REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 6, 2016, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who, in the past, served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Cling to Me”

John 20:17a

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father…”

I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of waking up from a really pleasant dream.  When that happens, what is the first thing you want to do?  I don’t know what you were thinking, but the correct answer is—to go back to sleep.  You want to go back to sleep, hoping you can go back into that happy fantasy world for a few more minutes.  

I have often wondered why Jesus told Mary not to cling to Him on that Sunday morning.  I used to just think that Jesus was in some quasi-spiritual state, and if Mary tried to hug him, she’d go right through Him.  But this line of thinking doesn’t make sense for two reasons:  First, later on in this chapter, Jesus tells doubting Thomas to literally touch the scars on His hands and side, so Jesus must have been tangible.  Second, and more importantly, the whole point of the resurrection is not that we will become spirits or ghosts, but that we will be resurrected in the flesh.  So I’m starting to think that perhaps Jesus was telling Mary, “You can’t cling to me as you used to do, because things have changed.”  I’m guessing that in Mary’s mind, she was hoping Jesus would stick around, and things would go back to how they were before Jesus was arrested and crucified.  But that world and that time she experienced with Christ would no longer exist; she couldn’t just go back to sleep hoping to return to that happy dream, if you will.  

Sometimes in our Christians lives, it is healthy to look back and remember God’s past goodness; however, we are never told to live there and pine for the “good ole days.”  We have to know that God has new blessings to give, and He is doing a new thing every day.  For Mary, it would have been great if Jesus could have stayed so she could cling to him, but that was not God’s plan. In fact, even Jesus says it is better that He leave and the Holy Spirit come (John 16:7), so we must believe that God has great plans ahead.  Celebrate the past, but live in anticipation of God’s new work today.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the ways I have experienced You in the past.  Thank You that You are working in the here and now, so help me to be excited to be a part of that work. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 4:31-38: Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them,“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Questions to Consider

1.  In this passage, what seems to be the “will” of the Father?  

2.  What do we learn about the harvest?  What did Jesus say about the harvest time vs. what others might have thought?  How do you think in comparison? 

3.  What do you we learn about the kingdom work in verses 36-38.  How is this idea an encouragement and/or challenge to you?  

Notes

1.  In this context, the will and work of the Lord was to bring people (specifically, the Samaritans) to faith.  Bringing others to Christ is generally the work that God has for us too.  

2.  Some think that there will be time to harvest later; however, being “white” implies that the harvest is critically ready (i.e., there is no time to waste or the harvest will go bad).  Similarly, I think that is how Christians view evangelism—some think there is plenty of time, while others know time is not guaranteed.  

3.  At all times, God is and has been working.  You may be called to reap a field you did not sow.  Other times you may have to sow and allow another to reap.  Either way, we need to be ready to do the work of the Lord in whatever season He has called us.  

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Evening Reflection

The theme for today was to be ready to participate in God’s work.  Do you believe that God has a new work for today (and tomorrow), and are you ready to reap the harvest?  Have you been excited or ready to do God’s work lately, or have you been bogged down by other worries?  If the latter, ask God to show you the fields and to prepare you for a new work.  

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 28, 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/

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“You Did What?”

John 18:28-32

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

Of all the mistakes I’ve made so far in my life, the one I’m most ashamed of occurred during my senior year of high school. A friend of mine had just accepted Christ and he started coming out to my youth group. But one day, when I found out that he smoked cigarettes and furthermore sold cigarettes to the underclassmen, I distinctly remember telling him, “If you’re going to keep smoking, and selling cigarettes to the freshmen, don’t bother calling yourself Christian!” Oh, how the heavens must have wept when I said what I said. I wish I could go back and undo those words, because since that day, my friend stopped attending church. Ironically, I thought I was being righteous, but in my self-righteousness, I had neglected the most important thing—the gospel. I was so caught up in following the “rules,” that I missed the whole point of what Jesus did on the cross. 

I wonder if the Pharisees and officers recognized the tragic irony of their actions. These men were so caught up in following the “rules” of God, that they couldn’t even recognize God when He showed up. They preferred to maintain the image of cleanliness, while executing the Lord of Lords. How important to you is the image of cleanliness? How gracious are you when someone doesn’t quite fit your description of what a Christian should look like? 

Prayer: Lord, we repent of all the times when we’ve placed rules above the gospel. Teach us to obey faithfully without becoming self-righteous. Teach us to pursue holiness without forgetting mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 3

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 5:27-32: After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why were the Pharisees and scribes grumbling at Jesus?
2. How does Jesus respond?
3. What does Jesus’ response tell us about His ministry?

Notes

1. The Pharisees and scribes grumbled because Jesus, being a Rabbi, was not supposed to associate with “sinners,” such as tax collectors, much less invite them to become His disciples.
2. Jesus says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” This is contrary to tradition. In those times, Rabbis would only select the cream of the crop from among the students of God’s Word. Candidates for discipleship under any other Rabbi were required to have extensive knowledge/memorization of Scripture. Furthermore, they had to be virtually blameless according to the law. Jesus, on the other hand, came for the sick and the sinners.
3. Jesus’ response tells us two truths, two sides of the same coin. First, it tells us that He has come to minister to sinners. In His ministry we see that He welcomes tax collectors, prostitutes, women, men, children— people of all kinds. But there is one type of person that never comes to Jesus: the self-righteous—those who think they are already well. Ironically, these are the ones who need Jesus the most, but they are too self-righteous to come.

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Evening Reflection

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5b). 

Of all the sins we should be afraid of committing, pride may be the most dangerous. When we are caught in any other sin, the Spirit can convict us and lead us to humility and repentance. But the proud heart resists conviction; it resists humility and repentance. Tonight, do a spot check and ask the Holy Spirit to squash any residue of pride that exists within us.

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 19, 2016.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Peril of Replacing Someone”

Acts 1:20-6

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”

What’s harder than replacing Tom Brady as the quarterback for the New England Patriots?  How about replacing the father of a teenager girl. That’s the predicament an old friend faced when he married a woman with a daughter in the middle school. Unfortunately, to this teenager my friend was an unworthy replacement; suffice it to say, it didn’t end well.

Matthias also faced a similar situation.  While he wasn’t exactly replacing a “Brady,” the position itself was a big shoe to fill.  Now, it wasn’t as if he was under qualified, since he at least met the requirement of being with the Lord and the original disciples “the whole time” and a witness to the resurrection.   But Matthias might not have met the higher criteria: “The thing that marks an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12^a), which apostle Paul, who came later, met.

Now, once Matthias was chosen to replace Judas by virtue of what, to some, appeared to be pure luck (casting lots), he promptly disappeared into the annals of obscurity; he is never mentioned again after Acts 1.  Meanwhile, imagine what Matthias had to endure as a replacement, in view of the fact that some people had the gall to question Paul’s apostleship; so much so that he declared, “I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super-apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5, 12:11).  They probably called Matthias the “lucky” apostle.

So, whatever happened to him?  Sometimes no news can be good news; and since we hear neither good nor bad news about Matthias, here is hoping that there was no bad news to report because he stayed out of trouble, unlike Judas.  As for the absence of good news, perhaps his ministry philosophy was founded on Matthew 6:1: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them.’”  And then he might have clung to 1 Corinthians 4:5^b:  “Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.  At that time each will receive their praise from God.”   I hope Matthias was praised.   Meanwhile, let us cultivate a spirituality that does not seek attention from people. For instance, resist the urge to post your latest spiritual accomplishment on FB.  How about keeping it just between you and Jesus.

Prayer: God, though I say You are the Chairman of the board of my life, I often seek to be noticed by men; I’m not even sure why I post what I post on my FB.  Teach me to worship and serve You, my King, in secrecy.  Teach me to cherish Your approval in Christ.  May the Spirit fill me today for a fruitful labor.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 2

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 6:1-4: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Col. 1:3-4: We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—

1 Cor. 14:18: I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Questions to Consider

1. It is the new norm to expose ourselves to the whole world to witness what we are doing, including our private time spent with God.  In light of the Matthew passage, what should we watch out for?

2. Matthias, once chosen to be one of the twelve disciples, disappeared into obscurity as far as history is concerned.   If you were Matthias, what would you have hoped as you breathed your last breath? 

3. In what ways did Paul “expose” his private spiritual life with the public?  When it is okay to do it?  How are you doing with this?  Please think before you post on the social media; don’t do it mindlessly. 

Notes

1. We need to watch out for overexposing our spirituality and good deeds in the name of ministry or just wanting to “share.”   As 1 Cor. 4:5 asserts, we need to check our motive before we publicly share what we do in private.  It is something that we need to struggle with because we do need to share!

2. Matthias might have said: “I don’t care what people think of me; as long as God approves of my life and rewards me in heaven for what little I did in His name, I am okay with being obscure among men.”

3. Through these two verses, we find that Paul was praying for the Colossians and spoke in tongues more than anyone else.  Here, Paul’s motive is more important than the act itself.  In the case of the Colossians whom he had never met, his disclosure probably made his epistle more personable to them.  With respect to the Corinthians who were abusing the practice of speaking in tongues, Paul was, in fact, saying, “Hey, I speak as a seasoned practitioner; stop abusing that gift!” 

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Evening Reflection

Everyday life is such that we say and do things without any rehearsal beforehand.  Undoubtedly, the “raw” things we say and do as an unfiltered reaction to others show the core of our being.  So, in looking back to today, what did you discover about yourself with respect to God?  Do you care more about what men think of you than what God thinks?  Do you love the praise from men more than from God?  These are sobering questions—but necessary ones.  Reflect.  Make adjustments as you repent. 

Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on September 5, 2016, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun through whom God founded the Radiance Christian Church in 2012. Mark, after recently stepping down as its Lead Pastor, is currently on a sabbatical.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Yes, Extravagant Worship is Wonderful But … ”

John 12:1-8 (ESV)

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” 

In contemporary Christianity, extravagant worship is often equated with the extent and quality of its production.  We assume a stage of good musicians, accompanied by floodlights and special effects playing in front of a filled auditorium, constitutes worship that is acceptable and worthy of God.  Many of us enjoy these times of corporate worship, and I would certainly include myself as a fan of church services that are well put together.  However, Christ seems to prefer something far more intimate and personal than just a good performance in His name.  

The anointing of Jesus’ feet by Mary is a display of personal extravagance that is rare and uncommon to the modern Christian.  The thought of pouring out expensive ointment that was valued at a year’s salary would seem excessive and wasteful, even if it was meant to cover the feet of our Savior. Perhaps, if we were there we would have said the same words as Judas, that the money could have been better used to serve the poor.  There are times when our pragmatic and utilitarian view of the gospel keeps us from lavishing Christ with our personal devotion and love.  

Love is often expressed through extravagance that can be mistaken as a waste.  This is the only way to explain why men use three months of their salary on the average to buy a ring that will spend most of its time in a jewelry box.  Whenever our anniversary comes around, I take my wife to restaurants that I would never consider for myself.  I tend to be fairly cheap so I don’t really see the value in paying 30 or 40 dollars for a plate of food, because there are so many other things I could do with that money.  Yet when it comes to spending money for a special evening with Mira, my financial preferences take a back seat to the love that we have shared over the years.  

In the same way, Mary is pouring out her love upon Jesus in a way that doesn’t make sense to those who have never experienced this love.  By anointing His feet with the ointment and washing them with her hair, Mary fills the room with worship that is as sweet and fragrant as any costly perfume.  Each morning, we have an opportunity to express our devotion to the Lord, to pour out our love, and to live lives of extravagant worship.  

Prayer: Lord, I pray that we would become worshippers who understand what it means to worship in Spirit and in truth.  Teach us how to offer up our lives as a living sacrifice and to hold nothing back, regardless of cost.  May we learn to give you the extravagant worship that You are so worthy of.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Numbers 1

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Lunch Break Study

Luke 7:36-50 (NIV): One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

Questions to Consider

1. Is this account the same as the one from this morning?  How are they similar?  How are they different?  
2. Why did Simon really invite Jesus for dinner?
3. Who has the greater sin in this story?  

Notes

1. Although the two stories are similar in many ways, it is clear that these are two completely different events based on their setting and others who are involved.  Therefore, we can assume that Jesus moved two individual women to pour out oil over his feet in an act of worship and love.  
2. As the story unfolds, it is evident that the only intention that Simon the Pharisee had was to entrap Jesus.  By withholding the common cultural courtesies, Simon revealed his open disdain for Jesus.  
3. I really enjoy the way John Ortberg summarizes the end of Jesus’ dinner with Simon, the Pharisee.  He writes:  

There is great sin defiling this room.  But it is not the sin that Simon thinks.  It is the sin of

Lips that won’t kiss

Knees that won’t bend

Eyes that will not weep

Hands that will not serve

Perfume that will never leave the jar

It is a sin of a heart that will not break, 

A life that will not change,

And a soul that will not love.

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Evening Reflection

Have you spent some time today in intimate communion with God?  Are you listening for His voice?  What, if anything, did He say?  Take time to write down your thoughts and to respond to Him in worship.    

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 26, 2016.  Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Hope and Life”

Habakkuk 2:20 

“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” 

Viktor Frankl, a psychologist and a holocaust survivor, made an interesting observation during his imprisonment. He began to notice that those who held unto hope were more likely to survive. People who were filled with despair or hatred were more susceptible to death than those who held unto the hope of one-day reuniting with their family or seeing the Allies bring freedom. In other words, future hope gave them the fortitude and strength necessary to persevere and thrive even in the worst of conditions.  

In the same way, we hear a promise that provides the necessary hope to endure the coming suffering for the people of Israel. In chapter two, we see a series of woes pronounced on the nation of Babylon. They are condemned for their violence upon the nations and their unjust manner of life. They are denounced for their profound idolatry as they worship speechless idols who cannot do anything for them. Although, they experience much success and power at the present time, God will establish justice and seek the welfare of the righteous. It is only a matter of time because God is the sovereign one, not the mighty empires of the earth. The people of Israel were called to hold onto this hope. 

As Christians, we have been given a similar promise. No matter how much suffering is given to us at the present time, we know the end of the story. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the world is being redeemed and remade, and we are part of that new creation. Although our present sufferings might suggest that we are destined for a miserable ending, the story of God tells us that the ending is one of joy and victory. As Christians, we are called to hold onto this future hope in the present. It is what gives us the strength and joy necessary to follow Christ no matter the cost. It is what sustains us in our time of need. Let us rejoice that God has brought us into His story! 

Prayer: God, I thank You for saving me from my own story and bringing me into Yours. Help me to live in light of your story rather than my own. Especially in times of trouble, give me an eternal perspective that draws strength from the hope given to me through Your gospel! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 27

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on May 21, 2016, is provided by Mei Lan Thallman—now a friend of AMI—who had served at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia) for a long time.   

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“God’s Presence Amid Fear and Anxiety”

2 Kings 6:15-17 (NIV)

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.  16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Recently, as I was preparing myself to go back to Taiwan, my “earthly home country,” I was overcome with a deep sense of overwhelming and paralyzing fear and anxiety. Yet I had to mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepare myself to enter the mission field of my family. Past experiences have “trained” me to brace myself for the worst that maybe coming, and this time was no different.  Without exaggeration, each time I prepare to make the long journey home, I literally have to pinch and talk myself into accepting the reality—it is what it is.

This time, however, I experienced a perspective makeover, like the experience of Elisha’s servant.  As the Scriptures indicate, both Elisha and his servant were faced with the same hostile circumstance.  But Elisha, seeing through the eyes of faith, had a superior insight and confidence to face off the enemy that made absolutely no sense to Elisha’s servant—until God supernaturally opened his spiritual eye sight. Once he saw what Elisha saw, all fear vanished because a greater reality was in operation: their God had them covered in the midst of danger with the angelic army and chariots of fire!

When I arrived in Taiwan, I saw that the devastation of the people and the circumstances were not much different from my last visit.  However, I experienced an inner transformation that changed my perception of how I view and interpret the reality.  In the midst of difficult circumstances and the lostness of my family members, I saw God actively and powerfully at work.  He met me; He provided, protected, and used me every step of the way.  Instead of seeing despair and hopelessness, He opened my eyes to see a greater spiritual reality that was in operation—His great, ongoing salvation and redemptive work that is simply unstoppable.  Regardless of the situation and people’s response or lack of response, He remains true and faithful.  Nothing can change His love for the nations.  Jesus’ finished work on the cross and His resurrection is the ultimate reality of all time, and I am a part of that redemptive plan. 

What difficult circumstance or people are you facing today that cause you to feel alone, afraid, and overwhelmed?  Come to Jesus and ask Him to open your eyes and empower you to see your challenges in light of the ultimate spiritual reality—the reality that He is with you, He is mighty to save, He has overcome sin, death, and hell, and through Him you have the power to overcome.

Prayer:  Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for Your finished work of salvation and Your ongoing redemptive plan of the world.  Thank you that the powerful light of the gospel is able to penetrate through the darkest places through Your children, for Christ in us is the hope of glory.  Help me daily to have the faith and courage to keep shining Your light and hope into the world.  To You be all praise, honor and glory!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 25-26

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 29, 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).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Is It Because of the Messenger or Despite of Him?”

John 4:28-30

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

I think everyone, at least at once in their lives, has felt like they have ruined their witness for Christ.  Here are a few of mine:  In college, my hall mate confronted me about things I allegedly said behind her back (to this day, I still deny it).  At work, my boss called me out for goofing around when we had a project due (yup, I deserved that).  And at my son’s soccer game, I showed up with a less than healthy snack and got in a huge fight with that overly involved soccer mom, who is also the president of the PTA (okay, this hasn’t happened yet, but I feel it coming soon).  I confess that I may not be Christ’s best representative, and I’m not trying to come off sounding like Judgy McJudgerson, but here’s the deal:  at least I’ve never had five wives and a sixth “roommate,” like this Samaritan woman (she had husbands, but you get the point).  

What I find so fascinating about this account is that the townspeople actually listened to this woman about matters of faith.  She was the one who introduced them to Christ.  You know, this town was small and news travelled fast; everyone gossiped about her, warning their daughters not to become like her, and their sons not to associate with women like her. Talk about the most unlikely messenger of Christ!  But here we see that God used this woman to bring an entire village of Samaritans to Christ.  The purity of the message is clearly more important than the purity of the messenger.  

Obviously, I am not advocating that you all go out and act and do whatever you want, and then try to win over your non-Christian friends, because it worked for the Samaritan woman.  But what I am saying is that sometimes well-meaning Christians get stifled in their attempts to share the gospel, because they feel that they just haven’t been a good enough representative for Christ.  If that is you, then I encourage you to stop looking at yourself, stop listening to the enemy, and start looking and listening to Christ.  The next time you are hesitant about sharing Christ, because you feel like a hypocrite, don’t be— just share. Maybe God wants to use you—despite your shortcomings.  

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gospel.  Thank You that imperfect people can share and be a part of a perfect message.  Help me to honor You as best I can, but also help me to share about You boldly.  Please bring people in my life that need to hear about Your love.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Leviticus 24

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:1-6: Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.  6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Questions to Consider

1.  In your opinion, what does it mean “to judge”?  How do you distinguish between judging and speaking the truth?  

2.  What was Jesus condemning in this passage? 

3.  What do you think v. 6 means?  How does it apply to your life?  

Notes

1.  We are told to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and there are numerous passages encouraging us to correct each other, so we must not misunderstand this passage to mean, “Don’t ever say anything.”  Correction comes with love for the person and God; judgment is condemning and motivated by self-righteousness.

2.  If you read this passage carefully, you will see that Jesus wants us to correct each other.  What he was condemning was hypocrisy—meaning, don’t try to pull out a speck when you have a plank; remove your plank first, and then get the speck out.  

3.  Sometimes good and well-meaning words can fall on deaf ears, or the hearer will react negatively.  But remember, you could still be sharing “pearls.”  

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Evening Reflection

The theme of today was hypocrisy.  This morning, we glanced on the idea of not letting the fear of appearing like a hypocrite stand in the way of witnessing; and this afternoon, we talked about hypocrisy in correction.  Take a look at your life: Are there areas of your life in which you’d like to become more blameless?  Do you fear sharing your faith for personal reason?  What would the Lord have you do?    

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 28, 2016.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Fear of Death”

Acts 2:24-8 

[The apostle Peter’s sermon] But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’” 29 “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Perhaps no one ever feared death quite like Thomas Donaldson, then 46, who was afflicted with brain cancer in 1990.   Hoping that someday science would provide a cure for cancer, he sought for cryogenic (science of the effects of low temperature) specialists to freeze him, and then sever his frozen head to store it for the future.  At $35,000, freezing a head was cheaper than the cost of freezing an entire body for $100,000.   Wishing also for the development of brain transplantation, the plan called for his head to be implanted to another body.  “I am dying,” Donaldson said, adding, “I might later be revived and continue to live.”  Ironically, he beat the disease until finally succumbing to it in 2006.

Today’s psalm, which Peter attributes to Jesus, was actually written by King David regarding himself (Ps. 16:9-11).  We can see that David not only thought about death (who doesn’t?) but was terrified by it (like Donaldson).  The thought of being abandoned in the grave and left to decay certainly is not a pleasant thought.    

I disagree with most of what Richard Dawkins wrote in The God Delusion but not the following story.  He cites a clergy who told his dying colleague, “Congratulations! I wish I was coming with you.”  Noting that this clergy seemed like a sincere believer, the famed atheist says, “It is precisely because it’s so rare that his story catches our attention.  Could it be that [religious people] don’t believe all that stuff they pretend to believe?”  To some extent, this is true.  One reason is that believers are more enamored by the men of this world who are getting all their “rewards” now, than the rewards of being with God.  

But King David shows another way: Because Christ defeated death at resurrection, we can now look forward to “waking up” in heaven and being filled with joy in God’s presence.   In the meantime, we don’t need to be “shaken”; instead, our “heart is glad and [our] tongue rejoices; [our] body also will rest in hope.”   

So let’s be active in sharing the good news—that can “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Heb. 2:15).  But, let’s do it tactfully, lovingly and prayerfully.  

Prayer: Dear God, I praise and honor You today.  Of all the things I need to be thankful for, not having to fear death certainly ranks on top.  Recalling the time when I was afflicted with the misery of dying without any hope for afterlife, I am truly blessed to no longer bear that burden—thank You , Lord Jesus!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Leviticus 23

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Lunch Break Study

Read Phil. 1:21-6:  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know  which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

2 Cor. 1:8: For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;

Question to Consider

1. How would you summarize Paul’s take on death?   Why do think he felt that way?

2. Why did Paul feel that his continued stay on earth was justified or validated?

3. What was the tension Paul felt while living and serving the Lord on earth?  In light of that, what is suggested by its complete absence in our lives?

Notes

1. In short, Paul didn’t fear death; rather, he welcomed it because he longed to be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:1-3).   As to why he felt that way, one obvious reason seems to be that he was having a hard life caused by the very ministry he was carrying out for God against oppositions.   

2. As long as he was in the world, Paul knew that it benefitted others by helping them to grow in faith.   Among the reasons why we want to live, that one should be on top.  That means, those who aren’t doing anything to help others to grow spiritually can never quite feel content in life. 

3. The tension was between wanting to be with the Lord in heaven and needing to stay on earth to minister to others.  The fact that most of us in the West do not experience that tension means we love the world and the things of the world too much.  We need to let go of the world (1 Jn. 2:15-7).

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Evening Reflection

As you wrap up this day, do you recall any opportunity in which you could’ve shared the good news?   If you didn’t, instead of being discouraged, imagine in your mind as to what you could’ve done differently so that the outcome would’ve been different.   Pray for another opportunity tomorrow.  As long as the world is clueless about dealing with death, we are in business.   

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 27, 2016.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Reading Some Scriptures Through the  Paradigm of Both/And”

Acts 2:22-3 (NASB) 

[The apostle Peter’s sermon] Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with]miracles and wonders and  signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of  godless men and put Him to death.

Which animal you see in the picture depends on where your focus is: a gaze to the left will show a duck, to the right, a rabbit; but as whole, this image contains both a duck and a rabbit.  I first saw this image in a book extolling postmodernism that, to ensure that Eurocentric thoughts no longer dominate the rest, has relativized all truth claims.  This is why religious pluralism— belief that all religions lead to the same God—emerges as a child of postmodernism.  

So, should we eschew seeing our reality, including the Bible, in terms of either/or?  Again, it depends.  Some matters are quite clear as to which position the Bible advocates.  For instance, it doesn’t say “God exists” and “God doesn’t exist” at the same time.  Whereas the writer of Hebrews says, “He exists” (11:6), the psalmist calls those who say, “There is no God,” a “fool” (Ps. 14:1).  God’s existence, then, is a matter of either/or.

Now, in church history, one of the fiercest theological battles has been fought between Calvinists and Arminians.  Regarding God’s election (that God predestines some to be saved), whereas Calvinists posit that its basis is His deliberative plan (Eph. 1:11) that has nothing to do men’s merit, Arminians say that the basis is God’s foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2).  That is, God, “having foreseen men’s potential faith” chose “those who would turn to Him when they heard the gospel” (Hammond). But they do agree on one thing: this is a matter of either/or, and that both positions cannot be right at the same time.  But Peter’s sermon suggests otherwise.  Talking about those who played a critical part in crucifying Jesus, he says that it was done based on God’s “predetermined plan” as well as His “foreknowledge” of men’s future action.  

Folks, accept that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is always a matter of both/and—not either/or.  God, having long worked out His plan, has revealed His general will to us in the Scripture; therefore, it is our responsibility to know it and then obey.  So today, instead of torturing yourself to make sense of this theological mystery with an airtight logic, read Scripture and pray to discern what God is saying to you.  Then just do it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I magnify Your majestic Name.  I worship You with all my heart and mind.  Thanks for Your magnificent Word.  Forgive me for having such a cavalier attitude and the arrogance with which I handle Your Word.  May the Spirit continue to illuminate its deep truths throughout 2023.  May I obey it.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Leviticus 22

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:33b: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

Matt. 19:34: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Matt. 23:23: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Question to Consider

1. What apparent problem emerges as a result of reading John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34?

2. What logic is found underneath what Jesus tells the Pharisees in Matt. 23:23?

3. So, should we choose between John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34?  If not, then how can we reconcile these apparently contradicting verse?

Notes

1. The apparent problem is contradiction:  Jesus seems to be talking from both sides of the mouth. He says He came to give peace, and then He says its exact opposite—not peace but a sword.

2. The logic found in Matt. 23:23 is both/and.   Jesus tells the Pharisees to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness, something they had neglected for a long time. But they shouldn’t stop tithing, which they had been doing.  (Practice this and not neglect that, not practice this or not neglect that.)

3. We should accept the propositions of both John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34.   As for reconciling this,  Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins, broke the barrier standing between God and men.  So, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).  As for the sword, this happens when “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 5:6). This also occurs when our desire to obey God conflicts with the will of our loved ones (Mk. 3:33-4).

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Evening Reflection

How was your day?  The paradigm of both/and is also very useful in reconciling relationship conflicts.  When we just interpret the conflict according “my” perspective, it actually gets worse.  Think of a relationship problem that you are experiencing presently.  Meditate on 1 John 1:8 (“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”) and ask the Lord to empower you to see the other person’s side as well.  Then, reconcile with that person by making that call or writing to him/her. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on September 13, 2016.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Miscommunication”

John 14:8-9

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?  The words I say to you are not just my own.  Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you had been communicating something to someone, only to find out later that they hadn’t actually been getting it the whole time?  

It is strangely reassuring to see that even the Son of God was not immune to the challenges of communication.  For three years He had been with His disciples, day in, day out, and one of the things He was thinking they would have picked up on was that through His words and actions (vv. 10-11), He was showing them the Father.  When Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father, when this was exactly what He had been trying to do the whole time He had been with them, our Lord can hardly believe what He is hearing, and His response here is so human: “Don’t you know me? . . . How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

I remember once asking one of our young leaders what they thought of moving closer to a certain location on the outskirts of the city to be able to serve students there more effectively, and this person answered, “It’s kind of far.” My heart sank a little at that moment because one of the principles I thought I had been communicating this whole time, in words and with my own life, was that when we see God moving, we adjust and re-orient our lives around what He is doing, even if it made other things in life inconvenient.  I thought I had been communicating this so clearly and consistently, but it seemed the message somehow hadn’t gotten through.

Seeing this exchange between Jesus and Philip, though, I was comforted as I realized that this is just what discipleship is like sometimes.   And just as after his initial incredulous response, Jesus went on with infinite patience to explain things to Philip so he could understand, because it was so important to Jesus that Philip understood; likewise, we can make the decision to do the same.  Is there anyone we need to make efforts to patiently explain something to today?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me today not to be discouraged if others haven’t understood my efforts to point to You and Your ways.  If even You experienced this kind of gap in communication, it must mean that sometimes it truly is just a process, so help me to persevere and not give up.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 21

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Lunch Break Study 

Read John 14:10-12: 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 

Questions to Consider

1. In verses 10-11, the word “believe” is repeated three times.  What specifically did Jesus want His disciples to believe here?

2. How is the kind of belief in Him that Jesus was talking about in verse 12 different from, let’s say, “believing in” Santa Claus (i.e., that he exists and his story is true)?  (Hint: Jesus has just described it in the previous verses 10-11.)

3. What, then, specifically is the kind of belief in Jesus (v. 12) that will enable a believer to do what He did and even greater?  Do you have this kind of belief in Jesus?

Notes

1. That God the Father was with Jesus and that it was because of this that Jesus could speak and do all that He did.

2. Believing in Jesus is not just about believing in His existence and that the gospel story is true (i.e., He really died and rose again).  Here, it is about believing that a human being who was one with God, who had an intimate relationship with God, could do amazing things.

3. Believing that it was not because Jesus had superpowers but rather an intimate relationship with God the Father that He could do God’s work, including perform miracles; this kind of believing makes what Jesus did accessible to us, too.  If we believe this was the dynamic at work, we can believe that if we have an intimate relationship with God through Jesus, we can also do what Jesus did and greater.

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Evening Reflection

Why was it so important to Jesus that Philip, His disciple, understand this truth, this dynamic, that the Father was working in and through Him?  So that His disciple could go on to do the same and greater.  As a believer of Jesus, did I do anything today that could count as doing the same work that Jesus had been doing, or even greater?