April 8, Friday

UPDATED Today’s AMI Devotional Quiet Time, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on May 28, 2015. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Disobedience is Costly”

2 Samuel 20: 4-10

Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7 And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

Matthew 25: 24-30

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 26 But his master answered him, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Prior to this passage, King David has asked Amasa to become the commander of his army, replacing Joab. Shortly afterwards, King David asks his newly-minted general to stir up Judah within three days in response to a new rebellion. However, the allotted time passes, and Amasa has failed to bring the people as requested. From what we know of King David, he was not an unreasonable man, but while it is difficult to know why Amasa could not fulfill the king’s expectations, ex-commander Joab seems to find this failure reprehensible and takes matters into this own hands with Amasa. It didn’t help that Joab was likely brooding over having been demoted on account of Amasa. Here, he sends a clear message, perhaps under a pretext: disobedience is costly.

This reminds me of a well-known passage, the parable of the talents. The master, before going away, entrusts his wealth with a number of servants. While some of them put the investment to work, one servant hides the money in a field, doing absolutely nothing in response. When the master returns, he is angered by the squandered opportunity, takes away the investment he entrusted, and throws out the servant! The message is echoed here: disobedience is costly.

Few of us have responsibilities on seemingly grand scales, but our relationship with God is a serious matter. Living in accordance with God’s standards is extremely difficult; although we can pretend that some of our sins are less egregious, Jesus warned us that even sinning in our thoughts is as answerable as committing the crimes (Matthew 5:12, 28). Living in accordance with God’s standards seems near impossible.

However, what drives us to obedience should not be a fear of costly consequences. Because of the cross, our prior offenses are covered over by God’s grace, and the costly penalties of our disobedience have already been paid (which, of course, doesn’t mean that God won’t discipline His children [Heb. 12:5-11]). Now, our motivation has been transformed out of fear into a great love for God and a desire to be made like Him.

For this reason, let us be devoted to His Word, learning to understand what pleases God and urging one another to seriously live as new creations. Thankfully, we are not left alone in this journey; we have a community of believers to point us to Him, and the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit equips us with the power to live as God calls us to.

Prayer: Father, without Your help, I cannot remain obedient to You. However, although it can seem tempting to live apart from Your standards, I know that fullness of life comes from an obedient life. Help me to abide in You so that I may produce good fruit in keeping with this faith and so that I can spur others on to you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 23

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 15: 12-28: Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Questions to Consider

1. Why would Paul’s preaching and faith be in vain if Christ has not been raised, and why should people be pitied if Christ has not been raised?

2. What’s another danger of being incorrect about Christ’s resurrection?

3. Because we know that Christ has risen, how should this truth affect our lives? Are you banking all you have on His resurrection?

Notes

1. Believers ought to live in this world in a way that would be pitied if Christianity were not real. The end goal is not to have created “nicer people” for this world – the end goal is to have set all of our hopes and bets on an unseen world that we have not taken hold of yet.

2. If Paul and the other believers were wrong about Christ’s resurrection from the dead, then they are guilty of blasphemy when it comes to the nature of God and for teaching others about Him falsely.

3. Christ’s resurrection gives us joy – we are no longer in sin, and death is destroyed. Because we no longer have to be in bondage to sin, we can live freely and give up all things for Him.

Evening Reflection

As you look back to this day, did you face any decisions that were clearly between pleasing and obeying God or man? How did you fare? We are told to count the cost before walking with Christ? What is that you need to give up in order to obey God more readily? Ask the Lord for more wisdom and conviction?

April 7, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on October 22, 2015. Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia.

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“The Bride’s Date Time”

Ezra 8:15-17

“ . . . When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. 16 So I summoned . . . [leaders and men of learning], 17 and . . . I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.”

Ezra 8:32-35

“So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days. 33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles . . . 35 Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel . . . ”

If the church is the Bride of Christ, Sunday worship is the bride’s date time with her bridegroom.

It’s the time when, as a body, the church decides to set aside all other things and focus solely on building her relationship with Him. Just as each believer builds his or her own special relationship with God through individual Bible reading and prayer, I believe there is a special and unique relationship each believing community builds with God as they all physically come together as a group once a week, hearing the same message together, praying and singing the same songs of adoration together. The worship service, then, becomes the core of a church’s relationship with God; one could say it is the most important thing that she does.

That people spend time with Him together, as a group, has been important to God from the earliest days of the Israelites’ history with Him as His people. In today’s passage, we see how central worship was to this community by how much attention it is given throughout the chapter. Ezra’s entire description of the journey is about everything they needed in order to worship God, whether it was the Levites (without them, how would the sacrifices be made?) or the temple articles and offerings, and how they made it safely from Babylon to Jerusalem. When they do arrive, after a few days’ rest, the first thing they do is gather at the temple and worship God. This was the most important thing for them to be able to do.

How precious is our church’s time of corporate worship to me? If I haven’t been as committed as I should, or if there is another activity that brings a time conflict this week, what decision do I need to make about this today? How can I prepare my heart, my offering, etc., even today, as I look forward to this weekend’s service?

Prayer: Lord, what a special example this heart of Ezra is for me today. Just reading about his preparations and concerns blesses my heart. Help me to have the same concern and passion for our church’s times of meeting with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Ezra 8:24-25, 28-29 : “Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests . . . and ten of their brothers, 25 and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles . . . 28 I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is described as being “consecrated to the Lord” (v. 28)?

2. What did Ezra ask the priests and their brothers to do (v. 29)?

3. What conclusion can we draw from the answers to the two questions above? How should we consider those (including ourselves) who serve at the temple so that His people can worship?

Notes

1. Both material goods (temple articles & offerings) AND people (priests + brothers).

2. Guard the offerings carefully.

3. If material goods were to be guarded carefully because they were set apart for God, all the more the priests should also take care of themselves – not just so that they can protect the offerings but because they themselves are also set apart for God. As people set apart to serve, we are important and should take care to guard our conditions so that we are able to serve Him and His people well when the time comes.

Evening Reflection

The weekend is just around the corner. Do I have excitement and anticipation in my heart as I look forward to meeting Him with my brothers and sisters in gathered, corporate worship?

April 6, Wednesday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 14, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Can Go Wrong with Date-Setting for the End of the World?”

Matt. 24:44-50 (NIV)

“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. [45] Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? [46] It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. [47] I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. [48] But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ [49] and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. [50] The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.”

The church where I became a believer in 1981 was steeped in end-times Bible prophecy. My fascination with this grew all the more after seeing Christian movies, such as “A Thief in the Night” and “Image of the Beast,” which portrayed a terrifying world following the rapture. My ears perked up when several respectable pastors predicted the Lord’s coming in 1988. The fact that the prediction didn’t come true that year hasn’t stopped others from setting additional dates, as evidenced by Harold Camping in 2011 and, most recently, Pat Robertson who believes that the war in Ukraine is the beginning of the end.

One consequence of failed date-setting is an increased disinterest in Christ’s coming. Anticipating this, Peter wrote: “They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation’” (2 Pet. 3:4). I plead guilty to that because I went from passionately teaching the end time prophecy to becoming somewhat unenthused about reading the book of Revelation (always as the last book while reading the Bible in a year).

The above parable suggests that a pitfall of not taking seriously of Christ’s return is apathy towards fulfilling our responsibilities from God. The servant in charge of taking care of others became selfish and irresponsible, assuming that the master wouldn’t return any time soon; consequently, instead of being faithful, nothing was denied in the pursuit of pleasure for here and now.

Ironically, those who take Christ’s return seriously can be just as callous as those who don’t. For instance, in a mission’s conference organized by a church known for its strong emphasis on end-time prophecy, the speaker chided some in the audience who cheered over a war that just broke out in Russia, believing it to be a fulfillment of a prophecy. He said, “We should be mindful that people die in a war without knowing Christ.”

Peter asks, “What kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Pet. 3:11). Regardless of when Christ will actually return, we need to live each day as if he is coming today. Unlike the irresponsible servant, we should continue being faithful to God’s task; “[we] ought to live holy and godly lives as [we] look forward to the day of God” (3:11). So, approach today with eagerness to let Christ be known through your faithfulness.

Prayer: O God, I glorify and praise You this morning for your Son Jesus who, in His first coming, died for the sins of the world so that we might live with You eternally. Father, help us to rely on the Holy Spirit to keep our focus on the responsibility that you gave us, even as we wait for your second coming. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 21

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Thess. 5:1-8 (ESV): “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. [2] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. [3] While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. [4] But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. [5] For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. [6] So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. [7] For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. [8] But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

John 9:4 (ESV): “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.”

Question to Consider

1. In what sense (biblical and current) would the Lord’ coming be a surprise to many?

2. Should this day catch us off guard? If we are found to be unprepared, what does that imply?

3. How should we live in anticipation of his eventual coming? Hide on a mountain top?

Notes

1. Being creatures of comfort and habit, it doesn’t dawn on people that something cataclysmic can happen, destroying peace and security that they’ve always known. In our current world, since many are secularists, they simply don’t believe in anything divine and supernatural.

2. The expression “A thief in the night” is reserved for the unbelievers; Paul tells the believers that that day should not surprise us like a thief since we have been forewarned. This doesn’t mean we should set a date of His coming, but to live in the present by faith, love, and in hope.

3. We are the children of light, which means that instead of withdrawing from the world in anticipation of the world’s end, we “must work the works of him who sent [Jesus] while it is day.” It calls for engagement and involvement with the world to let Christ be known, particularly among the scoffers.

Evening Reflection

If you knew for sure that Christ is coming by midnight tomorrow, are there things that you would want to change immediately? What does that say about your faith right now? Make changes; be ready.

April 5, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on April 5, 2015. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Which Way Do I Go From Here?”

1 Kings 13:7-10

The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.”8 But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here.9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

Yesterday we reflected on those times in life when the instructions of the Lord conflict with our own way of doing things. When we find ourselves at the crossroad of God’s ways and our ways, which road will we choose? For most believers, the answer to that question is fairly easy – God’s way. Even though we don’t always follow right away, most of us know in our hearts that God’s ways are best. With this conviction, we are able to take the right turn at this crucial crossroad and follow the Lord’s ways over and against our own.

Unlike King Jeroboam, the prophet (“the man of God”) in this chapter has chosen to walk in obedience to the Lord. Instead of doing things his own way, he has instead followed God’s instructions (and brought God’s message to the king). But isn’t it true that as we walk in obedience to the Lord, we find temptations luring us to do the very thing about which God commanded us not to do? After his journey to meet the king and a successful delivery of the divine message, I’m sure this prophet was both hungry and thirsty. And he was not only given an opportunity to eat and drink at some random person’s home, but in the royal palace, at the table of the king – a feast of all feasts. But God had given instructions to neither eat nor drink. Although we don’t know exactly why God told him this, commentators point out that if onlookers had seen the prophet eating and drinking with the king, they would have likely seen it as the prophet giving the king his stamp of approval. Regardless of the reason why – the command was clear and the prophet had a choice to make.

These are the moments in life when our trust of the Lord is truly tested. Starting the race well is important and taking that initial step of obedience is crucial, but neither is as important as finishing well. You may have heard it said before that partial obedience is disobedience. On the path of following God, we will have to choose obedience again and again in the same area of our life, and often in the face of continual and escalating opposition.

Prayer: Lord, help me to resist the temptation toward partial obedience. Remind me daily through Your Holy Spirit of the things about which You’ve commanded me and help me to choose again and again to say “yes” to You and to Your ways. Give me eyes to see temptation as it comes and the conviction to be faithful no matter what. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 28:1-2: If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

Luke 11:27-28: As he [Jesus] said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him,“ Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said,“ Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Questions to Consider

Notice the two qualifiers (the adverbs) of the two commands given in Deut. 28:1. Why are these qualifiers important?
How does Jesus’ words encourage you toward obedience to God?
What, if any, are the obstacles or temptations threatening to “move you” or making it difficult for you to “stand firm” in obedience to God?

Notes

God didn’t call his people to simply obey and follow, but to do so “fully” and “carefully.” This is important because of our tendency toward partial obedience. Following God takes intentionality and commitment on our part.
The woman in the crowd was expressing her delight and blessing to have Jesus standing before her and doing miracles (casting out demons in the preceding verses). But Jesus said that those who obey God’s words are far more blessed. We should be encouraged because there is great blessing in the path of obedience!
It is important that we are aware of the things that threaten our full obedience. Whether they are things within us (wrong desires, lies we’ve believed, etc.) or things outside us (pressures from others, difficult circumstances, etc.), we want be aware and to remind ourselves that our labor is not in vain.

Evening Reflection

Are there areas in your life where you’ve given way to partial obedience? Did you start out well by making choices to follow God, but now find yourself tempted to compromise? Spend some time offering these areas to the Lord. Reflect on the ways God has already called you to obey in these areas of your life (try to be specific) and recommit to following Him. Remember the Holy Spirit within give us the power to not only say “Yes!” to God once, but to choose daily to walk faithfully in obedience to Him and finish the race well.

April 4, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 12, 2015.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Global Evangelism”

Acts 11:19 (NIV)

“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.”

Rom. 16:26 (NIV)

“But now revealed and make known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him.”

Historically, the conservative churches in America have done poorly in the area of racial relations. For instance, the Pentecostals who should have set an example were segregated from the very outset. Even though the major Pentecostal denominations were begun by the whites who were anointed during the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles (1906-09) under the leadership of the African American clergy William Seymour, the Black and white Pentecostals didn’t officially reconcile until 1994!

Luke, being a Gentile, knew that the Jews didn’t want to share God’s blessing with people like him. In his later book, Acts, he recounted how the Jews sought to kill Paul (“Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” 22:22) just because he declared, “The Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (22:21). Luke also noted that the Jews who were dispersed from the persecution in Jerusalem, shared the gospel only with other Jews—most of them simply didn’t care about the spiritual welfare of the Gentiles. Having been tossed around by the Grecian, Ptolemaic, Seleucid, and Roman Empire for four centuries, the Israelites were in no mood to share God’s blessings with them.

Evidently, Luke, writing his Gospel to Theophilus—likely a high Roman official—had a mission to declare to the Gentiles that the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son in the parables represented them, and a search would be made to find them. Unlike the older son who didn’t care whether his brother lived or died, another Son, “the firstborn of all creation” (Gal. 1:15) “came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk. 19:10). That is, the Gentiles are the other sheep that Jesus came to find: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. . . . There shall be one flock and one shepherd” (Jn. 10:16).

To many, global evangelism may seem like a distant matter; but the next time you face a major trial, consider whether that was allowed in your life so that you may prioritize God’s mission. The apostle Paul, wrapping up his monumental book of Romans, ends with, “So that all nations might believe and obey him.”

Prayer: God, I hold You in awe, knowing that You’re not a territorial deity, but a God of the whole universe who has created all things. How majestic is your transcendence (beyond this world) and immanence (in this world) at the same time. May my heart capture Yours so that I may love the nations as You do. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 19

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Kings 5:2-3, 15 (ESV): “Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. [3] She said to her mistress, ‘Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy’. . . . [15] [Naaman] stood before [Elisha] and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.’”

Acts 8:1, 20 (ESV): “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. . . . But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenistsalso, preaching the Lord Jesus.”

Question to Consider

1. How would you describe the circumstances that led the Israelite girl to Syria and how the Jerusalem Christians were led to Antioch? How do you think they might’ve felt? How did they handle it?

2. What is the significance of their respective accomplishment?

3. How do you personally feel about missions? What adjustments do you need to make to take missions more seriously.

Notes

1. Their lives were suddenly and forever changed by hostile outsiders who took them away from the comforts of their home. Even though this major trial must’ve made them feel sad, angry and fearful, evidently, they didn’t let go of their faith.

2. They shared the blessing of God with non-Jews. Had the Jewish servant girl not told Naaman about Elisha, the leprous general would’ve never gone to Israel for a cure, which eventually led to his salvation. The Gentile church in Antioch, which eventually became a great missionary church (Paul and Barnabas), was initiated by the Jews who escaped from the persecution in Jerusalem.

3. As a pastor, I never wanted to talk about missions for the longest time because I didn’t want to go. A serious of personal setbacks in the 1990s led me to hear God telling me to go missions; we did. Maybe for some, you need to take a vision trip to see what God is doing in other nations.

Evening Reflection

Do you work with people of other ethnic backgrounds, perhaps followers of Islam or other religions? Have you ever tried to befriend them? That’s always the first step toward expressing God’s love to them. Pray for them right now; reflect on what you can do to share God’s love with them.

April 3, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on May 17, 2015. He is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Humility”

2 Samuel 16:1-14

When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. [2] And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” [3] And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” [4] Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.” [5] When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. [6] And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. [7] And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! [8] The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”[9] Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” [10] But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” [11] And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. [12] It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.” [13] So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. [14] And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.

In February 2015, the world lost a great coach and man when legendary University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith passed away. He coached many future legends—one of them being the great Michael Jordan. As the media, players and colleagues were commemorating his life, one common attribute that was said about Coach Smith was his humility. It was said that he never talked about his victories, but rather, he always talked about the joy of his players achieving great success. He was known to be someone who did not want to be in the spotlight, but emphasized team first. It was this humility that others cherished.

In this chapter, David is met with opposition, and his response is marked with great humility. David is still running away from Absalom and encounters someone else from the house of Saul— Shimei, a man who continually curses him. As they are passing along, Shimei throws rocks at David and his entourage, calling David a man of blood and worthless. He accuses David of bloodguilt concerning the house of Saul, which was false. Abishai suggests that if someone were to cut off Shimei’s head, he would stop from talking so much (v. 9), but David rebukes Abishai, saying that the Lord is behind it. Even though Shimei’s accusations and curses were not based on truth, David is totally surrendered in how he thinks he should be treated, trusting that whatever God chooses to do, he is willing to take it. David is not wrapped up in his own ego nor is he defending himself in any way. So we see David’s humility even in the midst of false accusations and adversity.

How do we respond to criticisms or false accusations? Do we respond with humility and even love for our enemies? In these moments, I, personally, find myself being defensive and wanting to justify myself. As we meditate on this passage, pray to the Lord for greater humility in our lives.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

Prayer: Lord, I want to imitate you in Your humility. By your Spirit, may there be less of me and more of you in my daily life, especially in my interactions with others. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 18

April 2, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, is an updated version of his blog first posted on October 10, 2015. He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Worship as the Foundation!”

Ezra 3:1-11

When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, 5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the appointed feasts of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia. 8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers. 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Previously we looked at the priorities of the returning exiles in Ezra 2—how they made provision for the rebuilding of the temple before they focused on resettling the land. Today, we look again at priorities as the exiles began the work of rebuilding the temple. Ezra 3 is a story of foundations—both figurative and literal.

Ezra 3 tells us that even before the physical foundations were laid, a spiritual foundation was being laid: “they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid” (v. 6). As such, we can better nuance the priorities of the exiles—even before the actual house of God was built, they prioritized the purpose of the temple, which was to worship God. They had come to Jerusalem for the explicit purpose of rebuilding the temple, but they played the highest priority upon the worship of God, not on the building in which that worship would occur.

There were likely some who would have said, “Let’s wait for a real temple before we start sacrifices.” But the leaders of Judah knew that worship could and should begin right away!

Then when the workers had laid the foundation, they stopped everything for an extended time of praise and thanksgiving. Again, the pragmatists in the crowd might have said, “Why are we stopping now? We will lose momentum. Let’s build now and worship later.” But again, the leaders insisted upon the right spiritual priorities.

Ezra 3 challenges us to have the right spiritual foundations in our lives and to make worship one of those foundations. The Westminster Shorter Catechism (A.D. 1647) proclaims that our chief purpose in life is “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Worship is our fundamental purpose and is the foundation upon which we can pursue any mission of God.

Prayer: Father, you are indeed good. And Your steadfast love does endure forever! I thank You that even as You invite us into Your work, first of all, You invite us into Your presence to behold You and declare who You are, with all of our souls, bodies and minds. May my worship of You be the foundation of my life and may everything else follow! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Acts 16-17

April 1, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on October 30, 2015. Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Facing Opposition”

Nehemiah 2:4-10

And I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

During my college days, I recall a friend’s willingness to drive sixty plus miles to pick up his friend who didn’t have a ride, so that they could go to a retreat together. But on the way to picking him up, he was hit by a car, causing serious injuries to his body. I remember, as a young believer, feeling such bitterness and confusion: How could God allow this? He was only trying to help. He was doing Kingdom work, wasn’t he?

Nehemiah clearly saw the sovereignty of God, and how God works for the good of those who love him. But this does not mean that we say a prayer and then sit idly by. If we are to truly experience God’s sovereignty, we need to ask the Lord for the next steps. Our attempts or deeds do not derail the plan of God as long as we are acting consistently with His will.

After going about his normal course of duties as a cupbearer, Nehemiah was ready to go to Jerusalem with the favor of the king. Amazingly, the king provided him with letters of safe passage and needed materials to use to reconstruct the wall around Jerusalem. Thus far, things had gone splendidly well for Nehemiah.

As he made his way back to his homeland, Nehemiah heard of the opposition of Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite to his project (verse 9). These men not only were suspicious of Nehemiah, they began to thwart the progress of the rebuilding of the walls.

But Nehemiah reminds us today that if we are to do God’s bidding in this fallen world, we will face opposition. We are broken and selfish people, not to mention how Satan hates it when we try to move with God in what He is doing in this world. When following Jesus, there is always a cost to serving Him.

If you are enduring some scorn and ridicule for following Christ, do not be discouraged. The temptation will be to change our message so that this scorn goes away. Nehemiah’s faith was greater than his fear—he believed in the promises of God. Let us remember that God is on the side of those who love Him and want to honor him.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for being my sovereign Father who knows everything about me. Strengthen me with faith in my inner being so that I may endure difficulties as I strive to serve You. Thank You for the sacrifice on the Cross. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 3:4-6: So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Questions to Consider

1. How are we to find success before God and man?

2. If we acknowledge God in the things we plan, what will God eventually do for us?

3. In what way can you acknowledge the Lord in your life today?

Notes

1. By trusting the Lord and not leaning on our own understanding.

2. He will make our paths straight.

3. Personal answer.

Evening Reflection

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”

– Albert Einstein

March 31, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on November 27, 2015. He is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Courageous Faith”

Esther 4:1-17

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. [2] He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. . . . [9] And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. [10] Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, [11] “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” [12] And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. [13] Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. [14] For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” [15] Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, [16] “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” [17] Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

In one of the darkest hours of World War II, Winston Churchill led Great Britain with great, uncompromising courage. In the midst of battle, he said, “Death and sorrow will be the companions of our journey, hardship our garment; constancy our valor and our only shield. We must be united, we must be undaunted, we must be inflexible.”

One of the marks of being a Christian ought to be courageous faith. It is a faith that is bold and goes against human logic in various seasons of our life. That’s what we read about in today’s account.

Mordecai reacts with great emotion when he hears that the personal conflict between himself and Haman has brought the entire Jewish nation into jeopardy. He tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ashes in an act of deep mourning and distress. After Esther finds out about this evil plan, she only has a small window of time to make a decision. She decides to act in confidence and determination and take a step of courageous faith to save the Jewish people. Here’s what pastor and author Eugene Peterson says about this account:

“In the face of difficulty, Esther began to move from being a beauty queen to becoming a Jewish saint, from being a sex symbol to being a passionate intercessor, from the busy-indolent life in the harem to the high-risk venture of speaking for and identifying with God’s people.”

Is God calling you to live out your faith courageously? It could be speaking up for Christ in your workplace or taking a step of faith in the area of your finances. Maybe God is asking you to go somewhere to share Christ. God may be preparing you “for such a time as this” to step out in boldness and faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live each day with courageous faith. Show me the areas of my life where you are calling me to leave my comfort zone. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 14:22-33: Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. [23] And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”[28] And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” [31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Questions to Consider

What was the reaction of the disciples when they saw Jesus?
How does fear often hinder us from living by great faith?
What does the passage say about overcoming our fears?

Notes

They were terrified and responded in fear (v.26).
When we live in fear, it distorts the power and character of Jesus in our lives. We often make Him too small, which hinders us from living by faith and not by sight.
The disciples worshiped the Lord after they acknowledged His power and greatness (v.33). Our worship of Christ will often increase our faith and overcome our fears.

Evening Reflection

Take some time in personal worship through prayer, song, or the Word. Meditate on the promises and truths of God. As you do, ask Him to give you courageous faith.

March 30, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on November 11, 2015. Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Most Important Voice in Your Life”

Nehemiah 8:13

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law.

Whose voice is the most important voice in your life that you’d actually give attention to the person’s words?

My 7-year-old son is playing in his first season of flag-football, and he plays the safety position. As soon as the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, he makes a beeline to the ball carrier and goes hard after the flag. Almost always, he comes up with the flag. Last week, he made a play for the running back but missed the flag; instead, he ended up grabbing at the shorts of the running back, inadvertently tripping him on the play. No one was hurt. Now mind you, these are 6 and 7- year-olds, so any type of fall by the kids is deemed as rough play by the officials. So the referee threw the yellow flag and assessed the penalized yardage for “rough play.” The coach of the other team starts yelling from the sidelines, “Is that how you teach your players to play? Then I’m going to teach my players to start tackling!!”

You can imagine: there was a bit of drama afterwards, but nothing terrible. On our way home from the game, my son starts crying, telling us that he wants to quit football because he felt so bad that he could have hurt another player; and he couldn’t understand why the other coach said those things and was yelling at him. We tried to tell him that the other coach was rather a poor sport and affirmed him that everyone noted that it was an accident. But given that he has a sensitive temperament, he continued to cry. So when we got home, his mom and I held him in our arms and firmly said to him, “The most important thing you need to hear is what your mom and dad are saying. We are proud of how hard you play. And your entire team and your coach are so proud of how hard you play.” He finally calmed down as he heard what I was saying.

That incident illustrates what often happens in our lives. We tend to pay much attention to the voice of the world that entices us or insults us; or we hear the voice of the enemy that lies to us, or even our own voice can be our own worst enemy where we criticize ourselves. In the meantime, sadly, we drown out the voice of our Father who sings over us (Zeph. 3:17).

Today, may you “give attention to the words” of the Father as He speak into your life.

Prayer: Lord, help me to hear Your voice over all of the voices that go through my ears. Teach me to distinguish Your voice so that I may live according to Your good and perfect will. Grant to me the ears to hear Your voice today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 13

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Sam. 3:1-10: The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Questions to Consider

Why didn’t Samuel recognize the voice of the Lord immediately?
How was Eli able to help Samuel give attention to the voice of the Lord?
Do you have a person that is able to assist you in giving careful attention to the voice of the Lord?

Notes

Not only was the word of the Lord rare in those days (v. 1), but the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to Samuel (v. 7).
Eli was a mentor to Samuel who recognized that the Lord was calling Samuel. Eli taught Samuel to respond appropriately to the Lord’s voice.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Have some things been spoken to you that have wounded you? Spend some time asking God to mend your heart. Ask God to speak His words into your heart.