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

August 6, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on June 26, 2015.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How Will We Choose to Build?”  

1 Kings 9:17b-19

“[King Solomon] built up Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmor in the desert, within his land, as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses – whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3b, 8b

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: . . . a time to tear down and a time to build . . . a time for war and a time for peace.”

With the arrival of summer come thoughts of slowing down, taking a break, having the leisure to do things we feel we usually don’t have time to do.  We start thinking about taking a trip to get away from the normal routine or perhaps picking up a hobby we’ve been meaning to try.

When Solomon became king, the people of Israel, for the first time in their long journey as a nation, had the leisure to build.  They had begun with Abraham as a nomadic people, wandering from place to place.  A famine sent them to Egypt, where they first lived as temporary visitors and later as slaves.  Moses led them out, and they wandered again for a generation before Joshua led them into their own promised land.  But it was still not yet a time for rest, for they had to fight to conquer this land, and the fighting went on through the time of the warrior king, David.  Now that they were finally settled in the land and there was peace, now that their king did not have to think all the time about fighting and defending, he could turn his attention to building.

Throughout history all over the world, when people have had their basic needs for food, shelter and security met, societies began to flourish.  Renaissances happen during times of peace.  Art, music, literature, all the “finer things in life” have room to develop – they are not “necessities” per se, but wonderfully, the way God has created us, we are wired for more than just eating and sleeping and physically existing.  Interestingly, when human beings have leisure, while it may lead to inactivity (read laziness) or even indulgence, it can also be a time for creativity, innovation and discovery.  That is, when we have the leisure, it seems we still want to be doing something meaningful that would feed and enrich our souls.

Now that summer has come and many of us have some extra time, how will we choose to build?  By making special memories with our families?  Reading books that take our long-unused imaginations out for a whirl?  Taking a special retreat with God?

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for times of peace, for times of slowing down, and for a life that is something more than just merely physically existing.  Thank you for times to build, into myself and the lives of others around me.  Help me to spend this precious time wisely and well. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 4

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Chronicles 22:7-10: David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name.  He will be my son, and I will be his father.  And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’”

Questions to Consider

  1. Why was David not to build God’s house (v. 8)?
  2. Why would Solomon be able to build it (vv. 8-9)?
  3. In what ways is Jesus like both David and Solomon?  What does this mean to us?

Notes

  1. Because he was the one who shed much blood.
  2. Because of the peace that God would grant him during his reign, but also in part because of the battles his father had already fought and won to set the stage for this peace. In short, it was God’s grace that Solomon was chosen for this privilege without having done anything to merit it.
  3. When Jesus died on the cross, he fought the battle, shedding blood on our behalf, so that we could have peace.  When he rose again, he became the prince of peace under whose reign we live, and because of this peace we now have, together with him, we can build God’s house.

Evening Reflection

Did I experience the peace of God today?  Have I made time for resting and building in my life?

August 5, Thursday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on June 19, 2015.   A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug, along with his family (Cindy, Audrey and Benji), recently relocated from Boston to Philadelphia to assume the role of the UC site pastor of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for the Day

“What Do You Truly Value in Life?”

1 Kings 6:37-7:1

In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

Finally, Solomon had finished building the Temple, the house for God. It took many years, many resources, and much labor, but it was finally finished. So what does Solomon do? He immediately turns to building his own house, which he works on for thirteen years. Did you catch that contrast? The passage says, “He was seven years in building it. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years.” He spent almost twice as long building his own house!

I enjoy reading, especially fiction. One thing I started doing recently was not allowing myself to read fiction until I read a passage from the Bible. I thought to myself, I have my priorities right – first Bible, then other stuff. Yet, what often happened was I would read a quick passage and then read fiction for a much longer period of time.  But I felt like I earned it, since I read the Bible first!

This showed me what I truly valued. I valued my time reading fiction over reading the Bible. Yes, I would read the Bible, but merely so that I could get to something else right afterwards. In reality, my heart was not really into reading the Word, since my heart really was longing for the leisure time afterwards.

What do you value? What do you most look forward to each day? Is fellowship with God at the top of the list, or something else? 

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You value me. You gave me life, hope, and everything that I need. Yet, often I value other things over You. Forgive me for often putting you low in my priorities and help me to reorient my values towards You. May fellowship with You always be a spring of abundant joy in my life.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:19-21: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does it mean to lay up treasures on earth?
  2. How do we lay up treasures in heaven?
  3. Where is your treasure right now?

Notes

  1. The easiest answer is material things—like wealth and possessions. Yet, we can lay up treasures in anything of this world – time watching TV, time on Facebook, etc. When we value these activities over God’s kingdom, we are laying up treasures on earth.
  2. We lay up heavenly treasures by putting our mind on heaven! And we do this through fellowship with God. By seeking intimacy with God, our hearts are re-oriented towards eternity, towards the Kingdom. What is amazing is that we can live a heavenly life now! We do not need to wait for heaven to know God deeply; we can know Him here and now.
  3. Are you treasuring God, or treasuring the things of earth? What we value shows where we are laying up treasures. What is most valuable to you?

Evening Reflection

Reflect on the reality that God values you. He treasures you so much that He was willing to go to the cross to rescue you. Allow that truth to bring comfort to your soul. As you reflect on the value God has given you, ask for a heart that values Him in return. Pray that your life and your priorities would reflect the value you place in your relationship with God.

August 4, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 26, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Tithing”

Malachi 3:6-12

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.

Do Christians tithe?  Not many, as it turns out.  Missiologist David Barrett reported in 2000 that while the annual income of all the Christians in the world was about $12 trillion, their total giving stood at $213 billion, a meager 1.7 percent.  Pollster George Barna once noted that while 17 percent of adults claim to tithe, only 3% actually do so.  

Many Israelites in Malachi’s time also didn’t tithe.  Referring to them as “robbers,” the displeased Lord declared that they are under a curse because of their stinginess.  Even so, to encourage them to give more generously, God promised to bless them abundantly if they began tithing.  

Actually, there is a more effective way to spike up people’s offering: make tithing a requirement for salvation.  One group has done this and its members give about 7.5 percent of the income to their organization, the Mormon Church, which teaches that there are three levels of heaven.  To make it to the highest heaven called “Celestial,” tithing is required along with a life of duty, morality, and loyalty. 

Now, if your pastor begins preaching that tithing is required to go to heaven, maybe half of the congregation will stay and start giving more, while the other half, the smart ones, will leave.  What makes them intelligent is because they know “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—and not by work” (Eph. 2:8-9a), which includes tithing.   If one qualification for entering heaven is how much we give, then those who gave more would have the right to boast.  But Ephesians 2:9 ends with, “. . . so that no one case boast.”   

The fact that good works are not required to qualify us for heaven is why we tithe: to show our gratefulness to God, because if good works were required, then no one would be able to go to heaven (Rom. 3:20).  We want our money to be used to tell more people about the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Christ.  

So, how is your giving?  Don’t rob God.  Be thankful that He is letting us keep 90 percent of His money.  Be generous today; be generous this Sunday.  Reflect.  Think.  Pray.

Prayer: I sing a song of love and praise to my amazing God who has blessed me in so many different ways.  However, I confess that I harbor an unthankful heart whenever I see others who have more.  How immature and childish, and there is no hope for me apart from you believing in me.  And through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me, help me to complain less, be more thankful and generous.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 2

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Cor. 8: 7-9: “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

2 Cor. 9:6-8:  “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What is one theological reason Paul offers that ought to motivate us to give more generously?
  2. Why would God want a cheerful and willing giver?
  3. Do you struggle with giving?  Do you know why?  If you’ve struggled in the past, how did you overcome it?  

Notes

  1. The theological reason: Christ was rich before his incarnation, in the sense that he had all his glory with him, but he became poor when he left it with the Father (Jn. 17:5: “. . . the glory I had with you before”) to be “made in human likeness” (Phil. 2:6-7) so that he can take our place and die for our sins.  One natural response to that, according to Paul, is to be excellent in giving.  
  2. To be forced to give means that the giver isn’t convinced that what God did for him is all that great nor that he appreciates God.  When I was working as an airport shuttle van driver in 1990, I once refused a $10 tip from a customer who disrespected me.  I said, “It’s okay; I don’t want your tip.”  Likewise, God wouldn’t want anything from someone who gives only because he is forced.
  3. For most people, giving equates to losing money or not being able to buy or do things.  It really comes down to having the right perspective: God is letting me keep 90 percent of His money.  Also, the promise in Malachi shouldn’t be dismissed: He will certainly bless the generous giver in more ways than one: “enlarge[ing] my territory” (1 Chron. 4:10) is certainly one of them.

Evening Reflection

How did you spend His money today?  Did you get to spend it on someone who needed some encouragement?  If you have not been generous with God, then pray for a right attitude.

August 3, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on March 9, 2015.  Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Positive Spiritual Growth”

1 Samuel 14:24-30 (NIV)

Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food. 25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.” 29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?” 

When we think about growing in godliness, there are many factors that we can attribute to positive spiritual growth.  We think about dedication to reading God’s word, faithfulness in prayer, serving, attending small group, and the list goes on.  But one important thing that we often neglect in our pursuit of godliness is watching how we speak. With the exception of the heart and the mind, the tongue is probably the most sinful part of the body.  Think of all the sin that comes out of our mouths: lying, slandering, gossip, put downs, cursing, boasting, just to mention a few.  

From this story, we can add to that long list, the sin of making rash vows.  Saul was an impatient man, and that lack of prudence can be seen in the words that spill out of his mouth with damaging effects.  In the end, his oath becomes a curse on his own son.  So often, we underestimate how much our words impact the lives of other people.  Our words have incredible power, and a misspoken vow, an untimely oath, a passing curse, or even a flippant promise can cause great hurt and damage. How many families, friendships, and congregations have been undone by thoughtless words?  

Personally, I didn’t realize how much my speech affected others until my son, Jeremiah, started speaking.  When he was just a toddler learning how to talk, we were at home playing with his toys.  But when one of them broke, he looked at me, looked at the toy, and then he said, “What a piece of crap!”  Now, this might be a humorous example, but it revealed to me how much my words impact what my children say and believe.  As we get older, we might think that our words don’t impact people very much; but personally, I believe our words carry more weight with age.  If a child says something hurtful, it is easy to dismiss, but when an adult or someone in power misspeaks, it can cause a great deal of pain.  Because our words can make such an impact, the Bible is clear that we should watch every word and that all our conversations should be seasoned with grace.  

Prayer: Lord, we are a people with unclean lips and prone to hurt one another with the things we say.  Help us to grow in this particular area so that our words build others up instead of tearing them down.  Reveal to us the sin that comes from our mouths and leads us into repentance.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Revelation 1

Lunch Break Study

Ephesians 4:29-32 (ESV)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the importance of saying things at the right time and place?
  2. Who is ultimately grieved by our corrupt talk?
  3. How can we put away the clamor, slander, and malice that pollute our speech?  

Notes

  1. Even words that are good in themselves can be injurious when spoken in the wrong circumstance or in the wrong moment.  The apostle Paul reminds us that our words should fit the occasion and the person.   It takes a great deal of discernment to speak in a way that builds others up consistently.
  2. In the end, our words prove most painful to the Spirit of God.  As much as we may hurt the intended recipient of our sinful dialogue, it is ultimately God that grieves over our misspoken words
  3. Perhaps, the most effective way to clean up the elements of sin in our speech is to remember to be kind to one another and to have a tender heart for those whom you are speaking with.  

Evening Reflection

Is there something you said today that was rash, hurtful, or downright mean?  When was the last time you evaluated the content of your speech and confessed them before the Lord?  Like the prophet Isaiah, ask the Lord to purify your lips.