January 28, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on May 2, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Graveyard Next to the Palace”

1 Cor. 6:18 (NIV)

Flee from sexual immorality.

2 Sam. 1:1-2 (ESV)

Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. [2] Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 

Perhaps, David was as self-assured on this night as was Peter on the night when he declared, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matt. 26:33).  David had confessed something similar to God: “My steps have held to your path; my feet have not slipped” (Ps. 17:5).  Despite their bravado, both fell spectacularly in ways they had never imagined.  Peter, bearing a sword, was prepared to battle any men who dared to take his master; when they did, he used it without hesitation (Jn. 18:10).  But when a servant girl called him out as “one of them” (Lk. 22:58), Peter was so unprepared—he even denied ever knowing Christ.

Ever since David killed the gigantic Goliath with his sling shot, he had always been an excellent soldier (1 Sam. 18:7).   On this night, he should have been out with his men to defend Israel, for that’s what kings do in the spring time; and David was always prepared for it.  But instead, walking on the roof of the palace in the middle of evening, he was so unprepared to deal with what was looking squarely in the eye:  not the Ammonites, which he could handle, but the lust of the flesh, which, once it was that up-close, David couldn’t evade. 

The graveyard next to the “palace” is full of bones belonging to powerful men who fell from the top because, while they knew how to win battles fought outside, they were clueless facing the ones fought inside.  David Petraeus, a retired four-star general and director of CIA, had power like none other; and yet he was powerless to overcome his lust for his official biographer.  Having resigned in disgrace, he now faces a possible criminal investigation.  Eliot Spitzer, as the state attorney general, knew how to put bad guys in jail, and later as the 54th governor of New York wielded great power; but he lost everything because he wouldn’t  rein in his lust of the flesh.  

When it comes to fighting lust, God’s counsel borders on “cowardice”: “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Tim. 2:22), says Paul to Timothy, a young pastor.  That is, “keep to a path far from [an adulteress], do not go near the door of her house” (Prov. 5:8).   If you’re too tempted to click to adult sites, then, consider blocking them as you would do for your children.   Don’t take this lightly because “a man who commits adultery . . . destroys himself.  Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away” (6:32).

Prayer: Lord, help me to take this matter seriously; empower me to take proper steps to reduce as many temptations as I can in my daily life.  Ultimately, may I always be mindful of the Holy Spirit so that I will follow his leading toward holiness and purity.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 3-4

January 27, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 6, 2016, is provided by Phillip Chen who is associate pastor at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Phil, a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), will be ordained this Sunday.  Congratulations. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Bizarre Idea Indeed”

Galatians 3:1-9 (ESV)

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

If I were to give you a cup of water with a drop of poison into it, would you drink it? I certainly hope not. That one drop of poison has contaminated the rest of the water and it is no longer fit to drink. In this passage, Paul is vigorously defending the fact that salvation is purely by grace, not by human effort, which is a bizarre idea for those who grew up in the Jewish faith. In fact, there is a passage in the Mishnah—a collection of Jewish customs and traditions—that says, “Heedfulness leads to cleanliness, and cleanliness leads to purity, and… saintliness leads to the Holy Spirit.” Perhaps that is why the Judaizers were so intent on trying to convince the new believers in Galatia that belief in Jesus was not enough, but that they needed to observe the Mosaic Law as well. 

For Paul, it doesn’t matter if you inject 1% or 90% of human effort into the gospel message—salvation is no longer by grace if tainted with human effort. Ephesians 2:8 says, “By grace we have been saved through faith.” And it is not our own doing; it is the gift of God. If Jesus, the perfect, sinless, spotless Lamb has declared that our sins are washed away because of His works, then we are arrogant to think that our works—as flawed, sinful people—are needed to complete the process.

How does this apply to us? One common thing we do that is actually a reflection of a misguided belief of a merit-based salvation is the way we approach God when we have sinned. When we are faced with our sin, we tend to hide or run away. Some of us find ways to punish ourselves or make things better before coming to God. Other times, we are so hard on ourselves that we cannot forgive ourselves for our mistakes. Some of us even believe that though God started the salvation process, we need to take over in the sanctification process. Perhaps we do this because deep down, we feel that we need to earn the right to stand before God. But today, remember to run to Him and His perfect grace, for He is the One who has saved us and is continuing to save us. 

Prayer: Father God, thank You for your perfect grace. I pray that today, You would remind me of Your extravagant grace that You have extended to me, and that the affections of my heart would be a response to that grace, rather than an effort to earn it.  

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV): For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Question to Consider

1. How does Paul define grace? How would you define grace?

2. What are ways that we rely on our works?

3. What should we do with the grace that has been given to us?

Notes

1. Grace is merely a gift; it’s not a result of what we have done to earn it.  

2. It could be about the degrees we have, our career, our good works, or even the people we know. Paul, in Philippians 3, lists off a number of personal accomplishments that he could boast in, but he finds all of that as contributing nothing to his salvation, because it is only by grace that he is saved.

3. We were created for good works – our good works is not a requirement for salvation, but it is not optional. It is not a contribution to our salvation, but a fruit of our salvation.

Evening Reflection

We are not very different from the Galatians. We have seen and experienced God’s grace in our lives, but somehow, we find ourselves slowly shifting towards a performance-driven faith. Perhaps it has to do with living in a performance-driven world, but we must remember that there is nothing we can do to earn salvation; it is purely by His grace—in the past, present, and future. Have you shifted to a performance-driven faith? Ask God to remind you once again of His wonderful grace.

January 26, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 26, 2016, is provided by Andy Kim who is now 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

“What Really Is Faith?”

Acts 27:30-32

And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go

Cut loose the lifeboat. Imagine us being the men on the boat. We barely survived a storm and as we’re finally approaching land, the “godly man” says to stay on the boat. The crazier part is to see my fellow soldiers listening to Paul and cutting our only lifeboat and letting it go. At this point, I would’ve jumped off the boat and swam after the lifeboat. What got into the minds of these soldiers to do something so radical? Some might call it crazy, but I would call it faith. 

Faith is one of those words we hear being thrown around in our Christian circles all the time. It’s a difficult word to grasp, and even harder word to live by. The book of Hebrews defined it as believing in the unseen and being certain of what we hope for (Hebrews 11:1). The words “believe” and “certain” leave no room for doubt. Yet, the world we live in today seems to define faith as “almost believing” –as long as it stays in the realm of what we think is possible. Anything beyond our possibilities would be doubtful. And because of this doubt, many of us like to have faith as long as there is some type of safety net attached to it. 

Yet these men were willing to obey the words of Paul, believing that they came from God. They even went as far as to actively remove any room for a backup plan, leaving their very lives in the hands of God. In essence, they removed all possibilities to invite God to do the impossible. Rex Rouis puts it like this: “Only a heart filled with faith can face the impossible and still know that God can change it.” What are the areas in your life that is holding you back from living a life of faith? What are the excuses you keep putting up from taking that next step of faith?

Prayer: Father, I want to have greater faith in You. Help me to surrender the areas in my life that I refuse to let go. Help me to let go of my doubts and fears, so that I may cling to You in faith. I trust in Your mercy and grace to carry me through.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 1

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-10: So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Questions to Consider

  1. How can Paul have confidence in all circumstances?
  2. What does Paul mean for us to walk by faith and not by sight?
  3. What motivated Paul to live such a life?

Notes

  1. Paul writes this as he faced many trials and sufferings, many of them being physical to the brink of death. Regardless of the threat, Paul endured through such afflictions because he knew these momentary afflictions would produce an eternal weight of glory. Paul’s hope and faith came from the knowledge that the life he lived in the body was merely temporary, but the home that he belonged to was eternal. 
  2. The word “walk” means to live, and so Paul urges us to not live for a glory that is seen with our physical eyes, for they are all temporary. The glories of the world can take the forms of wealth, career, success, etc. Rather, Paul calls us to live for a glory that is unseen which will be realized in eternity – the glories of heaven promised to us as believers. This is not to say that career and success are bad, but we should live in a way that would bring glory to the Father. 
  3. First, he points out that he lives his life so that it may ultimately please God. Paul also claims that all Christians will stand before Christ and be judged according to their life on earth. Warren Wiersbe identifies Paul’s actions being motivated out of a healthy fear: “Knowing that his works would someday be revealed and tested, Paul wanted to live the kind of life that pleased and honored Christ.”

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on your day today. Were you living by faith or by sight? What are some ways you can become more kingdom-minded? Pray that God would increase your faith and that He would help your areas of unbelief. 

January 25, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on July 23, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Ill-Advised Sayings of Men”

1 King 20:1-6, 29-30

Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it. 2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’” 4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” 6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’

. . . And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left.  Ben-hadad also fled . . . 

Human history is littered with ill-advised sayings of men. For instance, at the launch of the Titanic (1911), an employee of the White Star Line quipped, “Not even God himself could sink this ship”—but a mere iceberg proved him wrong.  Charles Holland Duell, as the United States Commissioner of Patents at the end of 19th century, allegedly said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”  Say what?  And during this year’s NCAA basketball tournament, we were once again reminded of the truth of Proverbs 17:28, “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.”  A West Virginia freshman player, before facing the undefeated Kentucky squad, cracked, “Tomorrow they’re gonna be 36-1.”  Oops, Kentucky won by 39 points!

Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, was no different from the aforementioned clerk, commissioner or hoopster—full of hubris (extreme pride) and so confident of the unknown.  The victory was already his even before the first blowing of the trumpet: “May gods deal with me, be it ever severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful” (v.10). He felt so   entitled to everything that Israel owned: “Your silver and gold . . . wives and children are mine” (v.3). Little did he realize that God had Israel’s back, as a prophet informed the king of Israel: “Do you see this vast army?  I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord” (v.13).

Keep this in mind the next time you feel invincible and invulnerable about yourself because of your possession, ability (knowledge) or accomplishment:  “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).  Stay low, heads bowed, and think carefully, in light of who you are (a creature) before your Maker, before opening your mouth.  Remember, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).  

Perhaps, even more important lesson is this: If you ever feel like you can’t reach your goal that is good and noble because no one believes in you, remember this: “I can do all this through [Christ Jesus] who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).  Work hard (Prov. 14:23) and prayer harder.

Prayer: Dear God, I must confess many foolish things I’ve said about myself, thinking only of my strength in light of other people’s weaknesses.  How comical it must be to You and how tragic for me!  Thanks for your forgiveness and “forgetfulness.”  Remind me to watch what I say so that I may not be a fool.  Help me to say only those things that would edify others.  Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 28

Lunch Break Study 

Read Luke 14:7-13: Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:13-7: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Question to Consider

1. One chose the place of honor while the other confidently planned for his future.  In what sense are they cut out from the same rock?

2. What perspective or attitude is needed to avoid seeking the place of honor and planning our future with self-assuredness?

3. How is your heart?  Are you making any statements about your ability and future that may place you in the Hall of Shame of all the ill-advised things men have said about themselves?

Notes

1. These were men of presumption: the former thought of himself as superior to everyone else, which led him to think that he deserved better, while the latter thought that he, not God, was sovereign.  Both of them badly miscalculated by overestimating their status and ability.  

2. To avoid falling into the pitfall of presumption, we must cultivate the mind of Christ, which is, “in humility count[ing] others more significant than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).  Subsequently, we are to “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (v.4).  We must also always remember how fragile we are and how unpredictable life can be, which leaves no recourse but to depend and rely absolutely on God (2 Cor. 1:9).

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

If someone had observed you throughout the day, would that person conclude that you were trusting in yourself or God?  Be reflective and critical about yourself.  Make changes, if necessary, so that you won’t be embarrassed, or worse –be destroyed.  This is a serious matter.  Pray.   

January 24, Tuesday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional provided by Jabez Yeo, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on April 26, 2016.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Unity Despite Theological Disagreements”

Ephesians 4:1-3

I (Paul) therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The media often portrays conservative Christians as being not too intelligent.  A while back, a prominent writer for TIME magazine quipped that Christian conservatives are “poor, uneducated and easy to command.”  While I hope that’s not the case today, I know for a fact that it wasn’t so in the early church when some of the best and brightest minds led the new faith.  

The 2nd century church spent much time combating Gnosticism, which proposed that Christ’s work on the cross was “purely spiritual…and that the human life and death of Jesus played no role in redemption.” Irenaeus effectively refuted Gnosticism by using passages such as Romans 5.  Olson writes, “Because Christ is the second Adam…; God reverses Adam’s life that resulted in corruption.  For Irenaeus, Christ provided redemption by going through the entire scope of human life and…reversing the disobedience of Adam….” This was an essential point that Irenaeus emphasized, as it established redemption as a process of restoring creation rather than escaping creation, as in Gnostic heresy. Through Irenaeus, Christian theology became rooted in the truth that without Christ’s full divinity and humanity, salvation is impossible. 

Because of his influence, Irenaeus was called upon to resolve all types of conflicts. One such non-essential conflict was the Quartodeciman controversy, which centered around whether Easter should be celebrated on Passover (the Quartodeciman position) or on Sunday. After much debate, Victor, the bishop of Rome, was so fed up with the Quartodecimans that he excommunicated them from the church. Although Irenaeus believed that Easter should be celebrated on Sunday, he admonished Victor to preserve unity in the body of Christ. For Irenaeus, the fact that the Lord’s resurrection was being celebrated by both parties was sufficient.  This is to say, as far as this Church Father was concerned, Gnosticism had to be opposed and disfellowshipped; but not so with the Quartrodecimans with whom he disagreed theologically but still desired some level of fellowship. 

As Christians, may we not only learn from Irenaeus’ writings but also from his eagerness to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Let’s pray for wisdom to engage in essential conflicts and to preserve unity otherwise.

Prayer: Lord, as I often engage in arguments and conflicts for the sake of doing so, give me the wisdom to fight over what is crucial and the discernment to look over non-essential issues. Help me to mediate the conflicts around me with Your peace and love. In Your Name I pray.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 27

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Cor. 1:10-12: I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Questions to Consider


1. What appears to be the problem described in the above passage?  What would be its modern equivalent?

2. What is so sad and tragic about this problem?

3. What realization is necessary in order to keep the believers with a strong conviction from beating each other up? 

Notes


1. The Christians who favored or followed different Bible teachers became divisive probably because they insisted that their teacher was more biblical and spiritual than others.  This would be equivalent to Calvinists and Arminians arguing over who is more faithful to the Scripture. 

2. The believers, while arguing over matters relating to the Bible and God, end up losing their Christian testimony before the world.  It shows that the Christians are no different than the feuding politicians and contentious businessmen.

3. They have to realize that Christ cannot be divided, that no human teacher can be placed above Him.  Sometimes, the best policy is to agree to disagree, and leave it at that.  As long as we agree on the essentials of our faith, we have reason to maintain the Christian unity in Christ. 

Evening Reflection

As you wrap up this day, think about those situations that are slowly dividing your family and/or church:  Are you part of the problem or solution?  Please spend some time in prayer to ask God what to do.  If you are the one causing the division, repent and ask for forgiveness; if not, then, ask God for boldness to address the divisive individual.  Remember what Christ said: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity” (Jn. 17:22-3).

January 23, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King, a friend of AMI, was first posted on March 23, 2015.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why Am I Always Repeating the Same Mistake?”

1 Samuel 26:17-25

Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.” 21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Do these verses sound familiar? Well, if you’ve been following along with us in our study of 

King Saul, then they should. This is not Saul’s first time pursuing David only to come to his senses and relent. In an almost verbatim repetition of what we just read, Saul acknowledged his wrong and repented.

Yet with all the emotional language of apology and remorse, here again we find Saul doing the same thing, in the same place, offering the same apology for the exact same behavior. Saul is the definition of a repeat offender. But before we condemn him for his knuckle-headed behavior, let’s think of all the times we ourselves were repeat offenders. How many times have you fallen victim to the exact same sins? To whom have you offered apologies so many times that you now sound like a broken record?

I’m sure we can all empathize with King Saul in this way. Even with all our greatest efforts and with God’s grace to make the truth clear to us, we are prone to wander from the truth and fall back into our old patterns of sin. In the Hillsong song “All for Love” the songstress asks of the Lord, “How many times have I broken your heart?” If we were to stop for a moment and think about the times we’ve returned to the sin from which Jesus died to free us and the broken heart of God as a result, it may be too much to bear. But the song quickly follows this pondering with the powerful truth, “But You still forgive me if only I ask.”

And that is true for us today. We, like Saul, are repeat offenders. But our heavenly Father is faithful even in our persistent struggles. May this truth empower and compel us toward a different course of action and lead us back to the arms of our loving Father whose grace is still sufficient for us.

Prayer: Gracious Father, I am sorry for the times I’ve wandered away from Your truth and returned to my life of sin. Please forgive me and help me to take hold of the freedom from sin that I now have in Christ. Thank You for Your covenantal love that is everlasting, for Your mercy that is new every morning, and for Your grace that is sufficient even in my weaknesses.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 26

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 4:14-16: Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does it mean to “hold fast to our confession”?
  2. In what ways does verse 15 comfort you in light of your struggle against temptation and sin?
  3. What keeps you from confidently approaching the throne of God? Why is it so important that you overcome those things and go to Jesus in your times of need?

Notes

  1. The writer of Hebrews encourages us not to waver in our faith, but to stand firm in what we claim to believe. We do this in response to and because of the faithfulness of Christ to us (as our High Priest). And bound up in our faith is not merely belief (cognitive ascent) but faithfulness to what we believe (the actions that follow).
  2. Jesus understands our struggles. It’s always more comforting to come to someone who understands what we are facing. Not that he excuses our sin (obviously that’s not the case), but he does understand experientially the temptations we face.
  3. Most people are kept from God, especially in situations of sin, for one of two reasons. First, they feel too guilty to come to Him (sin has become bigger than the cross). Second, they have misappropriated grace so much so that they don’t even bother to repent anymore (the weight of sin and what the cross actually overcame has been lost). No matter what, we have to come to Jesus because He is the only one from whom we can receive the mercy and grace we so desperately need.

 Evening Reflection

What are the areas in your life where you struggle with being a “repeat offender”? What are those sins and habits that you struggle to overcome? Spend some time surrendering these areas to God. Repent of the sin in your heart (be specific) and ask for the power of the finished work of Christ to help you to overcome. Consider seeking accountability and being proactive with the Holy Spirit in receiving help in your areas of need. Above all, remember our High Priest, Jesus, who has already walked the path we must walk and made a way for us to live in victory over sin.

January 22, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on May 24, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Tolstoy’s Tragic End Says About Life”

Mark 8:36

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

The story of greedy Pohom in one of Tolstoy’s novels, who died of exhaustion from trying to get just a little more land, reminds us of the parable of the rich fool (Lk. 12:15-21).  Perhaps Tolstoy was inspired by it since in “his middle years, after many painful struggles . . ., accepted the Jesus Christ of the Gospels” (R. Niebuhr 1951:57).

In the parable, Jesus says: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.  And he told them this parable: The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21).

So how much land (or big of a barn) does a man need?  Apparently, Tolstoy himself seemed to have struggled with this for a long time.  Before he became a Christian, Tolstoy described in a candid work entitled Confession (1882) “his growing spiritual turmoil, castigating himself and his class for leading a selfish, empty existence, and started his long quest for moral and social certitudes.”  He found them in two principles of the Christian Gospels: love for all human beings and nonresistance to the forces of evil.

However, at the age of 82, increasingly tormented by the disparity between his teachings and his personal wealth, and by endless quarrels with his wife, who resisted his attempts to renounce their material possessions, Tolstoy left his home one night. He fell ill three days later, and died at a remote railroad station.

Here are two practical reminders for us so that we don’t end up like Pohom or Tolstoy.  First, remember that one key to a successful Christian life may hinge on whom we marry (that is, if you decide to marry):  Find someone who is not greedy:  “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife” (Prov. 21:19).

Second, it is crucial to develop a habit of giving up a portion of our wealth, that is, long before we reach the peak of our earning potential—even though it creates some discomfort when we do so.   All studies bear out the fact that the richer we become, the proportion of our giving to the risen income goes down.

Don’t b a fool by hoarding things on earth that you cannot take with you after you die (1 Tim. 6:7).  When you are generous toward God, you will truly become content.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I thank You for blessing me with all that I need.  Help me not to become attached to my possessions, but open my eyes to the needs around me so that I may share my blessings with others. May I truly find contentment in You alone. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 25

January 21, Saturday 

Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought was first posted on March 28, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Integrity”

Job 27:1-5

“And Job again took up his discourse, and said: “As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.”

I recently introduced the habit of journaling to my class, and they were asked to spend the beginning of the period writing about whatever came to mind.  A cheeky little sixth grader promptly raised her hand and asked if I was going to read her journal; it was clear that my answer would determine how pithy her entry would be.  In my eagerness to have them experience true, unfiltered journaling, I announced that if they didn’t want me to read this entry, the students could write a “p” for “private” on the corner of the page and circle it.  Many of them approved this proposal and started writing away. 

I’m not sure how resolutely I intended to keep this promise as it left my lips, but as soon as class was dismissed and the journals were neatly stacked on my desk, there was nothing more tempting to me in that moment than to read the very pages I pledged to not read.  So after a brief, hardly identifiable struggle against my better judgment, I gingerly paged through each entry marked with a circled “p” and read them all.  

If I were to be completely honest with myself, I’d have to sadly admit that demonstrating integrity matters more to me when I’m around people than when I’m alone.  It’s more motivating to do the right thing when it visibly strengthens my reputation and when acting otherwise might result in being judged or disappointing someone.  But when no one is around, my truest self is revealed — the self that often resembles nothing like the self that presents herself at family group or at Sunday service. The self that, on a recent visit to New York, stopped by a hotel to use the restroom and then decided to sneak herself into the complimentary breakfast area and indulged in an English muffin.  And some scrambled eggs.  And some bacon.  All while sitting at a table as a perceived patron, doing my morning devotions – not bothered enough by the irony of my actions to leave before helping myself to another scoop of eggs. 

My pastor or friends or family group members may never know about these private moments of defeat (well, I guess they might now), but they don’t just vanish away.  Each of those little decisions does its part in paving a path that is wide; the further I proceed, the more unrecognizable my sins will become to my hardening heart.  Instead of leading a double life, I am called to live for an audience of One, who will give me the strength to overcome temptation so that I don’t live this life in vain. Let’s fight for a soft heart today, pressing on to live our private moments with integrity so that we can hear His gentle voice not just in theory, but powerfully in our daily lives.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am devoid of integrity. Put the fear of God in me so that I take the matter of integrity with an utmost seriousness. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 23-24

January 20, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 1, 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

“Curry Is Just a Man!”

Acts 14:8-15

Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In the past few years, Stephen Curry has become a household name. Analysts, coaches, fellow players, and fans are gradually coming into agreement that he is the greatest shooter in the history of basketball. Winning an NBA championship, being crowned MVP, holding all sorts of all-time records— these are just testaments to the beauty of his game, the likes of which the world has never before seen. But perhaps the most admirable thing about Mr. Curry is his constant effort to point glory towards God, both on and off the court. In nearly every way that an athlete possibly can in public, Stephen points attention to God. 

Barnabas and Paul, even with their impressive resume of teachings and miracles, said it well: “We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news….” So averse to self-glory that they tore their clothes at the news that men had begun worshipping them. Instead, they urged the people of Lystra to turn their praise towards the living God.

It’s incredible to see heroes who willingly step down from their pedestal and point the glory to another. These people touch us in a way that transcendent heroes never can. While there are plenty of talented and impressive people in the world, there is something paradoxical and yet beautiful about a humble hero that draws us in. Jesus Christ sits at the center of this beautiful paradox. He Himself could have said those very same words: “I also am a man, of like nature with you, and I bring you good news….” Take a minute today and reflect on the incredible humility of our King. How can we imitate the humility of Christ in our lives? 

Prayer: Jesus, there is no one like You. Thank You for being our humble King, stepping down from Your pedestal, and becoming a man. Help us to understand this mindset that You had, so that we might imitate You. Thank You for the Christ-like examples that we have: pastors, teachers, athletes, and also friends. Strengthen Your people to continue living in Your grace. In Your name I pray, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 22

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, 16: But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Questions to Consider

  1. In this passage, what is Paul’s rebuke towards the church in Corinth?
  2. After explaining that both he and Apollos are just servants, how does Paul redefine the Corinthian church?
  3. What does it mean that we are God’s temple?

Notes

  1. Paul rebukes the Corinthian church because of jealousy and strife, which was causing division in the church. This division was because some people were fans of Paul’s teachings, while others were fans of Apollos’ teachings. Paul chastises them for bringing division in the church over such matters.
  2. Paul says that the church is God’s field, God’s building, and God’s temple.
  3. Many people misuse this verse to say something like, “You shouldn’t smoke cigarettes” or, “You should eat healthier because you are God’s temple.” But this is not the correct interpretation according to the context. Being God’s temple is a corporate call for unity within the church. Paul is urging churches to protect the unity of God’s dwelling place. Destroying God’s temple, in this case, has nothing to do with cigarettes, eating fried food, or getting tattoos. Destroying God’s temple happens when we cause division in the church.

Evening Reflection

In today’s Bible study, we talked about the importance of unity in the church. Spend some time and pray for the unity of your church community.

January 19, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on May 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

“What Will Do You When They Call You Names?”

Acts 22:21-22

“And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

When I was much younger, I used to get very upset when people would not believe me about something I knew was true. I recall a time I was playing a board game with my family, and they thought I cheated because they refused to believe I could have made this one particular move. But I did not cheat! Being young, I threw a temper tantrum and stormed to my room in righteous indignation.

In this passage in Acts, Paul is in a similar but much more severe circumstance. He explained his calling from God, but the Jews absolutely did not believe that he was really called to be a minister to the Gentiles, for this did not fit in with the “truth” about God that the Jews believed. They were so against what Paul said that they even called for his death! Paul, though, did not storm away in a temper tantrum; rather, he endured the indictments and endured the resultant flogging.

In our Christian lives, there will be many times when the world will question our faith, our convictions, our pursuits; we may be called ridiculous or senseless or deluded. How will we react? Will we storm away from the world in anger, or will we turn back with love, knowing that Christ endured an even greater hardship? Will we be patient, trusting that God is in control?

We are called to be witnesses; we are called to be image-bearers of Christ. Though this is not an easy calling, we know that we have the power of God on our side. Let’s not turn from the world in anger or fear, but rather embrace the suffering and embrace this world in love.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You have overcome the world. As You have overcome, give us the strength to overcome. Though hardship and persecution may come, may our love and patience simply grow in the face of adversity. This is only possible by Your strength, so come once again and empower us for Your ways. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 21

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 5:11-12: Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Questions to Consider

  1. Is there a contradiction in being considered “blessed” while being persecuted?
  2. What do you think persecution looks like in our culture?
  3. What should our reaction to persecution be?

Notes

  1. I don’t think many people would post #blessed while suffering. Yet this passage tells us that there is blessing in being persecuted. We are blessed because persecution is the best means of preparing us for the reality that we have a better home (see Hebrews 11). 
  2. This passage speaks of reviling and uttering evil against us. Those are likely the most common forms of persecution we may face in our culture, since, God-willing, we will not likely endure any physical suffering in our culture. Still, persecution is a reality in our day and we need to be prepared, or else we may be overcome or turn bitterly away from the world.
  3. As crazy as it sounds, this passage tells us to “rejoice and be glad” while suffering in persecution. We rejoice because we are blessed. So how can we best endure suffering? We worship and praise our great God who has overcome the world!

Evening Reflection

Reflect back on today. Did you encounter any antagonism towards your faith or any opposition to your convictions, whether minor or major? How did you react? Take some time to thank God that He is the only One who can give us strength to overcome.