October 17, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time blog, written by Pastor Sam Lee of Catalyst Agape Church in New Jersey, was originally posted on July 20, 2014

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Being Holy”

1 Peter 2:1-2

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

We, as Christians, have a wrong conception of what holiness is. Many feels that a holy life is something we grudgingly live in order to please a demanding God, taking away pleasures in life.  Our negative attitude towards holiness is partly due to inadvertently glorifying sin (e.g., in our entertainment choices) instead of God. For instance, during my high school days, I would hear so many testimonies of how they used to party, get drunk, do drugs, and live immoral lives. They would go into great details of their life of debauchery with lots of excitement, and at the very end, they would squeeze in how Christ came into their lives; and now, their changed lives merely consist of Bible studies, prayer meetings, and Sunday services.

Yet Peter tells us that holiness is not about taking away things, but something good that is added to our lives. It can be compared to tasty milk that is given to a newborn baby. In a similar way, a spiritual newborn is given pure spiritual milk, consisting of, among other things, God’s word and the Holy Spirit that can help us to be separated from the values of the world (a.k.a., holiness).

Now, my third daughter doesn’t understand why we, as parents, don’t allow her to eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Though she might misunderstand our intentions, our reason is simple: because we love her, we want to give our daughter something better to eat; something that will make her healthy and give her strength as well as to make her grow. 

And our God feels the same way. If we get rid of “all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind,” that is, things that hurt us, the Lord has room now to give us something so much better. As we let go of those things that are not good for us, God fills our lives abundantly with far greater things (joy, peace, a clear conscience and purpose, to name a few). So today, let’s clear out the junk in our hearts so that God can bless us with his precious things!

Prayer: Dear God, help me to be holy by adding goodness and kindness to my faith. Lord, embolden me to get rid of junks out of my heart, such as bitterness and resentment, but choose love and forgiveness. Please help me because I cannot do it on my own. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 14-15

October 16, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was originally posted on May 23, 2014.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Divisiveness in the Church”

Titus 3:10-11

Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Although a common theme in the NT is unity (both Jesus and Paul prayed for unity), a weapon of choice that can effortlessly undermine unity is gossip. The author of Proverbs noticed that gossip served itself on a platter and was eaten as delicious morsels by its participants (Prov. 18:8), yet all gossip creates a culture of distrust, suspicion, doubt, and ultimately disunity.

Unfortunately, a divisive person is not easy to recognize in the church. The person may appear to carry the best intentions as he/she shares some “constructive criticism” about the church, the small group, the worship team, or the pastoral staff. The listeners begin to take notice of what once seemed to be trivial matters but has somehow quickly escalated into a matter of urgency and great discontentment. What was once a small church fighting for unity, a small group gaining momentum, or a worship team working harmoniously, is now a combative group—mean towards one another or at best stand-offish so that they merely put up with one another.

A divisive person is not to be tolerated in the church. His/her attacks are often taken in the shifting shadows where it is not easy to catch them in the act. Paul knows that the gospel is at stake if the church becomes fractured by divisive and toxic conversations that tear down rather than build up. The divisive person must be identified and warned sternly once, then a second time.

Do you sometimes try a little too hard to justify your discontentment with your church? Do you, therefore, find yourself talking with anyone who is willing to listen to your complaint while not saying hardly anything to the leaders? You may say things like, “I brought up this matter to see if my thinking is off; what do you think? It could be that you are trying to get that person to your side. The best thing to do is to speak to the leaders of the church directly. In fact, in any relationship, the direct approach is always the best. Try it today.

Prayer: Dear God, use my tongue to build up and edify the church rather than divide and hurt the church. Today, I pray for the leadership of my church asking that You will bless them and their families. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 13

Lunch Break Study  

Read Luke 9:46-48: An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Questions to Consider 

  1. What does this potentially divisive argument among the disciples reveal about our human nature?
  2. How are the disciples to cultivate authentic humility as servants of God’s Kingdom?
  3. In what ways do you make deliberate attempts to cultivate humility as God’s servants? Do you deliberately spend time with those with the “least” status?

Notes

  1. Luke addresses the issue of status. The synonym of “status” for most people is “power,” and its antonym is “lowliness.” But Jesus calls us away from pursuing status and power. Viewed spiritually, the opposite of status is humility. Such an attitude is fundamental for the disciple. There is an intense irony here: as Jesus discusses the Son of Man’s approaching rejection, the disciples are consumed by their own discipleship rankings.
  2. Jesus points to a child, a person with little status in the ancient world. Jesus does not view children as insignificant. For him every person counts. Bringing the child to his side, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Jesus’ point is that everyone, even the lowest person on the ladder, is important. Receiving a child is like receiving God.

Evening Reflection

Were you able to bless, encourage, and edify others with the use of your tongue today?  

October 15, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on April 18, 2013.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Power of Tongue”

Psalm 34:11-13

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

As New Testament Christians brought up on the concepts of God’s grace and love, it is sometimes difficult for us to understand what it means to fear the Lord. I remember the very first time I shared my testimony, I said something like this: “How can I fear God when I know that He loves me!”

We are not meant to be afraid of God, but rather God should inspire reverential awe: a fervent desire to live according to his will and pleasure. Reverential awe affects every part of the way we live, and according to the Psalmist, one clear manifestation of this fear is how we use our tongues and our lips. In other words, the words we speak. We know this instinctively: there are words that we would never use in front of our parents. How much more so should the words we speak give honor to God who is always with us!

We give glory to God when we praise him with words of reverence and praise. But we also give glory to God when we avoid speaking words that bring him disgrace.

Is our reverential awe for God evident in the ways we use our words? Today, let us commit to considering every word through the filter of worship before we speak. Ask the Holy Spirit for help so that we can fear God with our lips.

Prayer: Father, help me to understand once again how mighty and incredible you are. Help me to remember that you are always with me! May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 12   

Lunch Break Study

Read James 3:2-11 (NIV): We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

Questions to Consider

  1. Why does James compare our tongues to the bits put into mouths of horses or the rudder of a ship (vv2-6)?  In what way is the “tongue also…a fire”?
  2. What does James mean that “no man can tame the tongue” (v8)?  Does this mean we have no hope to follow James’s instructions?
  3. What is James’s concern in verses 9-11?  If it appears as though “fresh water and salt water is flowing from the same spring”, then what does that signify (v11)?

Notes

  1. The tongue is a very small thing, and yet like a bit which controls the movements of a horse, or a rudder, which controls the direction of a large ship, the tongue is the key to controlled living. James claims that a person who is able to control his tongue is “able to keep his whole body in check.” Winning this battle is the key to winning many of our spiritual battles. How so? The tongue is much more than what we say aloud. We cannot think without formulating thoughts into words. We cannot resent without fueling the fires of resentment in words addressed to ourselves. We cannot feel sorry for ourselves without listening to the self-pitying voice. The tongue enflames our passions and lusts. Words have the potential for destruction. Churches have split because of words spoken, accusations voiced. Nations have been divided because of words. In sum, the tongue is much more than the evidence of spiritual maturity; it is also the means toward it.
  2. When James says that the tongue can never be tamed, he means that we can never take our tongues for granted. We have to always be on our guard. At the same time, James says that “no human-being” can tame the tongue. However, the Holy Spirit can!
  3. James is concerned that with our tongues, we praise God but also curse people who bear the image of God. He compares this to fresh water and salt water coming from the same source. There is something very wrong happening!

Evening Reflection

Allow me to share a few more thoughts on what comes out of our tongues. 

The tongue is such a small thing, and yet, it is an important key to Godly living. This means much more than simply avoiding speaking evil or praising God (both of which are important).  When we control our tongues, we begin to discipline our minds and hearts so that we can give God praise with the totality of our being. With our tongues, we are also able to give encouragement and love to bearers of the image of God.

How did you do with controlling your tongue today? Did you have any conversations that you regret? Submit those conversations to God’s grace and ask for his help in future conversations.

October 14, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on November 6, 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

“Not Evolution, but By God’s Wisdom”

Proverbs 3:19-20

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; [20] by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Nowadays, evolution rules: humans are byproducts of an undirected natural process without either plan or purpose. It certainly is a politically correct view but is not very wise because it is by wisdom the Lord founded the earth and established the heavens (v. 19).  

Wisdom, not random chance, brought life and order out of chaos. The wisdom of God did not just inaugurate creation, but it was active in the ancient flood and continues to sustain and shape the creative order (v. 20). The wisdom of God is interwoven into creation and even history.  

Even as I consider something as small as my own life, there are many things I don’t understand. I often wonder why things are the way they are. Why do things change so slowly? Why is my family generationally Buddhist rather than generationally Christian? Why am I so short? Ha-ha.

Our passage reminds us that there is a God who shaped the heavens and the earth and He is wise beyond our understanding. The One who created all things is the One who sustains all things and continues to shape all things.

We tend to not handle mystery very well. So when questions arise, we are tempted to spend all of our energy determining exactly what God is doing. Often, we end up finding ourselves unable to think of any explanation that satisfies us; perhaps, we doubt God can either.  

Our passage today invites us to lay these futile quests aside and simply trust God who has created us for a purpose (Eph. 2:10). Furthermore, God, who knows the stars by name, certainly knows the hearts of His children. The God of wisdom founded the earth and He is able to work all things for our good. Go to Him and entrust the many questions and mysteries of your life to His care.

Prayer: Father, there are many things that I don’t understand and I’m thankful that there is a God who does. In the midst of confusion, give me grace to hold on to the rock that is Your Son.  I know that You love me, and I trust in Your faithful care.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 11

Lunch Break Study  

Read Job 38:4-7: “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. [5] Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? [6] On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, [7] when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

Questions to Consider

  1. What does our passage tell us about God?
  2. What does our passage tell us about man?
  3. What response should this passage elicit?  What if we add our knowledge of the cross?

Notes

  1. God is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and glorious.
  2. Man has a brief lifespan, finite power, and very limited knowledge.
  3. The passage elicits fear and awe.  When the grace and love of God are added to this, we are compelled to both worship and trust.

Evening Reflection

Were you able to recognize God’s wisdom in how He has shaped your life today? What questions arose in your heart about your circumstances or life today? Take these questions to the Lord.

October 13, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT, written by Tina Hsu, was originally posted on September 25, 2015. Tina and her husband, Anthony, continue to serve as missionaries in East Asia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Cleaning Out Your Life”

2 Kings 23:3, 24-26 (NASB 1995)

The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant. 24Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

Some of us who follow a reading plan to read the Bible in one year, have had times when we had absolutely no idea what we had just read; nonetheless, we were content to mark off another 5 chapters from the reading chart. But King Josiah wasn’t like that. Upon discovering the Book of God’s Law that had been lost for a long time, he devoted himself to purifying the land of Judah of its idolatry so that Judah’s ways would conform to what was written in God’s book. He read God’s Word to the people of Judah and led them to renew their commitment to walk in the way of the Lord. The majority of this chapter (vv. 4-20) records how Josiah removed idolatrous priests from the house of the LORD, removed altars that previous kings of Judah had built, burned vessels that were for Baal and Asherah worship, and more. Josiah truly turned to the Lord with all his heart, all his soul, and certainly, with all his might.

Though Josiah knew that God was going to “remove Judah and cast off Jerusalem” (23:27) because the generations of his forefathers had forsaken God, the Book of the Law (God’s Word) led Josiah to lead the nation back to God in his lifetime. He let God’s Word, which Judah had neglected for many years, define his course of action and his leadership. Though the outcome for Judah was sealed, Josiah was instrumental in preserving covenant faithfulness for Judah in his lifetime. In this way, Josiah was successful and Scripture records, “there was no king like him…nor did any like him arise after him” (23:25). Though he had no control over Judah’s future, he glorified God by faithfully keeping a covenant relationship with God.

The Word of God provides power for endurance and faithfulness. Nothing can nourish our souls and strengthen us to do the work of the Lord than the very words of God. If reading or listening to the Word of God is lacking in your daily spiritual life, ask the Lord today to renew your thirst and devotion for His Word. 

Prayer

Dear Jesus, I desire for your commands and your Words to be near and dear to me. As your Word is able to equip me to do every good work, help me to spend time in your Word daily. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 4:1-4 (NASB 1995): Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Questions to consider

  1. What is happening during this time in Jesus’ life and ministry?
  2. What is the nature of Satan’s temptation?
  3. How does Jesus’ answer minister and encourage you today?

Notes

  1. This takes place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. John the Baptist baptized Jesus at the Jordan River, where Jesus revealed that He came to “fulfill all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15). He came to fulfill and complete what man, tainted by sin, could not do. The world fell under the power of sin because man was overcome by temptation, but Jesus has now come to face temptation and to overcome it by the Word of God.  
  2. Satan’s temptations begin with “If you are the Son of God” (v. 3). Satan desires to drive a wedge between Jesus’ love relationship with the Father. He wants to deceive Jesus into using His own power and role for His own personal gain. He wants to hinder Jesus from trusting and obeying the Father’s will. 
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Before going to bed, meditate on Psalm 119:103-104: How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

October 12, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time blog, written by Pastor Sam Lee of Catalyst Agape Church in New Jersey, was originally posted on July 16, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“You Aren’t Alone”

1 Peter 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Peter addresses the “exiles” scattered in different foreign lands: the people of God who have new life in Christ but feel like strangers in a land that does not understand nor embrace them. This land is a place that drains them spiritually; a place that mocks them for their values, priorities, and teachings; a place that tempts them with immorality, materialism, and selfishness. 

Peter reminds the exiles that where we dwell is not important, but who dwells in us. We who know Christ are “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.”  God knows all things, meaning He knew us even before we were born, but that also means He knows what we are going through now. This knowledge should not be treated like facts and statistics to be organized and stored, for God is not a scientist that just observes from a distance: He is a loving God, a loving Heavenly Father. When Adam and Eve sinned, bringing sin into the world and into the hearts of all human beings, God did not panic and annihilate Adam and Eve; but He had a plan. God told the devil, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He (Jesus) will crush your head, and you will strike His heel” (Gen. 3:15).  

I want to encourage you today with this: you are not alone, and He knows what you are going through. You don’t have to convince Him of all your problems, for He already knows them and has a plan to help you. This plan is the “sanctifying work of the Spirit,” and the trial is there to make you stronger. You are holding on to something which is not helping you, therefore, God is asking you to let that go and trust Him, believing that He has something better for us.

Prayer: Lord, block out all lies, noises, and temptations. In You, we can change the surroundings. In You we can overcome, instead of being overcome. Release Your victory in my life.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 9

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 2:9-12: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Questions to Consider 

  1. As a citizen of the Kingdom of God, how should you respond to trials and to difficult people in your life?
  2. What is one desire that you would have to let go as God’s people, knowing that our core values should not be influenced by the secular world?

Notes

  1. With more patience, seeing things from an eternal perspective (that this, too, will pass); and kindness toward those who upset us.
  2. For many, it is an incessant desire for more of anything that the society values as important.  But we should strive after contentment, and reject the desire to hoard things.   

Evening Reflection

At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow. Remember, we are citizens of the most powerful kingdom! So let’s change our mindset from defeat to victory, from shame to joy, and from hiding to power and influence.

October 11, Sunday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time was written by a former staff member of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan (now Dwell Church) and was originally published on September 9, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Keeping the Faith Despite the Persecution”

Philippians 1:27-30

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

In Philippi, there was a great sense of patriotism and pride in their city, being part of the great Roman Empire. In light of that, the apostle Paul appeals to a greater membership, that is, partnership in the gospel and furthering the cause of God’s Kingdom.  

Now, apparently, the pagans in the city were persecuting the believers since Paul stated that they were going through the same suffering he had gone through even to the present moment (2 Tim 3:12). So, such encouragement coming from an individual, who kept on serving the Lord in spite of the persecution, surely would have inspired the Philippians to honor God in word and by example.  

Keep verse 27 in mind, particularly the phrase, “Manner of life”. It derives from the Greek word politeuo, which refers to the fulfillment of responsibilities as a member of a polis, a basic governmental unit of Greek society. It’s comparable to how we think of a citizen (polites) of a state or county (polis). Thus, Paul is saying that the believers ought to fulfill the responsibilities of their faith despite the persecution. 

In view of that, allow me to raise some questions. First, how does vv. 27-28 deepen your understanding of fellowship? In what ways can you help fellow believers to stand firm in their faith? Second, are you facing opposition as you share your faith? Ask that the Lord would grant you faith and strength to be bold and faithful. Third, how aware are you of the persecution Christians are experiencing internationally? Take some steps to learn more about our brothers and sisters who are suffering for the gospel. Remember, worship is more than just singing songs; it’s an outflow of one’s life. So, how can you align your life so that it is clear that what you do, you do “for the sake of Christ”? (v.29)

Prayer: Tonight, agree and decree that He will be God Almighty in your life!!

“Lord, as I rest in your great love, Almighty God, I am transformed to break strongholds of guilt, shame, and inferiority. In Your strength, I defeat the oppressor who offers fear, condemnation, and self-hatred. As I submit to You, I can live for your glory alone. I will rise up to see Your victorious view. When the enemy surrounds me with his frightening army, I will look to You, Almighty God, and see through Your lens. I will see Your magnificent angels, your horses, and chariots of fire with me, to protect, provide, and deliver me from evil. If You are for me, Almighty God, who can be against me? No one, nothing, for You are always triumphant. Amen.”

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 8

October 10, Saturday

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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Need for Rebuke” 

Proverbs 27:5-6 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 6-7

October 9, Friday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Little Hope vs. A Lot of Hope”

John 1:1-5 

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 5

Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:6-10: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Questions to consider

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

Notes

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

3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

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

October 8, Thursday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Fear and Anxiety”

1 John 4:17-21 (ESV)  

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 4

Lunch Break Study  

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

Questions to Consider

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

Notes

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

Evening Reflection

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