February 4, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 18, 2015, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why God Does What He Does”

2 Kings 19:32-37

“Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord. 34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” 35 And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. 37 And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

Hezekiah and the people of Judah were facing a terrible enemy, Sennacherib king of Assyria and his mighty army.  They had come with frightening threats against Hezekiah that left him and his people in great fear.  Hezekiah was deeply distressed by all of this, and he does the best thing that any one of us can do when we’re faced with such hardship—he prayed.  Hezekiah goes to God and cries out to Him for help; and He responds.  The LORD assures Hezekiah that He will defend Jerusalem and save it from the encroaching enemy.  

This, on its own, is an important truth: God answers our prayers.  Hopefully, we’ve all experienced this for ourselves at some point in our lives.  Personally, there have been many times when I cried out to God and He answered my prayers.  And that’s exactly what happens in 2 Kings 19, where Hezekiah cries out to God for victory for His people—and God answers just as Hezekiah had asked: God decimates the Assyrian army, and Sennacherib is forced to go home in defeat.  God answered Hezekiah’s prayer and He answers our prayers as well.  

Why does God answer Hezekiah?  God says in verse 34, “For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”  God comes to the aid of His people for His own sake.  It might seem a bit strange to think that the reason God would save His people is for His own sake.  Shouldn’t the real reason be that God is a benevolent Father who wants to protect his children?  Or that God is a God of love and compassion?  These reasons are true too, but God doesn’t say that here—He says that it is for His own sake and His own glory.  

God came to the aid of His people because His glory was at stake.  That is to say, Israel’s defeat at the hands of the Assyrians here would have meant the diminishing of God’s glory in light of the fact that God had covenanted with David that his house and kingdom would reign forever.  Remembering that covenant, God declares here that this battle, this conflict with Assyria, was not just Hezekiah’s battle—this battle belonged to God.

Sometimes, we can start to think that God’s will or God’s love is centered around us.  Maybe we think that God should answer our prayers because we are worthy or because God has to.  God, however, is not just for us, but He is for Himself in the sense that He cares about His “reputation.” Ultimately, this benefits us because we are impressed to place our hope and trust in such a worthy God.  In the New Testament, because God has covenanted with us through Jesus Christ, when we turn to God in prayer, He answers.  In this manner our battles belong to the Lord and He will contend on our behalf for the sake of His own glory and honor. 

Prayer: Father, be glorified in my life today.  Help me, Lord, to live for Your glory and honor and praise, and not for my own.  I surrender all of my battles and burdens to you, not just because you care for me, but because I know that they all belong to You.  Thank you for this covenant with You through Jesus Christ.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today:  Isaiah 37

Lunch Bible Study

Read Joshua 5:13-15: When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Questions to Consider

  1. This passage happens right before Joshua leads the Israelites into the battle for Jericho, and it is after he takes the place of Moses as leader of God’s people.  How do you think Joshua felt at this point in Joshua 5?  What would have been occupying his mind?
  2. What was this commander’s response to Joshua’s question of being “for us or for our adversaries”?  What do you think this response means? 
  3. What struggles are you facing?  How does it help you to know that the battle is the Lord’s?

Notes

  1. Joshua probably felt a lot of pressure at this point in time.  He had incredibly big shoes to fill in succeeding Moses as leader of Israel.  Maybe he felt that all of the eyes of the people were watching him to see if he would measure up.  And at the same time, he was facing the mighty walls of Jericho.  Some scholars believe that these walls that were surrounding Jericho were five feet thick and up to seventeen feet high, and that it was surrounded by a moat that was 27 feet wide and nine feet deep.  This city was impenetrable.  And we must remember that at this point, Joshua did not yet know about God’s plan to bring the walls down, so his mind was likely occupied with the fear of this battle to come.
  2. This commander (very likely God himself) replies to Joshua’s question with the curious answer of “No.”  He is saying that he not on the side of the Israelites or that of Jericho, but he comes as commander of the army of the LORD—meaning that he is on God’s side.  While God was definitely with the Israelites—His chosen people—and while God is definitely with us—His children—God is on His own side, for His own glory.  God will fight for us, watch over us, and protect us, all for our sake, but ultimately, it is for His glory.
  3. We all face struggles like Joshua did, fear of not measuring up or fear of the battles ahead; but if we remember that the battle is the Lord’s and that God will fight for us for His glory, we can rest assured that He will take care of us because we are His children and His own glory is at stake.

Evening Reflection

Today we were reminded that the battles we have in our lives belong to God.  Were there any battles or struggles that you faced today?  How does it make you feel when you remember that you can surrender all of them to God?  We will all face trials of many kinds but as children of God, we can rest assured that our Heavenly Father is in control and He will fight for us.  Spend some moments reflecting on this truth and in thanksgiving to God for His care for you.

February 3, Thursday

UpdatedToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on October 10, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Don’t Know What We Did Wrong”

Luke 15:22-3 (ESV)

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.”

As people were leaving after the Pastors’ Conference held in Chihuahua this past March (2014), I ran out to say goodbye to Maria whose husband, Pastor Juan, wasn’t able to attend the last session.   Right after moving to Mexico in 2001, we met the couple and stayed close all throughout until we left in 2011.  I was so overwhelmed when they came to my house a few days before our departure to give $2,000 pesos ($170) as a gift.  Having known their generous heart, I took the money in gratitude even though I knew that things were hard for them, since Juan was working at a gasoline station to supplement their income. 

After some small talk, I asked about her college-aged son, Jorge.  With a look of relief, she said, “Oh, he has a girl friend now.”  It wasn’t an odd response because of what they confided in me a few years back:   After everyone had left my house following a meeting of pastors, they remained to tell me that their son confessed that he might be homosexual.   A sobbing Maria murmured, “I don’t know what we did wrong?”   To some people in our society, this is acceptable, but for this Bible believing parents, it was a great shock.   We prayed together and talked about how we can help Jorge from falling into that lifestyle. But it didn’t help that in the following class when one pastor, who was unaware of the situation, remarked within an earshot of this couple, “Parents should be blamed for their child’s homosexuality.”

Ultimately, this isn’t about how we would respond if our child says he is a gay; but rather what we would do if our child rebels against the values and beliefs that we cherish.  While I certainly don’t want to find that out personally, I’ve learned from the Parable of the Lost Son that you continue to love that child.  Such love may take various forms (including discipline), but the core remains: unconditional love, which God continues to pour out on the undeserved.

So today, whether you are a parent or not, demonstrate God-like love toward someone who doesn’t deserve it.  

Prayer for Parents: Lord, the more I try to raise my child, I feel so inadequate and hypocritical.  Oh God, I cannot do this alone; please help my child to love Jesus, know right from wrong, and have the courage and discernment through the Holy Spirit to choose what pleases You.  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 36

Lunch Break Study

Read Rom. 5:8: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 John 4:10, 19: “This is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins . . . . We love because he first loved us.”

Rom. 8:35, 38: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”  38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe several components to God’s unconditional love. 

2. How should God’s unconditional of God affect us?

3. What is the greatest obstacle to loving like this?  What are you struggling with presently?

Notes

1. First, unconditional love is loving the undeserved; second, it initiates the love, that is, God’s love doesn’t wait until the other person makes the move; third, it doesn’t allow anything to get in the way of persevering in love. 

2. Since we received God’s unconditional love for free, we ought to initiate loving those who don’t deserve it. 

3. Of course, when the person doesn’t reciprocate our love, it makes it hard to continue.  As we mature in Christ, we should also grow in the area of loving others for Christ’s sake.  

Evening Reflection

Did you encounter God’s love today?  Maybe you need to be quiet and reflect on His love.  If you are a parent, pray for your child; then go to your child to pray for him/her in gentleness.    

February 2, Wednesday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Symbol of Covenant”

1 King 8:6, 9

“The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim . . . There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.”

Particular during June, otherwise known as the wedding season, some of us can find ourselves attending several ceremonies, and though each one will bear the unique mark of that particular couple, it is actually the elements that all weddings have in common that seem to make them special: the moment the father presents the bride to the groom, the making of vows, the declaration before friends and family.  The celebration of a covenant.  One classic element is the exchanging of rings, a visible symbol of the covenant made between man and wife.  Their circular shape, the line without beginning or end, represents the unending devotion of the couple to one another, for a lifetime.  

When God made a covenant with his people, the Israelites, he, too, gave them a visible symbol of what their relationship to one another was to be.  What was the symbol, and what did it represent?  Today’s passage records what happened when Solomon finished the temple and ushered in the presence of God by having the ark of his covenant brought into the inner sanctuary.  When describing this moment, the author thought it important to remind us that “there was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets” (9).  The ark represented the promise of God’s presence with his people, and at the heart of it was his Word.  That the two stone tablets were the only thing inside the ark speaks to how important it was to God that his people keep his Word close to their hearts and honor his commands.

As Christians living under the covenant of grace, we can sometimes not honor God’s Words as much as we should.  Our reasons may vary—too hard, too costly or too invasive—but the outcome is the same: we dishonor the God whom we say we love.  Thus, God reminded the Israelites who often dishonored him by heeding the empty promises of territorial gods, “Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Sam. 2:30).  

I have a challenge for you today.  Take your Bible to work or school, and then read a chapter (perhaps during lunch break) whether or not people are looking; then do what it says.  Read God’s word and uphold his truth with a life of faith and integrity. 

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I am yours and you are mine.  I belong to you, bought at such a price.  Yet living in your grace, sometimes I forget how important it is to you that I make every effort to honor your commands.  Would you forgive me, Lord?  And let your word be precious to me once again.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 35

Lunch Break Study 

 Read Exodus 32:19, 34:1: “When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain . . . . The LORD said to Moses, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.’” 

Questions to Consider

1. What happened to the first copy of the Ten Commandments Moses received from the Lord?  Which means which set of stone tablets was actually in the ark?

2. When they thought of the stone tablets in the ark, what did God want his people to remember? 

3.   What do you think is the significance of the fact that the second set was just like the first?  What do we need to keep in mind about God’s nature today?

Notes

1. Moses destroyed them when he saw the people worshipping an idol instead of the One who had really delivered them.  In the ark was the second set that God gave Moses, after he forgave the Israelites their sin.

2. That they had sinned, that from the beginning, he knew they would need his forgiveness, but also that he was a God who would give them a second chance.  

3. To show his nature, that though he is a God who forgives and gives second chances, his righteous standards do not change.  Not only his merciful grace but also his unchanging standards of righteousness.

Evening Reflection

How was my attitude towards sin today?  Was it casual, or did I have a sincere heart before God to obey his commands?  Not out of performance-orientation but out of love, honor and respect for him and the relationship I have with him?

February 1, Tuesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 15, 2015, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun who pastors Radiance Christian Church in S. F.   He studied biology at University California, San Diego and completed his Master of Divinity at Talbot School of Theology.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Our Warped View of God”

2 Kings 17: 34-41 (NIV)

 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods, 38 and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods, 39 but you shall fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner. 41 So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day. 

In modern Christianity, it is rare to talk about a proper fear of God.   We often present a one-dimensional view of God as one who is loving; and we are almost embarrassed to reveal the other aspects of His character, such as His wrath, jealousy, and hatred of sin.  It’s a warped view of God.  Perhaps for that reason, comedians make fun of God as thousands laugh without any fear of God’s anger.  There are screenwriters and actors who make up their own versions of God, and we have become so desensitized to it, calling it entertainment.  The world has not only become irreligious, but it has become irreverent.  A generation ago, no one would have dared to vandalize and desecrate a church, let alone walk in with the intent of harming people in the midst of prayer and worship.

People don’t fear God any more—and that has a lot to do with what is wrong with the world today. Unfortunately, part of the blame is on us because preachers don’t preach it and believers don’t believe it. We would rather hold onto a god of our own design who turns a blind eye to sin and is indifferent towards evil.   This is simply not true.  Let’s not forget what God says about Himself— that He is a jealous God, a God who reigns down judgment on the wicked. He is the God who hates sin and will ultimately judge the world. This is the God who sits on the throne of heaven and created the world through a single breath of His word, and who can end our existence with the same word. 

In the Hebrew, the word for fear and worship are actually interchangeable.  To truly worship God, there must be a healthy dose of reverence and awe.  God is to be feared because of His power, His greatness, and His holiness.  The Scriptures remind us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of learning how to live wisely.   When we see but a glimpse of God’s glory, the natural reaction of sinful man is to flee from the presence of such beauty, perfection, and might, and to deal with our sin.  Once this healthy fear is lost, we are prone to ignore God’s warnings; and like the Israelites, we cast off restraint and live according to our own desires.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we believe that You are good to your children and like a good Father, You discipline the ones You love.  Help us to submit ourselves under Your loving discipline and to acknowledge the need to worship You from a place of reverence and awe.  Help us to see that a proper fear of the living God leads to a life of wisdom and blessing.  Amen  

Bible Reading for Today:  Isaiah 34

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:25-29 (NIV): See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” f 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Why are Christians under greater judgment for not listening to God?
  2. What is the voice of God capable of doing?  
  3. Why should we worship God acceptably with reverence and awe?

Notes

  1. In the Old Testament, the people stood in fear as they heard the voice of God from Mt. Sinai and were judged greatly for disobeying those commands.  In Christ, we have heard a voice from heaven, greater than a voice from an earthly mountain; therefore, we are under a greater judgment when we reject His commands.
  2. The voice of God is capable of removing everything that can be shaken—meaning God can destroy the temporary things of heaven and earth at a mere command.  This is how God will usher in the new heaven and the new earth.    
  3. As on Mount Sinai, God is a consuming fire that can destroy everything that stands against His purpose; therefore, we should worship Him with a healthy sense of fear.

Evening Reflection

I believe that God does not want us to constantly live in fear of Him, for His perfect love should cast out unreasonable fear. He does not want us to be afraid of Him needlessly, but would rather that we fellowship and dwell with Him, growing in our love relationship.  Yet at the same time, He wants us to know that He hates sin, especially the sin in our lives.  This is where a proper fear of a holy God should come into play: Because He is patient and slow to anger, there are limits that should not be pushed.  To fall under the discipline of God is a frightening proposition.  If there is habitual sin in your life, turn to the Lord for He will not refuse you, and seek the help of fellow believers, pastors, and counselors to help you overcome that sin.  

January 31, Monday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on October 27, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What God Said to Me About Publishing a Book”

Acts 16:6-7 (ESV)

“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

In the 1990s, since I wrote regularly for mostly Korean American community publications, a highlight was publishing an article in the L. A. Times.  The lowlight, however, was two unsuccessful attempts to publish books (one publishing house showed initial interest but nothing ever came of it).  As I was praying one day, the phrase, “Don’t try to publish on your own,” suddenly appeared in my mind.   I interpreted his to mean that when I trust God more than my own effort, publishing may happen.  Thus, when one doctorate committee member suggested that I publish my dissertation, I ignored it. 

God still speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.  John states, “When . . . the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). But what we receive today is neither new revelation nor equal to the Bible; in fact, they have to fall within the parameter of historic doctrines and ethics.  Neither are they always to be trusted since we can err.  Nevertheless, the Spirit who resides in the believers “will remind [us] of everything that [Christ] has said” (14:25). This works much better if God’s words are stored in our mind.  

 Now, are there situations in the Bible where God says, “Don’t publish?”  No.  But God sometimes said no, like when Paul, who wanted to go east to preach, was told to go west (Acts 16:7).  Although a man delivered from demonization begged to go with Jesus, the Lord told him to go home (Mk. 5:18).  In the same way, God can still say no to us through the Holy Spirit.  So, when my first book, written in Spanish, was published in Mexico in 2005 by the Assemblies of God denomination, thanks to Pastor Casillas who sacrificially worked to make that happen (and republished ten years later), I learned afresh the meaning of Psalm 145: He is faithful to all his promises.   

A Christian life without the involvement of the Holy Spirit is not utilizing the best resource God has given us to live a fruitful life.   Always download the Word into your mind and practice being silent before God. Then after hearing his voice, obey Him.  Work diligently and wait for God’s timing. 

Prayer: I sing a praise song unto your name, my Lord Jesus, for you are so good and faithful.  I thank you for not only dying to save my life but also sending the promised Holy Spirit to us.   Teach me how to be led by the Spirit and discern his voice so that I may glorify the Father through my life.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 33

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:8-11, 13-4 (ESV):  “And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  . . . 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Mk. 1:35 (ESV): “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” 

Ps. 46:10 (ESV):“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean that when the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world concerning sin, 

righteousness, and judgment?

2. So, how can we experience the Holy Spirit in a more personal and spiritual way?

3. Ultimately, what is the main responsibility of the Holy Spirit?  What is he trying to accomplish?

Notes

1. “Concerning sin” means that unbelievers will recognize their sins as well as the need to repent; “concerning righteousness” means that the Holy Spirit will remind the righteous standard of God through the Scripture (since Christ won’t be on the earth anymore until his second coming); “concerning judgment” means that the devil (“ruler of this world’) was already defeated (1 Jn. 3:8) and judged by Christ.  

2. Jesus sought to be alone in a solitary place to commune with God.  Many of us are surrounded by too much noise to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying.   We need to learn to be quiet and be still when we are trying to spend time with the Lord. 

3. The job of the Holy Spirit is to ensure that the words of Christ are clearly communicated to us, mostly through reminding us.   In other words, the Holy Spirit is not going to create something that was never taught by Jesus.  By doing this, he is glorifying Christ. 

Evening Reflection

Turn off whatever devices that are making noise or distraction.  Read from Psalm 23 and then meditate on its meaning; keep silent for a few minutes and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you.  It could be something very simple as a word like “love” or “hope” popping up.  It can be interpreted as “God loves me” or “be hopeful about tomorrow.”  Or it can be seen as, “I need to show love to the next person I see” or “I am going to encourage someone who is going through a hopeless situation right now.”

January 30, Sunday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 26, 2014, is provided by an anonymous public-school teacher.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Cultivating a Very Honest Relationship with the Lord”

Luke 18:13

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” 

I teach sixth graders in north Philadelphia.   Something I probably shouldn’t enjoy as much as I do is reading apology letters.  Quite often, students will write me a handwritten note torn out of spiral notebook expressing their remorse for how they behaved earlier in class.  Whether it’s because they’re truly sorry or they’re just trying to avoid a consequence, these letters are so dramatic and cute that I can’t help but smile when I read them.  One of my favorite excerpts: “I am also sorry for disrupting the class. I know that this is serious. This is not little kid stuff anymore. This is middle school, and Middle School is the real deal.”  

Then there are students from whom I’ve never received an apology letter, because they follow all the rules: seated when told, silent when told, on-task when that is the expectation.  And while I appreciate these students so much, I don’t think I know them as well as the ones who leave their tightly folded letters on my desk for me to read after school.  These heartfelt confessions give me a deeper glimpse into their personalities and strengthen my relationships with them, because they don’t feel the need to uphold a certain image; instead, they demonstrate vulnerability by asking me to forgive them.  


I find myself trying so hard to be perfect in God’s eyes.  I assume that God wants me to be the student who silently sits in the front row and completes all her work.  But in order for me to truly be known by the Father, I need to resemble the student, or the penitent tax collector, who acknowledges his faults and asks for forgiveness.  This kind of relationship, though at times messy and unflattering, is what draws us closer to the One who wants to set us free from whatever is making our hearts heavy today.  Let’s be honest before the Lord; He knows our heart.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be totally and brutally honest before You and just enjoy this awesome relationship I have with You through Your Son Jesus.  Thank You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 32

January 29, Saturday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 8, 2015, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun who pastors Radiance Christian Church in S. F.   He studied biology at University California, San Diego and completed his Master of Divinity at Talbot School of Theology.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Friendship”

1 Samuel 14:4-7

On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. 6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 

When I think of Jonathan, the first word that comes to my mind is “friendship.”  Biblically speaking, we know Jonathan was the best friend of David, but even in this passage, we see that friendship was a vital part of Jonathan’s leadership style.  It’s not difficult to get people to follow you using force, positional power, or even fear and intimidation, but it is entirely a different matter to have people give you their heart and soul.  Clearly, there was something special about Jonathan that attracted people’s undivided friendship and loyalty. Even when faced with an impossible situation where Jonathan’s life hung on the balance, his armor bearer was willing to go with him heart and soul, even to death.  Wouldn’t we all benefit from a friendship like this?   

Though most people think that they have what it takes to be a good friend, often there is no objective basis for that judgment.  Certainly, the number of friends that you have on your Facebook account is not proof that you are a good friend.  C.S Lewis, in his book The Four Loves, talks about the fact that before Romanticism in the 18th century, friendship was viewed as the happiest and most fully human of all loves—the crown of life and the school of virtue.  Lewis, an expert in ancient literature, saw that historically men have believed that it was in our friendships where we learned how to fully love and develop our virtues; the reason being that out of all the loves, friendship is the least natural and the least instinctive. It takes very little virtue to love someone romantically; it also doesn’t take much character to love your family.  Jesus points this out when He says, “Don’t the thieves and tax-collectors love those who love them?”  Friendship is the great test of our virtue and the true litmus test of our character, specifically because it is the least necessary of human relationships (although still vitally important).  

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.”   As you might expect, unconditional love has to lie at the root of our friendships; and from there comes the security that your friends will stick with you through the highs and lows of life, as much as your family, children, even your spouse.  Unfortunately, many of us are not accustomed to seeing friendships at this level because we view our friendships as largely peripheral to our other relationships—good if you have it, but okay if you don’t.  Yet when faced with difficult times, having authentic friendships gives you something to hold onto.  

There is also a hidden side to friendship that draws out our virtue.  C.S. Lewis, when his friend Charles Williams died, wrote this to describe the loss that his group of friends felt:  “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out.  By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity. I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.”  When his friend passed away, Lewis recognized that he would never see the unique reaction of his other friend Ronald to one of Charles’ jokes.  And instead of having more of Ronald to himself, he sadly realized that he had less.  From that observation, he makes the conclusion: “Two friends delight to be joined by a third, and three by a fourth, if only the newcomer is qualified to become a real friend.”  If we allow ourselves, the best of who we are can be drawn out as we expand our pool of genuine friends.  

Prayer: Dear God, I am so amazed that you called Abraham, a mere man, Your friend.  Thank You for considering me your friend as well, in Your Son Christ.  This friendship is the greatest relationship I will ever have.  I love You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 30-31

January 28, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches, is an updated version of his blog first posted on March 13, 2015.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Wistful Look at Life by a Middle-Aged Man”

1 Samuel 17:38-40

Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. 

I probably overestimate my courage and commitment to the Lord, but in my younger years, I am convinced that if given the opportunity, I would have gone anywhere for Christ, gone through any type of suffering, even died for Him.  Hey, as a cheap, fresh-out-of-college bachelor, my living conditions approached prison-like anyway (dirty, overcrowded, rodent-infested, no food anywhere, etc.)  

Something dramatically happened to me between then and now.  Now, I am obviously older and certainly more rooted; I have a wife and kids, and I live in a beautiful city, which will one day be the future home of Starfleet Academy.  Now, if God asked me to give up seat warmers in my minivan, or cable television, or move to the suburbs, there would be a struggle in my heart to obey.  On a more serious note, if I felt the call to serve God in the developing world, my thoughts would immediately jump to the safety and the well-being of my wife and young children.

What happened to me?  Did I get soft?  Yes, no doubt about it.  Is it also true that my life got more complicated and the stakes got higher?  Sure.  But here is the biggest difference, I like my life now more than I did back then.  I like being a dad, a husband, a pastor, where I live, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked life in my 20’s, but it doesn’t compare to what I have now.  

I think the Bible sets up the David and Goliath narrative to imply that Saul should have fought Goliath, not David.  Logically, the only person who would have had a chance against a giant would have been the guy who stood a head taller than everyone else in Israel (1 Sam. 9:2); in fact, David even goes out and fights in Saul’s armor!  But before we are quick to label Saul a coward, think about all he had to lose, and ask yourself if you would have fought the nine-foot Goliath.   

What stops you from taking risks for the Kingdom?  Do you think about all you have to lose?  Do you like the life you’ve built up or are building up for yourself?  I’m not saying it’s wrong to enjoy life, but at the end of the day, would you rather be a lowly shepherd with God or a king without him?  

Prayer: Lord, give me the courage to hold loosely to the things that I have so that I may cling tightly to You.  Thank you for the life and existence that I have, but never let these things become an idol for me or a reason to not pursue Your Kingdom.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Isiah 29

Lunch Break Study

Read Joshua 1:6-9: Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Right after Moses dies, God commissions Joshua to take his place and to conquer the land God is about to give the Israelites, but before letting him go, he gives the above instructions.

Questions to Consider

  1. What do you think Joshua had to fear?
  2. Why do you think the Lord chooses this place to insert instructions to keep the law in Joshua’s mind and heart?
  3. How does the Lord finally encourage Joshua? (v. 9).

Notes

  1. Joshua succeeded Moses, the founder of Judaism.  He is also charged, after 40 years of wandering the desert, to conquer enemy land–pretty intimidating charge.
  2. Israel’s success, in fact, its existence is owed to God and God alone.  God did not want His people to forget who they were, from where they came, and their charge to be a holy people, during this crowning moment.  Also, focusing on God tends to help us forget less fearful things. 
  3. The last encouragement is God’s promise of His presence.  

Evening Reflection

What are the things that you fear to lose?  Do you fear life without the Lord’s presence and power more?  Does the Lord’s presence bring you the daily encouragement it is supposed to bring?  

January 27, Thursday

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 8, 2015.  He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why So Few?

Ezra 2:1-2, 64-65

Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. . . . 64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers.

As it turned out, not every Israelite who had been exiled in Babylonia, and later in Persia, returned back to Jerusalem.   In fact, we learn in Ezra 2 that the total number of returnees numbered fewer than 50,000.  This was a tiny number in comparison with those who had originally been taken captive.  Why so few?

It appears that many of the exiles in Babylon had settled down and created new lives for themselves.  Indeed, Jeremiah the prophet had urged them to make the best of their captivity (see Jer. 29:4-7).  The result was that many of the Jews had grown comfortable and even prosperous, so that when the call came for them to travel some 900 miles to a ruined city and a temple that no longer existed, they could not rise to the occasion.  The cost was too big.  The shock to their lives was too great.  

However, some—a remnant—chose to make the journey.  They rose up and stood on the precipice of greatness—they chose to take an active part in God’s story.  Often, that takes personal sacrifice.  William Booth once said: “You cannot improve the future without disturbing the present.”  As mentioned yesterday, that remnant was enough.  God can do more with one person who is 100% committed to Him than with one hundred people who are 90% committed.  

On a side note:  No one would write books about the Jewish people who stayed in Babylon.  History remembers the people who acted with courage, not the people who opted for the status quo.  Actually, not always true! I am reminded that the biblical book Esther was written about a woman whose grandparents or great grandparents had chosen to stay in Babylon.  Even those who stayed in Babylon were under the grace of God!  

Prayer: Father, I know that you have called me into a godly life—not a comfortable life.  I want to join in the adventure You have for me.  I want to live in your presence, for Your mission, and with Your resources.  Forgive me for the times that my comfort has been a barrier to joining Your mission.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 28

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

  1. Describe the circumstances surrounding Peter’s walk on water.  
  2. What needed to happen so that Peter could walk on water?
  3. Is God asking you to get out of your boat in some way?  What is stopping you from walking toward God?

Notes

  1. Jesus tells the disciples to get into their boat and go to the other side of the sea.  Dutifully, they set off, but find themselves battling the winds and the waves all night.  By the time Jesus reaches them (as He walks on water) in the very early morning, they must have been on the brink of exhaustion.  As the wind blows and the waves knock the boat around, the shadowy figure approaching the boat would have been terrifying for the disciples.  However, Jesus announces His identity—and Peter courageously asks Jesus to call him to come.  Jesus obliges, and Peter climbs over the rail, stepping onto the raging waters, as the boat tossed back and forth. Sometimes, we want God to make all the conditions perfect for us before we take a step of faith.  Peter, however, had no such conditions.  He was stepping out of one precarious situation (a boat knocking back and forth by the wind and waves) into the waves themselves—the frying pan into the fire, as it were.  We will not always have perfect conditions to follow Jesus.  But true peace comes only after we follow Him.
  2. In order for Peter to walk on water, three things needed to happen: (1) Jesus had to call him.  We can’t decide to walk on water—Jesus has to invite us first. (2) Peter had to get out of the relatively safe boat and step into the chaos of the sea. (3) Peter had to keep his eyes focused on Jesus.  When he focused on the waves instead of Jesus, fear set in, and he began to sink.

Evening Reflection

Is God asking you to leave your comfort zone and follow Him in faith?  Let us journal a prayer of faith as we seek to follow Jesus more.  

January 26, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on October 22, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Naturalism and Theism”

Luke 24:11 (ESV)

“But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

No one likes to be called “insane”; but after the apostle Paul acknowledged his belief in Christ’s resurrection to the Roman governor Festus, he responded, “Your great learning is driving you insane” (Acts 26:24).  That’s also what the New Atheist Richard Dawkins calls those who aren’t convinced of evolution on account of belief in God, saying, “Nobody who looks at [evolution] could possibly doubt that if they are sane and not stupid.”  But the disciples’ initial reaction to the women’s claim of Jesus’ resurrection was also of unbelief: “Their words seemed to them like nonsense” (NIV).  Like good skeptics, they demanded evidences to believe something so out of the ordinary.  

John Lennox, of Oxford, is a world renowned mathematician who firmly believes in Christ’s resurrection.   

Unconvinced of Dawkins’ assertion, he wrote, “. . . there is a very real [conflict], but it is not . . . between science and religion at all.  For if that were so, elementary logic would dictate that one would find that scientists were all atheists and only non-scientists believed in God, and this . . . is simply not the case.  No, the real conflict is between two diametrically opposed worldviews: naturalism (i.e., no God) and theism.”   This is to say, both the believers and atheists are alike in accepting certain things to be true at the outset of their quest for truth.  The believers agree with the Hebrews writer who declared, “Anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists” (11:6).  The atheists would agree with Carl Sagan who once said, in faith, “The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be.”  

Ultimately, the disciples believed because of empirical evidence: they saw and touched the resurrected Christ.  But Jesus said to them, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn. 20:29).  We believe that God is powerful enough to resurrect a dead body and create a universe out of nothing.   We also believe that He is personally interested in our physical, emotional and spiritual welfare; therefore, we place our hope, faith and future on God.  Now, have a great day!

Prayer: Heavenly Creator, how often we take this universe and our very existence for granted.  We are here because You lovingly created us out of your infinite goodness.  Even when we defy You, which must look both comical and insulting, You continue to shower us with your grace and mercy.  Thank you.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 27

Lunch Break Study

Read Ps. 19:1-4 (ESV): “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky aboveproclaims his handiwork.2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voicegoes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In them he has set a tent for the sun.”

Ps. 14:1 (ESV): “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

Heb. 11:1 (ESV): “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Questions to Consider

1. What does the psalmist mean by, “The heavens declare the glory of God”?

2. In view of this, how would you appraise atheism?

3. This morning’s devotion was about faith: what is a key difference between a blind faith and a reasonable faith?

Notes

1. The psalmist is saying that the existence of God is self-evident because beauty and orderliness of the universe strongly indicates a Designer who is responsible for it.  Also, the fact that a universe fine-tuned for life exists, as opposed to infinite alternatives that would have produced no universe or a universe unfriendly to life, should cause an atheist to wonder, “Why did it happen like that?”

2. Atheism is not a natural position; it is a position philosophically concocted to deny God’s existence for personal reasons (not wanting to live in submission to someone else’s will).   

3. God has given us several implicit evidences that strongly suggest His existence that is invisible to the human eyes.   Believing in such a God would require a reasonable faith, not a blind faith.  

Evening Reflection

Did you come across an unbeliever today?  What did you do?  As you wrap up this day, behold God in His power and love that led to creating you, and then say a prayer for someone who needs the Lord.