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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Need for Rebuke” 

Proverbs 27:5-6 

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. [6] Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. 

If you were watching someone you love slowly walk toward a deadly trap, how would you respond? Would you stay silent for fear of offending them, gently try to steer them away, or do everything you could to stop them? Which response is the most loving?

One of my biggest frustrations within the Christian community comes when I confess a sin or acknowledge a fault rooted in my sinful nature, and the only response I receive is something like, “It’s okay, Jesus still loves you.” I understand and appreciate the sentiment. Of course, that statement is not wrong. The blood of Jesus is sufficient to cover every sin I commit. However, it is incomplete because I also need to hear, in that moment, a gentle voice encouraging me to address my sin and grow in Christ. 

And there is no better community than a community of believers in Jesus for that. No matter your background, you can be welcomed, encouraged, and loved because the source of that love and encouragement is the Holy Spirit rather than human effort alone. Yet, in our desire to be more welcoming, encouraging, and loving, we can sometimes lose sight of the importance of helping one another take sin seriously.

We often avoid confronting others because we fear they will feel rejected rather than loved or that we are seen as judging! That concern is understandable. Being rebuked rarely feels pleasant. Nevertheless, our desire to see our brothers and sisters walk faithfully with Christ should give us the courage to lovingly address sin when we see it—sooner rather than later but not never.

This is not a call to speak about someone’s wrongdoing behind their back, which would simply be gossip. Instead, we should cultivate a culture in which fellow believers can lovingly and directly correct one another, recognizing that such correction comes from a place of genuine care. I confess that I, too, often hesitate to confront sin when I see it. In fact, there are times when I fail to do so altogether. Yet that hesitation should not prevent me, or any of us, from practicing biblical accountability.

The next time you see a brother or sister caught in sin, speak with them lovingly and promptly. It is better to help pull someone away from sin than to stand by and allow them to remain in it, or as the apostle Paul puts it, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may be tempted. Carry each other’s burden, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1-2).

Prayer

Father God, I know it is better to risk offending a fellow believer by lovingly pointing out their sin than to allow them to remain trapped in it. Give me the courage to lovingly confront my brothers and sisters when they fall into sin, and give me the humility and wisdom to receive correction when I fall short. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 6-7

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 4, 2014, was written by Pastor Phil Chen. Phil leads the Pillar Church in Houston.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Little Hope vs. A Lot of Hope”

John 1:1-5 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

In the first of the Hunger Games movies, one of the characters, President Snow, says something that I found to be particularly insightful. He said “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous.” He was speaking in regard to the people that his government was oppressing. By giving them small doses of hope from time to time, he is able to keep them and their expectations at bay, but if and when the people were to realize that there is a greater hope that they can lean upon, it could be a dangerous one for his regime. But, when it comes to hope promised by God, nothing can be further from the truth.

As this portion of the Gospel of John mirrors the beginning of the book of Genesis (the Hebrew eye would not have missed this), we see that the gospel writer is introducing Jesus and the commencement of his ministry. As we take a closer look at verse 4, we see that in Jesus is life, which is the hope of all mankind. Why? Because the light shines into the darkness, and the darkness has not and cannot overcome it. The light of the world, the hope of the nations is Jesus, the eternal God who has come into the world to defeat the kingdom of darkness.

Friends, as we remember that we live in a kingdom of darkness that so desperately needs the light of Jesus to pierce through, we must remember that we hold onto a different hope. The world may offer small doses of hope (a promotion here, recognition there), but we have set our hope on the living Christ. Let us remember that the hope we have in Jesus is not a weak one. If it were, there would be nothing we could do to infiltrate this kingdom of darkness. Rather, Jesus is the light of the world that has come to bring hope for the nations. We carry that message of hope with us, so powerful and dangerous, that it is able to penetrate the darkest places in the kingdom of this world and infiltrate the strongest forces of the enemies.

Prayer: Lord, I believe you are the hope for the nations. Today, remind me that I carry a dangerous and powerful message of hope that can destroy the kingdom of darkness in my life and in others lives as well. Help me live in a way where this hope is evident in my life! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 5

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:6-10: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. ⁹ 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.”

Questions to consider

1. Who is John the Baptist, and how is our role similar to his?
2. Verse 8 tells us that he was not the light, but simply came as a witness to the light. In what ways do we end up claiming to be the light rather than a witness to the light?
3. Are you being a creditable witness for Christ to people around you?

Notes

1. John was a messenger of God, sent to carry the message of hope to all people. He was to testify of the light and living hope found in Jesus, and we also, as ambassadors, are sent to declare this message to the nations.
2. For some, we can use our faith to point to ourselves rather than God. We can use our good works, our ministry, our character to promote ourselves rather than Jesus.

3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection

The New Testament is loaded with passages that speak of our identity as Christians. We are ambassadors. We are a royal priesthood. We are messengers of God. We testify of the light. Today, may we be reminded that we play an important role in the kingdom of God. If you’ve been burnt out and are standing on the sidelines, remember the glorious part you play as a messenger of the living hope of God! Remember this message for yourself and bring it to everyone else around you as well.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance East Bay Church, was posted on March 24, 2020 during the onset of COVID-19.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Fear and Anxiety”

1 John 4:17-21 (ESV)  

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

If we think about it, all of us are born in fear, ultimately die in fear, and in between, we experience varying levels of fear throughout life. Perhaps, as of a few weeks ago, we may have felt like we had no struggle with fear; how that has all changed so quickly amid fears of global spread of COVID-19! I think we would all confess that we all are experiencing varying degrees of anxiety as a result.

In the fifties, psychologists in America recognized a shift in the emotional health of the general population and began labeling the modern era as” the age of anxiety.” During that time, Paul Tillich, who was a theologian at Yale, wrote a very important book entitled The Courage to Be, in which he identified the difference between fear and anxiety. He wrote: “Anxiety and fear have the same ontological root but they are not the same in actuality. Fear, as opposed to anxiety has a definite object, which can be faced, analyzed, attacked, endured.  But this is not so with anxiety, because anxiety has no object, or rather, in a paradoxical phrase, its object is the negation of every object.”  

What is Tillich talking about? It is far easier to deal with our fears arising from identifiable objects, such as an intruder or a sickness, as opposed to something that is as abstract as death and judgment. How does someone fight against the meaninglessness of life, the prospect of eternity, and being judged by a holy God? Without the assurance of Christ’s love, these questions still remain a constant source of fear and anxiety in our lives. In fact, if you still wrestle with these matters, it probably is an indication that God’s love has not been perfected in you.

This matter has become all the more urgent as many people in the world are dealing with the fear of coronavirus on the one hand, and anxiety over its impact on their everyday life on the other. The only solution for a person filled with anxiety is an experience of Christ’s perfect love. With that, we can begin to conquer all our fears and live the life of love that God created for us. Let’s turn to God: seek Him; cry out to Him.

Prayer: Father, help us to overcome our fears and anxieties, not by our own courage but by the courage that comes from Your love. May we experience Your love so that it is a constant reality in our lives and not just an abstract theological concept. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 4

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 10:26-33: “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why are we often afraid to proclaim the Gospel?
2. Who should we fear?
3. What is our assurance against fear?

Notes

1. At the bottom line, most of us are hesitant to share the Gospel because of the fear of persecution and rejection.
2. Ultimately, we should fear God more than the opposition of man. A “healthy fear” of God allows us to overcome all our other fears.
3. The assurance against fear is the loving care that God has for every believer, and that He is intimately aware of each of us. From this perspective, the approval of God is worth more than a thousand rejections by man.

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Evening Reflection

Are there people in your life that need to hear the Gospel? Write down the names and specific prayer requests for each person. Take some time to pray that God would provide opportunities and boldness to share your faith with these individuals.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT devotional, originally posted on March 25, 2020, is provided by Joe Suh. Joe is the Leader Pastor of Canvas City Church in Philadelphia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Hear and Obey!”

Jonah 1:1-3a (NASB)

The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

We are truly living in unprecedented, turbulent times. With Covid-19 effectively changing the way we live our lives, it seems that our true character is being put to the test. For those who are generally structured and like a daily routine, the government mandate for “Safer at Home” has brought about many challenges. For those with school aged children, we now truly understand the difficulty in teaching our kids. I have found new respect for fulltime stay-at-home parents and for our schoolteachers!

However, amid the stress and anxiety, what is God calling us to do? More importantly, when we hear God, can we also obey? I know many of us ask God to speak to us for direction for our lives. However, it is important to note that just as much as we desire to hear God’s voice, there is another step that comes along with it. The more important thing is to obey what we hear.

As we look at today’s passage, we see very clearly that God was speaking to Jonah. Not only did God speak, He gave Jonah very specific instructions. However, Jonah did not do what God asked; in fact, Jonah did the complete opposite. Nineveh was east of him and he chose to go west, to Tarshish.

But why did Jonah disobey? As you read through Jonah, you come to see Jonah’s reasoning and motives. In short, Jonah did not agree with God’s request. He did not see any good reasons to go to Nineveh and share the word of God with the Ninevites. To him, they were not worthy of God’s grace and mercy. Really, Jonah had doubts about God’s judgment and discernment.

My guess is all of us have had experiences like this. In the most difficult of life situations we question why God is putting us through it. Even now, with a global pandemic there are those who are questioning God as to why. The reason is, because when we do not see the entire picture, we question God and start to doubt His goodness. We only see what is in front of us and do not understand the bigger picture to come. This leads to a question of whether God knows what is best or do we know is best? The answer is obvious, but still our hearts lead us astray.

Friends, as the world around us changes and our way of life is adjusted to something none of us ever expected, let us not let fear rule over us. We have to remember that our God is good and His plans are what are best for us. God is calling for all us to lean on our faith in Him. Just because we do not fully understand, we cannot doubt who He is…our loving Father who knows what is best for us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father in the face of uncertain times we look to You to lead and guide us. May Your word be a lamp unto our feet. I pray that as Your people we will not ever doubt who You are and we can rest in You at all times. I pray that You would be comfort and peace to those whose hearts are filled with fear and unrest. May Your mighty hand cover all of us during this time.  In Jesus Name, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 3

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Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 1:21-26:  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

Questions to Consider

1. What is Paul’s dilemma? What is he trying to convey to the Philippian Church? (vv. 21-23)
2. How does Paul resolve the tension between the two choices? (v. 24)
3. What is Paul’s choice and why? (vv. 25-26)

Notes

1. Paul is trying to resolve the tension between his necessity and his desire. Paul explains to the Philippians that his life is all about Jesus and the spreading of the gospel (necessity). However, in death he would receive the ultimate reward. He was assured of his eternity in Heaven so he knew that his death would be gain (desire).
2. Paul found great joy in spreading the gospel. Since his conversion it was his life’s work to live out the calling he received. He heard from Jesus and he obeyed. There was no question in him to ever doubt what he was called to do. So, even though his desire was to walk into eternity, he knew what he had to do.
3. Paul chose to remain and continue to preach the Good News to all who could hear. There was joy in it and there was still work to be done.

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Evening Reflection

Spend some time this evening reflecting on what God is calling you to do during this time. Are you able to hear His voice? Are you able to live it out? Take some time to pray to ask God for clarity and discernment.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on November 17, 2014, was provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI. Cami previously served faithfully on the staff of several AMI churches.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Proverbs 10:4, 26

The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy . . . 26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

Martin Luther once said, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays – not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” 

We live in a culture where we are taught, most of us anyway, to work hard. We’re socially inoculated with axioms to keep us working diligently like, “Hard work pays off” or “The early bird gets the worm.” And most of us wait expectantly for the pay off – our paycheck at the end of the week, a promotion at the end of the year, recognition at the end of a project, a successful child at the end of adolescence. We chirp, chirp with mouths open wide awaiting the worm for which we’ve worked so hard. 

We are a hardworking, results oriented people. And for most of us, the motivation behind our work and the result that we seek is some kind of material gain. But today we learn from Martin Luther that there is reward beyond the material. God delights in good work, in a job well done. He relishes in a good product, not because of how much money we can make from it, but because of the good in the product itself. 

Very few of us have been taught to simply value a job well done – good craftsmanship, thorough research, comprehensive reports, faithful service – not for what it can do for us, but for the good in the thing itself. Yes, hard work can make us physically wealthy, but it can also bring us great spiritual riches as we experience the pleasure of God. 

Today, may we do our best at what we do, even the things that may not yield the greatest gain or that may go unseen, knowing that our heavenly father delights in a job well done. And his delight is an invaluable reward.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have sent me into the world to be a light and a blessing. May my faithfulness in even the most menial tasks be pleasing unto You and a blessing to those around me. 

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 2

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Lunch Break Study 

Slaves comprised the labor force in Paul’s day. Therefore, from his comments to them, we can learn how we, as participants in the labor force in our society, are to conduct ourselves. 

Read Colossians 3:22-24: Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Questions to Consider

1. What do we learn from verses 22-23 about the manner in with which we should do our jobs? 
2. How does considering your job as “working for the Lord” change your perspective, and how you do things? 
3. In what ways does verse 24 encourage you? 

Notes

1. The key words here are “sincerity” and “reverence.” We should be sincere in our efforts which leads to consistency – no matter who is looking, a sincere worker works faithfully. We should also work with reverence for God – no matter the task, we work to honor our Heavenly Father.
2. For some of us, this reality will make us less self-centered in our work. For others of us, this reality may make us more faithful and less likely to cut-corners or do mediocre work. Whatever it may be for you, try to grasp the reality that it is God we are serving, not the people we work for. 
3. Our inheritance in Christ is secured regardless of the work we do. We don’t have to work to get things from God – Jesus has done all the work for us. This should free us to do good work for the joy of doing it and for the privilege of serving God – not just for the self-centered purpose of meeting our needs. With that said, the Bible does seem to suggest that there is even more in store for those who faithfully serve the Lord in all they do. 

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Evening Reflection 

How did the passages for today challenge you? Did you experience the pleasure of God as you worked diligently today? Pray and ask God for the faithfulness to serve Him in all you do, not just for a material reward, but because there is eternal value in a job well-done.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on November 5, 2014, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato. Jason, along with his family, is currently serving in Japan as a missionary

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Either ‘My Way” or ‘His Way’”

Proverbs 3:5-8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. [7] Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. [8] It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

“If only we could do whatever we want whenever we want, then we would be happy!”  At least it seems that way, right?  But when we begin to act upon this, God’s commands become restrictions to our freedom and joy.  

Now, the Scriptures are very clear: God does demand obedience, which, to some, appears harsh because they fail to understand its intent: to bear lasting fruits in our lives and lead us toward the path of real freedom.

Our passage commands us to trust God and abandon our own way of doing things (v. 5).  We’re told to acknowledge him in everything (v. 6).  How demanding!  But where does it lead?  To straight paths.  How often are we confused or overwhelmed?  How often do we wish life were simpler or that the right thing to do were clearer?  Straight paths begin to sound like an amazing reward.

The author of the Proverbs further instructs us to let go of arrogance, fear the Lord, and turn away from evil (v.7).  What a threat to our egos and our whims!  But again, where does obedience lead?  To healing and refreshment.  Obedience takes us from a dry desert to an oasis.

Many years ago I was involved in a serious conflict with a close friend.  The wisdom of the Lord told me to love and show grace.  My own wisdom told me it was best to punish her, remain bitter, and protect my “rights.”  My “freedom” cost me a friend and a great deal of joy.

It took a few years, but I finally submitted to the Lord and walked through forgiveness and reconciliation with her.  The seemingly harder path of obedience was the one that brought healing and refreshment to my soul.

How does the Lord’s way appear much more difficult to you today? Ask God to grant you faith and humility that you might trust Him and find healing and refreshment.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I am in great need of Your healing and refreshment, yet I find it so hard to let go of my own ways and trust You.  May I find joy and life in rejecting my own wisdom and following Your ways. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 1

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Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Corinthians 1:20-25: “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Questions to Consider 

1. According to v. 21, in what sense is the wisdom of the world foolishness?

2. Why would a crucified savior be a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Greeks?

3. In v. 24, the wisdom of the world is contrasted with what two things?

Notes

1. The wisdom of the world is foolishness in that it cannot bring anyone into a true knowledge of God.  The only way to know Him is to let Him tell us about Himself.

2. The Jews expected a savior who would be powerful based on the standards of the world, not a suffering servant.  The Greeks admired philosophical and rhetorical brilliance. A crucified savior appeared simplistic and crude.

3. The wisdom and power of God.  Power, not bare rational thought or profound insight, is the mark of God’s wisdom.

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Evening Reflection

Did you experience conflict between your own wisdom and God’s wisdom today?  Was there an instance where obedience led to your soul’s refreshment today?

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time blog was originally posted on February 5, 2013, and was written by Pastor Ryun Chang, Teaching Pastor at AMI.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Vulnerability Will Set You Free”

Colossians 3:3

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Once, I got scolded by my daughter, who was then a high school senior, for criticizing books she was reading even though I hadn’t read them myself. One of those books was The Shack by William P. Young.

The novel by Young, who describes his life as having “suffered great loss as a child and young adult,” was a book I couldn’t put down. By the end, the protagonist Mackenzie, a broken father haunted by the memory of his murdered daughter, received the closure he desperately needed from the Trinity (which I addressed previously).

Despite some things that made me wonder about its meaning, by the time I finished the novel, I felt grateful that the author, whose story reflected aspects of his own life, did not shun God in bitter protest, saying, “How could You let this happen to my daughter?” Instead, he allowed a measure of healing to take place through Christ. In the end, when Mackenzie said to Jesus, “All my best treasures are now hidden in You,” the Lord responded with a clear and reassuring voice: “I am.”

The fact is, we don’t always have answers. I have a nephew and niece who lost their mother, and another nephew and niece who lost their father before they were five years old. How do you make sense of that? You don’t, and you can’t. But we put our trust in the goodness of the One who suffered for us all. We can ask our questions when we arrive in heaven. Meanwhile, Christ is more than sufficient for us to hide ourselves in Him: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Prayer: God, thank You that You did not save Your Son when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” Because You allowed Your Son to remain on the cross and die for us, I know that You empathize with me when I suffer. That is comforting. Ultimately, I have eternity to look forward to, when we will all be reunited. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 8

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church (Mainline), was originally posted on June 3, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Who Do You Trust?”

Proverbs 3:26

“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”

This is a great chapter on wisdom.  I could have easily posted the whole chapter. But here is the verse my son Isaiah liked as we talked about this chapter. 

Where do you put your confidence on? What makes you feel secure? The world tells us to put our confidence in money and accomplishments but remember Jesus is our true confidence.  Wake up!!! Lord is our confidence and He will keep our foot from being snared.  The apostle Paul declares, “On him (God) we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:10^b).

This morning, pray for someone who struggles with the matter of whether to put trust in God or something else.  If you don’t have anyone to pray for you can always pray for AMI pastors and missionaries.  

Prayer:  Lord, give me wisdom to put my confidence only on Jesus Christ!!! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 6-7

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, originally posted on May 30, 2014, was written by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Spiritual Battles That We Must Win”

Jude 1:17-23

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Jude was leading and serving a congregation that was going through some difficult times. These difficulties were stirred by ungodly people, the “scoffers,” who diverted the believers away from the Lord towards ungodly desires. Inevitably, this brought division to a young church. So Jude warns his friends not to remain passive, but to deliberately build up their faith by continually praying in the Holy Spirit and keeping themselves in God’s love. 

Do you at times find yourself falling into ungodly desires? Easily being led astray from the love of the Father and feeling defeated by the temptations of the enemy? Know that the spiritual battle to lead our hearts away from the Lord is intense; the enemy will take every chance he gets to pull us away from our faith in the Lord. Therefore, Jude makes it clear that in order to stay in the loving presence of the Father, you must pray.

It is always through prayer that a believer overcomes the ungodly desires. The spiritual battles that we face were never meant to be fought alone. Through prayer, we invite the Holy Spirit to fill us with power from above so that our faith remains firm. It is through prayer that we are reminded of God’s immense love for us as His children. It is through prayer that we become transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Tragic results await those who simply do not pray. But to those who remain attentive in prayer, the reward is a holy faith in the Lord.  

Prayer: Lord, help me in my prayer life. Help me to establish both a heart for and a habit of prayer that will deepen my faith in you and keep me from falling towards ungodly desires. I admit that this is difficult and I need your Holy Spirit to help me. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 5

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Luke 11:1-4: One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Questions to Consider 

1. What do the disciples ask for Jesus on this particular day? 
2. Do the words, “Father, hallowed be your name…” provide you with a sense of intimacy or a sense of awe or both?
3. As you consider this prayer, are there people who you need to forgive? 

Notes  

1. It’s notable that while the disciples learned many things from Jesus, this was the one time where the disciples made a request about a particular topic: prayer. 
2. The address of God as Father is important, since it focuses on the intimate relationship God has with his children. Jesus’ introduction of such intimacy in prayer is not entirely unprecedented in Judaism, but it certainly is unusual in the context of prayer. Disciples should feel close to God, since they are part of his family. But intimacy does not do away with respect; thus, the prayer’s first statement is Hallowed be your name. The disciple approaches God with the recognition that God is holy—that is, “set apart” and unique. There is none like him, and no one has the authority he possesses. This note of submission is the prayer’s heartbeat.
3. To forgive another person is an act of faith. The feelings of forgiveness will follow later. Take time to forgive and bless those who may have hurt you.  

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Evening Reflection

Do you believe that if you ask the Holy Spirit to help you in establishing a consistent prayer life that he would help you? Spend some time asking for his help in this area.   

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

“Cut it Off!” 

Matthew 5:29-30 

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. 

Matthew 18:8-9 

And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. [9] And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

When anyone reads this passage for the first time, two thoughts likely come to mind. First, this teaching conjures a very graphic image. Second, does Jesus literally mean it when He says to tear out your eye if it causes you to sin? I would assume the disciples had these same thoughts when they heard these words from the Lord in person.

I agree that this is a graphic teaching, but Jesus meant every word of it because He made sure it was taught twice. I believe Jesus was being hyperbolic, not literal, as I have never mutilated myself, and I don’t think anyone should. However, when you consider what Jesus was really pointing to, part of you may wish He were speaking literally.

Our eyes, hands, and feet are among the most necessary external body parts for daily life. In fact, you’re using at least two of them to read this devotional right now! Yet eyes, hands, and feet do not cause sin, so we would not need to cut them off to prevent it.

But what necessary things cause sin in our lives? Is there anything in your life that is extremely useful, or even necessary, that causes you to sin and needs to be cut out? Following Jesus means waging war against sin, and extreme measures may need to be taken.

Here are a few hypothetical examples:

• Privacy causes me to watch pornography, so I no longer use my phone or computer when I’m alone.
• Driving causes me to curse and yell at others, so I sold my car and now rely on public transportation and the help of others.
• Working extra hours causes me to hunger after money, so I limit my work hours, even if it means missing out on career advancement.
• Social media causes me to envy others and doubt that God is truly working in my life, so I deleted all my accounts.

Just as someone missing a limb looks vastly different from someone with all their limbs, our lives should look vastly different from those of unbelievers because we follow Jesus’ teaching. Don’t let what seems necessary in your earthly life prevent you from experiencing eternal life. Remain at war with your sin!

Prayer: Father God, there is no better place to be than in Your presence. Please reveal to me the things I cling to that keep me in disobedience to You, so that I may cut them off. May I follow Your lead, always waging war against sin. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 4

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Lunch Break Study

(Prepared by Doug Tritton; originally posted on June 15, 2015)

Read Ephesians 5:15-17: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Questions to Consider

1. What are some things you do that may be unwise with your time? What are some things you could do that would be wise with your time?
2. What does Paul mean when he says that the “days are evil”?
3. How can one understand “what the will of the Lord is”?  Why is this contrasted with foolishness?

Notes

1. There are many, many things that are unwise! As discussed previously, binge-watching television shows is a great example. But anything that distracts us from the reality of God’s Kingdom could be unwise. Wise things would be reading the Word, praying, spending time in fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, evangelizing, and a whole host of other activities that promote sanctification in our lives.
2. The days are evil because we live in a world that is so often against God. We face temptations every day, but God calls us to look past this world and to see the hope of the Kingdom. Remember, Jesus said each day will bring trouble (Matt. 6:34), but our aim is to seek first His Kingdom.
3. What a difficult question! But the only way to truly know God’s will is to know God; thus our time ought to be devoted to knowing Him more. This is true wisdom: to know God. Foolishness is ignoring God and thinking we can still understand His will. Before attempting anything for God, we ought to start with first knowing Him more.

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Evening Reflection

Evaluate how you spent your time today. Do you feel like you wasted your time or do you feel like it was invested into the Kingdom of God?  Remember that God gives grace and His mercies are new every morning. Pray for the strength and resolve to seek first the Kingdom of God tomorrow.