July 3, Friday

NEW Charmer Pratt, a longtime member of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia, has served faithfully in the welcoming ministry since 2016.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Friendly Debate”

Romans 14:5–9 

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whet… and of the living.”

As is common in AMI, GCC participates in a fast leading up to Good Friday, including several days of “juice only.” Usually, as the day to begin the juice-only part of the fast approaches, one question inevitably pops up: Do smoothies count?

The arguments for smoothies counting are pretty convincing: smoothies are indeed liquid, the fruits in smoothies are mostly made of water, and sticking to smoothies greatly decreases your overall calorie intake, so it’s still a fast. The argument against smoothies is also convincing: if it would break my fast to eat a banana, it should also break my fast to drink the same banana that’s been liquefied in a blender. That’s not a fast from food but a fast from chewing.

So how do we settle this? Simple: after realizing that this debate has no bearing on salvation, those who drink smoothies drink smoothies, and those who don’t, don’t. I personally won’t try to convince anyone to abstain from smoothies during a juice-only fast, but I won’t accept a smoothie if offered one.

As followers of Christ, we obviously have foundational beliefs that make us Christian. We only have a relationship with the Father because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who conquered our sin and death, and we draw closer to Him through the Holy Spirit. How that guidance of the Holy Spirit manifests in each of our day-to-day lives will have commonalities with our fellow brothers and sisters, but we all have our own unique personal convictions.

We already see those differences in how we pray, how and where we serve, how we work, and how we worship. Is the brother who serves in the worship ministry more of a Christian than the brother who consistently comes to Sunday service with coffee, notebook, and Bible in hand just before the doors open? Is the sister who worships through dance and prays through tears more of a Christian than the sister who is stoic in both things? Are the Christians who attend every church event better than those who show up more sparsely? We can never know and therefore cannot judge one over the other.

So when the Lord convicts you to join a fast, for instance, follow what He says without the expectation that He told everyone around you to join it and follow it the same way.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for providing so many ways for us to worship You! Teach me the way You want me to praise Your name and protect me from believing that what You show me is the only way to worship You. May everything I do be done to please You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 44

Lunch Break Study

James 1:19-21 (NIV): “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.”.

Questions to Consider

  1. In regard to speaking and listening, what does James expect the believers to do?
  2. How does James characterize the moral filth and the evil in our lives?
  3. How can believers deal with the anger, the moral filth, and the evil that we wrestle with?

Notes

  1. James says to master the art of listening quickly while speaking slowly. He also writes that believers ought to be slow to become angry.
  2. Unfortunately, James notes that this moral filth and the evil in us is apparently prevalent. 
  3. 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 instead remove the evil that caused the temptation, and return to the wisdom of His Word which can take us safely through the trial.

Application:  Take a silent retreat this weekend if possible.

Evening Reflection

Heavenly Father, I ask that you help me to practice the art of listening quickly while being slow to speak words of complaint, judgment, and criticism. Help me to accept your word that fortifies me in my trials. Amen.  

July 2, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on April 20, 2020, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Sabbath Rest”

2 Chronicles 36:20-21

He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

In the midst of the lockdowns and quarantines, there has been some expected good news.  In normally overcrowded and bustling cities all around the world, people are hearing birds chirping for the first time in ages.  In many places, mountain ranges are now visible because the smog has lifted, due to the lack of emissions from cars, power plants and factories.  The water in the famed canals of Venice has typically been murky from pollution and overcrowding from tourism, but now due to all the shutdowns, the water is now crystal clear, so much so that people can see the fish swimming in them.  To quote this Chronicles passage, it seems that the world is enjoying its first Sabbath in a long time.  

In Leviticus 25, God commanded the Israelites that every seven years they were to take a Sabbath year and refrain from their normal agriculture work and not sow seeds or prune their vineyards.  They were to just leave the land alone and let it rest.  At the end of 2 Chronicles, we see the complete decline of God’s people as Judah is forced into exile in Babylon, and the author says it was a Sabbath for the land; it then became desolate.  The implication here seems to be that the Israelites had not been practicing the Sabbath year for a long time and in some sense, God was forcing their hands and giving the land a rest. 

While we recognize how difficult and trying these times are in this global pandemic, at the same time, I think we can recognize that there is something that God wants to do in us and our world.  In our formerly normal lives, we all carried on with the usual: work, school and family affairs.  But in between all of that, we packed in social clubs, workshops, workouts, eating out, vacations, shopping, social media, Youtube and Netflix (just to name a few).  It feels like the goal of our lives was to fill every moment with something, to be busier, more educated, more entertained, more everything.  One of the last things on our minds was taking a Sabbath.  Sure we took days off or “mental health” days, but even then, we usually rested for the sake of being recharged to do more!  

But now, perhaps God is forcing our hands, as most of us in some way or another have been compelled to put our normal, busy lives on hold.  I believe that God wants to remind us to not make our lives about more achievement or more progress but to trust him by resting from our work.  The environment is enjoying the rest with cleaner air and clearer water and skies, and we all the more are meant to enjoy this rest since, as Jesus says, the Sabbath was made for man. Let us then enjoy this rest that God has given us, and let us witness His work in our lives.

Prayer: Jesus, we surrender our lives to you in this season.  It’s hard to not work and achieve as we once did before, but all the more, may we rest from our work and trust in Yours.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 43

Lunch Bible Study

John 6:11-15: Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Questions to Consider

  1. What good work was Jesus doing in this passage?
  2. What would you do after performing such an amazing feat?  How do you typically feel after a great accomplishment?
  3. What might have happened if Jesus stayed with the crowd? Why did he withdraw instead?

Notes

  1. Jesus was feeding the five thousand miraculously with the five loaves of bread and two fish. 
  2. Personal reflection question.  I think many of us feel a “high” of some sort after we accomplish something.  Most of us in Jesus’ place would have stayed for the adulation and adoration of the crowd.  We’d use this opportunity to be congratulated and affirmed.
  3. It says here that they may have taken Jesus and forced him to be king.  Jesus withdrew because he was not meant to be a king like other earthly authorities.  Also, Jesus withdrew because he was not defined by his work or accomplishment or by how much the crowds loved him.  He could rest from his work because that work was not all he was about.

Evening Reflection

In this season, I believe God wants us to reconsider what or who defines our lives.  In the midst of our busy lives, we can so easily let ourselves be designed by our work or accomplishments, but now is one of the best opportunities to rest from our work and to trust God to show us who we are.  Let us close this day by surrendering our lives and our work to Him; let us seek rest for our busy souls.

July 1, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on May 8, 2020. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Always Loved”

Matthew 3:16-17 

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

When I learned that shelter-in-place would go into effect, one of the first things I did was make a to-do list. I wrote down chores and hobbies that I “didn’t have time” for before. It turns out that having time was not the problem. Six weeks later, the bulk of what I’d hoped to achieve remains untouched. Instead, I have slept a record amount and watched more TV in several weeks than I did in the last several years. Subsequently, one of my most difficult challenges became processing the deep sense of guilt and shame I’d acquired for wasting this time.

In other seasons, I pride myself on being productive and efficient. As time passed and I felt hopelessly behind with all the things I’d wanted to achieve, I began condemning myself: Staying indoors was a golden opportunity, but I had squandered the gift. Friends challenged whether my own standards of productivity had enslaved me to a vision incompatible with the freedom God gives. I was reminded of this story from Jesus’s life explained through Peter Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. He writes, “We are given a snapshot of Jesus’ understanding of who He is. Heaven opens. The Spirit descends like a dove. And Jesus’ Father speaks audibly: ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’ (Matt. 3:17). In other words: ‘You are lovable. You are good. It is so good that you exist.’ Jesus has yet to perform miracles or die on the cross for the sins of humanity. Nonetheless, He receives an experiential affirmation that He is deeply loved by His Heavenly Father for who He is.”

Could it be that we are loved even before we do a single thing? Many of us find His acceptance and unconditional love too good to be true; as a result, seasons like these burden us with guilt and shame that we aren’t better. For those who can relate to the disappointment of a seemingly fallow season, I invite you to come back to the Father. He loves you. He loves you beyond what you can do for Him. He will free you from the chains of productivity and help you believe in the easy yoke of His love once again. 

God is neither surprised nor derailed by what we have (and haven’t) made of this time, so I urge you not to let it drive a wedge between you and the Father. God does not need our productivity to accomplish His work in the world, but He does want our hearts and our trust in His promises. So today, let’s come to Him, surrender the fruits of this time, and taste the freedom that comes from His unfailing love for His children. 

Prayer: Father, I am thankful that I belong to You. You are a good, endlessly good, Father. I confess that I still try to earn Your affection and praise by being useful. Teach me to trust in Your amazing and unconditional love once more. I want to be free in Your love! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 42

Lunch Break Study

Luke 15:18-24 “‘I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the younger son’s plan to come back to his father? What does this tell us about his understanding of his father?
  2. What is the father’s response like to his son? What does this tell us about God? 
  3. Reflect on this passage and put yourself in the younger son’s shoes. If this was your experience, how would you accept the father’s love? In the context of yourself and God, how readily do you accept His love, forgiveness, and restoration?

Notes

  1. The younger son has several methods to try and win back his father. He plans to come back to his father humbled and address all his misdeeds and regrettable actions. He also plans to make himself useful and become a hired servant to earn his keep. The son’s impression of the father is that the father will find it difficult to forgive him, and that perhaps the father’s favor can be curried with usefulness.
  2. The father’s response to the son is such: he has been yearning for the son all this while as he seems him a long way off (v.20); he is filled with compassion (v.20); he hurriedly goes to restore his son with a public display of affection (v.20). Furthermore, the father not only welcomes him back home but immediately restores him to a place of honor and belonging in his household once more. This is an unexpected turn for us, as the father has forgiven all the transgressions quickly, and the father did not hesitate to embrace his wayward son. God’s love is like this – always beckoning towards us, always eager to bring us home, always ready to restore.
  3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Take some time to think about today’s topic. How do you feel about accepting God’s love? Are you more freed from guilt and shame? Let’s ask Him to continue to reassure us of His love and make it more of our reality for the days to come.

June 30, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on October, 2020, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato. Jason is serving in Japan as an AMI missionary.

Devotional Thought for This Morning 

“None Like Him”

John 1:9–16 (ESV)

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Imagine a freed slave after the Civil War who just met President Lincoln. Would he try to shake his hand or spit at his face?  Imagine a prisoner in a Nazi death camp who just met their liberators—the Allied soldiers. Would he try to shake their hands or spit at their faces?  Too easy to answer?  You just wait.  

In the first eight verses of John 1, we were introduced to the Word, the true light that has not been overcome by the darkness. He is greater and more glorious than anyone or anything. 

But when the source of all life and light comes into the world, He is rejected. Verse 10 tells us that the people of the world did not know the one who had created them. In fact, His own people did not receive them. These are the people whom He had personally delivered from slavery in Egypt. He had given them the Promised Land, the Law and the Prophets. He had been faithful to them for generations, despite their own unfaithfulness. Yet, they did not receive Him.

If we are familiar with the Bible, we can hear about this and not be that surprised. But this is truly insane. This is like a freed slave after the Civil War refusing to shake President Lincoln’s hand. This is like a prisoner in a Nazi death camp spitting at the Allied soldiers who came to free them. That would be crazy.

But God is not simply a nice stranger who has saved us. He did not simply stumble upon us. The Word of God is our Creator, the giver of life, the giver of every good gift we have. He has pursued us constantly. We have been created to know and love Him. No one knows us better or has been more faithful to us, but in our sin, we have rejected Him.

If you and I met and then twenty years later you did not remember who I am, that would be understandable. If my children grow up and pretend that they don’t know me, that’s a very different thing.

So what does this rejected King do? He has been shamed and dismissed. His own people are openly rebelling against Him.

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12). The rejected King takes our hatred and disdain and comes to dwell among us. He comes with grace and truth. He comes to show us the face of the invisible God and to give His life to adopt us into His family.

There is no other god like this. We could not make up a god this good if we tried. But He is real. He is the one true God and he invites us to know Him, to belong to Him, to taste and see that He is as good and, in fact, better than we have heard. 

Prayer: Lord, there is no God like You. None so gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. I cannot imagine why You would patiently pursue me. I open my heart and life to You for You alone are good.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 41

Lunch Break Study  

Hosea 2:14–15 (ESV): “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. [15] And there I will give her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.  And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.”

Questions to Consider 

  1. In response to Israel’s sin, the Lord declares that He will discipline her. Verses 14-15 explain the Lord’s overarching purpose. What is God’s desire?
  2. What happened at the Valley of Achor? See Joshua 7:20-25.
  3. How did the people respond to the Lord when they first came out of the land of Egypt? See Exodus 24:3.

Notes 

  1. To draw His people back to Him and that they might regain their first love for Him.
  2. Achan had disobeyed the Lord’s command and taken spoil following victory over Jericho. Achan was stoned to death at the Valley of Achor, but here the Lord promises to transform this place of judgment into a door of hope.
  3. They committed themselves to obey His law and serve Him only.

Evening Reflection 

Reflect upon your day. Were there moments when you were tempted to take sin lightly? Were there moments when you were aware of the Lord’s remarkable goodness? Ask God for eyes to see His surprising love for you.

June 29, Monday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on October 13, 2019, was written by Pastor David Son. David pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Be Ready”

2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

After living in Taipei for two years, I feel like I have finally acclimated to the weather, food, and way of life in this island country. But one thing I have only just begun to grasp is the complexity of the relationship between Taiwan and China. For those of you who are well acquainted with this situation, you also know that this is a topic that is loaded with political baggage. My intent for mentioning this subject is not to proclaim one political view over the other; rather, I would like to present two humble observations, and a general application.

Observation #1. It’s only a matter of time before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will take some form of action on Taiwan. It’s no secret that the CCP wants to claim full authority over Taiwan. A major deterrence to this has been the presence of the United States, who have promised to come to Taiwan’s defense should any military action be taken by the CCP. However, with the recent events happening in America (e.g. COVID-19 outbreak and the upcoming presidential election) and in light of what happened in Hong Kong, many experts believe the timeline for a CCP takeover of Taiwan is shortening. Some reputable sources even suggest that a military advance is imminent as early as January 2021. Regardless of how we feel about it, this is the reality we are facing here in Taiwan, and we certainly feel the tension.

Observation #2. The time is ticking for our church. Up until this point in my life, I’ve had the blessing of being part of churches that will probably outlive me. Growing up in the States, I have never once thought about my church as something that had a time limit. To me, my church would always be around; but there is in fact a time limit. Yes, the churches in Taiwan are currently enjoying the freedom to gather, to evangelize, and to make disciples without any external hindrance. But all of this could change. Of course, we don’t know if we have 1 year, or 50 years. But one thing is for sure: the clock is ticking! We don’t have forever to accomplish our mission.

Application: We must use the precious time we have (whether it’s 1 year or 50 years) to raise up as many kingdom-minded disciples as possible. We need to train Christians who are ready to preach the gospel, in season and out of season, in persecution or freedom; believers who love God’s Word and can reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. This is not just for churches in Taiwan. The truth is that all of our churches have a time limit when it comes to our mission, because Jesus could come back at any time. We might have 1 year, or 50 years left; no one really knows. But one thing is for sure: the time for casual Christianity is over – nay, it never existed. The question that remains is: how will we use this precious time that we have left?

Prayer: Jesus, give us a sense of urgency regarding the mission you have given us. Would you remind us all of the reality of the coming Kingdom and give us a refreshed perspective as to what you are doing in our cities. Please raise up more workers for the harvest and encourage those who are currently running the race for you.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 40

Lunch Break Study

Philippians 3:17-21: Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to this passage, what are the characteristics of one who walks as an enemy of the cross of Christ?
  2. What does Paul encourage the Philippian church to do?
  3. What hope does Paul encourage the Philippian church to cling to?

Notes

  1. “Enemies of the cross of Christ” is one of the most extreme titles Paul assigns to someone. Paul is most likely referring to the Judaizers (those who went around forcing Christian converts to practice Judaism as a requirement for salvation). In this passage he describes them: “Their god is their belly”. They overemphasize the physical aspects of faith (e.g. eating laws).  “They glory in their shame.” They boast about the things they ought to be ashamed of. “They set their minds on earthly things.” Paul makes a sobering judgment upon these people: “Their end is destruction”. 
  2. Paul encourages them to imitate him and those who walk according to Christ’s example. Previously, Paul, in his letter, had mentioned Timothy and Epaphroditus as outstanding examples of Christ-like humility and service. Paul urges the church to look to these examples and imitate them.
    • Who are you imitating?
    • Are you a person who lives as an example of Christ?
  3. During the time when Roman citizenship and Caesar-worship was mainstream, Paul reminds the church that their citizenship is in heaven, and their Lord is Jesus Christ. In the midst of our (broken) world, let us cling to the assurance of hope that we have in Jesus Christ!

Evening Reflection

Spend some time praying for a sense of urgency in your church. Let’s pray for more Christ-like examples, the kind that we can look at and imitate. Finally, let’s remember that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven.

June 28, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 5, 2019, is provided by Cami King. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Do You Want, Really?”

Exodus 24:3-7 (NIV)

When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” 4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

As part of my daily devotional reflection, I listen to lectures and sermons from the late Howard Thurman, a pastor, theologian and modern-day mystic. In one such recordings, he challenged his hearers to ask a simple, but I think profound, question – What do I really want? In this he presses all who choose to respond to examine our lives and discern where our efforts and energies are directed and directing us. And to ponder what is really worthy of the offering of our energy and resources, our days and ultimately our life. I offer his words for your reflection today: 

What do I want? What do I want, really? What is it that is the fundamental thing that I am after with my life? What is the meaning of all the activities, and all the strivings, and the struggles? What after all is my point? Am I really concerned ultimately with providing some windbreak against the world around me? Am I really concerned about the accumulation of economic power which will give to me some sense of quiet security and tranquility without the threat either of poverty or some other kind of insecurity that can be measured in terms of dollars and cents, of things and property? Is this the be all and end all of my striving? Or is it for something else? Perhaps for fame or a certain kind of honor so that my name or my memory will be preserved and men will take cognizance of my presence, not because of what I may be in and over myself, but because of the kind of image that my life projects on the screen on which other men are looking. Is this the thing that I’m after? What is it that I really want? What is it that’s capable of making me bring to bear upon a single end or focus or purpose all of the resources of my life, my thinking, my dreaming, my struggling. So that in the fulfillment of myself this thing will follow. 

As I’ve pondered these questions for myself, I’ve been excited as some of the deepest desires of my heart begin to come into focus. I’ve also been sobered as I take account of my daily efforts and humbly acknowledge their distance from those desires. What are the deepest desires of your heart? Toward what end are your daily efforts and strivings directed? When you close your eyes for the final time, what do you want your life to have been for? 

Yesterday, AMI family gathered to honor the life of Pastor Johann Kim. Since his passing on Easter weekend, I’ve read countless reflections on the impact of his life and ministry from folks all over the world through emails and social media posts. I’ve especially marveled this week at the kind of life that’s lived in such a way that when it’s all said and done on this side of eternity, family and friends in the midst of grief and longing are able to experience some measure of peace and even joy in knowing the eternality of the life and work of their loved one who has gone Home. When we are clear about our life’s purpose and when that purpose is kingdom-oriented, the impact of our lives will always be some hundred-fold, exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could imagine. I am so grateful for the cloud of witnesses, the ancestors, the saints who have gone before us who were willing to live their lives in this way. 

Prayer: Gracious God, I thank You for the gift of my life and all the resources You’ve store within me. I am so easily distracted by business and all that seems to be an urgent necessity. But, help me today to pause and ponder my purpose. Make me aware of my heart’s desires and my contribution to Your coming Kingdom. Help me to redirect and reorient any of my daily efforts that are misaligned with Your good plans for my life and the world. Remind me of those who’ve walked this path before and finished well. May their lives encourage, challenge, and comfort me on my journey. You Kingdom come. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 39

June 27, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 18, 2019, was written by Claudia Robbie. Claudia serves as a staff member at Journey Church of Atlanta.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“I Matter, to Him”

Psalm 46:10 

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

Overwhelmed, confused, anxious, doubtful… that is what I have been feeling. When I feel this way, I try to dress it up and hide those things. The temptation to put on a front is very real, but what I’ve learned in the last few years is that I need to be honest about where I am (even if it is just with myself). When I hide and pretend, I don’t allow God to speak and move in my life; I become blind to the habits and things I depend on other than God. I end up being very destructive to those around me and to myself.

A few years ago, I started going to therapy after I had a difficult emotional breakdown. It was God’s gentle hand finally helping me to address the things that I was blind to and bound in. It didn’t feel gentle, it hurt like nothing I had ever experienced and there were thoughts to end the hurting, but I know it was God’s gentle love for me. I got help for some intensely traumatic moments in my life and the behaviors I engaged in to help me cope from the time I was 10 to the age of 37. 

In the course of my healing I was drawn to Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”. In reading some commentary on this simple verse, I found that being still didn’t mean ceasing activity, but it meant to stop striving, to let go, to surrender.

As I learned to be still and rest in who God was, I gained freedom and I could finally stop striving over whether I mattered to people around me. You see, my core lie was that I didn’t matter, and many events of my life contributed to the strengthening of that lie. I always felt like I had to fight to matter and I didn’t care who I hurt in the process of fulfilling my need. When God brought me into counseling and I faced my hurts and owned the responsibility of hurting/burdening those around me to fulfill a need that only God could, I finally embraced that I mattered to God—the proof is the cross. Because He filled this deepest need of my heart through His Son Jesus, I could stop the striving and I could be still in His presence. 

In this season, when so many things are in turmoil in my life, God is gently reminding me again to be still and as He guards the things I have learned and experienced in Him, I know that He will be glorified, and everything, in the end, will be okay, in Christ.  

Is God asking you to be still? Are you in a situation or a season where you don’t know where to go, what to do, how to hold it together? Do you feel His gentle call and comforting touch even amid your sorrow and grief? Be still and know that He is God. 

Prayer: Father, would You draw us into Your presence and help us to be still. Remind us of all that we know and have experienced of You. May You guard us from the enemy who wants to destroy, and restore our hope and peace even in the midst of our struggles and sins.  

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 37-38

June 26, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on September 25, 2020, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Beyond Comprehension”

Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Our society has been inundated with “fact-checking” and accusations of “fake news” more than ever. These are outward expressions of an ever-increasing sentiment of distrust. There is a growing expectation and demand for answers. And until we get these responses, there is a sense of peace that is lacking. But what if there was a peace that is available even when there are no answers?

Paul writes to the church in Philippi to rejoice always, walk with integrity, not be anxious, pray, give thanks in light of the circumstances that they are facing. As you may know, Paul writes this while he himself is sitting in prison. How can a man facing such trials talk about joy and peace? What explanation can be provided for this?

Well, I think that’s the thing. There is an underlying assumption in many of us that if only we had the answers, if only we had the solutions, if only we could explain what and why these things are happening, then we can find peace. But we’ve all faced situations where there are no real good explanations that can be provided. And in some situations, the answers to our questions are even harder to accept than the unknown. 

But an incredible truth and hope is available in Christ who offers a peace that TRANSCENDS understanding. A peace that needs no explanation. A peace that cannot be taken away because of circumstances. Is this not the peace we want? Is this not the peace this world needs?  This is the peace that Christ offers to us. And this can only be found in Him. 

In conjunction to yesterday’s quiet time, this kind of peace can only be found in God’s presence. And not that we shouldn’t come to God with our questions and our supplications—I pray that the Lord will guide you and respond to you in all that you bring to Him—but perhaps more than the answers to these things, we should seek Him. For in Him and Him alone, is everlasting peace.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are peace. You are not only the giver of peace, not only are You the maker of peace, but You Yourself are peace. And we confess that in this chaotic world that seems to get crazier each day, what we need is not answers—rather, we need You. May our need for answers and solutions never get in the way of our need for You. Thank You for revealing this truth to us.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 36

Lunch Break Study

Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Questions to Consider

  1. What are the things that Paul calls the church to dwell upon?
  2. What do you think is the relationship between dwelling on these “excellent” things and the peace available in God’s presence?
  3. What practices can you incorporate to your daily life that will allow you to dwell more on these “excellent” and praiseworthy things?

Notes

  1. Paul calls the church to dwell upon that which is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise. If you take all these things into consideration, it must point our attention to God who alone encompasses all these things and more. But also, it is these things reflected in the life of believers that help us also to dwell upon these things.
  2. When we dwell upon these things that are truly excellent (e.g. the character of God, God’s love reflected in the life of believers), it reminds us how great God truly is. And when our hearts and minds began to fathom the greatness of God, we come to realize that there is peace in God that transcends all understanding available to us (see morning devotion). Especially in times when we aren’t sure how to pray or what to do, these are the things that we should “fall back” on in order to get us back into the presence of God.
  3. Some suggestions might be, one, taking a short part of scripture every day and spending a good chunk of time meditating on how this passage reflects the character of God; two, singing a praise song to God to remind yourself of who He is and why He is worthy of praise, etc. 

Evening Reflection

Take one of the practices you thought of doing during the Lunch Break Study and implement it now. Sing a song of praise to Him. Meditate on a small chunk of scripture. Google search a famous painting of a Bible story (e.g., Rembrandt’s “The Return of the Prodigal Son”). You can be creative! But whatever you choose, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of how good God is through this, and dwell upon these things.

June 25, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 24, 2020, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Simplicity”

Psalm 27:4-8 (NASB)

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. 6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

My wife and I just celebrated my daughter’s second birthday, and I must admit these past couple of years have been a learning experience. But as much as I have learned already, there seems to always be more philosophies, methodologies, and practices (many which contradict each other) in how to raise a child. In fact, what I am most confident about is the fact that there isn’t one “this is how it should be done.”

But this isn’t just in parenting. It’s the case in all areas of life. It’s driven by an assumption that having more options is always better. More options mean more choices, which somehow guarantees better results. But that isn’t always the case, is it? In an age of endless research and information, sometimes it’s nice to have just one solution. There is great value in simplicity.

This is the heart expressed by David: One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek. While running for his life as a fugitive, the one thing David seeks above all else is the presence of God. Before, I understood this as a reminder to forsake all other things so that I may find my security in God, especially in the midst of trials. More recently, however, this psalm spoke differently to me. 

It showed me the value of simplicity. There is great joy and freedom in simplicity. I don’t need to research more. I don’t need all the understanding in the world or the “right” words to say in order for God to hear my prayers. I just need to know that no matter what I face, what I need is God’s presence. And that is a prayer that God is always faithful to answer. This is what David prayed for: One thing have I asked of the Lord.

Have you ever had a time when you became discouraged because you weren’t sure what to pray for? Well this psalm shows us that it’s not so much about what we ask for but more so Who we ask for. And when we ask for His presence, we’ll realize that the other questions and concerns don’t matter as much. Because what we always needed was Him. 

Prayer: Father, thank You. Thank You that You are always the answer. Thank You that we don’t need complete understanding or some semblance of clarity. We thank You for the freedom we have in this simple confession that all we need is You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 35

Lunch Break Study

Romans 8:14-17, 26-27 (NASB): “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him… 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the indicator that we are children of God?
  2. Limiting your response to this passage, what does the Spirit do in the life of a child of God?
  3. What does it mean to you that when we do not know how to pray, that the Spirit of God intercedes on your behalf?

Notes

  1. The Spirit of God and being led by the Spirit is the indicator that we have been made sons and daughters of God. Verse 16 – the Spirit Himself testifies of this reality.
  2. The Spirit of God leads us (v.14), He frees us and calls us to cry out to God (v.15), He assures us of our adoption (v. 16), He intercedes on our behalf with words that we don’t have ourselves (v.26)
  3. Personal response. There is great freedom that though we do not have the words, the Spirit who knows the mind of God, intercedes on our behalf. And just like David is Psalm 27, the first thing the Spirit cries on our behalf is “Abba! Father!”

Evening Reflection

There are many things that happened throughout today: While some of you have come to terms with certain issues in your life, others are still wrestling through them. But no matter what you may have encountered today, there is great freedom in this simple truth: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Take a moment to allow this great yet simple truth to fill your heart and your mind as you find your rest tonight.

June 24, Wednesday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Give It All Away”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 34

Lunch Study Break

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

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

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

Evening Reflection

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