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

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

“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

December 11, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 22, 2014.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Prayerlessness Says About our View of God”

James 4:2b

“You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

Does prayer work? Proving the effectiveness of prayer doesn’t seem too difficult to do. For instance, many church services in Mexico still include a time of testimony and I personally have heard hundreds of believers testifying of answered prayers. That may be good enough for us but not to Dr. Larry Dossey, a chief staff at a major hospital in Dallas who no longer believed in God.

So, Dr. Dossey, as a man of science, led a carefully controlled study at the hospital, consisting of a group of patients who were prayed for and a group that wasn’t, to empirically see whether prayer works. Neither the nearly 400 patients nor their doctors and nurses knew who had been randomly assigned to the group being prayed for. The results showed that patients in a coronary unit who were prayed for daily did better on the average than patients who were not prayed for.

Upon learning about the study, Dr. Dossey faced an unusual ethical dilemma. As a physician committed to scientific evidence as well as alleviating pain, was he therefore ethically obliged to pray for his patients? His quandary grew as he learned of more than 100 experiments on the impact of prayer that he considered scientifically well designed and indicating positive results. The fact that he was an unbeliever made this situation even more taxing.

Dossey’s dilemma is not mentioned here to debate what he should’ve done, but to point out reasons we don’t pray as we ought. Despite having heard many sermons on prayer, perhaps the real reason we do not take prayer as seriously, and therefore don’t pray, is not that we are lazy (the most popular reason for not praying) but because of our implicit view of God and of us.

Our general state of prayerlessness indicates two things: first, we have too low-view of God, hence, not believing that prayer addressed to Him makes all that much difference; two, we have too high-view of ourselves, prompting us to act as if we can do it with our own abilities, experiences, and technologies. Folks, prayerlessness is the most powerful statement we can make to the Lord that we don’t really need Him in our lives except for going to heaven.

So how is your prayer life? Are you still praying a minute here and a minute there, every other day? Isn’t it about time we “put childish ways behind [us]?” (1 Cor. 13:11). Turn your gadget off and pray!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to pray, in FAITH!

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 6-7

December 10, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on July 17, 2015. Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Some Factors Behind Climate Change as Well as Heart Change”

1 Kings 18:1-19

When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.

The worse eruption of a volcano took place in 1816 in Indonesia, claiming the lives of 92,000 people. The volcano itself was reduced from 13,000 feet to 9,000 feet. 1816 became known as the “year without summer” because the ash in the atmosphere reduced the temperature, which was felt worldwide, not just in Indonesia. Interestingly, it is thought that an additional 100,000 people may have died from crop failures as far as Europe and America due to the decrease in temperatures from the eruption.

Following the reign of King David and his son Solomon, the kings of Israel did much evil in the sight of the Lord. The worst king in this list of infamy was Ahab who did enough evil on his own, but to make matters worse, Ahab married Jezebel, who was bent on building temples and altars to Baal, and eradicating Israel of the prophets of God. Ahab was an evil king who had no regard for God’s commandments.

Ahab, however, convinced himself that the drought Israel was presently suffering was the fault of the prophet Elijah. When Ahab finally finds Elijah, we hear in his accusation, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” the fundamental truth: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Or as our Jesus said, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil” (Matthew 12:34-35).

Ahab’s heart was filled with evil treasures, hatred, resentment and vengefulness. So seeing Elijah, his volcano of corruption erupted in accusations, name-calling, slandering, condemnation, and blame. That’s exactly what a heart filled with evil does; it is ready to erupt, causing incalculable damage to all within its reach. All it needs is the right situation, and bang! The mouth speaks out the corruption that has been festering within.

More than the words we speak, we need to keep a close check on our hearts. Our words, whether they be disparaging or life-giving, will be consistent with what is happening in our hearts. We must guard our hearts, for Jesus teaches us that “murders, adulteries, thefts, false witness, and slanders come from the heart” (Matthew 15:19). If we are to have shalom in our lives, for ourselves and for others around us, we must examine and become students of our own hearts. And when we find ourselves tempted with hate, resentment or bitterness, we must quickly confess them and ask the Lord to give us a way out of temptation.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to own up to my sin and seek forgiveness from You and those have been wronged by me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 6:44-45: For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Questions to Consider

1. Why does Jesus say what we store in our hearts are like treasures, whether they be evil or good?

2. What does the inevitability of “each tree being known by its own fruit” suggest to those who are following Christ?

3. What is a sin or temptation you are secretly harboring or entertaining in your heart?

Notes

1. The thoughts we harbor are like treasures because we value them and put our trust in them. We keep them because we think they will provide us with our needs and wants, as well as solve our problems. We think they will handle our pain or meet our needs as we perceive them.

2. We will eventually know that we follow Christ by the fruit we bear. Our fruit will tell on us.

3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

“Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” –C.S. Lewis. Pray “succinctly” to the Lord what’s in your heart.

December 9, Thursday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Meeting a Billionaire-Turned-Missionary”

Mark 8:35-7:

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?

In Korean, a tycoon is called a “jaebeol” (i.e., a billionaire), and I’ve never met one in person until I went to Dominican Republic in 2014 where I met a missionary named HK who, in 1980, had become the president of the top steel company in Korea at the age of 29. Enjoying a lifestyle that most people could only dream of, he rubbed shoulders with the top businessmen and politicians of Korea; but it all ended one day. In speaking to him, I learned how this ambitious man (at one time, he had thought of buying the Major League team Montreal Expos) not only became a believer, but a man totally dedicated to serve the Lord on the mission field.

So, what did it take to change him? Personal failings and a downturn economy that sunk his conglomerate, leaving him almost penniless, as well as a grave illness that almost ended his life and his son’s. Looking back, however, he has no regrets because the new life in Christ and doing the Lord’s “business” is so much better and significant than what he had before.

No doubt, Mr. HK was well on his way to “gain the whole world” but “forfeit his soul” since, while he was on the top of the world, God didn’t mean much to him. For many, losing it all would mean bitterness, despair, even suicide, but for HK, it turned into an opportunity to encounter his Creator, who had “created [him] in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [him] to do” (Eph. 2:10). In short, being given a second chance, he took it.

So, has your life—your finances, relationships, or even health—been tough these days? Instead of seeing them only as meddling obstacles, view them also as an opportunity to get closer to God. Paul, referring to the hardships in his life, wrote, “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God. . . . On him we have set our hope” (2 Cor. 1:9-10). Take a moment to reflect; perhaps you may hear a whisper from God, telling you to turn to Him and begin to really live for the Lord.

Prayer: Oh gracious Lord, I praise and thank you for allowing difficulties in my path to open my spiritual eyes. Your immense concern for my insignificant life is hard to fathom since you are the God of universe, but the fact that you do, makes my life that much significant. Help me to live for you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 19:16-24 (ESV): And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God

Questions to Consider

1. What is wrong with the question that this rich young man asks? What’s the irony?

2. What kept him from following Jesus? In what sense did he forfeit his soul?

3. Looking at your life right now, are you trying to gain the world without God, or losing your life (making costly choices) for the sake of the gospel (to live for and to serve God)?

Notes

1. He believed that “getting” eternal life hinged on doing good things. The irony, of course, is that he was inflicted with great spiritual insecurity, despite feeling that he impeccably kept all the laws.

2. The identity and the meaning of life for this young man were overtly dependant on his socio-economic status. The money he possessed, which provided more tangible and immediate benefit to him, was his security blanket instead of God. In the end, he chose to continue to hold on to that.

3. We need to a periodic check as to how we are spending our time, money and our best energy. If the bulk of them are spent on promoting my happiness and building my own “empire,” it may be time to repent and make changes.

Evening Reflection

Looking at how you spent this day, would you say you were motivated by “gaining the whole world” and “forfeiting the soul,” or trying to live for God? Either way, He still loves you but ask God to help you to do better tomorrow.

December 8, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 9, 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

“The Abuse of Mercy and Grace”

1 Kings 2:36-46 (ESV)

Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.” And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days. But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

To understand this text, we must understand the context behind the character of Shimei a little better. Shimei was from the family of Saul and it was customary at the time for the descendants of the previous king to be put to death to ensure the reign of the current king. Technically, Shimei should have been executed, but David showed him mercy. When David and his men were fleeing Jerusalem because of Absalom’s attempt to replace him as king, we see Shimei following them, mocking and cursing him. Some of David’s mighty men wanted to kill him for the violence and curses towards them, but again David shows mercy. As David returned to Jerusalem triumphant over Absalom, Shimei asks for mercy, which David grants. When Solomon succeeds David, he is confronted with what to do with Shimei and again Shimei is shown mercy. In this passage, he designates Jerusalem as a city of refuge for Shimei, but if Shimei were to leave the city, he would be subject to death. Shimei ends up leaving Jerusalem for petty reasons and flippantly disregards what Solomon has told him which results in his death.

As we look at the storyline of Shimei, many of us would look at this man and think of how foolish he is to constantly take advantage of the mercy of the king. But are we really that different? One of the worst behaviors within the church is the abuse of the mercy and grace of God. In fact, one of the biggest lies floating around the church is that we can do whatever we want with no consequence, since Jesus has paid for all of our past, present, and future sins. But that is simply not true. Though we are shown grace and the eternal consequence of sin has been paid in full, it does not mean there are no temporal consequences for sin nor does it mean that our God does not discipline us.

Shimei had blatant disregard for the mercy that was shown to him and was under the impression that there would be no consequences for his sin against the king. Perhaps we need to also be reminded of the severity of sin and repent so that we might not fall into this false thinking. May we be wiser than Shimei and approach God with humility and reverence, confident that we are forgiven by his grace, but having a healthy fear of the temporal and eternal consequences of sin.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your mercy towards us again and again. Thank you that your work on the cross was sufficient for all of our sins. Though we fail again and again, we pray that we would hold that healthy tension of confidence in your grace, but a fear of the severity of sin. May we never take your grace for granted, for we are a people that are bought with a price. May we grow in humility, reverence, and awe of who you are. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 3

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 1:5-10 (ESV): This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Question to Consider

1. What is John warning against?

2. What is the difference between walking in darkness and walking in light?

3. If Jesus has cleansed us from all sin, how come we can’t say we have no sin?

Notes

1. He is warning against Gnosticism (the idea that as long as you have the “secret knowledge” you are saved). There is still modern day theology that follows the same train of thought that we must be weary of (say a prayer once and do whatever you want for the rest of your life).

2. John warns against living a lifestyle of sin versus sinning (because of our sin nature). Deliberately choosing to live a lifestyle of sin (and rebellion against God) is immensely different from sinning because of our fallen nature. When we walk in darkness, we do not see ourselves clearly, but when we walk in light, though we see our uncleanliness, we can be sure that Jesus has cleansed us from all of our sin.

3. Although Jesus has cleansed us from all of our sin, on this side of eternity, we still sin. We are simultaneously sinners and saints. Saints because of the grace of God through his son Jesus Christ, and sinners because of the sin nature that we are being rid of in this lifetime through the sanctification process.

Evening Reflection

When was the last time you thought of your sins and more importantly, your sin nature? Many of us have become experts of grace, but need to re-think our nature as sinners. Repent of your sin, ask for forgiveness and trust that Jesus’ work on the cross is enough so that you will not end up justifying your sin with His grace.

December 7, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 20, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Engineering a Comeback”

Mark 16:7

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’”

Peyton Manning, a brilliant quarterback who led the Indianapolis Colts to multiple winning seasons, including a Super Bowl victory, was not re-signed in 2012 because of concerns over his surgically repaired neck. Thus, taking his new team, the Denver Broncos, to this year’s Super Bowl was a great comeback for him. It was much like his comeback victory in a 2003 game when he led his team from being down by 18 points with only five minutes left in the game. The real losers were those fans who, after giving up, left the game early. Had Jesus been there though, he would have stayed because he believes in comebacks.

The apostle Peter knew about failures. Even a child in Sunday school knows about his three denials of Jesus. Despite loving Jesus, Peter gave into momentary lapse of fear; but later, “he broke down and wept” (Mk. 14:72). So when the apostle heard from the women that Jesus had resurrected, he probably had mixed feelings: happy, because he gets to see Jesus again, but ashamed or even afraid, because Jesus gets to see him.

But Peter, upon hearing what the angel told the women to tell him, perhaps felt hopeful that the reunion wasn’t going to be that bad, for the angel had said, “Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’” How would you feel if your name is singled out in a list of people invited to a grand reunion with the Lord? Very special, indeed! Had the angel just said, “Tell his disciples,” Peter, feeling unworthy, might have felt, “the disciples, but not me.” Yet not taking any chances, Jesus had the angel say, “Yes, you too, Peter.” That was the very first step toward Peter’s eventual comeback, which culminated in his martyrdom for Christ’s sake (Jn. 21:18-9).

Maybe you are in the middle of reaping the consequences of your personal failures from the past. Small or big, they produce a sense of despair and hopelessness. But this morning, realize that the Lord is an expert in engineering comebacks that last. The first step is to see that the Lord still loves and cares for you. Take a moment this morning to speak to him about your comeback.

Prayer: My Father in heaven, I come before you today with a heavy heart and desperate longing for you to intervene in my life. Lord, I have made a mess of my life and I don’t know what to do from here and out. You are my only hope. Help me and hear my cries; respond to me in your mercy and grace. Oh Lord, I need once again a stirring up of my spirit by the Holy Spirit from within. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 9:36-7, 40 (ESV): “Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. ³⁷In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. . . . ⁴⁰But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.”

Acts 5:15 (ESV): “So that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.”

Gal.2:9a (NIV): “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.”

Questions to Consider

1. Describe Peter’s comeback in light of some amazing things he did later.

2. How do you think Peter felt, seeing himself elevated to such a high degree in Christ’s ministry following his devastating failure?

3. When someone possesses the power that Peter had, one real temptation would be pride. How can we keep ourselves from falling into it? Do you struggle with that issue? How do you deal with it?

Notes

1. The man who had lost all courage to identify himself with Christ ended up becoming a key pillar of the early church, someone who raised the dead and whose shadows were even coveted by the people desperate for healing. What a transformation! What a comeback!

2. For most people, the response would be one of gratefulness and humility. Apostle Paul, who also made a great comeback to become very useful for God’s work, said this about himself: “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church God” (1 Cor. 15:9).

3. It would take more than just words to keep us humble, but we need the basic understanding that the gifts and talents were all given to us by the Lord. Therefore, we shouldn’t act as if we originated or earned them. We should stay transparent and stop presuming that we are above it all.

Evening Reflection

Perhaps your morning wasn’t so good (e.g., losing your cool), but how are you ending this day? It’s not too late; you can still call or write an e-mail to reconcile. Review your day here. Pray.

December 6, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on July 13, 2015. Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Pete Rose and King Omri”

1 Kings 16:21-28

Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him.

An enigma in Major League Baseball is Pete Rose. They don’t know what to do with him. As the all time hit-leader, he is clearly one of the best the game has known. But he bet on baseball games, as both player and manager, and for that reason he has been banned from MLB and the Hall of Fame. The most successful hitter in baseball is seen as a failure.

This brings us to King Omri. Of the many kings listed in this chapter, Omri stands out because he was one of the most successful kings to reign over the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He took the small nation in political turmoil and brought a long period of internal peace and stability. His family formed the longest lasting dynasty in Israel, holding the throne for a number of generations. He built Samaria, a brand new capital, which was considered one of the great cities of the day. He was rich and his country became more powerful. We know from archaeology that he conquered such formidable enemies like the Moabites and even managed to take parts of some of the Assyrian Empire’s territory.

Now it goes to reason, a book chronicling the kings of Israel would be full of praise for such a great king! But this is not the case at all. He only gets six verses and, far from being full of honor, they are scathing about him. He is not depicted as one the best, but one of the worst. How could he have accomplished so much, and yet, his own nation remembers him with such a negative view?

This has to with the fact that the book of Kings is ultimately written by God, although through human agents. So how success is measured is not by humans or nations—but by God. Great material and political success is not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing, for God measures success by one’s obedience to him.

We are told Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of King Jeroboam, who set up two altars, one to God and one to a golden calf. Like Jeroboam, Omri ruled with his own selfish interest in mind. This is why God saw him as a failure— despite all his power and wealth and defeating the old enemies of his country and people, his reign was a failure.

If we are to be successful in life, we must not seek our own glory, but the glory of God. If we run around pursuing our own ambitions and doing what pleases ourselves and not seeking and obeying the will of God, then, no matter what we achieve in a worldly sense, God will deem as our one big failure.

Prayer: Lord, remind me not to seek glory for myself but the glory of the One who gave His one and only Son to save us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 1

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (NASB): “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Questions to Consider

1. We are called to live by faith and not by sight? What does look like in practice?

2. Ambition is not a vice; in fact, it can be a virtue. When is it a virtue?

3. What are some of your goals for school, career or life?

Notes

1. This is not a reference to believing the unbelievable but to living all of one’s life based on confident trust in God’s promises for the future, even when one cannot yet see the fullness of the coming glory.

2. When we are using our ambition to please him (verse 7).

3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Dedicate your study or work to be used for God’s purposes and it will succeed. Whatever you want God to bless, you give to him first. Dedicate it, consecrate it, sanctify it, and then God will bless it. “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3).

December 5, Sunday

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

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Convenience and Preference”

1 Sam 23:5-7

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Two times (1 Sam 23:5-7 and 1 Sam 26:9-11), David is given a golden opportunity to take the life of his nemesis, King Saul, the man who was completely bent on killing David. Yet, on both occasions, not only does David refrain from taking Saul’s life, but he denies his men the opportunity as well.

Try to understand a little of the context in these accounts: David is tired of fleeing from King Saul, hiding in the wilderness. He remembers that he has been anointed by the prophet, Samuel, to be the future King of Israel. He has heard of the despicable things that King Saul is doing, for example, killing the priests of Nob. If those reasons weren’t enough to end Saul’s life, one of David’s men, Abishai, is willing to dirty his own hands so that David would remain clear from any complicity (26:8).

One swift thrust of Abishai’s spear would have finally ended David’s fear for safety. He would have finally gone home to the praise of the crowds who once hailed David has a heroic warrior. He would have taken the throne and become king just as Samuel had prophesied. He would have ended a ruthless reign and instituted a new era of benevolence over Israel. All of this would come to fruition, while he remained clear of any crime against the throne.

Yet both times, he was refrained. What would you have done?

We live in a totally different time with totally different way of life, and so we cringe at the thought of taking anybody’s life, even if the person had all of the traits of King Saul. We’d refrain from taking King Saul’s life as well, but not because of the reason David states. For David, it was clear that as long as Saul remained alive, he was still the Lord’s anointed servant. David may not have agreed with Saul and his ways as a king, yet David knew that God had His own timing, His own way of accomplishing His will, His own way of displaying His glory.

I don’t believe that today’s churches are filled with people who want to slay corrupt leaders. However, I believe our activities (and sometimes inactivity, namely prayerlessness) reveal that we’d much rather be the kind of church that takes matters into our own hands, at our own convenience, using our own preferred ways of carrying out God’s ministry. In refraining from taking Saul’s life, David shows that he understood one of the most critical truths in spiritual growth: God’s timing and His ways are perfect. The word of God has given us many insights into the ways in which God accomplishes His works.

For reflection:

Convenience: Do you sometimes take matters into your own hands rather than wait on the Lord for His timing?
Preference: Do you at times become critical of your church’s mission and ministry because it makes you feel less than comfortable?

Prayer: Lord, give me a heart that is humble and teachable to Your perfect timing and ways. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Titus 3