September 30, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog was originally published on May 1, 2013, and was written by Pastor Matt Ro, former pastor of Journey Church in Atlanta.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Never Forgetting, Always Rejoicing”

Psalm 45:8-9 (ESV)

Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Introduction: How often we forget—amid all the hustle and bustle of modern life—that our ultimate future is not to be found in this age but the age to come.  Today’s message will help us to turn our attention to the eternal glory that waits for us in the heavenlies. 

Psalm 45 is a Messianic wedding song and vv. 8-9 addresses the groom (Jesus) in the wedding.  We see a series of preparations.  First, the groom has prepared himself with robes of “fragrant myrrh, aloes, and cassia,” which are also burial spices according to John 19:39 40:  

“Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.”  So then, what does it mean that the same spices are present at the wedding as well as at the burial?  The royal wedding is made possible by the way of death; somehow out of death comes this fragrant incense that makes the scene of the wedding so glorious. 

We also get a look at the place that has been prepared: “From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad”: The words bring about an imagery of glory and majesty beyond description.  There is a sense in which this place is being prepared for us now in heaven (John 14:2).  The palace will be filled with music and we will be joined by a company of rejoicing saints.

And we also catch a glimpse of the bride that is prepared: “At your right hand stands the queen in gold of 

Ophir.” The Lord is preparing the church for a shared life together.  He clothes us in righteous gold dress. We, the bride, are ready to join him.  The blessings and privileges of Christ are given to us.  This psalm reminds us of the joy that comes from our union with Christ. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for the joy of being united to You.  Thank You for the riches that we receive at the cost of Your Son’s sacrifice.  Help me to live as one who is rich in Christ.  To know the comfort, joy, and peace that comes from being in Christ.  I look forward to that day that the apostle John speaks about in Revelation 1:7 when he says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.  Even so. Amen.” 

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 1:1-2 (ESV): Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Questions to Consider

  1. Why does Paul have reason to rejoice?
  2. Why does the church have reason to rejoice?
  3. How can our lives be characterized by God’s gifts of grace and peace?

Notes

1.  Paul calls himself “an apostle . . . by the will of God.”  Apostles were ones who were sent with a message and it was deeply etched into Paul’s identity.  Remember what Paul set out to do in Damascus?  He was the arch enemy of Christians. Remember that he had authority to persecute Christians. But now, Paul is rejoicing not only because  he was given God’s abundant grace but he was set apart by God as an Apostle as well.  Paul celebrates that his right standing before God and his apostleship came completely by the will of God, not based on credentials. 

2. The church has reason to rejoice because God has given us a great privilege through Jesus Christ.  What Paul has in mind when he says “faithful in Christ Jesus” is that these believers were steadfast in exercising their faith; in other words, their faith was very much alive and active in the present.   Ask yourself, “Am I currently exercising faith in the work of Christ alone on my behalf?”  The saints in Paul’s mind were those who were consistent in their Christian walk.  They were not “here today and gone tomorrow,” but could be counted upon, and relied upon for the long haul.  

3. We see Paul’s greeting to these believers: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  The two great heritages of the Christian are grace and peace, which God desires to extend to His children.

By grace the Lord means unmerited favor that you do not deserve.  You receive this favor to which you have no right to in any way. By grace the Lord means that He desires the Church to receive favor to which they are completely unworthy to receive. God also desires to give His Church peace. God’s peace is not simply an end to hostility but showing love toward His former enemies in Christ. Because we are recipients of grace and peace, we must extend those virtues to others.  Is there someone that you are having a difficult time with?   Apply the Golden Rule to your life (Do unto others as God has done unto you).

Evening Reflection

Think about the many reasons you have to rejoice.  Often, we can allow circumstances to dictate our emotions.  Spend some time journaling why we have reasons to rejoice in Christ and thanking God for His many blessings.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for these truths that have changed the history of the world. Help me to rejoice in, and to lay hold of Your provision, and to be a responsive instrument in Your hand.  Thank You for the joy that we can have in our calling as workers and children of God.

September 29, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on September 19, 2014, is provided by Pastor David Son who pastors Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“One Compliment that Tops Them All”

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 (ESV)

Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

Some experts say that looking in the mirror and complimenting yourself actually helps to build your self-esteem. As silly as it seems, telling yourself, “You’re awesome!” has a real effect on how you feel, at least temporarily. 

However, there is a compliment that is 1,000 times better than a self-compliment. When someone else tells you, “Wow, you’re awesome!” then that has an effect that is worth more than 1,000 mirror gazing self-compliments. Don’t you agree?  

But going even further, there is a type of compliment that is 10 times more potent than when someone else compliments you. It’s when you overhear someone complimenting you (sort of like the opposite of what Solomon says in today’s passage). Imagine walking down a hallway, and two people are talking about you. They don’t know you’re listening, but you hear them say, “Seriously, [your name] is so awesome!” The power of an overheard compliment is incredible in lifting you up and encouraging your spirit.

But there is still one more type of compliment that outruns all of the above by a mile. It is when you stand before the Lord God Almighty, your Creator and Redeemer, and He says to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

The words of man have the power to lift us up or bring us down. We have been on both the giving and receiving ends of this broken system. The Bible has much to say about our words and the power of words.  But above all words of man, the most potent words come from the mouth of God.  Let us tune our ears and take to heart the words of God; and then encourage someone, who is facing a difficult situation, with the very words through which God blessed you today.

Prayer: Lord, give me strength, and an ear turned to heaven, to find my approval in You and You alone. Today, whatever work I put my hands to, whatever words I speak, whatever thoughts I think, may they be pleasing to You. Thank you for your steadfast love towards me.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 2

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 23:5-7: They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

Questions to Consider

  1. Here, Jesus is speaking about the Pharisees and scribes. What is His problem with them?
  2. Whose approval are the Pharisees seeking?
  3. Whose approval is Jesus seeking?
  4. Whose approval are you seeking?

Notes

  1. Phylacteries were bags worn by rabbis, which contained excerpts from the Torah (Pentateuch). Phylacteries were worn during prayer, and a broad phylactery would indicate that the person wearing it was a man devoted to prayer. Being devoted to prayer is obviously not the reason Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees.  Jesus was speaking out against the appearance of devotion to prayer, in order to win the approval of man.
  2. The Pharisees were seeking recognition and approval from people.
  3. Jesus, we know, did only what He saw God the Father doing (John 5). Jesus’ teachings are the antithesis of the Pharisees’ attitude. He teaches us to do our good deeds in secret, for the approval of God, and not man (Matthew 6). Instead of taking the place of honor, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). 
  4. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Before Jesus began his ministry, before He preached a single sermon, before He performed a single miracle, before He finished His mission on the cross, God said regarding Him, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”  In Christ, we are also pre-approved. Before you wake up each morning and take that first step out of bed, God has already put His stamp of approval on you because you have been clothed with Christ. Let’s take these words to heart!

September 28, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was originally posted on February 20, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Fear of God”

Psalms 18:7-8, 15

Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,  and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him . . . 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

This isn’t the kind of psalm we want to wake up to, but it reminds us that God is to be feared as much as He is to be loved. After all, it was not without reason that the writer of Hebrews declared, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). But when was the last time you heard a sermon based on that text?

At times, even unbelievers become acutely aware of God’s indignation toward humanity’s grievous acts of injustice and immorality. In 1994, a powerful earthquake shook the foundations of Northridge, California, damaging an area where nearly 70 companies produced more than 95 percent of all pornographic videos made annually in the United States at that time. One actor in the industry remarked, “Our clients have a definite lack of motivation. It puts the fear of God in them.”

Remember, God loves us and is exceedingly patient with our shortcomings, but He is also holy and just. If we persist in sin, God will discipline us for our own good. Nevertheless, God’s holiness is not easily grasped because of our own unholiness. This difficulty is often compounded by a lack of teaching in our churches on what it means to fear God. 

Therefore, consider this quote from Tim Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan: “Here we are in the middle of New York City, talking about judgment and wrath and mountains falling on people, and some of you may be thinking, ‘Aren’t we beyond this kind of thing? Who wants to believe in something like that? Don’t we believe in a God of love today?’ Here is what I would suggest: If you believe anything Jesus tells you, you have to believe in Judgment Day. And if you don’t believe in judgment, you might as well throw everything else out.”

Meditate on this truth: “The LORD our God is holy.” Then let us respond with repentance.

Prayer: Oh, holy and loving God, I come to You this morning with none of my own righteousness because it’s like a filthy rag. I desperately need You to cleanse me from my selfish, narcissistic, and materialistic ways so that I can become free from constant worries and envy.  Above all, I need Your cleansing because I don’t want to keep offending Your holiness, so help me LORD.  Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Mt. 18:5-6: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Col. 3:5-6: “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”

2 Pet. 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Heb. 12:10-11: “For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Though not a pleasant subject, consider some things that we do that can lead to God’s indignation?
  2. Should we worry?  The answer is NO (Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9) and YES (Heb. 10:26-31).  Look them up and see for yourself. 
  3. In the end, why would God discipline or punish us when we resolutely choose the wayward path (Heb. 12:10-11)?

Notes

  1. God is indignant when what we do leads children to go astray.  He is also provoked at all kinds of immoral and unethical behaviors (which stem from a heart bent against God and His righteousness).
  2. “NO” because God will give us repeated opportunities to repent since He doesn’t want anyone to perish; “YES,” because “the LORD will judge His people” when they deliberately keep on sinning.”
  3. Just like when our earthly fathers disciplined us when we, as children, did things that were against his will (like touching the hot stove when they told us not to) God the Father will also discipline us for our own spiritual good when we ignore His counsel, which we think limits and restrains us, but in truth, they protect and keep us from harm and living a miserable life.  

Evening Reflection

Feeling tired from a hard day’s work?  Good!  But before turning in, evaluate your day: In what sense did you fear God today?   

September 27, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by was written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church, East Bay, was originally posted on March 13, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Newest Spiritual Vacuum Cleaner”

1 Tim. 1:14a

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.

To the horror of the homemaker, the confident vacuum cleaner salesperson peppers the carpet with muddy dirt.  After telling her not to worry, the salesperson quickly vacuums the carpet to show how effective his machine is.  

A similar motive drove Jesus to share the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the self-righteous lawyer in Luke 10, who, confident that he had kept all the laws, asked, “Who is my neighbor?”  This parable, therefore, is intended to show how this man’s pride kept him from seeing his heart full of dirt.  Jesus does that by forcing him to admit that the true neighbor to the Jewish man, left for dead by the robbers and ignored by the priest and the Levite, is a Samaritan, a social and religious outcast whom the Jews (i.e., he) would not help.  Jesus, knowing that the lawyer would not recognize his need for a Savior unless he becomes aware of his baseless sense of self-righteousness, exposes his incorrect assumption by pointing out his sin. 

Of course, the lawyers of today and the experts in the Law in Jesus’ days are not the same.  The latter were public secretaries whose reading and writing skills garnered them the title of “legal experts,” and because most of them were Pharisees, common people heeded their teachings.  Moreover, people simply assumed that these legal experts diligently kept the commandments, all 623 of them.  In such social and religious context, it would have been extremely hard for any expert in the Law to believe in Jesus because of its intimation that they too were sinners.  To be told that, as Jesus insinuated to this lawyer, would be like an off-duty police officer being ticketed for drunken driving.  Nevertheless, Jesus does that, offending him during the process, to show him that he needs the newest spiritual vacuum cleaner that can clean out sin: Jesus Christ.

Sometimes, we need a reminder, like what happened to me during my recent transcontinental flight, to not rely on our own righteousness.  As I waited for some time to enter the bathroom while brushing my teeth, suddenly this “funny-looking” middle-aged woman came out of nowhere and began motioning that I should let her go before me.  Rolling my eyes, I just went into the bathroom without responding.  A few days later, a thought occurred during my prayer: if that had been an attractive woman, would I have done the same thing?  Probably not.  That would place me right next to this lawyer, being reminded once again of my own inadequacy, but also marveling at how God continues to embrace me despite of me.  Because of such amazing grace, I may be more loving to others regardless of who is asking me for a favor the next time.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your grace through which arrogant sinners like me are forgiven. Strengthen me by the Spirit, therefore, to live a life of humility and love to honor You and what You did for me.  I praise You, Lord.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 1

September 26, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on November 1, 2014, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato. Jason, along with his wife Jessica, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Proverbs 1:1-7

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

“You have a LOT to learn.”  Would you be insulted if I said that to you? 

I became a Christian during my senior year of high school. But about a year later, one of the brothers in the college ministry, finding out that I was a new Christian, said those very words to me.  He didn’t mean it as an insult, but was just stating a fact.

Yet, at the time I was offended.  So within that year, I read more Christian books than most people who had grown up in the church and studied a certain amount of apologetics.  Though these studies were important, it didn’t change the fact that what that brother said was right.

The purpose of Proverbs is to enable the reader to understand words of insight (v. 2) and to provide instruction in wise dealing (v.3).  This instruction is not just about becoming efficient or shrewd, but also to teach the way of righteousness, justice, and equity.  Wisdom is a moral issue.  It’s about choosing between good and evil.  Not just the simple, but also the wise and understanding ought to continue to increase in learning and obtaining guidance (v. 5).

We naturally assume that such things are good, but that someone else needs knowledge, instruction, and guidance far more than we do.  We’re doing all right on our own, aren’t we?  The Proverbs remind us simply that “fools despise wisdom and instruction.” 

Regardless of our age, experience, or success, the Word of God tells us, “You have a LOT to learn.”  The question is, are we eager to have the Lord instruct us?  Are we aware of our need for greater wisdom?  Is our lack of knowledge apparent not only to our friends and family but also to ourselves?  When we come to the Scriptures, are we skeptical that we have anything new to learn?

Tomorrow is the Sabbath. Take some time now to prepare your heart.  Ask that you would come ready, not to critique the message or other people, but to humbly sit under the Word of God and let Him teach you the way to life.  Invite the Lord to instill a proper fear of Him in your heart.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You are the God of all wisdom.  It’s so easy for me to go my own way, but Lord, I don’t want to be simple, skeptical, or foolish.  Grant me humility to seek out wisdom in Your Word and with Your people. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 11-12

September 25, Friday 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Charles Choe, lead pastor of Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, and was originally published on June 17, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Urgency Need for the Intake of God’s Eternal Truth”

1 Timothy 4:6

“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” 

According to Nielsen, the average American has been watching more than five hours of television every day, which had prompted the author Neil Postman to entitle his 1985 book “Amusing Ourselves to Death.”  Today, we (with new toys at our disposal) spend more time entertaining ourselves than any previous generation before us. 

In what sense does this matter to us?  When Paul calls Timothy to “be a good minister of Christ Jesus,” he is not calling him to be a good pastor or a staff member of a church. The word for minister here can be translated deacon or servant. The idea here is, whether you are a pastor or a deacon, to be a minister is to be ultimately a servant of Christ Jesus.  

But notice here how Paul defines a good minister. Among other things, he is a faithful conduit of the truth to other Christians. To do this, however, Timothy first had to keep himself “nourished” to the truths in which he was “brought up.”  

And notice how Paul combines two important elements: knowledge and decision. He says you need the good, sound teachings of the faith in order to walk in them; you learn, and then you do what it says. That is the formula for a good servant of Jesus Christ – giving yourself to nourishing yourself, feeding upon these things and then following them.

So, to that end, Paul would say to us today, Watch what you are feeding on! Be nourished on the words of the faith and the good doctrine that you have followed. What has been nourishing your soul daily during the pandemic? Netflix? NPR? SportsCenter? People magazine? There’s nothing inherently wrong with these things, but the failure to regulate their intake will affect our study of God’s Word. And in a tumultuous time, such as the one we are facing right now, never has there been a greater urgency to dive into eternal truth of God with a receptive and unbiased heart. So, make time to be in the Word today.  To do that, you may have to cut down on what you watch or how much of it you watch.  

Prayer: Lord, I want to confess with the Psalmist, “Oh how I love your law” (Ps 110:97)!  Teach me to be a person of the Word, for your Word is a lamp unto my feet. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 10

Lunch Break Study

The word doctrine has gotten a bad name over the years. Say that word and some people seem to cringe. We like the Bible, but we’re not so sure we like doctrine. So we say things like “Doctrine divides, service unites,” or “Deeds, not creeds.” But doctrine simply means “teaching,” or “instruction.” And in that sense, we are all doctrinal because we follow a set of teachings that make up our worldview. What we should fear is bad doctrine or unbalanced teachings of Scripture. Let’s recover our love for sound biblical doctrine. 

Read Titus 3:4-8 (ESV): “ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”

Questions to Consider 

  1. Paul in verse 8 says, “I want you to insist on these things so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.” Why does Paul tell us to insist on these things? 
  2. What are “those things?” 
  3. Paul sees a relationship between doctrine and grace. Specifically, what does understanding doctrine lead to? 

Notes

  1. Paul wants us to focus on these things so that believers will engage in good deeds. 
  2. Doctrine. He is referring back to what he had just stated, which was that God saved us apart from our works so that, being justified by grace, we would become heirs of eternal life. 
  3. It leads to us engaging in effective action. Good works. Doctrine is not just a foundation for good works. It causes good works. 

Evening Reflection

What we see here is that the Bible teaches that sound doctrine is the basis for right action and, in fact, leads to and causes right action.

September 24, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang, lead pastor of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on September 17, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Starting is Easy—Finishing is What Counts”

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 (ESV)

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. 

I love to go to Home Depot.  There is something about purchasing the materials and tools needed to start a home improvement project that makes me feel “handy,” even though I’m not really “handy.”  And sometimes I will start a project and never finish it, but I still give myself partial credit for starting.  For example, I might make plans for Symphony Church, but never implement them; I still give myself credit for even thinking about it.  Oh, the absurdity of the human condition!

We are all capable of beginning something, for it’s quite easy.  Beginning appeals to our sense of pride and ambition, but finishing it is much harder.  We need more than pride or ambition to finish; finishing requires patience:

  • The patience to fight through difficult circumstances.
  • The patience to do hard and sometimes inglorious work.
  • The patience to resist getting angry when our pride or ambition is thwarted.

Every beginning holds the seductive promise of glory, while finishing requires endurance and humility. Though I lack in patience, our God does not; He is patient and enduring. Furthermore, God is the furnisher of the patience we need to finish what He would have us start. Thank God that Jesus finished his mission! Thank God that Jesus cried out, “Let your will be done!” in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He finished every step needed to walk to the cross! Thank God that on the cross, it was finished!

“Therefore…, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1b-2). In that spirit, let’s finish what we have begun whether at home, work, or church.

Prayer: Father, this morning, I place myself in your hands.  I know that I am driven by pride and my own ambition, but I want to have Your patience and humility.  I look to Your cross again and surrender myself to Your finished work.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 9

Lunch Break Study  

Read Luke 14:25-33: Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. 

Questions to Consider

1. Why is it important to “count the cost” before taking on a task?

2. Why did Jesus stress the need to “count the cost” of following Him?

3. Are there any costs to following Jesus that you have not counted?

Notes

  1. Being unprepared for a task leads to failure. Generally, it’s better to stop yourself rather than begin something without being prepared. Take the examples in this passage: Think of the waste in starting to build a tower and then stopping because you are unable to finish it.  All the time and resources put into the building are wasted.  Or likewise, for a king going to war, if he doesn’t first prepare and assess the battle, he will lose the war and suffer much casualty.
  2. Following Jesus is demanding, for there will be challenges as well as sufferings.  Christ warns us of this, which is why we need to count the cost beforehand and prepare ourselves for the challenges.  If not, then we will find ourselves falling away as pressure mounts. Counting the cost helps us to prepare for the battle of faith and enables us to persevere despite the oncoming obstacles.
  3. Take this time to reflect on your spiritual walk: What unexpected challenges have you faced? How did these affect you?  After thinking through what you believe it means to follow Jesus, develop ways to prepare yourself. We know challenges will come; Jesus assured us of that!  But He also assured us that He will be with us to the very end of the age. Let His presence be your strength as you prepare for the challenges of obedience to the gospel.

Evening Reflection

Have you started anything recently that you haven’t finished?  Have you made any commitment to God that you have not followed through?  What is stopping you?  As we journal, let us surrender to Him anything the Holy Spirit brings to our minds.

September 23, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was originally posted on November 27, 2014. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“To Whom Do You Turn in Times of Trouble?”

Proverbs 19:20

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

Every now and then, I enter into a conversation, and the person says to me, “I need your advice.” My ears perk up, and I’m ready to listen with the hopes that I can provide that person with just the sound advice that will help him or her navigate through some challenging circumstances in life. 

All of us face circumstances in life in which we need good advice. It might be about relationships. It might be about a messy situation at your workplace or at school. It might be about responsibilities at home with your children or your spouse. In life, we all get to a place where we need to make certain decisions but with very little or no degree of certainty on the outcome of our decisions. It is at these crossroads we pause and we seek counsel, especially from those who have gone before us and are facing similar circumstances. 

As I faced new ministry challenges, I found myself in a place where I had more questions than answers. The sense of uncertainty was quite overwhelming. I constantly got on my knees asking the Lord for wisdom in every situation. I would talk through the matters with my wife. I would let my mind play through all of the scenarios and the possible outcomes. But I also had the company of other ministers who had walked through similar circumstances, and I sought their advice and their counsel. They shared from their life’s experiences, their missteps and mistakes as well as their successes. They shared from their lives, some of the greatest lessons they gained while navigating through each situation. 

One pastor shared some of the best lessons that he had learned while making some of the most foolish mistakes. He admitted that a great part of his maturity came as a result of making judgment errors but responding humbly to the Lord’s correction, rebuke, and discipline. He pointed out that if we would heed to his advice, those who listen could very well shave off a few years here and there and quicken the process towards maturity. 

What do you do when you need good sound advice? Who do you turn to? How well do you listen to advice when given?  

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for (or I need) people in my life who provide me with good, sound advice. In my pursuit of living wisely, grant to me the humility to listen to good advice in every area of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 8

Lunch Break Study  

Read James 1:19-25: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Questions to Consider 

  1. According to James, what is one vice that manifests when failing to listen quickly? 
  2. Instead of allowing anger to get the best of us, what can we do in order to grow through the trials?  
  3. If you are currently facing trials, who can you turn to for godly wisdom and advice in your life?  

Notes

  1. James is writing to believers who are going through trials and persecution. In their pains and confusion, they lost the sense of hearing from the Lord and spoke too quickly about their situations. This led them to quick anger and blame rather than developing patience and trust. 
  2. Rather than angrily blaming God for our temptation and sin, and thus forfeiting the good he is trying to accomplish in us through the trial, we should confront the evil that caused the temptation, and return to the wisdom of His Word which can take us safely through the trial. 
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Write down a few areas in your life in which you need advice. Think of people in your life whom you can contact and say to him/her, “I need your advice.”  

September 22, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Thought, written by Pastor Sam Lee, was originally posted on July 18, 2014. Sam leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Trusting God When We Are Wronged”

1 Peter 2:23

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 

A parent’s natural instinct is to shield their child from harm. But in a fallen world, this is an impossible task. No one can be shielded from every possible disappointment, rejection, lie, spiritual attack, and sin in general. We do not live in a bubble, but in a fallen world where we sin against others, and others sin against us. 

Jesus, the Son of God, though perfect and sinless, faced disappointments and the sins of others. The Bible says, “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (Jn.1:11).  The Father God did not shield His only Son from sin; but instead, the sin of the world was on Jesus, and He overcame sin: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin” (Heb.4:15). 

How do you respond when others sin against you? The Bible says that Jesus “did not retaliate… He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” Jesus taught His disciples to forgive those who hurt them instead of holding on to their sins against them. We, as well, are to let those offenses go instead of holding on to them. Does that mean that we forget what they did to us? No, not forget; but rather, trust. Instead of trusting in ourselves to be the judge, jury, and executioner, we trust the Lord who is the perfect Judge.

Prayer: Lord, minister to my heart, bringing healing and freedom. I choose to forgive those who have hurt me, and I release them into your hands. You vindicate me, Lord.  You redeem and restore relationships. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 7

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:15: See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Gal. 5:15: If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is a typical outcome of being bitter and judging those who have hurt us?
  2. What does it mean when you cease to be the judge and have the Lord be the judge over those who hurt you?

Notes

  1. Hebrews 12:15 uses the word “trouble,” while the Galatian passage says “destruction,” referring to broken relationships.  As a result of being a bitter and critical person, loneliness may ensue since no one really likes to be around people with these characteristics. 
  2. In short, you allow God to handle the situation and the people who are hurting you.  One way to implement this is to “love your enemies” by “pray[ing] for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).

Evening Reflection

How can God use difficult relationships to work out His purpose in your life?

September 21, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was originally posted on November 26, 2014. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Heart for the Lost”

1 Timothy 2:3-7

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, [4] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, [6] who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. [7] For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Have you ever had a close friend or family member come to know Christ because of your prayers or influence?  There is such indescribable joy when the people we pray for come to faith in Christ.  Throughout my years as a Christian, I have seen people who were far away from God come to know Christ, and in each of these conversions, I am amazed at His power that saves.

In this passage, we see God’s heart for those who do not know him:  He “desires all people to be saved and come to know the knowledge of truth” (v.4).  This truth is that God loves the whole world, desires all people to be saved, and so commands us to preach the gospel to all the nations and pray for their salvation.  It is through one mediator, Christ Jesus, that all can come to know his incredible love and grace.    

Spend some time this morning praying for those who do not know Christ.  Maybe it is a family member, coworker, neighbor, small group member, etc.  Since prayer is one of the means through which the Lord redeems His people, we are called to intercede.  Let’s remind ourselves that God desires all to come to know Him, and that He calls us to be part of His redemption work.

Prayer: Lord, I want to lift up those in my life who do not know Jesus. May they experience your saving grace. May you use me to share Christ boldly. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ecclesiastes 6

Lunch Break Study 

Read Luke 15:1-7: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. [2] And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”[3] So he told them this parable: [4] “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? [5] And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. [6] And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ [7] Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Questions to Consider

  1. Why do you think Jesus tells this parable?  What does He want to communicate?
  2. How does Jesus view people who are lost?
  3. Do we have this kind of heart for those who do not know Jesus? 

Notes

  1. God rejoices over the recovery of a lost sinner, and therefore it is Jesus’ supreme desire to seek and save the lost.
  2. This attitude is illustrated by the willingness of a shepherd to go out over the hills searching, so that not even one sheep may be missing from his flock. There may be some who ask: “What does one lost sheep matter compared with ninety–nine safe in the fold?” and ignore the value of the individual. Not so with God. He rejoices even more (if that is possible) over the return of the lost than over the safety of those at home.
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

We have been reflecting on God’s heart for the lost today. Spend some time in prayer asking that He would give you his heart for people.