REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional—originally posted on May 17, 2019—is provided by Mei Lan Thallman, now a friend of AMI, who served at Grace Covenant Church UC for many years.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Overcome Fretting with Trusting”

Psalm 37:1-9

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

When I was growing up, I had a traumatic experience with a dentist that literally scarred me for life; no wonder I simply dread going to dentist’s office.  So, words fail to describe the terror I felt when I was told three weeks ago that I needed a root canal or tooth implant.  I wanted neither.

As I was anxiously fretting over my treatment options, I reached out to an endodontist student from my church.  She graciously offered to give me a second opinion by looking at my cavity-infected tooth.  During my visit, she proudly showed me two of her root canal treatments done with gold crowns. Then she assured me that root canal is not as terrifying as it is perceived when it’s done right.  She won my trust when she assured me with the words, “I have done over a hundred root canal procedures.”  Today I am proudly to testify that God has used her powerfully to treat not only my tooth but helped me overcome my fear of root canal.  

Dictionary defines fretting as “to feel or express worry, annoyance, or discontent.”  All of us can relate and understand why one would react in fret when faced with unexpected need for a root canal, illness, or crisis like job loss, bullying, relational conflicts.  However, as Christians we have the hope of breaking through the oppression of fretting by turning our worries into active trust in God’s ability to bring us through.

In Psalm 37:1-9, David repeatedly exhorts himself not to fret, that is, not worry in spite of unjust circumstances surrounding him, and overwhelming feelings of fear and anger that seek to overtake him and taking matters into his own hands. Instead, David, on the one hand, encourages himself to fix his attention on who God is, His character, competency, sovereignty, loving kindness, faithfulness, and on the other hand, exercises his will, mind, heart, faith muscle to trust the Lord.  

Trusting God means to walk by faith in the reliability of His character and truth.  Truth is not relative; it remains unchanging, unbending and unflinching. Trusting God means regardless what we see or feel we keep on keeping on being like Him and doing right like Him.  Trusting God means we live for the audience of One whom we love, whom we aim to please above all else, 

Being a Christian does not shield us from facing life’s many challenges, trials and tribulations. When they come, we don’t have to face them alone.  His presence and grace will be there with us to sustain us and help us to overcome in His power.  He is able to sovereignly work through these difficult moments to grow our trust in Him and our characters to reflect Him to the world.     

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being my good Father who always has my best interest in mind.  I thank You that You are more concerned about my wholeness than my comfort and happiness.  I thank You that You love me so much that You will use every opportunity to help me grow up in the fullness of Christ.  Help me to continuously surrender to Your love and molding instead of fighting You or abandoning You when life gets tough, painful and disappointing.  Please forgive me and save me from my selfishness and fickleness.  Thank You for Your unceasing and relenting Father’s heart for me.  In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 8

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Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 1:10-14: And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Questions to Consider

•  What does it mean to live a life worthy of the Lord?
•  According to the text, what specific ways we can please God?
• Are you making life’s choices that are worthy of the Lord?

Notes

• When we claim to be a Christian, our character, relationships and lifestyle should give an authentic witness to the faith we profess.  This is not a legalistic perfection but a work in progress of Christ likeness.
• We can please God by daily drawing near to Him, feed on His truth, cooperating with the Holy Spirit’s transformation of our person and empowerment to do the good work He has entrusted to us at home, church and workplace.

• Personal response

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Evening Reflection

Take time to reflect on the day.  Are there events or worries that are weighing you down?  Can you surrender these cares one by one by naming them and surrender them to your Father’s care and love for you?  

“Lord Jesus help me to cast these cares upon you because I believe you care for me and you will help me.”

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on February 21, 2019, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Am the LORD ”

Exodus 6:2-4

God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 

In Exodus 5, Moses faces his first setback as the leader of Israel.  When Moses goes to Pharaoh and appeals to him to let the people of Israel go, he not only refuses but inflicts a greater burden on the Israelites by forcing them to make bricks without straw.  And Moses cries out to God, complaining that his efforts made things worse.  So Moses was distraught, and asked God why he was the one sent and why all of this was happening to Israel.

In our day, whenever we have questions about why something is the way it is, we pretty much expect to get some sort of satisfactory answer.  One of the benefits of the being in the Internet age is that we can always find answers: If you don’t understand how a computer works or need a recipe for making muffins, you can just google it.  If you’re wondering why the sky is blue, you are not resigned to pondering over this mystery without hope of finding an answer.  You only need to search online for an answer.  For any questions we have, it feels like today we can easily find the answer on Wikipedia.  In this passage though, God doesn’t give what we would consider to be a satisfactory answer to Moses.  Instead, God answers Moses’ questions with this: “I am the LORD.”  

When things go wrong in our lives or we see brokenness in the world, we question: Why has this happened?  Why is the world this way?  Why can’t we fix these problems?  These are important questions but where can we find the answers?  Google, Wikipedia, and Alexa can’t help us; we must go to God.  But, like in this passage, God doesn’t usually give us the satisfactory answers that we want or we think we need.  Instead, when we go to God with our questions and complaints, God offers Himself.  When God tells Moses, “I am the LORD,” He is first telling Moses that He is sovereign and almighty.  In his difficult circumstances, Moses needed to understand that God was in control.  Also, God wanted Moses to know that as the LORD, He was faithful, the same God who made a covenant with Abraham and the other forefathers.  

As we face setbacks, failures, and trials in our lives, let us turn to God and remember that He is the LORD.  We might not ever fully understand why things are the way they are, but no matter what, let us remember that we can trust in Him and know that He is faithful and is in control.  

Prayer: God help me to recognize that You are the LORD today.  Help me to trust and know that You are faithful and that You are sovereign over my life, no matter the circumstances.  AMEN.

Bible Reading for Today:  Joshua 7

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Questions to Consider

• What does Ecclesiastes conclude about how we should live?
• How can this be an unsatisfactory answer for people?  How does it feel for you?  
• How do we understand fearing and following God as good news?

Notes

• In the end, we should fear God and keep His commandments.
• This can feel overly simplistic because we have a lot of ideas about how we are meant to find fulfillment and purpose through our accomplishments, family, or many other things.  Also, for many people, they may feel that the idea of fearing God and following Him makes us sound like mere servants or slaves.  
• It’s good news because it means we no longer have to live for ourselves or our world’s standards of success or joy, which leave us running dry.  When we fear God and follow His commandments, we are submitting ourselves to a life of eternal joy, hope and relationship with our heavenly Father.

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Evening Reflection

Like Moses, many of us are faced with failures and setbacks in life.  In the midst of all of them, what we must remember is that God is God, and that He is sovereign and is faithful.  As you close out your day, take a moment and remind yourself of the truth of who God is, and that He is with you no matter what.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posed on March 18, 2019, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Mighty Hand of God”

Exodus 13:3-10 (NIV)

Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 4 Today, in the month of Aviv, you are leaving. 5 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 6 For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. 7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

I was born in Korea and immigrated to the U.S. when I was 8 years old.  Because I was so young then, I only have a few vague memories of my childhood years there. One of them resurfaced some years ago, during my visit to Korea, when I decided to eat something I hadn’t eaten since I left my motherland: “Beondegi” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beondegi). 

As an adult, the thought of eating boiled silkworm disgusted me; however, upon coming across a street vendor selling this “delicacy,” I just had to relive my childhood days. As my mouth chomped on my first scoop of boiled silkworm, so many childhood memories rushed back into my mind. I enjoyed reminiscing, but a scoop was all I could handle that day. 

Food has a natural way of bringing back memories, doesn’t it?  Perhaps, that’s why the Lord used food to help the Israelites remember. Here, Moses is giving instructions on how the Israelites were to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, they would eat bread without yeast, and on the 7^th day they would hold a festival before the Lord. This celebration was not only to be observed by the people listening to Moses, but eventually it would be passed along to their children as well. Through this festival, as they ate unleavened bread, the Israelites would remember—they would remember how the Lord delivered their nation from slavery with “His mighty hand” (vs 3, 10). It was this “mighty hand” that delivered a nation of helpless slaves into becoming free people and eventually a blessed nation. At least once a year, the Israelites would eat and remember once again the incredible might of God’s hand. 

By now, you may have realized that our own faith journey is also made of many ordinary days: no supernatural healings; no audible voice of God; no miraculous provisions falling from heaven. We are simply trekking along a slow and gradual progression of incremental sanctification that’s difficult to even quantify. In these seasons, it is easy for us to forget the “mighty hand” of our Lord. But our forgetfulness does not define God’s might and power. 

Perhaps the next time communion is served at your church, you may want to pause and remember the might of God’s hand that delivered you from your own sinfulness and meaninglessness, thereby giving you a new life and purpose for the present age as well as in the age to come. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You that Your Spirit is always with me and always at work within me. Help me to remember Your might even in my ordinary moments of my own faith. In Your name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 6

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 8:22-25: One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out.23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Questions to Consider

• How does Luke accentuate the difference between Jesus and the disciples? 
• What do you learn from Jesus’ ability to rebuke the wind and the raging waters? 

Notes

• Luke tells his readers that Jesus actually falls asleep and remains sleeping until he was awakened by the frightened disciples. 
• The “rebuke” does not mean that the wind and the sea are represented as demonic forces, but rather that Jesus is able to command even the forces of nature. God is described in the Old Testament as “rebuking” the sea, a demonstration of His sovereign control over all of nature. (Strauss, Mark. Luke: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary) 

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Evening Reflection

Open up to Psalm 68:28 and pray these words from your own words to the Lord: Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Charles Graham, a former intern at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was originally posted on June 11, 2019.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The High Priest’s New Clothes: The Robe and the Golden Plate”

Exodus 28:31-35

“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment,[c] so that it may not tear. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.

In my previous blog, I recounted coming across John 5:39 where Jesus asserts that the Old Testament bears witness to Him. Charmed by the notion, I was excited to be assigned to an OT passage so I could spend time learning how the Old Testament does just that. Previously, I discussed a bit of Exodus 28 and the specifications for Aaron’s garments. My conjecture is that the particularity with which the high priest clothes are made hold some significance that point to Jesus Christ. It seemed that way in Part 1—let’s see if it holds while diving into the rest of the priestly garments.

Exodus 28 also details the build of the ceremonial robe and an engraved golden plate that the high priest is to wear when performing his duties (Exod. 28:31-35; 36-38). It is in these descriptions that the idea of bearing guilt is introduced, and repeated in verse 43. The robe, for example, is fitted with a golden bell and a pomegranate. Verse 35 reads, “And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die,” (Exod. 21:35 ESV). The golden plate has the words “Holy to the LORD” engraved on it, and is worn over the turban on Aaron’s forehead because Aaron is to bear the guilt of the holy things that Israel consecrated to God (Exod. 21:38). 

Now, what’s going on here? Does God need to hear bells on Aaron’s robes to know he is coming to refrain from smiting him? Certainly not. Verse 43 injects the idea that these garments are to be worn by Aaron (and his sons), to prevent him from personally bearing guilt. In fact, if Aaron attempts to enter the tabernacle to minister without them, he will surely die. So what’s happening? The priestly garments are bearing the guilt for Aaron. It’s not so much that Aaron is awarded this beautiful uniform because he’s good enough to enter the Holy of Holies, rather, Aaron is given the priestly clothes because he is not good enough on his own. Aaron has his own sin to bear, and so the garments are put over him because they represent someone who is: Jesus.

The priestly garments are a physical picture of the coming Jesus. The all-white pieces boast of His purity, the extravagant pieces boast of His beauty and glory, the function of the garments tell of the function of the Son who bears the guilt of creation and the necessity of the garments speak to every person’s need for Jesus to cover their sins. Jesus did it, but despite this many people hurt deeply from constantly dwelling on their shortcomings. Can we rest and rejoice in what Jesus has done for us, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us?

Prayer: Father, we thank You daily for what You have done for us and continue to do. I pray that Your Spirit would minister to us and heal us, not only of the propensity to sin, but of the guilt and shame attached to it. Holy Spirit, it is promised that You would remind us of Jesus’ teachings and work. Please do so constantly, so we may find joy and rest in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 5

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 1:10: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him; 

1 John 2:1-2: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Questions to Consider

• What makes John’s statement in 1 John 1:10 particularly challenging?
• Discuss John’s teaching about Jesus in 1 John 2:1.

Notes

• While most people are more than happy to acknowledge they’re a sinner, the full weight of that status sometimes escapes them. Many people have a sort of “moral scale” in their minds, placing themselves somewhere between the best and worst people in human history (morally). Since they are somewhere in the middle, they conclude they are a good person. However even IF it’s true, the standard by which we are judged is of whether we have sinned, a test we all admittedly fail. Thus, the necessity and graciousness of Jesus’ work increase to infinitude.
• John establishes Jesus as our Advocate to the Father. It could be argued just as the high priest cannot enter God’s presence in the tabernacle without wearing the garments, neither can a person enter God’s presence without Jesus pleading to the Father on his or her behalf.

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Evening Reflection 

Searching for Jesus in the Old Testament is proving to be an enjoyable pastime for me, though I admit I’m a bit of a nerd. I realize while some will share in my newfound interest, others may not and that’s alright. We can all agree where we really need to find Jesus is in our personal lives. Maybe it means waking up a little earlier for prayer, or maybe it means setting aside the phone for a bit and picking up that Bible. Let’s challenge each other as a family in Christ to fix our gaze on Him. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on December 30, 2018, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Spiritual War”

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

For fun, I did a little research on wartime rationing during World War II.  According to Wikipedia, in January 1942, the U.S. War Production Board (WPB) ordered a temporary ban on civilian automobile sales.  Although the WPB wanted to conserve fuel, the resource they were most interested in saving was rubber, which back then, was mainly sourced from Japanese occupied countries in Southeast Asia.  By June 1942, metal became the valued commodity, and products such as appliances, furniture, and radios were no longer being manufactured.  Gasoline was eventually rationed, which meant non-essential driving was limited and people were more reliant on public transportation.  Sugar supplies were cut in half, and since German submarines were sinking Brazilian cargo ships, coffee was rationed to about 1 lb. per five weeks (about the half the average usage at the time—that would have killed me the most).  By 1943, ration books and stamps were distributed to control the amount of sugar, fruit, oil, cheese, milk, and other items civilians could purchase.  

While researching I realize I’ve never lived through a war that dramatically impacted the way I have lived.  Sure, conflict in the Middle-east raised gas prices, but I’ve never been told I could only have five gallons this week.  Generally, I’ve had the privilege of being relatively unaffected by the wars and conflicts our country has been in.  Our country’s military involvement hasn’t even stopped me from going on vacations.  I guess what I’m saying is that I’ve always been a civilian, and I’ve always had a civilian’s mentality.  

Here’s my point.  Whether we know it or not, we are at war.  And while it seems that Paul exhorts us to take up the armor of God and take up arms, perhaps, we think we are just playing the part of a civilian.  But even civilians have responsibilities to make sure they are living in a manner that aids the war effort.  Of course, the question we want to ask ourselves is this: Are we living as if we are in a spiritual war, or are we totally oblivious to the conflict around us?  The apostle Peter warns us, saying, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8^b). What should we then do? The front end of that passage reads, “Be sober-minded; be watchful.” Paul, at the end of today’s passage, says, “With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying.” As we turn the page into the new year, remember those warnings and let us adjust our lives accordingly. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to put on Your full armor.  Help me to be aware of my surrounding and to spiritually alert.  Let me pray and intercede for my friends, neighbors, and especially those who don’t know Jesus.  Let me be ready to engage with Your word. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 4

REPOST Today’s AMI Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on January 26, 2019, is provided Jasmin Izumikawa.  Jasmin, a member of the Church of Southland, is currently a high school teacher. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Vinedresser”

John 15:1-2

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” 

Failures in work and conflicts in relationships have a way of humbling us and showing us our seasons of growth. When it seems as though there is nothing good left and nothing to look forward, we are reminded of our limits and weakness, which, then, helps us to grow in the right attitude.  Truth be told, even as we express our desires to make room for God to intervene in our lives, there are some things we have trouble letting go, because they exist as remnants of past successes, spiritual highs, “honeymoon” phases and easier times. But, dwelling on these transient seasons can easily stunt our spiritual growth. So, when things become difficult, as they eventually do in life, do you grumble and reminisce of better days or are you moved to pray and cry out to God? Do you pause to worship the LORD in the most inconvenient times? 

Be encouraged and remember the words of our loving God: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2). When was the last time you made room for God to prune the useless branches weighing you down? Branches of unfruitful faith, shallow faith, legalistic faith. Or perhaps branches of victim mentality, jealousy, regret, unforgiveness, bitterness, insecurity, pride. These branches distract us away from the real fruit of faith and victory in our relationship with God. 

When Scripture refers to the vinedresser, the writer speaks of an expert gardener. The vinedresser watches and cares for the garden year-round. This keeper of the garden makes sure that pests are removed and warded off, monitors adequate watering of the plants, hand-picks grapes at just the right times; and most importantly he prunes the plant to make room for new growth again. Without the vinedresser, the plant cannot survive for long. It’s incredible to see that from the blunt cuts on the hardened branches emerge new, tender shoots and fruit shortly thereafter. 

In the same way that a gardener strengthens and prepares a plant for harvest, we find that humility and weakness, brought to the hands of our vinedresser, produces lasting fruits. Henri Nouwen writes, “Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another’s wounds.” 

Just as new fruit is grown from a tender branch, we must live in humility—trusting that God is our source of joy and fruitful life. Where the LORD prunes, we can trust that it will be filled with new joy and life again.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being my vinedresser—for watching over me so carefully and lovingly. You see where I need to be strengthened and humbled. I trust You and place my life into Your hands. Prepare me for worship, prepare me to live a life of change, surround me in a community that grows in sharing our brokenness, and LORD, ready me for a harvest of joy and life in You in every season. I will abide in You, God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 2-3

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional—originally posted on May 24, 2019—is provided by Jennifer Kim, who faithfully served on staff at several AMI churches in years past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Fairness of God”

Exodus 30:11-16

“Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the Lord. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Serving at a church with about 100 children, I’ve noticed a common behavior in all children – an innate need for fairness.  Whether the fairness is exhibited by something as simple as getting the same number of gummy bears during snack time to something as big as getting treated equally as their peers, I’ve noticed that all children want equal treatment.  Any behavior that falls outside of this standard will usually be proceeded by a loud, “That’s not fair!”  At the heart of it, however, I recognize that these are the beginning seeds of justice.  We know that God is a just God, and if we are created in His image, then, all humans have some degree of desire to see justice in the world.

In today’s passage, we see for the first time in Israel’s history a census taking place.  During the census, God tells Moses that all who are counted must pay a ransom for their life.  However, Moses says that the rich must not give more than half a shekel and the poor must not give less than half a shekel (v.15).  In other words, God requires all to pay an equal amount regardless of their socioeconomic status.  “How is that fair?” you might wonder.  Why does the rich who live in abundance need to pay the same amount as the poor who are lacking and in need?  We certainly see this discussion constantly occurring in politics.  Well, it might surprise you to know that God does this precisely because He is a just and fair God.

Wealth and status did not matter in the eyes of God when he looked at each individual.  He required all to give the same amount because He see us equally – equally loved and equally in need of grace.  God’s desire was to restore all His people to right standing with Him and this meant everyone needed their sins atoned for.  Thus, all were required to give equally to the priest what was needed for their sins to be made right.  God sees all souls equally precious and there is no outward circumstance that can affect the state of our souls—as Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Let’s take some time today to reflect on whether we are living a life that seeks justice through worldly fairness or justice in the eyes of God.  Are you frustrated or grumbling about something of outward significance or are you fighting for the justice of people’s lives and souls?  True equality is when we see all of God’s people under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: God, I thank You that You do not look at merit or status, but You see us all equally.  Break my heart for what breaks Yours.  And help me to fight for the things that lead people to you.  In Jesus’ name. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 1

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:1-6: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “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. 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

Questions to Consider

• What does Jesus warn the people against?
• Why does Jesus give this warning?
• Jesus did not prohibit judgment, but he required fair judgment (Jn. 7:24)– that we would judge others by the same standard we judge ourselves.  Are there people or situations in your life where you are setting different standards than the ones you are living by?

Notes

• Jesus tells the people not to judge
• Jesus warns the people against passing judgment because when we do so we will be judged in a similar manner.
• Personal.

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Evening Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your day.  Did you encounter any unfairness or injustices throughout the day?  How did you respond?  Also, did you pass any unfair judgments on others?  Take some time in repentance and ask the Lord to help you see people the way God sees them and to respond to people the way Jesus would respond to them.

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 11, 2019, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I am a Jealous God”

Exodus 20:4-6

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

In Chinese, “jealousy” is a word that has different degrees of intensity, and each one is described by a different physiological effect. For example, a normal jealousy is described as “吃醋了 chi1 cu4 le,” which means to eat vinegar. However, a more intense jealousy is described as “妒火 du4 huo3,” which means jealousy that burns like fire.

In this passage, we see the Israelites who are set from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. After they encamp near Mount Sinai, the Lord makes a covenant with the Israelites by giving them the Ten Commandments. One way to honor this covenant is for the Israelites to not create an image of anything and then worship it. To warn them about violating the covenant, the Lord describes Himself as a jealous God. His jealousy is so intense that if anyone violates His law, He will not only punish the violators but their future generations as well. Yet, He assures the Israelites that if they obey His covenant, He will bless them for thousands of generations. 

Why does God associate Himself with emotion of jealous? Elsewhere, particularly in Isaiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel, God compares His relationship with Israel to a relationship between husband and wife. Of course, in context of a relationship, jealousy has a negative connotation; but it also reveals a person’s deep love and passion for the other. God’s love for Israel runs so deep that any violation of His love causes Him to react fiercely.

Through the story of the cross, we are able to witness God’s deep love and passion for us. We live in a world that is destined for death, yet God initiated a rescue plan for us. In His great love and mercy, He sacrificed His beloved Son so that we could be rescued from death!

This morning, take a moment to play a CD or an instrument, and spend time in His presence. Invite the Holy Spirit to remind you of God’s deep love for us. 

Prayer: Thank you Father that, even in the Old Testament, You remind us of Your deep love for us. We are prone to forget you, and we turn to other gods to satisfy ourselves. As the church, we are Your bride, and You desire a faithful love from us. Thank You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 28

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 4:7-16: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

Questions to Consider

• How does John define love in this passage? (v. 8-10)
• Why does John encourage us to love one another?
• What are three ways that we know that we are in God and God is in us?

Notes

• John defines love in two ways. First, he defines love as the person of Jesus. Second, he defines love through God’s love for us. God loved us and he sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for all of humanity.

• John encourages us to love one another because God first loved us. 
• First, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Second, when we testify that the Father has sent His Son. Third, when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.

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Evening Reflection

This evening, spend a moment to reflect on if there are any other gods in your life that are stealing your affection. It could be comfort, children, work, marriage, or even ministry. As these idols are being revealed, spend some time in repentance. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional—originally posted on May 22, 2019—is provided by Jennifer Kim, who faithfully served on staff at several AMI churches in years past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Consecration to Communion”

Exodus 29:26-46

Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days. 31 “Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. 32 At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. 33 They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. 34 And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred. 35 “Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. 36 Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. 37 For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy. 38 “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. 39 Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. 40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 41 Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. 42 “For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you; 43 there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory. 44 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

Something I distinctly remember about my college experience was the continuous love and care that I felt by people who would open up their home to cook for others and myself.  As we would break bread, there would be a natural fellowship, comfort, and care that everybody in the room would feel.  It’s not a coincidence that much of the fellowship we see in Scripture is precisely through the sharing of a meal.  I realize now that my college leaders took the time to cook and eat with people to bring a sense of comfort and love the way Jesus brought people of different backgrounds together.  And it was this experience that drew me closer to the love of Christ as I was brought into deep community and fellowship with other believers.

In today’s passage, after Aaron and his family go through the long consecration and anointing process, they are instructed to eat the food that was given as an offering.  It is important to note that the eating came after the washing, clothing, and atonement process.  The reason is because the eating was to signify the continuing relationship of the priest with God.  However, God does not stop there in His pursuit for relationship.  At the end of Exodus 29, God tells Aaron and his sons to offer a continual burnt offering throughout the generations.  He promises that through this offering God would once again meet with His chosen people and speak to them in order that “they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them” (Ex. 29:45-46).  God’s purpose in all the elaborate sacrifices we read throughout this chapter was for this very reason – that God would once again commune with His chosen people that they would know He is their God.

I received my call to ministry my junior year in college after experiencing incredible healing and love through the community that God had brought in my life.  I credit the many people who cooked for me, broke bread with me, and offered their time, resources, and energy to reveal the love of Christ that I may ultimately commune with God myself.  Let’s reflect today on some of the ways that we can extend hospitality to others that others may be pointed to Christ.  God’s desire is that all may know He is their God, and we have the amazing privilege to partner with Him in bringing others to the presence of God.  May our lives be one that brings people to encounter this amazing God who desires to commune with everyone.

Prayer: God I thank You for your love that continuously pursues a relationship with me.  And thank You for the people that You brought in my life to demonstrate this love that I may draw closer to You.  Help me to be agent of this love to others that they may encounter you as well. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 27

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 14:15-24: When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 
17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Questions to Consider 

• Many were invited to the great banquet, but many made excuses. What do these excuses signify? (v.18-20)
• What was the master’s response to the excuses? (v.21)
• Are there any excuses you are making in your life right now that is preventing you from joining the great banquet?

Notes

• These excuses reveal they were more interested in their personal/worldly endeavors than feasting in the kingdom of God (v.15).
• The master became angry and ordered the servant to go into the streets and alleys to bring the poor, crippled, bind, and lame.
• Personal.

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Evening Reflection

This morning we discussed the ultimate purpose for the sacrifices that God called Aaron and his sons to perform – to restore people back to a relationship with God.  This afternoon we read about God’s invitation for people to join in on his great banquet – the kingdom of God – however, many made excuses.  Reflect on the day.   Did your life extend hospitality to others that they would commune with God?  Or did you make excuses because of busyness or personal desires?  Take some time to reflect on ways you can join in on God’s work and lead others to communion with God.

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on February 14, 2019.  Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Potential of God”

Exodus 3:10-12

Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

When my daughter Audrey was an infant, some people jokingly called me a “tiger dad” because I kept trying to make her do things she obviously could not do yet, like trying to get her to lift her head when she was a week old. I really wanted her to be more advanced for her age, a feeling many first-time parents experience. Unfortunately for my new son Benji, I have swung the opposite direction and just figure he’ll learn to do things eventually. I guess my tiger dad days are over.

In our passage for today, God asked Moses to do something that he thought he could absolutely not do. God had a plan to rescue the Israelites from Egypt and He was inviting Moses to be a part of it. Specifically, God was calling Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to free the Israelites. To this request, Moses said, “No way! You’ve got the wrong guy. Send someone else!” This seemed impossible to Moses. But what was God’s response? “I will be with you.”

Fear is a huge barrier to doing the work of God. Many of us have a fear of failure, a fear of not being good enough, of looking foolish. Yet, when that is our attitude, we are being self-centered because we are putting the focus on ourselves. Moses was being very self-centered – His response was “I cannot do that. I am not the right person.” But it’s not about being the right person; our God is the right God and whoever He calls is the right person for His work. Why? Because God goes with whoever He calls. He enables them to do the task.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the early church did not run around trying to do things that Jesus did. They prayed and waited. Eventually, at Pentecost, they were all filled with the Spirit and empowered to do the work of growing the church. God was with them. Though it seemed impossible, God enabled them to do something that seemed impossible. In the same way, perhaps God is calling you to do something. Remember that you have the potential of God within you. He will enable you to do whatever He calls you to do.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You send Your Spirit upon me to do Your will. On my own, I would fail, but with Your Spirit I have Your potential within me. May I never fear failure knowing that You will carry me through Your purposes.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 26

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Exodus 31:1-4: The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

Questions to Consider

• What did God call Bezalel to do?
• How did God enable Bezalel to do this?
• Is the Lord calling you to do something right now?

Notes

• God called Bezalel “to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” God was planning to build the tabernacle which was basically a tent that the Israelites would carry with them as their place of worship, and it also was God’s symbolic presence with His people.
• Verse 2-3 tells us that “[God has] called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and [He has] filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” Was Bezalel a skilled craftsman before God called him? We don’t know, but he likely was not good enough to do what God called him to do. If you have read these chapters in Exodus, you know that the design of the tabernacle was very intricate. Bezalel needed the power of God through the Spirit to do this. God called Bezalel and gave him the ability to do the task.
• Take time to reflect on this question. Invite the Spirit to speak to you and give you confidence that God will equip you for all the work He wants to do through you.

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Evening Reflection

As you get ready for bed tonight, consecrate tomorrow to God. Say to Him, “God, I want to do what You want me to do tomorrow. Fill me with Your Spirit that I may do it by Your strength.” Imagine praying that prayer every night; God would certainly use you in mighty ways!