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.

June 14, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on March 24, 2019, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon, who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Our Words Matter”

James 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Have you ever heard of the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?” I’ve found that to be horribly incorrect. Rather, it should state, “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will absolutely destroy you.” 

We’ve all been stung by people who have spoken too soon or gossiped about us. We’ve felt the pain of degrading words filled with anger and wrath. We’ve been the target of jokes and ridicules. We’ve also known the joys of receiving compliments and encouragements, as well as experiencing delight in meaningful conversations and familial fellowship. We know firsthand that words carry a lot of power, having the ability to lift us up or pull us down.  At the same time, we also know that a lofty praise is not always good for our soul, just as a harsh rebuke can be beneficial for us.

As we grow in understanding and wisdom, we begin to realize that wise words are not simply what we say, but a combination of what we say, when we say it, and how we present it. Let’s take Nathan and David for example. After David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, Nathan was given the task from God to confront David about his sin. Rather than yelling at him in anger (possibly causing David to be defensive), Nathan, with the wisdom of God, presented a story that represented the sin that David had committed. Rather than being defensive, David repented of his sin. There is wisdom in not only knowing what to say, but when to say it and how to present it; that wisdom comes from God alone.

As we head into another week, think before you speak. Ask God to give you wisdom in the words that you say, knowing full well that your words carry much weight and power. Your words have the ability to lift someone’s spirit or ruin someone’s day. They have the ability to bring life or death. May His wisdom rest upon you this coming week, as you tame your tongue to be one that glorifies Jesus. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I ask for wisdom and your Spirit to fill me so that my speech patterns will edify and build up those around me. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 23

June 13, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on March 30, 2019, is provided by Pastor Matt Ro, the founding pastor of Journey Church of Atlanta. He now serves as the Lead Pastor of Ridgeway Alliance Church in New York.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

 “A Daily Habit” 

Exodus 16:13-26

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”  For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”

The greatest revival of my life began on May 13, 1996.  It happened to be the day after I had graduated from Penn.  A thought hit me as I was about to dive into youth ministry for the first time:  “What if I don’t know the Bible well enough?”  So, for the next two weeks, I holed up in my apartment, and aside from eating meals and going for a daily jog, I spent 6-8 hours reading the Bible.  Mass reading.  Initially tedious, but eventually life-changing.  I honestly don’t remember much as hour after hour flew by but I was in love with God’s Word—it was so good!

Less than 2 weeks later, I finished Revelation and was never the same.  In fact, for the next 3 years, before the Lord called me into full-time ministry, I would continue to read 10 chapters of the Bible daily, reading the entire Bible 10 times those three years.  I would have my morning devotional, then read my 10 chapters on the train ride to work. 

Experts say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit.  That means if you were to start today, you would build a habit by Good Friday! 🙂  You may be thinking, “Just 21 days of waking up early to read my Bible and then it will be easy!” Well, it isn’t that simple.

For the Israelites, manna was a supernatural provision, but it had to be gathered daily: They had to go out in the morning and gather it up.  This suggests to us that, if we are to benefit from the Bible, it must require work on our part.  We have to gather it up, study it, wrestle with it, and sift through our prejudices to understand what Scripture really says.  

The manna that the Israelites gathered up one day would not last until the next day.  The Bible should be studied in the same way.  It is like eating meals.  We won’t die if we miss one meal, or if we fast for one day, but we will eventually die once we stop eating for good.  We were meant to eat daily both physically and spiritually. So, as the Israelites had to eat the manna daily for it to do any good, we also need to “eat” God’s Word (Heb. 5:12-14) in the same manner that ruminant animals “chew the cud” (Lev. 11:4)—carefully and meticulously. And this manna will be available until we enter our Promised Land (heaven!).

So how is your hunger for the Word of God this morning?  It is a blessing when we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to seek God’s Word and His will for our lives.  Thankfully, we have easy access to the Bible.  When we cultivate a daily hunger for the Word, He will satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.  Are you reading and listening to what God has to say to you?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, only Your Word can feed the deepest hunger of our souls.  It is such a blessing today to have easy access to the Bible!  Give me a hunger for Your Word and the humility and wisdom to listen to You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 21-22

June 12, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on March 3, 2020.  Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“New Creation!”

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

If someone presented you with two iPhones – one is an iPhone X and the other is an iPhone 11 – and this person told you to pick one, I think we would all mostly choose the iPhone 11, though it really would not make too much difference. The new one is shiny, has some better features, and might last longer. New things are usually better – more reliable, more durable. But now, imagine someone presenting you with a brand new iPhone 11 and a smart device that was brought back from 100 years into the future. This is not just a new model of an iPhone – it is completely different. It does not simply have better features, it is categorically better, with 10G data speeds and holographic projections and other cool things. I imagine people from 100 years ago would feel similarly comparing an old-fashioned rotary-dial telephone with today’s smart phones. It’s not just a newer model – it’s a complete upgrade. 

In the Greek language, there are two words that are translated new. There is neos and there is kainos. If you have an iPhone X and then buy a new iPhone 11, that is a neos iPhone. They are basically the same thing, but the iPhone 11 is newer in time. Substantively, they are essentially the same thing, just one happens to be newer. But if you compare a rotary-dial phone to an iPhone 11, the iPhone is a kainos phone. It is not simply a newer model – it’s categorically and qualitatively new. It is better in every way.

When Paul says that anyone in Christ is a new creation, he uses the word kainos. We are a new-in-every-way creation. When we believe in Jesus, we are not only wiped clean, as if we are given a fresh start. That would be neos. We are fundamentally changed. If we water down the gospel to just forgiveness of sins, as if believing in Jesus is like going to a store to a get cracked screen on our phone fixed, we are missing the depth of what God is doing in us. We are a truly new creation when we believe in Jesus. Yes, our sins are forgiven, but there is so much more. We are given the power of the Spirit. We are partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). We can actually change.

This is important for us to remember. Change is possible in us because we are a kainos creation. We are not called to simply cope with the struggles we face; we are called to overcome. The world will say that real change is not possible, that people just adapt. But the gospel tells us we are a new creation and have the power of heaven in us, being born from above to be a completely, fundamentally new person. Let’s invite that power of heaven to work in us in a deep way.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you that your gospel is a gospel of great depth and power. Thank you that you have re-created us into a kainos creation through the power of your Spirit. May we not be satisfied with simply managing sins and struggle, but I pray that you empower us to have victory in our lives. Let us truly be a new creation in you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 20

Lunch Break Study  

2 Peter 1:3-7: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Questions to Consider

  1. What has granted us all things for life and godliness?
  2. What does it mean to be a “partaker of the divine nature”?
  3. How can you live out a divine type of humanity today?

Notes

  1. “His divine power” is what has given us all that we need for life and godliness. God’s power is at work in us when we believe in Jesus. We do not pursue godliness by our strength; rather, it is God’s power at work within us.
  2. As radical as it may sound, by partaking of the divine nature, we are in a sense being made divine. Though we are obviously not God, we become like Him. Our very natures are changed. To be a new creation means to lose the fallen nature of the world and to take a new heavenly nature. If you read vv. 5-7 in the passage, you will see that there is a progression; as we take on the divine nature, we grow and the ultimate fulfillment becomes love, the last thing mentioned in that list. By taking on the divine nature, we become beings of love, just as God is.
  3. Invite God to grant you his power that you might be a being of love to those around you. We are a new creation and this means we can be like God to the people around us by the way we love. Ask God to help you to love and to demonstrate to those around you that you are a kainos human.

Evening Reflection

Remind yourself this evening that because of your faith in Jesus, you have been re-created. Take time to surrender the lies you hear in your mind that change is hopeless, that you are stuck as you are. Ask God to replace those lies with the truth that in Christ—you truly are a completely new creation.

June 11, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on January 3, 2019, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Do You Say When Your Child Says I Feel Like a Boy/Girl?”

Ephesians 2:12 (ESV)

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ . . . having no hope and without God in the world.”

Romans 15:7 (NIV)

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

While reading the best-selling textbook Women, Men, and Society, I came across several genetic conditions that raised an important pastoral question: How do we minister to people who look one way but feel another? Before addressing that, it helps to understand what the science actually says.

Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY)

Klinefelter syndrome affects roughly one in every five hundred male births. These individuals have an extra X chromosome in addition to the typical male XY pair. They are “phenotypically males but with a tendency toward femaleness” (e.g., enlarged breasts, sparse body hair, long limbs, etc.).

Turner Syndrome (X)

Turner syndrome affects about one in 2,500 females. These women are missing one X chromosome from the usual XX pair. As adults, they “have virtually no ovaries, lack most sexual characteristics, and are sterile.”

Do these conditions create transsexual tension? According to Women, Men, and Society, generally no: Turner syndrome females show “stereotypical femininity” despite lacking female sex hormones (p. 36). Many XXY males “are no different from XY men in terms of social and emotional characteristics” (p. 36).

Of course, there are a few complex cases. For instance, some genetic males are born with female-appearing genitalia because their bodies were “unresponsive to the androgens their testes secrete” during prenatal development (p. 38). Raised as girls, they later masculinize at puberty when testosterone surges (p. 39).

Julianne Imperato-McGinley’s research in a Dominican village found that these individuals “experience little difficulty” adopting a male identity at puberty (p. 39). The textbook’s rebuttal—that transitions are “sometimes not as smooth”—is weak and unconvincing.

But enough about chromosomes and hormones. The deeper question is pastoral: How do we walk with people who feel a painful disconnect between their bodies and their inner sense of self? If you’re like me—someone who never struggled with gender identity—you may feel unqualified to understand their experience. Yet our own stories may contain moments that help us empathize.

In the late 1970s, at my predominantly white college in Virginia, I became painfully self-conscious about my Asian features. My self-loathing was so intense that I sometimes hated myself for being Asian. Looking one way but wishing I looked another, I longed to appear white. Once, to seem taller like my Caucasian friends, I carved out the sole of an old shoe and inserted it into my Nike high-tops to gain an inch. Before long, I was enslaved to those shoes—I couldn’t go anywhere without them.

Later, at UCLA, I met Stanley Sue, a clinical psychology professor of Chinese descent. His research described people like me as “marginal men,” who believed that rejecting their Asian heritage was the key to acceptance by whites. That was me—young, insecure, and easily influenced. Pejoratively labeled a “banana”—yellow on the outside, white on the inside—I often felt frustrated, anxious, and hypersensitive when people didn’t perceive me the way I wished.

I wonder if this is, in some small way, similar to what young men or women feel when they long to identify as the opposite sex. Not identical—but perhaps emotionally adjacent enough to help me empathize.

I would gently share that the rejection of ourselves ultimately stems from the brokenness within, born of our separation from our Creator and our desire to live independently of His guidance (Rom. 3:11–12).

And then I would share this from my heart: Thirty-eight years removed from those miserable days, I no longer struggle with that confusion. How did this “inner healing” come?

First, at age twenty, my Creator found me. That encounter began the long process of accepting myself as God uniquely made me.

Second, I found a Christian community where my worth wasn’t tied to appearance or ability but to Christ’s unconditional acceptance. In time, I ditched the shoes.

Third, as I matured in Christ, my focus shifted from myself to others who also felt alienated from themselves because they were alienated from their Maker.

This is how I would speak to those confused about their sexuality—those who believe that self-acceptance and happiness lie in becoming someone else. Share your story. Let them know they are not alone. And point them gently toward the One who heals our fractured identities.

Prayer:  Father, we are living in a time when the foundations You established are being dismantled by otherwise intelligent people acting foolishly. We fear for our children and their future. Lord, we cannot do this. Help us. Help our kids. Please. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 19

Lunch Break Study

Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Proverbs 22:24-25: “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, 25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” 

Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Questions to Consider

1. What do these three passages assume about human behavior?

2. What is one factor that parents hold to increase the possibility that their children will walk in the Lord and uphold biblical values later in life?

3. Is a positive outcome guaranteed if the parents diligently ply themselves to “train up a child in the way he should go?” If not, then, what are we do to?

Notes

1. These passages imply that our cultural condition, including pop culture, peer groups and authority figures, can and will affect how we live, even our personality and faith. 

2. Parents can control the environment in which their children grow up. Wise parenting discerns good influences from bad, so that their children are given every opportunity not to conform to secular beliefs and values, and model behaviors that are unhealthy and harmful.

3. Ultimately, human behaviors are not formulaic, meaning nothing we do guarantees a positive outcome.  To believe otherwise is to uphold positivism, a belief that applying observed facts about human behavior that elicit happiness will always produce harmony and order. This may work with pets, but not with inherently sinful humans endowed with freewill.  Despite even a perfect upbringing, at any given moment one bad choice can undo much of good parenting. That’s why we seek God’s help while parenting on our knees and seek His grace and mercy when all of us fall short—that is one great lesson we must model for our kids.   

Evening Reflection

How was your day? Did something happen today that reminded you of your brokenness from within?  Yes, the believers can still experience brokenness, because we are both sinners and righteous at the same time. Observing from my own life, I’d describe brokenness as feeling self-condemning, shameful, lonesome, etc. How would you describe it from your own experience? Whether it is the same or different from mine, its short and long-term resolution is the same. The Hebrews writers puts it like this: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15). Shall we go to God right now?

June 10, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 24, 2020, was written by ‘NP,’ a native AMI pastor serving in East Asia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Will Destroy the Wisdom of the Wise…”

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

If you have ever tried to share the gospel, you must have experienced some degree of inner struggle. While you certainly feel excited to share the gospel with your family and friends, you start to get a little nervous, wondering if you will be mocked for your faith. If you think about it, it is a bit ridiculous to share with others the story of a man who was crucified more than 2,000 years ago and that he can redeem you.

Like many of us, Paul understood the “foolishness” of the cross, for he says, “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” This suggests that Paul also experienced the same mockery when he shared the gospel with the Gentiles (a.k.a., Greeks).    

Since the Greeks were famous for their philosophy, it is no surprise that Athens was full of people who “spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). Imagine how they would have laughed at Paul when they heard the gospel.   In fact, that is exactly what happened when Paul visited that city for the first time.   In reference to the apostle, they said, “What is the babbler trying to say” (Acts 17:18).

But, as Paul shares in today’s passage, the truth of the cross is to shame those who think they are wise. Today’s world is full of all kinds of wisdom: the secret to happiness, the secret to success, the secret to happy marriage and so on. This is to say, in today’s world we are not short of worldly wisdom.  

Even in the church, there are all kinds of wisdom shared in Sunday schools, marriage counseling, and discipleship training.   It is, therefore, important that all this wisdom or knowledge has the same foundation-the cross. The truth of the cross appears foolish to this world, which means that it seems unreasonable to believe in and rely on the cross. Therefore, we need to be completely humble and realize our own weaknesses in order to embrace the truth of the cross.  

The premise of worldly wisdom is that we are good but misinformed or not informed at all; the truth of the cross is to let us know that we are totally corrupt. The wisdom of the world provides methods, while the truth of the cross provides a Savior. We cannot be saved by human methods or wisdom. We need to rely on the Savior.  

Let us spend some time today praying and thinking about the cross, as Paul said, “For the truth of the cross is foolishness to those who perish. But to us who are saved is the power of God.”

Prayer: Dear Savior, we thank you for letting us know the truth of the cross. Although it seems foolish, the cross is full of God’s wisdom. Please help us learn to rely on our Savior, not a method. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 18

Lunch Break Study    

Read Romans 16:25-27: Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Questions to Consider

1. The passage above is found at the very end of Romans.   Accordingly, who is able to establish us and through  what?

2. Through what means has “the mystery hidden for long ages past” been revealed? What is its purpose?

3. Can the gospel establish you in any and every situation? What will help us to be established?    

Notes

1. Only God alone can establish us, and He establishes us through the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

2. Through the prophetic writings, “the mystery hidden for long ages past” is revealed so that all nations might believe and obey him. And the gospel has this power because it is the mystery that is revealed.

3. Meditation and prayer.   Take some time to meditate and pray for God to establish you through the gospel.

Evening Reflection

The gospel contains great mysteries that the world cannot understand. We have the privilege of allowing the power of the gospel to govern every aspect of our lives, so that God’s Gospel can be revealed through us. We have to rely on Jesus to wait for his timing, to endure while undergoing adversity, and to trust in his faithfulness. We can do this through deeper experience of the power of the gospel! Mediate on that before going to bed tonight.    

June 9, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI Devotional, originally posted on July 29, 2020, was written by Esther Chailim who has been faithfully serving at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego for many years.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Blind Spots” 

Matthew 7:3-5

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” 

About two months ago, news broke about Mr. George Floyd’s murder.  This brought many into an awakening of realizing the grave injustices that still exist in our world today.  Of course, this isn’t anything new, but this one felt different.  I, along with many people in the world, realized that something had to change.  I realized that I needed to change. And so, I have not only been on this journey of learning, listening and lamenting, but I have also had to take a really honest look at my own life and the ways in which I have personally played a part in contributing to the racism that exists in our world.  It has been a very humbling and tiring season, but I believe that this work must be done in order for changes to happen. 

For me, growing up as an Asian American, I witnessed overt racism within my own family, mainly through racial jokes, slurs, and comments.  If you were to ask me if my family were racist, I would unquestionable, without hesitation, say, “Yes! Absolutely.”  I, however, never thought that in my mind, I could be a racist too.  Rather, it was easy for me to point my finger at others and judge others for being that way, while not really looking at my own blind spots.  The hardest revelation during this journey has been that I, too, have racial biases that have been formed in me and have impacted the way I see or interact with others. 

One of the most eye-opening moments for me was actually a few years back during a conversation I had with a friend who speaks the same native dialect as my family.  We were discussing how growing up Asian American, we had always been raised to think of Black and Brown people as less than.  I had realized that through different interactions and comments made by my family, I had formed this idea that associating with Black and Brown people was not acceptable in my family and that it would bring shame and dishonor to them.  But I think the most shocking thing of all for me was when I realized that the term we used for “Black person” was in fact a very derogatory term.  Its literal translation is “black ghost.”  I was dumbfounded because, all my life, I had thought that the way I was referring to Black people was the proper way to say it, never really thinking twice about the translation, or even that there could be other ways to say it.  It wasn’t until my friend pointed out that there was another way to say “Black person” in my language that I realized I had been using the derogatory term all my life.  This shook me to my core because I realized that even without me knowing it, I was contributing to this racism that I knew in my head was not okay.  And for the first time, I had finally understood how deeply embedded and wrong some of these things I learned as a child were.  I have realized that these seemingly subtle comments against the black and brown community have had a very long-lasting impact in me.  Things that are still in me to this day and things that I am still trying to unlearn.  

The word of God says in Matthew 7:5 that we need to take the plank out of our own eye before we can see clearly to remove the speck from our brothers’ eyes.  I believe the killing of Mr. George Floyd was different for all of us because, this time around, it made us realize that there was a deeply embedded problem in our nation.  And I think for the first time in a long time, many people, like myself, were realizing that it wasn’t just about THOSE racist people out there, but rather a call to look at ourselves and acknowledge that we might have been or continue to contribute to the problem.  

Prayer:  Forgive us, Lord, for the ways in which we have been complicit in the racial and social injustices that exist around the world.  Reveal to us where our own biases and blind spots are so that we can work towards change.  Humble and refine us, Jesus, to be more like You.  May we continue to do the work of justice and be a body of peace in this world.  

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Amos 4:4-6: “Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years. 5 Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings—boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do,” declares the Sovereign Lord. 6 “I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.”

Questions to Consider

  1.  Describe how the people in these verses were portrayed? 
  2.  What does the “ruin of Joseph” mean? 
  3.  What does this passage reveal about God’s heart for justice? 

Notes

  1.  This is in reference to Jeroboam II and his royal court.  They had won many battles and acquired much wealth in doing so.  They were powerful and had lots of money, living on ivory beds, investing music and eating lambs.  Simply put, they were privileged.  
  2.  The ruin of Joseph refers to the devastation of the “ordinary” Israelites (the poor city dwellers and peasants)
  3.  God was protesting against the leadership of Israel. It’s clear that the Lord is against those with power and privilege to live in self-indulgence and only live as if they were the only ones that mattered. Rather, he wants those with much to grieve and care for those with little (the poor, oppressed and marginalized).  

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on how your thoughts have been formed in respect to race.  Ask God to reveal some of your biases and how that might be affecting the ways you see or interact with others that are different from you.  Are there things that need to be unlearned?   Are these thoughts consistent with biblical truths?  Allow the Holy Spirit to speak and bring revelation to you in this time. 

June 8, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on August 18, 2020, is provided by
Christine Li. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at
Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God our Refuge”

Psalm 46:1-5 

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall;  God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;  he lifts his voice, the earth melts.”

As a child, I was told that in the event of a tornado, the safest place in my house was the bathroom (we didn’t have a basement). The reasoning of this was that the pipes of the toilet would be connected far underground and be a better anchor to hold onto if the house was sucked away. Thankfully, I have never had to experience this personally, but have always filed it away wherever I moved: what is the safest place to be?

As an adult surveying the news, this world seems filled with enough dangerous accidents and storms, it does often seem that this earth is on the edge of erupting in uproar. We wake up and spend our days barraged by bad news. In this time, my comfort is the truth that God is immovable and unshakeable. Though this earth and many things we hold dear may give way, God will not.

Where will you and I turn today? Where will we find our refuge and our strength if the days of bad news and events seem unbearable? I pray that you and I would not find our comfort in distraction or numbness but rather in our unchanging and faithful God. 

Prayer: Father, I confess that I remember You are my refuge and strength in times of greatest need and chaos. Thank You for Your steadfast love and Your presence that cares for each one of us. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Job 37:5-13 “God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. 6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. 7 He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it.8 Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens.9 From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds.10 By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. 11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. 12 They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. 13 Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.”

Questions to Consider

  1. The context for this chapter is that Elihu speaks to Job and his friends about God. What happenings on earth are attributable to God?
  2. From Elihu’s words, what attributes of God can we understand?
  3. Let’s take time to consider the numerous works and actions of God that have surrounded you today (from the world you woke up to or circumstances in life). Spend time praising Him for His hand in all things and remembering how active He is in our world.

Notes

  1. This passage says that many natural phenomena are attributed to God. He dictates snow, rain, lightning. He also dictates our success / progress in work and even affects where animals dwell. 
  2. Much of this passage revolves around God’s vast power and majesty. The reminder that God commands the precipitation and lightning as well as the fact that it is from His hand whether we progress in our work reminds us that He is almighty God. But God does not wield that power aimlessly. He is intentional, desiring to accomplish correction and to show love to His creation in all things.
  3. Personal reflection

Evening Reflection

How was your day today? Did you notice the option to turn towards God or to turn to yourself more? Let’s ask Him to cultivate a greater dependence on Him and ask Him to show us tomorrow how we will find exactly what we need when we approach Him first. 

June 7, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on April 21, 2019, was written
by Pastor David Son. David pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. Stay up to date with the church
by following her here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Value of Friendship for Salvation”

Acts 13:1

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was
called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Manaen. His name is only mentioned once (right here) in Scripture. But there is something
interesting about Manaen: he was “a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch.” Other translations
read, “brought up with Herod the tetrarch.” This is the very same Herod who beheaded John
the Baptist, and later handed Jesus over to Pilate to be crucified. While Herod and Manaen
grew up together, they chose very different paths. Herod heard the message of the gospel
numerous times, having personal encounters with both John the Baptist and Jesus; yet at every
turn, he rejected the word of God. Meanwhile, his friend became a prophet/teacher in the
church at Antioch. Yet despite their differences, Manaen and Herod were “lifelong friends.”

There are at least two things we can learn from this short passage. The first is that salvation depends on our response to the gospel. The second is that friendship does not.

I have to admit that I’m guilty of severing more than a few friendships based on their lack of response to the gospel. Instead, I tend to draw ever nearer to those whom I deem spiritually mature. There’s a constant temptation we face to place value on people based on their spirituality. What many of us can learn from Manaen and Jesus is that while salvation requires faith, having faith (or lack thereof) is not grounds for exclusion. The real issue is how we can befriend the “Herods” of our lives without compromising our commitment to Christ. Today, let’s pray for the humility to live this way.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be salt and light in this world. Teach me to see people the way You see
them. Holy Spirit, grant me the humility to love my friends and family as I love myself. In Jesus’
name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 15