REPOSTToday’s AMI Devotional QT, provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI,  was first posted on August 15, 2015.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Promise Fulfilled”

2 Kings 7:15-20

They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king. 16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord. 17 Now the king appointed the royal officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate; but the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18 It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria.” 19 Then the royal officer answered the man of God and said, “Now behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.” 20 And so it happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate and he died.

The title heading chosen by translators for the section of the text above is “The Promised Fulfilled.” Those are some of the sweetest words in scripture. How glorious is the day when we see God’s promises come to fruition right before our eyes. One of the most difficult aspects of keeping the faith and continuing to hope when the going gets tough is how heavily it requires us to depend on God’s promises and believe in things not yet seen. And the longer the difficulty and opposition persists, the more room we have to doubt that God’s promises will ever come to pass. And sometime after a while we forget what His promises are all together. 

God had promised deliverance for His people through the prophet Elisha – but not everyone believed him. How could God do this impossible thing of which Elisha spoke? But He did the very thing He promised – He fed His people in the midst of a famine, through the four lepers we read about yesterday. God had done exactly what he said He would do and it was a day of rejoicing for His people. Well – for some of them. For the doubters, God allowed them to see His promises fulfilled, although not to partake in them personally. That’s a tragedy we’ll have to save to discuss another day.  

For today, let’s be reminded that God always makes good on what He has promised. Whether He has promised things about His character (“The LORD’S loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23), or made promises to us as the Church (“…He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6) or to you as His child (“…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, now will I ever forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5) – through scripture or through the mouths of brothers and sisters in Christ – God will do what He says.

Our Daily Bread wrote the following story: “An elderly Christian was in much distress as he lay dying. ‘Oh, Pastor,’ he said, ‘for years I have relied upon the promises of God, but now in the hour of death I can’t remember a single one to comfort me.’ Knowing that Satan was disturbing him, the preacher said, ‘My brother, do you think that GOD will forget any of His promises?’ A smile came over the face of the dying believer as he exclaimed joyfully. ‘No, no! He won’t! Praise the Lord, now I can fall asleep in Jesus and trust Him to remember them all and bring me safely to Heaven.’ Peace flooded his soul, and a short time later he was ushered by the angels into the light of God’s eternal day.

God’s promises never fail. And even when we grow tired of believing or forget what He has promised in the face of difficult situations, we can rest assured that God will never forget. And when it’s all said and done we will be able to affirm the truth of Joshua’s words, “You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” (Joshua 23:14). 

Prayer: “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path… I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27: 11, 13) Help me to wait for You God, to be strong and take heart and wait for You to fulfill Your good promises to me. In Jesus’ name.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 10

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 14, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Stay Awake, My Friend” 

Acts 19:24-7 (ESV)

“For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. [25] These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. [26] And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. [27] And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.’  [28]When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’” 

When I was in college (before my Christian days), St. Patrick’s Day was a day when my friends and I would don something green, and then guzzle green beer at a party held in honor of a man whom I assumed was a wild party animal from antiquity.  So, I was genuinely shocked when I found out, while studying church history at a seminary, that nothing could be further from the truth.  

At age 16, Patrick, living in England, was captured by marauding pirates who took him to Ireland as a slave.  During six long years of captivity, Patrick found God.  Fortunately, he escaped and returned home where he eventually became a clergy of the Celtic Church (not Catholic).  But one day, an Irish man appeared in Patrick’s dream, saying, “We beseech you to come and walk among us once more.”  Despite whatever bitterness he might’ve had, Patrick returned in 432 and spent the next 30 years ministering among the Celtics.  As a result, not only was Ireland won to Christ, but Western Europe was also evangelized by Celtic missionaries who came out of his ministry.  Thus, I am still puzzled by how a day honoring a zealous missionary like Patrick has become a day of drunkenness and lewd behavior.

Valentine of the 3^rd century, in whose honor Valentine’s Day is celebrated, was just as committed to God as Patrick.  Because not much is known about him, several versions of his life exist but they all agree on one thing: Valentine was martyred for trying to convince people to believe in Christ and ultimately refusing to deny Christ.  So, how did we end up with flowers, chocolates and cupids to celebrate a day named after a martyr for Jesus?

Businessmen, like Demetrius, have long figured out that the best way to reach into people’s pockets is to appeal to their devotion to God by associating it with slogans they promote (“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians”) to sell things they produce (religious figurines).  Before long, people, having forgotten the true reason for celebration, just celebrate with such things as green beer, chocolates and flowers!

Spoiling your next Valentine’s Day celebration isn’t the purpose of this blog, but it is to remind you that you stay awake, that is, “don’t conform any longer to the pattern of this world” (Rom. 12:1) that shifts with time and always empties your pocket.  Instead, hold onto what men like Patrick and Valentine truly stood for: their love for Jesus and their desire to serve Him.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to discern how the world is trying to undermine our faith in Your Son Christ. Remind us of the true heroes of faith of the past and imitate their costly walk to follow Jesus. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 8-9

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on October 14, 2016.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Do You Love Me?”

John 21:15-17

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 

During the course of our marriage, my wife would randomly ask me, “Do you love me?” To that question, there were a vast array of replies from me. Anything from, “Of course I do” or “Why do you ask?” to “Maybe” to “Not today.” (Of course, the latter two were playful responses.) It seemed that a nice firm, “I love you” was the best answer to that question, reassuring my wife that I am all in when it comes to our marriage. 

Here, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” (By “these,” Jesus probably means “these other disciples.” According to the other Gospels, Peter had boasted that though all the others fall away, he would not [Mt 26:33 par. Mk 14:29; cf. Lk 22:33; Jn. 13:37], but we all remember how that went.) Peter answers quickly, “You know that I love you.” Then again, Jesus asks Peter the same question. Then a third time, Jesus asks if Simon loved Him. Commentators explain that this third time hurt Peter because it was a painful reminder that he had just a short while ago denied His Lord three times. 

There seems to be a connection, though, between loving Jesus and the command that He gives immediately afterwards: “Feed my sheep.” Jesus is shaping Peter’s idea of pastoral ministry that he would be entering into starting on the Day of Pentecost, until Peter’s own tragic death on a cross, according to traditions. That idea is that feeding Jesus’ sheep cannot be divorced from loving Jesus deeply. The effectiveness of the ministry flows from the loving relationship one has with Jesus. 

Perhaps you have many ministry items to check off on your list today or this weekend, and you might be feeling overwhelmed. Or perhaps you have become quite skilled at leading your small group or ministry team or conversing with unchurched friends, and so you feel quite confident. Before diving into your ministry setting, how about pausing to reflect on the question, “Do you love Me?” and being able to say to Him, “You know that I love you.” 

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I do love You, or at least I really want to. Help me in this area of loving You. Reveal Your love for me today so that I can engage in Your ministry with Your love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 8

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Lunch Break Study  

Read John 14:15-18: “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Questions to Consider

1. What is a clear indicator that you love Jesus? 
2. What do you discover about the Holy Spirit from Jesus’ promise in verse 16-17? 
3. How do these verses comfort you in the challenges you face today? 

Notes

1. This statement is not so much a promise that the one who loves Him will keep His commands, as it is a definition of love itself. 
2. Here is the first reference to the Paraclete (parakletos), translated as Advocate. This word is a verbal adjective meaning “called alongside,” related to the verb parakaleo, “call to one, summon.” Outside the New Testament it is used in legal contexts to mean “a legal assistant, advocate” (Liddell, Scott and Jones).
3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection

Spend some time expressing your affection and love to Jesus. If you’d like, play several meaningful songs that expresses love to Him, and as you sing the words, worship Him. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on May 29, 2015.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Getting Rid of the Ring or Keeping It, That’s the Question”

Deut. 30:19-20

This day I (Moses) call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In J.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the protagonist, Frodo Baggins, is given the unenviable task of destroying the One Ring.  At first, Frodo is intrigued by the Ring, as it gives him much power. But as his journey progresses, Frodo feels the burden of the Ring grow heavier and longs to get rid of it. In the climactic scene, Frodo is faced with the obvious choice: throwing the Ring into Mount Doom. But instead, he chooses to keep the Ring and the Ring is only destroyed because of intervention from his friend, Samwise Gamgee. 

Like Frodo, we, too, can refuse to make even the most obvious of choices. In this passage, the Israelites had just experienced God’s awesome power through the Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea. With their own eyes, they had personally seen Him overcome humanly impossible barriers. So why does Moses implore them to choose life over death (v.19)? Doesn’t choosing the Lord make sense in light of the promises He gives (v.20)? Sadly, the Israelites later rebelled many times, choosing death and facing several calamities as a result. 

As Christians today, our own faithlessness and inner rebellion hinder us from also choosing life. As Paul clearly wrote, “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:21-24)

Because of our brokenness, we need to cry out to God for strength to make the most obvious of choices: choosing Him. We know through experience that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life,” but we cannot turn to Him without His help. God can’t make the decision for us, but He will give us the strength if we ask. Let’s pray for that today.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me remember Your goodness and Your mercy that You have shown towards me. Even though You promised and have given me life to the full, I often find myself choosing death and destruction through sin. Please give me the strength to make the obvious choice of choosing You. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 7

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Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 16:11: You make known to me the path of life, in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Questions to Consider

1. How has God made known to You the path of life?
2. What does the path of life imply?
3. How have you experienced His presence and His joy? Be sure to write it down.

Notes

1. He has given us His Word, which declares how life can be found through His Son, Jesus Christ. He has also give us His Holy Spirit, who is our Counselor, and our respective communities to sharpen and encourage us
2. Our lives are a journey! We may stumble and fall several times but we can continually fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection

How did you choose to follow God in the several decisions you made today? No matter how things may have gone wrong today, let’s thank God that His love and mercy never end (Lamentations 3:22-23). Let’s remember that so that we can make the obvious choices tomorrow.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 26, 2016, is provided by Andy Kim who is an associate pastor at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.  Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Meaning of Sabbath”

Hebrews 4:4-11

For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Imagine a day without your phone or hot water, and you cease from any type of activity, such as cooking. Many of us are probably thinking of some mission trip far away, but in the Jewish tradition, this is a weekly ordeal when observing the day of rest—the Sabbath. For a Christian’s Sabbath, it begins with a groggy morning, pressing the snooze button several times, a busy Sunday of serving and fellowship, an inevitable afternoon nap, and catching up on last minute chores. And before you know it, it’s time to sleep and you’re thinking of how quickly the weekend had passed, or how crazy the week ahead will be. If I were to consider a proper Sabbath, I would argue that the Jews have done a better job of grasping this. Lauren Winner writes: “But there is something in the Jewish Sabbath that is absent from most Christian Sundays: a true cessation from the rhythms of work and world, a time wholly set apart, and perhaps above all, a sense that the point of Shabbat, is toward God.” 

In this passage, the writer teaches that our rest originates from God’s rest after creation was completed. Warren Wiersbe explains God’s rest as a “rest of satisfaction, not a rest after exhaustion” from the completion of His work. And as believers, we look to the finished work of Christ who made us complete in Him. In Christ, we are able to trust in His works and not our own to be holy and pleasing to God. This is why rest is so vital to our lives, for we live in a world where we are constantly asked to do more and to be defined by our work. It is more than a day of inactivity or even an extra day to catch-up; it is a day we remind ourselves that our identity and worth comes from Christ’s perfect work. 

The Sabbath was created for man so that we may depend on the work of Christ and not our own. It is the total acceptance and complete surrender to Him, for apart from God, there can only be restlessness. As the writer says, rest is made available for us today to experience as mere glimpses of the eternal rest that waits in eternity. Let us be diligent to enter that rest both here and in eternity. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for creating the Sabbath for us. We confess that many times we do not make it holy because of our lack of complete trust in You. Help us not to find our value and identity in the work that we do, but only in the completed work of Jesus Christ. Teach us to Sabbath well as your people.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 6

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 10:38-42: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is Jesus trying to highlight here?
2. What is the danger of having the mentality of Martha?
3. How does Mary have the confidence to just sit at Jesus’ feet?

Notes

1. A common mistake is to think that Mary did something good and Martha did something bad. However, notice that Jesus says that Mary chose to do the better, which does not discount Martha’s act of service toward Jesus.  Martha was more worried about what she could do for Jesus, while Mary focused on being with Jesus. He is saying that there is a time and place to serve, but more importantly, we must set our time to spend with Him. 
2. Ironically, it was her serving that prevented her from listening and spending time with the Lord. This gave Martha anxiety and even perhaps a sense of bitterness toward Mary. The temptation of being too service-orientated is to compare ourselves to others and judge their dedication in service, or in this case, the lack of service.  
3. Mary breaks a lot of social rules here, because as a woman, she was expected to serve the guests to even be acknowledged. However, Jesus makes it clear that His relationship with Mary is something that cannot be taken away. Our value and identity comes not from our actions, but from Christ alone. 

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Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on the idea of rest in your life. Is it a foreign word that you’re too busy for?  Are you burned out? In a world that demands our attention every minute, spend a few moments away from everything. May there be a constant rhythm of rest in our lives so that we may focus on being with Him more than doing things for Him. Let us look to the eternal promise of rest that awaits all of us. 

REPOS TToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 24, 2015

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What a Dead Faith Won’t Do for Us” 

Matt. 25:1-13 (NIV)

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish and five were wise. [3] The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. [4] The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. [5] The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. [6] At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ [7] Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ [9] ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ [10] But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.  And the door was shut. [11] Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ [12] But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ [13] Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but in college, I once opened the class syllabus for the first time the day before the final exam to see what I needed to study.  So the one change I made after becoming a Christian was getting things done early, that is, not procrastinating.    

This parable, about the ancient Jewish wedding day, has the bridegroom arrive at the house of his bride’s father at midnight for the ceremony.   Upon his sudden arrival, the door is closed and the late comers aren’t admitted.   Afterwards, the husband would take his wife home in a wedding procession, and then celebrate the banquet that lasts for a week.  Since the procession typically occurs in darkness, the guests would bring lamps to light the way; and those without it are prohibited to be on the street. 

Now, the wedding represents “the wedding of the Lamb” in which Christ will officially unite with “his bride,” that is, the church (Rev. 19:7); this occurs just prior to the ushering in of eternity.  Not being “invited to the wedding . . . of the Lamb” (9), therefore, would mean you’re neither a believer nor going to heaven.  In the parable, the virgins who show up to the wedding unprepared end up missing the entire ceremony.  What’s worse, the bride’s father claims not to know them.

So, who are these foolish virgins?  They’re the great pretenders, like Judas, Demas (2 Tim. 4:10) and many who ate the loaves (Jn. 6:11, 64-6), “whose going showed that none of them belonged to [church]” (1 Jn. 2:19).  They’re the weeds that are allowed to grow together with wheat until the harvest (Matt. 13:30).  They’re the possessors of “faith” that even “demons [have] . . . and shudder” (James 2:19), but ultimately doesn’t save because “faith without deeds” is “dead” (v.25).  It goes without saying that a dead faith is helpless to keep us from entering hell. 

In view of this, the best sign indicating one’s true Christian faith is a life lived out in anticipation of Christ’s coming (or our going).  Does your lifestyle suggest that this world is your destination or a place to prepare for your eternity?  Give it a thought; make adjustments if feel convicted.   

Prayer: O Lord, I lift Your name on high!  I love to sing your praises, and I’m so glad You are in my life.  Cause me  not to forget that I’ll soon see You.  Perhaps You’ll return during my time, or I will pass from this earthly existence into heaven, but help me always to be ready.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 5

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Lunch Break Study

Read Rev. 19:6-8 (NASB): “Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. [7] Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” [8] It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Rev. 2:9-10 (NIV): “I know your afflictions (Philadelphia Church) and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [10] Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”

2 Pet. 3:3-4 (NIV): Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. [4] They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Question to Consider

1. How does the bride look on the wedding day?  What does that mean for the church?

2. What is one of the ways through which God prepares the bride?  What’s its purpose?

3. In the parable of the virgins, they all fell asleep.  What does that mean spiritually?  Are you awake or asleep spiritually?

Notes

1. She is ready in her splendid outfit of fine linen.  That means that the church is not only righteous because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed on her, but she is also righteous inside (ontologically) which produces “the righteous acts of the saints.”

2. There is nothing like tribulation and persecution that remove the pretenders from the true church of Christ.   The “foolish virgins” will be the first ones to bail out of the church when it becomes inconvenient and not cost-effective to stay. 

3. If we talk too much about the second coming of Christ without also focusing on the church’s current responsibility, then the talk of his imminent return can get redundant and passé if he doesn’t come as expected.   That gives the scoffers more ammunition to criticize our hope in Christ’s return.  Thus, our hope for his return and our responsibility to the world should be held in a fine balance.  

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Evening Reflection

We are always getting ready for something—a meeting, gathering, or trip.  How are you getting ready for that day when you will meet the Lord?  Reflect on how you lived today; does it look like you were getting ready?  What needs to change so that when your time to depart comes, you will be ready?

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on October 17, 2016.  He is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Supremacy of Christ”

Hebrews 1:1-3

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

As a sports fan, I appreciate the greatness of an athlete in any sport.  This summer, I got to watch some of the Rio Olympics and one particular night, I watched Katie Ledecky swim in the 400m women’s freestyle.   Not only did she win the gold but also she smashed the world record as she dominated the race from start to finish.  By the time she reached her final lap, it was evident that no was going to catch her.  I watched swimming supremacy that night and it would be a race I will not forget.  

The Book of Hebrews is about the Supremacy of Christ – how great and worthy he is!  To speak of “supremacy” is to speak of that which is “above” or “over” others. It reaches the level of the “super.” In our language it refers to that which (or who) is greatest in power, authority, or rank. It is also used to describe that which is greatest in importance, significance, character, or achievement — the “ultimate.”  The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus at that ‘ultimate’ throughout this book.  

We should note how Jesus’s supremacy is described in these verses:

• Heir of all things (v.2) – Heir means “the one it’s all coming to.” As Creator he is heir to the universe.
• Creator (v. 2) – Jesus created all things and upholds it all by His power.
  
• Radiance (v. 3) – Like the sun, he is the source and radiator of divine glory
• Purifier (v. 3) – The One who once and for all paid for our sins in order to purify us
• Ruler (v. 3) – “Right hand of the Majesty on high”, which is a symbol of the place of highest honor.  He is the supreme priest.  

What a mighty God we worship and serve!  As you start your week, spend time reflecting and mediating on the greatness and supremacy of Christ.  As you do, may our hearts and desire be surrendered to him.

Prayer:  Lord, there is none like you in all of the earth.  You are holy, majestic and set apart and you will forever reign as Lord and King.  I pray that I would respond in worship and praise.  Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 14:22-33: Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is the reaction of the disciples when they saw Jesus?  
2. How does fear often hinder us from living by great faith?
3. What do we learn about Jesus in this passage?

Notes

1. They were terrified and responded in fear (v.26).
2. When we live in fear, it distorts the power and character of Jesus in our lives.  We often make Him too small, which hinders us from living by faith and not by sight.
3. The disciples worshiped the Lord after they acknowledged his power and greatness (v.33).  When we do the same, our natural response is worship.  

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Evening Reflection

Take some time reflecting on the passage you read today.  What challenged you?  Ask the Lord that the supremacy of Christ would be more evident in your life and heart.  

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 27, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Why God Allows Interruptions in Our Lives”

Luke 8:40-56

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.  As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[c] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

I wonder how Jairus must have felt when everything got delayed because of the woman with the issue of blood. Some things in life can wait but not this one: the very life of his daughter hung in the balance. Sometimes, we get frustrated because of constant interruptions; Jairus must have been beyond that. Sadly, Jairus’ daughter died and he had to hear, “Your daughter is dead … Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”  That must have been so disheartening. 

The truth of the matter is that God also does that in our lives where things get interrupted and delayed.  Logically, we might question, “Why did Jesus have to stop to call out the woman and waste time since she already got healed? Isn’t that what mattered?  Yet Jesus did this in order to increase Jairus’ faith, because Jairus not only had to believe that Jesus could heal the sick, but that he could even raise the dead.                                               

So, rather than getting frustrated because things are not working out according to our way and/or timetable, let us ask the Lord to increase our faith so that we may be prepared to witness a greater miracle.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for constantly teaching me about the life of faith.  As your disciples once asked you, “Increase our faith” (Lk. 17:5). Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 3  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 7, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Reality of Helping Someone”

Lk. 10:31, 33-5 (NLT)

“By chance a priest came along.  But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. . . . Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. [34] Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them.  Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. [35] The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’”

Matt. 5:40-1 (NIV)

“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. [41] If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

Allegorizing the Bible can be fun to listen to because it aims to dig out the deep and hidden meaning.   One seasoned preached allegorized this parable in this way: the priest who walked away represents world religions that cannot save; the wine used to clean the wound points to the redemptive sacrifice of Christ; the olive oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit; the inn represents the church (“God cares for us through the church”); the two coins refer to the Old and New Testament.   Though his points may be edifying, his interpretation wasn’t exactly exegetically sound (i.e., reading into the text instead of extracting the meaning).   Ironically, the preacher never bothered to address the obvious meaning of the parable staring right at him: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).

Most of the time, if we help someone at all, we do what we can within our schedule and/or budget; we don’t want to be inconvenienced too much.  Sometimes, we do just enough to make us feel good. (I know about these things, I am an expert at it.)  But this Samaritan gives not only his tunic but also his cloak; goes not only one mile but two. And this is all done for a Jew who would have despised him in a heartbeat.  

Christ has set the bar high for Christians: “Anyone who has faith in me . . . will do even greater things than these” (Jn. 14:12).   Of course, here, Christ was referring to “miracles,” such as healing; however, isn’t one great miracle of the Lord transforming the bitter and jaded hearts like ours into a loving and kind heart that reaches out to “one of the least of these”?  Thus, if I were the aforementioned preacher, I would have added that this Samaritan represents “a new creation” in which “the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).  So profoundly touched by Christ who died for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8), he has rejected the old way of hating his unlikable neighbors to loving and caring for them.  

Working part-time while attending college, I had some money in the bank.  As I was praying one day, the Lord impressed me to send a check for $100 to a widow with two children living in another state, but there was just one problem: she was the director of the choir I was once in, and I never really liked her.    Well, I sent the check to her anyway.  A few years later when we met, she expressed how much that gift meant to her.  I was thankful that God could use someone like me to encourage her!  Today, do something kind to someone who you don’t really like—yes, the bar is set high. 

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for sending me so many people to help me whenever I was in need.  Help me to do the same for others.  Ultimately, I thank You for sending Jesus to this fallen world to do for humans what they could never do for themselves: atoning for their sins.  Jesus did all that through his death and, by believing in him, I know I have been forgiven, thereby redeemed and saved.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 1-2

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 29, 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 Thoughts for This Morning

“Distinguishing Between Good Guys and Bad Guys”

John 10:10-15 (ESV)

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13] He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

In fairy tales like Red Riding Hood, no one is confused as to who is the “good guy” and who is the “bad guy.” The wolf wants to eat everyone and the huntsman wants to save everyone so things become clear fairly quickly.  Unfortunately, things in real life do not always appear to be so simple.

As Jesus’s ministry becomes more prominent, opposition from the religious and political leaders of Israel grows as well.  The growing divide between them is clear and the average Israelite is confused as to who is the “good guy” and who is the “bad guy.”  Should he follow this new teacher, Jesus, or the established leaders of his nation and religion?  In the midst of this turmoil, Jesus seeks to make the situation clear by explaining that He alone is the Good Shepherd.

In John 10, Jesus explains that the Good Shepherd is completely different from the thief and the hired hand.  The shepherd comes to give life abundant.  The thief “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (v. 10).  “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11).  The hired hand flees when he sees the wolf coming (v. 12).  The shepherd knows his sheep (v. 14).  The hired hand cares nothing for the sheep (v. 13).  The difference between the Good Shepherd and all others is the difference between life and death.  

The world, the flesh, and the devil work as hard as they can to confuse us as to who is the “good guy.”  The Word of God makes things clear.  No spouse or child can give us life abundant.  Money and prestige have never laid down their lives for anyone.  Comfort and security will not walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  There is only one Good Shepherd and His name is Jesus.

Prayer: Father, we are so grateful that You have sent to us Your Son.  He is the very radiance of Your beauty and glory, yet somehow, we can become confused as to whether He is our Ultimate Good.  Give us eyes to see that Jesus alone is our Good Shepherd and that we need no other. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 29

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Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 23 (ESV): The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. [3] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. [4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Question to Consider

1. What does the Shepherd do for the Psalmist?

2. How does the Shepherd’s ministry affect the Psalmist?

3. What is the ultimate hope of the Psalmist as he is led by the Shepherd (v. 6)?

Notes

1. The Shepherd leads the Psalmist into rest and righteousness (v. 2, 3), He restores him (v. 3), comforts him (v.4), lavishly provides for and anoints him (v. 5-6).

2. The Psalmist shall not want (v. 1) and will not fear (v. 4).

3. The ultimate hope of the Psalmist is that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  Were you tempted to believe that someone or something other than Jesus is your shepherd?  Did you doubt that Jesus is your Good Shepherd?  Go to Him for grace.