UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 10, 2014.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“I Don’t Clean Up After Others”
Gal. 5:13b
Through love serve one another
1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
What is often overlooked in serving others is this: servants clean up after someone else’s mess, and hardly anyone in our entitlement-crazed world would opt for that.
Many years ago, I heard a baseball commentator make an amazing comment after then-the best reliever in baseball, Trevor Hoffman (with a success ratio of keeping the lead to save the win at 98%), gave up a home run that cost the win. He said, “Hoffman should have started the inning instead of entering the game with a runner on the first base, because the relievers don’t mind cleaning up their own mess but not someone else’s.”
Hearing that comment reminded me of what an old college roommate did one time in the early 80s. Since six guys were living in a 2-bedroom apartment, stacks of dirty dishes were often left unwashed in the sink. So one Sunday night, frustrated over having done that chore too often, I told my roommate to do the dishes. Now, there were enough dirty dishes and pots for a guy to labor for at least 20 minutes, but the roommate came back to the room after a minute. Incredulous, I asked, “Done already?” to which he said, “Yes.” So, I quickly went to the kitchen to see what he did and saw that the stacks were still there. That’s when I figured out that my roommate washed only the dishes that he had used during the week: He probably spent more time trying to find them than washing them! Isn’t the philosophy of my old roommate and the baseball commentator the same?-“I don’t mind cleaning up after my own mess but not somebody else’s.”
If Christ had the same philosophy, we would all be going to hell, since he won’t be interested in cleaning after someone else’s mess. Thank God that Christ didn’t, for “he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24); and “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Remember: the next time you say that you want to be Christ’s servant, what you are really saying is, “I’m willing to clean up after someone else’s mess.” So, you may find yourself helping out a friend who has made the same mistake, again. Or you may be doing the work that others failed to complete. As for me, I did the dishes that night, again, both mine and those of other roommates.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for having cleaned up my spiritual mess when you went to the cross to die for my sins. Thank you for continuing to clean up my mess through your finished work on the cross. Help me to confess my sins daily so that I can always have fellowship with you. Amen.
UPDATEDToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought was first posted on August 18, 2013.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“What We Can Learn from the Pharisees”
Luke 5:33-39
And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
There are two issues that rise from the way the Pharisees tried to deal with Jesus.
First, recall that the Pharisees took issue with Jesus for not fasting. Jesus’ earthly ministry, however, was a time of joy and celebration even as he steadily mentioned what would happen through the cross and resurrection. While it would be a time of abundance and harvest spiritually (John 4:35-37; 12:32-33), Jesus Himself (the bridegroom) would be taken away from them; this, then, would be a time of fasting and serving the Lord by proclaiming the good news.
We, too, must seize the opportunity, for John 9:4-5 states, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Are you still holding on to worldly expectations, values, and human traditions, not knowing that we need to understand the time in which we live in? Be alert; understand God’s time.
Another matter our text calls us to consider is this: Why do some people (like the Pharisees) try to understand God’s word yet fail to obey Him once they understand it? Perhaps they are simply adding Jesus to their present way of life as one of the options in reaching their goals, instead of allowing Christ to transform their ways and goals.
Are you still trying to fit Christ into your old way of life? Spend some time in prayer and reflect upon those areas in your life that you need to let go so that Christ may reign in you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to love You, not out of pharisaic legalism but because I truly appreciate all that You have done for me, beginning with the cross. Thank You. Amen.
REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on November 24, 2013. He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“What is God Like?”
Psalm 113:1-9
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! [2] Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! [3] From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! [4] The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! [5] Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, [6] who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? [7] He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, [8] to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.[9] He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.Praise the LORD!
What is God like? The psalmist raises the same question in verse 5: “Who is like the Lord our God?” The trouble with this question is that it is unanswerable since there is nothing God can be compared to. Commentator Derek Kidner writes of this Psalm, “Here this transcendence is memorably suggested by the perspective of verse 6, where the very heavens are almost out of sight below him. He is enthroned so high he needs to stoop to see the sky and earth.” Observe the following reasons the psalmist gives such honor and worship to God:
High above the nations, his glory is above the heavens (v.4)
Seated on high (v.5)
Looks down on the heavens (v.6)
Raises the poor (v.7)
Gives the barren woman a home (v. 9)
The psalmist gives praise because this is who our God is: though He is infinitely exalted above everything, even the heavens, yet He stoops to raise the poor from the dust, the needy from the ash heap, and even the barren woman from the disgrace her barrenness. We see a God who has compassion on his people and cares for them.
Since our God, who is exalted in all of the earth, also cares for us, this should give us a spirit of praise and blessedness. As the psalmist did, take some time blessing and praising his holy name because He cares for you.
Prayer: Dear God, what words are adequate to express my gratitude towards You for loving and caring for me. Thank You. I will serve You with all of my heart and mind. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 20
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Questions to Consider
In what way does being humble benefit us?
How can we humble ourselves?
What can happen when we unload our anxieties?
Notes
When we are humble, we can be assured that God will pour out more grace on us — grace that will enable us to persevere through all of our circumstances. In today’s passage, Peter strongly exhorts us that we must humble ourselves before God. When we do this, we are assured that He will exalt us at the proper time (v. 6).
We can do this only because we know God cares for us (v. 7). We can cast our anxieties on Him because He loves us and will faithfully bring us through whatever trials we might experience, however difficult they may be.
As we unload our anxieties, we become free to love and serve others with the humility God requires of us because we no longer have to worry excessively about ourselves. As John Calvin says, “For all those who rest not on God’s providence must necessarily be in constant turmoil and violently assail others. We ought the more dwell on this thought, that God cares for us, in order, first, that we may have peace within; and, secondly, that we may be humble and meek towards men.”
Evening Reflection
“If you took the love of all the best mothers and fathers who ever lived (think about that for a moment) — all the goodness, kindness, patience, fidelity, wisdom, tenderness, strength and love — and united all those virtues in one person, that person would only be a faint shadow of the love and mercy in the heart of God for you and me.”- Brennan Manning
God loves you and cares for you deeply. Often that idea is difficult to grasp because we experience pain and hardship in our lives. Ask the Lord to remind you of his love and care for you. Lift up any concerns, worries or fears that you may have in your life.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 28, 2014.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“The Wicked Will Pay, If Not Now, Then Certainly Later”
Malachi 4:1-6 (ESV)
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Dennis Rodman’s recent foray into “basketball diplomacy” with North Korea was frowned upon by many because of the ruthless manner in which this nation mistreats its people, especially Christians. The believers, once they are found out by the state, are routinely sent to prison camps; torture and execution are not uncommon. No wonder North Korea has been ranked first on the World Watch List of countries where persecution of Christians is most prevalent. This communist regime, founded by Kim Il-sung and carried on by his son Kim Jung-il (and now by his son), has caused the death and misery of millions of people.
The Psalmist says, “The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy” (145:20) and “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more” (37:10). In view of that, these two dictators should have really suffered while alive, perhaps even experiencing a premature death. Quite the contrary! They enjoyed absolute power as well as the best of the western amenities (while their people starved). In addition, the father, by dying at the age of 82, not only outlived most North Koreans, he easily beat the lifespan of 70 to 80 years that Moses considered as normative (Ps. 90:10); the son, who died at the age of 70, just made it.
In light of that, would Malachi, whose name means “My messenger,” think that his message regarding the eventual fate of the wicked on earth was incorrect since the Kims and many of their kinds didn’t exactly become stubble, ashes, or rootless? No, not really because there is no mistake about what God meant: The wicked will pay for their injustice, transgression, and brutality, either now or on the Day of the Lord, when Christ will descend from heaven to judge the living and the dead (Acts 1:11).
Knowing that, we press forward by remembering and keeping God’s laws even as we see the wicked prosper. Feeling discouraged sometimes, we may even say what some said in the earshot of Malachi (3:14), “It is futile to serve the Lord.” Thus, listen to the admonition of Apostle Paul: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). Don’t give up.
Prayer: Oh Lord my God, how I behold Your beauty and majesty with awe and fear! Though You are my friend, yet You are the God of the universe whose holiness is beyond my grasp; that You would put up with someone like me is absolutely unbelievable. But it is true. I want to do good, not just because of the rewards in heaven, but because I love You and want to love You more each day. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 19
Lunch Break Study
Read Acts 12:1-3a; 21-3 (ESV):“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also . . . On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a man!’ 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.”
Acts 26: 24-9 (ESV): “And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.’ 25 But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ 29 And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’”
Note: Festus would die in three years while Agrippa, Herod’s son who was involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice, would go on to live another 40 years. Neither of them believed then and, most likely continued in their disbelief until the end.
Questions to Consider
In what sense was justice served in the case of King Herod? Would you make a similar case for Festus who was known as a fair-minded governor?
In what sense was the life of Agrippa similar to the Kims of North Korea?
What do you make of what happened to these three lives? What does it mean to you personally?
Notes
Because of Herod’s brutality against the church and self-deification, God put an end to his life during the height of his political success. I wouldn’t say the same regarding Festus since decent people can die young as well. For those who are older, who can forget the untimely death of a great baseball player Roberto Clement, whose plane crashed while on a rescue mission.
Agrippa certainly died in his old age, after enjoying a decadent life without suffering too many ill effects from it. Having died without Christ (and certainly not having repented), he has been fairly judged in God’s court.
The best time to believe in Jesus is NOW. Obviously, no one knows when their last day on earth will be but each time we reject Christ, it gets easier doing it until “a man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy” (Prov. 29:1).
Evening Reflection
Did any news today remind you of the wickedness of man? Do you feel like unfairness rules and justice ignored? Pray that God’s righteous standard will prevail in our lives and also in our nation. Pray.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by then (2013) staff of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan, was first posted on September 26, 2013. It has been updated.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“God’s Presence”
Psalm 90:13-17
Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
The desire for the presence of the Lord marks the beginning of this section of Psalm 90. The psalmist knows that God’s presence is the single greatest satisfaction we can experience in this short life. He calls out for the favor of God to be upon him, and that God would bless the work of his hands. The psalmist cries out for the manifestation of God’s presence through His work, His power, His favor, and His blessing.
This morning’s Psalm reminds us that our joy and gladness is found only in God and not apart from Him. In light of this, we should desperately long to daily encounter the manifest presence of God through our persistent prayer life. This Psalm reminds us that in Him, we can and will experience the fullness of life. So, let us look to the Giver of the blessings by seeking the presence of God.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for being my triumphant salvation who delights in taking up my battles of sin, sickness, Satan, and death itself. Your salvation is near to me in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 18
Lunch Break Study
Read Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Questions to Consider
In what ways is the apostle Paul exhorting the Philippians?
What thoughts have been prominent in your mind lately? Are they true, honorable, just, etc.? What should we do with this list of virtues?
How might these verses apply to things like the music we listen to, the books we read, the TV/movies we watch, and other similar activities? In what areas of life has the Lord been convicting you? Are there Bible verses you could memorize and meditate on, that would help you as you to see the fruits of your convictions?
Notes
The age-old adage says, “You are what you eat.” This is true of the physical food that we consume as well as the spiritual food that we take in. The apostle Paul is exhorting the Philippians to have a healthy spiritual diet, for the virtuous things that they allow into their minds will have a profound effect in how they go about living out the truths, which they have learned by Paul’s teaching and example.
The list of virtues is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather representative of the things that should occupy the minds of believers. Meditating on these things is not an end in itself, but leads to purposeful action.
Personal response
Evening Reflection
2 Chronicles 20:17: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Dear God, faith has come, here in my heart and now on my tongue. The power of the Holy Spirit is accessible and available to me because you, Oh God of my salvation, have delivered me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the realm of your Son’s resurrection life and light. Jesus, you will always be the one that I glorify and adore. You have saved me by your grace, apart from any of my own merit, and you will complete my salvation in the same way. I have set my heart to always see your face as the champion of my salvation. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 27, 2014.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Ichthus”
Malachi 3:16-7 (ESV)
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. 17 ‘They will be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’ 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”
“Ichthus,” said the man who knocked on the door. The owner of the house knew then that the one who just said “fish” was a true brother. During the time when early Christians were under constant persecutions by the Roman Empire, that word was used as a code to identity whether the visitor who came to join the worship service, which often met at homes, was a true believer.
Not too long ago, when Christians were actively persecuted in communist countries, a story was told of Christians trying to protect themselves from infiltrators. Once, an underground Christian meeting was ransacked by the gun-toting secret police who shouted, “If you leave right now, we won’t kill you.” Many left, leaving behind only a few who were ready to die for the Lord. But to their surprise the gunmen said, “Let’s worship God since we are now with true believers.” While such intense persecution against the faithful probably did not happen in Malachi’s time, it appears that those truly who feared and served the Lord were so few that God responded to them in an extraordinary manner.
How did these believers manage to sustain such an indomitable faith? I recall a missionary doctor to Africa, who was rescued from being martyred in a matter of seconds, saying that no one can really prepare for martyrdom. But at that decisive moment, God will give the strength to remain faithful and we need to respond in bold faith. What may be the best indicator for those who will choose God in that moment? Someone who has multiple degrees in theology, written many Christian books, or even has a mega-church? No, but it will be someone who loves the Lord. Apostle John, who suffered for his faith during the persecution of Emperor Domitian (81-96) in Ephesus wrote, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18a).
So, how is your love for Christ? Does he still have to vie for your time? Does he have your undivided attention? The present is always the best time to rekindle our love for Christ, who not only died for us but is alive today, interceding for us on our behalf. Reflect. Pray.
Prayer: Gracious Lord, how utterly sad that we humans continue to hold you in contempt, not giving you the love and loyalty that you so deserve. Yet, because of the Holy Spirit who resides in us, we have been sufficiently empowered to testify of your greatness to the unbelieving world. I love you, Lord, but I want and need to love you more. Help me, O God, to do that because I am unable on my own. Thank you. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 17
Lunch Break Study
Read Matt. 26:31, 33-5:Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’” . . . 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
Matt. 26:69-75: “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you mean.’ 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’72 And again he denied it with an oath: ‘I do not know the man.’ 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, ‘I do not know the man.’ And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.
Questions to Consider
What makes Peter’s denial of Jesus all the more stunning?
What are some ramifications of Peter’s bold statement prior to his denial and the denial itself?
What does it mean that Jesus reinstated Peter (Jn. 21:15-9), allowing him to follow Jesus even after the denial? What do you think it did for the apostle?
Notes
Only a few hours earlier, this rugged man of the sea boldly expressed his love for Christ, vowing that while other may deny him, he himself will not. The one who prompted the apostle to deny Christ was not some scary looking Roman soldier but a servant girl. What an irony!
One is this: no matter how faithful we have been to the Lord, we can commit that unfathomable sin if we cease from fixing our eyes on Jesus. We really aren’t that trustworthy, for apart from Christ, we “can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5).
Yes, our God is a God of a second chance. He gave a second chance to David, Mark, and even Paul who thought that he was doing God’s work by persecuting Christians. As for Peter, this incidence really fostered his love for Christ. How could it not?
Evening Reflection
Today, did you find yourself in a situation (or conversation) in which you could have spoken on behalf of God and His word? What happened? What did you learn about yourself? Pray for boldness.
REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on November 9, 2013. He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Joy to the World”
Psalm 98:1-9
Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!
As some of you check your calendars for today’s date—“don’t worry”—it’s not quite Christmas yet. Yet, this psalm inspired Isaac Watts to write one of the most famous Christmas hymns of all time: “Joy to the World.” While this song stirs our hearts to remember Jesus’ birth, for Watts, the second coming was primarily in view: when Jesus will return and set things right once and for all.
The psalmist encourages God’s people to make a joyful noise for the salvation that God has already brought as well as that which is yet to bring. The writer’s audience had already experienced God’s deliverance and faithfulness (recorded throughout the Old Testament narrative) and because of this, they were filled with joy and anticipation waiting for the ways that He would deliver still, in his second coming. God’s track record and all that He has already done in the salvation of the created order gives us hope and joy at the mere thought of the things that He will do.
We find ourselves wondering, “Could it get any better; could He do more? God’s word tells us, “YES”; the best is yet to come!
Prayer: Come Jesus, come. In the meantime, we rejoice over what we already possess in Christ Jesus! Thank You for being a faithful God. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 16
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV):Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Questions to Consider
According to Peter, what do we possess in Christ?
Why does Peter say we rejoice (or are filled with joy)?
What should we do with what we already have in Christ?
Notes
Peter explains that believers have a “living hope,” which is our imperishable inheritance.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites (a.k.a., people of God) longed for the inheritance promised by God, which had three components: people, place and presence. God promised Israel, having begun with a childless Abraham but now had become more numerous than stars in the sky, a land to call their own (the Promised Land), and ultimately, His abiding presence among them. This was their inheritance. Likewise, we long for our inheritance promised by God, which we will fully receive in the next life. This inheritance, unlike the earthly kind, cannot be destroyed neither from the outside nor from within; it will never fade away. Regardless of our circumstances or how we feel, for those who are in Christ, our inheritance is set and secured; it’s protected, not by us or what we do, but by God himself through what Jesus has done. This should give us a great hope and a constant reason to praise God. We rejoice because through Christ’s death and resurrection we’ve been given a new identity: a child of God. As a result, we have already become heirs to this wonderful, imperishable and unfathomable inheritance of a promised place (new heaven/earth), a promised people (the Church), and the presence of God in its fullness (i.e., the Holy Spirit) within us for all times.
Spend some time hiding these truths in your heart. Internalize Peter’s words; pray and ask God to cause them to take roots in you. The more we grasp these truths, the more we are filled with hope and joy, thereby becoming unshakable in our walk with the Lord regardless of our circumstances or how we feel.
Evening Reflection
Flat broke and homeless, brothers Geza and Zslot Peladi literally lived in a cave near Budapest for years. They left their dank home only to scrape together whatever money they could through selling scrap metal and candy. Theirs was a hopeless situation.
But then everything changed. One day, out of the blue, charity workers informed the brothers that they had inherited a substantial portion of their late maternal grandmother’s $6.6 billion fortune. And just like that, two destitute brothers, should they want to, could call a castle their home when all they had ever known was a cave. (Mike Krumboltz)
This too is our reality: we’ve abandoned our “self-inflicted” lives of insignificance for an amazing inheritance offered us through Christ. Do you remember the day when you were first informed of your inheritance? Do you remember leaving your cave for the palace? Spend some time just remembering. Even though our heavenly inheritance can sometimes seem quite intangible, ask God to make it more real in your heart.
UPDATEDToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought was first posted on August 11, 2013.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Jesus the Bondage Breaker”
Luke 4:16-21
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The coming of Christ ushered the year of the Lord’s favor. Although the people in Nazareth “were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips” (v. 22) when Jesus spoke, those who “knew” him from his childhood could not believe Jesus. It was beyond debate that Jesus spoke with grace and authority, but they just could not shake their prejudice or “familiarity” of Jesus. In response to the people’s subtle rejection and unbelief, Jesus took this opportunity to answer why only few people were saved, healed, and experienced God’s provision.
In addition, coming to the synagogue in Nazareth where Jesus grew up, he fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-2. Read Luke 4:18, 19 and pray for freedom in the area where you are in bondage.
Now, the Israelites as a nation were under the bondage of seeing themselves as the sole object of God’s love; therefore, they refused to share God’s blessing with the nations (Acts 22:21-2). That is why the Jews, shortly after being “amazed at the gracious words that c[a]me from” Jesus (Luke 4:22), became furious when he mentioned how God, having bypassed the Israelites, blessed the poor Sidonian woman and healed Naaman the Syrian from leprosy (Luke 4:24-29); in fact, they tried to kill Jesus on that day. That’s a strong bondage!
No one can free us from that type of bondage (e.g., alcohol, pornography, gambling, hate, bitterness, etc.) except the Lord Jesus. Go to him; cry out to him; read and meditate on his word. Surround yourself with God-fearing and loving people who would cry and pray with you and hold you accountable.
Prayer: Lord, free me from my bondage to comfort and pleasure above all else. Lord, free me from my bondage to self-perception that I am this wonderful Christian because I belong to a megachurch and have many wonderful Christian books on my desk. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by a former AMI church staff, was first posted on July 13, 2014.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“How Our Future Should Affect the Present”
Revelation 22:1-5
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
In this examination of hosting the presence of God, we focus on how our future expectation ought to affect the present. Fittingly, the last two chapters of the New Testament, namely, chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation, play a crucial role.
Here, we are given a stunning image of the New Jerusalem that will descend with the second coming of Jesus. In the city, there is the throne of Presence where God and the Lamb dwell. From here flows this river that waters the tree of life that brings healing and redemption; It brings blessings over the curse. This is a beautiful image of the future reality that the redeemed in Christ are looking forward to enter.
When we peer a little deeper, though, we catch the grand vision of what God is calling forth. The key imagery is the tree of life that takes us back to the Garden of Eden. What was lost in Adam’s rebellion against God when he willfully ate “from the tree of knowledge of good and evil” will now be restored in abundance. All the blessing that flowed from God’s presence but was shut because of sin, will now flow from the throne room in the New Jerusalem; from here the Lord declares, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
What should this mean to us in the present? As we host God’s presence here and now (i.e., a deeper communion and fellowship with God), we are encouraged to look ahead at what is to come. Each moment of blessing is just a small fraction of the fullness of what we will receive when Christ returns and the New Jerusalem descends from above. What God says here is very clear: Usher in My presence in the present as you wait for the ultimate (eschatological) moment.
The reality of Heaven is what we are contending for here and now. Through prayer, service, and worship, all out of love for God, we echo what 22:17 declares: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’” This Sunday, as we worship the Lord, be reminded of what is awaiting us; let it stir a deeper desire for more of God’s presence. And as you continue with the ensuing week, ask the Lord to open your eyes to see moments to participate in His work of redemption, thereby bringing forth that reality to the here and now.
Prayer: Dear God, help me to desire Your presence in my life. Help me to establish a deeper walk with You. Help me to live in the present in light of my bright future in You. Amen.
REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King who serves as associate pastor at Remnant Church in Manhattan, was first posted on March 20, 2015. Cami is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
Devotional Thoughts for This Morning
“I Was Wr . . . o . . .ng”
1 Samuel 24:16-20
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
Some friends and I laughed this week about just how hard it is for parents to admit to their children when they are wrong. They will shuck and jive and maneuver in all sorts of odd ways to communicate their remorse without actually saying the oh so humbling words – “I am sorry; I was wrong.”
Most people have a hard time admitting when they are wrong – not just parents. I am definitely one of those people. I grew up thinking (rightly or wrongly) that the world expected me to fail and fall short and I would never give them the satisfaction of acknowledging that I had actually done so. It seems silly now – of course I will err in some way throughout my life; no one is perfect after all. But in those moments of error, especially when others are the victims of our “falling short,” it’s a lot easier said than done to verbally articulate our wrong doing and sincerely apologize. It’s just too humiliating.
After aggressive persecution of David, Saul finally comes to his senses upon realizing that David speared his life when he could’ve killed him while they were in the same cave (10). Thus, the king, seeing that his own jealousy has led to a misjudgment of David, expresses sincere remorse. And although, as we will learn in the chapters to come, this remorse was short lived, in the verses we just read, the king actually apologizes and acknowledges that he was wrong. Bonus points for King Saul!
Do you have a hard time admitting when you are wrong and verbally communicating that to others? Did you grow up with the John Wayne approach to relationships – believing that apologies are a sign of weakness? Especially for those in positions of authority – do you believe the lie that your position is somehow compromised by an admission of fault?
We learn from scripture today and from life in general that apologies have a medicinal way of mending relationships and healing our hearts. Contrary to popular belief, some of our moments of most notable greatness are when we choose to humbly admit our faults and learn from our mistakes.
Prayer: Gracious Father, please grow my heart in humility as I remember Jesus—the most exalted one—and his willingness to humble himself for me. Open my eyes to see the people I’ve wronged and strengthen my heart to offer an admission of guilt and a sincere apology. May this be a step toward restoring broken relationships in my life and cultivating greater Christlikeness in me. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 12
Lunch Break Study
1 Peter 5:1-7: So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Questions to Consider
What does it mean for us to clothe ourselves in humility?
In what ways are Peter’s words at the end of verse 5 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” both a warning and an encouragement?
According to verses 6 & 7, how can we cultivate humility in our lives?
Notes
Through his word choice, Peter is evoking the imagery of a slave putting on his apron, which he wears as a sort of uniform when he serves others. In this way, Peter is calling us to seek to be servants of one another, putting on humility as our work uniform, so to speak, as we go about doing Kingdom work.
If we are proud, God is the one opposing us. And quite frankly, none of us want to be on the receiving end of God’s opposition. But if we choose the road of humility, we know that God will extend us the grace to walk it out.
By depending on the Lord. Verse 7 is not a new command but tells us how we can carry out verse 6. As we depend more on the Lord, we become more humble people, and this extends to our interactions with one another.
Evening Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on the situations where you found it difficult to say you are sorry. Why do you think it is hard for you to apologize? Think back to times others have apologized to you. How did their apology affect you and the relationship? Are there people in your life to whom you need to admit your wrong and apologize? Ask God to remind you of his amazing grace and example of humility and to give you courage to say, “I’m sorry; I was wrong.”
