REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on September 12, 2016.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for this Morning

John 14:1-3

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you,  I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

On a recent visit home, I came out of my room one afternoon to hear my mom in conversation with someone at the door.  Overhearing the person give my mother the name and address of a church, I thought perhaps it was an over-zealous evangelist and wondered how they had gotten to this point in the conversation.  Perhaps my mother, shy and language ability still limited, hadn’t been able to convey that she was a believer and already had a church she regularly attended?  Mild concern brought me to the door to find out what was going on when my mother turned to me with a sad, surprised look on her face and said, “C—- passed away.”  C—- was our good neighbor of over 20 years, and the person at the door was a relative delivering the news of her prior week’s passing, giving my mother the address of the church where the funeral services would be held.  

The thought crossed my mind that my aged parents might be deeply affected by the news, but it passed when they seemed to be OK, going about the tasks of daily life without seeming particularly wanting to talk about it.  So I also let my mind focus on other things, the agendas of my trip back, and the two weeks flew by.  After a busy last few days, in a quiet moment at the airport while waiting to board my flight, an offhand comment my mother had made came to mind, and I suddenly realized that it had all affected them much more than I had thought.  By then, however, I’d already lost the chance to comfort them in person.

Jesus, at the moment He was facing the most difficult test of His life, was also able to care about how His disciples were feeling, and He took time out to comfort them.  He tells them, “Don’t worry or be anxious,” and “I will come back for you.”  What a personal picture of the God of all comfort.  How can we avoid being too busy to comfort someone today?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me, I can be so self-centered at times.  Help me to pay a little more attention to others today.  Remind me of anyone needing comfort that I may have been overlooking.  Thank you for showing me the way.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 25

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Lunch Break Study 

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Questions to Consider

1. How are we able to comfort those going through a hard time (v. 4)?

2. What do the phrases “all comfort,” “in all our affliction,” and “in any affliction” suggest about the comprehensiveness of God’s comfort?

3. Is there any current area of your life or past experience for which you feel you haven’t been able to receive God’s comfort?  In light of today’s passage, what can you do?

Notes

1. When we ourselves are able to receive comfort from God when we go through hard times.

2. His comfort is available to us for any and every circumstance.

3.  Comfort comes when we can see a situation in the light of God’s truth, but hurts, pride, lies of the enemy, etc. can blind and keep us in darkness.  Ask God to remove all obstacles keeping you from receiving His comfort, which is surely available to you today.

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Evening Reflection

Did I see or think of anyone in need of comfort today?  Take a moment to pray that they would truly be able to receive (by being able to see in the light of His truth) God’s comfort that is available to them in any situation they may be in.

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 8, 2015

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Story Within a Story”

LK. 10:29, 36-7 (NIV):  

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” . . . . [36] “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” [37] The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Many parables fall in the category of “story within a story” –one story is told during the action of another story.  While the parable of the Good Samaritan tells the importance of loving our neighbors—

regardless of whether we like them or not—the intention of Christ is to use this parable to address a more pressing matter. 

It all begins with an expert in the law who is unsure about whether he has eternal life.  Having grown up under the Mosaic Law, which stipulated that “the man who does these things will live” eternally (Rom. 10:5), something wasn’t quite right and he wondered:  “How come I lack assurance of eternal life despite having kept all the laws of God?”  Jesus goes immediately to the root of his problem and asks, “What is written in the Law?” (Lk. 10:26).  That is too easy of a question for the lawyer: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . . and love your neighbors as yourself” (27).   If he felt validated upon hearing Jesus say, “You have answered correctly” (28a), it doesn’t last long because the Lord quickly adds, “Do this and you will live.”  The lawyer is no dummy; he knows what that implies: Contrary to his own self-assessment, he has failed to love his neighbors.  Disagreeing with this and somewhat offended by Jesus, the lawyer defends himself by asking, “And who is my neighbor?”

The parable demonstrates that while Samaritans are willing to help a Jew in need, the Jews, including this lawyer, will never do that for Samaritans whom they despise as unholy.  When Jesus asks, “Which of these three . . . was a neighbor to the man who fell in the hands of the robber?” and the lawyer’s responds, “The one who had mercy on him” (i.e., the Samaritan), that is a self-admission of guilt: If being a neighbor means having mercy on anyone who is in need of it—regardless of whether he belongs to my tribe or not, then I haven’t kept all of God’s laws because I have not loved the Samaritans. 

At no point does Jesus actually give him the gospel.  When Jesus says, “Do this and you will live” (28), He  shows that that path never works because “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10).  Since the lawyer has broken at least one law, which makes him a sinner, the reason why he cannot have assurance of eternal life is because “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).  

Now that“through the law [the lawyer has] become conscious of sin” (3:20), he is ready to hear and then respond to the gospel: Jesus Christ, who “bore our sins” (1 Pet. 2:24), “died for all” (Rom. 5:15),

and . . . by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).  If you haven’t made that decision, believe the gospel today; if you already have, then have mercy on someone of other tribe today. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for saving myself from the pit of hell.  It is all grace, pure and simple!  Thank You, God, for your Son.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 24

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 28, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend  

“Jesus and His Earthly Family”

Luke 8:19-21

 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

I want to share two thoughts today.

One: It must not have been easy for God’s Son to leave His heavenly home in order to come “to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11).  Today’s passage shows that those who did not believe him, at least at first, included his own brothers and mother (Mark 3:21).  What gives us hope is that eventually his brothers James and Judas, not only came to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but also served Him. 

Spend some time in prayer for those who are being persecuted by their own family members because of their faith in Jesus, especially in AMI churches in E. Asia. 

Two: Was experiencing the miraculous conception enough for Mary to put her trust in her son, the Savior Jesus Christ?  No, for it takes the work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate a dead spirit to come to life (Eph. 2:5).  Now, becoming a Christian truly is an awesome privilege but having faith in Jesus Christ does not happen by human effort (John 1:13: “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”)  Today’s passage, therefore, helps us to see the value of the covenant community, the church.  Perhaps, it is very hard for us to accept this spiritual family more so than our biological family, yet the spiritual family is where there is genuine fellowship.  Pray for AMI churches both here and abroad that their relationships with one another in the Lord would not be superficial, but genuine.

Prayer: Lord, even as I love the members of my spiritual family, help me to really love those family members who do not believe and, at times, are antagonistic towards me for believing in God. Lord, save them. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 22-23

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 19, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Makes You Bad?”

MK. 7:14-9 (NASB) 

“After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, ‘Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: [15] there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [16] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ [17] When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. [18] And He said to them, ‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, [19] because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ (Thus He declared all foods clean.)”

The principal of the missionary school, which my children attended in Mexico, would walk around with a ruler to measure the lengths of skirts worn by some girls to ensure that it fell within the school regulations. In time he must have gotten tired of enforcing what was in the rulebook since he stopped doing it. Or maybe he came to see that those girls whose skirts were a bit shorter weren’t bad girls after all. 

The disciples also were deemed “bad” by the Pharisees who, after seeing that they ate “food with hands that were . . . unwashed” (Mk. 7:2), complained to Jesus: “Why don’t your disciples live according to the traditions of the elders?” (5).  That’s when Jesus told the above parable to those whom he described as “people [who] honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (6).

This parable is easy to interpret because Jesus himself interprets it:  “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. [21] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, [22] deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander,  pride and foolishness.” (Mk. 7:20-2 NASB).

The idiom, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is what is meant here.  But certainly, the cover is important. Once, I told a woman in my church’s praise team that her short skirt could hinder immature men.  It was said gingerly because I didn’t want her to feel judged as if she were a “bad” Christian, because she wasn’t.  While the cover is important, what’s inside—the heart—is more so!   

So, how is our heart?   Jesus agreed with Jeremiah who said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jer. 17:9).  Sometimes, those who take holiness seriously become disappointed, even shocked by their occasional slip-ups.   Provided that they aren’t major blunders (e.g., adultery, crime), let that remind you that apart from constantly “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2), and being “filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18), sinning is our default mode.   So, instead of spending too much time picking your dress for church, pray: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10).

Prayer: O God, how often I make the mistake of thinking that I am so pure and holy, especially when I compare myself to the worst examples around me.   How often I must have grieved the Spirit with my presumption of innocence.  Forgive me, O Lord, for I’ve no righteousness of mine apart from that of Christ. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 21

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Lunch Break Study

Jn. 7:24 (ESV): “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

2 Cor. 13:10 (NIV): “This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.”

Read Acts 23:2-5 (ESV): “And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. [3] Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” [4] Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” [5] And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

Question to Consider

1. Some say that Christians shouldn’t judge at all (“Do not judge, or you will be judged [Matt. 7:1]). What is Jesus’ understanding on this matter?

2. What is an essential foundation for making the right judgment?

3. We all err (except Christ) when making judgments; what should we do when that happens?

Notes

1. Jesus was against self-righteous and condemnatory as well as superficial (i.e., based solely on appearance but lacking evidences) judgment of others.  He is not against making the right judgment, which is based on, among others, the factors of the matter.    

2. It has to be the motive: it is to build the erring person instead of tearing him down; instructive, not punitive.   Thus, praying for that person before and after “rightly judging” that person is crucial.  

3. Who wouldn’t be upset after being slapped in the mouth?  And Paul’s response was natural, as would be for most men.  Nevertheless, when told that he was speaking against the High Priest (which the law didn’t permit), Paul immediately apologized on account that he didn’t know who Ananias was.  When we make a mistake of misjudging people, we should immediately own up to it and say, “I am sorry.” 

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Evening Reflection

Whether we had a good or bad day, is sometimes decided by the type of interactions we had with others.   Was there a moment today when you felt like someone at home or office needed to be “judged”?  How did you handle it?  Sometimes, the best way is to wait, in prayer.  Think about God who puts up with us everyday—that’s called grace.   

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on October  20, 2016.  He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Christ the Magnificent”

Hebrews 1:10-14

And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

“He is the Creator and the sustainer of all things. He is the unchanging, self-existent God, and that means that He depends on nobody. He is neither helped by our faith nor hindered by our unbelief.” 
― Colin S. Smith (Pastor & Author)

In today’s passage, the author of Hebrews continues his description of Jesus Christ as the supreme Son of God. To emphasize his point, the author quotes from Psalm 102 in which the Psalmist cries out to the Lord in anguish but also celebrates God’s transcending existence.  At the end of the Psalm, the writer calls upon the Lord as the one who laid the foundation for the heavens and earth, acknowledging Him as the unchangeable Lord of all creation, and it is this description that the author of Hebrews directs to Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew writer continues by contrasting Christ and that which will pass away. The heavens and earth “will perish”; the Lord will “roll them up” like a robe, and they will be changed. Christ, on the other hand, “will remain”; for He is “the same,” and His years will “have no end.”  Theologian John Owen writes, “One thing is meant by these expressions — Christ’s eternal and absolute immutable existence…To emphasize God’s eternal nature in contrast with the world’s frailty and all of its creation, it is said that his years will never end. The world comes to an end but there is no end to Christ’s existence.”

These verses remind us that Jesus is the “same yesterday and today and forever” (13:8).  For us it means that we can be assured and be confident that his love, grace and faithfulness will always be constant and never waver despite changes in circumstances, politics, nations and even our personal lives.  As a result, we can live confidently knowing that the one constant in our lives will never change.  Let’s thank him and put our confidence in that promise.  

Prayer:  Lord, thank you that you are an unchanging God.  You are indeed the same yesterday, today and forever and because of that promise, help us to put our hope in you.  Amen

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 20

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Questions to Consider

1. According to Peter, what is the reason for our hope?
2. How should we look at our trials and what is the purpose of them?
3. How can we be comforted by this passage?

Notes

1. Peter reminds the believers in this letter to look at Christ’s great mercy and the inheritance that is imperishable and will never be taken away from us.  That is the reason why we have hope.  
2. We go through trials because it shows us the genuineness of our faith (v. 7).  We can rejoice with joy because we have been saved by his great love (v. 8-9).
3. We can be assured of a living hope that will never be taken away from us as believers.  

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Evening Reflection

Take some time reflecting on the passage you read today.  What challenged you? Ask the Lord to search your heart and show you were you need to make specific applications.  

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on October 12, 2016.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“About Mr. Thomas”

John 20:24-29

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Do you tend to be pessimistic and negative in your approach to faith or ministry? Do you label yourself a realist, but in reality you are really attempting to cloak your negativity? Do you find yourself commenting, “He’ll never change,” or “That’s just impossible to do”? If you don’t know how to guard your heart, in a life full of disappointments, you tend to end up where Thomas found himself on Resurrection Sunday.

All of the disciples were in deep sorrow and fear. It was a sad scene. John writes, “The doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews” (v. 19). But the one missing disciple was Thomas. Perhaps it was too painful for Thomas to have even been around these guys, or maybe it was the other way around; it was too painful for them to be around Thomas, as he had known to be negative person in the past (John 11). 

Thomas: “See, I told you guys this wasn’t going to end well. Now we’re all just going to die.” 

Disciples: “Just get out, Thomas!”

We don’t really know why Thomas wasn’t in the room. That doesn’t seem to be important to the writer. What’s important is what happens to Thomas a week later. For an entire week, Thomas refused to believe the testimony of the other disciples: “We have seen the Lord.”  These men who were gripped with fear were now filled with joy. Yet, Thomas refused to listen to their story. A week later, Jesus enters the room once again, and this time, He invites Thomas to touch his wounds. Thomas falls to his knees with worship and is forever changed.  

Traditions and ancient testimony tell us that later on, Thomas carried the gospel as far as India. A small hill near the airport in Chennai (Madras), India, is where Thomas is said to have been buried. Now there are churches in South India whose roots are traceable to the beginning of the church age, and tradition says they were founded under the ministry of Thomas. 

He was eventually martyred—of all things—for his FAITH. Thomas himself was run through with a spear—a fitting form of martyrdom for one whose faith erupted when he saw the spear mark in his master’s side. 

There is a God who changes the hearts of those who are negative, critical, pessimistic, and hopeless. The story of Thomas reminds us that we can bring our worst, but He transforms us to become men and women of faith. 

Prayer: Dear God, I struggle with being negative and critical when it comes to You and Your ministry. Please change my heart and fill me with hope that You will truly make all things new in my life, my community, my church. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 19

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Prov. 4:20-26: My son, pay attention to what I say;turn your ear to my words.21 Do not let them out of your sight,keep them within your heart;22 for they are life to those who find themand health to one’s whole body.23 Above all else, guard your heart,for everything you do flows from it.24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;keep corrupt talk far from your lips.25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;fix your gaze directly before you.26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feetand be steadfast in all your ways.

Questions to Consider

1. How many body parts are mentioned by the author of this Proverb?
2. Meditate on verse 23. Think about the actions of your body. What do those actions reveal about the condition of your heart? 

Notes

1. An anatomy of righteousness follows, urging the son to keep the father’s words before his eyes and in his heart so they can direct the action of his mouth, lips, and feet. 
2. While the instruction seems to mix metaphors by moving from a stored treasure to a flowing spring, both insist that the heart that holds onto teaching is a source of life.

*From Logos commentaries

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Evening Reflection

Consider the words, “Stop doubting and believe.” Is there an area in your life where these words can apply? Allow the Lord to minister into that particular area of life.  

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 11, 2015

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How God Evaluates”

Lk. 16:10-13 (NIV)

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. [11] So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? [12] And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? [13] “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Serving God is not only important, but it can also be quite exciting.  Let’s suppose that teaching the Bible interests you, but on what basis will your pastor give you that kind of responsibility?  Similarly, in order for a baseball player to move up the ladder to one day reach the Major League, he needs to demonstrate his ability to hit and pitch better than others in the Minor League.  One major difference:  while God looks for faithfulness and honesty to evaluate, a baseball GM evaluates solely on output.   

Now, desiring to do something more influential or substantial for God is honorable: “If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Tim. 3:1).  So, how does God determine whether someone can handle greater responsibility from Him?  

For that, look at Joseph who had every reason to quit on life.  First, after his brothers’ betrayal, he became a slave in the house of an Egyptian official.  Instead of pouting, Joseph so faithfully carried out his task that his boss “entrusted to his care everything he owned” (Gn. 39:4).   But his life quickly hit rock-bottom when a false accusation landed him in jail. (It’s like going from AAA to A league).  But rather than giving up, he continued to work faithfully; seeing this, the warden “put Joseph in charge . . . [of] all that was done there” (39:22).  And it was from that pit that God brought Joseph out and “put [him] in charge of the whole land of Egypt” (41:41).  What does this show? “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).  

The parable itself deals with another important factor used to determine our faithfulness: how we handle money.  If we’re stingy and not generous toward God and people in need, then it would affect whether or not God will trust us with the true riches, which include greater ministry responsibilities.  

So, if you haven’t been faithful in this area, be generous toward God and those in need.  Start today.

Prayer: O heavenly Father, I praise and exalt You.  So often I live with a delusion that I’ve been blessed because I have worked so hard.  But apart from the strength, ability and investment You’ve made in my life, I cannot do anything.  Awake my soul, O Lord, to radically use this worldly wealth for your kingdom work.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 18

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Lunch Break Study

Read Col. 3:22-3 (NIV):  ^“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. [23] Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters . . . .”

1 Tim. 6:2 (NIV): “Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.”

Tit. 2:9-10 (NASB): “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, [10]not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

Question to Consider

1. What are some factors behind why people, in general, are unfaithful in their work, including God’s work?

2. What understanding can help us to be more faithful to God’s work as well as our secular work?  

3. How is your faithfulness?  What adjustments are needed for you to be more faithful to God?

Notes

1. We are so accustomed to doing our best only when someone is around that when no one is 

watching, we take it easy.  Sometimes, because we are on friendly terms with our coworkers or bosses, we don’t listen as readily as we should.  And oftentimes, we steal company time to do our own thing (e.g., web surfing, plan our trips with the company time and computer).

2. First, being aware that God is watching us all the time; second, as far as secular work is concerned, our faithfulness matters to God as well. For example, if you are a carpenter, it matters to God that you make quality chairs.

3. I think many of us are battling over wasting too much time with our electronic gadgets.   These are necessities, since so much of what we do for work depends on it, but every time we open our I-Phone or tablet, it is so easy to get distracted and waste time. For some, it is a matter of reprioritizing:  we need to put God before all things (Matt. 6:33).

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Evening Reflection

Anything can be God’s work, even giving a cup of cold water to “one of these little ones” (Matt. 10:42).  Do feel like you did God’s work today, or did you pass up some golden opportunities?  Did anyone do God’s work on your behalf?  Pray about how you can be more pro-active in serving God tomorrow. 

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Thought, first posted on October 3, 2016, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is 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

“A Missed Opportunity to be God’s Conduit”

John 20:3-5

So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

Several years ago, when I was working as an engineer, one of my co-workers opened up about his then two-year old son’s hearing difficulties.  As he shared about potential treatment options and possible surgery, I could see deep concern coming through his usual jovial demeanor.  As the conversation progressed, I felt the Lord telling me to pray for him and his son.  We were in the middle of the office floor, and I didn’t want to make a scene, so I am ashamed to admit that I ignored this prompting.  Obviously, I don’t know what would have happened if I had just listened, but I could not help but to feel that I had lost an opportunity to at least share a little about Jesus and His goodness.  

I bring up this little story from my life because I think there are many times that when we get to the door—just as John did—for one reason or another, we do not go in.  When I look back at my relationship with my old co-worker, I had already done the running to get there—meaning, I had already established a relationship with him, and I was genuinely concerned about his family.  And when God delivered an opportunity for me to enter, I didn’t.  I wish I could say that was the only time I felt like I missed an opportunity.  Of course, I am sure that I am not the only one who has felt this way.  

When it comes to following God, there will always be reasons to not: It might not be a convenient time, you might look silly, you might get rejected, it might represent a huge cost, etc.  But I hope to never again be a person who is standing outside of the door, looking in and longing for what could have been.  I hope that like John, I will eventually go in and be used by God to do great things. 

Prayer: God, give me boldness to enter into whatever door or opportunity You put before me.  Help me to see that the opportunity and potential is always greater than the cost or risk.  Allow me the opportunity to be used by You because I was willing to go through the door. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 17

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Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 4:23-31: When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers were gathered together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed’

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Questions to Consider

1.  What were the circumstances surrounding this passage, and for what did Peter and John ultimately pray for?  

2.  Why do you think boldness was so important for the early church?  Why is it so important for us today?

3.  On a scale of one to ten, how bold are you for Christ?  Are there ways you can grow in boldness?

Notes

1.  After healing a blind man, Peter and John were brought to the Sanhedrin and told not to speak of Jesus again.  The disciples ultimately prayed for boldness to continue to share and be used of God to do more miraculous signs (vv. 29-30).  

2.  Disobedience to the Sanhedrin could have resulted in flogging, excommunication, imprisonment, or death.  Peter and John considered boldness important so that they could remain faithful to obey God rather than men.  

3.  To grow in boldness, we obviously need to pray as Peter and John did, but sometimes we need to intentionally do things that would push us out of our comfort zones.  Consider going out to share the gospel today, asking a co-worker for a prayer request, or whatever feels uncomfortable.  

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Evening Reflection

The theme for today was boldness.  This evening, ask yourself: How has my Christian life been lately?  Am I in a rut, or why has it been awhile since I’ve have seen God do something in my life?  Maybe it’s because you don’t take bold steps to obey His promptings.  Ask God to open your eyes and heart to areas He wants you to move into.  Commit to following His promptings, even if it means you’ll have to take risks.   

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 18, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Receptive Heart for God’s Eternal Truth”

Mk 4:20 (NIV)

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

In the NBA, no one could stop Shaquille O’Neil in his heyday; once this powerful player had the ball in the paint area, any strategy used against him mattered very little him—he almost always made a basket.

While the quality of the soil certainly affects whether the seed reaches its fullest potential, it can grow, however anemic, under almost any soil.  In another parable, Jesus spoke of how “night and day, whether the [sower] sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how” (Mk. 4:27).  Still in another parable, the Lord explained that as long as a kernel “falls to the ground . . . it produces many seeds” (Jn. 12:24).  Apostle Paul, in speaking of those who preached God’s word (i.e., sowed the seed) with a wrong motive, said, “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached” (Phil. 1:18).  What do these verses indicate?  Regardless of the listener’s receptivity or the preacher’s motive, because “the word of God is living and active[,] sharper than any double-edged sword , it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12 NIV).  

One main issue with Shaq’s teams was always getting the ball to him when he was in the paint area near the basket.  But it was up to the point guard who, after bringing the ball up the court, could either pass it to Shaq or shoot it himself. However, Shaq was much more likely to make a basket from his sweet-spot than a guard who shot from afar.   The question to us is how to make that pass from the outside (i.e., attitudes not conducive for effective listening) to the sweet-spot, which is inside (i.e., the right attitude), so that we can consistently score a basket (i.e., bearing much fruits in terms of character, right conduct, winning souls, etc. ).  

First, no matter who may be the speaker, obligate yourself to receive a blessing even if the only coherent thing done was reading the Scripture, since that is God’s word.  Paul says to the Thessalonians, “We also thank God . . . because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God” (1 Thess. 5:13).  What’s the outcome of this?  The apostle concludes that verse with this: “…which is at work (i.e., produces a crop) in you who believe.”   Second, imitate the Bereans “who received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).  Luke, instead of saying, “How dare you examine Paul’s words!” but rather described them as “noble character.”  Lastly, “do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 2:22).  Start practicing this today. 

Prayer: Lord, make my heart receptive towards Your eternal Word no matter who is delivering it.  May Your eternal truth set me free in Your Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 16

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on February 1, 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

“The Person Whom I Thought Would Never Believe”

Mark 9:17-8, 23-4

“Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.  He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and become rigid. . . . Jesus [said,] ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’”

This father desperately wanted his sick son to get better; but even with Jesus at his side, he doubted whether anything will change.  Isn’t that like us?  Though we know that God is all-powerful, when it comes to changing people’s hearts, we tend to give up based on our experience that nothing is changing.

There was a girl I knew very well when growing up. Though she was not a believer, she was curious about what we believed and sometimes attended my local youth group. However, during a one-on-one conversation, a member of my church told her without further explanation, “You are going to hell!” Deeply offended, she stopped speaking to us and stopped showing any interest in coming out again. Nobody knew how to explain the Gospel with great sensitivity, and though we tried to mend some bridges and attempted to explain more fully each person’s true need for Christ, it seemed too much damage had been done.

Not too long after, she and I fell out of our friendship, and I gave myself many convenient reasons not to approach her again. Occasionally, I would think back but always concluded that too much time had passed and too much hurt was caused. I felt that her lingering bitterness was justified, and though I hoped this would not be the end of the journey for her, I also thought, more “realistically,” that we had ruined her for any desire to hear the Gospel message again. 

Imagine my surprise (more than ten years later) to see on Facebook that this girl is now happily attending a local church through a friendship with some other girls from our hometown! The person I thought who would never be open to anything to do with church again, by God’s amazing grace, had come to know Him. To me, this came as not only a miraculous display of God’s power but also a sharp rebuke, as I had long since put any thought into this hopeless situation.

Our abilities and efforts will naturally fall short when we meet challenges regarding the people in our midst, and our failure should be a reminder to us that only by God’s power do circumstances and people miraculously change.  It is easy for us to let present failures dictate our faith and much harder to put our hope in the power of God. If your strength, your brain, and your heart have failed, then, be vulnerable and humble before God and say, “Lord, help me overcome my unbelief, discouragement and hopelessness.” You can be sure that He will either use you to work and bring the situation to a close, or He Himself will do all the work and provide a miracle for all to see. 

Let us draw near to God again, today, asking for strength to battle our unbelief. 

Prayer: Father, I come before You knowing that I am poor in power and poor in Spirit, but You are rich beyond measure in love and in means. My failures cannot stop You from doing Your work. Do not let the present circumstances tell me something different about what You are able to do; help me to live by faith and not by sight! Help put away my unbelief by reminding me of the firm foundation of Your power and Your love today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 14-15