August 19, Thursday

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Wicked Will Pay, If Not Now, Then Certainly Later”

Malachi 4:1-6 (ESV)

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Dennis Rodman’s recent foray into “basketball diplomacy” with North Korea was frowned upon by many because of the ruthless manner in which this nation mistreats its people, especially Christians.   The believers, once they are found out by the state, are routinely sent to prison camps; torture and execution are not uncommon.  No wonder North Korea has been ranked first on the World Watch List of countries where persecution of Christians is most prevalent.  This communist regime, founded by Kim Il-sung and carried on by his son Kim Jung-il (and now by his son), has caused the death and misery of millions of people. 

The Psalmist says, “The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy” (145:20) and “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more” (37:10).  In view of that, these two dictators should have really suffered while alive, perhaps even experiencing a premature death.  Quite the contrary! They enjoyed absolute power as well as the best of the western amenities (while their people starved).  In addition, the father, by dying at the age of 82, not only outlived most North Koreans, he easily beat the lifespan of 70 to 80 years that Moses considered as normative (Ps. 90:10); the son, who died at the age of 70, just made it.  

In light of that, would Malachi, whose name means “My messenger,” think that his message regarding the eventual fate of the wicked on earth was incorrect since the Kims and many of their kinds didn’t exactly become stubble, ashes, or rootless?  No, not really because there is no mistake about what God meant: The wicked will pay for their injustice, transgression, and brutality, either now or on the Day of the Lord, when Christ will descend from heaven to judge the living and the dead (Acts 1:11).

Knowing that, we press forward by remembering and keeping God’s laws even as we see the wicked prosper.  Feeling discouraged sometimes, we may even say what some said in the earshot of Malachi (3:14), “It is futile to serve the Lord.”  Thus, listen to the admonition of Apostle Paul: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).  Don’t give up.

Prayer: Oh Lord my God, how I behold Your beauty and majesty with awe and fear!  Though You are my friend, yet You are the God of the universe whose holiness is beyond my grasp; that You would put up with someone like me is absolutely unbelievable.  But it is true.  I want to do good, not just because of the rewards in heaven, but because I love You and want to love You more each day.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 12:1-3a; 21-3 (ESV): “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also . . . On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a man!’ 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.”

Acts 26: 24-9 (ESV): “And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.’ 25 But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ 29 And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’”

Note: Festus would die in three years while Agrippa, Herod’s son who was involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice, would go on to live another 40 years.  Neither of them believed then and, most likely continued in their disbelief until the end. 

Questions to Consider

  1. In what sense was justice served in the case of King Herod?  Would you make a similar case for Festus who was known as a fair-minded governor? 
  2. In what sense was the life of Agrippa similar to the Kims of North Korea?
  3. What do you make of what happened to these three lives?  What does it mean to you personally? 

Notes

  1. Because of Herod’s brutality against the church and self-deification, God put an end to his life during the height of his political success.  I wouldn’t say the same regarding Festus since decent people can die young as well.  For those who are older, who can forget the untimely death of a great baseball player Roberto Clement, whose plane crashed while on a rescue mission. 
  2. Agrippa certainly died in his old age, after enjoying a decadent life without suffering too many ill effects from it.  Having died without Christ (and certainly not having repented), he has been fairly judged in God’s court.
  3. The best time to believe in Jesus is NOW.  Obviously, no one knows when their last day on earth will be but each time we reject Christ, it gets easier doing it until “a man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy” (Prov. 29:1).

Evening Reflection

Did any news today remind you of the wickedness of man?  Do you feel like unfairness rules and justice ignored?  Pray that God’s righteous standard will prevail in our lives and also in our nation.  Pray.  

August 18, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by then (2013) staff of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan, was first posted on September 26, 2013.  It has been updated. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Presence”

Psalm 90:13-17

Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

The desire for the presence of the Lord marks the beginning of this section of Psalm 90. The psalmist knows that God’s presence is the single greatest satisfaction we can experience in this short life. He calls out for the favor of God to be upon him, and that God would bless the work of his hands. The psalmist cries out for the manifestation of God’s presence through His work, His power, His favor, and His blessing.

This morning’s Psalm reminds us that our joy and gladness is found only in God and not apart from Him. In light of this, we should desperately long to daily encounter the manifest presence of God through our persistent prayer life. This Psalm reminds us that in Him, we can and will experience the fullness of life. So, let us look to the Giver of the blessings by seeking the presence of God.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for being my triumphant salvation who delights in taking up my battles of sin, sickness, Satan, and death itself. Your salvation is near to me in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Questions to Consider

  1. In what ways is the apostle Paul exhorting the Philippians? 
  2. What thoughts have been prominent in your mind lately? Are they true, honorable, just, etc.?  What should we do with this list of virtues?
  3. How might these verses apply to things like the music we listen to, the books we read, the TV/movies we watch, and other similar activities?  In what areas of life has the Lord been convicting you? Are there Bible verses you could memorize and meditate on, that would help you as you to see the fruits of your convictions?

Notes

  1. The age-old adage says, “You are what you eat.” This is true of the physical food that we consume as well as the spiritual food that we take in.  The apostle Paul is exhorting the Philippians to have a healthy spiritual diet, for the virtuous things that they allow into their minds will have a profound effect in how they go about living out the truths, which they have learned by Paul’s teaching and example.
  2. The list of virtues is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather representative of the things that should occupy the minds of believers. Meditating on these things is not an end in itself, but leads to purposeful action.
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

2 Chronicles 20:17: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.  Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

Dear God, faith has come, here in my heart and now on my tongue. The power of the Holy Spirit is accessible and available to me because you, Oh God of my salvation, have delivered me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the realm of your Son’s resurrection life and light.  Jesus, you will always be the one that I glorify and adore. You have saved me by your grace, apart from any of my own merit, and you will complete my salvation in the same way.  I have set my heart to always see your face as the champion of my salvation.   Amen.

August 17, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 27, 2014.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Ichthus”

Malachi 3:16-7 (ESV)

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. 17 ‘They will be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’ 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”

“Ichthus,” said the man who knocked on the door.  The owner of the house knew then that the one who just said “fish” was a true brother.  During the time when early Christians were under constant persecutions by the Roman Empire, that word was used as a code to identity whether the visitor who came to join the worship service, which often met at homes, was a true believer.  

Not too long ago, when Christians were actively persecuted in communist countries, a story was told of Christians trying to protect themselves from infiltrators.  Once, an underground Christian meeting was ransacked by the gun-toting secret police who shouted, “If you leave right now, we won’t kill you.”  Many left, leaving behind only a few who were ready to die for the Lord.  But to their surprise the gunmen said, “Let’s worship God since we are now with true believers.”  While such intense persecution against the faithful probably did not happen in Malachi’s time, it appears that those truly who feared and served the Lord were so few that God responded to them in an extraordinary manner.  

How did these believers manage to sustain such an indomitable faith?   I recall a missionary doctor to Africa, who was rescued from being martyred in a matter of seconds, saying that no one can really prepare for martyrdom.   But at that decisive moment, God will give the strength to remain faithful and we need to respond in bold faith.  What may be the best indicator for those who will choose God in that moment?  Someone who has multiple degrees in theology, written many Christian books, or even has a mega-church?  No, but it will be someone who loves the Lord.   Apostle John, who suffered for his faith during the persecution of Emperor Domitian (81-96) in Ephesus wrote, “There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18a).   

 So, how is your love for Christ?  Does he still have to vie for your time?  Does he have your undivided attention?  The present is always the best time to rekindle our love for Christ, who not only died for us but is alive today, interceding for us on our behalf.   Reflect.  Pray.   

Prayer: Gracious Lord, how utterly sad that we humans continue to hold you in contempt, not giving you the love and loyalty that you so deserve.   Yet, because of the Holy Spirit who resides in us, we have been sufficiently empowered to testify of your greatness to the unbelieving world.  I love you, Lord, but I want and need to love you more.  Help me, O God, to do that because I am unable on my own.  Thank you.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 26:31, 33-5: Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’”  . . . 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!”  And all the disciples said the same.

Matt. 26:69-75: “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you mean.’ 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’72 And again he denied it with an oath: ‘I do not know the man.’ 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, ‘I do not know the man.’ And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’  And he went out and wept bitterly.

Questions to Consider

  1. What makes Peter’s denial of Jesus all the more stunning?
  2. What are some ramifications of Peter’s bold statement prior to his denial and the denial itself?
  3. What does it mean that Jesus reinstated Peter (Jn. 21:15-9), allowing him to follow Jesus even after the denial?  What do you think it did for the apostle?

Notes

  1. Only a few hours earlier, this rugged man of the sea boldly expressed his love for Christ, vowing that while other may deny him, he himself will not.  The one who prompted the apostle to deny Christ was not some scary looking Roman soldier but a servant girl.  What an irony!
  2. One is this: no matter how faithful we have been to the Lord, we can commit that unfathomable sin if we cease from fixing our eyes on Jesus.   We really aren’t that trustworthy, for apart from Christ, we “can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5).
  3. Yes, our God is a God of a second chance.  He gave a second chance to David, Mark, and even Paul who thought that he was doing God’s work by persecuting Christians. As for Peter, this incidence really fostered his love for Christ.  How could it not?

Evening Reflection

Today, did you find yourself in a situation (or conversation) in which you could have spoken on behalf of God and His word?  What happened?  What did you learn about yourself?  Pray for boldness.  

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.