Editor’s Note: Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Kate Moon, who is currently serving in E. Asia.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 15:18-27

 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you . . . 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well . . .  26 When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

John 16:8-9

 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;

In a world that is hostile to their cause, Jesus tells His disciples that they must testify about Him.  The Holy Spirit would testify, but they, too, were to testify.  Below is the story of someone who decided to receive Christ about a month ago as she moves from being resistant to the gospel to embracing and in the end even proclaiming it.  May it encourage us to keep pointing people to God, even in a hostile world, today.

I always believed in destiny, that is, that everything was planned out without your realizing it – what kind of people you would meet and what kind of things you might do. Once I passed by a church and suddenly had a strong desire to go into it and see its magnificence first-hand. I went inside, sang the songs with a sincere heart, and for a long time afterwards the melody of those songs would not fade from my mind. At that time I basically knew nothing about Christianity.

The very first time I heard about God and the Bible was at English Corner.  The topic, “Which book has influenced you most?” came up, and two Christians shared about the Bible.  Because of the philosophy I had been taught since I was young, I at first felt offended by things like God and Christianity. It turned my ideology and values upside down. Another time we talked about, “Can people actually feel satisfied and fulfilled?” My answer was, “No, because I have never felt fully fulfilled in my life.” Many people agreed with me, but to my surprise, all the Christians present said unanimously, “I felt fulfilled the moment I received Jesus Christ.” This made me start to think, “What am I pursuing exactly?  What can actually make me feel fulfilled? Why am I living in this world and what makes me different from the grass or flowers?”  Ultimately I realized that all my current knowledge failed to give answers to these questions.

Gradually I started to read the Bible and listened to others’ reflections and testimonies, and then one day I became a Christian. It’s not like everything has suddenly become so clear, but I feel at least a door has opened to me, leading me in a certain direction. A brand-new beginning started for me when what Jesus did for me on the cross washed away all my sins.  I now live to worship and serve Him, helping more and more people receive redemption through Him.  I know that I am deeply loved by Him and will never worry that this love will vanish because He is an unfailing God!

~translation provided by E. Liu

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to testify even as You testify today.  You are already working in the hearts of people in this world; I want to join in that work.  Open my eyes to the opportunities and empower my testimony today.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 6