April 5, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 15, 2016, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Missing an Ingredient”

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

On occasion I enjoy trying out a new recipe.  For some reason, it’s fun for me to experiment with a dish that I’ve never made before.  So I’ll pull up a recipe on my iPad, go into the kitchen and start mixing, chopping and mincing things.  I’ll go step by step through the recipe, following all of the instructions, but unfortunately, one problem that I have (as my wife can attest to) is that I’m not always the most thorough person. So at least 10 times in my life, I’ll get to step 7 of 10 of a recipe and realize… I AM MISSING AN INGREDIENT.  This, of course, is not good for cooking.  I, somehow, have to stop sautéing, simmering, or baking, go outside, run to my car and buy the missing ingredient—or else my great dish will be incomplete.

Many people often look at this list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians and think of them as ingredients that are part of a great recipe for Christian life.  And similar to my many mistakes in cooking, when they don’t seem to have one of these fruits of the Spirit, they might think that there is something incomplete with their faith.  We have a tendency to think that we have to try to produce these good qualities of the Spirit in our lives in order to be righteous.  

Yet it’s important to recognize that these qualities are not requirements for salvation.  Paul’s purpose in his letter to the Galatians was to combat the false teaching that good works were required for salvation.  Instead, these nine qualities are fruits of the Spirit—meaning that a life lived walking with the Holy Spirit will produce these fruits.  As we experience more of the Spirit in our lives, we produce greater fruit.  

As you look through these fruits of the Spirit, are some of these qualities lacking in your life?  We all lack in some of these fruits of the Spirit, and we should still strive in some part with our own effort to be more loving or more joyful or more patient or have more self-control.  But as we desire to be more fruitful, the solution isn’t trying with our works or effort, but it is through living and experiencing more of the Holy Spirit within us.  

Bible Reading for Today:  Numbers 18

Lunch Bible Study

Read Matthew 15:10-20: And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What did the Pharisees believe about what defiles a person?  
  2. According to Jesus, what defiles a person?  
  3. How can a defiled person be redeemed?

Notes

  1. The Pharisees thought that it was what people ate or touched that defiled a person.  That’s why they focused on handwashing and dietary restrictions.  They believed that it was merely bad works that made person sinful, and on the flip side of that, they believed that it was good works that cleansed a person.
  2. Jesus tells us that it’s not the bad works or external sins that defiled a person, but instead, it is the heart and what comes out of the heart.  All of the bad things that a person does are the fruit of a bad heart.  It is not the external things, like eating with unwashed hands.
  3. The only way a defiled person can be redeemed is with a new heart.  We cannot be redeemed through human effort or good works, but only if our bad hearts are made good.  The only way our hearts can be redeemed and be made righteous is through the work of Jesus within us.  In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”  

Evening Reflection

Did you feel “fruitful” today?  Whether you did or did not, take some time now to spend with God.  Pray that you will walk with the Holy Spirit and that in doing so, pray that the fruits of the Spirit will become more evident in your life.

April 4, Tuesday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, which was first posted on May 18, 2016, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang who serves as AMI Teaching Pastor.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“When Talking About Yourself Repeatedly Glories the Lord”

Acts 26:9-11

I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

Since I hadn’t spoken at my old church in Los Angeles for three decades, it was very emotional for me as I preached there recently.  The sermon was mainly testimonial—about how God used the senior Pastor John to save and then train me.  I began with a story of how Pastor John shared the gospel with me within minutes after we first met in 1981.  Being surprised by how well this Korean man in his late 40s spoke English (very rare then), I asked, “How do you speak English so well?”  Unbeknownst to me, Pastor John used that opportunity to share the gospel by way of sharing his testimony, beginning with being adopted by an American family after being orphaned. 

Paul, then a prisoner, does the same.  After being told by his interrogator, “You have permission to speak for yourself,” (26:1), he uses that opportunity to share the gospel through sharing his testimony.  In the above passage alone, which is a small portion of Paul’s full presentation recorded from vv. 4-23, the apostle uses the first-person pronoun “I” nine times—27 times in total.   There is a lot of “I” in a first person-narrative about “how the gospel became real in [one’s] life,” as Alister McGrath notes.  He adds, “Telling your personal story of faith is one of the best ways of declaring the transformative power of the gospel.”  This, then, is just about the only situation in which talking about yourself repeatedly can glorify the Lord since you are telling the world what Christ did to save you from the pit of hell. 

Now, finding a good entry point isn’t as easy as what Pastor John and the apostle Paul experienced since they were simply asked to respond.  In fact, Paul himself says, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (Col. 4:5).  Wisdom is needed because the opening for an effective sharing may not be as obvious, unless we are led by the wisdom from above (James 3:17).  

Before becoming Christian, I used profane language; so whenever I meet a person who cusses a lot, I say, “I used to speak good French like you, but I don’t anymore.” And then, I would explain why Jesus took away my reasons for using foul language to express my frustrations and disdain for people.  So, what is your entry point to share the story of Jesus’ transformative power?  

Prayer: Lord, I am so thankful that I have had a personal encounter with the God of this universe who so profoundly transformed me.  As I see many people in need of the same change, help me to be both wise and bold to share my story of Your amazing love.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 17

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Timothy 1:15-17: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Questions to Consider

  1. Based on Paul’s sharing of his former life prior to his change, what should our story include?
  2. Ultimately, what is the purpose of sharing our story to an unbelieving world?  In light of that, what is one mistake often made when sharing our testimony? 
  3. The story of our former life doesn’t need to be dramatic or full of outward sins.  But we do need to share particular symptoms (which are not same for everyone) that accompanied our former state of having been separated from God.  What was yours?  

Notes

1. It ought to include, first, how hopeless and confusing our life was before being changed by God; second, sharing affirmative changes in us as a result of having God at the center of our lives. It can be comparable to an ad for a household product: It needs to show how it is more effective than its competitors.  Naturally, it shows how dirty the floor looked before, and how much cleaner it got after its application. 

2. The purpose is to give all the glory to God by showing that He has the power and willingness to change us. One mistake made by those who have a graphic testimony is that they spend most of their time describing how bad they used to be, and then make God’s involvement a footnote. 

3. If you ask my wife, who grew up in a pastor’s home, what her symptoms were before meeting the Lord in her teen years, she would say, “lack of belonging.” On the other hand, I would answer, “getting tired of trying to prove myself (through heavy partying) to merit people’s acceptance of me.”  On that day when I met my old pastor, he suddenly said, “I know what you need—you need the unconditional love of God.” And he was right on. 

Evening Reflection

Looking back to today, even if you didn’t actually share the gospel, was there at least one situation in which you could have shared your story.  What could you have done differently?  Pray for an opportunity.  Paul says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col. 4:6).  

April 3, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Quiet Time, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on April 19, 2016. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Finding Who? No Not Nemo”

Acts 18:5 

When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

I love the movie Finding Nemo. Like every good children’s movie, it not only has beautiful visuals, memorable songs, and witty lines – the story has multiple layers that both children and adults can enjoy. You can take the story at face value about a sea adventure, or you could also find some life analogies, like the joy that comes from friendships pursuing a common goal. Marlin befriends so many creatures along the way. Some of these friendships last for a short moment; others, like his with Dory, are long-term commitments through thick and thin.

Silas and Timothy are known as great missionary partners to Paul; they really went through thick and thin times with him. Here, they came bringing either monetary support or some form of relief so that Paul could focus on the ministry he cared about. Throughout the New Testament, Paul trusted these brothers to help him, whether the task was to strengthen the churches on Paul’s heart or to physically journey with him. It is evident that they were not simply “co-workers” – they were family; they never abandoned each other after hardship but continued to weather the ups and downs of their ministry together. 

Good friendships in the Lord provide sharpening and discernment; they also can be the primary source of encouragement and refreshing we need to get through difficult times. For all the endeavors that you have put your mind to, do you also have Silas and Timothy going along with you? Just as importantly, are you striving to be this kind of support towards others?  

If you already have these friendships, praise God!  I encourage you to take the time today to keep “[spurring] one another onto love and good deeds.” Let us also remember that beyond Timothy and Silas, Paul also had friends for various seasons during each journey and in each city he visited – maybe these were shorter partnerships, but they were no less valuable. So let’s pray that God will grow and bring forth godly friendships in every season of our lives.

Prayer: Father, thank You for not leaving me all alone. Thank You for providing brothers and sisters as means of grace for my life. Keep raising up brothers and sisters in my church who will spur me on to love You more deeply. Lord, help me not just to find Silas’s and Timothy’s in my life, but make me someone who will encourage and strengthen others as well. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 4:1-6:As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Questions to Consider
1. What does Paul consider to be the nature of a life that is “worthy of the calling [we] have received”?

2. The first directive Paul gives covers the believers’ nature. What is the second thing Paul urges them to do?

3. This passage contains a lot of one’s. How does the one-ness of our faith help us with the previously mentioned directions from Paul? 

Notes
1. The nature of our lives should be humble, gentle, patient, and full of forbearance. The nature we have as believers is not an arbitrary collection of traits; it should increasingly reflect the character of Jesus Christ.

2. Secondly, Paul instructs the brethren to “make every effort” to preserve unity. Unity is not a passive byproduct of our sanctified natures – it requires an active commitment and effort. Unity is intimately linked with our character and our ability to show Christ to one another.

3.  We are able to aspire to gain God’s character and have unity in our body because He models both for us. His character of holiness and love cannot be separated from Himself, and His distinct natures of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are also completely unified. Because He has given us His nature, these instructions from Paul are achievable in our lives!

Evening Reflection

Engaging with the church community is a crucial part of our spiritual growth. Did you allow room in your life today to be strengthened by someone, or did you take the opportunity to go encourage someone? Let’s reflect on how we can make the community a part of our lives. Think about the brothers and sisters God has brought around you and ask Him for the grace and help to grow those relationships.

April 2, Sunday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 17, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Just Turn, To Him”

Acts 3:11-16

 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Many of us grew up being taught that no sin is worse than any other – in the sense that hatred in heart and murder in body both played a part in nailing Jesus to the cross for the salvation of the world. But if you’re like me, there are times when you feel much worse about some of your transgressions and failures than others. There are ways we fall short that are bearable for us, we can carry our sins before God and receive grace and forgiveness. But there are those dark and painful moments when we fall so far short of God’s glory, our own expectations of ourselves, and the disconnect between who we should be and who we are appears so vast, that it’s utterly crippling and we find ourselves in despair. 

In the passage above, Peter spoke to a group of people who were personally implicated in the crucifixion of Jesus – and not in the abstract way that many of us see our own hand in the matter –but they were there, approving, jeering, and crucifying the Messiah. What utter despair they must have felt as they listened to Peter’s cryptic words, and they began to see clearly for the first time just what they had done. Yet even in the face of what was likely their lowest moment before the Lord, they are each invited to repent – not condemned, but invited to turn back to God and receive grace and forgiveness. And even though we may surprise ourselves with the depths of our depravity, God is not surprised, and He still bids us come because He has made a way for us to wholeness and righteousness. 

Regardless of what we’re facing today, may we be reminded that our God already knows the ways we will transgress Him. He knows more intimately than we do the mystery of our hearts and the depths of our depravity. Yet He still bids us come. He still extends grace. He has already made a way for us to move from our shortcomings and sin into righteousness and wholeness through His Son Jesus Christ. All we have to do is turn. 

Prayer: Gracious God, forgive me for my sins today. I bring before You my brokenness and receive your grace. Help me to take comfort in knowing that You knew every mistake I’d make before I made it and planned a way to make things right.  Thank you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 15 

April 1, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 2, 2016.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Religion is the Opium of the Masses”

Luke 1:3-4

With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Acts 1:1

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach… 

Certainly, when religion is done wrong, Karl Marx is absolutely correct in saying that “religion is the opium of the masses.” Marx’s premise, of course, is that those with power manipulate religion to keep people in line, so that the structure continues to sustain their advantage while the masses hold out for the pie in the sky; thus, the flow of religion goes downward from the top.  That, however, is not how God designed the Christian faith. 

Theophilus mentioned in today’s text, meaning, “One who loves God,” was likely “a high official in the Roman government” (Barclay). He, as a man of wealth, “was possibly Luke’s patron” (NIVSB, p. 1532) who saw to it that his writing was completed. In stark contrast, Luke might have been a slave. While no biblical text actually says so, “the ‘doctors’ in ancient Rome were not nearly as highly regarded as the doctors in Greece. The profession itself, outside of the legions, was considered a low social position, fit for slaves.”  Even if Luke wasn’t a slave, his socioeconomic status was such that he needed a wealthy sponsor in order to focus on his writing.  And he found such an individual in Theophilus, a wealthy and powerful man, who, despite having already learned the story and teachings of Jesus, wanted to make sure that he had it right. While it is likely that Theophilus had it in his mind to make copies of the book and later distribute them to others, Luke left no doubt as to whom the book was for: Theophilus (“an orderly account for you . . .  so that you may know”). 

Contrary to Marx’s assertion, then, the flow of religion goes upward from the bottom.  1 Cor. 1:27 reads, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”  No example better illustrates this truth than Daniel, a Jew exiled in Babylonia, whose bold testimony moved the hearts of King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:34-5) and King Darius (6:25-7); ironically, the political conquerors became spiritually conquered.  

So, don’t be afraid to share your faith with the rich and the intellectuals; inasmuch as Theophilus was hungry for spiritual truth, many of them still are.  “Celsus, a great opponent of the faith (of the 2nd century) . . . mentions how even Christians with little or no education seized opportunity to witness to people, and when confronted by educated pagans they still would not stop pushing their opinions” (Neill).  

While attending UCLA graduate school, I judiciously shared my faith with most of my professors. In response, none of them told me to get lost but there was one “drawback”: I had to keep my grades up so as to not lose my credibility!  At any rate, make the rest of 2023 a year in which you share the gospel with more people than you ever have.  

Prayer: Father, I exalt You this morning.  I admit that in the midst of pouting about all the things I don’t have, I constantly forget what I do from you.  Convict me to use what I have to do good and mission-minded work in your Son’s name so that unbelieving co-workers and neighbors may thirst for Christ.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Numbers 13-14

March 31, Friday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on March 11, 2016.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“It is Finished”

Acts 7:59-60, 8:4-8

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

I didn’t understand the hurry many Asian parents seemed to be in to get their children married off until someone explained to me that in this culture, parents don’t feel like their job is done until they see their children married and settled down.  A majority of American parents may feel it their responsibility to get their children through high school at least; for Asian parents, getting their children married was the stage they were responsible for seeing through.  Once they did, they could say, “It is finished,” (i.e., be “done” with parenting).  

What about for spiritual parenting?  When is a spiritual parent’s job “done?”  What would it mean to see spiritual parenting responsibly through to the end as we engage in this work that we are all called by Jesus to do, namely making disciples of all nations?

In today’s descriptions of Stephen and Philip, we see Jesus’ image.  Stephen died the way Jesus died: asking God to forgive those who persecuted him.  Philip worked the way Jesus worked: traveling, speaking, healing and driving out demons (Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:39).  Yet neither Stephen nor Philip were one of the Twelve.  They were both, actually, among the Seven who had been chosen by the Twelve to help with the ministry to the widows (Acts 6:5); they were disciples of the Disciples.  The spiritual grandchildren of Jesus.  He must have been so proud.

Often when we think about mentoring others, we think about training them to do what we do, but our job is actually not really done until we see them reproducing, training others to do what they can now do.  These days, as I engage in this work, I find myself relating somewhat to those parents asking, “So, have you found anyone, yet?” as I ask people whether they’ve found anyone to love, even if it’s just one person, to love into the family of God and continue loving to the point of seeing them loving others.  I’m eager to see spiritual grandchildren.  How about you?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to be a good spiritual parent today, teaching Your children well, helping them learn to help others.  Help me to be faithful to the Jesus I’ve seen in my mentors, and may Your image be faithfully passed down to the next generations, that others may continue to see You in them.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 12

Lunch Break Study 

Read Deuteronomy 4:9: “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Deuteronomy 11:18-19: Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Joel 1:3-4: Tell your sons about it, And let your sons tell their sons, And their sons the next generation.  What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten; And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten . . . .

Psalms 78:4: We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.

Questions to Consider

1. What did God command His people to pass on to their children in Deuteronomy?  

2. What themes from Deuteronomy 4:9 are echoed in Joel 1:3?  What is the specific context in Joel?

3. What element does Psalms 78:4 emphasize in terms of telling what God has done?  What should be one focus when we are talking about God to the next generations?

Notes

1. Their experiences of God (“the things your eyes have seen” 4:9) and His words (including instructions and commands) (11:18). 

2. They are to tell of what God has done and keep passing down the stories from one generation to the next.  The context is God’s judgment (an invasion of locusts).  It is not only salvation that is to be remembered; God’s judgments are also to be remembered as warnings.

3.   As they tell the stories, they are to be told from a perspective of praising God.  As we tell the next generations of what God has done, one thing to be mindful of is that we are to be raising up the next generation of worshippers. 

Evening Reflection

Is there any way in which I’ve experienced God today that I need to hold on to and remember? To pass down to the next generation to the praise and glory of His name?

March 30, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 23, 2016, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.  Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), moved to Tokyo in 2022 where he plans to, the Lord willing, plant a church. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“No Name Witnesses Who Made a History”

Acts 11:19-21 (ESV)

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. [20] But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

At the beginning of the book of Acts, Jesus tells His disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8b).  In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit falls upon Jesus’s disciples at Pentecost and thousands are saved.  A great revival breaks out in Jerusalem; nevertheless, the gospel remains in that city until Acts 8.

So, what causes the gospel to finally spread?  Following the martyrdom of Stephen, “there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1).  In short, persecution is the cause, which God graciously sent to His people, who were reluctant to go to Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth, in order to scatter them among the nations.  In His great love for the entire world, God is willing to allow His people to suffer that the world might be saved.

Subsequently, God’s people are scattered “as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch” (v. 19).  Some speak only to Jews (v. 19), but others go to Antioch and speak to the Greeks (v. 20).  These believers are noteworthy in that they are not even named, but they do their part, perhaps reluctantly, by testifying to who God is and what He has done.  And then God does His part; He raises the spiritually dead and “a great number who believed turned to the Lord” (v. 21). This, then, is the genesis of Antioch Church that became arguably the most significant church in the early era, particularly after the church in Jerusalem was decimated during the Roman invasion in AD 70. 

I did not grow up in the church.  Hardly anyone in my family or extended family is a believer.  So I am thankful that a timid, reluctant Christian was sent by God to share the gospel with me.  More so, I am thankful that the Lord is so determined to save that He opened my heart so I could believe.  Today, reach out to someone with the gospel.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You have purposed to proclaim Your salvation to all peoples.  I am timid and weak in faith, but please use me to speak words of life to people who are perishing.  Oh Lord, You are mighty to save! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 11

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (ESV): And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Question to Consider

  1. According to v. 2, what is the opposite of lofty speech or wisdom?
  2. According to v. 4, what are the most important elements of Paul’s message?
  3. Why does God use a foolish message and a fearful messenger to save?

Notes

  1. The simple message of Jesus Christ and him crucified.
  2. The most important elements of Paul’s message are the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, not words of human wisdom.
  3. So that no one would put their faith in Paul or the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Evening Reflection

Take a moment to pray for unbelieving coworkers or friends whom you see on a regular basis.  Ask that God would open a door to share and that He would use you despite your weakness.

March 29, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on April 5, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Experience Unity in the Face of Diversity”

Acts 15:6-9

The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 

Author and apologist Ravi Zacharias talks often about the human quest for unity in the face of so many differences. The very term university, he says, derives from the search to find unity within diversity (according to the word’s etymological origins). For generations we’ve wondered how we can be united with those different from us – is that kind of unity even possible? Whether it’s ethnic lines, gender lines, age difference, personality types, experiences, the list goes on, we find ourselves miles away from the people around us, especially in the West and in our present age where travel and communication are almost instant. We can be so close, and yet feel worlds apart from one another.

So how do we go about forging these relationships across our many lines of difference? How do we actually experience unity in the face of diversity? Historically, we’ve connected ourselves based on similarities. The dominant group usually sets the tone that others simply follow or mimic – this is called assimilation. The other groups simply become like the dominant group and, therefore, connections can be made based on similarities. When the Gentiles became Christians, the people of God faced a cultural clash never before experienced within their faith community. Prior to this they all shared not only their faith, but their culture (for the most part) with similar moral values and ways of doing life. So how were the Gentiles to be brought in? By becoming culturally Jewish? The Pharisees certainly thought so. 

Our passage for today teaches us that God brings about a different kind of unity. The body of Christ is not united by doing the same things, or by being the same kind of people, or even by having the same backgrounds and histories. Instead, Christ’s body is united by housing the same Spirit. It’s God’s Spirit that makes us one, even in the midst of such diverse cultural (and otherwise) backgrounds. This is an amazing concept!  As we place our faith in Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves connected to people we’d never have imagined. And thus we begin to experience the beauty of the tapestry that is the Kingdom of God. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit which not only unites me with You but with my brothers and sister in Christ. Help me to see beyond my own context and to embrace those different from me who You’ve also called into your family. May I experience today the beauty of the unity with those different from me that comes only through a shared Spirit.  In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 10

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 27: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 

Questions to Consider

  1. What does Paul say unites all believers? 
  2. How does the analogy of a body with many parts help you to appreciate the unity in diversity of the Kingdom of God? Why is it important for all our many differences to be at work together? 
  3. How do Paul’s words challenge you to see your brothers and sisters in Christ who may be different from you in various ways? 

Notes

  1. All believers are united by the Holy Spirit having been baptized into one body by one Spirit. 
  2. The body needs all kinds of parts to function as a whole. The various functions of our different organs working together to keep the whole body alive and functioning paints a beautiful picture of the various people in the family of God at work together in their differences to build the Kingdom of God. Oftentimes, our very differences are what enable us to make valuable contributions to the whole. If everyone were exactly the same (if we were all an eye, for example), we would not have a body (just an eye). 
  3. Spend time in personal reflection. 

Evening Reflection

In a service at a local divinity school that I attended recently, I was challenged to think of the things that made me different as an appointment, rather than an accident. What I took from the speaker’s words was that I have a choice – instead of forgetting about who I am based on my experiences in the world (both good and bad) in order to blend in, I can offer those to God and see how He might use them to be a blessing. Forgetting, ignoring, or hiding our differences is not what unites us; it’s the Holy Spirit at work in the midst of those differences that brings true unity.  How are you different from those around you? What are your unique giftings, experiences, identity, perspectives, etc. that God can use to bless others? Spend some time reflecting on these things with the Lord. 

March 28, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Thought, first posted on April 11, 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

“What Do You See of Yourself When You Get Angry?”

Acts 17:5-7

But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 

We have a ton of Legos in my home, and I have to admit that I think they are really cool toys.  I enjoy the craftsmanship of having to put together complex sets, as well as the creativity it takes to make something original. I even find collecting the mini-figures intoxicating.  But one thing that I hate about Legos is when I have to clean and sort all those small pieces.  What I hate most is when those pieces are all over the floor and I step on a misplaced one—it hurts so much!  I realize my kids don’t mind stepping on Legos as much as I do because they are light: It’s simple physics: F=ma (Force = mass x acceleration); less mass accelerating on a Lego equals less force on a foot and less pain.  My kids basically run over those hazardous Legos like those Polynesian fire walkers.  

The other day, my overweight foot stepped on one of those darn Legos, and I proceeded to yell at my son for not putting them away.  My son looked at me, and said, “Dad, I didn’t leave that there, you did.”  Now at that point, most rational people will stop or apologize, but not me.  I was angry and hurt and someone was going to get in trouble: “Well, they are your Legos!” I yelled.  Then I started looking around the house for any way to punish my son.  “Who left those pencils out?  Put those away!  Did you leave your crayons out?  Do your homework!”  I later apologized for my childishness.  

In today’s passage, I see a lot of myself in this crowd.  When I am angry, I care less about justice than I do about making sure someone gets punished.  The mob in Thessalonica came in search of Paul, but because they could not find him, they settled for punishing Jason and some of the other disciples.  Would Paul have been a better option for the mob?  Sure, but it didn’t really matter. They were angry, and they needed someone to blame—anyone would have done.  

How about you?  When you are angry, hurt, or under emotional duress, do you become irrational?  Do you say ugly things to your spouse or friends that you wish you could take back?  Do you excuse yourself because you were in the “heat of the moment”?  Is that fair or becoming of a man/woman of God?  Today, let’s not act like a crazy mob, looking to punish anyone.  Let’s resolve to have Christ’s patience, to act in love, and keep a cool head.  

Prayer: Lord, give me patience today, and help me to develop the fruit of patience in my life.  Help me to have control over my emotions and not say anything regrettable to those close to me.  Help me to love justice and to be a fair administrator of it.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Numbers 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 1: 1-6: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so,  but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Questions to Consider

1.  Track the regression of this hypothetical person in verse 1.  

2.  Make two or three comparisons/contrasts between the righteous and the wicked. 

3.  Are you like a tree planted by the streams of water?  Do you delight in the law of the Lord?  

Notes

1.  Verse 1 illustrates the entangling nature of sin:  At first, you walk in some ill behavior or thought pattern, but you are still active—meaning, you know it’s wrong and that you shouldn’t partake in it.  Then after ignoring the Spirit’s rebuke, you stand in it and get a little more comfortable.  Soon you are sitting in the seat of scoffers.  

2.  The righteous man delights in and meditates on God’s word; he is rooted like a tree, bears fruit, and prospers or grows.  The wicked man, in contrast, is unsteady/easily shaken, and ultimately will not survive testing.  

3.  All the characteristics of a righteous person are founded on reading, meditating, and obeying God’s word.  I know for most of us, studying God’s word sometimes feels like a chore, but press on—I know you will come to love it.  

Evening Reflection

When was the last time you thought about your character?  Take, for example, the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Are there one or two of those that are glaring deficiencies in your life?  Have you come to enjoy spending time in God’s word?  Take some time to pray this evening about one area you’d like to grow in.  

March 27, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on June 2, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“What Is a ‘White’ Space? It’s Not What You Think”

Galatians 1:18-2:1

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me. Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

One of my favorite preachers often says that in all his seminary training, no one ever taught him how to exegete a white space. By that, he means that in all the verses of Scriptures chronicling the lives of our heroes, there are lots of things in the middle: moments between God’s calling and the fulfillment of His promises, between conversion and effective ministry, moments of waiting, heart ache, persecution, confusion, strife that are not written down. They happened in between the recorded moments, and exist somewhere in the white spaces between words on the page. 

The timeline of Paul’s life is one of the most well chronicled in Scripture. Although Paul’s point in giving this particular timeline is to assure his readers that the gospel he preached came directly from the Lord, not any human teacher, I love passages like the one above because they remind me that Paul was a real person, walking with God over the span of an actual life time. Oftentimes, in my life, I get bogged down in the day-to-day. My journey with God is full of few moments that feel miraculous and monumental and many that feel fairly mundane and ordinary. Sometimes these in-between moments are merely lackluster, at which point my greatest battle is usually boredom or complacency. Other times they are difficult moments of waiting, heartache, uncertainty, and difficulties when I’m not sure what God is up to or where He is leading me. In those moments, the battles are fierce – doubt, bitterness, unbelief, the temptation to take back the reigns and fail to surrender. It’s in these moments that the skill of white space exegesis is most important – the ability to remember that God is faithful and to trust that He’s still at work. 

Are you in an in-between moment today? Are you waiting on God to answer a prayer or come through in a specific situation? Or maybe you are facing another ordinary day of work or school. Don’t despise the seemingly small and insignificant moments (Zechariah 4:10). God is still present and He’s always up to something good. 

Prayer: Sovereign Lord, I choose to believe today that You are always with me and to trust that You are constantly at work for my good and for Your glory. Help me to surrender anew today as I put one foot in front of the other and follow You into all You have for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 2:6-10: Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 

Questions to Consider

  1. According to the passage, how can we “live lives in him”?
  2. Are there any popular teachings and philosophies threatening to captivate you today? How do they align with the truth of God’s Word?
  3. Paul reminds his readers of the lordship and authority of Christ. Why is this important? 


Notes

  1. We can “live lives in him” in three ways”: (1) by being rooted and built up in him, (2) by standing firm in our faith, and (3) by overflowing with thanksgiving. Foundational to all three of these is receiving Jesus as Lord – surrendering our lives to Him and following His leadership. 
  2. Paul is condemning false teachers who are propagating “additions to Christ” and leading the believers astray with teaching based on tradition and worldly practices. There are many popular teachings and philosophies in our culture today. What, if any, are based more on tradition and worldly practices than on the truth of God’s word? Some areas to consider: philosophies regarding work place ethics, finances, marriage, dating, child rearing, success and achievement, etc. 
  3. When we remember that Jesus is Lord, we yield to His word over every other teaching around us. It serves as the standard against which we evaluate everything else. This gives us a firm foundation that is not so easily shaken by the popular teachings and philosophies of our day. 

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on an in-between season in your life. What challenges did you face? How did you experience God’s faithfulness? Ask the Lord to encourage you through your past experiences with Him, and to continue to follow Him faithfully in the future.