October 7, Wednesday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Hear and Obey!”

Jonah 1:1-3a (NASB)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 3

Lunch Break Study

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

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

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

Evening Reflection

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

October 6, Tuesday 

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Proverbs 10:4, 26

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 2

Lunch Break Study 

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

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

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

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

Evening Reflection 

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

October 5, Monday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Either ‘My Way” or ‘His Way’”

Proverbs 3:5-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 1

Lunch Break Study  

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

Questions to Consider 

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

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

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

Notes

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

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

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

Evening Reflection

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

October 4, Sunday

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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Vulnerability Will Set You Free”

Colossians 3:3

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 8

October 3, Saturday

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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Who Do You Trust?”

Proverbs 3:26

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 6-7

October 2, Friday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Spiritual Battles That We Must Win”

Jude 1:17-23

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 5

Lunch Break Study  

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

Questions to Consider 

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

Notes  

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

Evening Reflection

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

October 1, Thursday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Cut it Off!” 

Matthew 5:29-30 

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

Matthew 18:8-9 

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few hypothetical examples:

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 4

Lunch Break Study

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

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

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

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

Evening Reflection

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

September 30, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog was originally published on May 1, 2013, and was written by Pastor Matt Ro, former pastor of Journey Church in Atlanta.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Never Forgetting, Always Rejoicing”

Psalm 45:8-9 (ESV)

Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Introduction: How often we forget—amid all the hustle and bustle of modern life—that our ultimate future is not to be found in this age but the age to come.  Today’s message will help us to turn our attention to the eternal glory that waits for us in the heavenlies. 

Psalm 45 is a Messianic wedding song and vv. 8-9 addresses the groom (Jesus) in the wedding.  We see a series of preparations.  First, the groom has prepared himself with robes of “fragrant myrrh, aloes, and cassia,” which are also burial spices according to John 19:39 40:  

“Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.”  So then, what does it mean that the same spices are present at the wedding as well as at the burial?  The royal wedding is made possible by the way of death; somehow out of death comes this fragrant incense that makes the scene of the wedding so glorious. 

We also get a look at the place that has been prepared: “From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad”: The words bring about an imagery of glory and majesty beyond description.  There is a sense in which this place is being prepared for us now in heaven (John 14:2).  The palace will be filled with music and we will be joined by a company of rejoicing saints.

And we also catch a glimpse of the bride that is prepared: “At your right hand stands the queen in gold of 

Ophir.” The Lord is preparing the church for a shared life together.  He clothes us in righteous gold dress. We, the bride, are ready to join him.  The blessings and privileges of Christ are given to us.  This psalm reminds us of the joy that comes from our union with Christ. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for the joy of being united to You.  Thank You for the riches that we receive at the cost of Your Son’s sacrifice.  Help me to live as one who is rich in Christ.  To know the comfort, joy, and peace that comes from being in Christ.  I look forward to that day that the apostle John speaks about in Revelation 1:7 when he says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.  Even so. Amen.” 

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 1:1-2 (ESV): Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Questions to Consider

  1. Why does Paul have reason to rejoice?
  2. Why does the church have reason to rejoice?
  3. How can our lives be characterized by God’s gifts of grace and peace?

Notes

1.  Paul calls himself “an apostle . . . by the will of God.”  Apostles were ones who were sent with a message and it was deeply etched into Paul’s identity.  Remember what Paul set out to do in Damascus?  He was the arch enemy of Christians. Remember that he had authority to persecute Christians. But now, Paul is rejoicing not only because  he was given God’s abundant grace but he was set apart by God as an Apostle as well.  Paul celebrates that his right standing before God and his apostleship came completely by the will of God, not based on credentials. 

2. The church has reason to rejoice because God has given us a great privilege through Jesus Christ.  What Paul has in mind when he says “faithful in Christ Jesus” is that these believers were steadfast in exercising their faith; in other words, their faith was very much alive and active in the present.   Ask yourself, “Am I currently exercising faith in the work of Christ alone on my behalf?”  The saints in Paul’s mind were those who were consistent in their Christian walk.  They were not “here today and gone tomorrow,” but could be counted upon, and relied upon for the long haul.  

3. We see Paul’s greeting to these believers: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  The two great heritages of the Christian are grace and peace, which God desires to extend to His children.

By grace the Lord means unmerited favor that you do not deserve.  You receive this favor to which you have no right to in any way. By grace the Lord means that He desires the Church to receive favor to which they are completely unworthy to receive. God also desires to give His Church peace. God’s peace is not simply an end to hostility but showing love toward His former enemies in Christ. Because we are recipients of grace and peace, we must extend those virtues to others.  Is there someone that you are having a difficult time with?   Apply the Golden Rule to your life (Do unto others as God has done unto you).

Evening Reflection

Think about the many reasons you have to rejoice.  Often, we can allow circumstances to dictate our emotions.  Spend some time journaling why we have reasons to rejoice in Christ and thanking God for His many blessings.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for these truths that have changed the history of the world. Help me to rejoice in, and to lay hold of Your provision, and to be a responsive instrument in Your hand.  Thank You for the joy that we can have in our calling as workers and children of God.

September 29, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on September 19, 2014, is provided by Pastor David Son who pastors Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“One Compliment that Tops Them All”

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 (ESV)

Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

Some experts say that looking in the mirror and complimenting yourself actually helps to build your self-esteem. As silly as it seems, telling yourself, “You’re awesome!” has a real effect on how you feel, at least temporarily. 

However, there is a compliment that is 1,000 times better than a self-compliment. When someone else tells you, “Wow, you’re awesome!” then that has an effect that is worth more than 1,000 mirror gazing self-compliments. Don’t you agree?  

But going even further, there is a type of compliment that is 10 times more potent than when someone else compliments you. It’s when you overhear someone complimenting you (sort of like the opposite of what Solomon says in today’s passage). Imagine walking down a hallway, and two people are talking about you. They don’t know you’re listening, but you hear them say, “Seriously, [your name] is so awesome!” The power of an overheard compliment is incredible in lifting you up and encouraging your spirit.

But there is still one more type of compliment that outruns all of the above by a mile. It is when you stand before the Lord God Almighty, your Creator and Redeemer, and He says to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

The words of man have the power to lift us up or bring us down. We have been on both the giving and receiving ends of this broken system. The Bible has much to say about our words and the power of words.  But above all words of man, the most potent words come from the mouth of God.  Let us tune our ears and take to heart the words of God; and then encourage someone, who is facing a difficult situation, with the very words through which God blessed you today.

Prayer: Lord, give me strength, and an ear turned to heaven, to find my approval in You and You alone. Today, whatever work I put my hands to, whatever words I speak, whatever thoughts I think, may they be pleasing to You. Thank you for your steadfast love towards me.

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 2

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 23:5-7: They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

Questions to Consider

  1. Here, Jesus is speaking about the Pharisees and scribes. What is His problem with them?
  2. Whose approval are the Pharisees seeking?
  3. Whose approval is Jesus seeking?
  4. Whose approval are you seeking?

Notes

  1. Phylacteries were bags worn by rabbis, which contained excerpts from the Torah (Pentateuch). Phylacteries were worn during prayer, and a broad phylactery would indicate that the person wearing it was a man devoted to prayer. Being devoted to prayer is obviously not the reason Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees.  Jesus was speaking out against the appearance of devotion to prayer, in order to win the approval of man.
  2. The Pharisees were seeking recognition and approval from people.
  3. Jesus, we know, did only what He saw God the Father doing (John 5). Jesus’ teachings are the antithesis of the Pharisees’ attitude. He teaches us to do our good deeds in secret, for the approval of God, and not man (Matthew 6). Instead of taking the place of honor, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). 
  4. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Before Jesus began his ministry, before He preached a single sermon, before He performed a single miracle, before He finished His mission on the cross, God said regarding Him, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”  In Christ, we are also pre-approved. Before you wake up each morning and take that first step out of bed, God has already put His stamp of approval on you because you have been clothed with Christ. Let’s take these words to heart!

September 28, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was originally posted on February 20, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Fear of God”

Psalms 18:7-8, 15

Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,  and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him . . . 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

This isn’t the kind of psalm we want to wake up to, but it reminds us that God is to be feared as much as He is to be loved. After all, it was not without reason that the writer of Hebrews declared, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). But when was the last time you heard a sermon based on that text?

At times, even unbelievers become acutely aware of God’s indignation toward humanity’s grievous acts of injustice and immorality. In 1994, a powerful earthquake shook the foundations of Northridge, California, damaging an area where nearly 70 companies produced more than 95 percent of all pornographic videos made annually in the United States at that time. One actor in the industry remarked, “Our clients have a definite lack of motivation. It puts the fear of God in them.”

Remember, God loves us and is exceedingly patient with our shortcomings, but He is also holy and just. If we persist in sin, God will discipline us for our own good. Nevertheless, God’s holiness is not easily grasped because of our own unholiness. This difficulty is often compounded by a lack of teaching in our churches on what it means to fear God. 

Therefore, consider this quote from Tim Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan: “Here we are in the middle of New York City, talking about judgment and wrath and mountains falling on people, and some of you may be thinking, ‘Aren’t we beyond this kind of thing? Who wants to believe in something like that? Don’t we believe in a God of love today?’ Here is what I would suggest: If you believe anything Jesus tells you, you have to believe in Judgment Day. And if you don’t believe in judgment, you might as well throw everything else out.”

Meditate on this truth: “The LORD our God is holy.” Then let us respond with repentance.

Prayer: Oh, holy and loving God, I come to You this morning with none of my own righteousness because it’s like a filthy rag. I desperately need You to cleanse me from my selfish, narcissistic, and materialistic ways so that I can become free from constant worries and envy.  Above all, I need Your cleansing because I don’t want to keep offending Your holiness, so help me LORD.  Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Song of Songs 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Mt. 18:5-6: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Col. 3:5-6: “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”

2 Pet. 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Heb. 12:10-11: “For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Though not a pleasant subject, consider some things that we do that can lead to God’s indignation?
  2. Should we worry?  The answer is NO (Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9) and YES (Heb. 10:26-31).  Look them up and see for yourself. 
  3. In the end, why would God discipline or punish us when we resolutely choose the wayward path (Heb. 12:10-11)?

Notes

  1. God is indignant when what we do leads children to go astray.  He is also provoked at all kinds of immoral and unethical behaviors (which stem from a heart bent against God and His righteousness).
  2. “NO” because God will give us repeated opportunities to repent since He doesn’t want anyone to perish; “YES,” because “the LORD will judge His people” when they deliberately keep on sinning.”
  3. Just like when our earthly fathers disciplined us when we, as children, did things that were against his will (like touching the hot stove when they told us not to) God the Father will also discipline us for our own spiritual good when we ignore His counsel, which we think limits and restrains us, but in truth, they protect and keep us from harm and living a miserable life.  

Evening Reflection

Feeling tired from a hard day’s work?  Good!  But before turning in, evaluate your day: In what sense did you fear God today?