What kind of life do you want to live?  There is nothing stopping you from living it, no matter what your life circumstances.  God’s grace is sufficient for you.  But you have to take hold of it through radical, believing, faith-filled prayer.  Carpe diem!

Prayer: God, I don’t want to live a lukewarm, defeated, mediocre Christian life.  I want to live a radical, power-filled, miracle-witnessing, sin-overcoming life!  Forgive me if I’ve settled for anything less.  Give me the faith to believe that no matter how difficult, it can be achieved through Your Spirit.  Give me a heart to pray.  Give me a passion to pursue.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 31

June 20, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on April 20, 2019, was written by Pastor David Son. David pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Spiritual Food for Thought For the Weekend

“When We Really Pray with our Back Against the Wall”

Esther 9:1

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.

In 2010, I was on a short-term mission trip to Northeast China. Traveling to different villages, we preached and taught many pastors who had gathered from surrounding villages.  It was during one of these secret gatherings that the police barged in. Four policemen kicked the door open and immediately arrested my pastor and his translator. Within moments, he was put into the police car and driven to the police station, hours away.  I began to panic. 

We did the only thing we could do: pray.  For hours and hours, we kept asking God to do something.  When we finally got in touch with the translator who called us from police station, it was not good news. Our pastor was in jail, awaiting his sentence, which was expected to be one or more of the following: a massive fine, jail-time and being added to the “blacklist” of China. The verdict would happen the next morning.

I fell asleep, but I woke up early to the sound of the Chinese locals praying; they had stayed up all night, interceding for my pastor. Soon, a car pulled up and my pastor stepped out with a huge grin on his face. “What happened?” we asked. While the chief of police was explaining all the punishments that could be inflicted upon my pastor, for some reason, his heart softened. Instead of my pastor being punished, the reverse occurred: my pastor shared the Gospel with the police chief, and he agreed not only to release him, but to begin attending church, to learn more about God!

As today’s text says, sometimes God allows “the reverse” to occur to rescue His people, thereby bringing further glory unto Himself. When the Israelites were trembling before the Philistine army, He used a shepherd boy to bring down Goliath. When Jesus was being nailed to the cross, and it seemed all hope was lost, God was actually unfolding his plan for the salvation of man. Today, let us strive to put our faith in our God, especially in the midst of trials, hardship and brokenness. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Prayer: Lord, we rejoice even in our sufferings, not because they are fun, but because we know and believe that you are a God who works even with suffering to produce good.  Open our eyes today to your faithfulness that is revealed in today’s passage, and all throughout Scripture. Increase our faith as we read and meditate. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 29-30

June 19, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on January 21, 2020, was written by Pastor Phil Chen. Phil pastors the newly planted Pillar Church in Houston.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why should I Fast?”

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Matthew 9:14-15 (ESV)

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 

At the turn of the new year, our church typically has a corporate fast to start out the new year. Fasting has quickly become a forgotten and neglected practice in our culture of opulence and instant gratification. We have access to an abundance of things at the tip of our fingers, and so it has become increasingly difficult to abstain from things like food, drink, social media, entertainment…etc. After fielding several questions from people who genuinely wanted to engage with the Lord in this time of fasting, I thought it would be helpful if I shared a little bit of my experience and understanding of why I believe fasting is so important. 

First of all, fasting quiets the noisiness of our flesh so that we can be attentive to the Holy Spirit. The greatest paradox of fasting is that when we fast, time actually feels like it goes slower. There are less distractions when we shut out social media. There is less noise in our lives when we simplify things. Our usual tendency is to drown out our inner turmoil with the noise of the world. We think that more toys, more entertainment, more relationships can fill the voids in our life, but they cannot. They are mere distractions. Only the intimate presence of God fills that void and fasting quiets our flesh so we can deal with our inner turmoil and seek Him in the midst of it. Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know that (He) is God. Fasting helps us experience that reality.

Second of all, fasting is meant to strengthen our spirit. It is a voluntary weakness of our flesh that is actually meant to strengthen our inner man. Think about it, we have every right to eat anything we want to eat, and yet, when we choose to lay down these rights in our flesh, I believe we are building an inner resolve that aids us in our pursuit of holiness. The truth is, we are people that easily give in to temptations, but fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us to resist the devil. Do you long to pursue God and a life of holiness but find yourself lacking in willpower to resist temptation? You need to fast! It is ridiculous to think I can run a marathon without training. Similarly, it is ridiculous to think we can finish the marathon of life without spiritual training. I like the NLT translation of 1 Timothy 4:8. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” May our times of fasting be the training needed to run the race that God has designated for us well. 

Finally, fasting is an expression of our longing for Jesus’ return. In our first passage, we see John’s disciples question Jesus and his disciples: Why did they not practice fasting, rather it seemed like they were overindulging in food? In fact, Jesus was called a glutton probably because he ate so much with the people he came to minister to (Luke 7:34). But Jesus, without skipping a beat, points to the fact that their national mourning, repentance, and longing for the coming of the Messiah is actually fulfilled in Jesus’ coming. He is the King of the Kingdom of God, the Bridegroom who would receive his Bride. There is no reason to fast when He is present, but when He departs (which He has), the bride will fast while it waits for her bridegroom to return. Our fasting is in response to the ache inside of our hearts for Jesus to return. 

There are so many other reasons to fast – to mourn and repent, to seek guidance and direction, to experience breakthrough, just to name a few of the things. But my prayer is that the next time you decide to fast, your heart would be in the right place – and you would be all the more aware of the rewards of fasting. 

Prayer: Father, in my times of fasting, may my heart be quickened to your Holy Spirit. May I know the depths of Your love and may the times I fast produce fruitfulness in my life. May it produce a deeper yearning for intimacy with You. May it produce a deeper hunger for Your presence. May it produce a stronger will in my spirit to pursue a life of holiness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 28

Lunch Break Study

Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV): “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Questions to Consider

1. Did Jesus expect everyone to fast?

2. In this passage, what is a proper fast?

3. How do you feel about fasting and its place in your life?

Notes

1. While Jesus did not command a fast, it seems like he expected his disciples to fast. Notice in verse 16, it doesn’t say “if you fast,” but rather “when you fast.” Thus, we can deduce that fasting is a spiritual practice that should be part of our regular regiment.  

2. Jesus teaches us to fast not as a badge of honor to show off to others, but rather as an intimate act between our Father and ourselves. While it may seem more rewarding to be complimented by others in our discipline and holiness when we fast, there are actually greater rewards from our Father when we do it in secret and with the right heart. 

3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

Have you considered regularly scheduling a fast for yourself? Some of us may have corporate fasts with our church during the start of the new year, during lent, or during the advent season, but consider scheduling in days to fast throughout the year and see how God will move in your life!  

June 18, Thursday

REPOST This Quiet Time blog was first posted on January 29, 2020. It originally opened with this note: “In light of Kobe Bryant’s sudden and shocking death last Sunday, I thought it appropriate to reprint the AMI QT blog written three weeks earlier by a native AMI pastor in East Asia, with a few added thoughts of my own.”

Devotional Thought for This Morning

James 4:13-15

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

[Pastor in E. Asia] When I was in high school, the NBA held a summer camp in the largest city in our country, bringing in NBA stars to teach high school students how to play basketball. One of my classmates was selected to attend. Since the camp lasted only a couple of days, he skipped school—this was his chance to meet Kobe Bryant. From that moment on, he became a star on campus. Everyone peppered him with questions: “What did Kobe teach you? What was he like? Did you eat together? What else did you do?” Simply playing basketball with Kobe Bryant made him instantly special.

[Ryun] Now that Kobe has died so suddenly at the age of 41—along with his young daughter and seven others—we’re discovering just how special he was to so many people.

As for me, being a diehard San Antonio Spurs fan during the height of the Lakers–Spurs rivalry, I couldn’t allow myself to like him too much. My guys were Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker; Kobe, Shaq, and Fisher were the foes you rooted against. And after the rape allegations in 2003, I found yet another reason to hold back from admiring Kobe’s extraordinary skill and relentless drive to win.

Be that as it may, perhaps no one fits the phrase “a mixed bag” better than Kobe. Over the years we watched him mature into a devoted husband and father who deeply loved his family; a man with an intense schedule—now even in the animation world, where he won an Oscar—yet still committed to helping others; and, most importantly, someone who reconnected with God. I’m told that he and his daughter attended a 7 a.m. Mass that fateful Sunday morning and received communion before boarding the helicopter that later crashed.

When I heard the news of his death, I joined millions in shock and sadness. But if Kobe could speak from the grave, I imagine he would say, “Let my untimely death remind you of the fragility of life.” As today’s passage puts it, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

So what should we do? Get right with God. How? By accepting the provision He has made so that we may be with Him forever. How do we do that? By believing that Jesus Christ became a perfect man—without surrendering any of His divinity—to take on our sin and pay its penalty through His death on the cross. And if we do that while we remain on earth, it is worth far more than the five NBA championships Kobe won.

I hope Kobe is in heaven because he made peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. If you haven’t done that yourself, do it today. Remember: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

Prayer:  Dear heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me of my special identity in You. Help me know that my relationship with You is precious. I am honored to know You, to walk with You, and to be found in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 27

Lunch Break Study

REPOST This Lunch Break Study was written by Pastor Jason Sato.

Read Matthew 5:3-12: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to Jesus, who is blessed?
  2. According to Jesus, what are blessings?
  3. Where is our reward?

Notes

  1. The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
  2. The kingdom of heaven, comfort, inheriting the earth, satisfaction, mercy, seeing God, and being called sons of God.
  3. In heaven.

Evening Reflection

Are you blessed?  Is your family blessed?  The answer is always “Yes” because of Jesus Christ. Remember, the Lord cares for you!

June 17, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on April 17, 2020, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Monastic Bell”

Romans 8:28 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

As I am now isolated at home with my family, on a rare occasion during the day, I’ll have a free moment to sit down in my home office and try to do some work (like writing this devotional).  I’ll turn on my computer, open up a document like this and start writing a few words of precious wisdom and then suddenly, out of nowhere, I’ll hear the pounding of footsteps and then “DAAAADDDYYYYYY” as my 4 year old son Tyler screams.  So I’ll then run upstairs and say, “Yes Tyler?” and he’ll say, “Daddy… I didn’t take a nap!”  And I’ll say, “Ok” and then go back to my office, sit down and try to get working again.  If I’m lucky, I’ll get 15 minutes and then I’ll hear footsteps again and another “DAAAADDYYYYYY.”  At these points, all attempts of decency and civility are done with; so, I’ll just scream semi-annoyedly, “WHAT TYLER?!”  This has pretty much been my daily routine and by the way, there’s a 10 month old boy in the house too.  Every day now is a challenge to do work or have alone time or do anything without interruption.

In the monastic movements in the 12th century, there was a rule at monasteries regarding what was called the “monastic bell.”  The rule was that whenever the bell rang, all of the monks were to immediately stop doing whatever they were doing and go to do whatever they were being gathered to do.  The response was strictly to be immediate, even if they were in the middle of deep prayer or were studying the word of God.  And if they were in the middle of writing a sentence, they were to stop immediately and not finish writing that sentence.  So, why was there this insistence on dropping everything immediately at the sound of a bell?  The idea of the monastic bell was to teach the monks that their time was not their own.  

As we are in this season of COVID-19, a giant metaphorical monastic bell has gone off all around the world and we’ve all been, in many ways, interrupted by this pandemic; that is, we’ve been forced to stop whatever we were doing. Whether it was our work or relationships or recreation or ministry even, we’ve all been compelled to pause in some way.   

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Life Together said, “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.“  If we believe these words and also the words of Paul when he says “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28), perhaps we all need to recognize that God is working through the big and small interruptions in our lives today.  And one important thing He is trying to teach us is that we are not in control and our lives are not our own.  

And as the monastic bell rings constantly throughout my day, with interruptions from my children, and as many of us have faced small and large interruptions to our work, education, family life and ministry and church life, it’s easy for us to grow frustrated, to lament our loss of agency, productivity and time.  But all the more, let us remember that our lives are not our own and there is a good work that God is striving to do within us. 

Prayer: Jesus, it is challenging for us, but we thank you for reminders that we are not in control and that our time and our lives are not our own.  We surrender our lives and hearts to you this day.  May your will be done in our lives. AMEN 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 26

Lunch Break Study

Luke 5:17-26: On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Questions to Consider

  1. How do you think you would react and feel if you were in Jesus’ place in this narrative?  
  2. How does Jesus respond?  What happens as a result of Jesus’ response?
  3. What good work do you think God wants to do through interruptions in your life?

Notes

  1. Make sure you put yourself in Jesus’ place here.  Imagine that you’re doing a teaching session.  You’re sharing the words and wisdom of God, giving elaborate illustrations and parables, doing all you can to grab the attention of your audience and praying and hoping that the word cuts to their hearts.  And then suddenly, the ROOF starts to shake and dirt and dust are coming down and then there’s a hole in the roof.  Now whatever you have been teaching has been forgotten.  My guess is that all of us would have at least some level of irritation.
  2. We have no indication of annoyance or irritation from Jesus in this passage.  He instead sees this first as a moment to bring forgiveness and healing to this paralytic man and second, he uses this as an opportunity to teach his audience, the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  We don’t know what he was teaching them before this, but I’d guess Jesus thought this was an even better teaching moment.
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

These days of quarantining and self-isolation have been challenging for many of us.  Our lives have been greatly interrupted.  As you close out this day, take some time to consider what God is trying to teach you in this season.  Even though it may be difficult to recognize and accept, surrender your time and heart to him.

June 16, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 13, 2020, is provided by Pastor David Son. David pastors Thrive Church in Taipei, Taiwan.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Shame and Blame”

Genesis 3:8-13

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Reading through the news, I couldn’t help but notice different nations’ reactions to the coronavirus pandemic in their own country. In a recent article I read, there was speculation that the Japanese government has been covering up the number of COVID-19 cases, reporting lower numbers than were actually known. Although the cover-up didn’t help alleviate the situation, I can understand how Japan may have wanted to save face and appear more put-together, especially in light of the coming Tokyo Olympics. On the other side of the world, as the case count continues to swell in America, many Americans have resorted to playing the blame game, pointing the condemning finger at China, and/or other Asians.

A crisis always reveals the ugliness of our hearts. We shouldn’t be surprised at either of these reactions to the virus… nor should we consider ourselves above those who have reacted in these ways. The truth is, when things go wrong it’s human nature to either hide or cast the blame. This was true from the very beginning. After committing the first sin, Adam and Eve initially tried to hide. When they were eventually discovered, they immediately placed blame away from themselves. Isn’t this how many of us often deal with our own sin?

I, too, lived in hiding for nearly a decade, as I was battling addiction to pornography. Even now, I am inclined to hide my flaws because of fear of being put to shame. But the good news is that we don’t have to hide anymore! Nor do we have to accuse others for our own shortcomings! Psalm 51 says, “a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” This is great news! King David knew this very well. He didn’t pretend to be perfect, nor did he cast blame on others for his own faults. Instead, he brought his broken self to God, confessed, and repented. Did doing this solve all of David’s problems? Not necessarily (David had one of the most messed up families of all time). But it did do one thing for sure: it brought him into an intimate relationship with God.

No one is sure when or how this pandemic will end. Much like our struggle against sin, it seems like there will be lingering consequences. The question I have for us this morning is: how will we respond to crises in our lives? Will we hide? Or cast the blame? Or own up to our own flaws and seek the mercy of God. The good news is that He will never turn away a humbled heart. May we humbly seek Him now, more than ever before. 

Prayer: Father, humble our hearts during a time of crisis. May we not be quick to blame, nor hide away in fear. Rather, may we trust in your goodness and faithfulness. May we trust You to be You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 25

Lunch Break Study

1 Samuel 15:22-23: And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you (Saul) have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Why did God reject Saul as king?
  2. According to this passage, what does God delight in, more than sacrifices?
  3. What does this mean for us?

Notes

  1. God rejected Saul because he disobeyed God’s direct orders. Instead of destroying everything in his victory against the Amalekites, he allowed the people to plunder the livestock and spoils of war. When confronted with his sin, Saul refused to repent, and instead cast the blame on the people. When that didn’t work, Saul admitted to his sin, but asked Samuel to appear before him in front of the people, in order to save face. Overall, this was a man who was more concerned with pleasing people than obeying God.
  2. God delights in obedience, more so than offerings and sacrifices. To be clear, offerings and sacrifices were part of God’s instructions to the Israelites on how to worship. So, offerings and sacrifices are actually good things. But the point is that God would RATHER have us simply obey him, than go through all the proper worship procedures without a willingness to obey him in our lives.
  3. This means that there is something that God desires, even more than our singing, prayers, and tithing… it’s obedience! Have you been living in obedience to God?

Evening Reflection

This evening, let’s spend some time praying for our nation’s response to this present crisis. On both a physical AND spiritual level, let’s pray for an attitude of humility. And let’s pray that God would pour out His mercy upon us all.

June 15, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT devotional, originally posted on September 21, 2020, is provided Joe Suh. Joe is the Leader Pastor of Canvas City Church in Philadelphia

Devotional Thought for This Morning


“Love Your Neighbor”

Mark 12:30-31

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

This pandemic has been an interesting time for everyone.  Life as we know it has changed and we are in unfamiliar territory as it comes to living life as we have lived it.  One thing that has not changed and in fact has become an even bigger problem for many is the need for basic necessities.  

As the pandemic has continued and the loss of jobs has become more and more of a reality for many, the struggle even to meet the basic needs of the family has become an issue.  And one of those needs is a major need . . . food.

Recently, at Southland, we have started a food pantry for our local community.  The demographic surrounding our church is a group that absent the current situation would not be struggling with these basic needs.  The food pantry has been an amazing opportunity to bless our local community by providing for their physical needs, but more importantly it has been a time to also bless them with prayer and sharing the gospel.

Interestingly, as a church, this time of serving those around us has actually been an even bigger blessing for us.  It is such a great thing to be used by God to bless others.  The time sacrifice is a few hours every other Saturday, but to be used by God to change someone’s life is priceless.  The time to love one another is now and to do so is what God called us all to do.

Mark 12 reminds us of the greatest commandment and the second great commandment.  Focusing on the second, loving your neighbor as you love yourself, is not always on our priority list.  Admittedly, life is very busy.  I would say even more so now.  We all have our own things to take care of; we all have our own needs to meet; and we have our own issues to deal with.   

But Jesus commands us to love our neighbors.  Who are our neighbors?  The answer is everyone.  We are called to be a neighbor to everyone, and it starts with us being a good neighbor.  This means that we don’t wait to receive from them first; instead, we give love in all the ways that we can.  We are to love them as we love ourselves.  In order to love others, we have to love God first.  In loving God we truly learn what it is to love others.  So what we receive, we should also give—as “the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give

than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us the way you do.  Continue to teach us what it is to love You and also love our neighbors.  Especially in a time like now, I pray that each of us would go beyond what we normally would do and take the opportunities given to be a loving brother or sister in Christ. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 24

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 13:8-10 (NASB):  Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Questions to Consider

  1. What do we have to do in order to fulfill the law?
  2. How does loving your neighbor summarize the law?
  3. In what ways can you express your love to others around you?  

Notes

  1. We have to love our neighbors. (v. 8) Love is an amazing thing. We are reminded to owe no debts except to love one another. God loves each and every one of us.  How do we know that He loves us?  He sent His son to die for each of us.  To love our neighbors fulfills the law because we can do no wrong by loving. (v. 10)
  2. By loving your neighbor as you love yourself would inherently imply that you would not murder, steal, covet or commit adultery.  (v. 9) This summarizes the law because everything would become moot by loving your neighbor as you love yourself.
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Did I have any opportunities to love my neighbors?  Was I paying attention to what God may have been nudging on my heart to do.  Take some time this evening to think back through your day and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any opportunities that you may have missed to be a blessing and pour out love on another person.  Pray for boldness to take action the next time the opportunity presents itself.