REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, originally posted on March 30, 2019, is provided by Pastor Matt Ro, the founding pastor of Journey Church of Atlanta. He now serves as the Lead Pastor of Ridgeway Alliance Church in New York.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What a True Worship Really Looks Like”

Psalm 50:9-13 (ESV)

I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.  For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.  If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.  Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

Ritual is not bad in itself.  But the problem comes from seeing rituals as a way of feeling right with God.  Formalism easily leads to hardening of the heart and its cure, according to the Psalmist, is a good dose of spiritual reality: God doesn’t need anything from us. To suppose that our worship contributes anything to God or meets some needs He has is absurd.  We need to see that to avoid taking ourselves too seriously.  But we also need to recognize the positive side, namely that God delights in our worship rendered in a thankful heart and attitude.

Although God instituted the sacrificial system, He was not pleased when the Israelites offered sacrifices without the right attitude.  Formalism without a right heart makes the sacrifices, which are otherwise good in themselves, detestable.  And Micah 6:6-7 is one Scripture that clearly declares this truth: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 

So, let’s eschew formalism; instead, let us worship God from our hearts “in truth and in spirit” (Jn. 4:24).  And when we do that consistently, we naturally move to the next phase of worshipping God, which Micah puts it like this following the above passage: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micha 6:8).  This is what God requires from those who truly worship Him: Justice.  Kindness.  Humility.  

Presently, there is a lot of talk on the urgent need to bring forth justice!  Yes, we, as believers, should heed the call and stand with those who have been marginalized for too long.  Nevertheless, let us not forget that all that we do, including striving for justice here on earth, should be an extension of our worship of God; therefore, as we seek justice, let us also be kind and humble.       

Prayer:  Father, I acknowledge that You are self-sufficient.  You don’t need anything from me.  I pray that You would receive my worship and sacrifice from a thankful heart.  Help me to do things not out of formalism, but from a heart of fresh worship.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 14

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Lunch Break Study

Ephesians 2:7-10 (ESV): . . . so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Questions to Consider

1. What role does human works play in our salvation according to v. 8-9?
2. What role does human works play in our lives in Christ according to v. 10?  
3. How do we understand ourselves as God’s “workmanship”?
4. What is the confidence that we can have in terms of the good works that God has given to us?

Notes

1. Paul puts works in its rightful place.  We don’t obtain anything (salvation or any other blessing) from God by working for it; rather, through works (i.e., observing the law), we become conscious of sin (Rom. 3:20) since no one keeps the law perfectly (Jam. 2:10), and ultimately, it will lead to judgment.  That is to say, if God were to give us what we truly deserve, then, we’d all end up in hell; instead, we have received His grace and kindness through Christ Jesus.  Paul makes it clear that salvation is a gift of God, so that no one may boast. 
2. The result of being in Christ should be bearing good works.  Once we are in a relationship with God, we are designed to produce good works.  All of this is a marvelous manifestation of God’s ability. 
3. The literal meaning of the word “workmanship” in the original is ‘poem’.  We are his poem!  Perhaps it would be better rendered as, “We are his masterpiece.”  God is declaring and working out in our lives an exhibition of His love, power, wisdom, and character.  He applies the paint in exactly the right places at the right time, in order that we might be put on display for His marvelous glory.  Thus, we are to bear many good works: kindness, love, mercy, compassion, etc.   
4. Paul says that God has prepared these works beforehand. Not only that but in Christ, we are given the “will”, the desire to do good works.  I recall how our mission team once ended up getting lost in the Peruvian Andes Mountains for 4 hours!  On the brink of exhaustion and discouragement, we made our way to a clearing and found an unreached village that had never heard the gospel before.  We were able to share the gospel and lead a few of the villagers to Christ that day!  Little did we know that God had prepared this “good work” well beforehand.  All we did was step into it.

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Evening Reflection

Often, we feel quite insignificant, believing that we don’t have much to offer to the Lord through service.  Have there been “unexpected” times where God has used you to bless others?  Write these memories down and thank God for these “good works” prepared beforehand for us.  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on June 16, 2019, is provided by Pastor John Lee. John serves as the executive pastor at Remnant Church in Manhattan.

“In Search of a Perfect Relationship”

Exodus 20:24-25

You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it.

Being recently married I’m often asked, “How’s married life?” And my response has often been, “It’s good, I’m learning to be a better husband everyday.” However, this wasn’t my initial thought going into marriage. I had a romanticized thought that everything would fit perfectly together; that every difference of opinion would be settled in perfect harmony. Deep down inside I thought I couldn’t fail at being a husband. 

Soon I discovered that my high expectation created the pressure of having to do everything in marriage perfectly (i.e., high performance). This soon led to judging what was acceptable and unacceptable in our marriage. It came to the point that everything I did or touched had to be 100% perfect in my eyes. Little did I know that this mindset was pushing away my wife when the reason I was doing these things was to draw her closer. I was too busy tinkering with date plans or cooking meals that I didn’t have time to simply talk and rest with my wife. However, if I’m completely honesty, a part of me wanted to be validated for being a good husband by my wife, our family, and friends. So the truth is that I was too busy trying to validate my place in our marriage that I wasn’t fully enjoying our marriage. 

Sometimes, in our “marriage” (i.e., relationship) to God, we can become too busy validating our place before God that we forget to fully enjoy our marriage with God. Sometimes, we can feel as though we are not good enough to approach God. Or we are caught in seasons where we feel that the circumstances are too difficult to reach God. Other times, the enemy traps us with the thought that you are failing as a child of God and there’s no hope – “how can you still be struggling with the same issues?” And these thoughts eventually make us feel like we can’t approach God until we perfect ourselves. Yet, God calls us to approach Him so he can perfect us. 

When God called the Israelites to build an altar for Him, he emphasized not to build the altar with stones that were cut and decorated by their hands and tools. Instead, they were called to use the stones as they found them on the earth – raw, uncut, and unpolished. Obeying God meant giving up their desire to perfect the rocks so that they could have an altar that seemed perfect in their eyes. It wasn’t up to them to create perfection to approach God. God was reminding them to keep the rocks as they were to build an altar of sacrifice so that they could trust His perfection.

Coming to terms that I wouldn’t be a perfect husband has given me a greater freedom to approach my wife. Realizing that I don’t need to perfect everything in my life allows me to approach God without validating my place.

Maybe there are rocks in our lives that seem raw, uncut, and unpolished. Maybe there are things we’re too busy tinkering with and perfecting that prevent us from trusting God in His perfection. Come freely and lay down your tools. Come raw, uncut, and unpolished to approach our Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Father, cause me to remember You. Many times, I want to perfect myself and be in control. But allow me to give up my tools and come to you even if I don’t feel perfect. And in doing so, may you perfect me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 13

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on June 1, 2019, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua is the Lead Pastor of Seattle Upper Room church

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“God is Faithful to Himself”

Exodus 32:11-14

But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

A joke we used to toss around in youth group was this: “Can God microwave a burrito so hot that He Himself could not eat it?” This question was answered by an incredibly wise teacher: “No, God doesn’t do anything stupid like that.” But even within this child’s play, there is a deep theological truth we must grasp: God always acts according to His perfect character. God is always faithful to Himself.

We see an interesting exchange between Moses and God. We first must recognize that God has every right to be angry at the situation – the people He had saved were now worshipping a manmade idol whom they claimed rescued them from Egypt. Now, this isn’t a surface level, teenager worried about His “rep” kind of response from God. There is a deeper importance to God’s zeal for His own Name. 

It is about His character. God is always true to Himself. He is above all true to His glory. God’s faithfulness to Himself is the only thing that is holding the world together. This is the glory and grace of God. And the reality is that only when God is true to His glory can there be incredible grace and mercy that trickles down to us. 

We know that the only reason why Israel is God’s people is because God chose them. It wasn’t because of their impressive stature. And in Moses intercession, he brings to remembrance (not that God forgets) the covenant that God had made with these people. The promise of blessing to not only Israel, but to all the nations. And this was to be fulfilled not because the people were capable of good, but because God is faithful. 

Two things that we see here at play: (1) What is best for mankind is that God is always true to Himself. There are a lot of people out there who think that they understand what is best for the world, even if that means God going against His nature. But the truth is, no matter how unfair or unjust things may seem in our eyes, what is best for all of creation is that God remains faithful to Himself. And here we see the incredible mercy of God that results from God’s faithfulness to Himself as a covenant-keeping God. 

(2) The power of prayer. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said this: “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” It describes the reality in which we live where God responds to the intercessions of His people. More specifically, God responds to the prayers of His people who pray according to His will. And there is an incredible power and excitement when we come to pray the things of God’s heart. And just as one man Moses was able to assuage God’s wrath, we too have the ability to intercede on behalf of people who are in incredible duress, suffering, or even disobedience. 

Brothers and sisters, let us continue to give Him no rest (Isa 62.6-7) to intercede on behalf of those who do not have a loving relationship with the Father. Although they may be living in disobedience, it is the Father’s heart that they return to Him. 

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are, above all else, faithful to Yourself. For in Your faithfulness to Yourself, do I find grace, mercy, and eternal peace. As I learn and walk deeper in Your ways, help me to pray the things of Your heart, bringing to Your remembrance those who are in need of Your mercy. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 11-12

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on May 15, 2020, is provided by Phillip Chen. Phil is the Lead Pastor of Pillar Church in Houston.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Examine Yourself to See Whether You Are Saved”

John 1:11-13 

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

“If you die today, do you think you will make it to heaven?”  Such a direct question but 2 Corinthians 13:5 (below) exhorts us to revisit that matter from time to time.  

If you go anywhere where there are many sheep, you’ll see a strange sight: You’ll see a little lamb running around with an extra fleece tied on its back, a fleece with 4 holes for its leg and a hole for its neck. Usually that means its mother has died, and without the protection and nourishment of a mother sheep, the orphan lamb will die. If you take an orphan lamb and try to introduce it to another mother sheep, the new mother will reject the lamb because it doesn’t recognize the smell, realizing that it’s not her ewe. Now, usually, a flock is big enough where there is a mother that had a recent ewe pass away. The shepherds will skin the dead ewe and make its fleece into a covering for the orphan lamb and take it to the mother whose baby just died. She will accept it as her own because she’ll sniff the scent of her baby ewe and allow it to be nursed. 

In the same way, we as orphans have become acceptable by being clothed by the righteousness of Christ. The Gospel of John reminds us that since we have rejected him, God should (rightfully) reject us because we are not his. But because of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world by shedding his own blood for us (John 1:29), we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Romans 13:14) so that we are welcomed as sons and daughters of God:  We are given the right to become children of God. What does this mean for us today? It means that we do not earn our right as children of God through good works, but that being a son or daughter of God is a positional one by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9), solely because of the blood of Christ that covers us, for “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

Brothers and sister, amid so many deaths brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, “examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the work you did on the cross. Remind me today that it is not what I do or not do that makes me a child of God, but it is what you did on the cross. From that, may my heart be postured in a way that responds thankfully as a beloved child of God.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 10

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Lunch Break Study

Galatians 4:1-7 (ESV): “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. ³ In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. ⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Questions to consider

1. What does this passage say we were enslaved to?
2. In the context of this passage, what is the function of the Holy Spirit?
3. What do we receive as sons of God?

Notes

1. We were once slaves to sin, to the passions and lusts of our flesh, but now we are God’s children.
2. The Holy Spirit testifies of our sonship (Romans 8:16).
3. The idea of adoption to sonship was a legal term that indicated a rightful claim in the inheritance. We have a rightful claim as sons of God to the spiritual inheritance of a heavenly kingdom that awaits us.

Evening Reflection

In light of the reminder that we are God’s children, a simple but provocative truth, have we affirmed this truth in our hearts? Are there ways where we question our position as children of God based off of what we do or don’t do? Also, when we take an inventory of our lives, what are things that have changed between our “then” (slaves to sin) versus our “now” (child of God)? What are things that are changing or need to be changed as we continue to be transformed into the likeness of Christ?

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was originally posted on April 16, 2020.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Dear Media and Politicians: ‘You Got Nothing on Wenliang, David and Jesus’”

Psalm 7:7-9

Let the assembled peoples gather around you.  Rule over them from on high; 8 let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. 9 O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.

What irritates me most about politicians and the mainstream media amid the COVID-19 pandemic is the tit-for-tat blaming game they all play. So, when Biden says, “[Trump’s] delays [are] causing real pain for so many Americans,” Trump retorts, “Obama was slow to address swine flu.” Then there are the typical situations in which the blamers are oblivious to the fact that they have done the very same thing. There is no better example than the media’s insinuation that President Trump’s reference to the origin of the coronavirus being Wuhan/China borders on racism when, in fact, that is precisely what the media said at the outset of the pandemic.

If there is anyone who stands blameless in the coronavirus fiasco, it is the late Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who, after discovering a mysterious virus (now known as the coronavirus), raised the alarm. Has anyone ever falsely accused you of doing wrong? If so, you have nothing on Dr. Wenliang, because Wuhan police arrested him for “spreading false rumors” and “seriously disrupt[ing] social order.”

One biblical character who can truly empathize with Wenliang is David—who was accused of trying to kill King Saul to take his throne (1 Sam. 24:9). Look, David wasn’t theologizing when he said, “Judge me according to my righteousness.” Neither was he claiming to be sinless. It was simply another way of saying to God what he had already told Saul: “I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I’ve not wronged you” (v. 11). This worked for the moment, but Saul would soon return to try to kill David again.

Life is like that sometimes—it seems to only get worse. The apostle Paul, facing a crisis that to him felt like the enormity of the COVID-19 pandemic, writes, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death” (2 Cor. 1:8–9a). But spiritually, that isn’t a bad place to be (briefly, we hope), since that is often where we discover, as Paul did, “this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (v. 9).

Returning to the theme of being falsely accused, Jesus understands how it feels, since it was through slanderous accusations that He was put on the cross. This morning, find yourself in the sympathetic arms of Christ.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Son, who, because He Himself suffered, is able to sympathize with me when I am falsely accused. I cry out to You in my distress. While I eagerly await Your deliverance, I will continue to enjoy Your presence in my life. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 9

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Lunch Break Study

Isaiah 64:6*: All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Luke 18:9-14: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

*What Isaiah said about Israel here resonates with the NT theology of what God thinks about our righteousness: neither sufficient nor adequate enough to get anybody into heaven apart from Christ. (Rom 3:20a: “No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law.”)

Questions to Consider

1. Surely some live more righteously than others but what’s the NT rationale summed up in Romans 3:20 (James 2:1-11)?
2. We should strive to live righteously, but what can happen to our hearts if we get too caught up with it (Lk. 18:9-14)?
3. What can we do to avoid falling into this ego trip (Phil. 3:13; Matt. 6:3; 2 Cor. 10:12-3)?

Notes

1. For a mountain climber, all it takes is one break in the rope for him to fall to his death.  Likewise, the NT rationale behind why our impressive righteousness cannot save us, is because all it takes is one breaking of God’s law to be declared a lawbreaker. So, have we broken any laws?  Since highly righteous people such as Mother Teresa or Gandhi would have readily admitted to having broken some of God’s laws, none of us stands a chance!  Our righteousness cannot save us.
2. As our lives improve morally and ethically, we have the tendency to compare ourselves to those who are at the bottom of the moral totem pole, thereby making us look even better!  We become holier-than-thou and start judging everyone!  That’s how our righteousness can become like filthy rags.
3. Paul suggested two things: first, do good and then forget it; second, don’t compare yourself to others!

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Evening Reflection

Considering Luke 18:9-14, which we read for Lunch Break Study, with whom do you identify with: the self-righteous Pharisees who lived morally on the outside, or the penitent tax collectors who still might demand extortions (on any given day)?  Where do you find yourself?  

What righteous (or, unrighteous) acts did you do today?  What positives did you derive from that?  Were there any negatives?  How do you process all this considering that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9) but our works verify whether we are saved (James 2:24)?

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

“Pride Before Destruction” 

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” 

I’ve experienced this verse firsthand. I ran on my high school cross-country team all four years, and during my sophomore and junior seasons, we won the first two district championships in school history. A few days after celebrating the second championship, I remember telling my mom (and I cringe as I write this) that we might be the greatest cross-country team our school had ever had. My mom responded perfectly: “I think you’re getting too arrogant.”

That haughty spirit of mine truly preceded the fall, because my senior season was a disaster. I ran my slowest races since freshman year. After the schools were redistricted, we went from defending district champions to the second-worst team. And on top of all that, my brother—a freshman—quickly humbled us seniors by becoming the fastest runner on the team!

Pride is truly a poison to the mind. It gives us a false sense of security in our own feeble strength. It convinces us that we’ve reached a peak that doesn’t exist, leading us to one of the worst thoughts we can have: telling God, “I’ve got it from here.” I can assure you that you and I don’t “got it from here.” We need the Lord’s presence and leadership in every situation, and we cannot sit in His presence while sitting in our pride.

So check your pride continually. The next time you’re thinking, “I’ve got it from here,” make sure that thought is not directed toward God, for He will surely show you how much you need Him.

Prayer: Father, I need You in every step of my life, but I don’t always live like it. Please forgive me for the times when I believed I could take the reins of my own life without Your guidance. Remind me each day how much I need Your presence, and may that awareness lead me to worship You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 8

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Lunch Break Study

(Prepared by Kate Moon; originally posted on March 9, 2016)

Acts 17:24-29: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why did God create the world and everything in it, including human beings (vv. 24-27)?
2. Who is God to us (vv. 28-29)?
3. What quality do we share with God and what is the significance of this fact (v. 29)?  What are we treating as divine (i.e., worshipping or turning to as our source of help) today?

Notes

1. He created us so that we would seek him and find him.  What does it mean to “find” God but to experience him, come to know him, and have a relationship with him?
2. God sustains our very existence, our every moment and every breath.  He is the answer to our question, “Where did we come from?”  
3. Both we and God are spiritual beings.  Because we are spirit, in our search for God, we won’t be satisfied until we see someone else who is spirit like us.  Along the way, we may temporarily mistake created things for him, but because we are spirit, worship of created things will never truly satisfy.

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Evening Reflection

“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?  Who am I, that the bright and morning star, would choose to light the way, for my ever wandering heart?  Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done; not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are.  I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind.  Still You hear me when I’m calling, Lord, You catch me when I’m falling, and You’ve told me who I am: I am Yours.”

~ Casting Crowns, “Who am I”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7k81rDx448

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on March 12, 2014. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Abiding in Him Amid Darkness”

1 John 2:24-29 (ESV)

Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

One of the ways that God motivated me to plant a campus-focused church in Boston was becoming aware of the statistics that more Christians fall away from faith during their college years, than any other time of life.  This statistics may or may not be true today, but a fall from faith is tragic, whenever it may happen!  Our faith is often under attack whether by circumstances, temptations, persecutions or even false teachings.  The Apostle John tells us that he writes with this concern in mind: “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.” (v.27).  So how can we maintain and grow our faith?  Should we go to seminary and accumulate more knowledge?  Serve more?   Surround ourselves with Christians who can encourage us?  Or go on a mission trip?  John’s advice might surprise us.

His primary advice for those of us fighting for our faith (which includes all of us to a varying degree) is this: that we abide in what we already know!  The word “abide” is the same word that Jesus uses in John 15:4 when he says, “Abide in me.”  We are to abide (remain or dwell) in Jesus and the great truths that we have been aware of from the start of our Christian experience.  Our faith will be sustained, not by new knowledge, new experiences or new ways to think about God and the world; but by continually and persistently dwelling and remaining in Jesus and the truth that he is the Messiah, the Son of God, crucified but resurrected so that we might also live!  

One of my professors once told me, “Don’t forget in the dark that which you heard in the light.”  This is great advice amid the corona virus pandemic that has changed the life as we have known—hopefully, for the time being.  So, how will you remain in the light today?

Prayer: Father, I want to abide in Jesus.  There are many forces that pull me away.  Some of them are very tempting to follow, but help me to persist in remaining in Jesus.  Thank you for promising that you won’t let me go.  Help me to grow, not just in new knowledge, but deeper in the knowledge that I already have.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 7

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Lunch Break Study  

Luke 18:1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? zWill he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Questions to Consider

1. Why does Jesus tell this parable (v.1)?  What is Jesus looking for when He returns (v.8)?
2. Is God being compared or contrasted with this judge?
3. What does the parable teach us about prayer?
4. How does this passage give us deeper insight to 1 John 2:24-28 (the morning devotion)?

Notes

1. Jesus tells this parable in order that we would always pray and (thereby) not lose heart.  In this context, it appears that on his return, Jesus will be looking for people who are praying (i.e. faith on earth).
2. It would be a mistake to think that this judge is like God (i.e. a simile); rather, Jesus is contrasting the judge’s behavior to God’s behavior.  If the judge, who is unlike God, hears and answers the woman’s call for justice, how much more will God hear and answer us?
3. Persistence is important in prayer:  God hears those who “cry to him day and night.”
4. A crucial aspect of abiding in Jesus is to spend time praying.  Prayer indicates and develops trust in God and dependence upon Him.  If we want to abide in Jesus, then we need to spend time praying!

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Evening Reflection

Spend some time praying and reflecting upon the truths of Jesus you already know.  Journal and pray over these truths!

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh (N.C.), was originally posted on November 10, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God is Holy”—What Does That Even Mean?

Psalm 99:1-9

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! 4 The King in his might loves justice.  You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! 6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them. 7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them. 8 O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

In the world of sports, there is a phrase often used called the “holy grail,” which refers to a record or achievement that seems out of reach or “set apart.”  For example, in the world of track and field, Usain Bolt set the 100m record at 9.58 seconds which seems out of reach for any normal runner.  In tennis, it is often the grand slam in which you win all the major tournaments in a single year.  All of these records are viewed as out of reach because of almost “impossible to attain” status.

In Psalm 99, the Lord is referred to as one who is “set apart,” which means the holiness of God.  Holiness is not an easy concept to define or understand.  We can think of it as moral perfection, purity, or right conduct, but it’s far deeper than that.  At its root, holiness is not an ethical concept, but rather, it is the very nature of God that distinguishes him from all else.   One commentator says that “holiness is a word to emphasize the distance between God and man: not only morally, as between pure and polluted, but in the realm of being, between the eternal and creaturely.” The holiness of God is important for us to understand if we are to appreciate the character of this supreme and reigning Monarch.  

Does the holiness of God lead you to worship?  Does it cause you to be in awe of the one who is “set apart” from anything on this earth?  The Bible calls God holy more than anything else, more than sovereign, more than just, more than merciful or loving.  Take some time this morning to reflect on the holiness of God.  Pray that the Lord would give you a higher view of His holiness that you may stand in awe of Him.

Prayer:  O Creator God, You are eternally set apart from us creatures.  Lord, help us to never forget the infinite distance that stands between You and us.  Yet, You’ve abridged that gap, through the reconciliatory work of Christ on the cross, so that we, who were once far away, have been ushered into Your holy presence.  Thank you. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 6

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Lunch Break Study

1 Peter 1:13-16: “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Questions to Consider

1. How should the holiness of God affect our daily lives?  
2. According to Peter, how should we handle our desires? 
3. What are some areas in your life that you desire to be more holy (pure)? 

Notes

1. Peter writes in his letter that those who are in Christ should strive to be holy in all of our conduct.  The Christians’ lifestyle is not to conform to the basic desires that formerly dominated them and kept them from God.  
2. Peter exhorts believers to control their desires rather than to be controlled by them. Before Christ we were in ignorance; and now because of the grace that brought us to the revelation of Jesus, we have come to know God and his will.
3. Maybe it’s sexual purity, love for others, pride, desire for material things, etc.  Surrender whatever it might be to the Lord, and pray that he would give you purity of heart and mind, as you desire to become more like Jesus.  

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Evening Reflection

At the beginning of Psalm 99, the nations are exhorted to praise God but regardless of how the nations respond, God is great in Zion, and this means that he is to be praised by his people.  The renowned 19^th century British pastor Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The ignorant forget him, the wicked despise him, the atheistical oppose him, but among his chosen he is great and beyond compare.  He is great in the esteem of the gracious, great in his acts of mercy, and really great in himself: great in his mercy, power, wisdom, justice and glory.”  

Let us worship our great and holy God as we close our day.  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on June 12, 2019, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Forgiveness”

Exodus 32:21-24

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 

When ministering to people, I am often reminded of two things: how easily we can hurt others and the importance of forgiveness. As I often counsel people through their past hurts or frustrations, I am reminded of how I am dealing with my own issues—whether it be asking for forgiveness or forgiving others. This causes me to make sure that I am first heeding the wisdom of God as I am helping others. It’s often said in our church that there’s nothing that will hinder our relationship with God like unforgiveness.

In today’s passage, we see Moses confronting Aaron regarding the golden calf and the role he played in it. Aaron’s response in v. 24 is quite dissatisfactory: “So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

What we actually read in the account is quite different. Aaron (or perhaps someone under Aaron’s direction) fashioned with a graving tool the golden calf (32:4). This is very different from what Aaron tells Moses—that in went the gold and out came the calf. It’s unsatisfactory because it doesn’t seem like Aaron is owning up to his mistakes; there is a passivity to Aaron’s response.

And the narrative just carries on. We see Moses purifying Israel as those who rebelled are put to death, but we know Aaron is spared. The priestly garments are made according to God’s instructions and given to Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. There is no account of resolution or even full acceptance by Aaron. Despite his disobedience, God showed mercy on Aaron and continued to use him.

For Moses, I imagine he had to deal with this. He had to continue to serve beside someone who betrayed his trust. And this greatly challenges me when I consider those that I struggle with or people who have wronged me in the past. We are called to forgive, just as God has forgiven them and has forgiven us. 

Brothers and sisters, the truth is that if we do not forgive those whom God has forgiven, it is no longer their wrongdoing, but it is our sin before God. 

It’s not easy. Often, we commit in our heads but have to keep fighting for our hearts to catch up. Forgiving others is impossible without the Holy Spirit. Therefore, our first step must be to pray. Pray for ourselves. Pray for the other person. Deuteronomy 9:20 shows us that even Moses prayed for Aaron: “And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.”

Only when we invite the Holy Spirit to fight on our behalf so that we can forgive, can we experience breakthrough. On this day, as you go to worship (or perhaps you’ve already returned from worship), may our unwillingness to forgive never hinder us from offering acceptable worship before God. It is the touch of God that we need more than anything that empowers us to forgive. 

Brothers and sisters, let us forgive one another as we have been forgiven.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for the incredible weapon, which is forgiveness; this powerful weapon that can cut the ties of the enemy and bring about healing to our relationships. But You know the weakness of our flesh, that we cannot do it without You. So we ask for the Holy Spirit to come and change our hearts. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 5

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 25, 2019, is provided by Jennifer Kim. Jennifer faithfully served as a staff member in several AMI churches in the past.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“It’s About the Heart”

Exodus 30:17-21

Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

When I was a teenager, I had bouts of rebellious tendencies where I would lie to my mom to get my way.  Most times I felt I had to lie because I thought that she would not understand, or she would impose her own way.  One afternoon, I lied to my mom that I was hanging out at the local Barnes and Noble, when in fact, I went to go watch a movie with my friends.  When I came home after my rebellious hangout, I went to greet my mom and noticed she had been crying.  She did her best to act normal and hide it, but I knew something was wrong.  After asking me to sit down, she proceeded to tell me that she knew where I was.  As I attempted to justify myself, she stopped me to ask one question: “Did you lie or did you not lie?”  Of course, I avoided answering the question and proceeded to justify myself again.  However, she stopped me mid-sentence to ask me the same question.  All I could do at that point was say, “Yes I lied.”  As she looked at me, she said, “I’m not mad.  I’m upset because something in your heart made you feel like you had to do the wrong thing to get something you felt was the right thing.”

In today’s passage, we read the next command of priestly duties that consists of a ceremonial washing before entering the tent.  They are told that any priest who fails to follow this command will surely die.  This washing was to remind the Aaronic priests the holiness that God required for their service. 

Throughout the New Testament, we see this ceremonial washing come up numerous times by the Pharisees who insisted that before every meal there should be a ceremonial washing.  In fact, in Mark 7 it states that the Pharisees were surprised to see that Jesus and his disciples did not hold the ceremonial washing tradition before eating, and they questioned Jesus.  Jesus’ response turns the table on the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites who hold on to human traditions (v.8).  Then he adds, “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them.  Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them” (v.15).  This is to say, while we are called to holiness like the Aaronic priests, true holiness comes when our hearts and thoughts are pure before the Lord and free of “sexual immortality, theft, murder, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, folly” (v.12-22).

I lied to my mom that day because I felt that she wouldn’t understand me, so I portrayed myself the way I thought she wanted me to be – a good, studious daughter.  But my mom’s desire was to see her daughter live in integrity regardless of the circumstances.  In the same way, God does not demand worldly perfection or wants us to present ourselves in the version we believe He wants, but He desires for our heart to be made right so that we may live in the fullness of His plan and purpose for our lives. Take some time to reflect on your heart today.  Is there anything that is defiling your heart?  Bring it to the Lord and let His blood, which was shed to forgive our sins, wash you and redeem you.

Prayer: God I thank You that Your work on the cross has sanctified me once and for all.  I pray that You would help me to live a life governed by a pure heart—a heart that seeks to honor You, honors others, and honors my body. In Jesus name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 3-4