December 5, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Charles Graham, a former staff at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on December 19, 2018.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Loving God with our Minds” 

Read Luke 10:27 (ESV)

“And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”

The story is all too common. A child is raised in a loving Christian home, grows up in the church, develops deep and close relationships with the congregation and when the time comes, leaves home for college. However, in school, the young student fills one of his elective slots with a religions class where the professor lays into Christianity, outlining its contradictions, borrowed mythology and overwhelmingly negative sociological impact. He is never the same again. He comes home after his first year with more questions than a busy parent or pastor cares to answer, and slowly but surely, the once Christ-grounded child loses his faith and turns away from the church. 

When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus answers: “Love God with all of their being and love their neighbor as themselves.” While the average person does well to love the Lord with the first three items, the tragedy of the hypothetical above can become a reality if we fail to love God with our minds. JP Moreland (Talbot School of Theology) writes, “That the mind is the crucial component in the spiritual journey cannot be accurately denied.” Truly there is something to it, as an estimated 70% of college students leave the faith. Institutions of higher learning are a wonderful place of knowledge and exchanging of ideas, but with the marginalization of the Christian worldview so great, it is more critical than ever that church leaders teach their people how to love God fully, minds included. 

So what does loving God with your mind look like? A long-lost spiritual discipline is study. Pastor Peter (Kairos) describes the spiritual disciplines as the “wax on, wax off” parts of the faith—meaning, performing them seemingly serves no purpose until the occasion in which they’re useful arises. While not everyone needs to think through the faith to the degree of someone like C. S. Lewis, it is vital that, at minimum, we keep ourselves grounded in the Word while seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit. By engaging the faith with our minds, we give the Spirit another piece of ourselves to step into and work His wonders. The Holy Spirit can teach us how to speak of Jesus to unbelievers, how to disciple our immediate and church family members and even defend the faith, if necessary, from opposition. Just as we have done so, so easily with our hearts, let’s give our minds over to the Lord as well. Let’s love Him with all of our being, as commanded.

Prayer: Father, Your Word and Your truth have been under attack since the beginning. We know You are there, we feel You and we praise You. Please help us to love You fully, with everything we are. Holy Spirit, we ask that You move in, and shape our minds to Your will. All for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 1:1-7: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Questions to consider

  • What is the beginning of knowledge?
  • What is King Solomon’s goal(s) in writing these proverbs?
  • Which of King Solomon’s goals would you like to work towards in your life?

Notes

  • The beginning of knowledge is “the fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). King Solomon goes on to note only a fool rejects wisdom or instruction, thereby advocating for the spiritual discipline of study.
  • In general, King Solomon seeks to increase and refine his vast knowledge and gift of godly wisdom in order to best serve God and His people. I am particularly invested in verses four and five, as I hope to be able to help equip fellow Christians moving forward.
  • Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Romans 12:2 reads, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” According to Moreland, the Greek word Paul uses here is nous, which means “the intellect, reason, or the faculty of understanding,” (Moreland 2012: 65). What changes can you pray for God renew your mind with? 

December 4, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on December 5, 2019, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who now serves as a missionary in East Asia, is a father of four children and is married to Annie.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Maybe God Has a Different Plan”

Mark 15:6-15 (NIV)

“Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. 9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate,10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. 12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”

In this passage, we see that Pontius Pilate gave the crowd a choice to free any man from prison because it was the Passover Feast. Hoping they would choose Jesus, Pontius Pilate gave them a choice between Jesus and a man named Barabbas, a bloodthirsty revolutionary and a murderer. But to Pilate’s surprise, they chose Barabbas.

So why did they choose Barabbas? It seems like they were disappointed with Jesus. Remember, this was the same crowd that we see in chapter 11 who welcomed Him into Jerusalem. The city was filled with people Jesus had healed: the eyes of the blind had been opened, the deaf made to hear, and the lame to walk. Through these signs and wonders, the Jews started to believe that He was the Messiah, who was to free them from the oppression of the Romans. However, Jesus had a different message—so they rejected Him.

Now, when they saw Him standing helplessly before the Roman governor, they saw weakness. As a result, their loyalty to Him collapsed and, in disappointment, they chose to free Barabbas, a murderer.

Our natural reaction is to become frustrated with the Jews. Why would they choose to free a man who murdered people over a man who brings hope to the world? Yet, oftentimes, we make the same mistake.

Like the Jews, we are often disappointed in God because we expect Him to act in a certain way. Because of these disappointments, we decide to walk our own path and deal with situations in our own ways. We choose Barabbas over Jesus.

However, we are reminded that God sometimes has a different plan for us—and that plan is always good. In this story, God’s plan was to deal with a more detrimental issue than the Roman Empire—He came to deal with sin. 

Since Genesis 3, sin had distorted God’s creation, and He had a mission to restore everything back to its original intent. And we need to remind ourselves of this truth. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

This morning, think about certain situations where the outcome was not what you expected. What was your reaction? Were you disappointed in God? Oftentimes we are disappointed in God because we forget that He truly is a good God. Take a moment to meditate on this truth: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

Prayer: Dear Lord, there have been many times that I have been disappointed in You. I pray for a certain outcome, but it doesn’t happen. I get disappointed often because I forget that You are a good God that always wants what’s best for me. Holy Spirit, please remind me that I do not have to fear when my plan is not fulfilled, because I know you have something better in store for me. Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Jeremiah 29:10-13: “This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”

Questions to Consider

  • Who is the Lord speaking to?
  • What does this passage reveal to you about God’s character?
  • What is the purpose of these promises?

Notes

  • The Lord is speaking to the exiles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. They were in bondage and the Lord promised to free them after 70 years.
  • This passage reveals that God has good intentions for you. He can take the bad experiences and turn them into good. Therefore, we can place our hope in Him.
  • God’s ultimate purpose for us is to have a relationship with Him. 

Evening Reflection

God is a good Father who knows what is best for you. You might be experiencing a situation where things might not be going your way. However, we must trust in the truth that God is good –all the time!

December 3, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on March 21, 2019, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Standing Firm in God’s Presence”

Exodus 14:1-4; 13-14 (NIV)

Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this. 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

In verses 1-4, after the Lord reveals His “clever” plan to Moses, he leads the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea, where they are pinned between the great sea and the great armies of Egypt chasing after them. Some cleaver plan this turned out to be—they are now stuck between a rock and a hard place. They can either drown or be struck down by the sword. The Israelites are unaware of the Lord’s plans and cry out with fear and hysteria, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?” 

As their desperate cries get louder and louder, Moses answers the people to do three things: 

  • Do not be afraid. 
  • Stand firm and you will see. 
  • You need only to be still. 

In ministry, I’ve learned that fear is the great enemy of faith. Jesus often rebuked his disciples by saying, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” When we are operating or making decisions based on fears, it is certain that faith has no room to grow in our hearts nor in our ministries. The enemy preys on our insecurities and fears to prevent us from living out our faith. 

We often seek the Lord’s “plans” rather than seeing the Lord’s “presence” in order to address our fears and anxieties. Without a clear knowledge of the future “plans” that the Lord has for us, we find ourselves immobilized by fears. We think to ourselves, “If God will just tell me His plans, then I will be able to walk by faith.” However, the Lord often gives us something better than just His plans. He asks us to trust in His “presence”, the pillar of cloud/fire, that visibly led the Israelites. Then the Lord tells us, “You need only to be still.” 

If you are constantly operating out of fears, spend some time meditating on vs 13-14: “Do not be afraid; stand firm; be still.” 

Prayer: Lord, it’s subtle, but I admit that I operate more out of fears than out of faith. Help me to no longer be afraid; to stand firm and be still in Your presence. In Your name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 3 

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:6-10 (NIV): “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Questions to Consider

  • What steps does James encourage the believer to take in order to receive God’s favor and grace? 
  • How does it strike you that the devil actually flees from you when you stand up and resist him? 
  • Is there an area in your life where there is a need for grief? 

Notes

  • To submit to God; resist the devil; come near to God; purify your hearts. 
  • Most average Christians might fear the devil; however, it is the devil that flees when one takes a stance against him and draws near to God.  
  • Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time confessing your fears and worries before the Lord. Ask Him to fill your heart with courage and faith. 

December 2, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 23, 2019, is provided by Esther Chailim. Esther, a graduate of University of California, San Diego (B.S.) and Talbot School of Theology (M.A.), is the Director of Ministries at Kairos Christian Church (San Diego).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Losing the Battle, Win the War”

2 Corinthians 2:14

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.”

As someone who grew up playing sports all her life, I have naturally taken on quite the competitive spirit.  And for all those who, like me, are competitive, we share one thing in common: We hate losing!  Losing cuts our pride, ruins our days, and often leads us to fixate on what we could have done differently. Simply put, losing never feels good.  The apostle Paul, on the other hand, had a completely different perspective about losing. To him, losing meant that the victor, Jesus Christ, would have all the honor and glory.  

In this verse, Paul talks about being a captive in Christ’s triumphal procession. In those times, Roman generals would have these triumphal processions (a.k.a. parades), to celebrate the victory over their enemies.  Typically, a Roman general would lead his troops along with their captives (prisoners of war) in a triumphant march through the crowd as they honored the general that led them through the battle.  The captives would ultimately be led to their deaths as a sign of complete and utter defeat.  Paul, in his humility considered himself, a captive, a slave to Christ, knowing that in the presence of the Messiah King, all he could do was to surrender and give all the glory and honor to the one who deserves it most. 

Part of the reason many of us hate losing is because WE want the glory. We want to celebrate that we are amazing, that we conquerors, that we have the power and control to reign over our lives.   But the apostle Paul reminds us to take that stance of humility.  It is not us who are amazing, awesome, and wonderful; it is the victor, Christ Himself.  Only He alone deserves that glory and honor.  So, with that reminder, we gladly bow down and lose the battle to Him, surrendering ourselves as captives of Christ, so that through Him and Him alone may we win the war! 

Prayer:  Lord, forgive me that I often look to glorify myself and my own accomplishments.  I pray that You will keep me humble in all that I do and remind me every day who is King. Thank You, Jesus, for being our general and leading us to victory!  May my life reflect Christ in me, daily giving You all the praise, glory and honor! 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-13:What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

Questions to Consider

  • Prior to this passage, the Preacher writes a list of vanities of life.  What’s his point?  Or in the words of the author, “What do workers gain from their toil?”
  • What does the author mean when he says, He has “set eternity in the human heart?” 
  • What posture are we to take in light of all that God has given to us? 

Notes

  • Both the good things and the bad things in this life are a blessing from the Lord. They are beautiful in its time.  But to pursue these things alone is meaningless.  The Preacher helps us to fix our eyes on what is eternal and lasting, not what is temporary. 
  • Because the vanities of life do not give us true fulfilment, it eventually leads us to despair and there’s a deep longing within us for something more.  We are made for the eternal, so that void can only be satisfied through Christ alone, who gives us eternal life. He has placed that in our hearts, but we also lack the understanding and wisdom to fully comprehend the magnitude of all that He’s done. 
  • God does it so that people will fear him. 

Evening Reflection

Who is King in your life? As we consider our lives, even in the smallest of things, have we sought to glorify our own name or are we persistent to give all the glory to the one and true King? Are we chasing the things that are temporary or the things that are eternal? 

December 1, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 15 2019, is provided by Pastor David Son who pastors Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Purpose of Rules”

Exodus 21:1

Now these are the rules that you shall set before them.

In 2012, my mom and dad became foster parents to an orphan refugee from North Korea. Prior to coming into our home, he had spent his entire life as an orphan, living on the streets of North Korea. As you might imagine, this was one of the most challenging seasons of my parents’ lives. Their primary objective? To help this child understand that he was loved by his family. Where did they begin? Well, after bringing him into the family, my parents began by setting rules. That’s right, rules! 

One by one, my parents began implementing rules to help this kid understand what it looked like to live in his new identity as a child of this family—and these rules were very specific. For example: 

  • Do not steal dad’s watch
  • Eat slowly/respectfully during dinner
  • Come home by 6pm after playing in the park

The purpose of each of these rules wasn’t to restrict him, but rather to transition him from his old patterns of living (stealing, hoarding food, wandering off alone) to a new mindset—the mindset of a son.

Today’s verse inaugurates a series of rules given by God to do exactly the same thing. The nation of Israel was birthed into slavery. They were spiritual orphans, with no prior knowledge of what it meant to live as children of God. So, after God redeems them and makes them His… He immediately begins to implement a set of very specific rules. The purpose of these rules? To help God’s children transition from their old patterns of living, to a new mindset—the mindset of sons/daughters of God.

Are you living in the mindset of a son/daughter of God? Perhaps there are specific patterns in your life, right now, that God wants to adjust. Let’s spend some time today reflecting on this.

Prayer: Father, we want to live in the fullness of the identity You have given us. Help us to identify the areas where we are still acting like spiritual orphans. Help us to surrender these areas to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:5-11: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Questions to Consider

  • According to this passage, what does discipline from God imply?
  • Why does God discipline us? What is the purpose?
  • How does the author of Hebrews exhort us to respond to God’s discipline?

Notes

  • This passage states several times that discipline from God is a feature of being His child. It implies that God loves us, and that He has our good in mind.
  • Verse 10 says that God disciplines us because: (1) it is good for us; and (2) through discipline we can share in his holiness. In other words, the purpose of God’s discipline is so that we might develop Christ-like character within ourselves.
  • The author of Hebrews exhorts us to take God’s discipline seriously and not to be wearied by it. Although being disciplined by God may not feel good in the moment, when we understand His purpose we can receive His discipline with joy.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on the type of person you were before you met Jesus. What has changed since then? What has not changed since then? Are there areas that ought to have changed, but haven’t? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas to you as you reflect.

November 30, Sunday

NEW Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is provided by Charmer Pratt. Charmer, a longtime member of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia, has served faithfully in the welcoming ministry since 2016.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Like a Child” 

Matthew 18:3 

And [Jesus] said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

I tricked my niece into thinking I have a superpower. 

Last summer at the Zoo Atlanta, my then six-year-old niece challenged me to a series of footraces, thinking that she can outrun anyone. For a few minutes, I decided to be a good uncle and obliged, running alongside her to the finish lines she created in the park area between the parking lot and the park entrance for several races. After a few runs, I told her that I was going to use my “super speed” on the next race and sprinted as fast as I could. When she saw how fast I could really run, she ran after me and yelled, “Don’t use super speed anymore!” 

As time passes, my niece will grow to be faster, and I will grow to be slower. Eventually, she will grow up and realize that her uncle not only never had super speed, but he was just a normal runner. With that realization, my niece will look at me as just another person and less like the superhuman she thought of me as a child. 

As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we can easily fall into that trap. We can learn more about God and think that because of our new knowledge of Him, we’re closer to being on His level. This is why Jesus calls us to become like the little children, so that we can realize one great truth about the Lord. 

The exact opposite of the trap is true! The more you and I learn about the Lord, the more we realize how much greater He is than we are. Our knowledge of God should make us more childlike, bringing us more in awe of Him and more amazed at the fact that He would bother loving us.  

So I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the Lord and spend as much time with Him as you can. You’ll continue to be awestruck by our awesome God! 

Prayer: Lord, You are more amazing than I can ever imagine. As I learn more about You and walk with You, keep me in a childlike state that remains in awe of Your presence every step of the way! Amen 

Bible Reading for Today: Haggai 2

November 29, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on October 13, 2019, was written by a native pastor serving at an AMI church in East Asia.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Forgetting His Promises”

Genesis 15:1-21

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your
very great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” 8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” 9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to walk across a glass bridge. While it was an amazing experience, it is not for the faint of heart. The bridge was suspended several hundred feet above a rushing river, and all I could feel were my legs shaking. Although the glass is made of a material that can sustain the weight of thousands of people, I still feared that the bridge would break.

In this passage, the Lord appears to Abram (Abraham) in a vision to encourage him. However, Abram’s response to the Lord’s encouragement was a question regarding his heir. While the Lord has tremendously blessed Abram in previous chapters, Abram was still longing for a child. Yet, the Lord does not deny Abraham, but promises an heir to him. In addition, the Lord reveals to Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars.

Many of us are like Abram. We’ve experienced the blessing of God, and we know that He is faithful. Yet, we are still worried about the uncertainties in our lives such as: the future, our financial situation, or our health. Even with our knowledge of God, there is a part of us that doubts the promise that God will provide for us.

However, what we learn from this passage is that God is merciful and does not get tired of reminding us of His promises. While we easily forget of His faithfulness, God is there to remind us that He is our provider. When we are having a difficult time, or when we find it hard to trust in Him, let us be encouraged to ask the Lord to remind us of His promises once again.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your daily grace. I pray that You would open our eyes, so that we can clearly see how faithful You are. In difficult times, help us to trust that You are in control. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 16 and Haggai 1

November 28, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on November 32, 2018, is provided by Jennifer Kim who served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Look After the Distressed”

James 1:26-27

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

For many families the Thanksgiving tradition goes far beyond a traditional turkey meal with family members gathering from all over town to express their gratitude. Instead, Thanksgiving means getting past the turkey food coma to wait in line to snag the best Black Friday deals. It’s estimated that in 2016, 101.7 million people braved the crowds to grab their long-awaited discounts. It’s always puzzling to me to that the busiest shopping day would be after a holiday designated for gratitude and family gatherings. Every year I hear stories on the news about lines circling around buildings, people getting trampled on, and fights being broken up at the wee hours of the night. It’s as if Thanksgiving did not happen a few hours before as people fight for material possessions, pushing anyone aside to get their bargains.

Today’s passage talks about a religion that our Father accepts as pure as one that looks after the marginalized. We see that on the top of God’s priority is for His children to take care of those in need. While it may be easy to dismiss the problem of homelessness, hunger, and poverty as a problem too big for us to solve, God highlights throughout Scripture our call to bring, not only spiritual revival for others, but physical as well. We are called to be the light of the world in every situation by serving God’s children in all areas of need. 

In America, while 101 million people wait in lines during Black Friday every year, about 40 million people face hunger every day. If every person who goes shopping on Friday serves one person who may not have the opportunity to enjoy a holiday meal, we could provide a Thanksgiving meal for two years. While I am not saying discount shopping is bad, let’s remember that God calls us to look after those in need. 

Can I encourage you this Black Friday to continue in a heart of gratitude by serving someone who may be in need it? It can be as simple as blessing a retailer worker who missed Thanksgiving to work, donating to a local food pantry, or using the money you saved for Black Friday shopping on someone in need. Whatever it is, may we, in Thanksgiving, be a light to those who are in need.

Prayer: God I thank You for Your constant provision in my life. Help me to be a light to those who need it most this season. May I be able to inconvenience myself to serve those who may be less fortunate. In Jesus name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:5-8:In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Questions to Consider

  • What attitude should we have while serving others?
  • How did Jesus model the attitude of service we should have?
  • List some practical ways that you can serve someone today.

Notes

  • We should have an attitude of humility, like Jesus.
  • Jesus modeled a life of humility and service by coming into the world to face death for the sins of the world. 
  • Personal response.

Evening Reflection

This morning we discussed a religion that God deems pure and faultless as one that looks after the marginalized. We reviewed in the afternoon, Jesus’s life as the greatest testimony of service to the marginalized when he faced death on the cross for sinners. How did you do in being a humble servant today? Were you able to help someone in need, pray for someone who may be struggling, or give what you have to those less fortunate? Tomorrow is a new day, but remember Christianity is called to be a religion that helps those in need.

November 28, Thursday 

REPOS Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on November 28, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Happy Thanksgiving . . . Because of Him”

Psalm 117:1-2

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! [2] For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

This is the shortest Psalm in the Psalter, but as Derek Kidner rightly notes, its faith is “great” and “its reach is enormous.”  He added, “The shortest Psalm proves, in fact, to be one of the most potent and most seminal.”  How so?

The first striking feature of this Psalm is its call for all nations and all people to praise God. It is, therefore, a missionary psalm, calling on all peoples everywhere to extol God.   The second important feature is the reason why all nations should praise God: His steadfast love and faithfulness, which endures forever.  

On this day of Thanksgiving, we should be reminded of the greatness of His love for the nations as well as for us.   God expressed the fullest measure of His love for us in Christ; in Him, we have abundant life (Jn. 10:10) in this age and eternal life in the age to come.  The innumerable promises of the Lord, such as tarrying with us in our trials or answering our prayers, are as fresh and intact now as on the day they were made; and they will remain so.  

Take some time this morning praising and thanking the Lord for His love and faithfulness.  Meditate on the Cross and how it shows His great love for you.  May worship and praise arise as you think about Christ.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank You for everything!  Forgive me for complaining, pouting and comparing myself to others to complain and pout even more.  You are so good to me, Lord; and that’s all the more reason why I shall worship and praise You forever.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 14

Lunch Break

Read Ephesians 2:1-7: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—[3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1. According to verses 1-3, what is the true condition of humans?

2. In response, what has Christ done for humans in their miserable state?

3. What moves our Lord to do this?

Notes

1. Ephesians 2 is one of the deepest and richest passages in all of Scripture.  Paul describes man’s condition apart from the grace and mercy of Jesus in verse 1-3: man is not only spiritually dead but is an object of the wrath of God, who is holy and just.   

2. Thankfully, Jesus has not left men in their miserable state, but has chosen to rescue those chosen from the foundation of the world (1:3–6).  

3. It certainly is not any good we have done; being separated from God because of sins, we were undeserving of His love.  Whatever righteousness we thought we possessed was nothing but dirty rags (Isa. 64:6). What moves Him, Paul tells us, is His own mercy, love, grace, and kindness (Eph. 2:4–7).  It bears repeating that God has shown His grace and mercy when we did not deserve it.  It is only fitting that on this Thanksgiving Day, we spend some time thanking Jesus for His salvation and His great love for us.

Evening Reflection

One of our greatest needs as human beings is to be loved.  We have the need to know that we are important to somebody and that someone truly cares and accepts us unconditionally.  If this need is not met, we are liable to develop unacceptable behavior patterns to compensate for this need.

Remember, there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us more, and nothing we will ever do will cause Him to love us any less. He loves us perfectly and completely regardless of how we perform; His love is unconditional.  Even if we don’t love ourselves, He still loves us. 

Having known and experienced His great love and mercy, we should show that same kindness to others in our lives.  Take some time to pray so that God’s love and mercy would be manifested abundantly in your life.  

November 26, Wednesday

REPOST Todays’ AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on November 26, 2025, is provided by Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Conflicts that Rattle our Security—What Does that Say About Us?

Psalm 3:1-4

O Lord, how many are my foes!  How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah.  3 But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. 4 To the Lord I cry aloud and he answers me from his holy hill.

This Psalm was King David’s prayer when his own son Absalom, after having overtaken the throne, was looking to kill him.  For some people, their own family becomes a seedbed of trouble instead of a place of comfort.  Even Jesus’ own family rejected Him at first as the Son of God,  believing that he was crazy. In fact, on one occasion, when [Jesus’] family heard [about what he was doing], they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind” (Mk. 3:21).

Where people live side-by-side, conflicts are inevitable. I am sure in your work and church, you encounter people who are better or worse endowed than you in terms of education, talent, physical appearance, and socioeconomics.  That’s just a fact of life!  Wherever humans live, that will always be the case!

Therefore, one source of conflict is dealing with those who seem to be better or less endowed than us. If our measurement is more impressive than that of others, we become condescending toward the latter; but if the reverse is the case, we are given to unhappiness and envy.  What does this then say about the basis of your security?  

Looking at what happened to David (losing his secure position overnight to his own son), where should our security and confidence come from?  What is the theological basis for our security in Christ?  Our security is rooted in God’s unconditional acceptance of us, regardless of our demerits.  Romans 15:7 declares, “Christ accepted you”—just as we are, in him. 

So what are some practical steps we need to take (2 Cor. 10:12)?  One practical step is refusing to compare ourselves with others.  Learning to be content is the key.  Are you content in Christ? 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this wonderful new day of experiencing again your amazing love & grace.  I lift up to You every member of my family that each may know the surpassing love of Christ and be found in Him!

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 18:9-14: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Questions to Consider

1. To whom was this parable said?

2. Why was this said?

3. Why is humility so important in being justified  (i.e., saved) by God (Eph. 2:8-9)?

 Notes

1. This was said to unnamed people who, like the Pharisees, mocked others on account of their flawless obedience to the requirements of the Law.

2.  This was said because Jesus wanted to make sure that his hearers understood what God was looking for: a humble and penitent heart over those who are intoxicated and impressed with their own religiosity.

3. Without it, humans will boast that their good works, at the very least, nudged God toward saving them. When good works are added, according to Paul, we fall away from grace (Gal. 5:4-5).

Evening Reflection

Though family relationships can stress us out, they can shed much light on God’s love and grace 

as well.  Did you have any interesting experiences with anyone in your family? Have you resolved the last family conflict?  If not, then ask God to give you the strength to reconcile.  Don’t delay.  Trust God who, in all things, including our conflicts, works for the good of those who love him (Rom. 8:28)?  Even as we pray for and love our family, we look to God for comfort; He alone is our deliverance and our security!