March 26, Sunday

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on April 30, 2016. Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Man-Made Religion”

Acts 20:25-35

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

A month ago, an international student from Korea visited our church on a Friday evening. Our International Students Ministry was gathering for a casual, potluck dinner in order to introduce their ministry of studying God’s word with any international students who showed interest. Most of the international students in attendance were from China; and more or less, they were just looking to make some new friends while studying abroad. 

Now, in my conversation with the student from Korea, I discovered that she had attended church while living in Korea. However, after some time of having been more involved in the church, she arrived at the conclusion that Christianity was basically a “man-made religion, out for people’s money.” So, once she made that claim to me, I just had to ask why she decided to join us for dinner. 

Well, it turned out that she was invited by one of the Chinese international student—it was presented to her that it was a dinner party at a friends’ place (which was actually true). But the “place” just happened to be at a “church.” I’m sure she must have been surprised when the car parked in front of a church building. (She had even brought a bottle of apple cider for the host.) To her credit, she was cordial and friendly. While she was honest about her views, she was also willing to be a good sport for the evening, being fully engaged in the dinner and the introductions. 

As the evening concluded, there were smiles on her face. And she commented that while she wouldn’t return for the follow-up gatherings, she genuinely had a nice time meeting some of the church members over dinner. Our church members knew to respect her views and not to be preachy, all the while offering our friendship. 

Yet, I was saddened that she had arrived at wrong conclusions about God’s church. I think of the world when I think about the body of Christ. I don’t expect today’s readers to be naïve and assume that everything in all churches is honky dory. But wow, when I see the kind of person that Paul was, I’m inspired! As I meet pastors who live sacrificially and with integrity for the gospel, I grow in my confidence. And if that’s not enough, how about the fact that Jesus paid for the church with His own blood? And what organization can make that claim? 

Prayer: Lord, reveal to us in a fresh manner the works that You are doing in Your church today.  God, if I’ve been cynical about Your church, I ask that You renew my heart and passion for Your Son. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 8

March 25, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on February 27, 2016, is provided by Phillip Chen who is associate pastor at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego. Phil is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Starting a Church with a ‘Wrong’ Type of People”

Philippians 2:1-8 (ESV)

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 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.

There is a Jewish prayer that men would pray. It goes like this: “Blessed are you, Hashem (which is a title for God), King of the Universe, for not having made me a Gentile, a slave, a woman.”  This reflects the social structure that considered Gentiles, slaves, and women as second class citizen. The funny thing is that the inauguration of the Philippian church started with Lydia, the Philippian jailer, and the demonized slave girl. If you look carefully, you notice that these are the exact people that Jews considered as second-class citizens. Truly, God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the strong, the least expected people to shake society. 

However, what is most shocking is how different these three people must have been. Can you imagine what it must have been like for these three people to be a part of the church-planting team in Philippi? It must have been difficult, as Paul writes this encouragement to the church, to pursue unity by having the mind of Christ. He is not denying the individuality or uniqueness of each person. Rather, he is encouraging the body to submit to the head, which is Christ, by having the same mindset. Paul says that we are to look not only to our own interests, but to the interests of others. What a difficult command this is, particularly as our sinful tendencies cause us to be naturally self-centered. It is not easy, but it is not impossible.

Brothers and Sisters, we are all part of local churches that are composed of different people. We all have different upbringings, different ways of doing things, different cultures and backgrounds, but we are to be in unity, in one accord by having this mind of Christ – to consider the interests of others more significant than our own. God will use whomever He wishes, and as He used the ‘weakest’ and most ‘diverse’ group of people in Philippi to impact their community, let’s pray that God would also give us a spirit of unity so that we might be healthy churches used by God for His purposes. 

Prayer: Father, particularly as I relate to my church, help me to die to my flesh so that I might submit to the head of my church. Give me and my church a spirit of unity so that we would be a healthy church that can fulfill Your purposes for our church, as well as to bless and impact our immediate and surrounding communities. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we can walk in step with the exciting things that You are doing. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 6-7

March 24, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 27, 2016, is provided by Andy Kim who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Hope That Never Disappoints”

Acts 28:19-21

But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” 21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. 

A while ago, I had the privilege of meeting a member of one of most notorious gangs in the US. At the age of 12, he walked the streets with his first assignment to shoot a rival member in order to prove his loyalty. His reason for joining was that it gave him a sense of purpose, belongingness, and value. He spent the next five years wasting his life, resulting in unforgettable memories that he now trembles at when recalling such experiences. By the end of those years, he was caught and said that at the time, it was the greatest disappointment for him and his gang, yet later, he realized it was the greatest appointment by a Savior who was calling him. What was ironic for him was that he began to learn what hope really meant behind bars in a dark, hopeless prison cell. 

He learned that hope bound by circumstances only turned into disappointment, and a hope lost in fantasy was no more than a wish. How often have we abused the phrase “I hope for” when in reality we meant “I wish for.” Such false hope is vulnerable to change, and the endless pursuit of it leads to something far worse, which is no hope at all. But as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” The hope that Dr. King talks about is the very hope of Jesus Christ—a hope that never disappoints since the beginning of time, so that those who have it may find eternal life. 

This is the very hope that the apostle Paul speaks about in this passage. It is more than simply a mission or a task, but the hope of Israel was the very person of Jesus Christ. Paul committed his life and sufferings for the sake of sharing this truth. We live in a world where hope has lost its weight to the deception of false wishes and securities. When a man loses hope, his world collapses, but when a world loses hope, the people collapse. Today, the ex-gang member walks the same hopeless streets, sharing the life of Jesus Christ so that those who hear it may put their hope in Him.  

Prayer: Lord, would You restore hope in my life and in our world today? Thank You for Your promises of everlasting hope that never leads to disappointment. May we take such promises and share the news of this hope with the people around us so that this world may come to know You.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 10:23-25: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Questions to Consider

  1. What keeps our hope from wavering? What are the areas in your life that you put hope in that is not of Christ?
  2. What does the writer mean when he says “to stir one another in love”?
  3. What is the writer’s purpose of verse 25 in this context?

Notes

  1. The promises of God keep us from faltering because He is faithful. The phrase “hold fast” implies that there will be pressures of the world to cause you to deter you from His hope. Grab hold of His promises and continually confess them over your life. The writer also implies in the following passages that the people around us keep us from wavering in our journey with Christ. 
  2. Here, the writer transitions from focusing on our vertical relationship with Christ to our horizontal relationship with one another. We are accountable to one another and have a responsibility to each other. The word “stir” in the original text includes “rousing to activity” or even “provoking,” but it should be done in love. Accountability can sometimes be in the form of pushing one another and challenging one another.
  3. It appears that some believers neglected to gather together for worship. So the writer emphasizes and concludes this passage with the importance of the believer’s unity with one another. We are to continually point each other to the hope of Christ’s return. 

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on your relationship with Christ. Do you find your hope in Him alone? Secondly, what does your relationship with others look like? Are you accountable to others and do you challenge one another to love and serve Him more? Third, spend some time asking God to give you the courage and conviction to share the good news of hope to someone who doesn’t know. 

March 23, Thursday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 19, 2016, is written by Pastor Ryun Chang who serves as AMI Teaching Pastor.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Let Work Stand in the Way”

Acts 26:24-7

At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

We all have done it: missing out on spiritual venues that could have sparked our waning faith because of work.  And that’s likely the reason Governor Festus, while intently listening to Paul, failed to really hear what was being said.  Not long after his first day on the job, Festus was trying to figure out why Paul, a Roman citizen whom he had inherited as a prisoner, had appealed to the emperor.  The task would’ve been a cinch if Paul was a common criminal, but the charge against him was such that Festus had “nothing definite to write to His Majesty” (Acts 25:26a).  

Complicating that matter for Festus was that this Majesty—the boss who signed his check—was the unpredictable and volatile Nero, who even killed his own mother.  An unclear charge might set off this irrational king for wasting his time. At any rate, Festus invited King Agrippa to listen to Paul “so that as a result of this investigation [he] may have something to write” (25:26b).  Festus was just trying to perform his job to the best of his ability out of the principle that “it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him” (25:27).

It is understandable, then, why Festus abruptly interrupted the apostle after listening to Paul say, “Christ . . . the first to rise from the dead.”  I guess Festus couldn’t imagine writing, “Belief in resurrection,” as the official charge in his report to Nero.  But sadly, being too focused on work meant that the governor failed to grasp what God was offering him through Paul, who had just told him, “Open [your] eyes and turn [yourself] from darkness to light . . . so that [you] may receive forgiveness of sins” (25:18).  Had Festus known that he would die three years later, would he have wasted this golden opportunity?

Work is very important but don’t let that stand in the way of salvation, that is, if you have yet to believe, or, if you are already a believer, in the way of being renewed and ultimately to serve God.  Remember the adage: “Nobody says on their deathbed, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’”

Prayer: Lord, I praise and glorify You.  Thank You for giving me the ability to make a good living.  Remind me not to idolize my work, thereby missing opportunities to grow spiritually and serve You.   Give me wisdom to constantly be aware that my days on earth are brief, and that I am here to glorify You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 4

Lunch Break Study  

Read 2 Thess. 3:8-10:Nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

1 Thess. 4:12:  “. . . so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

Questions to Consider

1. Lest someone might lessen the importance of working in light of this morning’s devotion, I chose these texts.  What is one reason for working?

2. Navigate through what was taught this morning—don’t idolize work to the point of missing out on opportunities given by God—and what Paul teaches here: “we work night and day.”

3. How are you doing with work?  Is it consuming all of your time?  Or, are you loafing off?  Pray about making changes. 

Notes

1. One reason for working is to avoid being dependent on people when one has the ability to work.  Paul wasn’t simply concerned with merely working but working hard.  Paul was concerned that Christians who are idle and not working would be a very bad testimony to the world.

2. Of course we should work hard, for Paul teaches, “The hard working farmer should be the first to received a share of the crops” (2 Tim. 2:6).  But when God calls us to do the kingdom’s work, we should obey Him, even if it may cut in on our profit margin, trusting that if we seek first His kingdom, God will take care of the rest.

3. One doctor, who has his own practice, told me that though he routinely closes his office for 2-3 weeks a year in order to go on short-term missions, he actually does better in the long run.  

Evening Reflection

How was work today?  Was it hectic?  In looking at how you spent your time today, would you say that God was prioritized and sought out?  What would you say is most important to you right now?  Remember Matt. 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

March 22, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 30, 2016, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church plant by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought For This Morning

“When God Moves in an Awesomely Unexpected Way”

Acts 13:13-16, 26

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen… to us has been sent the message of this salvation.”

In July of 2010, I was doing street evangelism with a small team on the campus of one of China’s largest universities. As we approached one of the main buildings, we noticed there was an English class going on. The principal of the English program was standing outside, so we introduced ourselves to him, as English speakers from America. After noticing our perfect English, the principal’s eyes lit up. “Would you go up on stage and share something with our students?” he asked in Chinese. (He didn’t speak English.) We were thrilled. Within minutes we were ushered onto the stage. A class of 1,000 students was interrupted for us to come up and share “something” in English! 

So, of course, we shared the gospel, invited them to church service, and sang a praise song. At the end of our song, everyone clapped, including the principal, who had no idea of what had just happened. The students, however, all spoke and understood English! Later that evening, around ten students from that lecture hall showed up to the church service—and five of them accepted Christ that day! We were astonished at the platform that God had given us, especially at a Chinese University. 

Paul must have felt a similar thing when the Jewish rulers (who were actually opposed to his message) invited him to share in the synagogue. Perhaps it was part of the plan all along; or maybe it came as a surprise. But what we know from this story is that Paul was present and available, and God opened the doors for the gospel to be shared through him. Are you present and available for God? Today, let’s stay on alert for open doors, even in the unlikeliest of places.

Prayer

Father, You are always working around us. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit today. Keep our eyes open that we might join You in your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 3

Lunch Break Study

Read John 5:19-20: So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.”

Questions to Consider:

  1. According to the passage, how does Jesus decide what to do (and what not to do) throughout each day?
  2. How can Jesus have such an awareness of what the Father is doing?
  3. How can we live with this mindset?

Notes:

  1. Jesus says that He is “limited” to doing only what He sees God the Father doing! To think of Jesus not acting autonomously may be a strange idea at first, but Jesus is basically saying that His entire ministry is not done by His own power/discernment, but rather, He just follows what He sees the Father doing. 
  2. The obvious answer is, “Of course! He’s Jesus!” But the passage tells us that Jesus is aware because the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing. Jesus can tell what God the Father is doing because He reveals His work to those He loves.
  3. Since we have been given the Holy Spirit, through Him, we can actually be aware of God’s work. As we grow in our knowledge of God’s Word, and deepen our relationship with His Spirit, we can increasingly live as Jesus lived: step-by-step with God!

Evening Reflection

How well do you submit? We don’t like to hear that word very much: submission. And yes, the word does carry some negative connotation in our day. But the beauty of our Triune God is in the joyous submission of the Father, Son, and Spirit, to one another. Likewise, the beauty of the church can only be fully realized when we are joyously submitted to Christ, and to one another! Submission is hard, but joyous submission is beautiful. 

March 21, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on February 16, 2016.  A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Seeking God’s Help When Feeling Nervous”

Acts 4:5-13

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

When I was in middle school, I had to give a presentation in one of my classes—this was so frightening to me. Never before had I stood before a group of people to give a talk for more than a few seconds. Extremely nervous, I gave my presentation, but unable to really think about what I was saying. Afterwards, I remember my teacher asking me if I even breathed once during my presentation; apparently, I was so nervous that I could not even breathe! 

In this passage, Peter gave a “presentation” to the Jewish rulers. He had to give a testimony before the council concerning the ministry he had been doing. Peter might have been quite nervous, not sure what to say, worried about whether he could be clear, or if he would be persuasive. Perhaps, he, too, was so nervous that he could not even breathe!

But notice what the Bible says: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them….” Because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter was able to talk before the council. Interestingly enough, the Greek word for spirit is also used for breath, so you could say that the Holy Spirit was Peter’s breath in that moment. While Peter may have been so nervous he could barely breathe, the Holy Spirit became his breath, giving him the words to speak.

Do you ever worry about sharing your faith and testifying about Jesus to others, whether to an individual or a group of people? Do not worry because the Holy Spirit will be your breath, and He will be your thoughts, giving you the words to speak. Though your physical breath may be lost in the moment, trust that your spiritual breath will continue to flow. Remember the words of that old song, “This is the air I breathe.” That is the Holy Spirit. He is the air you breathe and you will never be breathless. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your Spirit! We would be lost without Your Spirit, but thank You that You have given us Your Spirit to dwell in us always. May we remember the power of Your Spirit, and that You are the one working in and through us. Have Your way, Lord! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 2

Lunch Break Study  

Read Luke 12:11-12: And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Questions to Consider

  1. Why shouldn’t we be anxious when we need to defend our faith?
  2. How do we let the Spirit speak through us?
  3. Are there any situations in your own life where you need the Spirit to speak through you?

Notes

  1. We should be anxious if it were all up to us, but praise God that He gives us His Spirit to speak through us! So we need not be anxious when defending our faith, because the Spirit will speak through us.
  2. Unfortunately, there is no formula to this. Allowing the Spirit to speak through us is a matter of faith and trust – trusting that God is the One working through you. When our confidence is in ourselves, then we will have a difficult time hearing the Spirit, but when our confidence is in God, He will speak powerfully through us.
  3. Apply this to your life. Perhaps you want to share the gospel with a friend, but you are worried about it. Trust that God will speak through you in that moment. His Spirit is in you!

Evening Reflection

Tonight, take time to invite the Spirit to fill you. We need to be constantly filled by the Spirit, so pray that God will fill you once again so that in the hour of trial, He will take control of you and give you words to speak. 

March 20, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on March 7, 2016.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thoughts for this Morning

“Don’t You Even Have Eyes?”

Acts 7:1-2

“1 Then the high priest asked him, ‘Are these charges true?’ 2 To this he [Stephen] replied: ‘Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran . . .’ ”

“Don’t you even have any eyes?” It was an immature response from an immature person (I was maybe around nine or ten), but it came from a very real sense of frustration at a perceived injustice.  An adult had “accused” me of not closing the screen door properly when I came into the house, but I obviously had – if the person had any eyes, she could see for herself that it was closed.  I knew I was being a little out of line, but I thought that maybe when she saw that she was the one in the wrong, she’d see my frustration was justified and let it pass, maybe even laugh.  Unfortunately, some nuance was lost in translation in the bilingual household I was growing up in (apparently the adult heard the word for “eyes” as something more like “brains,” and apparently, in her culture, calling into question an adult’s possession of brains was a particularly disrespectful expression), and I got into huge trouble.  It wasn’t about the door anymore but what I’d said to an adult, at which I felt even more frustrated, because I hadn’t said “brains,” I’d said “eyes.”  It just ended up being a terrible, mixed-up, no good day.

Being accused of anything is never a good feeling; being falsely accused is all the worse.  The immediate instinct is to rise up in indignation at the injustice, defend oneself, attack right back.  Stephen, however, did none of these things.  When he was being falsely accused of blasphemy and the high priest asks him if this is true, Stephen, “a man full of God’s grace” (v. 8) and wisdom (vv. 3, 10), begins talking about Abraham and Mesopotamia and ends up making an eloquent defense – not of himself, but of Jesus Christ.  

How do we respond when we feel unjustly accused?  When a supervisor asks us where a report is that we actually handed in a week ago but he misplaced?  Can we resist becoming defensive of ourselves and have a more Christ-centered attitude when we face such situations?  

Prayer

Lord Jesus, when I face false accusations or misunderstandings, help me to have maintaining my witness for you be my primary concern, over and above defending myself or proving others wrong.  For your name’s sake, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 1

Lunch Break Study 

Though we’ve already meditated today about having a godly response when being falsely accused, what about when the charge someone brings against us is true?

Read Proverbs 9:8: “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” 

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think a mocker would respond to rebuke in this way?

2. What about the wise person?  Why would he or she respond in the opposite way?

3. How do we respond to rebuke or correction?  Defensively or graciously?

Notes

1. Those who mock others often put others down to feel better about themselves.  A word of rebuke threatens their sense of self-worth, and they cannot truly receive it.  The one who tries to rebuke someone who is not ready to receive it may just end up losing the relationship.

2. Wise people can separate their self-worth from their mistakes or character flaws.  Because they do not feel their value as a person is threatened when a corrective word is given, they can receive it constructively and love the one who loves them enough to rebuke.

Evening Reflection

Were you able to respond graciously to others’ estimations of you today?  If you faced any false accusations, bring the hurt, frustration and anger to Jesus, the bearer of the ultimate false accusation (=the sins of the world).  He understands.

March 19, Sunday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on May 16, 2016.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Justin Who Became a Martyr”

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.  15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. 18For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Have you ever sought meaning in life’s philosophies or in the world’s wisdom? One person who did but was eventually disillusioned by his search was Justin Martyr. Justin, born in the early 2nd century A.D., attempted to find fulfillment in the Greek philosophy of Stoicism. Unconvinced, he then cycled through the teachings of different philosophers but was never completely satisfied. Around A.D. 130, conversations with an elderly believer led Justin Martyr to surrender his life to Jesus—and he experienced a powerful life transformation!

Around the same time, the heresy of Gnosticism was becoming rampant in the early church. In a nutshell, the Gnostics believed that the material world was unimportant, and that physical bodies were prisons trapping the human spirit, which they considered to be the “spark of God.” Thus, they proposed that Christ had not become incarnate but had only appeared to be human in order to rescue stray “sparks” of God’s being that were trapped in human bodies. Since its inception, Gnosticism has spawned heretical beliefs, including the elevation of the soul to divinity that have echoed throughout history, especially in the recent New Age movement. 

Utilizing his past experience in Greek philosophy, Justin Martyr countered the claims of Gnosticism thoroughly in his writings. In particular, Justin Martyr delved into the concept of the Logos—God’s pre-existent spirit who became incarnate in Jesus Christ. He explained, “just as fire comes from fire without diminishing the original source, so Christ as the universal Logos pre-existed as God’s Son.”  Justin Martyr then wrote Syntagma, which established him as the most important 2nd century apologist in the eyes of many, as it was the first major anti-Gnostic writing by an orthodox Christian.

Ultimately, Justin was arrested for his faith and was ordered by Roman authorities to denounce his belief in God. Refusing to do so, Justin was then executed and surnamed “Martyr,” as he gave his life for what he considered to be “true philosophy.” As Christians today, may we also find our true satisfaction, not in the world’s wisdom, but in God’s eternal truth.  

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being the Way, the Truth and the Life. Help me to find ultimate meaning in Your Word, and may it spur me to lead a life that is pleasing to You. May I not trust in my own intellect or in the world’s wisdom, but help me to place my hope in Your truth, even though my mind cannot completely comprehend it. Lord Jesus, as my Good Shepherd, lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. In Your Name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Esther 10

March 18, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on March 21, 2015.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Gives Us the Right to Speak into Another Person’s Life?”

Acts 3:11-16

 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

A well-known Christian apologist writes: “I recall on one campus some years ago finishing a tough series of meetings. On the day I was departing from that city, my host mentioned to me that he had brought his neighbor, a medical doctor, to the last meeting. ‘She is a skeptic through and through,’ he said. ‘Would you like to know what her response was to your presentation last night?’ he asked. Knowing full well that I had no choice, I answered rather eagerly in the affirmative. This was his reply of sentiments: ‘Powerful… simply powerful… I wonder what he’s like in his private life.’ That was her one-line response to a three-hour evening. In short, the entire weight of the argument rested, for her, on the coherence between the argument and the enfleshing of the argument. The reasoning was not good enough. The practical impact in the private life of the reasoned was the final test.” 

What gives us the right to speak into another person’s life? As someone in full-time ministry, I’ve had to ask this question quite a bit regarding people within the church. But what about people outside the Christian community? In our politically correct, tolerant society, it can feel not only inappropriate, but down right rude to speak (let alone preach) into someone else’s life – particularly if our words are unsolicited and potentially offensive. So how do we get a foot in the door and a listening ear? How do we get license to speak the Gospel to the outside world? In our passage for today, Peter and John’s healing of the paralytic man gave them the platform from which to speak. It was the Spirit at work in them, as they simply lived a faithful life of worship and devotion, that granted them the attention of the outside word. 

As the story above illustrates, more so than our well-formed arguments and eloquent words, the message of the Gospel is taken seriously when the people who preach it live a life that is harmonious with the message they preach. Our lives are a better testimony than our words. Many of us never find ourselves needing to be ready to give an answer for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15) because no one ever asks. May our lives bear witness to the goodness of God and give us a platform from which to share His good news. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, make my life a living witness to your goodness. May I live in such a way that others want to know more about the hope I have in You. And when I’m given the platform to speak, may I proclaim your truth in the power of your Spirit, to the glory of Your name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 8-9

March 17, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 8, 2016.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Who Has Done a Better Job Obeying the Great Commission: Church or Coca-Cola?”

Acts 1:8 (a.k.a., The Great Commission according to Luke) 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matt. 28:19-20 (a.k.a., The Great Commission according to Matthew)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. . . .”

A recent Mexican Coca-Cola ad produced a storm of controversy because of its insensitivity toward indigenous people.  The commercial begins with sad natives “mop[ing] around a hillside feeling rejected by society.  Then a group of young white hipsters turn up to save them, with the aid of coolers full of Coke and a Christmas tree. . . . The indigenous people can only smile in wondering gratitude.”  Having seen it myself (and laughing), the brain behind this ad is probably looking for a new job.  

But at least tip your hat to Coca-Cola for executing its version of the “Great Commission” better than the church.  Having served in Mexico as a missionary for over a decade, I visited these hillside villages located in steep mountains, and you can be sure that Coca-Cola got there, more often than not, before missionaries.  

Across the board, American churches pay great lip service to missions but do little themselves about it.  If our priority is revealed by the saying, “Put your money where your mouth is,” we haven’t done much.   One statistic shows such a discrepancy: “On the average, for every dollar that gets put into the offering plate in the U. S., 96 cents go right back to the American Christian culture. . . . [T]he remaining 4 cents [is] for the Great Commission task” (Bob Sjogren).  

So, before blasting Coca-Cola for its condescending message of “Stop worrying; the gringos are here,” we should take a page out of its playbook and take our “product” (the gospel) “to the ends of the earth.”  And we have nothing to be ashamed of; while cola, full of sugar, isn’t good for health, the “living water” (Jn. 4:11) that Christ gives comes with this guarantee: “Everyone who drinks this water (i.e., any pleasurable thing that the world offers) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.”

In 2023, will you be more active in sharing your faith?  Pray for boldness; read a book on evangelism; build relationships and look for a good time to illustrate the superiority of the living water over its cheap substitutes.  

Prayer: Forgive me, Father, for domesticating You as a territorial God who is only concerned with people who look like me.  God, because You sent your Son to redeem all the nations, help me to engage in missions with the right concept and motivation.  May I be compelled by the same love You have for every tribe, language and people and nation.   Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 7

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 67:1-2: May God (Elohiym) be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Numbers 6:23-6:  Tell Aaron and his sons, “This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24 ‘The Lord (Jehovah) bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace,’”

Rev. 5:9: And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Rev. 7:9-10: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Question to Consider

1. Evidently, in Ps. 67:1-2 King David reiterates the Aaronic blessing found in Num. 6:23-6 but makes, under the Spirit’s inspiration, one change.  What is it?

2. In light of Rev. 5:9, what does it mean that David changed the name of God in Ps. 67?

3. Ultimately, what does God desire to see in heaven?  Should that be important to us? Is that important to you?

Notes

1. David changed the name of God from Jehovah, a personal name used by the Israelites to refer to Yahweh, to Elohiym, a name used when the focus is on the relationship between God and all nations. 

2. David is broadening the scope of God’s redemptive plan, that is, God’s blessing is not only for Israel but for the nations; and in time, Christ would come to die for people “from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

3. God desires that the representatives from “every nation, tribe, people and language” worship Him as well as the Lamb, that is, Christ.  Since Jesus purchased with his blood men from each tribe and nation, God rightfully expects them to participate in the great heavenly worship.  And this should be important to us, which means we need to figure out how to join in the effort to redeem the nations.  

Evening Reflection

We hardly need to leave America to do transcultural ministry (a.k.a., missions) since so many foreigners are in our universities and workplaces.  If we are comfortable with socializing with people like us, then think about all the people around you who aren’t. Reach out to them, beginning with saying hello and then going from there, all in the spirit of Acts 1:8.  This should be a serious priority!  Reach out to people of different race and class.