December 22, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on July 2, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Leadership”

1 King 12:3-7

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”

The oft-repeated saying, “He who thinketh he leadeth and has no one following him is only taking a walk,” is attributed to John Maxwell, the author of several books on leadership, such as Developing the Leader within You and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. His unmistakable assumption: a leader is the one who leads those who follow or serve him and his vision.

However, the advice given to King Rehoboam by those elders who had served his father Solomon, was antithetical to that thesis: “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever” (v.7). What a revolutionary concept— particularly in view of the fact that Israel was monarchy in which the kings held absolute power over everything!

In effect, the elders inverted Maxwell’s saying: “He who thinks he’s only taking a walk but has people following him, is leading.” Their advice was for Rehoboam to think less about leading but more on serving the people who, upon seeing his example, would then gladly follow him. It’s amazing that the concept of servant leadership, the one that Christ expounded on the night of his betrayal—“I have set you an example that you should de as I have done for you” (Jn. 13:15)—was ably articulated by the ancients operating under monarchy.

In response, Rehoboam, showing that he was more interested in being a leader than leading (through serving), “rejected the advice” (v.8). Opting to follow a different advice given by those “young men who had grown up with him” (v.10), the king said to the people, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions” (v.14). This didn’t end well: the nation of Israel was now irreparably divided.

How is your leadership at work, home or church? Don’t be like this elder whose opening remark to the youths at an informal meeting was, “Be quiet, I need respect right now.” Instead, serve the people first. Before telling others what to do, do it yourself. Some may take advantage of it, but others may want to imitate you. Lead by examples of servanthood.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, how often I forget that You came to serve, not to be served. On the contrary, how often I seek to lead by words but rarely by my actions. Lord, please change me so that my lifestyle truly reflects the One who gave “his life as a ransom for many.” Thank You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 20:20-8: Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Question to Consider

1. What do you think Mrs. Zebedee was thinking while making the request on her sons’ behalf?

2. Why do you think the rest of the disciples were upset upon finding out this request?

3. What is the unmistakable message of Jesus to his men? What about to you?

Notes

1. Like most mothers, she thought the world of her sons, which naturally led her to believe that John and James were best qualified for the top cabinet position in what she believed was going to be the restored and autonomous kingdom of Israel.

2. They were probably indignant for two reasons: first, feeling slighted that those three thought that they were somehow better than the rest; two, John and James might have gotten ahead of them in being considered for the top position.

3. Jesus’ message: “My kingdom, because it isn’t like that of the world, doesn’t operate by the same principles. The people of the world lead by power and authority; but in my kingdom, those who seek to lead do so through yielding, serving and self-sacrifice.

Evening Reflection

Every day, we are being confronted by many situations that call for leadership—including seeing trash on the side of road. What sort of situations did you face today? How did you respond? Did you heed to the advice of the “elders” or the “young men”? Wrap up this day through reflecting on the example set for us by Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to help you to emulate him daily.

December 21, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on December 22, 2016. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal. He and his wife Jessie are the proud parents of two young boys.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Worthy of Our Trust”

1 Peter 1:12-2:3

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. [13] I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, [14] since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. [15] And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. “[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” [18] we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. [19] And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. [3:1] But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. [2] And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. [3] And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

In his first letter, Peter writes to guide and encourage those under his care as they deal with persecution from outside the church. In this second letter, Peter instructs them on how to faithfully cling to the word of God as false teachers have come into the church, leading many of them astray to places of destruction. For Peter, this is an especially dire situation. He knows that the “putting off” of his body is coming soon; he cannot be there to protect and guide his sheep for much longer. So before he dies, he needs to make sure that the church does not deviate from the testimony of Scripture brought to them by his ministry.

In light of this, Peter provides two reasons as to why they should not be lured by the false teachers but trust in his testimony about Christ. First, he is an eyewitness. His teachings are not built on secondary sources, but he witnessed first-hand the majesty and glory of Christ. His testimony is not a result of “cleverly devised myths” or his creative imagination. He is only conveying what he saw with his own eyes. Second, the prophecies of Scripture are trustworthy, because they didn’t originate from the will of man but the prophets were “carried along by the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the prophetic Scriptures of the OT, which Peter employs to validate his own testimony, were not brought about by man but by divine inspiration—meaning, on a fundamental level, it is God who wrote them and God, above all, can be trusted. For these reasons, the church can rest assure that Peter’s testimony about Christ is true.

Just as it was a timely reminder for the recipients of Peter’s letter, this is also timely for us. As we spend each morning meditating on the words of Scripture, we can be confident that they are worthy of our trust. We don’t have to second guess its validity or accuracy. We can be sure that these words give us true life, wisdom, and most importantly, they lead us to a deeper and truer picture of God. Let us take some time this morning to thank God for His word!

Prayer: God, I thank You for revealing Yourself through the Scriptures. I pray that as I meditate on Your word each morning, that You will continue to reveal more of Yourself and shape me in a manner that reflects the truth of Your words. Help me to trust in Your word! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 15

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Questions to consider

What purpose does Scripture serve?
What role has the word of God played in your life?

Notes

God has given us the Scriptures for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness so that we can be equipped to do His work. Oftentimes, we stop at filling our minds with more biblical knowledge. However, a true understanding and reading of Scripture leads to a life of greater righteousness and an increase of good works for God’s glory.
Personal.

Evening Reflection

“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. . . . Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God’s Word.”

– Charles Spurgeon

December 20, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on July 21, 2015.

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“No Church? No Problem”

Hebrews 10:24-25

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

This year’s Christmas falls on a Sunday; therefore, some churches are planning to cancel their Sunday service because, among other reasons, only a few people may show up for the service since many congregants will be travelling. In response, George Barna, the renowned Christian pollster, may say, “No worries.”

“No Church? No Problem,” said the heading of an article appearing in a 2006 Christianity Today, which dealt with Barna’s book Revolution. According to Barna, there were “some 20 million people . . . who live ‘a first-century lifestyle based on faith, goodness, love, generosity, kindness, and simplicity’ and who ‘zealously pursue an intimate relationship with God.’” But these folks no longer attend church—which was just fine with Barna because, to him, the “meeting-in-a-building” model is a social construct (i.e., man-made) that can be deconstructed for a more relevant model.

Barna is right if you believe that the Church is a Church only if you congregate inside of a building with a pulpit in the front, surround by stained glass windows. But Barna is wrong if he believes that a lone individual seeking God constitutes the Church that God had in mind. While individuals ought to constantly seek God, our communion with Him isn’t complete until “two or three [believers] are gathered in [His] name” (Matt. 18:20) to praise, pray, partake of His word and share the sacraments. In that collective moment, the sense that God is “among us” is truly enhanced. We worship God when we gather as a body of Christ, however small or large. The church is not like retail business in which it may make sense to close the store early or not open at all for a day or two, that is, if not doing so will result in a financial loss because of few customers.

So don’t just go to church out of habit. Worship God with others (whether a few or many), and then encourage one another to strive for God’s honor in this increasingly secular and rudderless society.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I exalt You today because it was by the blood shed on the Cross that the Church was constituted through the Spirit. Forgive me for my spiritual negligence in missing the corporate meetings of my church over frivolous reasons. Help me to be the Church as well to seek you daily and to encourage others. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 2:46-7: And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 12:12-3: When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

Question to Consider

1. In what sense did these gatherings constitute a Church?

2. Note where these believers met: What does that say about what constitutes the Church?

3. How can we incorporate Barna’s comments in our walk with God without giving up on the Church? How is your commitment to your local church?

Notes

1. A collective group of believers was gathered to praise God, pray together and break bread (i.e., sharing sacraments and a meal afterwards).

2. They met at homes as well as at the temple. Either way, it was a place where a group of believers gathered to worship and pray together—that’s the Church.

3. While we meet as a corporate body at a designated time and place, individually we should seek God and do good deeds on our own—it doesn’t have to be aneither/or.

Evening Reflection

Have you ever seen yourself as a Church—a place where the Spirit dwells? That makes you a temple of the Holy Spirit. So when you go to your secular workplace, in a sense, you are bringing the Church there. In that light, how did your coworkers, fellow students, or family members benefit by your presence today? Can you think of one thing that you did or said that made someone think about God and His goodness? Pray for a more meaningful day tomorrow.

December 19, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on December 19, 2016. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal. He and his wife Jessie are the proud parents of two young boys.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“More Than Doctrines and Theologies”

2 Peter 1:3

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises.

Sadly, many of us have minimized the gospel to a set of doctrines and theological truths that need to be accepted. In one sense, this is correct. Part of the demands that derive from the gospel require our belief in its propositional truths, such as the identity of Christ and His atoning work on the cross. However, this is only part of the picture. As the apostle Paul states in Romans 1:16, the gospel is also the power of God; it is more than a list of facts—it is also the very power that grants salvation and transformation in our lives. It is neither our self-discipline nor our willpower that changes us, but it is the power of the gospel that ultimately shapes us.

And we are reminded of the dynamic nature of the gospel in the opening statements of 2 Peter. Here, the Apostle makes an astonishing claim: God has provided by His divine power everything necessary for life and godliness; all of which is made available through our knowledge of Christ. In other words, trust and belief in the gospel affords us all that we need to be transformed into the likeness of God. He has given us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live differently, a new heart made of flesh and responsive to the commands of God, and a community that walks alongside us for the entire journey. There is nothing that we lack in our endeavor to become more like Christ!

This is an important truth to remember. We all go through seasons where true change seems impossible, and we find ourselves stuck in a vicious cycle of sin. In moments like these, it is so easy to give up and believe that victory is out of reach. However, Peter reminds us that God does not leave us ill-equipped. He gives us all that we need to live lives of freedom and true transformation. Let us take time this morning to meditate on these truths and find hope and encouragement, as we strive to reflect the character of Christ!

Prayer: Father, I come before You broken in my sins. I desire to live a life of godliness, one that is pleasing to You, but I cannot do it on my own. Help me to understand that when I depend on You alone, You provide all that I need to overcome my areas of struggle. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Ezekiel 36:26-27: And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Questions to consider

What are we promised in this passage?
What is the result of receiving of new heart and God’s Spirit?

Notes

God promises that those in the New Covenant are going to receive hearts that are made of flesh. They will no longer have hearts of stone. Furthermore, God will put His Spirit in them.
Man is finally able to walk in the statutes of God and obey His rules.

Evening Reflection

As you went about your day, did you take time to acknowledge your dependence on God? Oftentimes, we fall into sin because the busyness of life, which makes it difficult for us to sense our need for Him. Take some time tonight to ask God to make you more aware of your need for Him. The more we are aware of our need for God, the more we will learn to depend on His strength and not our own!

December 18, Sunday

Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought was first posted on March 29, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Well-Ordered Heart”

Heb. 12:2 (NIV)

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

When I was in college, I perpetually mismanaged my time on the weekends. I would hang out late into the night with my friends, sleep in, say yes to any social invitation that seemed fun, and lived most Saturdays in denial that there were deadlines to meet on Monday. Then Sunday morning would roll around, and school work all of a sudden became my top mental priority – so much so that I would squeeze loads of information onto index cards and sneakily go over them during the Sunday sermon, my Bible conveniently shielding them from view. If the service went a bit long, I would grow antsy and rudely pull out my planner to make to-do lists and schedule things for the upcoming week. If I had been the owner of a smartphone, I would have most definitely expanded my multi-tasking behavior by checking email or scrolling down a social media feed.

While my church etiquette has improved since my college days, a closer examination of my life reveals that the heart issue behind that behavior persists: I struggle with entering deep, sustained moments with God or even entertaining it as a passing thought many days. My mind often wanders to worries and future plans; it grows restless until I’m measurably productive, whether it’s “spiritual” productivity (filling more pages in my journal or working towards finishing a Christian book) or general productivity (running a few miles while praying or writing lessons while listening to a sermon). These combinations aren’t necessarily wrong, but it can be harmful to my heart when they replace a time with God that is silent and still.

A well-ordered heart takes time to develop; it requires discipline that is built gradually and with persistence. It forces us to finally admit what we try to ignore amidst busy schedules and earthly plans: that underneath all this striving, there’s an empty feeling inside of us. All our ambitions will fall short of giving life meaning. I’m slowly learning that unless I allow God to expose the parts of my heart decaying beneath the appearance of health and order, I won’t ever experience what it feels like to have a well-ordered heart. A heart that is so fixed on Christ that it can endure whatever hardship or overcome the strongest temptation because it is sustained by a deep friendship with Jesus. For those with well-ordered hearts, life’s purpose is no longer to become financially successful or complete some noble humanitarian deed or live a life that would garner hundreds of likes on Instagram. Pastor John Ortberg describes a well-ordered heart as one that is organized around what Jesus would think, say, and do in our place. And that begins during our alone time with God, when we become available for His voice to penetrate our hearts. God can’t speak to us when we’re too busy multi-tasking. Lord, let our hearts desire just one thing.

Prayer: Dear Father, help me to order my heart in such a manner that You and Your eternal word take the precedence over all the urgent matters in my life that demand my immediate attention. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 12

December 17, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on December 4, 2016, is provided by Joanna Tzen, a friend of AMI, who attended and served at Grace Covenant Church for a long time.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“I Live Here But This Isn’t My Destination”

Phil 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Something else that has been making me long for my heavenly home is all of the recent election rhetoric (2016). Political and government news is somewhat interesting for me, but I usually keep my opinions to myself. This is probably due to my confrontational-avoidant nature, but that’s for another day’s devotional.

I work on a very liberal campus and I was struck by the somber nature of the day after the election. I understand the disappointment and fear many felt that day, and continue to, but at the same time, it has never been more apparent to me that who and what the world hopes in truly is not eternal. I am an advocate of us as Christians being good stewards while we are here, meaning we vote and stay informed of and engaged in the world around us, but it became very clear to me that those at my workplace placed all of their hope in a person or political party or a government.

That day, I thought about how I am ultimately a citizen of heaven, and no earthly authority can change that truth. My trust and hope is in the One who laid the foundations of earth and overcame death. He is unshakeable and immovable. Not only do we hope in Jesus while we are here, but we have hope that there is a renewal coming for all things, when there is a new heaven and new earth.

My prayer is that even in divisive times, Christians of all persuasions can identify that we hope in the same God; and even in this time, this will allow us to point others to the One who will never fail us.

Prayer: Lord, search my heart and show me if I have placed my hope in the things that will pass, either in my own dreams or things of this world. If so, please forgive me, Lord, and help me to place my hope in You once again. Remind of how faithful You have been in the past and how You keep your promises in the present and future. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 10-11

December 16, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on July 3, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“An Astute Career Move That Wasn’t”

1 King 12:16, 25-31

And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. . . . 25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.

People used to like Justin Bieber, Lindsay Lohan, and Miley Cyrus—especially when they, as young pups with major talents, broke into show business. The young Jeroboam had some major talents as well—not in song and dance, but in military exercise. So, “when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force” (11:28). Even God, through a prophet, told Jeroboam, “I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes” (31).

For Miley, opting for a bad girl image is a calculated career move. The famed singer Dolly Parton said regarding her godchild, “[Miley] was very proud of the work she did as Hannah Montana, but people were gonna leave her there forever. And she was just smotherin’ and chokin’ in it. So she felt she had to do something completely drastic. And she did.” Her makeover has been so successful that adding “See Miley Cyrus” next to the word “raunchy” in the new edition of Webster’s Dictionary wouldn’t be a surprise.

Jeroboam also made an “astute” career move. Liking the feeling of being in charge, he completely destroyed the spiritual foundation of Israel by instituting a counterfeit religion; while doing so, he showed no fear of God. After changing the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan, Jeroboam told the people to worship golden calves. He then opened the priesthood to everyone even though God had limited that just to the Levites.

Miley Cyrus is purposely going “bad” so she can do anything that Hanna Montana wouldn’t do, but what about Jeroboam? Fearing that he may lose his kingdom, Jeroboam went “bad” in order to keep his subjects from offering annual sacrifices in Jerusalem (i.e., enemy territory). Displaying some talent in acting as well, Jeroboam, in pretense, said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.”

What about you? Do you want God’s approval or man’s accolades? For those who no longer fear God in order to go after their desires, one word of warning: it will not end well (14:12-3). Repent and cease your reckless pursuit of your wanton desire. Choose God.

Prayer: Father, the lure of the world is real and palpable; it’s everywhere! Put the fear of God in me so that I would think twice before stepping into the traps of the enemy. Help me to love You more. May the Spirit fill me each day so that I have the power to love God and say no to sin. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Genesis 3:1-6: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Question to Consider

Like all of us, Jeroboam was a son of Adam. What did he learn from the first man? In what ways are their acts similar?
In what ways are the consequences of their actions similar (both personal and collective senses)?
Examine the manners in which you go about getting what you need or want. Are you more like “shameless” Cyrus Miley or “lawless” (breaking all rules) Jeroboam?

Notes

Both of them, in order to go after their desires, totally ignored God and His word. They couldn’t claim ignorance since they were well aware of God’s clear instructions. In short, they had no fear of God.
At the personal level, their actions greatly injured them—Adam and Eve were banished from the garden while Jeroboam’s family paid a dear price for his sin. At the collective level, their sin affected the rest of the people in their world. Through Adam, sin entered the world, making everyone sinful from the outset; through Jeroboam (922-01), the Israelites in the Northern Kingdom were introduced to idolatry which would last until its eventual demise in 721 B.C.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

As you wrap up another busy day, reflect on how the day went. Did you do anything “shameful” (thinking that it was funny or amusing) to get on the good side of the people? Did you compromise your beliefs just so that you won’t be persecuted for what you believe? Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:12, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Pray for God’s strength to live a life worthy of the cross.

December 15, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King, a friend of AMI, was first posted on November 10, 2016. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Seeing Our Reality Through the Spiritual Realm”

Hebrews 7:23-28

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

In his book Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey summarizes C.S. Lewis’ theory of “transposition” in which he explores the human tendency to overemphasize natural realties (because they are the ones we can see and most readily understand) over and against spiritual ones, even to the point of reducing our human experience solely to natural realities with little or no consideration for their spiritual components.

Yancey explains, “Lewis suggested the analogy of a beam of light in a dark toolshed. When he first entered a shed, he saw a beam and looked at the luminous band of brightness filled with floating specs of dust. But when he moved over to the beam and looked along it, he gained a very different perspective. Suddenly he saw not the beam, but, framed in the window of the shed, green leaves moving on the branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 93 million miles away, the sun. Looking at the beam and looking along the beam are quite different.

We are experts when it comes to looking at the beam. We reduce our experiences and circumstances to the natural realm – what we can see with our eyes and process with our own reasoning and wisdom. And, in so doing, we find ourselves relying on those things for answers and understanding. Yet, there is another realm – the spiritual realm. And in it, we have a high priest who is enthroned at the right Hand of God Almighty in power and majesty. One who is ministering on our behalf. One who has made atonement for our sins and affords us access to God Himself (the source of all that is life). And (at the risk of sounding like a broken record this week) One who is bringing forth a perfect Kingdom and an awesome plan of redemption for the whole world.

May we challenge ourselves to resist our tendency toward reduction (based on what we can see as we merely look at the things going on around us) and instead depend on the Holy Spirit within to give us His understanding and a fuller perspective as we move through life today.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, your word commands me to trust in You with all my heart, relying not on my own understanding. Give me grace to obey. Grant me Your perspective as I look out on the world today. May I see as You see and respond in a life of worship to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 6:10-18: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Questions to Consider

What does Paul remind us in verse 12? What are some areas in your life where you may have lost sight of this truth?
What does Paul command us to do in this passage? What are some ways you can do this today?
Paul’s final words deal with the importance of prayer. What is the connection between praying and remaining alert?

Notes

Paul reminds us that our war is not against flesh and blood. In other words, we are not merely battling against other people, but there is much more going on in the spiritual realm and ultimately there is a battle going on for souls and hearts. Spend time reflecting on areas of your life where this truth needs to sink in.
Paul gives quite a few commands in this passage. First, he tells us to find our strength and confidence in God and His strength (not our own). Then he tells us to put on the full armor of God, with all its many components. Are you standing strong in God’s strength and might or another kind of strength? What parts of your armor need attention today?
Prayer is what enables us to be alert because it grants us a pipeline to the One who sees all things and knows all things. Without prayer we are unable to have the perspective we need to live in wisdom.

Evening Reflection

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” (C.S. Lewis, This Weight of Glory)

Spending time thinking about spiritual things not only gives us a truer perspective on what’s happening around us but it also grants us hope for what is to come. What are some ways you’ve settled for less than what God has in store for you? Spend some time thinking of eternal life and building anticipation for the great gift God is offering to each of us.

December 14, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 7, 2016, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Win-Win Situation”

Philippians 1:21-26

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

If someone came to you today and said, “You can have either a brand new BMW or a brand new Mercedes Benz for free, as my gift to you. You just have to pick one.” You, in theory, would have a dilemma on your hands, trying to decide between the two cars; but either way, it’s a win-win situation, right? No matter what you choose, you get a free luxury car. It’s not often that we encounter a win-win situation. Most of the time, life can feel more like an endless stream of lose-lose situations: If we choose this particular career path, we make less money, but if we choose this other career path, we have less time with others. If we live in this city, we’re too far from home, but if we live in this other city, we have fewer opportunities. It can sometimes feel like no matter what we choose in life, we’re missing out on something.

When we look at what Paul says here in Philippians though, there is no fear of missing out at all. It seems that each and every day of his life was a win-win situation—if he dies, he gets be with Jesus, but if he lives, he can keep on laboring to help others grow in their faith. To Paul, this was a dilemma, but either way—if he were to live or to die—it was a win-win situation.

It can be hard to see life as a winning situation and/or death as a winning situation. We might think that if we live, we have hard lives and difficult situations before us. But if we die, we miss out on life itself. So why was Paul able to feel like this about life and death? Simply, Paul understood his identity and purpose. He was able to look at his life and know that he had a purpose to live and labor for the sake of Jesus. And at the same time, he was able to look at death and call it “gain,” because he knew that as a child of God, regardless of what he was able to accomplish, his life was in the hands of Jesus. Either way, his life was about Jesus. And so when we struggle to see the wins in life or death, we need to make our lives about Jesus, to know our identity and purpose in Him. When it’s about Jesus, it’s always a win-win!

Prayer: Jesus, help me to make my life about You. I pray that instead of being wrapped up in the things of this world, my life will be wrapped up in You alone. Help me to understand my identity and purpose in You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 7

Lunch Bible Study

Read John 14:1-4: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

Questions to Consider

According to Jesus, how do we find hope in the midst of trials?
What does it mean that Jesus has prepared a place for us?
How is your heart troubled right now? How can you find hope in Christ today?

Notes

Jesus tells us to believe or trust in Him when we find ourselves in difficult times. We can trust in Jesus, because He tells us that there are many rooms in His Father’s house, where He has prepared a place for us; and He Himself will take us to that place.
It means that we have a room in heaven waiting for us. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can have an eternal life with Him and the Father in heaven.
Personal reflection question.

Evening Reflection

Paul says, “For me to live is Christ.” Is that how you would define your life? If you’re like me, there are probably at least a few other things competing to fill in that space. Take some time to reflect on those other things that seek to define you, and spend time repenting and putting your whole life in the hands of Jesus.

December 13, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on May 5, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God Tests, Not Tempts, Us”

2 Sam. 11:10-5 (NIV)

David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” [11] Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” [12] Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. [13] At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home. [14] In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. [15] In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

When I was teaching in Mexico, I would go over the exam material beforehand so that my students would do well. That probably reflects the heart of most teachers, and it certainly captures the heart of God.

God “tests our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:4), but he “does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13); that’s what the enemy does. In theory, distinguishing between the two seems easy: testing is when we are being tested of the things we have learned for our growth; whereas, tempting is being tested of the things we don’t have the capacity to overcome so that we may fail. But in reality, it’s difficult to distinguish between the two. For instance, while the Greek word ekperizō is translated as “tempt” when referring to what the devil did following Jesus’ 40-day fasting (Matt. 4:1), it’s translated as “test” in Luke 10:25 when the lawyer was testing Jesus. But one thing is clear: whether tested or tempted, God won’t let us face it alone. Paul writes, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor.10:13b).

We see that God certainly does that for David here. David wishes that Uriah goes home and has a conjugal relationship with his wife Bathsheba, for only then her pregnancy could be explained away, and David will no longer be under suspicion. However, Uriah is too honorable to do that; instead, he sleeps at the entrance to the palace. Stunned by his loyalty, David should have scrapped his scheme, but he doesn’t. Plan B is to make Uriah so drunk that he will go home afterwards; again he doesn’t. Having given two chances by God to stop the charade and confess his sins to Uriah, David opts for Plan C—which is murder. His life will never be the same again.

It could be a ringing phone or dog barking or a sudden remembering of a Bible verse you’ve heard a while back: consider that as God’s way of “provid[ing] the way of escape” (NASB) so that you may not fall into temptation and be miserable.

Prayer: Father, we praise and glorify Your Name. While we feel like we are inundated by more temptations now than before, the truth is we’ve gotten better at sinning. For the sake of temporary enjoyment, we’ve bartered our souls to our own dismay. Lord, help us to seize every opportunity You give so that we may not yield to these enticing temptations. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 6

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Chron. 21:1-8 (ESV): Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. [2] So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” [3] But Joab said, “May the Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?” [4] But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. [5] And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. [6] But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab. [7] But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. [8] And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

Ps. 20:7 (ESV): Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Question to Consider

1. What was so bad about David taking the census? Why did it displease God?

2. In what sense did God provide a way out so that David didn’t have to fall into that temptation?

3. Joab wasn’t a spiritually-sensitive man; in fact, he was often in the flesh. Yet, God used him to try tostop David from doing something that would later cost the life of 70,000 people. What kind of attitude should we cultivate so that we would allow just about anyone to speak into our lives?

Notes

1. David had proclaimed and taught that Israel was going to trust God for victories, not the strength of its army or weapons. By counting the number of soldiers, David, in effect, was saying that he was going to depend on his army for victories. As a result, he broke what is called Suzerain-vassal covenant in which he was to completely rely on God for everything.

2. Even Joab, not known for spirituality, understood the implication of counting the number of soldiers. Thus, he tried to persuade his boss to drop the project but to no avail. That was the way out which God provided so that David didn’t have to give into temptation, but again, he didn’t listen.

3. The Bible is replete with examples of unlikable people (including a donkey) whom God used to speak into the lives of people more holier than them: God used the Babylonians to judge Israel, which puzzled Habakkuk and he asked God, “Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (1:13). Thus, we should have a humble attitude.

Evening Reflection

Are you so numb spiritually that you aren’t even aware of having been tempted today? Is our standard of holiness so low that we actually feel okay even though we typically yield to any and every kind of temptation? So, what temptation did you face today? Are you walking any differently than the world in areas that truly matter? Ask God for discernment so that you may know what temptations you are facing in the first place. Then, ask God to overcome them.