May 15, Sunday

REPOST Today’s AMI Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 19, 2019, was provided by Jin Ha Lee. Jin had faithfully served at Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia for many year. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Giving the Benefit of the Doubt—a Loving Thing to Do”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Ephesians 4:1-3


“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 

In Matthew 22:39, Jesus makes it clear that the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” However, we face conflicts everywhere, from work, family, friendships, and even church. When conflicts go long or deep, it’s easy for “loving one another” to take a backseat in our hearts. It can be especially challenging when conflicts arise in our church.

However, God teaches and equips us to combat division by showing us through these verses what love looks like. One practical way to show love is to give the benefit of the doubt. (v7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”)

During a conflict, a vulnerable area that the enemy attacks is our thoughts. When we begin to misinterpret the other person and question his or her intentions, it can begin to sow bitterness in our hearts. However, it is in those times that we need to prayerfully and consciously make a stand to say, “I will give this person the benefit of the doubt.” This protects our hearts against bitterness and removes the enemy’s foothold. When we give benefit of the doubt, it is a loving way to see others and disarms the disillusionment that the other person was out to “get us”.

I need to give the benefit of the doubt because I need it too. I can give mercy because I’ve been shown mercy. When God sees all that is in our hearts including our sin, He sees Jesus in us. Therefore, we can try to see Jesus in our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must remember that we are all a work-in-progress who are constantly loved by God.

It is a privilege to build up one another in this race of faith. So, let’s refocus on what God intended our church to be. We are a body of Christ that works together to build up one another with spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit distributed (1 Cor. 12). Love is the most excellent way.


There may be conflicts due to direct offenses that requires confrontation. This passage also teaches us that love is patient (v4), perhaps in timing and communication. Love perseveres through multiple hurtful conversations to reach mutual understanding and unity. But whether the situation gets resolved or not, we are “…bearing with one another in love…” out of love for Jesus and His precious church.

Are you experiencing conflict? Let’s bring it before the Lord and pray for wise counsel. Even when our love has run out, the Lord has an infinite amount of steadfast and unfailing love waiting to cover us.

Prayer: Lord, You love us and Your church so much. God, though we come across conflict, please give us humility, gentleness, and patience to bear with one another in love. Please touch our hearts so that we can respond with Spirit filled love, to see our own faults, to confess, to forgive, to reconcile, and to run together as a church for You. Thank You that there will be one day when we will be in heaven, fully reconciled, and enjoy perfect fellowship with You and each other.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 20

March 14, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 11, 2019, is provided by Pastor David Kwon. David leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Holy Spirit”

Exodus 26:1-6

“Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. 3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. 6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

For the past few days, we have been reading about the tabernacle and the furnishings that the Israelites were commanded to build.  This chapter contains detailed instructions for setting up God’s tent – the tabernacle in the wilderness. Tabernacle in the Bible means, “dwelling place”.  It was supposed to serve as God’s own dwelling place so that He could be with the children of Israel. 

Today, we no longer have to go to a tent to be in the presence of God, we can invite Him to come and meet us wherever we may be because of the Holy Spirit.  Oftentimes we forget that the presence of God can be with us outside of the church doors.  His presence, that same presence that dwelled in the Tabernacle, can be with us today in our churches, on our jobs, in our hospital rooms, in our homes etc.   What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives?

  1. He Comforts Us – In John 16 when Jesus tells his disciples he was going away to the Cross, he reminds them that the Spirit will be their comforter.  He still brings peace and comfort in our darkness moments.   
  2. He Illuminates our minds to understand the Scriptures (Lk 24; 1 Cor. 2) –
  3. As one author puts it, “God’s mind is revealed in the Holy Scriptures but we can see nothing without the spectacles of the Holy Spirit” (Thomas Manton)
  4. He Empowers us for ministry – The Spirit gifts us and empowers us to do ministry (1 Cor. 12:11); and this is done primarily through our witness.

Are you relying on the Spirit in these areas of your life?  Let’s depend on Him today.  

Prayer:  Lord, give me greater dependence on the Holy Spirit in my everyday life.  May the Spirit’s working continually be evident in my work, home and witness in the world.   

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 18-19

March 13, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 16, 2019, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Heroes and Villains”

Jeremiah 40:13-41:3

Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”

1 In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah,2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land. 3 Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

After the Avengers Infinity War movie, a friend of mine tried to convince me that Thanos, the chief antagonist in the movie, was not so much evil as misguided.  For those of you who haven’t seen Infinity War (I don’t know where you’ve been), Thanos had a conviction that because resources like food and energy were finite and sentient life had grown to unsustainable numbers, life for half of the universe’s population would be better if the other half of the universe ceased to exist.  So my friend made the argument that from a certain point of view, Thanos could be considered a hero (which was actually how Thanos thought).  Of course, my response was that anyone who tries to kill off half the living things in the universe has to be an evil guy; Captain America agreed with me (as did Ironman before he bit it… spoiler!)  

As ridiculous as this might sound, Hollywood isn’t always that different than real life.  People do all kinds of crazy things because they rationalize the ends justifying the means.  In today’s narrative, I bet you Ishmael thought he was doing the right thing.  I also bet you a bunch of people left in Jerusalem agreed with him.  Think about it, in Jeremiah 39, we read that Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, and Gedaliah was installed by the Babylonians to run Judah.  I bet you Ishmael and many of the remaining Israelites looked at Gedaliah as Nebuchadnezzar’s puppet and actually wanted him out.  In some sense, I bet Ishmael, and perhaps many in Israel, saw himself as the hero who was going to spark a rebellion against their oppressors.  But of course, heroes don’t assassinate people.  

Here’s the point: Just because you aren’t leading a rebellion or assassinating government officials doesn’t mean you haven’t rationalized the ends justifying the means.  We’re all tempted to fib a little to cover up a mistake at work, or fudged on our resumes, or convinced yourself that you don’t need to mend that relationship.  Either way, let’s just call it what it is: Rationalizing.  Hopefully, we haven’t gone so far as to call our villainous acts heroic; however, if this is indeed what we have been doing, then there is only one counter left on the table: repentance!  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, search my heart.  Is there something within me that needs to be brought to light and confessed.  If so, help me to face it honestly and act righteously.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 24:31-46: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.’  41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Questions to Consider

1.  What are the similarities and differences between the sheep and the goats?

2.  Why are the goats so surprised?

3.  What are some things that you feel like God wants you to do lately that you haven’t done?

Notes

1.  Both the sheep and the goats have encountered similar types of people, but the sheep acted in love towards these people.  Both groups were surprised by the Lord’s reaction; it’s as if sheep never noticed their tender hearts, while goats never realized their callous hearts.  

2.  The scary part about this parable is that the goats were oblivious to the state of their hearts.  They thought they were doing fine, loving God, etc.  But in reality, they were very far from him.  I hope none of us will be unpleasantly surprised on the day of judgment.  

3.  Personal response

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme was searching our hearts and making sure our actions align with our calling as children of light.  How has the Lord been speaking to you about your life and how you’re living it?  Do you represent him well in this world?  Ask the Lord to reveal something that he wants to refine in you.  

March 12, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on October 19, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Sympathetic Ear”

Hebrews 4:14-16 

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

 Early in my college days, I went through a series of eating disorders. Though I felt healed from it, the road in recovering was riddled with moments of struggle that I hadn’t expected. Because so few of my friends understood the experience, I often felt that I didn’t know how to navigate my problems. But one day, while meeting with an older sister, I decided to share in order to stay vulnerable. In doing so, I learned that she experienced the same things! Immediately, I felt relieved, safe, and understood. I knew that I could ask for her guidance. Realizing that someone had gone before me in this experience encouraged me to persevere and comforted me with the reminder that I was not alone. 

The Scripture says that, for us, Jesus has gone through every temptation and trial that we face. In fact, the writer of Hebrews says that He was tempted in all things yet remained without sin. While we may know in our minds that Jesus went through some sufferings, we rarely take the time to reflect on how Jesus can and will understand us when we come to Him. 

We can go to Him for everything! He experienced abandonment and betrayal. He understands how it feels to be misunderstood by family and strangers. He understands weariness and the struggle to honor the Father to the very end. He understands the barrage of temptations that arise when we want to react to each of those situations. And He overcame! So we can come to Him, knowing that we will find a friendly and sympathetic ear and knowing that we will surely be understood.

Our Christ has gone ahead of us and overcome. Let us come to Him with confidence, knowing that He will provide the mercy, grace, and guidance that we crave. Is there something weighing your heart that makes you feel all alone in your experience? I urge you to call on Jesus today. Better than any human comfort, He understands perfectly, and He is always available and present.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for going before me in every way. I know that I can come to You as a friend and confidant. Show me more of Your understanding so that I could be even more forthcoming in my life and see how safe and wonderful it is to share my heart with You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 16

Lunch Break Study

Read John 15:13-17:“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”

Questions to Consider

  • Why is it significant that we are now counted as friends of God?
  • What is the command that Jesus gives to His friends to follow?
  • Jesus describes a oneness in mind and spirit that comes from friendship with God. What does this oneness result in?

Notes

  1. Friends are different from servants because friends have a level of exchange and intimacy that a master-servant relationship would not. Friends disclose their hearts and thoughts in a mutual exchange. Masters only tell servants commands and tasks to do but never disclose their intentions and plans. Friendship with God is not just a warm relationship; He willingly chose us to become friends and grants us access to His ideas and plans. 
  2. The command that Jesus gives is to love each other. The love that He specifically calls us to (and emphasizes) is a sacrificial love that honors others’ lives above our own. This is not always about dying in place of one another, but a consideration of others above ourselves.
  3. Oneness with Jesus when we are exchanging our thoughts with His and also obeying His commands becomes a lifestyle in which our desires and wishes are also totally fulfilled. If our lives are bent on serving / loving others and being wholly devoted to God’s people, we can be more sure that our wishes and desires are more pure and in-line with what God desires; they are the very things He will grant.

Evening Reflection

How did today go? Were there any instances as you sought God that it felt more certain that He understood and sympathized? Let’s ask Him to be at the forefront of our thoughts so that we can always turn to Him for counsel and support.

March 11, Wednesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on February 25, 2019, is shared by Pastor Mark. He is currently preparing to launch a site church (of Radiance Christan Church) in the East Bay area near San Francisco. Please keep him and his planting team in your prayers.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Psalm 25:16-21 (ESV)

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.  18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. 20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. 

Henry Thoreau is famous for his statement that “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”.  The general context in which this quote is written deals with the plight of the common man who has no time to pursue anything of significance and is relegated to living life as a machine.  

The vast majority of us live at such a hectic pace that we simply feel like we don’t have the time to deal with the emotional wounds that linger deep within.   Everyone goes through seasons of life where loneliness, distress, affliction, and anxiety are acutely felt but never examined.  When life seems to crash in from all sides, it is easy to distance ourselves from our emotions and bury our heads in our careers or families. Eventually, these emotional wounds will catch up to us if we don’t take the time to deal with them at the spiritual level.  

The psalmist understands that God is the guardian of our souls and the healthiest response to our troubles is to turn to Him for protection and forgiveness.  

So, this morning, identify some of the negative emotions you have been dealing with recently.   Turn to the Lord and pray for protection and deliverance.      

Prayer: Lord, help me to pray daily for your protection and deliverance so that I can be aware of feelings and thoughts that are a result of enemies working in my life.  Give me the strength to deal with all my wounds by turning to you in prayer.  In the end, it is the healing found in your grace and forgiveness that can restore my soul and bring me the peace that surpasses human understanding.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 15

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:33 (ESV): “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why did Jesus say this to the disciples (John 16:32)? 

2. Is the Christian life devoid of trouble and grief (John 16:33)?

3. What is the ultimate source of peace that Jesus promises (John 14:26-27)?

Notes

1. Jesus said these things because he knew that his death on the cross would lead to anxiety and discouragement amongst the disciples.   Many would fail him and lose their sense of purpose but in the midst of all the confusion, Jesus promises that he would never leave them nor allow the enemy to snatch them out of his hands. (John 10:28) 

2. In the Gospel of John, the troubles that come with discipleship are plainly laid out for the reader.  Although the health and wealth movement has misled many people in regard to the true blessings of God, John spells it out very clearly that believers will have trouble in this life.  Though we are not of this world, our presence in this suffering world is God’s ways of communicating the Gospel.  

3. The peace that God offers us is found in the Jewish understanding of shalom.  It is not simply an absence of turmoil but a restoration to wholeness in every aspect of our being.  As Jesus tells the disciples about his departure (ascension into heaven), he reveals that the Father will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to teach and guide the believers afterwards.  The believers will have a newfound peace in their reconciliation with God and the ministry of his Spirit.       

Evening Reflection

Did you make the most of your time and the opportunities that God gave you today?  Write down any convictions that God has placed on your heart.  

March 10, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI Devotional, originally posted on April 22, 2019, was written by Esther Chailim just days after the passing of Dr. Johann—a beloved AMI pastor at OTR who went to be with the Lord while on missions in Athens. Esther has been faithfully serving at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego for many years.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Corinthians 2:14:15

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

One of the traditions of the triumphal procession was to burn spices, spreading the aroma of victory into the streets for all the crowd to know. In the same light, I think Paul was alluding to the fact that we as believers were captured by the grace of God so that we can be a fragrance of Christ to all those we encounter.  

If there is one couple I can confidently say who exemplifies being used to spread the aroma of Christ everywhere they go, it is Pastor Johann and Sister Grace.  They have immensely impacted the lives of so many they come across, including mine.  To many, they are spiritual parents, mentors, co-laborers, and dear friends.  I had the great privilege and honor to serve alongside them in 2012 for a 1-year internship, where I got to witness, first hand, their love for the Lord and their relentless pursuit to make Christ known wherever they went.  Of course, not everything was picture perfect as they struggled through moments of discouragement and unsuccessful attempts, but never once did they give up hope in our Lord or cease in worship. And it’s evident that through their ministry, so many lives were touched by the Spirit of God. The aroma they left behind always pointed back to Christ, our Savior 

Last Monday I received the devastating news that Pastor Johann was in the ER in critical condition from bleeding in his brain. He and Sister Grace had been in Athens, Greece for about a month, in obedience, spreading the good news of Christ to the many refugees there. Upon their arrival, they faced much attack from the enemy, even losing their laptops (with all his teaching material) from a team robbery, prior to a 3-day intensive teaching seminar.  But in faith, he persisted to teach and minister out of the work of the Holy Spirit. And by the grace of God, Sister Grace informed me that “he finished well.”  We see that, still, in the face of much spiritual attack, the aroma that he and Sister Grace leave behind continues to point back to Christ, our Savior, worshiping Him through and through.  I was reminded of this, once again their spiritual daughter, Christine Yun, updated us about the state of Pastor Johann’s condition. She shared this after meeting some of the refugees Pastor Johann and Sister Grace had been ministering to, “They said Pastor Johann and Sister Grace changed their life and I absolutely believe this — as they carry the Spirit of our Living God everywhere we go. This brings a lot of comfort to us…and if we weren’t certain already, God is so glorified through their obedience and love for Him and can see how they have deeply touched lives of the people here.” Her words could not describe their love for Jesus more perfectly. 

This morning, I learned that Pastor Johann went to be with the Lord. Though I grieve over the loss of my pastor, spiritual father, and friend, I am comforted knowing that he is dancing and worshiping side by side with our Heavenly Father.  It is without a doubt that every waking moment of Pastor Johann’s life was fully, and whole-heartedly devoted to our Lord, Jesus Christ.  His faith is unlike anyone’s I have ever met and it is clear that many have smelled the sweet fragrance of Christ throughout his ministry.  I believe he and the apostle Paul share that same passion and zeal for the Lord in spreading the aroma of the knowledge of Christ everywhere they went.  All glory, honor and praise to our Lord, Jesus Christ

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the life and ministry of Pastor Johann and Sister Grace. I am so honored to know such people of faith and I know that You, Lord, are so pleased with them. As their lives continue to spread the aroma of Christ knowledge to all, I pray that we too, as believers, can do the same. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 14

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 4:7-11: The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Questions to Consider

  • What does Peter mean by “the end of all things is near?”
  • How does love cover sins?
  • How do we spread the aroma of Christ to others? 

Notes

  • In light of Christ’s return, Peter was encouraging the church to live godly lives. Because we do not know the time and date of His return, he exhorts us to be alert and of sober mind, so that we can pray.  And as we wait for His return, this ought to influence our attitude, actions and relationships with others. 
  •  Just as God’s love deals with our sins through his forgiveness, Peter encourages us to choose love and forgiveness when we are dealing with relationships. When we enter a relationship with love, we are much more willing to overlook that person’s faults.  When we’re sinned against, love overrides our reflex for revenge.”
  •  We should love each other deeply, offering hospitality and using our gifts to serve others.  God uses us as humans to be instruments in delivering His word, so we are encouraged to speak, with reverence, the words of God by preaching, teaching or simply talking with others about His goodness and faithfulness. 

Evening Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your own life.  Do others smell the scent of Christ in you? Can they see that you live for the Lord or do they simply know that you go to church?  Our time on earth is limited, so I want to encourage us to be like our brothers in Christ, the apostle Paul and Pastor Johann, and continually spread the aroma of Christ everywhere we go.  Let’s be intentional in the conversations to make Christ known.

March 9, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on March 28, 2019, is provided by Pastor Matt Ro. Matt is currently pastoring a church in the state of New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“From Bitter to Made Sweet” 

Exodus 15:22-27 (ESV)

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

The Christian life is not easy.  Rev. William Taylor, a preacher in New York City at the end of the 1800s, wrote, “We may learn that we are not done with hardship when we have left Egypt.”  It is just as Jesus said to his disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33).  He warned us in advance that we do not have an easy path to glory.

There will be Marah in your life at times.  After the Israelites had sung that great song of Moses and Miriam, rejoicing over what God had done, they marched to their first oasis, Marah.  For a large company of people driving animals, the constant search for a well, an oasis, any source of water, would’ve been difficult in the desert.  

The problem was that when they reached Marah, its water was so bitter that the people couldn’t drink it.  That’s why the oasis was called Marah, which means “bitter.”  Naomi uses the same word in the book of Ruth when she tells her daughters to call her Marah because her life had been so bitter (Ruth 1:20).

In that moment, Moses “cried out to the Lord” (v. 25), and the Lord provided a log that when thrown into the water, made the water sweet.  “I am the LORD, your healer” (v. 26) presents a new name for God:  Jehovah Rapha.  The God of deliverance is also the God of healing, and He will take care of Israel every step of the way in the wilderness.

I believe the bitter water at Marah is symbolic of what was going on inside the hearts of the Hebrews.  When freedom was not as easy as they had hoped; when circumstances were not what they desired, their hearts began to be filled with the diseases of bitterness and resentfulness.  God knew their need for healing from bitterness and He longed to bring that healing to them.

God can heal our bitterness and turn it into something sweet.  The next oasis on the journey was Elim, which had 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees.  A time of refreshing. 

Let’s apply this lesson to our hearts today.  I invite you to allow Jehovah Rapha to examine your heart.  “Are there ways that you are more like the Israelites than you care to admit?  When God doesn’t work in our lives in the way that we think He should, does it lead to bitterness?  When God’s timing is different than we had hoped, do we harbor resentment against Him?  Let Jehovah Rapha (the Lord who heals you) examine your heart and heal you of the diseases that sin inflicts upon us.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, there are deep wounds, broken hearts, and incredible pain that I want to bring to Your throne of grace.  Through the power of your Holy Spirit, don’t let my heart become a garden filled with resentment and bitterness.  Have mercy on me, Lord; grant me healing, freedom, and lots of grace.  In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:15: See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Job 5:2: “Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.”

Ephesians 4:31-32. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,  forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Questions to Consider

  1.  What are the some of the causes of bitterness?
  2.  What are some of the consequences of bitterness?
  3.  What is the cure for bitterness?

Notes

  1. Much of our bitterness and anger towards others is rooted in our inability to be profoundly amazed at Christ’s love for us in our sin. If you are struggling with bitterness then it may be that the Lord is letting the very sin that is flowing from your inability to see Christ as the means by which you come to see him.
  2. Bitterness is like poison that infects our lives.  The author of Hebrews compares bitterness to a root that overtakes our hearts and causes trouble in many other areas of our lives (Hebrews 12:15).  Although our feelings of bitterness, anger, and resentment may seem justified, they are not.  Instead, they’re hurtful and destructive—to ourselves as well as to the person who hurt us.
  3. We must forgive.  “Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you” is an unbelievably important word from Ephesians 4:32.  Because we have been forgiven by God for things that are mortally dangerous, it should open the door for greater grace towards other people.  We need to be stunned at God’s grace in a deeper way regularly.  Out of that experience can flow grace towards others.  

Evening Reflection

I invite you to think of a situation or person where feelings of bitterness have festered.  God’s Word teaches us to forgive and instructs us not to let the sun go down while we’re angry.  When we do, we give the devil a place to work in our hearts and relationships.  Instead of allowing the enemy room to plant relational weeds between us, choose forgiveness, extend grace, and prevent a bitter root from taking hold.  Make a commitment to “let go of any bitterness” and to “forgive those who have hurt you.”

March 8, Sunday

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on February 17, 2019.  Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“AMEN!”

Exodus 4:29-31

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

 Though I did not grow up in a religious household, as a young child, I often felt an urge to pray almost every night. Usually, I would pray for trivial things like good grades or so that I won’t have nightmares. Though I had limited knowledge of prayer, I knew you had to end the prayer with the word “amen,” thinking that not ending that way would be like not saying goodbye and not hanging up the phone after a conversation – you’d be leaving the other person hanging!

So, why do we say amen after we pray? Most of us have probably heard that amen basically means “yes” or “I agree.” However, I want to dig into this word a bit more, as it’s important in our passage. In today’s passage, Moses and Aaron tell the elders of Israel about God’s rescue mission for their people: about how Moses encountered the Lord in the wilderness and how He is going to bring Israel up from Egypt to the Promised Land. After hearing this testimony, verse 31 says that “the people believed.” What does this mean?

The Hebrew word (sorry, nerding again) here for “believed” is vayyamen (ignore that vayy part, it’s just a prefix for pasttense). Basically, the people heard the testimony and they amen-ed it. We think of belief as merely cognitive, but for the ancient Hebrews, belief was about agreeing with the Lord’s plan—really, it was about trusting in God’s ways over their own. Belief is saying, “Amen, may Your will be done.” This is what Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane when He said, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Despite His fear, Jesus said amen to God’s plan. Jesus believed in God.

Today, let’s say amen to the Lord! When we pray and say “amen” at the end a prayer, let’s remember that we are saying yes to God, not just a formality to end the prayer. It’s our soul saying, “Lord, Your will and not mine be done in my life. Have Your way.” Then, when the Israelite elders had said “amen,” this resulted in worship (see the end of verse 31). May our trust in God’s way lead us to worship Him more and more, the God who is trustworthy. Let’s all say our amens to Him!

Prayer: Lord, may my soul always say amen to You. May my belief be more than just intellectual; rather, may my whole being agree with You and Your ways. Help me to trust You over myself. May Your will be done in my life, always. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 12

March 7, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on January  12, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Are You Wearing Today?”

Colossians 3:12

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Winter in New York City is quite cold, and to my parents who live in Georgia, the thought of it is unbearable. Occasionally, they’ll worry: “Are you wearing a scarf?  Do you have gloves? How many hats do you own again?” Although by this point, I feel fairly confident in my own ability to dress myself, their reminders are warranted. It’s important for me to check the weather each day and run through my schedule to determine what to wear. Other considerations come to mind: Am I seeing friends? Am I going to be doing a lot of walking? I need to be sure to have an outfit conducive to these plans. I’m sure this is common for each person. Whether you care much or little about your actual appearance, there’s sure to be some passing thought on the function of your clothing when you get dressed for the day.

In speaking about who we are as new creations in Christ, Paul likens character traits to clothing. He suggests that these, in the Spirit, can be easily put on: we are to be people who visibly display virtues of God. If we take this analogy a little further, we can be reminded that—similar to how we shop for and keep clothes—these qualities also take proper care to maintain, and we need to spend time identifying and acquiring them.

And we choose what to wear not solely based on how it makes us look but also for functionality. Just as outer garments and footwear shield us, their spiritual equivalents that shield us spiritually are meant to be appropriately applied to all situations and circumstances in our lives. As Christians, we know that this world is not only full of spiritual battles but opportunities for our old, sinful selves to rear their ugly heads.  Therefore, we need the Spirit to keep us from indulging in the temptations to be selfish, greedy, and unloving. 

Because putting on virtues sounds nice as a general practice, my encouragement for you today (and the next several days) is to specifically anticipate how to clothe yourself before you leave your home. If you’ve planned a tough conversation with a difficult coworker, can you remind yourself to layer on an extra measure of compassion? If you anticipate heavy traffic when you drive, you might want to bring along some extra patience, just in case. Let’s ask God to help us prepare for the day ahead… and also to not forget what we have resolved to carry!

Prayer: Father, I confess that I often am more concerned with what I look like on the outside than what I look like on the inside. Please fix my sight and attention on the treasure of inward character; remind me and help me intentionally clothe myself with spiritual fruits above all. Make me someone who carries the aroma of Christ wherever I go and to radiates Your presence and character. 

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 10-11

March 6, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on May 17, 2019, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“When God Delays”

Exodus 32:11

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

My experience in ministry has mostly been with college students and young adults/singles, which often lends itself to conversations on dating. The question of “Will I find the right person?” can come off as a lighthearted, rhetorical question, cringing at “the game.” Other times, this question evokes deep seated fear and anxiety. People pray, waiting upon God. But they often wonder if they need to start taking action on their own. 

In today’s passage, we see the Israelites growing tired and even anxious about waiting for Moses’ return. Not to say that taking action, whether in dating or any situation in life, is bad, but when we begin to take things into our own control, we often find ourselves in opposition to God. 

Moses as a prophet was God’s representative to the people. The people could only understand the voice of God through Moses. So his delay from the mountain was not just a missing man, but it was the absence of God for the Israelites. Rather than waiting in this vast desert, aimlessly waiting for a man who for all they knew could be dead, they took matters into their own hands. And what resulted was an egregious act of defiance that became the iconic picture of sin. 

The Bible repeatedly calls us to wait patiently upon the Lord. But in reality, all of us can think of times where waiting feels unproductive. We justify our actions through pseudo-religious principles, choosing what we think is best. The result is an object of worship of our own making, an altar dedicated to something not worthy of our lives.

What we must understand is that this is more than what we do. It is about what we are professing through our actions. In other words, our actions reflect our understanding of God. In verse 4, after the golden calf is made, Aaron proclaims, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” We see how twisted and misrepresented God becomes in our minds. The work of our own hands receives the credit for the blessings of our lives. 

This iconic story serves as a warning to us, not just about the dangers of idolatry, but more so, concerning the times we grow impatient and act on our own accord. It is in these moments that we must remind ourselves who it is that actually delivered us from our spiritual Egypt. We must remind ourselves of the unchanging character of God—God who has loved us with an everlasting love. And when theology that we profess aligns to that of God’s true character, we are then in a place where we can hear His voice and act accordingly. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for taking over the direction of my life whenever I become impatient over the “deliberate speed” in which You guide my life.  Help me, once again, to trust You and Your plan for my life. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 9

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Samuel 13:8-13a: [Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.

Questions to Consider

  • Take some time to decipher what exactly is going on in the passage (you may need to skim through the rest whole section to understand the context). What exactly is happening?
  • What did Saul do wrong? What does this reveal about who Saul was or what was going on through his mind? What does it reveal about his understanding of God?
  • It’s easy for us to look at passages and in hindsight, see things very black and white. But try to understand the kind of pressures that were surrounding Saul. In what ways might you be tempted to take things into your own hands?

Notes

  • This is early in Saul’s reign over Israel (2 years, [1]). Jonathan, Saul’s son, attacked the Philistines in Geba [3], and now the Philistines were coming to retaliate [5]. Seeing the approaching Philistines, Israel became afraid and started to scatter, hiding away in caves… and pits [6]. Saul was waiting for Samuel to come to intercede on behalf of Israel; however, when Samuel is delayed, Saul takes things into his own hands and offers a burnt offering himself [9]. Samuel comes as soon as Saul finishes, rebuking Saul for his actions and the pending punishment that is to come because of Saul’s disobedience.
  • Saul disobeyed God’s commands on who is to present offering that is acceptable before Him. A few things we can gather: (1) Saul thought the offering was more important than obeying God’s instructions; this is typical of someone who practices religion over relationship with God – the act of worship is more important than the heart of worship; (2) Saul was afraid because the people were scattering and needed to take control of the situation; (3) perhaps Saul looked to God as more of a “lucky charm” than One who was to be revered and worshipped. 
  • Personal response. More than we realize, we might have more “Saul-like” tendencies than we’d like to think. 

Evening Reflection

Is there anything you are waiting on the Lord? Take a moment to remind yourself who God is, especially in light of the passages that we spent time in today. Spend some time in prayer, sharing your honest struggle with waiting; yet confess your faith in who God is.