May 23, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 7, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Deeper Understanding”

Luke 2:49-51

“And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.”

What would it have been like for Virgin Mary to carry a baby—the Son of God—in her womb, conceived by the Holy Spirit? What were her thoughts seeing that his birth was testified by low-class shepherds and blessed by humble, yet godly people like Simeon and Anna the prophetess? Was she cognizant of the significance of all these? Her prayer indicates that she did. Yet constantly we are told that certain obvious truths were hidden from Mary.

Why was there such tension for Mary? Maybe we need to ponder long enough like Mary and wonder what it’s all about? There is so much with God and His kingdom beyond what our average mind can conceive and only through His Spirit are we able to know and understand.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the spirit of revelation that God may open my mind and heart. “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Ps. 119:18). Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 4

May 22, Saturday

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 17, 2013. Young is a graduate of University of Illinois (BS), Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Westminster Theological Seminary (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Cheerful Heart”

Proverbs 17:10, 12, 14, 19, 22, 25

“A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool” (v.17); “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly” (v.12); “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out” (v.14); “He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction” (v.19); “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (v.22); “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him” (v.25).

A cheerful heart is good medicine. We need more people who have joy in their hearts—a cheerful heart that is not dependent upon circumstances, but on their identity in Christ.

Life is not easy, but in Christ we can find joy even in times of difficulties. Ask Jesus for a cheerful heart so you can be a good medicine to yourself and others today.

At any rate, let’s consider these questions: What has brought joy into your heart lately? What is crushing your spirit? List them in your journal. Spend time writing a prayer that surrenders your heavy heart and ask our Heavenly Father for a heart of joy. Here are some verses to help you write out that prayer.

Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Prayer: Lord, teach me your ways. Show me your presence so that my heart may be filled with joy. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 2-3

May 21, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 27, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“One Book We All Have but Won’t Read”

Psalm 19:7-8, 10

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

Americans love self-help books, especially those that offer quick and easy steps to lose weight or make money. Be that as it may, most readers know that unless these ideas are put into practice, nothing will happen. Many do try them out only to find that either they don’t work, or the result doesn’t last.

God’s law, precepts, and commands, however, have the opposite problem. While they offer enduring truths that can change our eternal destinies and transform our character, many people will never find out because they do not put them into practice.

Is your soul weary in need of revival? Are you repeatedly making unwise choices? Are your eyes dim and your hearts sad? Then, read and study God’s word, which is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey! Earnestly ask the LORD to give you the strength and willingness to put His truths into practice.

In closing, remember that while the Bible is the bestseller of all time, it often collects dust in our homes because we simply won’t read it. It’s God’s love letter to us; we should read it!

Prayer: Dear LORD, today I’m re-minded of the great worth of Your eternal word. A sad truth is that I find myself perusing the internet to read about the latest gossip and how my favorite player did. While they do nothing to enrich my soul, I often neglect to read the one book that can. God, forgive me for this negligence and empower me to prioritize Your word in my life. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 1

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13:For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Questions to Consider

1. Those trying to discredit the Bible do so to destroy its primary premise: what is it and why is it important?

2. What is one reason why we aren’t that affected by God’s word even if we may read or hear it (Lk. 8:14, 11:38-40)?

3. What will improve our comprehension of the Bible and how often we read it (Heb 5:11-14, 6:1-2; Mk. 1:34)?

Notes

1. A character playing the role of a Bible critic in The Da Vanci Code says, “The Bible is aproduct of man . . . not God.” As evidenced by this, what the Bible critics are trying to discredit is this: the Bible is the word of God, not of men. Once you lose that, then the Bible is no longer authoritative.

2. We allow our distractions and worries to so preoccupy us that while we hear, we don’t really listen; while we read, we don’t really focus. We really need to discipline ourselves to block out distraction while hearing or reading God’s word so that the truth can help us to better handle our worries and anxieties.

3. First, the lazy learners may need a stern rebuke, which is what Heb. 5:11-14 amounts to; second, the comprehension level will stay the same as long as we settle for easy truths and elementary teachings. Just as muscle growth is a result of muscular tension, the growth of our mind will be a result of tension produced from thinking through the profundity of God’s word. As for reading it regularly, we must make it a priority and a habit; so do it when we are unhurried (like early in the morning before the busyness of the day begins) and preferably at a same designated place.

Evening Reflection

Hebrews 12:10: God disciplines us for our own good.

Don’t look down on the disciples for acting like babies when they saw Jesus walking on the water. What would have been your response if you, worn out and hungry from hours of rowing against a strong wind, saw a figure walking on the water in darkness? Probably sheer terror! But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Oh, what a relief that was, but the worst had not yet come. The thrill of Peter’s brief stroll on the water was quickly offset when Jesus, while reaching out to save him, said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mat. 14:31). If the wet guy, who at least had stepped outside the boat, was deemed to be of little faith, what about the dry guys who stayed in the boat (zero faith)? Peter sank because he took his eyes off Jesus, and instead, focused on the wind, which made him fearful (Mat. 14:30). Jesus’ point is clear: Apart from me, you can’t do anything! Until you learn that lesson, I need to discipline you for your own good so that you can absolutely trust me. I hope this study of God’s word opened your spiritual eyes!

May 20, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, was first posted on April 22, 2013. He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Prayer of ‘Impatient’ Person”

Psalm 40:1

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

I am by nature not the most patient person. I am like that proverbial man who prayed, “Lord, give me patience and I need it now!” Whenever I am in the grocery store, I automatically scan the lines to run an algorithm through my mind to compute the waiting time for each line based on factors as such, the number of people, grocery items, whether they have a check book ready, and the alertness of the cashier! Now you can see why this prayer can be very challenging to someone like me.

Sometimes, a literal rendering gives a better feel for the passage and that is the case here. My seminary professor translated this passage as, “To wait, I waited for the Lord,” or “waiting, I waited for the Lord.” Eugene Peterson, in the Message, translates it as, “I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally, he listened.” Here, Peterson’s rendering gives a different look at David’s prayer. Perhaps he wasn’t waiting patiently at all if by patience we mean a serene, trust-filled waiting! Giving credence to that view is what David does later in Psalm 40: he cries out, saying, “Come quickly to save me” (v.13) and “Do not delay!” (v.17). Here, David’s prayer, while it is intense and desperate, does not evoke a sense of patience.

Of course, Psalm 40 does not teach us to be impatient, for being patient is a very good thing. But the Psalmist also shows us that waiting for God’s timing, at times, is difficult for us to bear mainly because of the urgency of our situations. And yet, like the Psalmist, let us continue to pray and hope in God. As we cry out like the Psalmist, we will find that there is peace available in God.

Are you patient or impatient in your prayers? Keep praying! God is listening.

Prayer: Father, I ask that you forgive my impatience. Help me to trust in your timing for all things. I thank you that you hear my prayers. Help me to remain faithful in my prayers, knowing that you are faithful in all that you do. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV): But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Questions to Consider

The first word in verse 22 is “but”. What is Paul contrasting the fruit of the Spirit with (c.f. verses 19-21)?
Is there significance to Paul’s use of the singular “fruit” vs. plural “fruits”? Is there one fruit of the Spirit or nine fruits of the Spirit?
If we are seeking patience (amongst other things), how does Paul tell us to go about getting it?

Notes

Paul is contrasting the fruit that comes from the Spirit with acts of the sinful nature, such as “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” While we are prone to such acts, the Spirit works in us to produce an entirely different fruit. There is a further contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and living under the Law (verse 18).
Scholars have debated among three main options:

Paul was being imprecise in his grammar; in other words, he meant fruits.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is a nine-fold fruit.
There is one fruit of the Holy Spirit, namely love. All the other “fruits” mentioned are aspects of love.

Most scholars have supported the final option for grammatical, logical and scriptural reasons (see 1 Peter 4:8-10; Romans 12:9,10; 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:31; 13; 14:1). As one writer put it: “Joy is love singing, peace is love resting, patience is love enduring, kindness is love sharing, goodness is love’s character, faithfulness is love’s habit, gentleness is love’s touch, and self-control is love in charge.”

3. Love, joy, peace, patience and other virtues are called fruit of the Spirit because they are the products of the Spirit’s work within us. We cannot try to become more patient; we can only seek more of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work within us so that we will become more patient. Patience, along with other fruits, is the product of living in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Living by the Holy Spirit is contrasted with living under the Law and living under human nature. We are not to be legalistic or carnal but submit our hearts and wills to the Spirit of God.

Evening Reflection

Think over the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Praise God that he is working in us to produce such fruit! When we submit our hearts to the Holy Spirit, we are able to love as God loves. Indeed, submission to the Holy Spirit will do what the Mosaic Law was unable to do: make us obey the spirit of the Mosaic Law, which is love (Gal 5:14). Our focus then is not on trying to become more loving, joyful, peaceful, and patient but rather on surrendering our lives to the Holy Spirit.

Where are you lacking? In our journals today, let us ask the Holy Spirit for his transformation. Confess and submit your areas of weakness and ask for the Spirit to fill you with more of God’s love.

May 19, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on December 20, 2014. He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

“Are You Teachable?”

Proverbs 27:5-6

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

When I was a teenager, I played Little League baseball. One of the great lessons I learned from playing team sports is that you have to be willing to be corrected (rebuked) to improve, but also to be accountable to the team. Some of the corrections my coaches and fellow players gave were harsh at times, but I knew it was for the betterment of the team and myself.

In these verses, the writer also points out that we all need rebuke (and we need to rebuke others) at times in order to grow and learn. The “wounds of a friend” means that they are inflicted with good purpose and correction and should be considered trustworthy. As we have been learning through Proverbs, this also is the way to wise living. Biblical love always looks to promote Christ-centered living even if that means correcting others through rebuke and correction.

Examine the friendships and relationships that you currently have. Do you have people that can speak into your life in love that will help you strive more towards godliness? This is also why spiritual community is vital. Get involved in your small group ministry and ask the Lord for these types of friendship in your life.

I want to close with the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in this book about community called, Life Together:

“Reproof (rebuke) is unavoidable. God’s Word demands it when a brother falls into open sin. We must know that it is not our human love, which makes us loyal to the other person, but God’s love, which breaks its way through to him only through judgment. Just because God’s Word judges, it serves the person. He who accepts the ministry of God’s judgment is helped.”

So, are you teachable?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for people in my life that have corrected me to help me grow as a person and a disciple. I pray that others would have people in their lives who can also provide constructive correction and rebuke. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 21

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 3:12-16: Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Questions to Consider

What is the apostle Paul dealing with in this passage?
What is difference between justification and sanctification?
Do we have a role in sanctification?

Notes

In this passage, Paul is referring to the sanctification of believers.
Whereas justification is the right standing before God that was established through Christ’s work on the cross, sanctification is the continuing process by which the Holy Spirit forms the perfect sinless image of Christ in our lives. This is a process that began when we came to know Christ personally and will be completed on the day of His second coming (Phil. 1:6).
One might think that since it is God who is working out our sanctification, we don’t have to do anything and we can passively go through life doing whatever we want and God will take care of the rest. Paul calls such thinking immature! Fully understanding the sanctification process in a believer’s life, Paul was very active in seeking Christ-likeness in his own life (“press on” v.12, 14; “straining forward” v.13).

Evening Reflection

Psalms 95:6: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”

Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself to me. I love thinking about you as my Maker who has an unfathomable and unending love for your people. You knew me since the foundation of time and even while I was in my mother’s womb. You fashioned me with your mind and heart and love, giving me a plan and a purpose to live in fellowship with you and for your glory. Your love runs deep and touches my very core. And you open my eyes to truly see your glory through your creation, for you have created nature, people and community through your magnificent power. Yet you are a God who lives in me, and you have always been there since I turned my heart to you. Amen.

Tonight, as you begin communing with God, freely ask him, “What were your thoughts about me when you formed me in my mother’s womb?” And declare his magnificent attributes!

*By Pastor David Alas (posted on September 22, 2013); by Pastor Bruce Yi (posted on September 22, 2013)

May 18, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional was first posted on July 3, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Don’t Really Believe Anything”

Jonah 1:7-9

And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

One of my greatest regrets occurred as a freshman in high school. It was one of those days when we had no work, so my classmates and I were just talking, and the topic of conversation turned to religion. One by one people began to share what they believed. Since we grew up in a mostly Hispanic neighborhood, the answers were similar: “Catholic, but I don’t really believe.” As it grew closer to my turn, I felt all my years of attending church fade away, and I heard the words, “I don’t really believe anything,” flow out of my mouth.

He is the LORD!

This is the point where Jonah, confronted with the questioning eyes of the sailors and the reality of God, relents from denying God and running away.

When we’re confronted with questions about our faith, especially if things seem stormy around us, how will we respond? Will we deny God as I did, or will we stand firm and declare our faith in the God who reigns?

Like Jonah, we need to realize how relentless God is in pursuing us. We need to see how real He is. It is then that we can find the ability to declare our faith in the God of heaven to those around us.

Prayer: God, help me to see how real You are. Give me the power to stand firm in my faith. Strengthen me to declare how glorious You are with every opportunity that comes my way. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 20

Lunch Break Study

Re-read the passage for this morning’s devotion. Read also 1 John 4:14-15:

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

Questions to Consider

Why did the sailors cast lots at this time?
What was significant about Jonah’s answer to the sailors?
In light of the 1 John 4:14-15 passage, what is our testimony to those who ask?

Notes

Casting lots was the practice of divination similar to the rolling of the dice or using a magic 8 ball. At this time, the sailors didn’t know who to blame for the storm, so they cast lots to determine guilt.
Jonah’s answer went to the heart of the matter. He revealed that it was YAHWEH who was responsible for the storm, and that God had dominion over the heavens, the earth, and the seas.
Our testimony is the pursuit of God for us in the sending of Jesus because of His love.

Evening Reflection

Have there been moments where you had the opportunity to share your faith and didn’t? Was it fear or doubt that hindered you? Tonight, let’s ask that the reality of God’s pursuit over us will strengthen us in boldness to share our faith.

May 17, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 10, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“About Our Offering”

Malachi 1:12-14

“But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.”

By 1996, the church I was pastoring had been annually increasing my salary while my wife was quite busy working as an interpreter. With no rent to pay since we lived at a small guest house, we still had some money left after paying for the final year of my doctoral study.

One Friday night, while I was leading the Experiencing God group in a time of prayer, I felt the Lord telling me, “Don’t hoard your money.” Quickly, I saw a figure in my mind that was slightly less than my monthly remuneration. While I wasn’t thrilled about making this special offering, I took it by faith that that’s what I had to do. I went home to tell my wife what happened and she agreed that we should obey. Afterwards, when I began looking for my checkbook, my wife wondered why I had to write out the check right then and there. I responded, “If I don’t, then, by tomorrow I will change my mind and the check will lose one zero. And if I wait until Sunday, it will lose another zero.”

God’s grievance against these Israelites, who, out of economic interest, offered Him defective animals, had a subplot: Initially, they vowed to sacrifice “an acceptable male in their flock” to the Lord, but changed their mind and substituted it with a blemished animal. That was adding insult to injury. Why? Evidently, they saw a costly gift to God as burdensome, yet at the same time, they didn’t want to alienate God completely, for He may come in handy when trouble lurks. So they threw Him a bone. Perhaps, not knowing God at all is better than knowing Him in an askew manner, and then treat the Lord like an unwelcomed guest in our home.

So, what has God been saying to you for the past few days? Is there something you need to do for the Lord? First, “estimate the cost to see if [you] have enough . . . to complete it” (Lk. 15:28). But aim for something that will require your faith to be stretched. Then do it; don’t change your mind.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that you are the creator of this universe who sovereignly rules all things with love and justice. Only a fool would treat you with contempt and I have been that fool one too many times. Forgive me. Strengthen my faith and resolve to truly honor you in all that I do. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 5:3-5: “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.’ 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.”

Matt. 21:28-31: [Jesus said] “There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.’”

Questions to Consider

What was the sin of Ananias? What prompted him to commit that fatal miscue?
What is the main point of what the two sons did in the parable?
So when is “changing of the mind” a good thing? What is the main point of the parable itself?

Notes

1. Ananias obviously was a committed believer who initially desired to give the total proceeds of the sale of his property to the church. But he changed his mind after seeing, perhaps, the hard cash he was now holding. Instead of admitting the change of the mind, he tried to have it both ways; to pull that off, he lied to God by pretending that what he offered was the entirety of what he got for his land.

2. Saying, “I will do something for the Lord,” must be followed by an active obedience. Nice sounding words should never take the place of a corresponding action.

3. Obviously, changing our mind from “I won’t serve the Lord” to “I will serve the Lord” is a good thing. Jesus used this parable to point out that the repentant tax collectors and prostitutes, who initially didn’t heed God’s will in their lives, will enter the kingdom of God ahead of the Pharisees, who, after having started out right, were ending very badly.

Evening Reflection

As you look back to this day in view of the devotional theme of this morning, how did you fare? Were you in a situation in which you were going to talk about the Lord but changed your mind? Were you going to be generous, but decided not to for some reason? Pray about what happened; pray for courage.

May 16, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 16, 2013. Young is a graduate of University of Illinois (BS), Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Westminster Theological Seminary (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for This Weekend

“Wisdom from the Lord”

Proverbs 16:2, 9, 32

“All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord . . . In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps . . . Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”

These are the two wise words from the Lord for us today:

First, since conquering oneself is harder than taking a city, we need Jesus! Let’s work on controlling our desires through God’s word and Spirit.

Second, it is easy for us to rush into decisions. It is easy for us to be filled with worries. We need to be still and surrender our plans to Jesus. Remember—In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Spend some time praying over decisions that are before you. Don’t go ahead of God. Be still and rest in Him.

I try to pray over future decisions I make by journaling it in question form. For example, Lord, what do you want me to do about the open door in Germany?… Lord, do you want me to pursue further education? etc. As I write out the questions I pray over them. Then later I get to see how God determined my steps.

Prayer: Jesus, conquer my heart. I want to surrender my character to your Lordship. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 18

May 15, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, was first posted on September 21, 2014. He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Justice of God”

Ecclesiastes 8:2-8 (ESV)

Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Martin Luther King once famously declared, “Justice too long delayed is justice denied” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”). In so doing, he was echoing William Gladstone (19th century British Prime Minister), and indirectly asking: Why does God wait so long to punish and discipline evil?

Solomon is not the first person to notice that without immediate negative consequences, we are prone to picking the easiest path. Confession time: earlier this week, I walked across a street even though the green man wasn’t flashing. Why? One reason might be that in my life, I have never received a ticket for jay-walking.

But even if I were to get a ticket, it might not change my behavior or my heart. I will just check more carefully to see if policemen were present before I cross the street. A jaywalking ticket won’t change why I do that; it wouldn’t even begin to address this busyness I feel in my heart.

So what would change my behavior? Some ideas come to mind: First, I could get hit by a car; in that case, I would definitely be more careful the next time I cross the street. Even then, I may not give up jaywalking. (After all, there are surfers who, after been attacked by sharks, still return to surfing.)

Second, if a police officer stands at every intersection and block, and tickets everyone who jaywalks, then I would change my behavior.

Third, if while I am jaywalking, someone rushes to protect me from being hit by a car and is killed in my place, I would almost certainly never jaywalk again. In other words, if my breaking the law directly leads to another person’s death, I would feel compelled never to jaywalk again.

Let’s look at these options from God’s perspective: (1) if we get hit by a car every time we jaywalk, the punishment doesn’t seem to fit the crime; (2) if we were to imagine God as an omnipresent type of law enforcement officer, wouldn’t that affect our relationship with God? Would we follow God out of love or out of fear? (3) If someone else needs to be punished so that we might learn some kind of a lesson, this seems to make the least sense and the worst option of all. What if you take the punishment (i.e., hit by the car) instead of the person who actually jaywalks?

And that is precisely what Jesus did on the cross where the grace and love of God met the justice and wrath of God. Praise God for his mercy and grace! Praise God that we don’t receive perfect justice! Praise God that justice delayed isn’t always justice denied! That’s the justice of God.

Postscript: This thought exercise was not meant to perfectly describe the theological complexity and beauty of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. But if it helps you, praise God! It if doesn’t help you, you are free to discard it!

Prayer: Father, thank you for your great love for me. Help me to remember that the direct consequence of all my sins was in fact, the cross of Jesus Christ! I want to live in the light of your mercy and grace, being transformed by your Spirit each day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 16-17

May 14, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on February 7, 2014.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Honor”

Mal. 1:11

“My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.

Family honor should matter, but too much emphasis on this can result in something bizarre or even violent. For example, at a wedding ceremony of his son, the proud father (a pastor) abruptly announces a prayer huddle in front but just with his sons; the newly minted bride is not invited. Standing all alone, the bride perhaps wonders whether it is too late to back out.

In some Islamic countries, brothers are willing to kill their sister if her behavior is deemed dishonorable. While we can agree that “a good name is more desirable than great riches” (Prov. 22:1), these guys are way too much.

God is also concerned about his name and He doesn’t like it when it is dishonored. One grievance against King David was the effect of his adultery with Bathsheba among the Canaanites: “Because by doing this you made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt” (2 Sam. 12:14). The grievance against the Israelites living abroad whose lives were undistinguishable from the Gentile sinners, despite “brag[ging] about [their] relationship to God” (Rom. 2:17), was no different: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Rom. 2:24).

Is the motivation behind protecting the family honor the same as God’s concern for upholding His name? Definitely no. The families are mostly concerned about how others view them, usually a self-flattering portrayal that others do not see. However, God’s concern for his name stems from His love for people among the nations. The Lord knows that the defamation of His name by those who claim to follow Him will prompt the nations to think that the God of the Bible is no different than the capricious, even immoral gods whom they grew up worshiping. Thus, they will neither seek nor believe God when He is finally presented to them. It’s their loss as well as God’s.

As you start this day, don’t just focus on you and your family, but think about the kingdom. Today, it snowed here. As I was shoveling snow out of the driveway, I decided to clear out some snow for my neighbor. They are not believers but they know we are. They thank me. I hope the name of our God was exalted just a little bit. Now, go and shovel some “snow” so that God’s name may be exalted.

Prayer: Glorious God, how great and excellent is your name. We exalt your name on high and the name of your Son Jesus, the only name through which we can go to the Father. Lord, I want to make your name great at the place where I live and work so that others may desire you and ultimately be found in Christ. Motivate me and empower me to do something today that would make your name to stand out. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 15

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Pet. 2:12, 15: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. . . . For this is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.”

Jeremiah 4:1-2: “If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” declares the Lord. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, ²and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory.”

2 Kings 17:15: “[The Israelites] followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them. . . .”

Matt. 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

Questions to Consider

What is one main factor that causes us to be ineffective in serving God and furthering his kingdom?
In what way did the failure of the Israelites to distinguish themselves among the nations hurt those very nations?
What is the best way to distinguish ourselves from the world so that what we do gives further credence to the greatness of our God?

Notes

We become co-opted by the values and practices of the secular world, thereby losing our Christian distinction: that is, our saltiness. As a result, we become good for nothing as far as representing God. In fact, we may become recipients of ridicule by the skeptics of the Christian faith.
Israel’s wayward ways, in effect, blocked God’s channel of blessing for the nations since her undistinguishable life prompted the nations not to hold God in high regard. They thought, “Why bother seeking the God of Israel when these Israelites prefer our god and our ways?”
Nothing is more powerful that leading a credible public life, backed by a corresponding private life, consisting of good and kind deeds performed “with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).

Evening Reflection

Did you have an opportunity to exalt God’s name today? Wrap up your day by briefly journaling what happened today. Pray for a more effective tomorrow.