August 16, Monday

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

  1. According to Peter, what do we possess in Christ? 
  2. Why does Peter say we rejoice (or are filled with joy)? 
  3. What should we do with what we already have in Christ?

Notes

  1. Peter explains that believers have a “living hope,” which is our imperishable inheritance. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 

August 15, Sunday

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.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 15

August 14, Saturday

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.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 13-14

August 13 Friday

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

  1. What does it mean for us to clothe ourselves in humility? 
  2. 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? 
  3. According to verses 6 & 7, how can we cultivate humility in our lives? 

Notes

  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.”

August 12, Thursday

UPDATEDToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by then (2013) staff of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan, was first posted on September 25, 2013.  It has been updated. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning 

“Man’s Finiteness and God’s Holiness”

Psalm 90:3-12

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90 continues with a contemplation of the frailty and limitedness of man. In comparison to the eternal nature of God, the writer exclaims that we experience only 70 or 80 years of life. Even our toils and troubles dissipate in time. For the psalmist, this leads him closer to God rather than away from him. Man’s finiteness and God’s holiness that provokes his wrath when men persist in sin should cause us to seek the wisdom of the Lord.

The Word tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Here, in this Psalm, we see how we are powerless before God. We are limited, but He is eternal and infinite. Gaining wisdom involves both the consideration of God’s power, anger, and wrath, as well as asking God to teach us wisdom. 

As God’s creation, we should desire to walk rightly before our Creator. God is to be feared because we do not control Him or dictate who He is. So, this morning, let us consider what it means for us to fear the Lord and ask God for wisdom to walk rightly before Him. As it says in James, if we lack wisdom, we should ask for it.

Prayer: One glimpse of you, Jesus, is better than seeing anything the world has to offer. You fulfill my expectations with your goodness and precious love, and my heart and soul are filled with your Spirit.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 11

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is this passage really about?
  2. Based on this passage, what are some synonyms for prayer? 
  3. How is your prayer life? What are some practical ways for you to grow your prayer life?  Is there something today that you are particularly anxious about? What activities do you resort to when you’re stressed out? How far down the list is prayer?

Notes

  1. There’s a children’s praise song that goes like this: “I’ve got joy, down in my heart, deep deep down in my heart.”  You can almost imagine that this is a song that is constantly on the heart of Paul as he exhorts the Philippians to rejoice!  In the same breath, Paul mentions that being anxious is the opposite of being joyful.
  2. It’s interesting to note that there are many synonyms to prayers (supplication, thanksgiving, letting your requests be known to God). You could almost translate verse 6 as “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, pray and pray and pray and pray!”
  3. Pray

Evening Reflection

Luke 24:32: “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’”

Dear God, I delight in your Word and my passion is to love you more.  Every day, as I abide with you Jesus, my heart burns, for you are my awesome Advocate, and my Friend who is altogether lovely.                                                                                      

Let us cry out to God, so that your family, work, and ministry (small group, cell group, family group, etc.) would come alive.

August 11, Wednesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on November 30, 2013. He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How Do You Find Happiness?”

Psalm 119:1-16

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! [2] Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, [3] who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! [4] You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. [5] Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! [6] Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. [7] I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. [8] I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! [9] How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. [10] With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! [11] I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. [12] Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! [13] With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. [14] In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. [15] I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. [16] I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

How do we find happiness in our lives?  This Psalm (the longest one), having begun with the theme of how to obtain “blessing” or “happiness” in God, places the emphasis on the importance of God’s word in ascertaining the true blessedness.  

To be happy is a universal goal, but apart from being instructed by God, humanity does not know how to achieve happiness.  This Psalm teaches us that the path to “blessedness” is to conform our will and desire to God’s law.  We are to delight in His statutes (v.16) not only because of our love for Him, but more importantly, His great love for us.  We are to “store up His word in our hearts,” which purifies and keeps us from sinning; this is the power of God’s word that is sharper than any double-edge sword (Heb. 4:12), when it is deposited into our hearts and minds.

Do you yearn for God’s word?  Does it affect the way you live your life so that those around you can see the joy of the Lord in you (Heb. 12:14)?  Pray that you would find true happiness by obeying Christ through the Scripture.  Also, make a commitment to spend more time in His word.  

Prayer: Dear God, help me to yearn for Your eternal word.  Give me insights into Your word while I read the Bible so that it will enrich my soul.  In fact, Lord, give me a good kick in the butt so that I put into practice all that You are teaching me.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 10

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Questions to Consider

  1. What do you think is the primary ingredient to becoming mature in Christ?
  2. In view of the above Scripture, what else is needed to mature in Christ?
  3. Meditate on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and ask God that His word would continue to teach, rebuke and train you for His good work.  

Notes

  1. Maturing in Christ is actually not a complicated process.  While it may not require an extraordinary amount of skill or knowledge, it does call for a humble heart.  Without humility, encountering God’s grace becomes difficult because it is predicated upon our willingness to admit and confess our sins before God.   
  2. Imperative to this process is studying the Scripture because it serves a mirror to our soul that shows the true condition of our heart (James 1:23-5).   We also need the Spirit to give us wisdom to apply what we learn from God’s word to our lives; this, of course, means praying earnestly, daily.  Little by little, then, we will grow to maturity.  
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

“We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.”   -John Stott

This powerful quote by John Stott describes what the Word of God should do in our lives.  As we strive to be doers of God’s word, we should also remember that the law gives us liberty and freedom (James 1:22-25) and is not burdensome to obey. Take some time and make some specific commitments of how you want to study the Word in 2014.  It can be a daily devotional or seeking accountability with someone.  Pray that your love for the Word would grow more in the coming year!

August 10, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 4, 2015, is written by Tina Hsu who serves as AMI missions coordinator.  Tina, a graduate of Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), was recently married to Anthony.  Congratulations. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“An Encouragement to Those Who Want to Isolate Themselves”

2 Kings 4:22-27 (NASB)

Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon or sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with your child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 

When I am going through a tough time, my natural tendency is to withdraw and isolate myself from people and from God. Usually it is because I’m afraid to face my troubled emotions or I turn to my own strength to deal with the matter.  The faith of the Shunammite woman encourages me to do the exact opposite. When I want to isolate myself, I should instead run with all my determination and might to the presence of God. 

The book of 2 Kings begins with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, inquiring Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, for his illness. King Ahaziah does not give any regard to the God of Israel. He does not inquire of God’s word. In contrast, the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 determines to seek God and only God when she faces with troubling news. After offering hospitality to Elisha the prophet, the Lord blesses her with her first and only son. However, her son gets injured and dies in her arms. Though she is broken and troubled in her soul, she shows determination to find Elisha, the man of God. Instead of asking her husband to find Elisha, or sending her servant to find Elisha, she herself saddles a donkey and brought with her a servant to “run to the man of God.” She instructs her servant to lead her quickly and to not slow down until she reaches Elisha at Mount Carmel and appears before him to catch hold of his feet. 

What stands out in this passage is the woman’s response to her husband and then to Gehazi, Elisha’s servant: “It will be well, and “it is well.” In her crisis and in her desperation to inquire of Elisha the prophet, she displays a steadiness of heart. Knowing that she could have access to inquire of the Lord gave her the steadiness of heart to say, “It is well.” 

Knowing that God’s presence is a steady and constant shelter awakens my troubled soul to say “it is well” and to draw near to seek Him. 

Prayer: Dear God, forgive me for isolating myself from You and trusting in myself or other means to find safety and shelter in times of trouble. Help me to seek Your presence and truly believe that You are my ever present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1)! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 5:25-29: A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse—after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Questions to Consider

  1. What was this woman’s situation?
  2. What did she see in Jesus that led her to approach Him in the crowd and to touch His cloak?
  3. In light of the woman’s determination to touch Jesus’ cloak, how are you encouraged to seek the Lord today?

Notes

  1. She suffered from bleeding for twelve years. After spending money to seek the help of physicians, she only grew worse. Because of the purity code in 1st century Israel, she was socially ostracized and had to identify herself as “unclean” in public so that people would stay away from her, or else they would become defiled if they came in contact with her. 
  2. She probably heard and saw that Jesus was not bound to the purity code. He approached and laid hands on lepers, paralytics, the blind, and the lame. His word and His touch made the unclean clean! She thought she could find healing and love in His presence.
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Psalm 36:7 says, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Spend some time praising and thanking God for His steadfast love, even when circumstances are uncertain and unsteady. 

August 9, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on April 9, 2015.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Protection Unbeknownst to Us”

1 Samuel 23:7-14

Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” 12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” 13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there. 14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

As soon as I became a father, I made a discovery of a whole line of products that I hadn’t paid much attention to prior to parenthood. For instance, there are numerous products that help parents “child-proof” the house. These include: protection from swallowing deadly chemicals, protection from electricity, protection from falling and bumping into sharp edges, etc. Good parents do their best to provide protection.  In the same way, do you believe that God also provides protection for you as His child? 

David had just delivered the citizens of Keilah from the ruthless Philistines; apparently.  This must have been notable news since it reached Saul’s ears.  Having attained information about David’s whereabouts, Saul immediately dispatches his force to besiege the town of Keilah.  Meanwhile, David gains knowledge from God that Saul is on his way and that the people of Keilah, despite being saved by David, would give him up to Saul. I can just imagine David and his men expressing, “Thanks for nothing.” 

Moving quickly, they escape before the arrival of Saul and his army.  Once again, David and his men find themselves on the run from King Saul while living in the wilderness.  Nevertheless,  although Saul searches for David “day after day,” “God does not give David into his hands.” Here, we get a glimpse of God’s protective nature as he keeps David safe from the hands of his enemy. 

In our lives, we may never truly know how many times God actually has protected us. But we do know that the Father protects us from the evil one (2 Thess 3:3), and Jesus taught us to pray, “deliver us from evil [one]” in the Lord’s prayer. Yesterday, we were reminded of people facing persecution around the world. Today, again as we think of our persecuted brothers and sisters, let’s ask God for His protection and deliverance from the evil one whose aim is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). 

Prayer: Lord, there must be countless ways in which you have been protecting me all these years. I pray that you will continue to deliver me from the evil one. Thank you for the spiritual armor that is available for me as your child. I pray for my persecuted brothers and sisters that You will protect them and their families. Please deliver them from the evil one. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 8

Lunch Break Study  

Read Ephesians 6:10-17: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Questions to Consider 

  1. Why is the armor of God important for the believer?  
  2. What is the duty of the believer in regards to spiritual warfare?   
  3. What “spiritual battle” are you facing at the present moment?  How do you need to equip yourself to ensure a victory over this?

Notes

  1. A believer is the target of the devil’s schemes (1 Pet. 5:8); he is now in a battle against the powers of this dark world.  It would be foolish to engage in this battle without the proper armor (e.g., God’s truth, Christ’s imputed righteousness) and weapon (i.e., God’s word).   
  2. Paul’s charge is to put on the full armor of God and then to firmly stand your ground against the enemy. By God’s grace, it is important for a believer to resolve not to give in to the enemy’s schemes. 
  3. Personal response 

Evening Reflection

Has there been a time when you realized that the Lord had protected you? If so, write about that event in your journal and keep a record of the time when God displayed His might and protected you from the evil one.

August 8, Sunday

REPOST Today’s QT blog, written by a former AMI church staff, was first posted on July 12, 2014.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Detaching Purpose from its Action”

Exodus 29:42-45

“It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.  44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.”

Today’s text focuses on the role of worship, revealing a crucial connection between the prescription of sacrificial worship (involving animals) and the reason why we ought to worship.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites worshipped God through offering animal sacrifices.  The altar upon which the sacrifices were rendered was where God would meet His people; in the midst of this, God would make His presence known.

Even though animal sacrifices as an essential part of worship is what God prescribed, merely going through the motions was not acceptable; He wanted the heart as well.  What eventually happened, however, was detaching purpose from its action. The purpose of the sacrificial worship was to draw near in intimacy with God—out of love for Him (Deut. 6:5)—so that He would dwell among them. Yet, the Israelites eventually made it a religious ritual devoid of the heart to worship God. As Samuel said in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” It is the heart behind the sacrifice, not the sacrifice itself, that should have dictated the worshipers, who would, then, yearn for God to dwell with them.

So, what does this mean for us in light of Christ? We know that Jesus was the perfect lamb who was slain, which eliminated any need for further animal sacrifices.  Instead, we are called to “offer [our] bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is [our] spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12:1).  In addition, we are now the temple of God wherein “the Spirit of truth” dwells (1 Cor. 3:17; Jn. 16:13). 

Taking all this together, we can conclude that hosting the presence of God consists of worshiping and loving the Lord with our hearts in “spirit” and with our minds in “truth” (Jn. 4:24; Matt. 22:37).  The outcome of such worship is living sacrifices (i.e., good works), which cannot be offered without, first, “obeying the voice of the Lord.”  It is for this reason God desires and delights to be with us, calling us to cultivate the worship that hosts Him.

In light of our identity and calling to host His presence, what are some areas in our lives in which yielding to God has been met with great reluctance, thereby hindering us from drawing close to Him? In response to His desire to dwell with us, what can we do to invite Him more into our lives?

Prayer: Dear God, draw my heart to You so that what I do is not disconnected from why I do it.  I do what I do because I love You, for You have given us your Son who died for our sins so that we, having believed Christ and his atoning sacrifice offered on our behalf, can be forgiven of our sins, and are given eternal life as a gift.  Thank You. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 7

August 7, Saturday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 26, 2014.  Check out his YouTube channel containing almost 70 videoblogs in English and Spanish. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Hope and Work”

Prov. 13:12

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life 

I once read an article about the displaced Innu Indians in Canada entitled, “Expectations Have Grown Thin in a Village That Has Suffered the Starvation of Hope.”  It was about six Innu Indian youths who sniffed deadly gasoline fumes in order to die.  When the half-conscious youths realized that they were being rescued, they screamed “insults, throwing themselves at the walls.”


A while back, I spoke to a young man who was waiting for a call-back after job interviews.  Although the process hadn’t gone exactly as he expected, he was still enjoying the time of uncertainty because at least he had worked hard to put himself in a position where he could at least hope.  As a believer, he had the hope of eternal life; at that moment, however, he was hoping to get a decent job in his field and do something significant with it.

Of course, no human controls all the factors that can precisely guide their future; ultimately, it is in God’s hand.  Having said that, we must handle well a few factors that we do control.   In sports, one strategy to winning is hoping for the opponent to make enough mistakes to hand you the victory.  A team may win a few games playing it that way but never a championship.  

So what are the two factors that we do control?  First, we can work; second, we can work hard.  Imagine that you are hoping to make it big in your field but there is no offer.  Would you rather do nothing or take any job?  A main factor behind the starvation of hope among the Innu Indians was that they had no work, which, financially, was inconsequential since they received a welfare check from the government. Nevertheless, the prospect of no work was very consequential because it led the youth to fall into a state of abject despair.  This is to say, your hope has a better chance of being fulfilled if you work any job.  “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Thess. 3:10) is to counter laziness that makes anyone good for nothing.   

Let’s say that you finally landed a job of your dreams, but everyone but you, are getting ahead.  What should do you do?  Work even harder, for “all hard work brings a profit” (Prov. 14:23a).  Would that guarantee the success you have dreamt all your life?  No, not necessarily (for there are other factors, including, unfortunately, discrimination) but we work diligently and earnestly because that is the will of God (Eph. 6:7).  Ultimately, without God’s favor, none of what we do, including hard work, is sufficient to fulfill our goals; but laziness ensures that our situation will remain unchanged.  So, have hope!  Work!  Work hard!  Then rest in the Lord.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for giving me work.  Help me to be diligent and faithful in what I do.  Thank You for the hope I have in You.  I give all the glory and honor unto You.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 5-6