REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 31, 2016, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.  Jason is a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Not All Questions Are Equal”

John 10:22-25, 30-31, 39-42 (ESV)

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24] So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe . . .. [30] I and the Father are one.” [31] The Jews picked up stones again to stone him . . .  [39] Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands . . .. [40] He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. [41] And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” [42] And many believed in him there.

All questions are not equal—there are honest questions and dishonest questions.  An honest question, however silly or offensive, is asked with a genuine desire for more information.  For example, when my Sunday School boys ask whether God is really that powerful when people are always dying in OTR, they genuinely want to know the answer.  Other questions are not so honest.  For example, asking someone, “Do you really like Justin Bieber?!” is less of a question and more of an accusation.

In our passage this morning, the Jews ask Jesus to tell them whether or not He is the Christ.  This is not an honest question.  Nevertheless, Jesus, who has already told them who He is, tells them again: “I and the Father are one” (v. 30).  The Jews promptly pick up stones to kill Him.  The Jewish leaders did not want to know more about Jesus—they simply wanted Him to speak so they could oppose Him properly.

On the other hand, near the Jordan where John the Baptist had ministered, many people came to Jesus and believed in Him (vv. 40-42).  Why were the hearts of the leaders so closed, while others had open hearts?  The answer can be found in the John the Baptist’s ministry.  John’s God-given mission was to prepare the way for Jesus.  He came with a baptism of repentance, the most important preparation for receiving Christ as He is.

This morning, you are reading this devotional because you want to hear and encounter the risen Son of God.  Perhaps you have questions or problems to bring to Him.  Before we bring our petitions or our questions, let us take a moment to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts.  Are we aware of the ugliness of our sin?  Do we know our greatest need is a Savior?  Do we know that Jesus will answer and make us new if we ask?

May the Spirit open up our hearts and prepare the way for the Savior to speak to us today.

Prayer: Father, forgive me that my heart can become so hard.  In the midst of many responsibilities and troubles, may I know that my greatest need is always the forgiveness of sins, and that the greatest gift is that I may be right with You.  Thank You for sending Your Son.  May Your Word be the food I eat.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 51:7-17 (ESV): Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.[8] Let me hear joy and gladness;let the bones that you have broken rejoice.[9] Hide your face from my sins,and blot out all my iniquities.[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.[11] Cast me not away from your presence,and take not your Holy Spirit from me.[12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation,and uphold me with a willing spirit.[13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.[14] Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,O God of my salvation,and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.[15] O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare your praise.[16] For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.[17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Question to Consider

1. What does David need from God?

2. How will David respond to God’s answer?

3. David has sinned greatly.  What will God accept from David?

Notes

1. David needs God to purge and wash him (v.7).  He needs God to blot out his sin (v. 9), give him a clean heart (v. 10), and restore the joy of salvation (v. 12).

2. David will teach sinners God’s ways and help them return to Him (v. 13).  David will sing of His righteousness (v. 14).

3. God will not accept sacrifices or burnt offerings but a broken and contrite heart (vv. 16-17).  God will accept genuine regret for sin and repentance.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  When were you frustrated with God?  What things seemed more important than your need for Him?  How has God shown you grace today?  Repent of any hardness of heart and rejoice in the grace of God.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 10, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Wise Investor”

Lk. 16:8-9 (NIV)

For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. [9]I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

1 Sam. 25:11 (NIV)

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? . . .  [11] Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

2 Sam. 17:27-8 (ESV): 

When David came to Mahanaim,. . . Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, [28] brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, [29]honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.

A very successful professional, who also owns many properties, initially agreed to the idea that his wealth ought to be used for God’s work.   But he balked at the suggestion that he sponsor a needy child abroad: a monthly support of $38 was too expensive.   

Nabal from the OT era, described as “very wealthy” for owning 1,000 goats and 3,000 sheep, and this 21^st century man have this in common: Not using worldly wealth to gain friends for themselves.  During the days when David and his men roamed around to escape from the murderous pursuit of King Saul, they, in effect, protected Nabal’s sheep that were grazing out on the field.  In fact, Nabal’s servants told their boss, “These men were very good to us” (1 Sam. 25:15).  So, when the festive time of sheep-shearing came, David asked Nabal to share “whatever [he] can find for them” (8).  Nabal didn’t gain any friend when he responded, “Why should I take my bread . . . and give it to men coming from who knows where?” (11).  David, responding to Nabal’s foolishness with his own imprudence, sought to kill him!  Fortunately, though the intervention of Nabal’s wife, Abigail, kept that from happening, Nabal soon died of heart failure upon being told later about David’s plot.  

Then there is Barzillai, “a very old man” who is also described as “very wealthy” (2 Sam. 19:31-2).    By this time, David was the king—now being chased by his son Absalom who sought to kill him.  Barzillai, when told of David’s dire predicament (“hungry and weary and thirsty”), “provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim” (32).  Once restored to the throne, David didn’t forget Barzillai’s act of kindness, saying to him, “Stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you” (33).  

Like Barzillai, let’s use our worldly wealth to help someone in need in Jesus’ name, so that when we arrive in heaven, that person will join God in welcoming us, saying to the Lord, “That’s the person who helped me to experience Your love.”  Do something generous with your worldly wealth today.  That’s what wise investors do.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I exalt your name on high, especially because of the many blessings given to me.  Forgive me for hoarding it instead of sharing it.  O God, help me to be prudent with what You have given me in light of eternity.  Help me to let go so that I may gain friends in anticipation of joining You in heaven.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 18

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Lunch Break Study

Read Lk. 12:13-21 (NASB): Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” [14] But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” [15] Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” [16] And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. [17] And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ [18] Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ [20] But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ [21] So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

1 Tim. 6:7-8 (NIV): For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. [8]But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Question to Consider

1. Why was this parable told at this place?

2. What makes the life of this rich man so foolish?

3. What insight would have helped his man to have lived more wisely?  How should this change the way you invest toward your future?

Notes

1. The man in the crowd was solely preoccupied with gaining his rightful share of his father’s inheritance.  He didn’t really care its affect on his family; in other words, for the sake of money, he was about to discard the more important things in life.  

2. The rich man is a fool because he never got to enjoy what he had stored in his big barn; instead, someone else was going to enjoy it.  In the meantime, assuming that he was a believer, since he didn’t invest any of his wealth toward his eternity, he won’t have any “dividends” waiting for him in heaven.   

3. What Paul wrote was first said by Job: “Naked I came from mother’s womb, and naked I will depart” (Job 1:20).  We must distinguish our needs from our wants: once we make our wants as something we need, then, we’re likely to act like this “someone in the crowd” represented by the rich fool.

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Evening Reflection

Review all the purchases you have made today: What does that say about the values you uphold?  Does it indicate that you are trying to make friends using your worldly wealth?  Reflect on this issue; begin making some changes in how you use the money that God has given you.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 1, 2016, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. Pastor Ulysses is a graduate of New York University (BA) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“When You Care”

Colossians 2:5

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

It’s amazing how much easier ministry is when you genuinely care about people.  They tend to open up.  They share more.  They invite you into their lives.  The famous evangelist D.L. Moody once told the story of a young boy who walked five miles every week to get to Sunday school when he could have easily attended any of forty other Sunday schools that were closer to his home.  The boy’s reason: “Because they love a fellow over there.”

When Paul says that he is with the Colossians (as well as the Corinthians – 1 Cor. 5:3) “in spirit,” I believe that the crux of what he is saying is that his heart is with them – that they were very much in the forefront of his thoughts and concerns.  This seemed to be a consistent theme in his life and ministry: “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28).  I think that this would prove very challenging for many of us, especially those of us who fall more into the “out of sight, out of mind” personality camp.  Ditto for the task-oriented as opposed to the relational types among us.  Yet we cannot escape the heart of Christian ministry – “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Many of us begin Christian ministry by doing as opposed to loving, but as we mature, we realize that loving is what we really need to be doing.  This is not easy.  Paul had to remind his flock: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).  But this is unnatural because our sinful flesh is constantly elevating the priority of loving ourselves.  Caring for others in an authentic way is so counterintuitive, that Paul wrote, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:19-21).  Even for Paul, who served alongside many Christians and knew countless more, Timothy was a diamond in the rough because he really cared.

Prayer: God, teach me how to love others.  Forgive me if I am more prone to use others or to treat them like objects or projects.  Because You are love and I am in You, I believe that I can love as You love.  Help me to slow down.  Help me to see people.  Help me to be moved with compassion by their stories, to be broken by their tragedies, and to feel their joy when they rejoice.  Help me to be less individualistic and to be more communal in the way I view the body of Christ.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 17

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Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 6:30-34: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Questions to Consider

1. What was Jesus’ original motivation for taking the disciples to “a quiet place”?  What ended up happening when they got there?  Why?

2. How flexible are you with your schedule when you encounter others in need?

Notes

1. Jesus wanted the disciples to have some time to rest, but when they got to the destination, they ended up ministering to the people there.  Jesus’ “compassion” trumped His tiredness.

2. Schedules are important, but people are more important.

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Evening Reflection

“Love must be sincere.” – Romans 12:9.  

So, how is your love?  Search your heart—ask God to reveal to you one person to whom you really need to show God’s love.   

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Thought, first posted on March 15, 2015, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Are People Assets to be Used or Cared For?”

1 Samuel 18:20 

Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 

It’s Sunday, you are getting ready to go to church; I hate to write such a dark quiet time, so I apologize in advance.  They say that the greatest love in the world (outside of God’s love) is the love parents have for their children. (Technically, they say a mother’s love is greatest, but I’m working with Saul here, so give me some leeway.)  This is why when we read a story about a mother killing her children, we find it incredibly disturbing.  Such stories attract huge amounts of national media attention because they defy sensibilities and shake what we think we know about love.  Of course, most of us would agree that people who do these things to their children are the exception, not the norm.  Most parents would rather die than let harm come to their children.  

Unfortunately, I have heard about one too many stories of filicide (when parents kill their kids) to universally accept the axiom that the greatest human love is the one parents have for their children.  Although it is true for most people, I think there is one human love that can even trump a parent’s love; namely, the love a person has for him/herself.  

When we read about Saul giving his daughter to David in marriage, we are cushioned by the facts that David is a righteous man and Michal loves him.  But make no mistake, Saul’s motivation in blessing this marriage was not his daughter’s happiness; rather, he was hoping that Michal would be a “snare” to David.  In other words, Saul was using his daughter to secure his own kingdom; sure, not as bad as killing his daughter, but in the general ballpark.  For Saul, Michal ceased to be his daughter; she became an asset to him.  It’s pretty cold if you think about it.  

Let me ask you a question: Are people assets to be used and discarded, or do you genuinely care about them?  Is self-love the strongest love in your life right now?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, let me remind you this morning of the love of our Lord, who placed the needs of the world over His own and died on the cross for us.  Let me also remind you of the love of the Father who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all (Rom. 8:32).  Lastly, let me remind you of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to love others (all others) more than we love ourselves, which can truly be the greatest human love in the world.  

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for the way I really see people around me.  Change my perspective.  Change my heart.  May I see them the way you see them with the tender mercy of the Father. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today:  1 Kings 16

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 24, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the  Weekend

“The Father Who is Always With Us”

Luke 7:11-17

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[b] gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Jesus told a widow who had just lost her only child, “Don’t cry” (v. 13).  Whether losing one’s spouse or child, it is the part of a painful life experience that many go through in life; certainly, separation, death, and helplessness are inevitable in life.  I have heard that in Asia, the worst thing a child can do to his parents is to die before his parents pass away.  The reason is obvious: the child was to grow up to take care of his elderly parents. With such background in mind, we can see that the widow crying in the funeral procession in today’s passage was even more painful. Does God really care what I am going through?  What comforting word do I need to hear from the Lord?  It does not have to be long but it can be simple as “Don’t cry” as though Christ knows what He would do. 

The God incarnate, Son of God Jesus Christ is never separated from what we go through in life.  As matter of fact, in our weaknesses, whether we are tempted or going through trials in life, Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses (Heb 4:15).  This is the only event we find that is exclusive to Luke’s Gospel.  I believe it is rightly so since Luke places much emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in the humanity of Christ.  It serves as an encouragement to us, those who have decided to follow Christ in this earthly life.  Although we are constantly tempted to run away from this present reality in order to be in the other side of the glory, God has called us to be faithful.  Sometimes in our helplessness we find ourselves being frozen and unable to move or do anything.

May our Lord touch our lives that have been stained by death and hopelessness (v. 14a)!  May our Lord speak into our situation that is good as dead (Ezek 37:4: “Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord”), “Young man, I say to you, get up” (v. 14)!  May there be much of testimony from us, “God has come to help his people” (v. 16b)!

Prayer: Lord, help us in our weakness. Lord, humble us in our strength. Lord, always be with us.  In fact, thank You that You are indeed always with us!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 14-15

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 16, 2016, is provided by Emerson Lin.  Emerson, a graduate of University of California, San Diego and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), was recently ordained. Congratulations. He currently serves as a missionary pastor in E. Asia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Spiritual Blindness”

John 9:35-41

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

Have you ever played the game Pictionary? It is where one teammate draws a picture and the other teammates try to guess the word the drawing is intended to represent. Anything can be drawn except numbers or letters, and the drawer cannot use verbal clues about the subject being depicted. Your entire team must guess as many pictures as possible within one minute.

If you have played this game enough times, you start to realize that your teammates will start rapidly shouting random words that may not be even related to the drawing. However, as the picture becomes more clear, your teammates’ guesses become more accurate.

In continuation of this narrative, the Pharisees are furious at the young man’s allegiance to Jesus. As a result, they throw him out of the synagogue. Jesus goes to find the young man and asks him, “Do you believe in the Son of man?” As Jesus reveals His identity as the Messiah, He gets two very different responses.

If you read from the beginning of the chapter to the end, we see the progression of the beggar’s view of Jesus. He first describes Jesus as a man (v. 11), then as a prophet (v. 17), and then finally as the Messiah (v. 38). The beggar’s physical healing leads to a healing of spiritual blindness. It was as if Jesus drew the final stroke in his life, and the young man saw who Jesus truly was in his life. Ultimately, he falls down and worships Jesus. 

As for the Pharisees, the reality of Jesus becomes less clear in their lives. They claim that Jesus is not from God (v. 16), then they persecute those following Jesus (v. 22), and then they claim Jesus is a sinner (v. 24). They were spiritually blind.

Sometimes, we have a hard time growing deeper in our worship to the Lord. We may not be spiritually blind like the Pharisees, but we get distracted from fixing our eyes upon Jesus. When the beggar understood who Jesus was, he engaged in a posture of worship. When we’re distracted from the revelation of who Jesus is, it becomes harder to engage. If you’re having a difficult time worshipping the Lord, ask yourself this: Are there things in your life distracting you? Take some time to ask the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for healing me of my spiritual blindness, so that I can clearly see who You truly are. I pray that every aspect of my life would bring worship unto You. If there are any things in my life contending for my worship to You, please bring them out in the light. Lord, You deserve ALL my worship. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 13

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Lunch Break

Read Psalm 95:1-11: Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

Questions to Consider

1. What two acts of worship is the author inviting us to do in this chapter (v. 1 & 6)
2. Describe the different characteristic of our God in verses 4-5 and verse 7.
3. What do verses 8-11 warn us about? In what ways do these warnings help you in your life of worship?

Notes

1. The author is extending an invitation to sing for the joy of the Lord and shout. In verse 6, he is calling us to bow down and kneel. 
2. Verses 3-5 describe God as a mighty ruler, while verse 7 describes the tenderness of God as a shepherd.
3. They are warnings to remind their readers to not commit the same mistakes as their ancestors.

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Evening Reflection

In light of today’s theme on worship, is there anything in your life that distracts your heart from worship? Consider examining each aspect of your life and write down things that you feel are hindering you from fully worshipping the Lord. I encourage you to pray through each of the things you’ve written down.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 4, 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

“Suffering for Christ”

Acts 5:33-42 (ESV)

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. 

In his farewell speech to the disciples, Jesus states clearly, “No servant is greater than his master and if they persecuted me, they will persecute you”.  As we are faced with the suffering of Christ and the call to pick up our cross and follow Him, an important question arises: What does it mean for us, surrounded by all of this affluence, comfort and anti-Christian sentiment, to suffer for the sake of the Gospel?

In answering this question, one of the problems we face is that we could never imagine God asking us to suffer for His name.   So when things are going well, we feel pretty good about our relationship with God.  However, when things turn for the worse, if there is any ounce of discomfort or suffering, we are often quick to question the purpose of God.  The words of Christ from the cross reminds us that we haven’t even begun the first lessons of trusting in our heavenly Father until we have moved through deep seasons of pain and anguish.  This is often when our relationship with God is put to the test.  Can you commit your spirit, your entire life into the hands of your Father in heaven even when it comes at a price?   The logical question that we need to reflect on today is, “If God asked his natural Son to suffer for His name and for the purpose of love, would He not ask his adopted children to do the same?”  

And here, some of us might wonder, how can a loving God allow his children to suffer?  How does a good father willingly and knowingly put his children at risk?    Well, the answer to that is very simple: We are not living in peacetime.  There is a war that surrounds us, a war for the ages, between good and evil, right and wrong, love and hate, and ultimately life versus death.  Any good father would proudly enlist his children into that struggle and with a grieving heart, even risk their well-being for the purpose of winning a just war.  And in the same way that God asked His only begotten Son to suffer for the sake of gospel, he asks his spiritual children to do the same. 

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the examples of men and women both past and present who have paid the highest price to live out their faith.  Help us to remember that there are many brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t live in the relative ease and comfort that we enjoy in the West.   We lift up the persecuted church in prayer and rejoice that your people have been found worthy enough to suffer for your name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  1 Kings 12

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Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 5:1-5 (ESV): Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean to be justified by faith?
2. What are the benefits of being justified in the eyes of God?
3. How is justification and glorification connected in the Christian life?

Notes

1. Justification by faith is a central doctrine of Christianity.  It is the belief that through our relationship with Christ and faith in his work on the cross, we are found to be righteous in the sight of God.     
2. The main benefit of being justified is having peace with God.  However, justification is more than the forgiveness of sin; it comes with the promise of our glorification, that one day we will be made to be like Christ.  Many confuse justification with simply the negation of debt that leaves us with an empty account. The biblical view of justification is that our accounts are positively filled with the righteousness of Christ by the grace of God.  This is what theologians refer to as the imputation of righteousness to the believer.       
3. Between justification and glorification, the believer enters into the process of sanctification or being refined in holiness.  One of the ways that God produces this growth in the believer is through the use of suffering.   We rejoice in times of suffering because we can see the endurance, character, and hope that it produces in us.   Furthermore, if we know that we stand justified by grace, we know that our suffering is not judgment against our sin.  

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Evening Reflection

Are you going through a difficult time or is someone that you know suffering?  Pray that God would give you joy and hope during these trying circumstances?    Remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)!

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 3, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Pre-Gospel Before Giving the Gospel” 

Lk. 10:25-9 (ESV) 

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” [26] He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” [27] 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.” [28] And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”[29] But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

We read many conversations between Jesus and individuals in the Gospels; and, no doubt, similar conversations continue to take place today.  Consider the conversation found in today’s text. 

Jesus, when asked by this lawyer, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” did he answer, “You’re asking the wrong question; everlasting life is not earned through good deeds; it is ‘by believing you may have life in [my] name’?” (Jn. 20:31).  This should have been the response, right?  That, however, is not what Christ said; rather, he asked, “What is written in the Law?”  Seeing that the lawyer responded correctly (“Love God and your neighbors”), Jesus then said him, “Do this and you will live.”  

But isn’t that a wrong response?  Didn’t the apostle Paul say, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith . . . not by works” (Eph. 2:8-9)? Yes, while that is very true, to a self-righteous individual who sees no need for grace, something else must proceed and that’s what Jesus was doing here.  That is to say, Jesus wasn’t giving the lawyer the gospel; rather, Christ was helping him to recognize the spiritual blindness that was undermining his need for the gospel.  I am calling that the pre-gospel. 

To do that, Jesus went along with this man’s thinking based on the Law of Moses: “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them” (Lev. 18:5), that is, obtain eternal life.  Therefore, “Do this and you will live” implies that the lawyer had failed to keep God’s law perfectly, and as a result didn’t have eternal life.   Feeling slighted—since he thought otherwise—the lawyer, “want[ing] to justify himself,” asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”  This is when the parable of the Good Samaritan is given, not necessarily because Jesus wanted to emphasize a lesson on loving our neighbors, but to help the lawyer see that “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10a))  Once the lawyer truly understands that, he will be ready, not only to hear the gospel, but to believe it as well. 

Too many of us believe the right facts about Jesus and stop there.  While that is a necessary start, it may not be tantamount to a genuine faith that saves us from hell.  Therefore, Christ continues to engage in probing dialogues with us through the Holy Spirit so that we can own up to our mistaken assumptions about life, God, and us.  Listen to him: believe and live.

Prayer: O God, we eagerly keep up with our Facebook, posting that one photo out of 100 that makes us look attractive and having fun, as if our significance depends how many likes we get.  But seeing that the Son of God desires to have dialogues with me as if I matter to him, I feel very significant.  Thank you!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 11

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Lunch Break Study

Jesus said that his “sheep listen to his voice” (Jn. 10:3).  That means Christ continues to speak, but in what sense?  Since the voice isn’t referring to a new revelation apart from the Scripture, what is it? 

Read Rom. 8:16 (NIV): “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Jn. 16:13 (NASB): “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. [14] He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

Acts 16:19 (NIV): “During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us’”; 17:11: “For [the Bereans] received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

Question to Consider

1. How does Christ continue to speak to us today?

2. What is the basis for the voice of Christ spoken through the Spirit to our spirit?

3. What do we need to do in order to hear and discern what Christ is saying to us?  If you were to do that today, what would you hear?

Notes

1. He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit who is in communication with our own spirit, making it possible for us to hear what Christ wants us to know and/or do at a given moment.  This doesn’t just happen; or even if He speaks, we may not hear due to allowing too many noises in our lives. Nevertheless, Jesus himself told us that we will be guided to all truths through the Spirit.  

2. Whether it is an image, vision, word or impression that we believe came from the Spirit, it must correspond to what is plainly stated in the Scriptures.   That’s what the Bereans did with Paul’s teaching, and we should do the same as well.  For example, I know of a person who felt that the Spirit told him to divorce his wife and marry this other woman to become a missionary.   That cannot be from God.

3. Any measures taken to improve our physical hearing would apply to our spiritual hearing as well: get rid of noise (e.g., too much entertainment); lower the volume of other sounds (e.g., perhaps reading too many theological books), pay attention to what is being said (e.g., praying in a quiet place); if not clear, ask questions (e.g., staying in prayer); jot down what you hear.   

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Evening Reflection

We began the day thinking about how Christ, who, while on earth, conversed literally with people, continues to speak to us today in our spirit.  Let’s tune out any noise and stand before “the council of the LORD to see and hear his word” (Jer. 23:18).   His sheep listen to the Shepherd’s voice. 

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on December 8, 2015.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Evil Never Prospers”

Esther 7:1-6

 The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. 8 Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, “Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.” 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

If I were to respond to the ending of Haman’s story in emojis, I would have to use the little face with wide eyes, raised brows, and utter confusion (sorry to android users for the lost pop culture reference). At the start of this narrative, it’s certainly hard to see this ending coming. I’m sure it caught Haman by surprise as well. We’ve all heard the saying, “Evil never prospers.” As kids we might have been told this by our parents or teachers who caught us doing something underhanded or conniving or deceitful (as most children begin to do after their toddler years). But from the story of Haman, we learn that not only will evil not prosper, but it will have the absolute averse effect in our lives.

As believers, we are called to a life of holiness. We are called to live as Jesus would in our place and to honor and exalt God (make Him famous) through our lives. And while this is our calling (and a lofty one at that), we still find ourselves living in the real world where we are tempted to scheme with the best of them. Whether it’s intentional and malicious (like outright slander, lying on our taxes, lying on our resumes, cheating on a test) or inadvertent and seemingly innocuous (like work gossip, representing someone in an unfavorable light to make ourselves look better, taking credit for something we didn’t do), our human nature leads us to “evil” quite naturally. But may we learn a hard lesson from the story of Haman, that all the evil we do, especially against others, will at some point or another come back to haunt us – and often times in painfully ironic ways. 

It’s easy to plot evil to get ahead or even in response to those who’ve harmed us, but may we choose instead the path of righteousness (and forgiveness). Not only is it a better road as we are protected from the potential painful consequences, but the God who was faithful to Esther will be faithful to all who choose righteousness as well. 

Prayer: “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted bystreams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” May it be so with, O Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 37:1-11: Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in

the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. 8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. 9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. 10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. 11 But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

Questions to Consider

1. Do you find yourself “fretting because of evil doers” or “envious toward wrong doers”? What does the psalmist instruct us to do instead?
2. Who are the “wrongdoers” in your life? What do we learn is the fate of those who do evil? How should this encourage us to respond to them?

Notes

1. If we’ve ever been victimized or wronged by anyone else, especially in a painful or habitual manner, we can relate to David in his temptation to worry over these things. Moreover, if we’ve ever tried to live honestly and found that those who choose to take shortcuts continue to get ahead, we may have experienced envy toward them. But we are challenged instead to trust in the Lord and continue to be faithful. God will take care of the rest as we delight ourselves in Him. We must also be careful not to become angry lest we fall into evil of our own. 
2. The scripture is clear – their end is destruction. And not the kind of destruction we might want to bring up on them in our anger, but God’s righteous judgment. This should lead us to have hearts of compassion and concern for them – God’s judgment is no small thing. We might pray for them, or be encouraged to love them in hopes that God might soften their hearts and change their ways.

Evening Reflection

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7)

Are you facing any opposition or adversity today? Take some time tonight to be still before the Lord. Offer Him your cares and rest in His promises to protect and provide. Commit anew to walking in the path of righteousness, no matter the cost, and praise God for His good plans to prosper you through every circumstance.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on November 30, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Being Wise in All Situations”

Esther 5:1-8 (ESV)

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

Queen Esther, should you be hosting back-to-back dinner parties when life and death of hundreds and thousands of your people is hanging in the balance?  To fault Esther for her alleged indifference is no different than questioning the sanity of King Solomon for ordering that the baby in dispute, between two women claiming to be his mother, be cut in two so that each could have half (1 Kings 3:24).  Rest assured that Esther was not only valiant (“If I perish, I perish”), she was also wise, much like Solomon who knew that the real mother would rather lose the baby than let him be sawed in two. 

Esther knew that if you are going to ask someone for a favor, especially the one with the power to put you to death at the slightest whim (4:11), you “butter him up” first!  That’s being not only wise but also common sensical. While that slang doesn’t necessarily have a nice ring to it, if the goal is to save innocent lives, why stop at one dinner party?  There is no secret to what Esther was up to: unsure of how the king might respond to her request to save the Jews (execution being one possibility), she tried to move his heart by first satisfying his stomach. And she spared no expense in providing the most sumptuous feast.  She had Haman to be present so that if and when the king saw her way, the judgment against the man who plotted genocide against her people would be immediate and swift. 

Wisdom is so valued by Solomon that he, under the Spirit’s inspiration, tells us to obtain it from all sources, including insects.  “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.  Without having any chief, officer, ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8).  Evidently, one key component to being wise is anticipation: thus, you don’t spend all you earn at once; instead, you save some of it for a rainy day and old age.   

So, from Esther, learn this: If you are going to ask someone for a favor, especially one that would benefit more than you, being nice beforehand and speaking with an appreciative always will help. And if you need to correct someone, use a magnifying glass, if need be, to find something positive to share first before reprimanding the person.  

Prayer: Jesus, I exalt You this morning because You are my Lord and Savior.  In your infinite wisdom, You created the world (Prov. 8) in which I live.  Please impart to me your wisdom so that I may live prudently in this world with hopes that people will desire You through how I live.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 9

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Lunch Break Study 

Read James 1:5:  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Proverbs 4:7-8: The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her; 

Proverbs 19:20: Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs23:4 (NIV 1984): Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint; 9:8-9a: Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.  Instruct a wise man and he will be wider still . . . 

Question to Consider

1. We have all seen smart and powerful people make stupid mistakes that eventually cost their careers (e.g., former New York governor Elliot Spitzer).  Based on James 1:5 and Proverbs 4:7-8, how would you appraise the importance of wisdom?

2. What is one source of gaining wisdom?  Conversely, what is one attitude that will ensure that we stay unwise?

3. What are some ways we can be wise in our everyday lives?  

Notes

1. Without wisdom, we can lose all that we have ever worked for in a moment’s notice.  Actually, the downward spiral was in the works for a time before the house of cards (a.k.a., unwise life) tumble down to the ground.  Wisdom can keep that from happening.

2. Taking the advice of those who have travelled the same road that we are about to partake.  This indicates that we are at least aware of our own lack and inadequacy.  Conversely, “I- already-know-it-all” attitude ensures that we’ll make the same mistakes that others made.

3. Regarding accumulating wealth: we will show restraint, thus leaving time for pursuing other things like spiritual life, family, exercise, etc;  regarding taking advice: we will take it instead of refusing it.

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Evening Reflection

In evaluating today, was it a day that was lived out in wisdom?  What made it so?   How did the Spirit help you in that regard?  Perhaps, it wasn’t; what could you have said or done differently?  Ask the Lord to give you wisdom for a more wise day tomorrow?