June 4, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on March 14, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Cheap Grace No More”

1 John 3:7-10 (ESV)

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 

In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic work, The Cost of Discipleship, he writes: “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” 

As children of God, we are not to walk the broad and easy path of cheap grace, but the narrow and costly path of denying ourselves and following Jesus.  This does not mean that we need to be perfect (1 John 1:8: “If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not within us”), but that we renounce the path or “practice” of living for ourselves.  We may stumble, but we get up (Prov. 24:16) by God’s grace and keep pursuing after Jesus.  As children of God, we can do no less.  

Let us not take God’s grace for granted.  I see too many Christians being comfortable with sin because they rationalize it with a thought like, “we are not perfect, just forgiven” or “so-and-so is worse.”  Instead of justifying our sin, I pray that we would trust in God’s justification of the sinner.  Is there unrepented sin in your life?  Confess it and lay it before God.  Ask for God’s grace to bring you out of the practice of that sin.

Prayer: Father, please forgive me for the ways that I often take your grace for granted. May your grace overwhelm my heart and my life. Help me to walk in your righteousness.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 11

Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:19-21 (NIV): My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

1. Here, Paul again refers to the believers as saints and brothers (c.f., Phil 1:1). 

2. Unfortunately, James notes that this moral filth and the evil in us is apparently prevalent. 

3. Rather than angrily blaming God for our temptation and sin, and thus forfeiting the good he is trying to accomplish in us through the trial, we should instead remove the evil that caused the temptation, and return to the wisdom of His Word which can take us safely through the trial.

Evening Reflection

Prepare tonight for the Lord’s Day. Reflect on the blood of Jesus Christ which allows us to meet God’s presence and worship Him.

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

June 3, Wednesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 26, 2020, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson serves in E. Asia as a missionary.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Reconciliation”

1 Corinthians 11:27-32

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

In this passage, Paul reminds the Corinthian church several dimensions to communion. He begins by recalling the words of Christ who, after breaking the bread, said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” This signifies the fact that Jesus died on the cross in our place, so that we do not have to bear God’s punishment. The apostle follows that up with a dimension of hope by recalling the rest of Jesus’ words: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” As Christians, we do not only remember his death, but also anticipate his return when he will restore all things new.

The dimension I want to focus on today is the dimension of community reconciliation. “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” While some may interpret this passage as focusing on the holiness of this meal, many scholars believe that Paul had in mind disunity within the church.

In Roman culture, your status determined where you ate your meal in the house. Those of high status ate in an area called the triclinium, where the choice foods and wine were saved for them. Those of poor status ate in an area called the atrium, where they were served the leftovers. This food culture brought division into the church, and it infuriated Paul. As such, Paul warned the church that they must examine themselves in this area of community reconciliation.

Like the Corinthians, while we may not struggle with status related to food, we do struggle with division. This disunity may manifest in the form of refusing to forgive someone who has wronged you, or refusing to repent for hurting someone, or not willing to help those in need.  All these forms of division within the church we must restore before taking the bread and the cup.

Jesus laid down his life so that we can be reconciled with God. In the same way, for Paul, communion is a visceral reminder that we are to extend the same type of grace to those around us.

A few weeks ago, during communion, Providence church experienced a powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the form of reconciliation. There was a relationship conflict between a couple and a sister. A brother used to date sister A, but soon after they broke up, he started to date sister B. This created a division within the church that led to slander, gossip, anger, and tribalism. People within the church were choosing sides without knowing the full story. This conflict lasted for a year and it was a sensitive topic within the church.

During the communion service, the Holy Spirit started to convict sister A about forgiveness and blessing. She ignored it, but the speaker kept emphasizing “discerning the body of Christ”. She knew it was the Holy Spirit, but she felt awkward approaching the couple during service. During the time of examining oneself, another sister “randomly” asked sister B if she would want to reconcile with the couple. She knew she had to do it, so during communion she invited the couple to the back of the room and blessed their relationship. Afterwards, she said, “I felt a huge burden lifted from my shoulder, and I felt free.”

This act of reconciliation and forgiveness did not only begin to heal the relationship of the people involved, it also began the process of healing the whole church.

This morning, invite the Holy Spirit to bring to mind anyone whom you need forgive or from whom you need to be forgiven. It is not something you need to wait until your next communion service. It can happen now! Through this passage, we are reminded that Jesus, through His death and resurrection, reconciled us with the Father. Therefore, we must extend that same grace to our brothers and sisters.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your work of reconciliation on the cross. You knew that this was the only way that we could have our relationship with God restored. Through Matthew 26:39, we see that it was not easy, but you willingly laid down your life for us. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Like Jesus, help us do the same for our brothers and sisters. In your name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 5:21-24: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Questions to Consider

  1. What violates the spirit of God’s law against anger? (v. 21-22)
  2. What does Jesus emphasize over sacrifice? (v. 23-24)
  3. Is there someone that you need to reconcile with at home, work, or church? Take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to bring someone to mind.

Notes

  1. In the 1st century Israel, rabbis often categorized the physical act of harming someone as a violation against God’s law. However, Jesus reveals that “anyone who is angry with a brother or sister” has already violated the spirit of God’s law against anger.
  2. Jesus prioritizes forgiveness and reconciliation over sacrifice. This was not a small task because some Israelites would travel great distances to offer sacrifices in Jerusalem. Reconciliation required effort and time.
  3. Please reflect.

Evening Reflection

Romans 5:10 says, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

In light of today’s devotion, let’s wind down our day with praise and adoration. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have been reconciled with our Father.

June 2, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 7, 2020, was written by Pastor Phil Chen. Phil pastors the newly planted Pillar Church in Houston. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Serving According to His Terms”

Mark 9:33-35 (NIV)

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

COVID-19 has certainly disrupted many of the rhythms in our lives to which we were accustomed; in fact, many of our daily routines are now obsolete. The church staff recently had a planning retreat, and as we thought through the Fall to see what our calendar may look like, it was difficult to put things down because of the uncertainty of our time. Everything, from our individual rhythms to our corporate gatherings, have been disrupted. 

Disruption is not a bad thing. Perhaps it is an opportunity for us to re-evaluate the way we have been living. For myself, I’ve been reflecting on whether my life has been in line with the way of Jesus. As I spent time reflecting on it, I realized how difficult it really is to pursue greatness in the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells his disciples that those who want to be great in the Kingdom of God must become the least in the kingdom of this age. They must become a servant of all. They must voluntarily lay down their agenda of becoming great in the present kingdom. 

That’s a hard pill to swallow. 

Now, most of us would like to think of ourselves as servants since we serve in different ministries in the church; in addition, we serve our families and friends. While doing so, we may feel like we are doing all that to meet the quota (i.e., obligation), but that is different from serving with the heart of Christ powerfully displayed when he came down from heaven to serve us. Even without this identity, we can still serve—until we are treated like a real servant, which greatly offends us. This is to say, we like to serve, not according to the terms of Jesus, but those of our own.  

The journey of a servant is a journey of descent. Consider Philippians 2:1-11 and the way Jesus humbled himself to come in the form of a human and submit himself to the cross. The King of Glory humbled himself to die a servant upon the cross. That’s the way of Jesus. That’s the model for greatness in the Kingdom of God. Is it possible that we’ve miscalculated what it means to be successful in this lifetime? 

The allure of the rewards of this kingdom has deceived us. The comfort, the privilege, and the rewards of this life pale in comparison to the eternal rewards and glorious riches of God’s Kingdom. We know this. But perhaps we have not fully believed that greatness in the Kingdom of God is worth laying down greatness in the kingdom of this Age. Most of us are so accustomed to the journey of ascent that we struggle with the downward trajectory of the journey of a servant. 

Obviously, I don’t have it all figured out; in fact, I’m far from it!  Therefore, I desperately need the Holy Spirit to help me – particularly in giving me a greater imagination of the rewards of the Kingdom of God. We all need the Holy Spirit to help us see the worthiness of being great in the Kingdom of God. There are many needs all around us. We can certainly see that. As we have had personal encounters with the greatest Servant this world has seen, may we also model our lives to be servants wherever we are called. 

Prayer: Father, how difficult it is to be great in your Kingdom. I confess that I still struggle with wanting the rewards of the kingdom of this age. In this time of disruption, I need the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me re-orient my life to the way of Jesus. May the ways that I have strayed be highlighted and corrected. May we as a church learn how to follow the way of Jesus in a more significant manner in this season. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV): Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Questions to Consider

  1. What are some qualities of servanthood we see in this passage?
  2. Does verse 4 “not looking to your own interests but to the interests of others” mean that we should not love ourselves?  
  3. How much do you desire to be great in the kingdom of God if this is the model of greatness?

Notes

1. Jesus’ model of servanthood is one in which he willingly lays down whatever advantage or privilege he has for the sake of others. He intentionally lowered himself so that he could lift others up. 

2. There is a difference between self-love and selfish love. Self-love (as I see it) is an identity issue – where we are to have a healthy view of ourselves by seeing ourselves through the lens of God. He sees us and loves us and calls us worthy. On the other hand, selfish love is one which we show self-preference and live our lives in a self-oriented way. God calls us to show preference to others to serve them out of a healthy place of self-love, a confidence in our identity as children of God. Therefore, when we love ourselves the way God loves us, we are able to show preference and selflessly love others (in a better way).  

3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

Read Philippians 2:1-11 again and spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to reveal ways in which you can take on the orientation of a servant. Write down a few practical steps and tangible ways you can be a servant to those around you and start living it out. 

June 1, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 22, 2020, is provided by Joel Park. Joel is the Young Adult Pastor at Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Mission Rest-Possible”

Nehemiah 13:15-18 (ESV)

In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. [16] Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! [17] Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? [18] Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

I recently felt a strong desire to watch some classic 90s action movies. Plenty of movies come to mind, but after having seen some videos of Tom Cruise’s stunt work I knew I had to watch the first Mission Impossible.  While it certainly isn’t as revolutionary as The Matrix, as gritty as Heat, or as funny as Rush Hour, it scratched the itch. Afterall, the idea of a super elite team of spies taking on impossible missions was strong enough to support five sequels! There’s something about striving for and achieving the impossible that strikes a chord.

Well, hacking the CIA definitely sets a high bar for what is “impossible”; but these days honoring the Sabbath can certainly approach that level of impossibility. As we work from home, work odd hours, or look for work, the idea of resting from our occupations, while nice, is a practical nightmare. Video conferencing and virtual messaging have provided easy pathways for work to flood into our lives at all times of the day and night. Work from home is simply work all the time. And if you’re unemployed during this season, then that pressure to find work is magnified all the more. How do we rest and obey God’s command in a moment like this?

Thankfully, this passage in the last chapter of Nehemiah addresses the Israelites struggle to fully understand the importance of the Sabbath commandment. Nehemiah points out two violations: treading and selling of wine, and the gathering and selling of groceries. Now the Bible is very clear on the holiness of the Sabbath—after all, it is the third commandment (Ex. 20:8-11). But for some reason, the Israelites historically disobeyed this command constantly. And the source of their disobedience? A fundamental misunderstanding of the Sabbath. 

The Sabbath isn’t just about rest. We see in Ezekiel 20:12 that the Sabbath is also a sign. A sign? Yes, a sign that God is the one who sanctifies. You see, the Israelites were meant to observe the holy Sabbath day as a lifestyle declaration that God is the one who makes things holy. Because the Israelites are God’s holy and chosen people, they were meant to live it out by spending 1/7 of their life dedicated to observing the Sabbath as a faith statement. So when Nehemiah sees the people disobeying the Sabbath, he knows it’s not about rest, but about their hearts. That’s the reason why he goes to the nobles because it’s their greed and security in money that hinder the people from faith and obedience.

So like Ethan Hunt, for whom failure is not an option, Sabbath for us is not optional. We must conform our weekly activities as a declaration of faith and obedience to the God who makes us holy. We cannot let the Sabbath slide because of our circumstances.

Prayer: Father, I submit my work to You and declare that You are Lord over my work week. My identity as Your child matters more than my identity as an employee or job seeker. God, I ask that You meet me in my time of rest and remind me of Your love. Fill me up and renew me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 6:1-4 (ESV): On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grain fields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. [2] But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” [3] And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: [4] how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” [5] And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Jesus and the Pharisees obviously have different views on work and Sabbath. What are their views and how did the Pharisees get it so wrong?
  2. What is the example of David supposed to imply about the application of the law and its impact to Sabbath rest?
  3. If Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, how do we rest and observe the Sabbath to reflect Jesus’ lordship?

Notes

  1. Sabbath law grew immensely during the intertestamental period. Several documents found dating back to the first and second century, show a rapid expansion of prohibited acts.
  2. Jesus’ teaching on the Sabbath are actually quite extensive, with this exact story also appearing in Mark 2 and Matthew 12. It is worth reading those versions to have a full picture of this teaching.
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

In view of the theme of Sabbath shared in the morning, we often forget the significance of Sabbath and wind up overlooking the primary purpose God had in mind in the first place: taking sufficient time to rest and relax; finding relief from the stress; pushing away from our computers; leaving the responsibilities of work; giving our bodies time to refuel; allowing our minds to be renewed; and letting our emotions be refreshed and restored.  

Do you deliberately and regularly take time each week to rest?

When you’re taking time to relax, do you mentally release yourself from your responsibilities?

*Evening Reflection Prepared by Pastor Bruce Yi, Lead Pastor of Remnant Westside Church

May 31, Sunday

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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Everybody, Do Your Share”

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

One of my favorite children’s books is The Trumpet of the Swan. The story is about a swan named Louis who is born mute. At first, everybody is worried about him, because a mute swan cannot attract a mate, and therefore he cannot lead a normal swan life. The book follows how his life changes as he uses a trumpet to communicate. Louis ends up having a far more adventurous life than an ordinary swan, eventually playing in nightclubs and even wooding the love of his life. How’s that for a transformed life?

However! This story would be incomplete without a host of other characters who help and support him along the way. There’s a boy named Sam who identifies that Louis can’t talk and first brings him to school, so he can learn other forms of communication. Louis’s swan father obtains a trumpet so his son can practice. Yet others offer him jobs. And so it goes.

In this passage, Paul admonishes the Corinthian church for picking sides and favoring some of God’s servants over others. But instead of focusing on what he says about unity, let’s focus today on how Paul reinforces that individuals all have different roles to play in building one another up. Someone’s job is to water, and someone’s job is to plant. In the process of God bringing growth, it can never be attributed to just one person; our lives are the fruit of a community project over time.

We all have a critical role to play in the church. Knowing this, we should be gladly engaged in growing others as they achieve transformation. You might be responsible for tilling hard soil, or planting seeds of thought, or watering and refreshing others.

At most AMI churches, the ministry year has begun. Have you intended to join God as He transforms His people? There are more ways to serve than just the visible titles and roles you might normally think of. All of us are engaged to do life together and have the privilege to encourage one another in growth. As we go to God’s house today, let’s ask for open eyes and commitment to see how to aid our brothers and sisters in growing.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we are called to one another and that You have given each person such purpose in Your family. Help us not to neglect the spiritual gifts You have given to us but to use them well in building each other up. Lord, give us hearts that love to serve one another. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 7

May 30, Saturday

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on February 4, 2013, was written by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Vulnerability Will Set You Free”

Philippians 2:5-7

Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

During my daughter’s senior year of high school, she was reading three books I didn’t know. That didn’t stop me from criticizing them—much to her annoyance. But after eventually reading them, I was surprised to find that I genuinely liked Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller and The Shack by William P. Young (though I still didn’t care for Brian McLaren’s Everything Must Change).

Why the difference? Content matters, of course—especially whether it aligns with Scripture. But ultimately, reading a book is a personal interaction with the author. Sometimes you end up liking the writer; sometimes you don’t. In this case, I found myself drawn to Miller and Young.

I appreciate unpretentious people who are willing to share embarrassing stories about themselves for the sake of honesty and growth. That’s why I enjoyed Blue Like Jazz, even though I was bothered by the Christians in the book who drank and cussed as if to say, “I’m a liberated Christian.” Still, it reminded me not to be so legalistic.

My favorite character was a cabinet-shop worker who drank and cussed but faithfully tithed. Because he hadn’t been to church in a while, his tithe—over $3,000—was sitting in a jar. When he learned that Miller didn’t tithe, he scolded him: “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Stealing from God and all. You write Christian books and everything, and you’re not even giving God’s money back to Him.” A bewildered Miller wrote, “I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I get a guilt trip from a fundamentalist.” The irony is rich: a Christian who hardly looked the part rebuking a well-known author who made his living writing about God.

The fact that Miller included this unflattering story blessed me. It told me that while his reputation might be expendable, the truth was not. And that’s the lesson: don’t take yourself too seriously. If Jesus—being in very nature God—took the form of a servant, how much more must we shed our pride and become humble and vulnerable with those around us.

So practice vulnerability. It can set you free, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

And by the way—avoid cussing (Eph. 4:29).

Prayer: Lord, remind me constantly to shed my false images so that people can see my true inglorious self.  Then, remind me that God loves me the way I truly am, warps and all.  Help me never to doubt Your love for me expressed in Christ Your Son!  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 5-6

May 29, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 28, 2020, is provided by “NP,” a native AMI pastor serving in East Asia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Little Yeast Works Through the Whole Batch of Dough”

Judges 1:27-35

But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. 28 When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely. 29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them. 30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, who remained among them; but they did subject them to forced labor. 31 Nor did Asher drive out those living in Acco or Sidon or Ahlab or Aczib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob, 32 and because of this the people of Asher lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. 33 Neither did Naphtali drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, and those living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became forced laborers for them. 34 The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain. 35 And the Amorites were determined also to hold out in Mount Heres, Aijalon and Shaalbim, but when the power of the house of Joseph increased, they too were pressed into forced labor.

Recently, my mother was cheated out of some money. She signed up for a tour group, which was very cheap and provided good hotel accommodations and food. In the process of traveling, the guide took her to a shopping mall which sold some luxury goods at a discounted price, so she quickly bought the luxury goods. However, when she got home, she found out that she bought fake goods. When I heard my mother complain to me, I realized how easy it was for us to be deceived when we relax our awareness.

Before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, God clearly told them to kill all the Canaanites. The message behind this command is this: “You will be easily seduced. If you live with the Canaanites, you will soon be lured away by foreign idols.” Yet it is recorded in this passage that the Israelites did not drive out the Canaanite natives, not because they were too powerful, but because the Israelites felt it was more “convenient” to keep them. We see that the Canaanites who were left behind became slaves of the Israelites. Maybe these Israelites thought, why drive them out? It’s better to keep them so we can enjoy their servitude.

But we know that with the death of Joshua’s generation, the Israelites began to be influenced by the Canaanites, leading them to deviate from the Lord. As a result, this led to the whole nation of Israel to become slaves. How ironic it was that these Israelites felt that they had enslaved the Canaanites, but they themselves were enslaved by the Canaanites.

So how far are we from being enslaved by sin? Do we sometimes feel that we are smarter than God, feeling like God puts too many restrictions upon us? Why should we drive these “Canaanites” away? And why do we have to be restricted in our behavior? Can’t we be more tactful? Why can’t Christians do this or that? Isn’t it the case in the world? Should we make good use of something “convenient”? Or does it leave us in the lurch? These are the problems that we need to think about, and we need to take them seriously.

Let’s spend some time in prayer today, asking God to give us a humble and obedient heart and wisdom to let us know how to behave.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, help me keep a humble heart in front of you, and let me understand Your mind. I know that Your intention is to bless me, not to restrain me. I thank You for giving me the wisdom to know how to act in front of You so that my life can be full of your blessing. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 4

Lunch Break Study  

1 Corinthians 5:1-8: 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast–as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

Questions to Consider

1. What happened in the Corinthian church? What is Paul’s advice on this matter?

2. Why does Paul suggest that? What is the meaning of the analogy between yeast and dough?

3. Paul called us to get rid of the old yeast and become a new batch. Is there anything in your life that needs to be removed to make you a new batch? Take some time to think and pray.

Notes

1. There was a person in the church who had intimate relations with his stepmother, and Paul suggested that such a person should be expelled from the church. 

2. Paul is saying that when sin is not dealt with in the church, it will start to affect the whole church, just as yeast makes itself through the dough. 

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Sometimes we overestimate our own ability, thinking that doing something once or twice will not affect us, and that we will not cross the boundary. God reminds us not to underestimate the influence of sin, but to humble ourselves in front of God, to examine our hearts, so that we can have a pure and flawless heart in God’s sight.

May 28, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on August 17, 2020. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Returning to the Mission”

Romans 10:14-15 

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

I recently met a new sister in Christ. In our short conversation, the subject turned to current world and domestic events. Unexpectedly, she asked, “Do you think we are living in the End Times?”

I was totally caught off-guard (not to mention, very unequipped to address any eschatological concerns), so my immediate response was, “I don’t know.” But after thinking about the implications of her question, I confessed, “I know that as believers we should long for Jesus to come back, but I’ve been so focused on my life that I seem to forget there is a lot of work to be done and a lot of people to reach.”

It is true: this pandemic has brought about a disruption in many people’s experience of church life, community, discipleship, evangelism, and missions. Affected by social distancing and isolated from others in our churches, I (and I suspect, many others), have found ourselves extra preoccupied with our personal lives and felt disconnected from the greater mission during this time. 

I write this devotional not to condemn (for God is doing a distinct work in each person in His timing), but to spur you onwards. We all need the reminder that God’s Kingdom is not on hold. It advances day by day through the work of the Spirit globally, and there are still many who are yearning to know Him. 

Today, let us ask God for a renewed vision and creativity for understanding what being “on mission” may look like. Whose salvation will you pray for? Who can you reach and are currently “sent” to? To whom can you bring a message of new life and salvation? 

Perhaps after reflecting on these questions, He will give us new vigor and clarity in how we can still pursue His Kingdom. May God stoke in us an ardent desire for His name to reach all the nations, beginning with our neighborhoods, and use even a ‘disruption’ ‘to bring forth new goals.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your continual goodness to us. Thank You for the new life and hope that You have given us and the privilege of partaking in Kingdom work. Open our eyes to see who You are sending us to in this time and give us a renewed desire for more to know Your name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 3

Lunch Break Study

Philemon 1:10-20 “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the purpose of Paul’s letter to Philemon here? 
  2. What is the benefit to Paul to advocate on behalf of Onesimus?
  3. What kinds of relationships does Paul mention here? Why are they significant?

Notes

  1. Paul is advocating on behalf of Onesimus, who has been separated (likely voluntarily) from Philemon, his master. Paul is asking Philemon to accept Onesimus back. He also charges any losses that Philemon incurred because of Onesimus to himself personally.
  2. Paul mentions that he would regard Philemon’s acceptance of Onesimus as a reason why he would be refreshed in Christ. In short, Paul would rejoice in the Lord and would find this spiritually refreshing if Philemon were to do so.
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

How was your day today? What do you think about all that is going on these days? Let’s ask God to give us wisdom to discern our time.  As a result, may we be ready for Christ’s Second Coming whenever it may be.     

May 27, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 9, 2020, is provided by Stephanie Moon, who, together with her husband Jon, serves as a missionary in Cobán, Guatemala. She is a graduate of the University of Washington (BA) and the University of California, Berkeley (MBA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Global Injustice, in Guatemala”

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? Will 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?”

It is more and more evident that we live in a world where the systemic oppression and structural racism is an undeniable reality. Various types of injustice are rampant across the globe, but structural racism is particularly evident. I would reckon that every country has its own forms of racial injustice that pains God’s heart.

We have been able to witness this in our adopted country of Guatemala, where systems of injustice cause rampant inequality between those of Spanish and Mayan descent. In Guatemala, 2% of the population owns over 70% of the land, and 49% of the population lives below the poverty line—the heavy majority of those being indigenous peoples. Many of our church members live on land owned by wealthy landowners and work the land in exchange for ramshackle homes and a small plot of land they can use for substance farming. This arrangement is unjust because the land was forcibly taken from indigenous Mayan populations in the 1500’s through Spanish conquest and the impacts of this are felt even generations later. It is incredibly difficult for those of Mayan descent to accumulate wealth due to the lack of access to land, financial services, capital, and the ever-present underlying inequality. 

I am proud that our church, La Gracia, has a mission to raise up the next generation of leaders in our community through education and spiritual formation; but I would be lying if I wasn’t discouraged at times looking at these massive structural and systemic issues. Are we doing enough? Probably not. Is it going to make a grand difference? Unlikely. Does the problem feel overwhelmingly large? Certainly. To the people who are oppressed, are these soul-crushing problems? Absolutely. 

But when we get discouraged, it is helpful to turn to God’s word. I find solace in Luke 18 and the message of the persistent widow. It tells us three things: 

  • Acknowledge that there are unrighteous rulers. People in places of power can be roadblocks instead of vehicles of justice. 
  • Despite these roadblocks, we must be persistent and vocal when we see areas of injustice. Even the most unjust ruler can be persuaded by persistently bringing the truth to their attention time and time again. 
  • We have a just God who seeks to bring justice to the world today! He is an all loving and good God that listens to His children.

So, let’s leave the result in the hands of the Lord who will usher in changes as we obey Him; in the meantime, “to this end [we] labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in [us]” (Col. 1:29).

Prayer: We pray for those that feel crushed in the face of structural racism and systems of oppression. We pray that we would inspect our own hearts and uncover the ways we perpetrate racism in our communities. We pray for the stamina, love, courage, compassion, patience, and wisdom to keep fighting against injustice that we see in our communities. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 2

Lunch Break Study

Philippians 4:21-23: Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.* 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

* Caesar’s household (v. 22) doesn’t refer to blood relatives of Caesar, but rather the servants and guards of the palace (c.f., Phil. 1:13).

Questions to Consider

1. How does the apostle Paul address the recipients of his letter?

2. What is the significance of the way Paul addressed them the way he did?

3. What is the significance of Paul’s conclusion in verse 23?

4. Is there someone in your life who needs to know God personally? Ask the Lord for an opportunity to be used by Him to communicate His grace.

Notes

1. Here, Paul again refers to the believers as saints and brothers (c.f., Phil 1:1). 

2. At times, we lose sight of our identity in Christ, but Paul begins and ends his letter affirming God’s justifying work in our lives as well as our adoption into His family.

3. All the spiritual truths that he desired every saint to know, all the spiritual blessings that he longed for them to experience, all the convictions that he wanted them to have … all of it can be found only in “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

4. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Deuteronomy 32:4: “His works are perfect and all his ways are just.  A God of truth . . . righteous and upright is he.”

Prayer: “Father, you desire that I seek and inquire of You, to crave You and Your strength, to behold Your face and Your presence, continually and forevermore.  I am astounded that You make Your Kingdom and Your righteousness available to me! Father, thank You for Your victory You give me through Jesus. This is the victory that has overcome the world: faith that flows from You, Jesus, my blessed hope. I am confident that Your glorious goodness will be with me all of my life. It is the cry of my heart to believe and speak of Your righteousness and love in all circumstances, and I will! You are always good, upright and just, and available.

Oh, Lord, thank You for revealing more and more of Your very heart and Your character to me.  In Your presence, complicated matters become simple, and You encounter my heart in intimacy and wisdom; there is nothing like being in Your presence.”

*Lunch Break Study prepared by Pastor David Alas (originally posted on September 29, 2013). 
**Evening Reflection prepared by Pastor Bruce Yi  (originally posted on September 14, 2013).

May 26, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on May 12, 2020. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Honest to God”

Psalm 44:22-23

Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.”

John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

Throughout the biblical narrative you see people lamenting. The psalms are filled with honest poetry about their suffering, pain, and anger. Even now, it still surprises me how honest and raw they are in their writings.  (Can you imagine telling God, “Wake up, sir!”).  The authors do not filter out their deep emotions and replace it with forced Christian clichés that simply suggest that everything is well because God is good. They take the time to share and vent their deep-seated emotions to God.  This is important for us to recognize. Walter Brueggemann writes that the lament writings are indispensable to the relationship between God and humanity. There would be a genuine loss of authentic interaction. It would make us robotic in nature if humans were not allowed to share their pains and anger with their Maker, and only be left with the option to praise God. That praise would be superficial and forced. A truly genuine praise is the product of honest dialogue with God, not robotic response.  

In our passage today, we see the shortest verse in the Bible. “Jesus wept.” In context, Jesus is weeping because His dear friend Lazarus has died. It’s interesting because Jesus most likely knows that He will soon raise Lazarus from the dead and be with His friend once again. But He does not bypass the process of lamenting and grieving the loss. He goes through it to get to the resurrection of his dead friend. 

Many of us are filled with anger, confusion, fear, and pain now. In moments like this, we need permission to feel these emotions and share them with God. Sometimes we feel that, as good Christians, our prayers must be filled with only statements of faith and praise. But God is not afraid of our raw honest thoughts. He wants them. He wants to process with us so that He might transform them into genuine words of praise. Let us come before God and be honest with Him. Whatever fears and emotions you might have, bring them into the presence of God today! 

Prayer: Father, help me as I am filled with many emotions during this pandemic. It’s a difficult thing to process. I ask that your Holy Spirit help me to honestly voice my thoughts, and for You to provide me faith in You during this difficult time. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 1

Lunch Break Study 

Psalm 13:1-6: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the emotional journey that the Psalmist goes on in this psalm of lament?
  2. How are you really feeling amid this pandemic? 
  3. In what ways can you be more honest in your prayer life? 

Notes

  1. The psalmist begins with an honest venting session. He expresses to God that God has been slow in providing comfort. However, that emotion is transformed into praise and trust in the Lord. It’s been my own experience that honest processing with God always leads me to a place of trust in God, through the work of God’s word and His Spirit. 
  2. Personal response.
  3. The following is what Job said while he was enduring his trial: “God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked. 12 All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target (Job 16:11-12).

Evening Reflection 

Take some time to come before the Lord with honesty. We are feeling many emotions and oftentimes the temptation is to numb those emotions through binge watching and social media. Take time to process and surrender them to Lord tonight.