June 30, Thursday 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on May 12, 2016.  He is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Trials and Tribulations in Our Lives”

Acts 24:26-27

At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Hardships and trials are all part of life no matter what you believe.  We will all face difficulties because we live in a broken and sinful world.  Yet as believers, we should view our hardships differently than how the world views them.  We can go through trials with hope, and even joy, because we know that each trial we experience has purpose in God’s divine plan.  The great Christian writer Philip Yancey puts it like this: “For the Christian pain represents, at various times and from various angles, a design feature worthy of praise and gratitude, an affliction to be overcome, a potential value of soul-making, and a spur to hope in a painless future.”

At the end of chapter 24, we read that Paul has been in prison; and when it looked like there might be hope to be released, it turns out that Felix the governor of Rome been succeeded by Porcius Festus.  Felix wanted a bribe from Paul to be released from prison, and yet we read that no such thing happened, resulting in Paul’s delayed imprisonment (v.26).  As an outsider looking into the story, it seems unfair that God would put Paul through such trials and hardship despite his faithfulness to the gospel ministry.  

Are you facing trials and hardships today?  Remember that in the midst of your suffering, God has a purpose for you and wants to speak to you.  Ask Him for an open heart as you strive to trust Him in difficulty.  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, give me the necessary strength to overcome the trials in my lives and also give me the necessary wisdom to learn more about You and Your ways from these trials and tribulations, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 11

Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:2-4: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Questions to Consider 

  1. Why does James say we can experience joy in the midst of trials?
  2. In his words, what do trials produce?
  3. Do you see evidence of growth in your life as you face trials?

Notes

  1. We are to consider what we are going through as a matter of joy, not because the thing itself is something that is pleasurable, but because tribulation works patience within us. Our suffering is not an exercise in futility. God has a purpose, and that purpose is always good. We can count all things joy because God is working in all situations, even the most painful, for our sanctification and ultimate glorification.
  2. The word translated as “testing” occurs rarely in the Bible, appearing only three other times. In this case, “testing” deals with purification through trial.  God wants our faith to grow, and often, he will use trials to do that.  
  3. Personal application of the passage.

Evening Reflection

As we close out the day – I encourage you to spend some time in worship.  Take time to stand in awe of God and be in His presence.  My hope is that as we do that, it will gives us right perspective of our lives in light of the greatness of our God.  Amen.

June 29, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 22, 2016.  Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.  He and his wife Jessie are the proud parents of two young boys. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning 

“God’s Sovereign Hand in Difficult Situations”

Habakkuk 1:6-11

“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

Through the years I’ve heard countless testimonies about God’s redemptive work in a person’s life. And here’s something I’ve noticed: a common thread that runs through each story is the subtle and surprising nature of God’s hand. For many, circumstances and events that seemed destructive in nature proved to be the very instrument of transformation. A career setback teaches us how to lean on God, or news of cancer in a family member cultivates within us a faith we never had. Numerous stories attest to the fact that God oftentimes does not use conventional and obvious means to bring about goodness in our lives. 

Habakkuk understood this truth well. In response to the prophet’s plea, God answers and informs him of His divine plan: He is raising up the Chaldeans to be His instrument of judgment upon the people of Israel. For Habakkuk, this must have been a shocking turn of events. For one, the Chaldeans, also known as the Babylonians, were more sinful, unjust, and evil than the Israelites. They were known for their propensity for violence and imperialistic greed. In other words, God was going to use a nation more unrighteous than Israel to deliver justice. To the human mind, this made no sense. However, as we will see, this was all part of God’s plan to bring about His goodness into the world. 

At times, it is hard to comprehend difficult seasons of our lives. Questions and doubts often occupy our minds when life seems to make no sense. Why do certain things happen? How could anything good come out of this? However, in Habakkuk we learn that God’s help and favor doesn’t always come in the form of promotions or a clean bill of health. At times, His good and sovereign hand comes cloaked in difficult situations and circumstances that defy our logic. If life has been difficult and confusing, consider for a moment this amazing truth and find comfort in that no matter what life brings, God is always working for our good! 

Prayer: God, I ask that You help me to have eyes of faith that see beyond my life’s circumstances. Help me to trust in Your goodness no matter how hard life gets, knowing that You are for me and not against me!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 10 

Lunch Break Study 

Read Romans 8:28-30: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

Questions to consider 

  1. What is the promise of God here in this text? 
  2. Who is this promise given to? 
  3. How does this passage help you to trust God in difficult and confusing seasons of your life? 

Notes

  1. Everything that happens in our lives work together for our good. The good that is promised in this text is not that life will be easy, but rather that all things will contribute to the process of conforming into the image of the Son. In other words, no matter what happens, nothing can deter us from becoming more like Jesus.
  2. This promise is given to those who love God; it is given to believers. 
  3. Personal 

Evening Reflection 

“Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you.” –Tim Keller 

June 28, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on October 2, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“There Is No Such a Thing as Insurmountable Lead”

2 King 25:8-12, 21b

In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. . . . 21 So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.

No one really criticized the San Antonio Spurs— leading by 5 points with 28 seconds left in the 6th game of the 2013 NBA Finals against Miami—for overconfidence as they prepared to celebrate their win.  Stunningly, what many saw as an insurmountable lead, quickly evaporated as the Spurs somehow lost that game and the next—they returned home as losers.  

In much the same way, the Jews in Judah believed that they held an “insurmountable lead” that couldn’t be squandered.  Although Jeremiah warned that “a besieging army is . . . raising a war cry against the cities of Judah” (Jer. 4:16) to inflict “terrible destruction” (v.6), they couldn’t believe God would permit it since His glorious temple stood tall in their midst.  They felt that no matter what detestable things they did, as long as they “come and stand . . . in this house, which bears [God’s] name, and say, ‘We are safe’” (7:9-10), everything would be okay. But God disagreed, saying, “Do not trust in deceptive words and say ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!’” (v.4). What did He mean by that?  Unless “you really change your ways and your actions” (v.5), no “lead”—including the presence of the temple—is ever safe with God when we deceive ourselves into believing that faith without deeds (James 2:26), that is, “merely listening to the word” without “do[ing] what it says” (1:22), is okay.  

The Spurs, by squandering the lead, merely lost the championship; they would get another crack at it the next year.  However, for Judah, the final curtain fell in 586 BC when the third Babylonian invasion ended the Davidic dynasty and annihilated the temple.  Tens of thousands of Jews were deported to Babylon and would die there while yearning to return home.  It would take 70 years before the Jews would be allowed to return home. 

What makes us believe that we are okay with God?  Impressive family pedigree (“My dad was a pastor”)?  Faithfulness in the past (Ezk. 18:24)?  Or passionate first love for God (Rev. 2:5)?  None will do apart from loving and obeying God in the present.  How is your love for and obedience to God?        

Prayer: God, I don’t stand a chance if I’m trying to earn your approval by what I do.  While I’ve tried to love and be faithful to You, my effort has been inconsistent and utterly inadequate.  Lord, I’m banking on my trust in your Son to make me right before you. Thank You for your grace.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 9

Lunch Break Study 

Read John 8:39-40: They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.”

Col. 1:22-23: he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

 Rev. 2:4-5: But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Question to Consider

1. What made the Jews believe that they were right with God?  Do you do the same?

2. We are saved by grace and our adoption into God’s family is secure in Christ.  But, to the extent that we are talking about sanctification (becoming free from the power of sin in the present), how do verses like Col. 1:22-23 and Col. 18:24 help us in that process?

3. What is John warning against in Rev. 2:4-5?  Does that apply to you?  If so, what are you going to do about it?

Notes

1. They were banking on their ethnic and theological heritage: “We are categorically okay with God since Abraham, the one with whom the Lord established His covenant, is our forefather.”  That’s like saying, “I am okay with God since I agree with the teachings of Calvin or Wesley.”   

2. The key phrase is, “if indeed you continue in the faith”; that is, if you have stopped working out your salvation (Phil. 2:12) in the present, all the work done in the past toward sanctification may not matter since presently you are either spiritually lazy or living in sin.    

3. He warns against those who used to love God but now have other lovers.   In that case, we must identify these other lovers (e.g., career, family, romantic interest, hobby, etc.) and must reduce their role or significance in our lives so that God, once again, becomes the sole object of our love.  For some, a momentary fasting (e.g., 1 Cor. 7:3-5) may be in order.  

Evening Reflection

How was your day?  In the midst of meeting deadlines, screaming children, and other urgent matters, we often fail to remember that there is a God who loves and cares for us.  Think about a meaningful way to show your appreciation for the Lord tomorrow.  Don’t be religious; be real!

June 27, Monday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 27, 2016, is provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California.  Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for This Morning 

“God’s Calling”

Colossians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…

This opening statement in Paul’s letter to the Colossians is easily glossed over, but it’s loaded with significance.  In the large majority of Paul’s letters, which span roughly a 15-year period, he begins them this same way.  We are reminded again and again over the years that this man did not become an apostle by his own choosing, but rather, it was a mandate from heaven which he accepted and obeyed.  

And this was something that no one needed to know more than him, as he would endure countless beatings, stonings, and even shipwreck (2 Cor. 11:23-28).  Eventually, his commitment to his calling would lead him to lay down his very life.  A person less sure of his calling surely would have abandoned such a difficult and lonely road.

As I consider Paul’s calling and concomitant resolve, I cannot help but reflect upon my own life and calling.  How certain am I that I am doing what God made me to do?  It is a worthwhile question, not just for myself, but for us all.  We live in a generation of countless opportunities, yet those very same opportunities have left us dazed and confused, jumping from job to job, career to career, and country to country in the relentless pursuit of doing something “meaningful” with our lives.  

Now, more than ever, we need to seek a true calling from God through prayer and fasting, in His word and in His community.  While the desire to do good is indeed good, it would do us well to discover the good that God has already prepared in advance for us to do, for that is what is truly worth doing (Eph. 2:10).

Prayer: God, help me to discover and walk in the calling that You have for me.  Help me to hear past the noise of this FOMO (fear of missing out) generation so that like King David, I can have fully served You in my generation.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Questions to Consider

1. Paul mentions three times in this passage words that share the root word “work.”  What are the ways in which these words are related?

2. How might it be an encouragement that God has “prepared beforehand” such works for us?

3. Evaluating your own life, would you say that you’ve been walking in God’s pre-prepared works, or are you doing your own works?

Notes

1. Previously, we worked on our own, but only when we recognize that we are God’s workmanship can we begin to do the works we ought to be doing.

2. It is not up to us to accomplish anything, but rather it is the Spirit in us who accomplishes all things.

3. Personal

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  Do you think that you might have participated in anything that God “prepared beforehand” for you to do?  How can you better align yourself to participate in God’s work?

June 26, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on October 18, 2015.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Dedications”

Ezra 6:16-22

 The people of Israel–the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles–observed the dedication of this temple of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their divisions over the worship of God at Jerusalem, in accord with the book of Moses. 19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 The priests and the Levites had purified themselves, every last one, and they all were ceremonially pure. They sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their colleagues the priests, and for themselves.  21The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the LORD God of Israel.  22 They observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the LORD had given them joy and had changed the opinion of the king of Assyriatoward them, so that he assistedthem in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

I love dedications. As a little girl in church, I’d see parents parade their small bundle of joy, covered in white lacey frills, to the front of the sanctuary for pastors and congregation to pray for their newborn baby. I remember buildings being completed and huge celebrations ensuing with church leaders showing off all the new amenities that the generous fundraising campaign made possible (as some of our AMI churches are experiencing right now!). We’d gather together and praise God for the life He created and the house of worship He established. 

As I get older, I see something similar in other spheres as well – when a friend purchases a new home or receives a promotion, there is an instinctive desire to celebrate. In moments of great accomplishment, it is natural to want to gather others around us to revel. The question then becomes, what exactly are we celebrating? Unlike building projects and newborns in church (with which it’s harder to fall into this temptation), success in our personal lives often brings with it a temptation to shout, Look at me! Look at me! Look what I’ve done, what I’ve purchased, what I’ve made! And we may slap God’s name on it somewhere in there, but our hearts desire is for a celebration of us. 

Life has many moments worthy of celebration. We will be promoted, collect a bonus, receive awards, complete projects, graduate, get jobs, buy homes, build churches, get married and bring life into the world. These are precious moments, and it is important for us to stop not merely to celebrate ourselves, but to acknowledge our Heavenly Father – not only in thanksgiving for our success, but also in commitment to Him in what we will do with it. Much like the dedication of the temple in our passage for today, there should be a dedication in the midst of all our accomplishments in joyous thanksgiving for what God has enabled us to do (we’ve seen all week that He is at work in providing for His people in various ways as we seek to do His will) and in steadfast commitment to use our newfound resources to His glory. Celebrating ourselves is great, but it pales in comparison to pointing our little glory to God’s great glory at work in us. 

Lets us take time today to admire the works of our hands and celebrate the successes in our lives by acknowledging the God who made them possible and dedicating them to Him for His good purposes. And let us seek the Lord for how He intends us to use our accomplishments for His kingdom and commit in joyful obedience. 

Prayer:  Lord, in recognition of all that You have done for me, I celebrate Your presence in my heart.  I thank You for continuous love for me expressed through Your abundant provisions in all areas of my life, including spiritual and physical.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 7

June 25, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on August 29, 2015.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Chariots of Fire”

2 Kings 13:14

“Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died.  Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him.  ‘My father!  My father!’ he cried.  ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’”

2 Kings 6:15-17

“. . . an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city . . . ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Chariots of Fire is one of my favorite movies of all time.  I remember first watching it on video and having to turn on the close captioning because I couldn’t understand the dialogue half the time because of their British accents.  I loved the line, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure,” and how he was handed a prophetic word before he ran that fateful race, “The man who honors me, I will honor.”  I remember my cross-country friends in high school putting the theme song on their running mixes and listening to it on their walkmans when they had beach workouts.  It was a great movie.

I knew the title was a biblical reference, but I was never that clear nor especially curious about its significance.  Now that I think about it, though, it seems rather simple after all.  Chariots of fire are not man-made chariots.  They are heavenly, God-made chariots.  It refers to how victory lies in having God fight our battles, and that He can, and often does, fight on behalf of His people to enable them to achieve amazing victories against all odds.

When Jehoash was king of Israel, the actual chariots, and horsemen he had were pitifully few.  2 Kings 13:7 suggests that the army he inherited from his father was around ten chariots, fifty horsemen and ten-thousand-foot soldiers.  Yet God had listened to his father’s cry for favor, and He was preparing to deliver Israel from the hands of a much greater army.  Jehoash, knowing it was impossible on their own strength, seeks Elisha’s help and addresses him as “the chariots and horsemen of Israel” in recognition of the fact that the prophet, representing access to God, was where Israel’s true hope and strength lay.

Jehoash was not a model king; he did evil in the eyes of the LORD.  We don’t know with what true motives he went to seek Elisha, but one thing he did get right was that he knew where Israel’s help came from.  What about us today?  Are we willing to seek God’s help or are we still trying to manage with our ten chariots and fifty horsemen?  Having our eyes opened and seeing how many are the chariots of fire all around us, are we emboldened to go forth and fight His battles without fear of the enemy?

Prayer:  Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see that you are the source of my hope and strength.  Help me to see that apart from You, I can do nothing significant for the kingdom, but when You are the One fighting the battle, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 5-6

June 24, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 2, 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

“A Question to Which We Don’t Have Any Answer but a Question That We Do”

John 11:17-27 

 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. [20] So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. [21] Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” [23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” [24] Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” [25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

In the novel The Kite Runner, two childhood friends are divided by one boy’s guilt.  His friend was brutally assaulted by other boys.  He actually could have done something, and he knows that only his selfishness and fear kept him from helping his friend.

When Martha approaches her Lord after her brother has died, she knows that Jesus could have done something.  Though she had pleaded with Him to come, He did not.  Martha could have been overcome with bitterness.

In Over the Rhine, our church children experience many things that they do not understand.  Why do fathers or mothers leave?  Why do beloved uncles and cousins get shot?  Why do “good” people go to jail, while “bad” people do whatever they want?  We, too, have our questions and are confused by what the Lord allows in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Martha has questions, she is heartbroken, but she still believes in Jesus – that He is “the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (v. 27).  She does not know why Jesus delayed.  She does not know that Jesus will resurrect Lazarus in a few moments.  But she does know, that Jesus loved Lazarus deeply.  And she knows that He loves her (John 11:3, 5).

God may not answer many of our questions in this lifetime, but He does answer the most important question: Does Jesus love you?  His answer is “Yes,” enough to give His body and His blood for you.

Prayer: Oh Lord, our hearts break when we consider how sin has ruined our world and injured us and those we love.  In our confusion, may we cling to You that much more.  Lord Jesus, we do not always know what You are doing, but may we be confident that You have proven Your love for us by dying for us while we were still sinners.  May we trust that the Lord of all will set things right.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 4

Lunch Break Study

Read John 6:56, 60, 66-9 (ESV): Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him…[60] When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”[66] After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. [67] So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” [68] Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, [69] and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Question to Consider

1. Why did many of Jesus’s disciples stop following Him?

2. Did the twelve face different challenges than the other disciples?

3. Why did the Twelve continue to follow Jesus?

Notes

1. Jesus said things that were offensive and difficult for them to understand.

2. No, they were probably equally offended and confused as those who stopped following Jesus.

3. Regardless of the challenges of following Jesus, the disciples felt they must continue to follow Him since He possessed the words of eternal life and was the Holy One of God.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  Was there anything confusing or hard to understand?  Invite the Good Shepherd to take care of you and give you faith to trust Him in this area.

June 23, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 29, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God and Progressive District Attorneys: Similarity and Difference” 

Psalm 10:1-4 (NIV)

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. 4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Thanks to our ubiquitous gadgets, we are kept abreast of all the latest news that make us squirm.  These days it seems as though mass shooting is a weekly occurrence. The 8th century BC prophet Habakkuk, no stranger to looking at unmitigated injustice, wondered, “How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Why do you tolerate wrong?” (Hab. 1:1, 3b).  Ironically, that’s what we say these days upon seeing lenient district attorneys in big cities being more sympathetic to criminals than their victims (e.g., Los Angeles, Manhattan, San Francisco, etc.)

There is, of course, no simple answer to this age-old question of why evil seemingly go unpunished but this much we know: Sooner or later, the God of justice, unlike progressive district attorneys, will settle the score. You can count on that, as God told Habakkuk, “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.  I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people … [T]hey sweep past like the wind and go on …” (Hab. 1:6, 11).

Meanwhile, we look to Christ to inspire us to live on the side of justice regardless of whether that benefits us now. Even if we don’t fully understand what God is doing right now, we shall worship Him! The question is whether there is a room for Him in your crowded heart?  Not just any space but a spot right in the middle! 

Prayer: Dear God, I often wonder where You are in the midst of injustice and violence.  It’s so easy to worship You when all my questions are answered, but as soon as something defies my human logic, I begin doubting You.  LORD, forgive me and strengthen me to trust You more.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Lk. 13:1-5 (NIV): Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Question to Consider

  1. Why do think these people came to Jesus to tell him about what Pilate did? 
  2. What do you suppose Jesus meant by his response to them?
  3. Does wickedness around us affect our own sense of righteousness?  If yes, can that affect our spiritual lives (Lk. 18:9-12)?

Notes

  1. When we hear of calamities that fell on some people, we do wonder, however briefly, whether their sins have come back to haunt them. I think these Jews also wondered whether the victims of Pilate and the accident in Galilee got what they deserved.
  2. Jesus didn’t address that matter directly, for he was more concerned that those who told him this news wouldn’t assume that they were more righteous than those whom Pilate killed or the 18 people who died accidently. Once that was clarified did Jesus say that everyone deserves to perish due to their sins. If they are still alive, it’s by God’s mercy.
  3. Under such circumstances, I think it’s quite natural for humans to assume that they are more righteous (i.e., morally and ethically) than what they really are.  As the cultural standard for decency gets diluted, more people are erroneously led to believe that they are really decent!  This affects our spiritual life because we see no reason to repent.  That’s why the biblical standard, which is both transcendent and universal, must be upheld.  

Evening Reflection

Matt. 7:3-5: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Are you overly judgmental of others, demanding apologies over minute matters while rarely seeing anything about you to apologize to others? These signs may point to someone who thinks more highly than he or she ought (Rom. 12:3).  Examine your heart in view of this. 

June 22, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 25, 2016, 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).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“An Exasperated Father’s Understanding of Faith”

Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Being a father of “suspicious” children helps me, in some small measure, understand why faith pleases the Lord, and conversely, why lack of faith is so annoying.  I feel like I am constantly trying to convince my children that I am not completely incompetent, or that I have learned something in my life.  The other day, my seven-year-old looks at me like I’m from Mars because I tried to convince him that the platypus, despite laying eggs, is a mammal.  Apparently his first-grade teacher taught him that one of the characteristics of mammals is that they give birth to their young.  Sometimes, I want to shout, “Your dad is smart too!  I went to an Ivy League university!”  Pathetic I know.  

Another area in which my children’s distrust bugs me is whether I care for them.  Sometimes, all four of them think that I am out to get them or spoil their fun, when in reality (God is my witness), my desire truly is to see their best interest.  It could be something as simple as eating vegetables or doing homework, but my kids think that I force these things on them just to be mean.  Yet they cannot truly understand how much I love them, probably until they have their own kids.  

Faith is simple; it’s believing two things about God.  First, that God is really really smart, and He knows more about everything than you know about anything.  Second, God loves you, and He is for you, not against you.  Every time we act in faith, we are showing our beliefs in those truths.  Every time we display a lack of faith, we essentially deny His intelligence and/or His care.  And if that annoys a guy like me—a guy who got “C’s” in college and wasn’t the most caring person in the world—imagine how it would make the creator of the universe, the One who sacrificed His Son on the cross to demonstrate His love for us, feel.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to trust in Your wisdom and Your love.  If I lack belief, help me to overcome my unbelief.  Thank You for your patience with me.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 8:5-13: When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant,[c] ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Questions to Consider

1.  What blessed the Lord about the centurion’s faith?

2.  How did the centurion’s life experiences impact his understanding of Christ?

3.  How do your life experiences encourage your faith?

Notes

1.  The centurion had the faith to take Jesus’ word as authoritative.  For him, there was no difference between Christ’s command and his presence to execute his commands.  That is another level of faith.  

2.  The centurion understood authority; he himself was an authority.  He knew Christ was of greater authority, so much so that sickness would have obeyed him.  

3.  Hopefully, you have seen the Lord’s faithfulness in the past.  This should fuel your faith to trust him more in the future.  

Evening Reflection

Are there areas in your life where God is asking you to take greater steps of faith?  If so, do you trust his wisdom over your life?  Do you trust his love for you?  How can you grow in each of these areas?  

June 21, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on May 19, 2015.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Sharing the Gospel with Someone Who Never Heard It … in America!”

Revelation 7:9

After this I {John} looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Being a young person, I may sound quite naïve, but I have come to realize at least this much about the purpose of life: somewhere along the way, we must be involved in God’s mission to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Allow me to share an experience that really drove that point home.  

Last year, I had the opportunity to meet Nancy, a Chinese student who began coming to our Bible study for international students.  Like many Chinese students, Nancy grew up an atheist and had never heard about Jesus. Thankfully, we had the privilege of sharing the Gospel with Nancy, and a few months later, one of our leaders enthusiastically shared some great news: the night before, Jesus had appeared in Nancy’s dreams and assured her of His love. As our leader described the joy that Nancy now displayed, I was overwhelmed by God’s amazing grace and power. 

Truly, Nancy’s testimony displays the biblical truth that God desires people from all nations to know and worship Him. God’s heart for the nations can be seen, not just in the Great Commission, but in the Abrahamic blessing (Gen. 12:1-3), and many of the Psalms (Psalm 67, 96, etc.).  In His sovereignty, God has not only sent some to the ends of the earth to share His love but has also brought some who do not know Him, including many international students, right to our doorsteps. Thus, we have the incredible opportunity in today’s globalized world to bring the Gospel to those who have not heard it.

Furthermore, sharing Christ with international students can also be strategically important.  According to Intervarsity, 40% of the world’s leaders have studied higher education in the U.S., including leaders such as Gandhi and Benjamin Netanyahu. Many international students also come from “closed” countries such as Saudi Arabia, where any non-Muslim activity, such as evangelism, is forbidden.  Yet in 2014, there were over 111,000 Saudi students in the U.S. (!) with more expected in the coming years. Indeed, just as Jesus declared, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Matt. 9:37). 

While some of us will not be called to leave our homes to share the Gospel, are we even sharing it to those God has brought to us? Let’s pray for courage as we embody Christ to those who have never heard of Him. 

Prayer:Lord, thank You for blessing me with many things, but most of all, for blessing me with a relationship with You. Thank You for Your sovereignty in bringing many who do not know You into my midst.  May Your love compel me to live for You and to share about You with others. In Your Name I pray, Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 1

Lunch Break Study


Read Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV):  Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Gal. 3:7-8: Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the part that God promises to do for Abraham’s descendants in the Abrahamic Covenant?  

2. What is the part that Abraham’s descendents are expected to fulfill?

3. Ultimately, what does this mean to you and me?  What is the ultimate blessing from God for the nations?  Who is supposed to carry out that mission of God?

Notes

1. God promises to bless the descendants of Abraham, that is, the nation of Israel, by making it a great and prosperous nation.

2. Israel, having become prominent and prosperous by God, is to be the channel of His blessing among the nations. 

3. The ultimate blessing is the hearing and then believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ (i.e., being justified before God by believing in the person and work of Christ).  The church, as the spiritual descendant of Abraham, is commissioned to carry out this task.

Evening Reflection

As you look back to this day, did you have an opportunity to share your faith with anyone?  How did you handle that situation?  Remember what Paul said in Philemon 1:6: “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”  Pray for opportunity as well as boldness.