December 21, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional provided by Cami King, now a friend of AMI, was first posted on December 18, 2015. Cami has served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Picture Yourself Being Betrayed”

Hosea 3:1-5

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” ²So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. ³Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have aman; so I will also be toward you.” ⁴For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. ⁵Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.

Rick Warren developed a Bible study tool for narratives called “Picture It,” where you imagine yourself as a character from a Bible story to get a richer understanding of what the passage is trying to teach. While not the most rigorous tool in the arsenal, it’s a useful one for the book of Hosea. This short chapter is full of so much drama that it can seem unbelievably fictional. But it’s not some made up drama. It’s a true story of a real man and his real wife that God is using to show his people what their relationship with him really looks like. And I think we stand to learn much from it about the heart of our faithful God.

Picture it: you’re Hosea. How would you feel if the woman you loved left you to be with other men? What kind of heart would you have to have in order to still love her after that – and not just a feeling of love, but to also do love towards her by finding and rescuing her, overcoming your pride and publically loving her. What would you have been thinking or doing those lonely nights when she was away? As you headed to the auction block, what would be running through your mind? How would you feel as you watched her exposed and being sold to the highest bidder? How would you feel as you gave your precious resources to buy back your own wife? Slow down and try to imagine.

Most of us read this story absolutely furious with Gomer. We want to scream, “What are you doing? Don’t you see? Stop this right now!” But as Brooke Frasier once said, “We are Hosea’s wife.” We are constantly turning away from God who loves us more than anything and prostituting our hearts in worship of far less worthy lovers. And it’s easy to forget that with God, we are in a relationship with a real personal being. And while He’s faithful beyond measure, His faithfulness looks like something, feels like something, and costs something (just as it did for Hosea). May our hearts be moved as we remember the loyal love and faithfulness of our God today!

Prayer: Precious Savior, You are faithful (slow down and really declare those words to the Lord). My heart is so prone to wander, and I am constantly turning away from the life You offer me with You, to live my own way. Please forgive me. But no matter where I go, Your goodness and loyal love do indeed pursue me wherever I go. And for that, I am deeply grateful. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Philippians 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 34:5-8: The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord. 6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” 8 Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.

Questions to Consider:

When the Lord reveals Himself (shows His glory) to Moses on Mount Sinai, how does He describe Himself? What do each of these characteristics mean, and what kind of picture does this passage paint of what God is like?
What do you think the Lord means by His words in the last clause of verse 7? How did we see this at work in our passage from this morning?

Notes:

(1) Compassionate & (2) Gracious – God’s compassion and grace work hand in hand. The first is the feeling in His heart concerning us that leads to acts of benevolence toward us. (3) Slow to anger – God is patient. While He does get angry in the face of sin and brokenness, He is slow to punish us in hopes that we will repent and be saved. (4) Abounding in lovingkindness – this is God’s loyal or covenantal love that endures forever. This is what we see playing out in Hosea. (5) Abounding in truth – As Jesus said, He himself is the truth. (6) Keeps lovingkindness for thousands – God’s love spreads wide and is offered to all who will believe. (7) Forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin – God forgives; He makes a way for us to be forgiven instead of being punished. (8) By no means leaves the guilty unpunished – God is also just, so His grace isn’t cheap. He doesn’t just overlook sin – He either punishes it or atones for it.
“Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” This can be a tough phrase to understand. Elsewhere in Scripture we learn that no man is punished for something He didn’t himself do. So what is God saying here? Sometimes, God gives people up to their own sin and allows the natural consequences of those sins to play out. Commentators call this God’s “passive judgment” where He isn’t necessarily punishing actively, but allowing sin to take its full course. And as many of us have experienced, the consequences of our patterns of sin affects those closest to us – especially our children.

In this morning’s passage, we saw that God would leave His people without king or sacrifice (v. 4). Because of their rebellion (they turned away from God’s king and from worship of Him), they would go without a king and without worship (sacrificial system) for a time before God restored them. This would help them to see the full weight of their sin and rebellion against the Lord and send them running back to Him.

Evening Reflection

What are the other “lovers” in your life that draw your heart away from the Lord? In other words, what things are you willing to compromise for? Is it career and success? Having a certain kind of lifestyle or a certain kind of family? Is it recognition or the approval of others? Is it wealth and comfort? We all have altars where we offer devotion (our time, treasure, talents) to achieve things we think will satisfy us or make us happy. Spend some time identifying those areas and offering them to the Lord, asking for freedom. Remember Hosea’s wife and ask God to give you singular devotion to Him alone. Remind yourself of God’s great love for you and all He has done to buy you back from bondage to those things.

December 20, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on October 20, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Rely on Your First Impression of People”

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8, 24, 32 (NIV)

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. . . By faith Abraham. . . By faith Moses. . . And shall I say? I do not have time to tell about . . . Barak.”

My first impression of Anita in Mexico, a flight attendant, wasn’t good because she was always talking in my class. When I was told that she studied at a local Bible institute in the past, I sort of wondered why, seeing that she didn’t appear to be the “type.”

Deborah’s impression of Barak wasn’t good either (Judges 4:8-23). After being told to attack a superior enemy (with 900 iron chariots), he said to her, “If you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” What a sight! A seasoned soldier so dependent on a woman half of his size! After agreeing to go, she said, “Because of the way you are going about this . . . the LORD will hand over Sisera over to a woman.”

So, finding Barak’s name, along with Abraham and Moses, in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrew 11, is surprising. While lack of information about Barak lends itself to speculate as to how he was chosen for such an honor, he did show a dramatic improvement. Just prior to launching the actual battle, when Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands, . . . Barak went.” Being outnumbered and out-gunned, this took a lot of faith and courage for Barak, but God must have been pleased since “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).

A few years had passed since my first encounter with Anita when I met her again. It was after I had preached about missions in which I shared how I hated the idea of becoming a missionary, but I came to Mexico anyway out of obedience to God. Anita, in tears, told me how that resonated with her because she, too, decided to become a missionary out of obedience to him. And in 2010, Anita, now married with a child, left the comforts of her home to reach a tribe in a remote part of Mexico.*

Don’t make too much of your first impression of people, because God changes people. He is in the process of changing you too, to be useful for His kingdom work. Come to Christ; learn to trust him; renew your passion and purpose through Jesus. It’s never too late!

*She and her husband have been serving at a Baptist church for the past 10 years.

Prayer: Dear Lord, how I praise you this morning. How refreshing it is to know that You are constantly working in me to will and to act according to your good purpose. Again, I am amazed and humbled by your grace, that the little faith that I have, is counted as something. Thank you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Philippians 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 15:1, 7: “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves . . . Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

Gal. 6:1: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”

Questions to Consider

1. We dislike or have problems with some people for different reasons, both real and imagined. What is the attitude that we are told to cultivate? What does that mean?

2. Are we to simply accept the failings or defects (real, not imagined) of others? What are we told to do?

3. What should we watch out for when we try to correct others or when others try to correct us? What is one thing you are struggling with at the present moment?

Notes

1. We are told to bear with and accept the one whose faith (character) is weak and immature. Without agreeing with or tolerating the behavior, we accept the person, thereby treating him/her with civility and respect.

2. No, it does not mean that we put up with bad behaviors of others. We are to correct them gently out of the desire to help them (restorative, not punitive).

3. We should know that we aren’t above the problem, meaning the correction should be tempered by the realization that we may do the same thing in the future. The person being corrected should know that unconditional acceptance and the need to be corrected are not mutually exclusive.

Evening Reflection

Did anyone point out anything about you that wasn’t necessarily positive? Pray about whether God may be behind it. If so, then, what should you do? Pray a little more to find out.

December 19, Sunday

NEW Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI who had served as a staff at several AMI churches. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Never Alone”

Isaiah 43:1-2

“But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Last year, my then nine-year old daughter’s class got put on quarantine and had to stay home for almost two weeks. If you were lucky enough to be in a school district that met in person last year, you know that this was a fairly common occurrence. However, for my daughter, this case was particularly concerning for a couple of reasons. First, it was still early in the year so this was one of the first times a quarantine had been mandated. Second, the person who got Covid was in her class and sat close to my daughter. So my girl was scared, and I know on a few occasions during the early part of that quarantine, she went to her room and cried for fear of getting sick. It also didn’t help that her older brother would say things like, “If you die, we all get our own rooms.”

One day, while my daughter was feeling particularly anxious, I went up to her room to talk with her and reassure her that there was very little chance she would get Covid for a number of reasons like social distancing in the classroom, mask wearing, teachers were always disinfecting, etc. When none of that logic seemed to bring her any comfort, I had one of my rare parenting strokes of genius. I basically told my daughter to give me a big hug and then I kissed her on the lips. Then I said, “Look we just shared germs; that means if you get Covid, I’m getting Covid too. We can get sick together.”

You should have seen my girl’s face light up. She then said, “Thanks Daddy” and gave me another big hug. I realized at that moment that the fear of getting Covid was only a small portion of what was troubling my daughter; her greater fear was having to face it alone. Somehow things aren’t as daunting when you have someone to share the burden with you.

The promise of being in Christ and having a Heavenly Father who will never leave you or forsake is one of the most underrated blessings of being a Christian. Look, following Christ doesn’t mean that God will take away all of your troubles (as some may have preached); in fact, much the opposite is true, that is, believers can be assured that following Christ will eventually lead to trouble in this life (2 Tim 3:12). But in those times, we can take comfort that there is a God who promises to be with us and, when necessary, carry us through them. In our passage today, God never told the nation of Israel that they will not have to cross rivers or face firestorms; He simply told them that when you walk through these things, He would be with you. And this is the promise for those of us who believe in Jesus

This was a tough week for the ECCR family. We lost a longtime employee. A few others had family tragedies. Who knows how many others are dealing with sickness, or family troubles and sickness, personal troubles, financial troubles, etc.? Please know that God has not left you; in fact, the contrary is true. If you are in Christ, He promises to be with you through it all. You are never alone.

Prayer: Father, it is comforting to know that You have my back! Thank for sharing Your Son with us so that we can be reconciled back to You. I praise Your wonderful name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 16

December 18, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on April 1, 2015. Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought the Weekend

“Are You Kind . . . to the Person Whom You Dislike?”

2 Samuel 1:11-12

“Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.”

A few years ago, Meghan Vogel, as junior runner for West Liberty-Salem High School (Ohio), won the 1,600-meter title for her state. While it was an outstanding accomplishment, what she did in her next race was most extraordinary. With about 20 meters to go in that race, a runner in front of Vogel collapsed. Rather than run past her, Vogel, after helping her to get up, carried her across the finish line while keeping that runner ahead of her the whole time. “Any girl on the track would have done the same for me,” Vogel said. But her action resonated with the thousands of onlookers who witnessed it.

When David heard the news of Saul’s death from an Amalekite, David saw that he was an opportunist. By turning in King Saul’s crown and a bracelet, the Amalekite, assuming that he was doing David a favor, expected a great deal in return from him. But to his surprise, the last thing on David’s mind was to celebrate the death of the Lord’s anointed.

From a human perspective, Saul’s death should have been an opportunity for David, but that was not the way he saw it. He neither rejoiced nor celebrated; instead, he grieved over Saul’s death. David was not interested in his own vindication or triumph at the cost of another person’s tragedy. In fact, this is why David was so unique as a king, and the one God honored among all other kings of Israel.

David, then, wrote a beautiful eulogy for Saul in which he encouraged future generations to think of what King Saul had done for Israel (v. 18). He kindly considered Saul as the anointed of God who fought valiantly, swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions (v. 23). He even said that Saul was loved and gracious. Of course, we know Saul was anything but gracious or pleasant to David, but he chose to view Saul’s legacy as a whole and not with a grudge.

Are you kind to your competitors? Do you wish them well or do you secretly seek their demise? How do you treat those who are after the same grade or promotion as you? How about those who try to get ahead of you by soiling your reputation? The Bible tells us that love is kind and does not keep a record of wrong. David was truly a great king. He became a king after God’s heart through his magnanimous heart towards others, especially those who did not deserve it. In that way, he was very much like the One who was his true King, the God of Israel.

Prayer: Lord, beginning today, help me to “treat everyone [I] meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. [Help me to] extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding [I] can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. I pray that [my] life will never be the same again.” Amen. (Og Mandino)

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 14-15

December 17, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 29, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Mourning with Those Who Mourn”

Romans 12:15

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

I felt quite nervous when I was asked to teach an intensive course for a week in Pachuca, Mexico in 2002. Our family had just moved to Chihuahua, in northern Mexico a year before, and this was the first time traveling to southern Mexico. Since my Spanish was still shaky, my eyes would be glued to a prepared manuscript whenever I taught or preached. Speaking while looking freely around the audience was the next step, but I wasn’t necessarily up for that challenge: Ironically, that “opportunity” came during this trip.

Mexico has a small middleclass, but the family that hosted me, the Panyaguas (“bread and water”), definitely was one. They owned a mid-size tech company and a modern house with ample space; yet, right away I sensed their sadness. I found out later that their college aged son, having snuck out at night to party, drove his car right into a wall and died, while trying to return home in the morning. Their pain being still raw as well as their anger, the mother said to me in anguish, “He was so handsome and smart; everything was all there for him. He was so STUPID!” While my heart ached for her, I didn’t know what to do except to say, “I am so sorry.”

The Saturday morning on the day of my departure, my heart was pounding with a desire to minister to this family. Not having a text prepared in Spanish, however, I wasn’t sure whether my Spanish was good enough to convey what was in my heart; nevertheless, I had to do it. So, after asking God for help, I approached the grieving couple and spoke to them from my heart while looking into their eyes. I read some scriptures and then prayed for God’s comfort to carry them.

I learned two things that day: first, overcoming fear of doing something (good) by doing that very thing with God’s help; two, the importance of “mourn[ing] with those who mourn.”

Perhaps, someone near you is going through pain and grief, and you feel awkward, not knowing what to say or do. Ask God to give you wisdom and to help you overcome that initial fear. Maybe, all that the person needs is a hug from you today.

Prayer: Father God, how I appreciate You for allowing your Son to suffer so that we don’t have to. I thank You for your compassion towards helpless sinners like us who, apart from your grace and mercy, are doomed to eternal damnation. Oh God of comfort, thank You for being such an awesome Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 7:11-14 (NIV): Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”

John 9:1-3: As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Questions to Consider

1. What caught the attention of Jesus while he was on his way to the town gate? What does that say about him?

2. Looking at the reaction of the disciples upon seeing a blind man from birth, what is one thing that keeps us from having compassion for those who need it?

3. Can you think of anyone who is in need of compassion? We may not be able to literally raise the dead, but we can encourage those who live without hope, love, or purpose,

Notes

1. Jesus caught the sight of a grieving mother who had just lost her only son, causing his heart to go out to her; that is, he felt compassion towards her. This showed that no matter how busy Christ was, he always had time (or made time) to minister to the brokenhearted.

2. The disciples were too interested in the theology of “why people suffer” to muster any sympathy toward the one who desperately needed it. When we measure the merits of our faith by how much we know or studied, helping people with our hands may seem as though it were beneath us.

3. Does anyone at work seem discouraged or rattled? Don’t theorize why they are like that; invite them to lunch and think about at least one nice thing to say to that person.

Evening Reflection

As you are wrapping up this day, did you run into anyone who needed some encouragement? Perhaps, it is you who needs it. Spend some time with the Lord, so that you may be strengthened and comforted in Christ.

December 16, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 10, 2015, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church plant by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“When God Allows the Reverse to Take Place”

Esther 9:1

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.

In 2010, I was on a short-term mission trip to Northeast China. Traveling to different villages, we preached and taught many pastors who had gathered from surrounding villages. It was during one of these secret gatherings that the police barged in. Four policemen kicked the door open and immediately arrested my pastor and his translator. Within moments, he was put into the police car and driven to the police station, hours away. I began to panic.

We did the only thing we could do: pray. For hours and hours, we kept asking God to do something. When we finally got in touch with the translator who called us from police station, it was not good news. Our pastor was in jail, awaiting his sentence, which was expected to be one or more of the following: a massive fine, jail-time and being added to the “blacklist” of China. The verdict would happen the next morning.

I fell asleep, but I woke up early to the sound of the Chinese locals praying; they had stayed up all night, interceding for my pastor. Soon, a car pulled up and my pastor stepped out with a huge grin on his face. “What happened?” we asked. While the chief of police was explaining all the punishments that could be inflicted upon my pastor, for some reason, his heart softened. Instead of my pastor being punished, the reverse occurred: my pastor shared the Gospel with the police chief, and he agreed not only to release him, but to begin attending church, to learn more about God!

As today’s text says, sometimes God allows “the reverse” to occur to rescue His people, thereby bringing further glory unto Himself. When the Israelites were trembling before the Philistine army, He used a shepherd boy to bring down Goliath. When Jesus was being nailed to the cross, and it seemed all hope was lost, God was actually unfolding his plan for the salvation of man. Today, let us strive to put our faith in our God, especially in the midst of trials, hardship and brokenness. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Prayer: Lord, we rejoice even in our sufferings, not because they are fun, but because we know and believe that you are a God who works even with suffering to produce good. Open our eyes today to your faithfulness that is revealed in today’s passage, and all throughout Scripture. Increase our faith as we read and meditate. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 14:28-33: And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Questions to Consider

What was Peter’s rationale for stepping out of the boat, and onto the water?
Why did Peter begin to sink?
What is the final result of this story?

Notes

Peter reasoned that since Jesus called him, he could do anything, even walking on water!
While Peter had enough faith to step out onto the water, he was afraid and began to sink when he saw the wind (i.e., circumstances). After Jesus rescues Peter, He asks him, “Why did you doubt?” Fear and doubt caused Peter to sink.
This story isn’t really about whether Peter could pass a “faith test” by walking on water; rather, it was whether he and other disciples, who never left the boast, would respond to Jesus in worship. In our faith journey, while we may experience flashes of great faith, we are likely to encounter many moments of doubts and fear in which we would need God’s grace and mercy. Either way these should lead us to worship Him.

Evening Reflection

Today we talked about faith, especially in light of hardships. The Bible says, “Faith comes from hearing” (Romans 10:17). Have you listened for God’s voice today? If not, take a moment to meditate on today’s Scripture; pray and ask if there is something He wants to say to you.

December 15, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 1, 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

“What About Me?”

1 Samuel 18:6-9

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

Sometimes, it’s really hard to celebrate. Sure, celebration at first glance sounds like a great idea; it’s a party! We hear or share a story of something exciting that has happened, eat some great food and just be happy for someone who has really been blessed. Celebration is awesome, but we don’t do it very often; and if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s hard to do.

Let’s just think about how hard it can be to be happy for someone else. We’ve all been there before. A good friend of yours gets a promotion or raise, and of course you’re happy for them, but then you can’t help but think, “What about me?” Someone you know gets married or gets engaged and you’re happy for them, but then you suddenly start wondering, “When is it my turn?” Even pastors go through this: A fellow pastor starts a new ministry or a new church and it’s growing like wildfire. But then what do we do? We start to think, “How do I compare? Am I not doing a good enough job?”

In 1 Samuel 18, we see people celebrating a great victory over the Philistines. These women were singing about how Israel, the people of God, had defeated their great enemy, the Philistines, relieving oppression and bringing freedom to the people. This was a great day of celebration for Israel. God had done something great for his people, but somehow Saul couldn’t celebrate. He couldn’t find joy in what God had done because of this one little line: “Saul has struck his thousands, David his ten thousands.” It only took a few words to spark this heart of comparison within Saul, causing him to take his eyes off of what God was doing.

There are no winners in the comparison game. When we compare ourselves to others, it only leaves us feeling inadequate, or even worse, it makes us feel superior. If we live a life of trying to measure up, we will always fall short. What should we do instead? Look at what God is doing and celebrate. The less life is about ourselves and more about God, the greater the joy we will experience.

Prayer: Lord, help me to keep my eyes on You and what You are doing. I pray that you will free me from comparison and envy, so that I will be able to celebrate what You are doing. Fill me with a greater joy as I experience more of you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 11

Lunch Bible Study

Read Luke 18:9-14: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Questions to Consider

How does the Pharisee measure his worth? How does the tax collector measure his worth?
Who do you compare yourself to?
How does focusing our eyes on God free us from comparison?

Notes

The Pharisee measures himself again the tax collector. His worth comes from his own righteousness and good works, and how he is better than this tax collector and other sinners. On the other hand, the tax collector measures his worth in comparison to God himself, which is why he appeals to God for mercy. He knows that he is a sinner in view of who God is and his only hope is the mercy of God. If the tax collector compared himself to the Pharisee, at best, he would strive to do good works and be as good as he, but since his life is in view of God’s mercy, his best is now to be exalted by God.
Personal reflection question
When we focus our eyes upon God, we are freed from comparison and envy because we no longer measure ourselves against other people. Focusing on Jesus frees us from thinking about how to be better or more righteous than other people, because we know that everything is dependent on the mercy of God.

Evening Reflection

Focusing our eyes on Jesus can set us free from ourselves. How did you feel today as you strived to keep your eyes on Him? Did you feel freer and more joyful? Take some time to pray or journal about how living in view of God’s mercy has blessed you this day.

December 14, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 28, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What a Waste!”

Mark 14:3 (ESV)

“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.”

I had no idea that while my sister and I were finishing our lunch at a restaurant, my octogenarian mother, who was eating with us, went to the store next door to buy something. Later, as our car was about to leave, she handed me two brand new pairs of socks. Little did I realize that a hole in my sock, which she had noticed the day before, had bothered her that much. When I told her that I had many socks at home, she replied, “These are really good socks—$5 a pair.” “What?” I snapped, adding, “That’s too much. Return them!” When I was insistent, my mother reluctantly exited the car to return them; but at that moment, a glimpse of her disappointed face caught my attention. So I quickly said, “I will wear them. Don’t return them.”

For me, paying $10 for two pairs of socks was a waste of money, sort of like how the disciples felt (for an entirely different reason) upon seeing Mary pouring “an expensive perfume . . . on Jesus’ feet and wip[ing] his feet with her hair” (Jn. 12:3). One of them said indignantly, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wage and the money given to the poor” (Mk. 14:4). Recently, I heard a story of a pastor who struggled with this text while preparing a sermon, because he, too, felt that what this woman did was a waste. While agonizing over this in prayer, he heard a whisper in his heart: “Love is a waste.” The man began to weep, perhaps realizing for the first time that Christ’s death is a great “waste,” meaning so much of Christ was poured out for people who neither deserve it nor appreciate it.

No one would feel good when one’s gesture of love is rebuffed. I suppose that’s why my mother felt sad. Humanly speaking, wouldn’t God feel the same way when so many continue to reject his extravagant love expressed in Christ? Isn’t it also true that while we spare no expense for ourselves, we refuse to be extravagant toward God? So this morning, think about ways to show extravagant love for Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I’ve never thought of your love expressed through Christ’s death in terms of being a “waste.” All that you have done for me is an astounding reality that causes me to feel so unworthy. Lord, I am eternally grateful for all that you have done for me because you love me. Thank you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 7:36-47 (ESV): And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why was this woman compelled to “waste” such valuable thing on Christ?

2. What kept the Pharisee who hosted the dinner party from seeing what Jesus saw in her action?

3. What is the ultimate meaning of the parable given in response to the Pharisee? Who is the person who thinks that he only owes 50 denarii as opposed to 500?

Notes

1. This woman felt that no one, much less God, could ever forgive her for what she did in the past, but the Son of God did. So grateful was she toward Jesus that she spared no expense in expressing her gratitude.

2. Comparing himself to the woman, he clearly felt superior to her in moral and spiritual sense; therefore, God must love him but not her. Such wrong thinking kept him from realizing that Jesus had not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mk. 2:17).

3. The difference is in what we bring to the table of “justification”: the ones represented by a debt of 50 denarii believe that they aren’t as sinful as others, or some of their sins can be paid for by their righteous deeds. The ones represented by a debt of 500 denarii neither excuse their sins nor try to justify themselves with their own righteousness.

Evening Reflection

Look back to all that happened today. In what way did you sense God’s abundant love for you today? Think about seemingly insignificant things that, in a closer inspection, carry a deeper meaning of His love for us.

December 13, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 21, 2015, is provided by Phillip Chen who is associate pastor at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego. Phil is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Best of Both Worlds?”

Hosea 7:8-10 (ESV)

Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him, for all this.

Have you ever tried to live life in a way that you could get the “best of both worlds”? That’s what I tried to do when I was a freshman in college: While I absolutely loved the fellowship of my Christian community, I also loved the newfound freedom of being away from home by partying and partaking in many unwholesome activities. In my mind I wanted eternal life, but I also wanted to have the fun college life that the media portrayed—I wanted the best of both worlds. But by the end of the year, I was confronted by the futility of my thinking and knew there was no way I could straddle both worlds. God was calling me to either choose to follow the way of the world or the way of the Lord.

This passage is God’s indictment upon His people who mixed idol worship with the worship of their God. Hosea, who was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom leading up to their fall to Assyria, was likely referring to idol worship that was rampant in their land, as King Jeroboam had established idol worship as a political act. On the one hand, Israel held claim onto their rich heritage as God’s people, but on the other, they worshiped idols. They did not know that their strength was being devoured and gray hairs sprinkled upon them (essentially that they were on a path towards death).

Jesus speaks out many times against this wishy-washy attitude as well. The one that we are most familiar with is His indictment against the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3. But before we declare ourselves guiltless—let’s think again. Many of us try to worship God while worshiping idols, thinking that we can fit God into our own agenda while serving ourselves. When we do this, we are like a cake that is not turned: half burnt, half raw, and completely unfit for consumption. God cannot and will not be second in our lives—we cannot hold on to God and other gods at the same time. Granted, we may take three steps forward and two steps back in our journey towards God, but make no mistake about it: the way of God and the way of the world are at odds with one another. So stop trying to hold on to both. Choose Jesus—and experience the abundant life that follows!

Prayer: God, open my eyes so that I might see the emptiness of the riches of this world and the fullness of the riches You have for me. Cause the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ to increase in my life, so that I might see You rightly in the midst of the temptations in this world.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV): Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Question to Consider

1. What does it mean to deny oneself, take up one’s cross, and to follow Jesus? What does it mean for you personally?

2. How can someone gain the whole world and forfeit their soul?

Notes

1. We have fleshly passions that we need to put to death. In fact, James 4:3 tells us that we often ask for things from God with wrong motives simply to spend on our (fleshly) passions. But denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him means that we put to death the passions of the flesh that belong to our old man; and we remind ourselves that we are a new creation in Christ with new passions and new purposes. When that happens, we are able to follow Him with fervor and passion.

2. When we forget that we are spiritual beings who are heaven bound, our priorities are tainted. When we forget our destination, our treasures, our home, then we are unable to place the correct value on things in this life. Then, we will place way too much emphasis pursuing things of this world which are destined to fade away. C.S. Lewis says, “Aim at heaven and you will get Earth thrown in; aim at Earth and you will get neither.” Live for eternity.

Evening Reflection

It’s important to constantly assess whether certain things have become idols in our lives. Oftentimes, when idols pop up in our lives, they continue to show up in different forms; but as we mature as believers, we are able to spot them easier. What are some idols in your life that you find so difficult to let go of? Ask God to give you strength and devote it to complete destruction so that you might continue in your journey of faith with complete steadfastness.

December 12, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Good Good Father”

Matt 6:5-15

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

My parents divorced when I was about three-year-old. During the early part of my childhood, I lived with my mother, but in my middle school and high school years, I went under the care of my father. I phrase it this way because for most of this time, I didn’t actually live with my dad; you see, my father funded my existence, which is an odd way of saying he paid for me, my brother, and grandmother to live in one place, while he and his wife, my stepmother, lived in an entirely separate place. I would estimate that the sum total of time I physically shared a roof with my father was about five years, three of which were the first three years of my life.

As a result of this estranged upbringing, two things happened. First, I took it upon myself to figure most things out and only bothered my dad for stuff I couldn’t handle. For example, it took me several months of fighting through deteriorating vision until I asked my dad to take me to get glasses. Second and more sadly, to this day, my father and I aren’t very close. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t feel any animosity toward him, but truth be told, I can’t say that I feel tenderhearted toward him either. Nowadays we’ll talk on the phone a few times a year, and I’ll stop in to say, “Hi” when I’m passing through my old town, but I can’t say that he is a major part of my life.

I share about my relationship with my biological father because this image of a close, intimate Heavenly Father that Jesus knew so well in today’s passage has always been a little abstract for me. Look, I’m seminary trained, so I can give you dozens of theological terms and Bible verses explaining that through Christ, God is near, but I must admit that sometimes these truths don’t impact my daily life as they should. Take prayer for example, my natural inclination is to go to God for big stuff like if someone is sick or war in the Middle East, but when it comes to little, normal, day-to-day type things, I often operate as if it’s my job to figure it out, and God need not be bothered with the small details of my life.

But this is not the picture of God the Father that Jesus gave in our passage today, is it? In verse 7, Jesus tells us that God will meet us in secret (think intimate) places and will reward us for seeking him in prayer. In verse 8, he says that God already knows what we need, so he knows our innermost thoughts. In the actual Lord’s Prayer, yes there are big topics like God’s Kingdom coming, but then Jesus prayed for things like “daily bread” or provisions, forgiveness of sins, restored relationships, and deliverance from temptation, etc. In the grand scheme of things, why does it matter if my next-door neighbor and I are on speaking terms or if I resist the temptation to yell at my kids unjustly? What about really important things like world peace, or starving children, or exploited people? How come Jesus didn’t address these issues in “The Lord’s Prayer?” Of course, God cares about these things, but perhaps what Jesus was showing us is that God isn’t “too big” for the day-to-day events and troubles of his children.

What is your view of the Heavenly Father? Maybe you’re like me, and your view of the Heavenly Father was shaped by your earthly father (for good or bad). Maybe you can believe that God loves the world (John 3:16), but you have trouble understanding that he loves you individually. Hopefully, you can understand that our Heavenly Father is big enough to spin the universe in his hand and yet small enough to remember little things like your eyeglass prescription.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for being a caring and loving Father to me. Thank You that my problems aren’t too small for You to take notice. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 8