REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 30, 2018, 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

James 4.11-12 (NASB)

Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

 In a podcast series I recently finished (Serial, season 3) that investigated the judicial and prison system of Ohio, there was one law held by every person interviewed. No matter how unjust or unreasonable their situation was, no one broke this rule: you don’t snitch on anyone. And these young men would go to such great lengths to uphold this law—a law that isn’t even recognized by the judicial system. You may have differing opinions on this issue, and that’s fair; but one thing for sure: All of them understood that no one is above this law.  

Whether it’s in Christian leadership or in the corporate setting, when someone begins to think that they are above the law—certain rules apply to some but not to me—it signals a grave danger ahead. The arrogance of this thinking is morally reprehensible, but more importantly, it is disdainful in the eyes of God. The tricky realization is that all us do commit this offense. We have areas in our lives that we know go against God’s heart, but we choose to disregard them. 

We need to closely follow the argument here in this short passage. The teaching is to not speak against one another, especially about those within the community of faith. For when we do, three things occur: we (1) speak against the law, (2) judge the law, and (3) are not doers of the law. For James, when we disobey God’s commands, we are judging the commands by saying they are not applicable to us. This is judgment of, that is, rejecting, the validity of the law itself. And one example of this pattern is when we believe the command to love our neighbor as ourselves does not apply to us, and thus, speak out against our brothers/sisters.

The question we must ask ourselves is when we cast judgment on others, do we recognize that it’s not just “having a hard time with this person”? The seriousness of the indictment is that we have made ourselves above the One Lawgiver and Judge. There is no minor command that the Lord gives us, especially when it involves loving others. We cannot pick and choose lest we become judges of the law. 

As was said yesterday, as we honestly reflect upon our character and heart, I pray that this would lead all of us to greater humility. I pray that the Word of God would peel back the deception that we have come to accept and be freed of the arrogance of our hearts. 

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that Your word is sharper than a double-edged sword. Thank You that it pierces us deeply so that we may be refined and become more like You. Send Your Holy Spirit so that we may love our neighbors as ourselves. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Titus 1

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 18:9-14: And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Questions to Consider

• What are the reasons for which the Pharisee felt that he stood right before the Lord? Was he wrong? What does this reveal about God?
• If you were to put these characters in your current context, who would be like the Pharisee and who would be like the tax collector? Who are you more like?
• What are the thoughts and feelings you experience when you find out that it is the tax collector that goes home justified? Why?

Notes

• The Pharisee religiously did/did not do what he was supposed to: he doesn’t swindle, is not unjust, does not commit adultery, and, unlike the tax collector, doesn’t cheat his own people. He fasts and pays his tithes. In one sense, he’s not wrong that he is more righteous than the tax collector. But God’s standards of righteousness are far different from ours. Scripture teaches us that even the most righteous person is no better than anyone else in regard to His standards.
• Perhaps the Pharisees are like church-goers. They do the “right” things. But ultimately what’s revealed is that they expect God to act in a certain way because they are not like the other people. The tax collectors are ones who truly understand that apart from the grace of God, we are hopeless and forlorn (and deservedly so).
• Personal response. You may find yourself experiencing a mixture of feelings. Perhaps you feel relieved that God’s mercy is so great. But others, you might feel slighted. You may feel like there’s something unfair about the situation. Bring these feelings before the Lord and ask Him to reveal what this reveals about your heart.

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Evening Reflection

As you close today, meditate on James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy… what does it mean to you that this one Lawgiver and Judge provided the way of salvation for you through His Son? What do you feel when you reflect on the fact that the Judge has also shown you mercy, and no one else can bring anything against you? Spend some time thanking and praising the Lord for this truth.

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on December 16, 2018, is provided by Pastor Phillip Chen. Phil is spearheading the planting of Pillar Church in Houston, which is scheduled to launch on February 22, 2026. Praise the Lord!

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Transformed: Part 2”

Ephesians 4:25-32 (ESV)

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

People can mistakenly think that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament. While they may see the Old Testament God as one who is all about rules and is like an angry and disappointed dad who is grumpy, they may see the New Testament God as one who gives grace and is always forgiving and loving. Yet this could not be further from the truth. In fact, a heretic named Marcion actually espoused this idea that the Old Testament God was different from the New Testament God, and he didn’t see the Old Testament Scripture as authoritative for Christians—this was ultimately deemed heretical. The truth is, the God of the Old Testament is the exact same God as the God of the New Testament—Jesus was the visible manifestation of the invisible God, and He came to make God known to us. 

In reading these instructions and commands to the church from today’s passage, I was reminded of Exodus 20 – the Ten Commandments. Both texts give us commands of how to live life before a Holy God. It’s also worth noting that both are prefaced with our relationship with God (see yesterday’s devotional). In Exodus 20, God starts out the Ten Commandments with one simple phrase: “I am the Lord YOUR GOD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” We have to understand that the context of these commands is not simply that we should obey because of God’s power, but it is also in the context of love. God is relating to His people and saying I am going to be your God; I belong to you as you belong to me. In the same way, in the New Testament, Paul first reminds people that transformation always starts with the understanding of our new relationship with Him—and then he tells us that we are to shed off our old self and put on our new self.  We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to Jesus Christ. With this new found understanding of the grace we have received, only then do we see the power and ability to transform.

There is a famous scene in “Les Misérables” of Jean Valjean being apprehended for stealing the Bishop’s silver. He is brought back to the Bishop’s house, and when the Bishop opens the door and sees Jean Valjean, he greets him like a brother. Instead of accusing him of thievery, he plays it off as though the silver was given to him as a gift. He then goes on and asks why Jean Valjean did not also take the candlesticks, which could also be sold for money. The police are dumbfounded as they were certain Jean Valjean had stolen these items (which he did), but the Bishop insists that these were gifts. After the police leaves, the Bishop tells Jean that he is free to go, and he says this: “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.”

Where, ultimately, lies the power of transformation? I believe that it’s not just behavior modification, stronger will, or even greater discipline; it lies in the heart that has understood the unfathomable grace that we have received. If you are currently struggling with transformation in your life, don’t just try harder. Lean back into the grace of God that once stirred your heart, and then press forward into becoming more like Christ! 

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your grace that sparks the change in my heart. Thank You that I have a relationship with You, and that You are transforming me as You restore the image of God in my life. May I continue to grow in a deeper understanding of Your grace in my life that propels this wonderful transformation in me. In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 3 John 1

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on December 22, 2018, was written by Claudia Robbie. She has faithfully served on staff at Journey Church of Atlanta for more than ten years.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Humility”

Luke 1:48

For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. 

This Christmas season, I have been drawn to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and I wonder at the kind of relationship she had with God. There must have been anxiety and fear when she received the news that she was going to be pregnant with the Son of God, but she aligned her life to what God had laid out as His plan. 

Mary risked being stoned (Old Testament punishment for adultery), and being misunderstood and ostracized by those around her. This woman walked in obedience, her soul glorified the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. When I am misunderstood for even the smallest of things, I am thrown into emotional and spiritual turmoil.  So how did Mary do this? It hinges on her humility. “For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant” (Lk. 1:48).

Humility, as it is defined by Andrew Murray, is the place of entire dependence on God. When I think of humility, my thoughts are usually filled with surrendering my pride or beating back my own desires; but Mary’s humility reminds me that it is about cultivating a heart/place that is completely dependent on God. 

It reminds me that it is a daily encounter with the greatness of God that allows me to lay down my fears, anxieties, and thoughts of myself to put on His person and His confidence. It is trusting on Him to go before and behind me as I listen for His leading, obey and align my life to what He wants so that my soul will glorify the Lord. This kind of cultivated heart happens with intentionality and over a period of time. It is also God’s grace to us. God chose Mary, not because she was deserved, but He was mindful of the humble state of His servant. 

It is a commitment to keep cultivating a heart of dependence, even in the face of adversity, even when we are faced with our own sin, and even when the odds seem insurmountable, because we are loved by a great God who has called us to live a life that will glorify Him. 

So today I will not be shocked by my own shortcomings or the ways in which I can improve. Instead, I choose to trust God who knows my thoughts, my attempts to serve, my intentions, my sins—and loves me still. I choose to cultivate a heart of dependence on the One who has a plan for me, and who is now restoring and refining me for that purpose. 

Prayer: Lord, cultivate in me a humble heart like Mary, who could let go of all her fears and risk even her life in order to glorify You. May Your greatness far outweigh anything else in this world. May I bring glory to You in this Christmas season and rejoice in the gift of Your Son/my King. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 28 and 2 John 1

REPOST Originally shared on December 19, 2019, today’s AMI QT Devotional—written by an anonymous contributor—continues to offer quiet insight and reflection.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Loving God with our Minds” 

Read Luke 10:27 (ESV)

“And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”

The story is all too common. A child is raised in a loving Christian home, grows up in the church, develops deep and close relationships with the congregation and when the time comes, leaves home for college. However, in school, the young student fills one of his elective slots with a religions class where the professor lays into Christianity, outlining its contradictions, borrowed mythology and overwhelmingly negative sociological impact. He is never the same again. He comes home after his first year with more questions than a busy parent or pastor cares to answer, and slowly but surely, the once Christ-grounded child loses his faith and turns away from the church. 

When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus answers: “Love God with all of their being and love their neighbor as themselves.” While the average person does well to love the Lord with the first three items, the tragedy of the hypothetical above can become a reality if we fail to love God with our minds. JP Moreland (Talbot School of Theology) writes, “That the mind is the crucial component in the spiritual journey cannot be accurately denied.” Truly there is something to it, as an estimated 70% of college students leave the faith. Institutions of higher learning are a wonderful place of knowledge and exchanging of ideas, but with the marginalization of the Christian worldview so great, it is more critical than ever that church leaders teach their people how to love God fully, minds included. 

So what does loving God with your mind look like? A long-lost spiritual discipline is study. Pastor Peter (Kairos) describes the spiritual disciplines as the “wax on, wax off” parts of the faith—meaning, performing them seemingly serves no purpose until the occasion in which they’re useful arises. While not everyone needs to think through the faith to the degree of someone like C. S. Lewis, it is vital that, at minimum, we keep ourselves grounded in the Word while seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit. By engaging the faith with our minds, we give the Spirit another piece of ourselves to step into and work His wonders. The Holy Spirit can teach us how to speak of Jesus to unbelievers, how to disciple our immediate and church family members and even defend the faith, if necessary, from opposition. Just as we have done so, so easily with our hearts, let’s give our minds over to the Lord as well. Let’s love Him with all of our being, as commanded.

Prayer: Father, Your Word and Your truth have been under attack since the beginning. We know You are there, we feel You and we praise You. Please help us to love You fully, with everything we are. Holy Spirit, we ask that You move in, and shape our minds to Your will. All for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 27

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Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 1:1-7: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Questions to consider

• What is the beginning of knowledge?
• What is King Solomon’s goal(s) in writing these proverbs?
• Which of King Solomon’s goals would you like to work towards in your life?

Notes

• The beginning of knowledge is “the fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). King Solomon goes on to note only a fool rejects wisdom or instruction, thereby advocating for the spiritual discipline of study.
• In general, King Solomon seeks to increase and refine his vast knowledge and gift of godly wisdom in order to best serve God and His people. I am particularly invested in verses four and five, as I hope to be able to help equip fellow Christians moving forward.
• Personal reflection.

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Evening Reflection

Romans 12:2 reads, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” According to Moreland, the Greek word Paul uses here is nous, which means “the intellect, reason, or the faculty of understanding” (Moreland 2012: 65). What changes can you pray for God renew your mind with? 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on December 25, 2019. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Joy to the World”

Matthew 1:18-25

 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

As cliché as it might sound, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. This is coming from someone who starts listening to Christmas music in September. As the lights and trees go up, and families and friends get together, there is a sense of warmth even as the weather cools down. The city itself begins to look different as decorations begin to appear everywhere. Although all of this is great, it has a way of distracting us from the true meaning of Christmas. 

In our passage today, we find the shocking truth of Christmas: that the creator God is with us in the person of Jesus! Most of us have become desensitized to the scandalous nature of this truth. For the Jews, hearing that God would come in the form of a person would have been incomprehensible. God’s presence resided in the temple and only a few people were ever allowed to even step foot into the holy of holies. The idea that God would appear in a baby would have been an outlandish claim. But this is the truth of Christmas: that God is with us, Immanuel. 

As I reflect on this idea, I am reminded that we serve a God that is near and intimate with us. He is the God who does not remain at a distance, away from the suffering of His people. Instead, He decides to step into the pain and messiness of the world in order to bring us healing, restoration, and salvation. We see this in tangible examples throughout the Gospel accounts. He does not only spend time with the “righteous,” but is near to the marginalized, the heavy-laden, and the diseased. He is there to carry the burden of His people in order to give them a yoke that is easy and light. 

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many people. It can bring to the surface so much of what we’ve repressed, and the issues we’ve been wrestling with. But let us be reminded this morning that Jesus is Immanuel! God is with us! God is near to your pain, struggles, and difficulties. There is hope when we look to Christ Jesus! 

Prayer: Father, thank You so much for being a God that is near to us. There are many things that I struggle with, I pray that during this holiday season you would help me to recognize Your nearness. 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 2 (Christmas reading)

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Lunch Break Study 

Read Philippians 2:5-11: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Questions to Consider

• What is the mind of Christ that Paul is referring to in this passage? 
• In what ways did Jesus humble Himself? 
• In what ways can you have the same mind in our own life? 

Notes

• Even as God, Christ’s mind is defined and marked by humility.
• Jesus as God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but instead humbles Himself in the incarnation on Christmas morning by taking on the form of a servant, a human being. But not only that, He humbles Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross, which was the most shameful manner of death. All of this for the sake of His people. 
• Personal 

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Evening Reflection 

“[Christmas] means not just hope for the world, despite all its unending problems, but hope for you and me, despite all our unending failings.” – Tim Keller 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on December 24, 2018, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a longtime friend of AMI who has previously served on staff at several AMI churches.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Blessed?”

Luke 1:46-48

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.”

Whether it through personal experience or—as silly as it sounds—through TV and movies, I think we all have at least some idea of how scary and “inconvenient” an unplanned pregnancy can be for a woman.  I know that some in our reading audience are actively trying to have kids now, but for the rest of us, imagine how much an unexpected pregnancy would flip your life around.  For students, what would a child mean for your studies and your future?  For you singles, how would a child impact your career and personal life?  For you DINKs, are you ready for your cool vacations and trendy restaurants to turn into theme parks and Red Robin?  On the other end of the spectrum, maybe your children are grown up or are teenagers: how would a baby change your life now?  Money set aside for retirement quickly converts to college tuition?  I just moved my last two kids from car seats to boosters, and that felt like a game-changer.  You couldn’t pay me enough to go back to a world of strollers, bottle warmers, and diapers.  

As “inconvenient” as it would be to have a child now, think about how utterly terrifying it must have been for Mary.  What must have gone on in her head after the angel Gabriel left her that night?  How would Joseph react?  There’s no way he’s staying, right?  No one’s gonna believe that this is God’s Son; everyone’s gonna think that I had an affair.  Are my parents gonna kick me out?  Who’s gonna help us?  Am I gonna have to raise this baby alone?  How will I support myself and a child?  Given all these overwhelming thoughts, would you have felt “blessed” as Mary says she was in v. 48?  My guess is that many of us would have felt the exact opposite.  In reality, Mary was blessed and was given an opportunity no one in the history of the world will ever have again.  However, in order to see this, she had to overcome her overwhelming circumstances by faith.  

Here’s the truth for us today: Oftentimes, God’s biggest blessings will feel overwhelming at first, and if we aren’t careful, we’ll mistake them for a burden instead of the blessings they were meant to be.  Think about some of the hard things you’ve gone through.  Looking back on them, did you grow through them?  Did God become more real to you afterwards?  Can you use those experiences to encourage others?  If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, my guess is that you’ve seen how difficulties can become blessings.  What are you going through now?  I’m sure they feel overwhelming, but can you, like Mary, see the blessing on the other side?  

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the example of Mary, who showed that even in difficult circumstances You are still with us and we are still blessed.  Give us faith to trust You through all times.  Thank You also for sending Your Son into the world to save us!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Luke 2 (Christmas story)

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Lunch Break Study

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1.  What are the imperatives that Paul gives us?

2.  Instead of being anxious, what should we do?

3.  What are the benefits of God’s peace, and are you experiencing them in your life now?

Notes

1.  Paul commands us to rejoice; he also says not to be anxious, but to pray and give thanks to God.  

2.  Pray and ask God.  Also give thanks.  This is a reminder that while we are often powerless in our circumstances, we can ask the One who is powerful for help.  Giving thanks reminds us of His goodness and faithfulness.

3.  God’s peace is transcendent—meaning, it goes beyond human reasoning.  In other words, when we have no reason to hope, God’s peace can help us to see past our circumstances.  Of course, the second part of the question is an introspective one.  

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Evening Reflection

In John 14:27, Jesus tells His disciples that He is giving them his peace, which is a peace that is not of the world, a peace that can only come from the Lord.  This Christmas Eve, as we celebrate when God’s peace offering entered the world, let me ask you this: Do you live in this peace, or are you anxious and worried?  Take some time to reflect on what the Lord wants to do in your heart.  

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on November 14, 2019, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Rejoice in Your Suffering”

Numbers 31:21-24

 ^“Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded Moses: ²² only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water. ²⁴ You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. And afterward you may come into the camp.” 

1 Peter 1:6-7

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Fire is such a unique and natural element: When uncontrolled it can create great devastation, such as wild-fires and destruction of buildings; but when controlled, it creates warmth on cold nights, heat to cook our favorite dishes, and purifies precious metals for jewelry.

In this passage, the Israelites had just defeated the Midianites and collected the plunder. Those who had killed any person, the Lord commanded that they must purify themselves and everything they own. Things that could not withstand fire—such as garments and materials made of wood—had to be purified in water. However, all the precious metals had to be purified through fire to burn away the impurities. Once they went through this process, the soldiers would be able to enter the camp.

This passage reminds me of Peter’s exhortation about rejoicing in our trials. Like these precious metals, God longs for our faith to be pure like Jesus; therefore, He uses the trials that we encounter to burn away the impurities in our faith. Maybe you are encountering suffering because God is trying to teach you how to become more compassionate like Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Maybe you have to deal with an annoying coworker because He is trying to teach you how to love your enemies. Or, you may be going through a season where it is difficult to find a job, and God is teaching you to trust in Him. Peter encourages us not to grow weary but to rejoice because our faith is becoming more genuine. Isn’t that reassuring?

In the middle of suffering, we might be tempted to think that God doesn’t care about us, He is punishing us, or that He might not even be real. May we be reminded that God is walking with us. In fact, it’s possible that He is using this difficulty to shape us to be more like Jesus. So then, let us rejoice in our suffering!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You do not leave us as we are, but You desire for us to become more genuine in our faith. Lord, You sanctify us in different ways, especially through suffering. And in my suffering, I know the enemy is going to lie to me that God has abandoned me. Lord, remind me of this truth: that You are using it to make me better. Help me to rejoice in my suffering.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 26

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Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” 

Questions to Consider

• What is the significance of the word “when”?
• What happens when we let steadfastness have its full effect?
• How do you view trials and tribulations?

Notes

• The word “when” reminds us that we will face trials, and it should not be a shock to us. In fact, James reminds us that we will have different trials: it could be persecution for faith, spiritual attack, emotional attack, or physical ailment. In these circumstances, James reminds us to rejoice!
• When we persevere in these trials, we become mature Christians that lack nothing. 
• Personal reflection.

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Evening Reflection

Trials are God’s way of shaping us to become more like Jesus. Instead of acting defeated during these times, New Testament authors command us to rejoice in our sufferings. Are you currently going through difficulties? This evening, invite the Holy Spirit to transform the way we view our suffering.

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on November 11, 2019, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Treasure Hunt”

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

One of my favorite types of movie is a treasure hunt movie.  In one of these movies, the protagonists are seeking some lost or hidden treasure, and they find a previously hidden map, struggle to decipher the clues, crawl through tunnels, jump over chasms, avoid booby traps, and go through many more trials to get to the precious treasure that had been lost for centuries.  

When Moses says these words in Deuteronomy, I imagine him saying them in response to treasure hunt stories.  What he tells the Israelites here is that reaching (i.e., grasping) the Lord’s commandments, the very words of God, isn’t like going on a treasure hunt.  They didn’t have to go through hoops to find them and hear them.  They didn’t have to perform a whole bunch of religious rituals or find a shaman to come and explain it to them.  The word was near to them, it was in their mouths and hearts. God has given it to them freely.   

Often we come to the Word of God as if it is a mystery to solve, as if there is some secret that has yet to be uncovered; but Moses tells us that it’s near to us and it’s not too hard for us to follow or to understand.  Of course there are plenty of passages that we find hard to understand or reconcile since the Bible was written a few millennia ago.  Instead of getting caught up in the small details we don’t understand though, we should be in awe and wonder of the big story that we do understand:  the story of God who loves us so much and offers us a life with Him.  God loved us so much that he gave us this Word, the Bible, as a way to know him. 

Sure we may struggle to understand some verses or chapters, but the Bible isn’t a treasure map to be deciphered.  It’s a Word that shows us the love of our God.  Let us be thankful to God that He reveals himself to us through the Word that we do understand.

Prayer: Jesus, I thank you for your Word.  Thank you for showing us the truth of who you are and who we are in you through the Scriptures.  I pray that today I can catch a greater glimpse of you through it today.  AMEN 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 25

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 20:30-31: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to Consider

• What do these verses tell us about the purpose of the Gospel of John and by association the Bible in general?
• What are we supposed to gain from reading God’s Word?  
• Think about some passages that have convicted you in the past.  How has God spoken to you and transformed you through the Bible?  

Notes

• John tells us that these words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  The Gospel of John’s ultimate purpose isn’t to a historical narrative or biography; rather, through the historical narrative and biographical qualities, it’s meant to show us that Jesus is the Christ and lead us to put our faith in Him.  This is not only The Gospel of John’s purpose, but this is what the whole of Scripture is meant to do, to point to Jesus and lead us to a deeper faith and relationship with God.
• The Bible isn’t just meant to give us an intellectual understanding of who Jesus is and it’s not even just meant to help us to have an agreement of Jesus’ divinity, it’s meant to lead us to trust in Jesus with our lives and through that trust, it leads us to have “life in his name” as it says in verse 31.  While building good Bible reading habits is very important, the goal isn’t to just read the Bible but it’s to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus has set out for us.  We draw closer to that abundant life and ultimately Jesus when we spend time reading God’s Word.
• Personal reflection question

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Evening Reflection

Have you spent some time in God’s Word today?  If so, is there something that God is speaking to you about through it?  If not, take some time and meditate on some verses and see what God has to say to you.  Close out tonight thanking God for the love He has shown you through His Word.

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on December 2, 2018, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. He is the Lead Pastor of Seattle Upper Room. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Best Advice I Can Give”

James 5:13-18 (NASB)

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

As a young pastor still learning a lot about what it means to lead and care for others, I often find myself in situations where I am unsure what advice to give to people. I find myself often seeking the wise counsel of older, more experienced pastors. I ask them how they would handle certain situations or their thoughts on what I believe I’m receiving in prayer. But more times than not, our conversations end up in a place where there really is no other solution than this: they need to pray. 

And I’m starting to realize how the best advice I could give as a pastor is really this—you need to pray. I would often feel the pressure of wanting to say the right thing or have that nugget of wisdom that will help them to see things more clearly. But in the end, I’m learning that there is no substitute, no alternative to someone humbling themselves before God and Him speaking to them.

James is often considered one of the most practical books found in scripture. And you can see this in his final exhortation to the believers. James speaks to those who are suffering, those who are cheerful, those who are sick, those in sin; in other words, in all circumstances of life, James’ practical direction is prayer. And the language here is not suggestive, that is, the verb tense used here is an imperative: He must pray.

The question I want to challenge all of us here today is how practical is prayer in your life? When we are sick, when we are stressed, or when we are confused, is prayer the practical next step for you? What about times when you are rejoicing or celebrating, is prayer or worship the immediate response? 

As practical as the book of James is, it is also profoundly theological. For James, the idea that every good and perfect gift comes from God is not merely an ideal—it is a reality in which we are to live daily. Our everyday interactions are not just between two people; there is another Person involved, meaning the practical workings of our lives have a profound spiritual reality. Therefore, we must pray. And the promise is that prayer that is right before God can accomplish much. 

Brothers and sisters, it’s already December. Another year is ending, and the question I want to ask is how’s your prayer life? In less religious words, basically what I want to ask is how’s your relationship with the Lord? The vibrancy of our relationship with God dictates our ability to see how interconnected and involved He is in our lives. So I pray that every moment and aspect of our lives would be in and through and for God. 

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of prayer. Thank You that when we humble ourselves and pray, You are a God who is there. Thank You that we have been given such a practical tool to build our relationship with You. Help us to use it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 24

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on December 15, 2018, is provided by Pastor Phillip Chen. Phil is spearheading the planting of Pillar Church in Houston, which is scheduled to launch on February 22, 2026. Praise the Lord!

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend 

“Transformed”

Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Tim Keller says this: “You can take the people out of slavery, but you can’t take the slavery out of the people easily.” He gives the example of the Israelites, whom God delivered out of Egypt in a miraculous fashion from bondage to freedom—yet somehow, the Israelites were not completely free. Even though they were no longer under the bondage of Egypt, they were still operating out of a slave mentality. It took God perhaps a few months to take the people out of slavery, but it took 40 years to take the slave mentality out of the people. 

Paul constantly reminds the Ephesian Church that they are no longer the people that they once were—the enemies of God. In fact, Paul describes their “old self” as having such hardened hearts that they would not even listen to rational logic, but they gave themselves to every sinful desire of their flesh. Now, they are no longer enemies of God, but sons and daughters of God—this is a drastic and immediate identity shift. Isn’t salvation such a profound miracle? It’s pretty crazy to think about how sudden that identity change is: We go from enemy of God to friend of God, from darkness into light, from sinners into saints, etc. So we see that deliverance out of bondage is a quick process that is done by God. But after that, we see the growing pains of sanctification—the process of being transformed into the likeness of Christ. This is not an easy process, and it will last the rest of our life until we stand face to face before God. 

What is important to notice in this passage is that there is an active task of putting off our old self and putting on our new self. The language Paul uses reminds us of taking off our old clothes and putting on new clothes. One commentator explained it this way: Imagine you are a prisoner and have been released from prison. You are no longer in prison, yet you continue to wear your prison clothes. How ridiculous would it be if you decided to wear prison clothes for the rest of your life? 

We have stepped into our new identity as co-heirs with Christ. But we need to actively shed our old self and actively adopt our new self.  I’d like to give two encouragements to two types of people: Perhaps you are someone who has recognized that Jesus is your Savior and you’ve become a child of God, but you have not walked in this important aspect of shedding off your old self and putting on the new self. My encouragement to you is to heed the Apostle Paul’s advice to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Perhaps you are someone who struggles to put off the old self and put on the new self, and you are discouraged that old habits seem to die hard. Let me encourage you by telling you that sanctification and transformation is a process. Who you are in 10 years is not who you are now, and as long as you are actively putting on the new self, you will see that transformation in years to come. Don’t lose hope.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for doing all of the work on the Cross. You saved me when I could not save myself. Thank You for adopting me into this family of God. I know that I am no longer bound to my old self, but You have given me the right to put on the new self. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I may live out the promise of God in my life every single day. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 22-23