November 19, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on November 28, 2015.  He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“I Hate Waiting”

 Esther 5:1-8

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. [2] And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. [3] And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” [4] And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” [5] Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. [6] And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” [7] Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: [8] If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

We live in a culture where we do not like to wait.  Everything is instant. You no longer have to wait until you get home to know if someone called or wait to find information on a certain subject because of the Internet. You can watch entire episodes of television shows in one sitting.  One newspaper said it best:

“The demand for instant results is seeping into every corner of our lives, and not just virtually. Retailers are jumping into same-day delivery services. Smartphone apps eliminate the wait for a cab, a date, or a table at a hot restaurant. Movies and TV shows begin streaming in seconds. But experts caution that instant gratification comes at a price: It’s making us less patient.”  – Boston Globe

When Esther hears about the evil plot of Haman to annihilate the Jewish people, with help of Mordecai, she comes up with her own plan.  She decides to talk to the king, which was risky because she knew that if she approached the king uninvited, he could have ended her life.  Determined, she tells the king that she has prepared a feast for him, and she wishes that Haman would come join them (v.4).  In her planning, Esther demonstrated wisdom and did not hurry the process but rather waited on the Lord’s timing.  She was not rash or impatient.  She did not rush to the king or sell out Haman right away.  Her self-control and boldness once again demonstrates her confidence in the Lord.  Here are a few lessons for us today:

  1. As we plan our lives, we should wait upon the Lord to guide us.  There is nothing wrong with planning out our own lives but as we do, we need to trust and wait on the Lord to discern His will.  As we face decisions, wait for Him, and ask for clarity and wisdom.  As we wait, spend time in prayer and the Word.  Ask other people for wise counsel.  Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”
  2. When working through an unpleasant situation, trust the Lord for enduring patience.  Think of the patience Esther must have had to refrain from telling the king about Haman when she had him in the very palm of her hand.  In situations that are unpleasant, timing is as important as action, sometime more so.  Have patience.  Wait for the Lord to show you the way.  

Prayer:  Lord, as I face various decisions and plans in my future, help me to wait upon You.  Help me to have patience and self-control, as I desire to hear Your voice.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 5-6

November 18, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on November 18, 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

“Forgiveness”

Hebrews 9:24-28

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

When I first became a Christian in college, I had a faulty understanding of forgiveness. I thought it was conditional—meaning, I thought if I missed a sin to repent of, I would not be forgiven of that sin. So I lived in fear, thinking I had to repent from each sin I committed. This was quite a burden I carried! But then, God showed me just how deep His grace is. It took two years, but eventually I understood that I was eternally forgiven and justified before God; and even more, I was now called righteous! If only I had grasped that earlier.

This passage shows us this reality through this powerful verse: “he has appeared once for all.” Once for all. And that is why Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” He really meant this. It is finished—not partially finished, not just His part finished and now it’s our part; no, it is fully finished. Even though I am sinful, I am eternally forgiven in Christ. What a relief; what a freeing reality! Still, we should repent from our sins, as the Bible commands, but let us remember that our repentance doesn’t save us– it is Christ who saves, once for all.

Now that we are forgiven, we are called to wait eagerly for Him, the One who saves us once for all. Let our hearts be crying out for Him—crying out to meet the One who freely gave it all for us: “So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Let us wait with joy, for our Savior is coming!

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You offered Yourself once for all. You took the full burden of our salvation; You took it all upon Yourself. Thank You for Your eternal saving power. Let me not ever feel like there is any burden on me, because You said, “It is finished.” Though the world oftentimes feels heavy to me, help me to know that You carry my burdens. And help me to have hope, because You are coming!

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 4

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 John 1:5-10: This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Questions to Consider

  1. What do you think it means to walk in the light?
  2. What happens if we confess our sins?
  3. What is the consequence of denying or ignoring our sin?

Notes

  1. It can be easy to think that walking in the light means we have to live without sin. But this passage also says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves….” So walking in the light is more about walking in relationship with God, knowing that He is the One who forgives us.
  2. God shows us His faithfulness by forgiving us. And more than that, He cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. Remember, repentance is not only about receiving forgiveness for each sin, but about receiving forgiveness for all sins, and acknowledging that God alone can save.
  3. We make ourselves liars and the word of God is not in us. We are all sinners – this passage is clear about that. God is now calling us to bring our sin to Him, knowing that He alone is the source of forgiveness and new life.

Evening Reflection

Tonight, let’s spend some time in repentance. But let this repentance bring freedom and joy, because Christ saves, once for all. From repentance, let’s go to sleep in the relief that Christ is the One who carried, still carries, and will always carry our burdens.

November 17, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on November 3, 2016.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Trust Your Dad, Kids. Trust the Father Above”

Hebrews 6:1-3 (NASB)

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

It’s amazing how my young children will trust me with just about anything. They are still young enough to think that their daddy knows everything and is stronger than just about anyone. I intend to milk it until they discover on some sad day in the future, that their father is a mere mortal. While the truth eventually catches up with every earthly father, our heavenly Father truly knows all and is able to accomplish His purposes by the strength of His word. 

We learned yesterday the writer of Hebrews urging his listeners to press on to maturity in the faith. This was something that they sorely lacked—especially since they had been believers for a long time. It’s expected of the followers of Christ that there would be a natural process of growing and maturing, so that we are not laying again the foundation of our faith—that is, the basic and elementary doctrines that begins our new birth in Christ (6:1). 

Among these elementary doctrines, the author includes in verse 2, “washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” These references are a bit obscure, but it is generally understood that these are practices and beliefs that include baptism and the basic understanding of the end times. We are to go beyond such basics and press into greater knowledge and greater depth when it comes to the doctrines of our faith. 

The author speaks a note of strong affirmation of God’s sovereignty in verse 3. He desires to move the audience forward into maturity, but he acknowledges that only “if God permits,” implying that he will only be able to do so if God is willing. This is a great reminder that all of life is lived under the comprehensive sovereignty of God. Whatever happens in life, let us trust that our heavenly Father is sovereign and knows what is best for His children. And unlike all earthly fathers, He is capable of bringing to pass His sovereign plans, because He is truly the Mighty One! 

Prayer: God, thank You for Your sovereignty. I will trust You to lead me and guide me through every step of my life. May Your will be done in my life and in my world. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 3

Lunch Break Study  

Read Romans 10:9-10: . . . because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Questions to Consider 

1. What is the most basic thing we must do to be saved according to Romans 10:9?   

2. What does the heart do? What does the mouth do? 

3. So to grow more mature, what must you start to believe in and confess your mouth with?     

Notes

1. We must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead.  

2. The hearts helps us believe, while the mouth helps us make our confession.  

3. Personal application. 

Evening Reflection

Were you able to think deeply about God today? Or can you identify something pertaining to your spiritual life where you can use more clarity and more certainty? Ask the Lord in prayer to guide you now. 

November 16, Wednesday

UPDATED  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 16, 2016, is provided by Emerson Lin.  Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, along with his family, was recently ordained.  Congratulation. He is a graduate of University of California, San Diego and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“‘Got to Serve Better.’ Are You Talking Tennis?” 

Hebrews 9:12-14

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

I grew up always loving the game of tennis that I probably spent more time on the tennis court than I did anywhere else. Every day I would train with my coach three to four hours—hitting ball after ball. If there were any issues with my strokes, footwork or serve, my coach would correct me, and we would work on one motion for an hour straight. The goal for all of this training, conditioning, and lifting wasn’t so that I could be healthy, but so I could optimally perform (like serving well) in my tennis tournaments. Today, I want to talk about a different kind of serve.

In this passage, the author describes how the blood of goats and calves can only ceremonially clean a person on the outside. But it is only through the blood of Jesus that we may truly be clean on the inside. However, the author shares that Christ did not come to simply redeem us so we could enjoy this just for ourselves; but he inserts the word “so” (v. 14) to indicate that there is a greater purpose to our redemption—“so that we may serve the living God!”

Many of us—including myself—struggle with a consumer mentality when it comes to our faith. While we may not actively want to become consumers, we naturally default to that state because of our consumer culture: For example, “If I don’t get anything out of small group, it is a waste of time,” or “If the preacher is not intellectual stimulating, then I’m looking for a different one.”

Please understand that it is good to receive from the church and the Lord and grow in our personal faith. But the author of Hebrews states that Christ cleared our conscience so that we may serve the living God! Our goal is not to just build ourselves up but ultimately to make sure that God’s kingdom is being built up.

I encourage you to examine yourself: Are there areas in your Christian walk where you consume more than contribute? Do you feel that you’ve been too focused on growing inwardly? When was the last time you contributed to your small group, large group, prayer meeting, and to the growth of the church? Ask the Lord to help you become a better contributor to His Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for redeeming me and washing my sins away. Your love for me wasn’t so that I just stand on the sidelines to enjoy this wonderful gift myself. I want to serve You and contribute more to the growth of Your Kingdom. Help me to be less inward focused and more outward focused. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 2

Lunch Break Study

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Questions to Consider

  1. Why does James encourage his readers to have works with their faith?
  2. How does James’ example of Abraham reveal the importance of works and faith working together? 

Notes

  1. Because faith alone without works is dead. The word for dead, in this context, means “fruitless” or “useless.” God is calling us to be effective ministers in different areas of our lives. 
  2. The Bible says that Abraham believed in God, but it wasn’t just through belief. God tested Abraham’s loyalties through the sacrifice of his most precious thing – Isaac. Faith alone is dead, but when coupled with works, it is obedience. 

Evening Reflection


In view of the theme of being a contributor rather than a consumer, how has this spurred you on to serve the Lord more? Are there areas in church or even in your community that you feel God is calling you to serve? Small group? Worship? Boys and Girls club? Ask the Lord the open doors for you. 

November 15, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on September 29, 2015.

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“‘The LORD was Not Willing to Forgive.’ What?”

2 King 24:3-4 (ESV)

Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon.

Joseph Prince, pastor of a megachurch in Singapore, who writes, “We don’t have to keep on asking the Lord . . . for forgiveness because He has already forgiven us,” would probably warn us to stay clear of this verse: “The LORD was not willing to forgive” (NIV).  However, be rest assured that even during the Old Testament time, God was all too willing to forgive the wayward Israelites with whom He had covenanted unconditionally (i.e., an unbreakable contract).  Though indignant God had declared, “I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should forgive them” (Hos. 1:6), in the next breath, He added, “Yet I will show love to the house of Judah” (1:7).   God assured the Jews being punished in Babylonia as captives, “I will restore [your] fortunes and have compassion” (Jer. 33:26).  

Then why does God make statements that seem to contradict His very nature?  How can an omniscient God, upon seeing man’s wickedness during Noah’s days, “repent[] . . . that he had made man on the earth” (Gn. 6:6 KJV).  Surely, the term “anthropomorphic” is too heavy for a morning devotion, but we cannot understand why God would say, “I’m not willing to forgive,” apart from grasping its meaning.  Anthropomorphism is attributing human qualities to God, so that we may gain an adequate understanding of this infinite being whose nature and qualities would otherwise be unknowable to finite humans.  The essence of anthropomorphic expressions isn’t doctrinal exactitude—but emotional candidness, to draw us closer so as to hear His heartbeat.  And as we wait in stillness, we would hear Him say, “You matter to me.”  Think about that for a second: the God of this vast universe, instead of being indifferent, actually cares about me; so much so that He would respond emotionally—rather than doctrinally—when we err to our own detriment!    

God has already forgiven all our sins in Christ, but we must first acknowledge our sins and then confess them for His forgiveness to be effectual (1 Jn. 1:9).  So today, examine your heart in light of the Scriptures; and under the guidance of the Spirit, confess your sins to the Lord in order that your relationship with Him would be truly restored.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I praise You this morning for your loving kindness.  While I’m easily dismissed and ignored by those who are more powerful than me, I’m heartened to realize that You, who is above everyone and everything, considers me so important that You would open Your heart towards me.   While I don’t understand why I would matter to You, I’m awed and grateful that You do. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 1

Lunch Break Study 

Pastor Prince comments that since “[God] . . . forgave all—past, present, and future—of our trespasses” (p. 44) . . ., we don’t have to confess our sins in order to be forgiven.  We confess our sins because we are already forgiven” (p. 104).  

Read Matt. 6:14-5: For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

1 John 1:9-10: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Matt. 18:34-5: And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Question to Consider

1. How would appraise Prince’s theology or teaching in light of these verses?

2. If you consider this matter similar to Christ’s atonement for the world (1 Jn. 2:2: “He is the atoning sacrifices for our sins, and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world”) and our need to actually believe what he did to be saved, then, what would you say to those who insist that we don’t need to confess ours sin because they are already forgiven?  

3. Are you in need of asking forgiveness from God?  We learned today that we must first ask forgiveness from the one whom we wronged.  Pray about making that call to reconcile today. 

Notes

1. The main problem is that his teaching doesn’t address these verses that say that we won’t be forgiven unless we forgive those who wronged us and unless we confess our sins.   Having read his book (2007), he either ignores these verses or does a very poor job of explaining them.  For instance, he insists that 1 John 1:9 addresses the unbelieving Gnostics, which is incorrect, since John wrote 1 John to the believers to “make [their] joy complete” (1:4).

2. The fact that Jesus is the “atoning sacrifices for the sins of the whole world” doesn’t mean that everyone in the world for which Jesus died is already saved.  They need to first hear the gospel, and then believe.  Likewise, those who are in Christ are already forgiven in Him (future sins included), but they must first recognize and then confess them in order for God’s forgiveness to “kick in.”  That doesn’t mean that unforgiving Christians who, therefore, are unforgiven of a particular sin are  no longer saved; while the relationship is still intact, there cannot be a true fellowship with God as long as we linger in our unconfessed sins. 

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

One undeniable fact is that we are full of self-righteousness.  As a result, we see “the speck of sawdust in [our] brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in [our] own eye (Matt. 7:2).  In looking back, were you upset at someone today for what that person said or did to you?  Stay still and ask the Holy Spirit to bring clarity to that situation.  What really happened?  Does that person still owe you an apology, or is it you?  Even if that person did wrong, were you overly righteous in your response (Eccles. 7:16)?  Did you forgive or ask for forgiveness?   It is never too late. 

November 14, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on Novem 14, 2016, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.  Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), just moved to Tokyo where he plans to, the Lord willing, plant a church. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Hebrews 9:1-5 (ESV)

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. [2] For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. [3] Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, [4] having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. [5] Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

In modern times, art is often seen as a form of self-expression.  The most important thing is to be “authentic” and to express oneself earnestly.  Worship is often seen the same way.  As long as we sing or serve with good intentions and genuine emotion, God should accept it happily.  How we feel and what we desire to do for God becomes the primary focus.  

The biblical witness regarding worship is shockingly different.  God gives Moses incredibly detailed instructions for where and how the people are to worship.  When Nadab and Abihu offer God “unauthorized fire” to the Lord in Leviticus 10, He consumes them!  When a well-meaning Uzzah reaches out to steady the ark of God that was in the midst of worship, God strikes him down for his error. (In truth, it was due to the error of King David who should’ve known better than to use a cart to carry the ark; he ignored “the prescribed way”—1 Chron. 15:12-16)!

In these moments, God appears to be a petty, controlling deity.  Doesn’t He know that it’s the thought that counts? According to our passage, for as long as there have been a people of God, there have been regulations for worship.  God cannot be worshiped just any old way and this does not restrict us, it frees us.  Worship has always been greater than anything the whims of man could conceive. 

When God designs the worship, we are reminded that God is light itself and His very body is given for us.  When God designs the worship, we are amazed that the Holy One of Israel would allow us to worship Him at all.  When God designs the worship, we are more aware of God’s presence, provision, authority, and justice than our own.  When God designs the worship, we are awed by the One who sits on a throne of mercy and is worshiped day and night by the saints and angels.

So, when we worship, instead of focusing on our feelings, or using smoke and lights to conjure up strange ambiance, let us wonder at the One who is set apart from us (holy) and who is beyond us (infinite, glorious).  Let’s worship for the audience of One.

Prayer: Oh God, teach me how to worship You rightly.  I want to join with the saints and angels of all ages and places to give You the glory You deserve.  Give me ears to hear that I may honor You with what You ask, and that You might be lifted up. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 36

Lunch Break Study

Read Revelation 7:9-12 (ESV): After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” [11] And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Question to Consider

1. Who will worship the Lord in the Kingdom of God?

2. What will they say in their worship?

3. What will they do in their worship?

Notes

1. A great multitude from every nation, tribe, and people.  Also the angels, elders and four living creatures. 

2. They will declare God’s salvation (what He has done), His greatness (who He is), and what He deserves.

3. They will stand with palm branches in their hands, they will cry out with a loud voice, and they will fall on their faces before the throne.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on your day.  Were you able to take time to ask God how He wanted you to honor Him today?  What makes it hard to hear the Lord?  What makes it hard to obey when you hear?  Take a moment to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to honor God by hearing and obeying.

November 13, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on November 14, 2015.  Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Self-Control”

Galatians 5:13 

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

When my parents entrusted me and my brother with personal computers for our schoolwork, they gave us very strict admonitions about being responsible and disciplined with schoolwork. We were supposed to do all of our work first, then play. Despite all their warning, I still spent a great amount of concentration and efforts in multitasking with Facebook, TV miniseries, and college admission essays. 

Maybe because I did not experience great repercussions then, I still have some poor habits – staying up late, forgoing exercise, frittering away my time on a smartphone, etc. The consequences are immediate: I cannot perform well during the workweek and I am exhausted on the weekend before engaging in community. Chasing trivial joys in my life comes at a great cost to the more important and meaningful aspects of my life.

If we believe and remember that God’s spirit resides within us and that He has called us in advance for good work, then we should reflect on whether our lifestyles are glorifying to God: do I live in a way that prioritizes serving God and others firstly? We must remember that the call to be self-controlled is not just a friendly suggestion from Paul; it is a command. Because our lives are not our own – we were purchased at a great price – we must aim to lay down our lives and our desires in order to glorify God. 

Let’s assess our lives and whether our indulgence weakens our ability to serve others. Are there things we need to let go of so our energy and focus can be better placed? Let us ask Him to renew our hearts with joy, self-control, and the desire to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Prayer: Father, I admit that I am not a great steward of this life that you have purchased and redeemed. Open my eyes to the ways in which I am being selfish with my living and how it hinders my ability to worship You and serve You. Thank You for Your gentle grace that can help me change the way I live. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 34

November 12, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 21, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Takeaways from the Driscoll Fiasco”

Lk. 14:7-11

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.”

I was stunned to hear that the leaders of Mars Hill Church—a mega congregation founded by Mark Driscoll—decided to cease its operation in response to highly publicized revelations about Driscoll’s questionable conduct.  Among other things, Driscoll had the church pay a large sum of money to a marketing firm, so that it can make a bulk order of his book on marriage, to make it appear that thousands of purchases were made in a given week.   The strategy worked as the book reached the top of the New York Times Best Seller List in “hardcover, advice, and misc” rankings.   But in the following week, his book disappeared from the top 15 list; evidently the hype didn’t translate to more book sales.  And, it turns out that this manipulative ploy has been used by other well-known pastors— they probably feel embarrassed seeing their name next to Driscoll, who, since, has admitted to the wrongfulness of this practice. 

In light of this, the above parable can be changed to, “Now Jesus told those who wanted to a publish book, when he noticed how they paid money to a marketing firm to make it appear to be a best-seller, ‘JUST WRITE A BETTER BOOK!’  If your book is inspiring or is useful to the readers, then more people will buy it; maybe it will even become a best-seller, but don’t focus on that!  Remember, ‘there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known’” (Matt. 10:26).

Inflating our worth, whether it be financial, scholastic, or for some pastors, ecclesiastical (based on how many show up on Sundays), goes on every day.  This isn’t primarily a psychological problem (“the empty self”) but profoundly spiritual: Is Jesus truly sufficient for me?  Can I walk down a streetful of impressive looking people with my head held up high because “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so”?  

I experienced this in a weird manner.  I don’t own a fancy phone because I don’t need it since I work mostly at home (when not travelling).  But I do own a $10 cell phone which I use when I really need it.  But once, when I was calling my wife to pick me up at the airport, I felt sort of self-conscious about using this low-tech phone, since everyone around me was using a Smartphone; but, I said to myself, “I need to be real; besides, Jesus thinks I am okay.”

Don’t let anything you buy or try to accomplish replace that which can come only from God.  In Christ, we have absolute, unconditional acceptance, regardless of whether we write a bestseller or not, or own a fancy phone or not, because “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).  

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am CONTENT in YOU ALONE!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 32-33

November 11, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King, a friend of AMI, was first posted on November 11, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why Can I See It?”

Hebrews 8:7-8

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

This week, a friend asked me: “If God is at work, why can’t I see it? What is He doing in my life and in the lives of those around me, beyond the easily explainable and the seemingly mundane? If the Gospel is such good new and the Kingdom of God so glorious, why is it so hard to experience in unmistakable and undeniable ways?” As I reflected on my own struggles with similar concerns, I was reminded of a story I heard once. It went something like this: 

A man and his son on a walk in the woods came to a bridge and crossed. The father went first. When he came to the other side he turned to his son and said sternly, “Drop down and shimmy on your belly.” The son did exactly what his father told him and crawled his way to the other side. When he made it across he asked his father why he’d told him to do such strange things. His father pointed at a huge snake that had dropped down from a tree branch extending above the bridge and explained that he’d spoken calmly so as to not unnecessarily alarm the child. The boy realized that if he had stopped to ask, “Why?” he would have been fatally bitten. But his trust in his father brought him safely to their destination.  

God starts His message in the verses above by saying, “Look!” (vs. 8) God often clues us in on what He’s doing and where we’re headed (into a new covenant – which we’ll talk more about this weekend). But many of us miss out on experiencing in our personal lives the excitement and the goodness of the His plans because we don’t trust our Father enough to obey. We stop for too long demanding explanations, wander off the bridge all together doing our own thing, or follow faithfully for a while but realize how strange it all is and give up midway. 

Obedience to the commands of God – even if we can’t yet connect all the dots –is what will enable us to experience the goodness of His promises. 

Prayer: God, I know where I am going because You’ve left enough hints in scripture for me to know what to expect. In the times when I can’t see how it’s all coming together, help me obey You simply because I trust You and not just because I understand. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 31

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 34:8-14: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to the psalmist, how can we come to know the goodness of God and His plans? 
  2. What are some of the promises given to us in this passage? 
  3. What do vv. 12-14 teach us about how we should live? 

Notes

  1. As is the case with food, we have to actually try things to see that they are good. As we obey God, as we try doing life His way, we’ll come to experience the goodness of His ways and see Him more in our lives. 
  2. Those who take refuge in the Lord will be blessed. Those who fear the Lord have no lack (Ps. 23:1). Those who seek the Lord will not only be provided for, but they won’t be without any good thing. Those are pretty grand promises! 
  3. To experience full and abundant life (that those who follow Christ are promised throughout the New Testament), we need to be obedient to the commands of God – both in what we say and what we do.  

Evening Reflection

What are some ways that obedience to God has led you to a fuller experience of Him and His Kingdom? What, if any, are some areas in your life where you have failed to be obedient? Are you willing to make a commitment to obedience today? Spend sometime discussing these things with the Lord. 

November 10, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on November 24, 2016, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Teaching My Son About Tithing”

Hebrews 11:4

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

My wife and I are trying a new thing with our seven-year-old son (Simon): chores with cash rewards.  So, we give him a quarter for things like throwing out the trash, recycling or setting the table for dinner, etc.  In a huge week, he can make about three to five bucks (that’s big money for the little guy).  We are doing this for several reasons, but my primary motivation is that I want him to learn the value of a dollar and earn his next Lego set.  My hope is that my son will look at his new set and realize that it took him three to four months of “hard work” and savings to get it; then, he’ll appreciate it more, and hopefully I won’t have to see Legos all over the floor.

Another lesson that is coming out of his chores is tithing.  Now that he’s making his own money, I get to teach him about the joy of giving to the Lord.  To be honest, I was not looking forward to telling Simon that as soon as he makes his tenth dollar, we are going to set one of them apart for offering.  I was expecting him to complain, fuss, boycott church, or turn agnostic, but to my surprise he didn’t.  In fact, just the opposite; he was kind of excited at the prospects of giving his own offering.  I always knew Simon liked going to church, but I realized in that moment how much he appreciated the teachers, his friendships, and hopefully growing in his relationship with Jesus.  So, when the time came for him to give toward that cause, dare I say he was thankful?  

If you’ve read the account of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4, then you would realize that the Bible is a little nebulous when describing why Abel’s offering was pleasing to God, while Cain’s was not. (I don’t think it’s because God loves meat.)  Might I suggest that Abel’s offering came with a thankful heart and was not given begrudgingly?  Hebrews offers a little more insight by stating that Abel’s faith made the difference.  The connection, which I learned in church this week, is that genuine thankfulness can only come from faith.  If you are truly thankful for the cross, church, jobs, family, etc., and sincerely believe that these are all gifts of grace from a generous Father, then giving is easier and comes with more joy and thanksgiving.  If, on the other hand, you have taken for granted all that you have is the product of your own labor, then you would run the risk of becoming a begrudging giver, possibly like Cain. 

Today is Thanksgiving, which means you will undoubtedly be asked, “For what are you thankful?”  Before you shoot out the typical answers like God, family, health, jobs, homes, etc., take a moment this morning and ask yourself, “Am I truly thankful for these or have I taken them for granted?”  

Prayer: Heavenly Father.  Thank you truly for Jesus who died so that a sinner like me could become a child.  Thank you for… (you fill in the rest). Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 30

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 100: 1-5: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.2 Worship the Lord with gladness

come before him with joyful songs.3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Questions to Consider

1.  According to verse 1, 2, 5, what attitudes should we bring into praise and worship?

2.  What reasons does the Psalmist give to support the idea that the Lord is praiseworthy?

3.  Are you thankful for these things?

Notes

1.  We are told to shout with joy, to worship with gladness, and sing joyful songs.  We are also told to give thanksgiving and praise.  Surely, our worship was meant to done with joy and enthusiasm. 

2.  In verse 3, the Psalmist reminds us that God created us and we belong to him and are under his care.  In verse 5, the Lord is praised for his ever-enduring love.  These were true for Israel, and they are true for us today.  

3.  Personal application question. 

Evening Reflection

This was literally a day of Thanksgiving.  So, this evening, take some time to reflect on things for which you are thankful.  Try to list 50 things that bring you joy.  Thank God for all of them.