September 30, Friday

UPDATEDToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 27, 2015

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Story that Every Unfinished House Tells”

Under the same subject (denying oneself to be a Christ’s disciple), two parables with different emphasis are given.

Lk 14:26-33 (NIV): “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. [27] And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [28] Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? [29] For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, [30] saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ [31] Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

While living in Mexico for several years, I saw many unfinished houses, many of which had the appearance of having been abandoned for years. This devotional is the story that every unfinished house tells.

During a service many years ago, the pastor of my church asked that if anyone was willing to foot the large bill for something the church needed, to raise their hands. After a few seconds of uneasiness, especially among the elders, several people complied. While that’s a commitment, they likely didn’t have enough time to “calculate the cost to see if [they had] enough to complete” what was promised. Some who could not give may have left the church, not wanting to be ridiculed. And this is the story that every unfinished house tells: the one who began the building project didn’t calculate the cost of completing it.

There are two components to “giving up everything to be a Christ’s disciple”: rationality and faith.

First, be rational by committing to something “according to what one has,” whether it be money and/or time, “not according to what he does not have” (2 Cor. 8:12). This, however, is not necessarily borne of faith, which is “being . . . certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). Therefore, we must up the “ante” (i.e., commitment) so that “your faith grows” (2 Cor. 10:15). The increase in the commitment level must be incremental—a result of “sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Rom. 12:3) at that moment in life. Some people, pressured by those who appear more committed, who try to jump several hurdles all at once, are likely to become bitter and complain later on.

As our commitment level grows, we’ll reach a point where we may be ready to surrender all aspects of our lives to the “King of kings” (1 Tim. 6:15), which is what the second parable shows. The “kings” refer to us who are in charge of our own lives, but upon seeing that the KING, who comes to conquer, is stronger than us, then, instead of fighting, we’ll surrender. Those who haven’t added faith to their rationality will put up a losing fight; those who have will yield, allowing the KING to rule them wherein they encounter righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17).

How is your commitment level with God? Are you making the right calculation? If so, are you adding faith thereafter to ensure that you grow? Think about it and make changes.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I magnify You this morning, for You are worthy of all honor and praise. You left the glory You had with the Father to become flesh to do what I could never do for myself: the redemption of my soul. For this, I ought to deny myself and follow You. Empower and motivate me to do that! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Lk. 9:57-62 (NASB): “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’ [58] And Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ [59] And He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.’ [60] But He said to him, ‘Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.’ [61] Another also said, ‘I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.’ [62] But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

Lk. 16:13 (ESV): “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Question to Consider

1. The first layer of commitment is developing a sense of detachment from certain good things, but nonetheless, can pull us away from God. What are these “certain good things”?

2. In these two passages, is Jesus asking us to merely have a sense of detachment or act upon it? How are they responding?

3. What are you struggling with at the moment? A better question is, “What is God telling you to act upon (based on your calculation+faith) to take you to the next level of commitment for Him?”

Notes

1. A desire to have a nice place to lay one’s head; family relationships; economic success (the plowing); having enough money (however that is constituted in one’s mind).

2. Jesus is asking those who said they wanted to follow him to act up on their sense of detachment from these good things. Understandably, they were struggling with what was asked of them. And if we are not in the habit of adding faith to our rationality, this will always be a big struggle.

3. If it is money, while you don’t have to give a big chunk every time you offer (tithing will do most of the times), you may need to offer an amount that strongly symbolizes a sense detachment from it. If it is family ties, you should practice being away from them for the sake of God’s work, whether it be one day or week, or more.

Evening Reflection

Did you encounter opportunities to deny yourself to follow Christ today? It doesn’t have to be an earthshaking event. How did you handle it? Review your day; reflect and pray.

September 29, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on September 22, 2016. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of the UC site of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“When We Feel Overwhelmed”

John 16:33

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

There will be many, many times in life when we will feel overwhelmed. Right now, with a new baby plus work and seminary, I have been feeling quite overwhelmed at times.* So how do we cope when we feel like this? How can we persevere through these feelings of just being in over our heads?

Jesus was one who should have been very overwhelmed. He had a rigorous preaching calendar, traveling from town to town to teach in various synagogues; plus, He was being called on constantly to heal people afflicted with various maladies. And through it all, He stayed focused on His primary mission—to go to the cross and die. Certainly that seems like an overwhelming life!

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to His disciples for the last time the night before the crucifixion. They are worried, and rightly so, since Jesus just told them that He is leaving them! What are they to do? And what are we to do?

Jesus says, “Take heart.” How do we take heart? We know that He overcame the world; this means that we likewise can overcome the world through Him, through His victory. When those feelings of being overwhelmed fill our minds, we can find hope and peace through the One who overcame it all. He overcame so that we can overcome. Let’s trust in Him, our overcoming Savior!

*Editor’s note: Now Pastor Doug, with one more kid at home, is in full-time ministry with a congregation to serve and a staff to manage, and has been working on his ordination with an “unnecessarily” demanding AMI Teaching Pastor.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for overcoming the world. I know the battle is already won and You are victorious. Help me to stand in Your victory and not let the world overwhelm me. Let Your strength be given to me so that I may persevere through the tribulations this world throws at me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 12

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 5:4-5: For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Questions to Consider

Who overcomes the world?
Why is faith the victory that overcame the world?
In what ways are you lacking faith that Jesus can overcome the tribulations in your life?

Notes

Those who have been born of God overcome the world. The passage then clarifies this by saying that the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world. So we can see that believing in Jesus causes us to be born of God and thus enables us to overcome the world.
Jesus is the victorious one. Through Jesus’ victory, faith is possible. Thus, faith is the victory that enables us to take part in this overcoming victory that Jesus accomplished. Overcoming the world is only possible through faith in Jesus, the One who overcame for us!
Take time to reflect on this question. Is Jesus your victory in every area of your life, or only some areas? Jesus’ victory is meant to be experienced in every sphere of our lives.

Evening Reflection

Take time to reflect on the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection. Now reflect on the tribulations you may be facing in your life, the things causing you to feel overwhelmed. Ask Jesus to help you to be victorious in those areas you are feeling overwhelmed.

September 28, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on March 26, 2015. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How We Die Really Reveals How We Had Lived”

1 Samuel 31:1-7

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

As I read through this passage and imagine Saul taking his final breath, I can’t help but think of my grandmother who died last month. My mother told me of my grandmother’s final moments. She was weary from a long life and from battling illness but absolutely at peace. She lay in bed, listening to hymns (“Precious Lord Take My Hand” to be exact) as my mother and father held her hands and prayed her into the presence of God. In prayer and worship she breathed her last.

I’m also reminded of a story told by Tony Campolo about the death of his father-in-law. He’d not been speaking at all because of his health condition, but one morning at 6 am he shot up in bed and said, “O grave, o death! Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory? Praise be to God who giveth me the victory!” And then he repeated it a second time a little louder. And then a third time he shouted these words, “with full triumph in his voice” and “laughing at the satanic forces…” Then he leaned back in bed and died. In shouts of triumph he breathed his last.

Saul didn’t die in either of these ways. He was fearful and calculating to the last moment. He died the same way he lived – by his own hand.

These stories should sober us. Few people walk around with the imminence of death at the forefront of their mind. We get married, pursue careers, have children, spend money, spend time, plan out our lives, even serve the Lord as though tomorrow is promised. But it isn’t. The question then becomes, will we live life in such a way (with eyes fixed on God and life spent building His Kingdom) that our death is one of peace and triumph? Or will we live by our own hand (eyes fixed on ourselves and life spent building our own kingdom) and find that we die in the very same way? The choice is ours. Yes, how we die really reveals how we had lived.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live well so that when my day comes to leave this earth I can die well too. Help me to live each moment knowing that the next isn’t promised. Not in fear or anxiety, but in a fervent commitment to the only thing that will last – Your Kingdom. May I make choices today that position me to breath my last breath in a way that honors You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 11

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:13-17: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Questions to Consider

In what ways do you “boast in your arrogance” as it relates to how you spend your time and plan your future?
How might the truth of verse 14 change how you approach each day?
How would it look for you to live with the mindset James prescribes in vs. 15? What would you do differently?

Notes

Believers should live in light of the fact that Jesus will return soon. But instead, much of what we do and how we think is based on the present world and things we can see. This manifests in different ways for each of us.
All our plans and choices should be in light of our complete dependence on God (even for the gift of life itself)
Living for eternity will look similar for all of us in some general ways, but different for each of us in more specific ways. We might prioritize prayer over TV or missions over excessive vacationing or allow the things of God to direct our next move instead of our plans for career advancement (not that these things are necessarily mutually exclusive).

Evening Reflection

Working with the Young Adults in my church I’ve come to learn that the biggest reason people move from one city to another is because of their job. I think this is OK (I’m guilty of this myself), but what if as Christians our primary motivation for how we spend our time and even where we live was our desire to participate in the Kingdom of God? Spend sometime reflecting on what motivates you and what priorities govern how you structure your life. Ask God to give you a heart that seeks first His Kingdom (and trust that all the other necessary and important things that we need and even want will be added) and a vision of how that might practically look in your life.

September 27, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 15, 2015

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Not Everyone Receives the Same Amount From God”

Lk. 19:12-3, 15-26 (ESV)

He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. [13] Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come’. . . . [15] When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. [16] The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ [17] And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ [18] And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ [19] And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ [20] Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; [21] for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ [22] He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? [23] Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ [24] And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ [25] And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ [26] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

Matt. 25:14-5 (ESV)

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. [15] To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.

Some egalitarians might prefer the Parable of the Ten Minas, since each servant receives one mina, over the Parable of the Talents, where some received more than others (Matt. 25:14-28). Which one is true? Based on Jesus’ statement, “Everyone who has been given much, much will demanded” (Lk. 12:48), it’s safe to assume that in God’s economy, not everyone receives the same amount of talents or gifts. But God is still egalitarian. How?

Recall that both the servant with a single talent and the other with one mina did nothing with it, even though they were told to put it to work, on account that their masters were unreasonable and unjust. Peeking into the vanity of the human nature, the servant with the one talent probably pouted over the fact that others received more: “Since you don’t think much of my ability, I will do nothing.” What he forgot is that when God judges our works, it isn’t based on how much we have gained; but rather, how much we have gained in proportion to how much we have been given.

At the judgment seat of Christ, where our works will be evaluated for rewards (2 Cor. 5:10), God will treat everyone as if they had received only one mina. How so? In God’s equalitarian judgment, it is possible that those who have received less will be given more rewards than those who have received more. For instance, God will be more pleased with a servant with a single talent who gained three more (300% yield) than one with five talents who made five more (100%). This is why Jesus said, after seeing a poor widow putting in two small copper coins (about $2) into the temple treasury and others giving much more: “[She] has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Lk. 21:4).

So, whatever talent God has given you, don’t bury it. Edify and encourage people with it; help support missionaries and your church; heal the wounded and instruct the young in faith.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for giving me talents and gifts that I did not earn. I admit that I’ve spent more time complaining about what I don’t have instead of using what I’ve received to yield more for your kingdom. May I constantly be reminded that I was given a great privilege; help me to be faithful. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 10

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Cor. 5:10 (NASB): For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

1 Cor. 4:5 (NASB): Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

Lk. 12:48 (NIV): But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Question to Consider

1. What is the main difference between how we receive salvation and how we receive rewards?

2. What is one key aspect of our works that will be evaluated at the judgment seat?

3. So, what does God expect from those who have received talents and gifts from him? How are you doing with God’s investment into to your life?

Notes

1. Salvation is not earned but is “a gift of God, not by works . . . but by grace . . . through faith” (Eph. 2:8). Rewards, on the other hand, are based on what we do. But this too is based on God’s grace since He doesn’t have to reward anyone; yet He chooses to do so out of His kindness and goodness.

2. Our motives will be evaluated—meaning it’s not just what we do or how we do it but why we do it.

3. God wants us to put to work every talent and gift given to us so that people’s lives are saved and healed: That’s why He takes it so seriously and displeases Him when we bury them (i.e., not use them) instead of using them to reach out to people.

Evening Reflection

As you are about to turn in, how do you think you used your talents and gifts today for the Lord? Was anyone encouraged and strengthened by you? Did anyone find out God’s grace through you? Pray that you will put your talent to work tomorrow.

September 26, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 30, 2016, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church plant by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“You Want Power? You Got Power, In Jesus”

John 18:1-8

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.

In the movie “The Lion King,” the villainous Scar and his band of hyenas are only afraid of one thing: Mufasa. In fact, the mere mention of his name is enough to make them shudder. Even after Mufasa is dead, Scar bans the name Mufasa from being uttered. Why? Because there was power in that name. At the end of the film, Mufasa’s son, Simba, returns bearing the authority of his father, to defeat Scar and his minions. Of course, that’s just a children’s story, but the principle behind the story remains true.

In passage’s today, a small army of soldiers, armed with weapons, makes their way to arrest Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane. Upon being found by them, Jesus asks, “Whom do you seek?” Jesus, when told that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, declares His identity, saying, “I Am he” (ego eimi). At these mere words, the soldiers collapse and fall to the ground. Why? A closer look will reveal that these are not just any words, but Jesus is declaring Himself to be equal to the Great I AM (Ex. 3:13-4)—Yahweh. The Hebrew verb hayah, used in Exodus 3:13-14 to refer to Yahweh as “I Am” (meaning “to be”), is translated in Septuagint (the first Hebrew Bible in Greek) as ego eimi (“I Am”); ego eimi, then, is applied to Jesus in the New Testament. Although Jesus’ intention was to surrender Himself, the mere mention of the name of God—His name—caused the soldiers to fall to the ground.

As you go through this day, remember that because you are His son/daughter, you have power in the name of Jesus to overcome temptation, trials, and works of the enemy. Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” May this be your prayer today!

Prayer: Lord, You are our source of strength and power to overcome the enemy. Help us to stand firm today. Teach us not to lean on our experience, abilities, or even our own righteousness, but instead to lean on You. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 9

Lunch Break Study

Read: Acts 19:11-20: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Questions to Consider

What does this passage teach us about the source of power?
Why did the sons of Sceva fail in their ministry?
How did the believers react?

Notes

The passage makes it clear that the source of power is God, not Paul, not the handkerchiefs, or aprons, not even invoking the name of Jesus. The first verse says, “God was doing extraordinary miracles….”
The sons of Sceva used Jesus’ name as an incantation, thinking that uttering certain words in a certain order might invoke power. But the evil spirits know the real from fake. They knew there was no real power behind the sons of Sceva because the Spirit of Christ was not actually within them.
The believers reacted by fearing the Lord, confessing, repenting, and burning their bridges to old sinful practices. And the name of Jesus was extolled. Although what happened to the sons of Sceva was tragic, the response of the believers is correct. Instead of speaking ill of the sons of Sceva, they recognized the seriousness of their own sinful ways and repented. Likewise, when we hear tragic news today of people in ministry falling/failing, we must have the humility to confess and repent for ourselves.

Evening Reflection

Today we talked about how powerful Jesus is, but also how He humbled himself and submitted Himself to being arrested. Spend some time this evening asking God for either boldness or humility. If you tend to be meek, ask God to fill you with boldness through the Holy Spirit. And if you tend to be bold by nature, ask God to fill you with humility through the Holy Spirit.

September 25, Sunday

Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought was first posted on July 4, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Funny But Not Really”

2 Timothy 4:6-8 (ESV)

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

At my brother’s recent college graduation ceremony, a student from his class was chosen to give a speech, and he cheekily compared their school to an assisted living facility: All of your friends are here, everything you need is within a seven minute walk, the food is prepared for you, and eventually, everybody leaves. Some of us are going to a better place, and some of us, myself included, are stepping into the unknown…

While the comparisons are superficially true, his remarks reminded me of when I recently visited a local nursing home, an experience that wildly clashed with my idealistic notions of life as a young adult. Inside this facility, I encountered so many people whose former lives boasted of prestigious academic degrees and military adventures; calendars brimming with social events and exciting trips. But now, at the final chapter of their lives, a communal schedule posted in the hallway suggested that the highlight of the day would be afternoon bingo and apple crisp for dessert. I conversed with a few who could talk, and it was clear that relatives seldom made visits; most of the residents spent entire days planted in the same chair by the same TV screen. I was introduced to a man who was once a successful medical doctor, but could now hardly hold a spoon to his mouth.

As a young adult, it’s easy to dismiss mortality as a far off reality that doesn’t concern me yet. There are too many personal and professional milestones that seem to separate me from old age and its accompanying side effects. But rather than denying death until it comes, I’m starting to realize that a healthy acceptance of my earthly end strengthens my hope in the Father, who has promised eternal life for those who believe in His Son Jesus. In his letter to Timothy, Paul had clearly lived his life with the end in mind; the faithfulness with which he lived his life belonged to someone who knew that his health would one day fail and his earthly accomplishments would fade, but in Christ he would have all that he needs to have true peace and joy beyond the very last day. For Paul, there was no fear in death. In fact, it was during his times of imprisonment, when death was a daily possibility, that he grew in boldness for the Gospel.

The college graduate who made that comparison, though meant to be humorous, identified a tendency as humans to obliviously enjoy lives that are artificially stable and predictable. It was meant to be funny but not really so. Instead, let’s follow Paul’s example and acknowledge that life on earth is fleeting but life in Christ is eternal.

Prayer: Lord, help me to count my days so that my remaining time here on earth can be used to extend your kingdom and glorify God. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 8

September 24, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 11, 2015.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“An Elder Brother Like No Other”

Luke 15:4, 8, 28 (NIV)

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it. . . .

[8] Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? . . . . [28] “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.”

The Christian faith in the wrong hands can turn into a weapon of condemning others, thereby, making the accuser feeling superior to the accused. Recall the prayer of the Pharisee who said, “I thank God that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers” (Lk. 18:10). But in Luke 15, Jesus presents the parable of lost sheep, coin and son to show that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk. 19:10). So we see that the shepherd and the woman immediately set out to find what was lost and, upon finding it, both say, “Rejoice with me” (Lk. 15:6, 9). However, no one is looking for the younger son. Theologian Edmund Clowney, when asked if culturally the father would have gone out looking for the son, responded, “The older brother would have done that”; but the older brother in the parable stays put.

At the very least, the Pharisees, whom the older son represents, were known to “travel over land and sea to win a single convert.” Their problem was the message which made their convert “twice as much a child of hell as [they] are” (Matt. 23:15). But the older son is acting worse than the Pharisees: first, he thinks worst of his brother, assuming his association with prostitutes (something Jesus never said); second, he doesn’t care whether his brother is alive or dead. While the older son has always been near his father physically, his heart is as far from the father’s as east is from the west; while the father rejoices, the older son growls at the return of his brother.

Where the older son in the parable fails, another steps in: “His Son (Rom. 8:29 NASB), the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (NIV). There have been discussions over whom the father in the parable represents. While the traditional answer is God the Father, some note that since the father is the one who suffers (i.e., shame and humiliation), he represents Jesus who suffered in order to redeem the lost. But unlike the elder brother in the parable who doesn’t care, the elder brother in God’s family does: he runs after the younger brother to keep him from being condemned by the villagers (Qetsatsah ceremony); he goes out to the older son who had been lost as well, to save him. Jesus is an elder brother like no other.

Those who have been believers for a while tend to become disgusted by sinners around them. It is always easier to judge than reach out to them. “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Mk. 2:17 NIV).

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for always looking to find what had been lost, some long away from home, others right at home. We love You for it. We love you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 6-7

September 23, Friday

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Crown of Thorns”

John 19:1-3

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

In the ancient Roman military, crowns were a symbol of honor. There were various crowns, symbolizing various feats and achievements of valor. Crowns were always given by someone of a higher-ranking office, to a lower-ranking one. For example, the Caesar might bestow a crown upon one of the generals in his army. Or a commander might place a crown on one of his subservient soldiers. However, there was one scenario when common soldiers would place a crown atop a higher-ranking officer. When the actions of a commander/general had saved an entire army, a “grass crown” was twisted together and presented to him by the very army he had saved. It was considered the highest honor in the Roman military.

How ironically fitting that a crown of thorns was placed on the head of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords, by the very ones He had come to save! When we look upon the suffering of Jesus, beneath the mockery and humiliation, we can see the beauty of the Gospel. The good news that our God is the kind of God who would endure such shame, if it meant that his beloved people might be saved.

Take some time today to meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus, who endured the cross to save the very ones who crucified Him. There is truly no one like our God!

Prayer: Lord, we are amazed at your love for us. Thank you for being the kind of God that you are. Thank you for suffering, and ultimately dying on a cross, to rescue us. We honor you and worship you today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:3-8: Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 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.

Questions to Consider

In this passage, how does the author of Hebrews reframe our struggle with sin?
How can we have the strength to endure trials and temptation?
According to the author of Hebrews what would a life without discipline indicate?

Notes

The author of Hebrews describes our struggle with sin as God’s discipline over His children. From context we can infer that the “struggle” that these early Christians were going through was related to persecution for their faith. But the author also mentions holiness and sexual immorality in the following verses. Whether it is a struggle to stand up in our faith, or it is a struggle to pursue holiness, we are encouraged to see our struggle as God’s work in disciplining us, because we are his beloved children.
The author encourages us to “Consider [Jesus] who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” He endured sin, and ultimately defeated it, so that we would not grow weary or fainthearted! When we remember that Jesus has conquered the power of sin, we find strength to continue fighting.
A life without discipline. A life without struggle. An easy, comfortable, smooth-sailing life… according to the author of Hebrews, indicates that we are illegitimate children, and not true children of God. Because God disciplines those He loves.

Evening Reflection

Jesus is our sympathetic high priest (Heb 4:15). That means that whatever hardships we are going through, even when we feel like no one else quite understands… Jesus understands. May you find peace in that truth tonight.

September 22, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 18, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Following Jesus with a Wrong Motive”

Lk. 19:12, 14, 27 (NIV)

He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. . . . [14] But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king’. . . . [26] He replied,. . . ‘But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me’”

Lk. 20:9-16 (NIV)

He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. [10] At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. [11] He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. [12] He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. [13] “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ [14] “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ [15] So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? [16] He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

Israel’s Davidic monarchy was broken when Babylonia destroyed Jerusalem and its temple in 586 B.C., and exiled its king (1 Chron. 36). When a remnant returned some 70 years later, their hope of restoring the Davidic monarchy never materialized. But they never gave up hope, especially because Israel continued to suffer the indignity of being conquered by foreign invaders for the next 400 years; at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, Israel had been under the Roman’s control for 100 years.

Now, when Christ came and did amazing miracles, like feeding thousands of people with just five loaves and two fish, the Israelites said, “‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world’. . . . [Then] they intended to . . . make him king” (Jn. 6:14-5). This means that the subjects themselves wanted the nobleman to be their king; the tenants initially welcomed the heir of the owner.

Then, what went wrong? It was a case of an unfulfilled expectation. After Jesus had been crucified, a disillusioned Israelite said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Lk. 24:21), meaning to defeat the Romans and then restore the world order with Israel on top (Is. 14:2). But, instead of plotting to defeat the enemy, they heard Jesus talk about “Bread from heaven.” “At this the Jews began to grumble” (Jn. 6:41), became offended (61), and finally, “many . . . turned back and no longer followed him” (66), presumably to look for another king who will do their bidding. That’s how the subjects ended up rejecting their king; and the tenants, the son.

Do you expect Christ to do for you what you want? If so, you will be disappointed. Instead, align your life to God’s plan; that’s the secret to happiness in life as well. What are you struggling with at the moment? Submit to Christ’s lordship today.

Prayer: Hear my prayer, O LORD; do not let me disappointed or disillusioned by my false expectation of You. Help me to set my eyes on You and your plan for me; remind me that true satisfaction in life is found in You and You only. You are my King and I shall submit my will to yours. I love You! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Lk. 20:19 (NIV) which identifies to whom the Parable of the Tenants was initially given:

“The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.”

Matt. 9:33-4, 27:18 (ESV): “And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, ‘Never was anything like this seen in Israel.’ [34] Bt the Pharisees said, ‘He casts out demons by the prince of demons’ . . . . For [Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.”

Jn. 3:26-7, 30 (NASB): “And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him’ . . . . [27] John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. . . . [30] ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’”

Question to Consider

1. Why did the Pharisees end up disliking Jesus so much? How did they handle this situation?

2. In what sense did John the Baptist face a similar situation which the Pharisees faced?

3. What can we learn from John’s handling of the situation? How do you plan to handle your envy?

Notes

1. The Pharisees envied Jesus because people were more impressed by Jesus and his ministry than their ministry. Once, “the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See this is getting nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’” (Jn. 12:19). So, they resorted to publicly defaming him and ultimately to kill him.

2. Before Jesus, people went to John to hear his preaching and to be baptized by him. But after Jesus came on the scene, everyone began to go to him rather than John.

3. John knew and accepted the purpose of his life and ministry; he knew he wasn’t the main attraction but just the opening act. So, John didn’t fret over losing out to Christ because he saw that Jesus’ ministry was more important than his. He was content, knowing that his job was completed.

Evening Reflection

How is your relationship with the Lord? Have you been disappointed because God didn’t seem to come through for you? Reflect on your expectation from the Lord: Is it from God or your own heart? Speak to Him in silence; meditate on this: “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39).

September 21, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 7, 2016, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. He is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS, biology), and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Light Is Brighter Than the Star of Earandil”

John 12:20-36 (ESV)

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

We often don’t look for light until it is completely dark. In the book The Fellowship of the Rings, there is a powerful scene where the Queen of the Elves gives Frodo the power of the stars. As he is entering the greatest challenge of his life, she gives him the star of Earandil, the most beloved star of her people, and says to him, “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” JRR Tolkien, who was a devout Catholic, understood the significance of light in dark places, but more importantly, he understood the significance of the one true light when all other lights grow dim.

When Jesus refers to Himself as the “Light,” it has a narrow range of meaning. He isn’t simply saying, “I am the source of enlightenment that will guide you through life, like Buddha or a New Age guru.” He is literally saying, “I am the shekinah glory of God.” The shekinah glory is the dwelling of God’s presence in a specific location that makes it perceivable to the human senses. During the Feast of Tabernacles— which lasted eight days— each night as the people gathered, the priest would light these massive candelabras for two reasons: first, as a remembrance of how God’s glory led them through the darkness, and second, as an expression of longing that the visible presence of God would fill the temple again. Just imagine Jesus standing up in the middle of that ceremony, as the priests began to light the candelabra, and proclaiming, “I am the light of the world!” Jesus is actually saying, “I am the light that all your ceremonies are pointing to, the light that led your forefathers through the desert, the light of God’s glory come to fill this temple, and I am the light come to rescue a world in darkness!”

I think it bears repeating the quote by C.S. Lewis: “A man who was merely a man and said the things Jesus said cannot be a good moral teacher. Either this man was and is the Son of God or else a madman.” We have to understand that Jesus left very little room for misunderstanding—everyone knew exactly what He was saying. It’s just that no one knew how to react to these claims. There were some who believed, many who rejected, and then there were many more who thought they believed but weren’t quite sure. Each day, Jesus issues this challenge for us: to believe in the Light with such faith that we would be transformed into the very sons of Light.

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe that You are the very light of life. I pray that You would reveal every hidden sin that remains in darkness so that I might be changed from glory to glory. As you transform me, may I become like more and more like You and shine your light in this dark world. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Chronicles 3

Lunch Break Study

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

Questions to Consider

What does it mean for God to be the light?
What does it mean for us to “walk in the light” as opposed to “walk in darkness”?
Why is walking in the light so important for fellowship with one another?

Notes

Although some biblical scholars think that this is a reference to the ethical or moral purity of God, based on John’s use of the metaphor of light in the Gospel, it is better to understand this as a reference to God as the source of life. Since light is what leads to life, God is at the very center of our existence.
If you take this analogy further, “walking in the light” means to walk in the fullness of life, while “walking in darkness” means denying the source of life, the incarnate Son of God. In his letter, John is addressing the problem of those who have walked away from the faith by rejecting Christ. Walking in darkness is a life without Christ.
Those who deny Christ clearly have no fellowship with God, nor can they have true fellowship with other Christians. Belief in God in the general sense can never substitute for belief in God through Jesus Christ.

Evening Reflection

How have you walked in the fullness of life today? Were you able to experience God’s love today and share it with others? Has God been present in all your thoughts and deeds? Write down what it means for you to live life in all of its abundance.