REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on October 2, 2016, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with Thrive Church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Would You Die for Lego Characters?”
John 19:17-18
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
As a child, I loved LEGO toys. I had chests full of legos, and the shelves and windowsills of my room were always decorated with my latest lego creations. But legos hold an even more precious place in my heart because, believe it or not, it was through legos that I had my first revelation about the cross of Jesus Christ.
I figured that Jesus coming to die for me, one of His created beings, was as ridiculous as me giving up my life to save one of my lego characters from being destroyed. As I played out various scenarios in my imaginative mind, it was obvious to me that I would never do such a silly thing. For example, if I had dropped a lego man in the middle of a busy intersection, and I could see that a huge truck was going to smash the little lego man… would I dive after it and sacrifice my life for the sake of rescuing that lego man? Of course NOT. After all, I can just create a new lego man. To die for a piece of worthless plastic—there’s no point to that! Then I began to stand in awe of how preposterous, how mind-boggling, how incredible is God’s love for us that He would die for us—His lego pieces, that is, His creation. In that moment I felt so small, but also very loved.
That was my first memory of being in awe at the cross of Christ. But now I know—God’s love is even more preposterous, and more incredible than even that. And the more I meditate on it, the more I realize how deep, how wide, and how unfathomable God’s love for us actually is!
Today, let us meditate on the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; ask God for a deeper understanding of his unfathomable love for us.
Prayer: Lord give us the grace to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Thank you for demonstrating that love for us on the cross. Amen.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 30, 2016, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee. He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Have You Tried It Yourself?”
John 4:39-42
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word.42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
When I was in my 20s, I laughed at men who told me they practiced yoga. Though I knew yoga was a great way to relieve stress— limber one’s body and strengthen the core—I couldn’t get over how feminized the practice had become. You go to any yoga class and the ratio of guys to girls is something like 8:1. Plus, everyone wears these tight clothes, and all the instructors seem either too crunchy or too spacey. It just wasn’t for me, so I mocked it. Then I hit my 30s and noticed how tight my muscles had become—meaning, I started pulling muscles when I over exerted myself. Long story short, I tried yoga, and I really felt a difference. Now before you start laughing at me, I am not very consistent and still a beginner–and I don’t own tights! But I like it and would probably benefit from making yoga a part of my weekly routine.
Here’s the point: some things (like yoga) not only need to be experienced before they can be truly appreciated and understood, but until they are experienced from within, they will look silly and remain misunderstood. This is the truth the Samaritans of Sychar found out about Christ. Sure, at first they had the woman’s testimony, but when they themselves came to Him, invited Him into their homes to listen to Him, they truly experienced and believed in Him; and after that, their old ways of worship seemed silly and obsolete.
Oftentimes, people struggle with Christianity because they have not earnestly sought God out nor experienced Him. Such people will ask: “How is it possible for a prayer meeting or a retreat to be more fun than going to a party, watching a movie, or having a great dinner? Why would I spend my vacation time doing mission’s work in Romania, when I could be going to Hawaii? How could giving my money away be more rewarding that buying that really big TV? Why would I move to a foreign country to share about Jesus, when I could stay here and make a good living and have a good life?”
Maybe it’s because you haven’t experienced for yourself what living the Christian life is like. You haven’t felt the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit as you engage in worship; you haven’t invested in a person and watched him turn his life around, nor have you fasted and prayed for a person who would eventually break his addictions. Perhaps you’ve never taken a leap of faith and uprooted your life, only to see God provide in subtle yet miraculous ways, or you’ve never obeyed that still small voice and felt God’s pleasure upon you. You’ve never poured your energy out on a church plant and watch it grow to hundreds. Maybe you’ve never praised with the angels in heaven, because you’ve never helped anyone come to faith in Christ.
Look, I haven’t experienced all of those things either, but I’ve seen enough to keep me wanting more. Believe me when I say this: Christianity needs to be experienced practically, not just theoretically. If you have not truly experienced Christ, it is going to feel silly giving your life for it. This morning, be truthful with yourself: Have you truly tried to give yourself fully to Christ and His work, or are you still an outsider looking in?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to experience the life for which You have created me for. Please let me taste and see that You are good. Give me faith and resolution to follow after You with all my heart and really live this Christian life. Thank you for Jesus. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on December 23, 2016. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“True Freedom”
2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
What is true freedom? Freedom is often associated with the absence of rules and restrictions. Our culture has defined it as being given free rein to do whatever our hearts desire. But is freedom about having no constraints at all? Are rules and boundaries in opposition to freedom? I would say no. As Tim Keller puts it, “A fish, because it absorbs oxygen from water rather than air, is only free if it is restricted and limited to water. If we put it out on the grass, its freedom to move and even live is not enhanced, but destroyed. The fish dies if we do not honor the reality of its nature.” In other words, freedom is not the total absence of limits but rather finding the right ones that allow us to flourish and thrive as people.
It seems that the false teachers had been luring away believers by promising them freedom—the freedom to let their lustful passions run wild as they pleased. They argued that the gospel had brought them freedom and it was at their discretion to use as they pleased. And in one sense, the false teachers were correct. Freedom is at the heart of the gospel. However, it is not the freedom to do whatever we want. It’s being freed from the power of sin and death and having to fulfill the law on our own. In other words, we are freed from sin to be slaves to Christ—not so that we can do whatever we want.
Oftentimes, many of us find the rules of Scripture to be stifling and burdensome. But I want to remind you that they were placed in our lives for our good. God is our Creator and knows us inside out. He understands what we need and the desires of our hearts. And the boundaries prescribed to us are not to suppress us but for us to flourish and live lives of true freedom and joy. For this reason, take delight in His word. It is for our ultimate good!
Prayer: Father, help me to delight in Your word and commands. At times my heart feels burdened by it. However, help me to feel a sense of freedom and joy in following Your commands and give me the strength to do so! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: John 13
Lunch Break Study
Read Psalm 119:97-104: Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. 101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. 102 I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste,sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
Questions to consider
Why does the psalmist delight in the words of God?
What steps can you take to cultivate this type of posture towards God’s commands?
Notes
He finds true understanding and wisdom in the words of God, more so than his enemies who seem to be looking elsewhere. This implies that by following God’s word, it is leading him to a life of goodness, away from evil and every false way. It has not only given him more wisdom but has tangibly affected his life in a real practical way.
Personal
Evening Reflection
We live in a culture where we are constantly bombarded by the media. Our minds are constantly being filled with various messages and ideas. It has become increasingly more difficult to slow down and meditate on the word of God. Let us make sure that we create time and space in our days to quiet our worlds and meditate on God’s word. Take some time tonight to do so.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 29, 2016, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Contend for the Faith”
Jude 1-4
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I recently took a class with a professor who was a staff sergeant in the Vietnam War. At the youthful age of 20, he quickly found himself in the swamps of Vietnam with the burden of leading a group of men into war. As he recounted many of the horrific things he had experienced in the war, he taught us the importance of training disciples in the church. He believed that the term “disciple” isn’t just reserved for those who are in positions of leadership or are well equipped, but rather, anyone who has come to Jesus for salvation and surrendered their lives to His Lordship. In other words, all Christians are disciples. And he challenged a classroom of around thirty future leaders and pastors of churches to take this calling seriously. As he quickly learned in Vietnam, a squad is only as strong as its weakest member.
Despite the brevity of Jude’s letter, you’ll notice that Jude wastes no time getting to the heart of the matter. Even though he is “very eager” to write to them about their salvation, he sees that there is another urgent matter at hand. He addresses the rise of false teachers (much like in 2 Peter) within the church who are “perverting” the message of God’s grace.
If something like this were to happen in your church, it would be very natural for us to quickly rely on the church leadership to deal with the situation. But take a look at who is being addressed: “those who are called.” In other words, this letter is written to all those within the church, since this calling applies to everyone who believes in Jesus.
The call to “contend for the faith” is given to all saints, not just the leaders or pastors. You, dear brother and sister, are called to defend the faith and fight for the purity of the church. You are called to fight for the unity of the church, to not let falsehoods or sin remain within the church. You are called.
Members of a church are not spectators—we are participants. We are not just consumers—we are workers and builders. Every member of the body is called to get into the grit of life so that as a whole body, we may be pure before the Lord.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for engrafting me into the family of God through Your blood. I realize that this invitation is not just an invitation to consume or observe, but to get involved and build up. Forgive me for the ways I’ve stood by passively. Help me to be one who speaks and acts in truth for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: John 12
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Peter 3:13-7: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Questions to Consider
What is Peter exhorting the church to do?
What is the implication of this passage? Why should we be ready to “make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for our hope”?
In what ways are you pushing aside the challenges of people who are questioning your faith? In what ways are you avoiding making a defense? Remember, the sin of omission is just as sinful as the sin of commission. How is God challenging you to respond?
Notes
Peter is calling the church to do good despite what the physical/worldly consequences may be. Peter calls the church to always be ready, in speech, in manner, in action, and in thought. It is a call for the church to be above reproach, and in times of defending the faith, no one can bring any opposition against them.
The implication here is that the church will face opposition even if they are doing good. Even when the church acts in good conscience, there will be those who bring charges against them. There will be a time of questioning. And it is the duty of the church to be ready to honor Christ.
Personal response.
Evening Reflection
How have you thought differently about your part in the church today? Has anything changed about your commitment to the church body? How might you live/act differently starting tomorrow? Take a few moments to journal your thoughts and commit them to the Lord in prayer.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on December 20, 2016. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“The Road to Character”
2 Peter 1:5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualitiesare yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
David Brooks, a New York Times op-ed columnist makes an interesting observation in his book, The Road to Character. He writes that Americans have become obsessed with creating an impressive resume. We want to graduate from the best colleges, earn as many rewards as possible in our respective fields, and gain enough experience to merit the respect of those we’re seeking approval from. And this isn’t all that surprising because we live in a meritocratic society. Our resumes prove our worth to those who hire us and give us the jobs we desperately want— without it, it would be impossible to fulfill many of our dreams. For this reason, we spend all of our energy and time into creating the perfect resume—even if it means that we sacrifice relationships and other important areas of our lives. In other words, resumes have become our number one priority.
However, 2 Peter 1:5-8 call us to pour our efforts into an entirely different endeavor. Yesterday we learned that God has provided all that we need for life and godliness. In light of this, the apostle Peter calls us to respond, not by working towards a better resume, but to make every effort in becoming more like Christ; to build upon the foundation of faith and add virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. This passage suggests that what is of utmost importance is not our resume but our character; not where we graduated from but how well we love.
I believe that this is a much-needed reminder for the church. In a busy world that demands our very best, it’s so easy to neglect the content of our character. As a result, many of us have enjoyed great success in our careers at the expense of our character. We’ve grown our resumes but our capacity to love and remain steadfast have dwindled or remained stagnant. This isn’t to say that striving for well-paying jobs is bad. We should all strive for excellence and be ambitious. But it should never take priority over the growth of our character. Let us take some time today and repent before God and ask Him to make you more like Him!
Prayer: Father, I confess that at times I make my life about me and what I want. I spend so much of my time thinking about my career and my ambitions. Help me to desire the things of You, that my time and energy would go into becoming more like You. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: John 11
Lunch Break Study
Read Matthew 6:25-33: Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Questions to consider
What is Jesus commanding us to do?
What is the promise that Jesus gives to us in verse 33?
What are you always anxious about?
Notes
Jesus calls us to not be anxious about our lives and trust in God, to not worry about not having enough. He points to how God provides even for the sparrows and the lilies. If He cares for lesser creatures, how much more will He give us all that we need as His sons and daughters.
If we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything that we need will be added to us. In other words, if we make God’s concerns our first priority, we don’t have to worry about anything else. God will provide!
Personal.
Evening Reflection
Take some time tonight to reflect on your character. Where are you lacking? Do you need to learn how to love better? To be more generous and think about others? As the busyness of the day winds down, take time to pray and ask God to reveal the content of your character, and invite Him to begin the process of transformation!
REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on November 8, 2016. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.
Devotional Thought for Today
“Thinking about the Next Year’s Election In Light of the 2016 Election”
Hebrews 7:11-22
Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. 13 For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath 21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever’”); 22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Today is Election Day! And when it’s done (unless something weird goes on… weirder than what has already been happening this election season) we’ll know the next president of the United States of America.
There’s no denying that this election season has been a tumultuous one. Not just because the candidates from the two major parties have the lowest approval ratings anyone alive has ever seen. But also, and more significantly I think, because the thoughts and opinions of many Americans regarding how we should live together and how we view one another have been laid bare through their support of certain candidates and platforms. And it has been a little scary hearing what we actually think of one another, what we value, and how we envision our best life together (if together at all). And no party or candidate is exempt… there has been cause for concern from them all.
Throughout the last few months, I’ve learned a lot about what people think will save us. That might sound dramatic, but as “concerned citizens” share their immovable support and vitriolic denouncement of various candidates and policies, I’m convinced that the intensity of it all points to an underlying belief that some sort of political figure or change that comes through government will be the thing that finally saves us (from any number of things/people) and affords a life that satisfies and fulfills.
Much like the Hebrew writer’s audience, we too are deceived about what can save us. While the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial system should have revealed its own inadequacies and the need for something greater (Jesus!), our broken society should do the same for us. More than politics, Jesus is the hope of the world. And that means that no matter who is in power, it is the LORD, His work of salvation and redemption and His coming Kingdom, that will ultimately save and give abundant life.
So, as many of us vote today, may we make wise decisions that reflect the heart of God, and remember when the results come in, that the LORD is at work and we trust in Him.
Prayer: Lord, for generations humanity has somehow missed just how broken we are. As I look at the society around me today, may I not be mistaken about what it is that we truly need – You. Give me grace to participate in my communities in a way that honors You. Give me perspective to see things the way You see them. Grant me hope as I await Your coming Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: John 10
Lunch Break Study
Read Psalm 461-11: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Questions to Consider
What is a refuge? Why would someone need one? According to the passage, what does having God as a refuge do for His people?
How do God’s promises in vv. 4-7 encourage us?
What is God’s command in v. 10? Why are we able to obey this command?
Notes
A refuge is a place of shelter and protection for those fleeing some sort of impending danger or lack. And a refuge isn’t just a place that allows those fleeing to come in (i.e. protection – keeping the bad things away), but it is also a place that provides a new home (i.e. shelter) and all that entails, recognizing that those fleeing have little or nothing and need help. This is what God does for us. We come to Him in need of protection and shelter and He affords it to us. Knowing that the God of the universe is our protector and provider gives us confidence. No matter what we face, we have no cause for fear.
We know that God is with us and that His victory is assured. This should be an encouragement to each of us. Spend some time reflecting on how it encourages you personally.
God commands us to “quit striving” (or be still) and know (acknowledge and trust) that He is God. We can do this because He accompanies the command with a promise – He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. We can take that to the banks. We can also do this because we know His track record and his promises of what is to come (vv. 8-9).
Evening Reflection
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Spend some time praying for the nation you call home and nations around the world. Pray especially for the leadership and the governing powers. Pray also for the people, keeping in mind any situations you know the nation is facing.
REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 17, 2016.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“The Nations at Odds with the God of the Bible”
Acts 4:23-8
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”
The Oakland Athletics was the last team to win three consecutive World Series from 1972 to 1974. Ironically, although the players feuded among themselves, their common dislike for the team owner Charles Finley brought them together. Similarly, Herod and Pilate, who “had been enemies,” became friends over making sport of Jesus (Lk. 23:11-2). Perhaps, that friendship pales in comparison to an alliance formed among Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin during the World War II. While Roosevelt and Churchill must’ve been horrified to later find that Stalin engineered the genocide of millions of people, including the Russian leader in the alliance must have seemed like a good idea since their common enemy was Hitler.
So, what does it mean that the nations, rulers and people plot in vain and rage against God? Today, it means, first, when the heads of the nations seek to work together, the last thing they want to discuss and to avoid conflict, is God and religion. Actually, that has changed: exculpating Islam as a religion of terror has now become a vogue. (The “mainstream” Islam isn’t.) Consequently, the God of the Bible, relegated to the level of the gods of world religions, is ignored or even chastised for alleged past wrongs. Once, President Obama, while condemning the terrorism of ISIS, mentioned the Crusades as if to say, “You Christians were no better.” (It’s not that simple.)
Second, the moral values and the spiritual truths the Scripture advocates are bypassed in lieu of their secular counterparts. For instance, while UNESCO’s sex education curriculum tout abortion and contraception, abstinence is merely mentioned as “only one of a range of choices.”
Third, it means that people who don’t believe in God mock His existence as well as the believers. Long before Richard Dawkins penned “The God Delusion,” Sigmund Freud wrote, “When a man . . . accept[s] all the absurdities [of] religious doctrines . . . we need not be greatly surprised at the weakness of his intellect.”
So, since nothing has really changed from the past, we shouldn’t hide and be passive; rather, we should show the world why the Christian faith offers a more reasonable faith than other world religions—for this life and the afterlife; and demonstrate the intellectual bankruptcy of atheism. To do that, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, diligently study the Bible, and read critical books that can stretch our minds.
Prayer: Father, I marvel at Your infinite patience over humans who constantly defy You, even questioning Your very existence. While it must be infuriating to see this disturbing pattern generation after generation, You’ve been amazingly merciful by giving us many opportunities to get to know You through the gospel of Christ. Thank You! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: John 9
Lunch Break Study
Read Genesis 11:1, 3-8:Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. . . . 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
Question to Consider
1. There is a first-time for everything: what happened here that had never happened before?
2. What was intrinsically wrong with what they did? Are we guilty of doing the same thing?
3. In a general sense, how would you respond to those who advocate atheism or religious pluralism? What would be your basic strategy (Ps. 14:1; Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12)?
Notes
1. This was the first time that humans united themselves to directly challenge God’s authority, that is, the right to rule men. Of course, Adam and Eve did that as well, but it was done at an individual level (but with a widespread consequence).
2. This was an attempt to deify man as if to say, “We don’t need God anymore; since we got up here on our own, we will govern ourselves from here and out.” Anyone who doesn’t believe in God or any “believer” who doesn’t allow Him to rule his/her life is really no different from these men.
3. I would show inconsistencies in their views. First, I would ask how all religions can lead to the same God when their essential doctrines are as different as night and day. Second, I would ask the atheists to explain the origin of the universe—none that they offer is factual but rather a preferred belief.
Evening Reflection
As you look back to today, did you hear anyone mocking God and the Christian faith? How did you respond? Why did you respond the way you did? 1 Peter 3:15 says: “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” Are you obeying that command? Pray for boldness and wisdom. And also, read a good book: I am presently reading The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life by Armand M. Nicholi, a Harvard psychiatrist—I highly recommend this book.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 24, 2016, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.) just planted a church in Seattle called “Seattle Upper Room”.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“What True Faith Is”
John 2:23-25
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
I used to lay in bed as a kid with my legs propped up on the wall. This was my thinking position. And I would spend hours just thinking about some of the weirdest things. When I would think about God, I would often pray, “God, if only You would show Yourself to me, then I wouldn’t struggle as much believing that You are real.” I think we’ve all prayed that prayer before. I have met countless number of people who have gone to amazing conferences and incredible mission trips, bringing back stories of how they had witnessed God’s unbelievable power at work. I, too, have had those experiences.
But the truth is that despite these powerful experiences, we know people or perhaps we are these people that come back from these experiences, only to fall back into our struggles and denial of the realness of God. Perhaps when we face opposition or life takes an unexpected turn, the brilliance of that moment begins to dim.
Today’s passage is a bit strange at first glance. Jesus can almost seem cold or distant from the people, but when we meditate on it, it reveals something deeper about faith. Commentators note that not all of Jesus’ powerful works have been recorded up to this point, but it can be understood that Jesus had performed many more miracles and demonstration of His power throughout the region. And through witnessing these mighty acts, many have come to believe in Him. In fact, in the previous chapter, Nathanael came to follow Jesus because he had witnessed Jesus’ supernatural power. And yet John writes that Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.
Two things to gleam from this passage: (1) Faith is much more than seeing and believing or just being convinced. Faith requires more than cognitive agreement. (2) True faith means not only trusting in Jesus but a deeper connection with Jesus where He entrusts Himself to you. I wonder if this is what He means when Jesus says to His disciples, “No longer do I call you slaves, but I call you friends” (John 15:14-15). And Jesus is inviting us to this kind of faith. One that goes beyond head knowledge, but an all-encompassing kind of faith. Simply put, a faith that is found in a relationship. How will you respond to His invitation today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the ways You continue to demonstrate Your incredible power among us today. But thank You also for inviting me to something so much more substantial than that. Thank You for inviting me to something where I am not just a spectator but a participant. May I walk in that reality every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 16, 2016, is provided by Mei Lan Thallman—now a friend of AMI—who had served at Grace Covenant Church UC (now Philadelphia) for a long time.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“A God Who Constantly Works In and Through Us”
1 Corinthians 3:5-11
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. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
This spring, I had the blessing to go back to Taipei, Taiwan and visit the House of Praise—the first church we loved and served for seven years. I was deeply moved during worship, as I watched many of the old faces who were stepping up in their places to serve God as elders, deacons, worship leaders, greeters, etc. I remembered how hard it was to leave them nine years ago, when we felt God leading us elsewhere.
But now I rejoice over how much the church family has grown as a whole, and how well they are doing under the care of the current pastor and his family. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s great faithfulness–truly God was and is the ultimate and rightful Shepherd of HOP. Though we were blessed and privileged to be entrusted by God to care for HOP, I was also glad that we trusted and obeyed God when it was His time for us to move on. If we didn’t, things would look very different for all of us.
The following week, I shared a meal with a family who joyfully informed me that the husband has come to faith in Christ Jesus after 15 years of witnessing and praying for him; now they are planning to be baptized as a family. Their first exposure to Christianity was attending their sister’s baptism at HOP fifteen years ago. But during the course of 15 years, God was using the church to lead them one by one to Himself; first, the wife, WiWi, through her sister Kathy; then the kids, Stanely and Chi Chi; and lastly the husband, Grant.
We serve a great God who is constantly at work to draw the world unto Himself through his bride, the church. We, the church, are the living and thriving hands and feet of Christ. God not only wants to save and sanctify us, but He longs to enthrone and reign as the cornerstone of our heart and lives. Then, and only then, can He use us freely to build the same foundation into other people’s hearts and lives. Let us not grow weary to keep pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly, to steadfastly and faithfully keep planting seeds, and watering into the lives of people that God brings into our path.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being the author and perfector of our faith. Thank You that You desire not only to save us but to entrust us with the responsibility of being a thriving and active member of your church family. Please forgive us of our tendencies to be a spectator, consumer, critic and competitor. Fill us with more of You and Your heart for the world. Teach us to freely, unconditionally, and boldly give away the love and grace that You so lavishly bestow upon us always. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on November 31, 2016. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Don’t be a Proud Pharaoh”
Colossians 3:12-4
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
“There is nothing more taxing than having to make a choice between the ‘lesser of two evils’—this is as perplexing today as it was back in the days of the early church when the choice was between Nestorius and Cyril.”
For the early church, much debate continued regarding the nature and person of Jesus Christ. During the mid-fifth century A.D., the bishop Nestorius argued that prosopon (person) and physis (nature) go hand in hand for both humanity and divinity. Thus, Nestorius believed that if Jesus had a human nature and a divine nature, “His incarnation had to be a mutual dwelling of two people – the eternal Son of God and the mortal Jesus.” To that mutual dwelling, Nestorius assigned the name Christ and considered it to be a combination of two separate persons.
Unfortunately, Nestorius was sincerely wrong, and the bishop Cyril was quite eager to point that out. Under the rubric of what was called “hypostatic union,” Cyril taught that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who took on Himself a human nature and existence, while remaining fully divine. According to Cyril, “If Jesus was truly the Word incarnate, then it must be theologically correct to attribute to him all the glory of deity, as well as to the Son of God who became human all the weakness and mortality of humanity.” Cyril’s favorite formula for expressing the incarnation was that “God the Logos did not come into a man, but he truly became man, while remaining God.”
Unfortunately, Cyril was also known for behaving like a “proud pharaoh.” He was involved in many disputes throughout his life, and some historians believe that Cyril was responsible for stoking tensions that led a “Christian” mob to murder the Hellenistic philosopher Hypatia. When Cyril was exiled by Emperor Theodosius II, he even engaged in bribery with the emperor’s confidantes and sent mobs to besiege Theodosius’ palace to shout abuse. Needless to say, Cyril did not have a reputation for being patient or loving.
As we are all sinners, conflict is not only possible but inevitable. Nevertheless, how we deal with conflict indicates whether we are indeed putting on our godly nature or resorting to our sinful nature. Perhaps, it is fair to say that God used Cyril despite of his shortcomings, not because of his greatness. Let’s ask for God’s strength to put on Christ’s nature today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know that there is nothing good in me. I know that without You, my selfishness and pride seep into every conflict that I face. Help me to put on Your nature and to have compassion, patience, humility and kindness. Help me to love others as You have loved me. In Your Name I pray, Amen.
Bible Reading for Today:John 5
Lunch Break Study
Read Colossians 2:9a: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”
Colossians 1:19: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.”
John 4:6: “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey.”
Mark 11:12:“The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.”
Questions to Consider
1. Given these limited verses, justify Jesus’ complete divinity as well as His complete humanity.
2. Which of the following two statements is correct? Jesus is 50 percent human and divine, respectively, in one person, or, Jesus is 100 percent human and divine in one person?
3. In light of this, can we have confidence in what Hebrews 4:15 declare:“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Notes
1. The Colossian passages clearly state that the fullness of Deity dwells in Jesus Christ. Fullness is not a half-measure but complete and exact as its counterpart. As for Christ’s humanity, he became tired after a long day’s walk and became hungry when not eating, just like us.
2. Jesus is 100 percent human and divine, respectively, in one person.
3. We can absolutely have confidence in what is promised in Hebrews 4:15 because Jesus experientially knows what we are going through (without sinning). In truth, Jesus didn’t need to go through all this to empathize with us; but He did so that it will help us to have more confidence in Christ.
Evening Reflection
This evening, as you are about to turn in for the night, would you say a short prayer of gratitude to the Lord for having come in the flesh to do for us something no one except He could have done, that is, taking care of our sin problem, once and for all, and continuing to intercede on our behalf?
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 Jn. 2:1).
